Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising
by 10us Ace
Summary: Takuya and Zoe return to the Digital World, only to find it in chaos, and destruction; ruled by a very powerful and wicked Digimon. Together, they must find the Legendary Spirits, defeat the evil forces, and fulfill their destiny in order to save both the Digital World AND the Human World. Otherwise, it will be the end of everything; including each other. Takuya/Zoe. PLEASE REVIEW!
1. A World For Us All

**Author's Notes: Hello, and thank you for reading my story. I've decided to use Frontier because it was my favorite season. Also. Takumi is one of my favorite couple. Feel free to give me feedback, whether it's positive or constructive. Enjoy the story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Digimon Frontier series or any of the characters.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter one.**

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><p><strong>A World For Us All<strong>

**Normal POV:**

Shibuya, Tokyo. It is one of the most decorative and busiest city in all of Japan. The towers reach up to seven hundred feet and the streets are filled with thousands of people. According to most people, this highly populated metropolis is known as Tokyo's finest city. Tourist traveled far and wide to visit such a place.

Not only that, Shibuya is also famous because it has Tokyo's busiest railway stations. Since the roads are normally crowded with hundreds of civilians, it's no wonder a lot of people take the train. Then again, Shibuya is known as one of the best fashion centers of Japan. Many young people proclaimed that this treasured city is home to the wildest nightlife area.

Every day seems like a normal day for the people of Shibuya. However, only a handful of kids remember that fateful day a couple of years ago, when their city was almost destroyed. A powerful Digimon named Lucemon came so close to accomplishing his ultimate goal in taking over the Human World and the Digital World. Both worlds would cease to exist.

But six children came together, discovered the powers of the ten Legendary Spirits and stopped the ruthless Digimon, just before he could succeed. Now this group of unsung heroes have become the closest of friends, even after their adventures together in the Digital World. Neither will forget the incredible journey they had and the special bonds they've created with each other.

And it all started with a text message.

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><p>*Two Years Ago*<p>

It was Shinya's birthday. His mom was on the phone with her husband, talking about who knows what. The birthday boy was being as nuisance, as always. For example, he asks for a forklift on his birthday. What kind of kid makes a stupid request like that? He could've wished for something more practical. Instead, he wants a large truck that lifts things.

Our hero, Takuya Kanbara was just sitting on the table, waiting for his dad to come to home. The summer had gone by pretty fast, and it has been uneventful to say the least. Throughout the entire summer, all Takuya did was stay home, play video games with my little brother and watch TV whenever he got bored. That was about twenty percent of what he did throughout his summer vacation. The other eighty percent was eating and/or sleeping.

"Man, I'm bored. My whole life is boring." He complained. Takuya looked at his cell phone. "Bored, boring."

Suddenly, my mobile device started beeping.

"Huh? Incoming message?" He wondered. "No name. Weird."

He gazed at the message.

"_Do you want to start?_"

Many would assume that someone is trying to pull off a practical joke. Even Takuya realized that something smelled fishy. He could've deleted the message, ignored it and forget about the whole thing. But based on the way his tedious day has been going, what does he have to lose? After all, there's no harm in just checking it out, right?

"We'll it's bound to be better than being bored." Takuya concluded as he pressed the blue button on his phone, confirming to whoever sent him the message that he's in. (Whatever they were doing.)

"Takuya Kanbara!" Someone said, which took him by surprise. "It's time to decide your future, Takuya."

"Hey!" The boy gasped. He picked up his phone.

"Wait a minute. Who is this? What do you mean my future?"

Now things were getting a little odd. So many questioned popped in Takuya's mind. Who was this woman? How'd she know my name? Heck, how the heck did she know his number? And what does she mean by 'deciding his future?' Is this a game... or something bigger?

"Your destiny is calling. Take the 5:45 outbound train." The voice ordered.

"This is way better than being bored." Takuya nodded "My destiny? That's downright cool." He then looked at the clock to see what time it was.

_5:37_

Takuya had only eight minutes to catch the train.

"I'll never make it." He thought to himself. "But that has never stopped me before."

Takuya grabbed his brown hat and goggles before rushing out the door.

Little did he know is that voice on his phone turned out be Ophanimon, one of the three Celestial Digimon. She and bunch of other strange creatures played a huge role in the adventure that awaited Takuya Kanbara and a few other kids just like him. Many children have received the same message Ophanimon had sent, but only a handful of them answered the call and headed toward the train station as quick as they could.

Elsewhere, Takuya arrived at the train station with one minute to spare. He went up to one of the booths to get his ticket... when he just realized that he was all out of money.

"I knew I should've asked for more allowance!" complained the penniless boy.

He banged his head against the machine in frustration. Suddenly, as if they were fate was expecting him, a red ticket appears out of the slots. Takuya was grateful for this little fortunate event, but he didn't have time to ask questions, especially when his train leaves in about thirty seconds. The goggle-head ran as fast as he could and boarded the train just as the doors closed behind him.

Takuya couldn't believe he made it. He sat on the ground and tried to catch his breath. That's when he heard his phone ringing again. But when he went to for his device, he realized that no one was calling him because there was no vibration. Takuya looked around to see whose phone was beeping. In front of me, a boy his age took his cell out of his pocket. He then looked back at Takuya straight in the eyes. Not wanting to make him uncomfortable, he turned his attention somewhere else. Although, he couldn't help but wonder.

"Wait a minute. Did he get a message too?" He thought.

Takuya looked at his phone once more and noticed there was another message on it.

"Transfer to the 6:00 westbound train." The voice said. He looked around to see what time it was. Standing just across the aisle, a man in a black suit was wearing a watch. Takuya looked at the small clock as hard as I could and it read 17:54. The boy was so frustrated, he grabbed his head with both hands and screamed from the top of his lungs.

"COME ON! GIVE ME A BREAK! I'M DOING THE BEST I CAN!"

He quickly got off at the next stop. Takuya then looked up, wondering what he was supposed to do next. Moments later, a boy with long black hair tied in a ponytail walked passed him and disappeared into the crowd.

"Maybe he knows." Takuya thought.

He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, just to catch up to the boy he saw earlier. Unfortunately, Takuya had lost sight of him when he reached the lobby. He looked all over the crowded area, but he couldn't find him. Then the twelve year old boy looked towards the elevators, and sure enough, there he was. The pony tailed boy walked in and pushed one of the buttons.

"Hey, wait!" Takuya screamed.

The doors were almost shut. Almost running out of time, Takuya picked up the pace and sprinted as fast as he could toward the elevator. Once when he was close enough, he dove in like a professional swimmer and crashed his head into the opposite wall. Takuya may have suffered a minor headache upon impact, but he just barely made it. He looked up at the boy and smiled.

This is Koji Minamoto, the lone wolf of the group. He was about the same age as Takuya. Besides his unique hairstyle, this boy also wore a blue jacket, a yellow t-shirt, black pants, blue socks and white shoes. Little did Takuya realize that he and this boy, along with three other kids just like him, were about to embark on adventure that will change their lives completely.

Back to the story, Takuya saw Koji staring at his phone, wondering if he got the same message like before. But when he tried talking to him, Koji ignored the goggle-head like he was invisible to him. Not a good way to make a first impression, but Takuya decided to let it go.

More importantly, the two boys noticed that there was something awfully peculiar about this elevator they were in. Once they reached the basement level, the elevator kept on descending, like there was an actual floor underneath. It was completely weird, and it shocked Takuya. Koji, on the other hand, showed little to no emotions. But neither didn't ask any questions.

Moments later, they reached their destination. When the elevator doors opened, Takuya was shocked at what was before him. There were a bunch of different colored trains all in one place with over a hundred kids standing around, waiting for instructions. This was unlike any train station Takuya Kanbara has ever seen before in his life.

But it turns out that these so-called locomotives have a name: Trailmon. While their role seemed pretty small, these guys helped Takuya and the others on their little adventure, carrying them from one part of the Digital World to another. Strange, but it sure beats walking.

Anyway, remember that mysterious voice earlier? She then told Takuya and Koji to choose a train. And perfect timing too, because all of the locomotives were ready to leave. The goggle-head ran as fast as he could towards the red train. He sprinted like crazy and his heart pounded rapidly. But Takuya didn't care. Nothing was going to stop him from getting on. He jumped on board the train and walked inside. Takuya looked around and saw nothing but rows of empty seats.

Fortunately, he wasn't alone.

Three other kids, just like him also got the same message. One of them was an eight year old boy, the youngest of the group. His name is Tommy Himi. He wore a white t-shirt, baggy brown pants and an orange, strange looking baseball hat that covered almost all of his chocolate hair. Poor kid was scared half to death. He didn't even want to be there in the first place. But when this whole journey began, Takuya decided to look after little Tommy like a big brother. After all, he won't be seeing Shinya anytime soon.

There was another boy who was also part of the group. He had short, spiky, brown hair. He wore a bluish, baggy jumpsuit with yellowish pockets to go with it. This is J.P. Shibayama. While he is the oldest of the group, he sometimes doesn't act his age. Even Tommy and Takuya were way more mature than him. He may be the biggest, but his size helped the others out, even in the most precarious of spots.

And finally, there was Zoe Orimoto. She had gorgeous blond hair, emerald eyes and with a cute lavender beanie covering her head. She also wore blue and white striped short-sleeve shirt and a sleeve-less lavender jacket, as well as a lavender skirt. She had long, dark, purple socks with white and light lavender colored strap-on shoes. What Takuya doesn't realize is that these two will share a special bond that will eventually draw them closer to each other.

For now, it was just Takuya, Zoe, J.P., and Tommy. For a moment, they were all trying to get to know each other. But that's when the lights of the Trailmon just turned off. The train began to shake, causing the four kids to fall on their backs. Then suddenly, all of their cell phones started glowing and transformed into weird devices known as D-Tectors. But before any of the humans could ask any questions about what's going on, they had just arrived at the Digital World.

The Digital World is a marvelous place where variety of strange creatures reside and live peacefully with one another. These creatures are also known as Digimon, or Digital Monsters. The Digital World is divided up into ten regions, each region representing one of the ten elements: Fire, Wind, Light, Ice, Thunder, Earth, Wood, Water, Steel and Darkness. The most distinguishing feature of this Digital World is the existence of the Fractal Code or the main source for the data that forms the Digital World, possessed by everything, from individual Digimon to masses of land.

When the four arrived at the Digital World, they ran into two other Digimon. One was a mutant-like Digimon wearing a pink waistband. Another was a yellow rabbit wearing red pants. They are Bokomon and Neemon. Bokomon was the intelligent one of the group. He knew a lot about the Digital World and was very helpful to the humans. Takuya and the others would be going around in circles if it wasn't for Bokomon's guidance. As for Neemon? Well, let's just say he made the adventure more interesting with his nuttiness.

Anyway, when they got off at the Flame Terminal, the humans came across a dangerous dog-like Digimon known as Cerberumon. He was not only destroying everything in his path, but he was also absorbing the Fractal Code in the terminal. With such an intimidating monster wrecking havoc, many Digimon and most of the humans ran for their lives.

But not Takuya.

He felt like he had to, but how? What can he do in his current level of strength? Suddenly, his D-Tector started glowing and it lead him to some part underneath the Flame Terminal. Before Takuya's eyes, he could see the Spirit of Fire. The Spirit came into his device and the goggle-head was ready to fight. By combining the Spirits of Flame with a small ring of Fractal Code, the puny human slowly transformed into Agunimon, the Legendary Warrior of Flame.

Tommy thought he saw Takuya become a superhero, J.P. thought he was dreaming. Zoe thought she was in love. As for Takuya, he felt invincible, especially during the fight against Cerberumon. After a couple good "Pyro Punches" and a "Pyro Tornado" to finish, the Warrior of Flame absorbed the evil creature's Fractal Code and restored the terminal back to normal. But even after all that, the humans were still confused about what had just happened.

Takuya and Zoe decided to continue their journey while Tommy and J.P. chose to go home. Somehow, the two boys got ambushed by a pack of Pagumon. They chased the poor humans into an underground sewer. That's where they were saved by their new friend, Koji Minamoto. The lone wolf was able to fend off the mischievous Rookies... until they Digivolved to Raremon. This fowl Digimon pushed Koji down a bottomless pit. But that's where he found his Spirits and became Lobomon, the Legendary Warrior of Light. With his Lobo Kendos and Howling Laser, he was able to send Raremon back to the dumpster. When the fight was over, all five children were united.

But Koji decided to go his own way, instead of staying with the group.

Tommy was the next to get his Spirits. It all started when they kids got a message to go to the Forrest Terminal. Along the way, they came across a small valley where the tracks break. On the valley walls, they discovered the ten symbols of the Legendary Warriors. As Bokomon retold the story of the Digital World's past, they were ambushed by a group of Candlemon. Takuya Spirit Evolved to fight back, but there was just too many of them. Tommy remembered how courageous his friend was for standing up to those bullies, and he was inspired to do the same. That's when his own Legendary Spirits came to him. The once pathetic crybaby has transformed into Kumamon, the Warrior of Ice. Thanks to his bravery, he and his friends were able to get out in one piece.

Even Zoe, the only girl in group, found her own Legendary Spirit. She and J.P. were taking a stroll until they came across the once luscious and popular garden, known as Breezy Village. From there, Zoe met a group of Floramon, who eagerly treat their guest with some... _lunch_. Wanting to help her new friends restore the village to its former beauty, the girl helped out by planting some trees, growing flowers and decorating the village. That's when the Mushroomon brothers attacked and started wrecking the whole place. But then, the Spirit of Wind came into Zoe's D-Tector. The blonde transformed into Kazemon and easily defeated the Mushroomon brothers and brought back peace and harmony among the two Digimon.

That left J.P. the only one without a Spirit. He said that he didn't care. But on the inside, he was hurt and very depressed. One day, J.P. and the rest discovered a hut full of Kokuwamon, where were being forced to work in a Wind Factory as slaves. As long as Snimon and his henchmen of Goblimon were there, the poor workers couldn't fight back or escape. Takuya, Zoe and Tommy volunteered to help them fight, while J.P. stayed behind and led the others to safety. But then he realized that everyone has changed while he has remained the same. Not wanting to run away any longer, the eldest human rushed back in to help the others. It turns out that his own Spirit was hidden in the walls of the factory. J.P. Spirit Evolved to Beetlemon, defeated the slave drivers and saved the day.

Many figured that with their own Legendary Spirits on their side, it would be smooth sailing from here. Unfortunately for the Chosen Children, there were a few bumps on the road.

Some of them included the four other Legendary Warriors: Grumblemon, Arbormon, Ranamon, and Mercurymon. They attacked one of the Celestial Digimon, known as Seraphimon. Not only they defeated him, but they've also stolen Seraphimon's Fractal Code, transforming back into a Digi-Egg. Also, these Warriors of Earth, Wood, Water and Steel, were after all of the children's Spirits. It took teamwork, as well as our newly discovered Beast Spirits to get defeat and restore these evil Legendary Warriors.

There was also a fifth Legendary Warrior who was on the side of evil: Duskmon. He was probably the strongest of the five evil Warriors. Who this Digimon was, nobody knows. But for some reason, every time Duskmon saw Koji, it was like some lost memory sparked in his mind. Realizing that something wasn't right, Koji investigated this strange Legendary Warrior. It turns out that Duskmon was actually Koji's twin brother, Koichi. Thanks to the evil Cherubimon, Koichi's heart was taken over by the darkness. It wasn't until Koji helped his brother saw the light. Koichi overcame the darkness inside by his heart, which then revealed the true form of the Spirits of Darkness.

The six children were reunited with each other once again. They traveled to the Rose Morning Star, where Ophanimon was being held captive. They've managed to free the Celestial Digimon just before Cherubimon could attack. Ophanimon sacrificed herself and gave Takuya and Koji a new burst of energy, before she was gone. Thanks to her, the two of them combined the twenty Legendary Spirits to become EmperorGreymon and MagnaGarurumon. Thanks to this new power and the support of their friends, Cherubimon was finally defeated. After that, all was well. Takuya, Koji, Zoe and the others thought that peace would be restored and the Digital World would return to normal.

Boy, were they wrong.

Two new Mega level Digimon appeared after Cherubimon was beaten. They were Dynasmon and Crusadermon, faithful servants to Lucemon and also known as the Royal Knights. They were on a mission to retrieve the Fractal Code and offer them to their master so that he can be revived. These two were very tough to beat because every time Takuya and Koji face them, they were no match for them. Zoe and the other guys tried to protect the Fractal Code from those dastardly Royal Knight. But it was no use.

Before long, all the Fractal Code was gone and the Digital World was nothing but a dark void. It was a terrible sight. Nothing but emptiness blanketed what was left of the Digital World. Feeling like they had nothing to lose, Koji and Takuya fought the Royal Knights one last time. This time, they were able to get the upper hand, and eventually defeat them. When they saw a ring of Fractal Code surrounding their bodies, it was their chance to finish them off once and for all. But before they can do anything, Lucemon absorbed their data and his revival was complete.

A Fallen Angel Digimon stood before the humans. But he was ruthless, terrifying and most of all, very powerful. The humans tried to stop him, but he easily defeated them without breaking a sweat. Lucemon then used this strange attack by combining the energies of light and darkness. That move was so strong and the pain was intense. Neither one of the Legendary Warriors could withstand such a devastating attack. They all transformed back to their human forms, leaving them completely defenseless. Just when things were looking hopeless, Koichi sacrificed himself and gave his Spirits of Darkness to Koji. That's when Lucemon scanned his data. Koichi transformed into a spirit and disappeared from his friends.

Just then, a dimensional rift leading to the Human World opened up. Lucemon changed into his true form and heads into the portal, seeking to conquer both the Human and the Digital World. After motivating his friends to never give up and keep on fighting, Takuya and the others combined all twenty Legendary Spirits and transformed into Susanomon. With the strength of the three Celestial Digimon and the combined powers of the Legendary Warriors on their side, we were able to defeat Lucemon for good. Both the Digital World and Human World were saved.

After that, Takuya, Zoe, Koji, Tommy and J.P. returned the Fractal Code back to where it belongs and restored peace, harmony and prosperity the Digital World. Too bad happy endings don't last long. Since the evil had already been vanquished, there was no point for the humans to stay. As much as they wanted to remain in the Digital World, they had to go back. It's where they belong. Takuya and the others returned to the Human World and search for Koichi, who had been taken to a nearby hospital because of an unfortunate accident. The group found Koichi in the emergency room. He appears to be unconscious, and was fading fast. Koji had never felt so powerless in his life. He and his friends wished with all their might that Koichi would make it.

As if as they heard their prayers, the D-Tectors then started to glow, giving energy to their fallen friend. Before long, Koichi rose up and Koji gave his brother a great big hug. The rest joined the siblings in a warm embrace, which symbolize the strength of their friendship. Unbeknownst to the Chosen Children, their D-Tectors transformed back to their original cell phones again. But that didn't matter. Koichi was alive and they all had each other.

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><p><strong>Takuya's POV:<strong>

*Present Day*

Yep, that's our adventure in the Digital World. Ever since then, the six of us have been close friends. Is it just me or do I have the most incredible friends a guy could ask for? Once when the gate to the Digital World had closed, the rest of us pretty much returned to our normal lives. Sure we all miss Bokomon, Neemon and the other Digimon that helped us on our journey. Plus, I'm starting to forget what it's like being a Legendary Warrior. But after the wonderful adventures my friends and I had and all of the many life lessons learned, we all changed into better human beings. We all seemed to learn something about ourselves.

I learned the importance of family and how they mean so much to me. Shinya, for instance, will always be my younger brother, and that will never change. Yes, there will be times where he and I will fight and not talk to each other for days, but that's all part of the fun of being an older brother. He may be annoying, noisy and one of the biggest pests in the house, but I still love him. When we celebrated his birthday, I've never seen him so happy in all my life.

From that point on, we had never been closer. We play video games with each other and I even taught him how to play soccer. Although he won't be as good as me, I still love competing against him. I also introduced him to my good friend, Tommy. Since then, those two have become the best of friends. Every week, Tommy would visit our house and the three of us would do something together. Either that, or I just let those two go have fun with each other.

Speaking of Tommy, that kid has changed a lot too. He used to being bullied by kids older than him. Every day they would pick on him and he would cry home to his mommy. The poor little guy... But now he's the one who's sticking up for himself and for others too. As long as he's here, no bully is going get the best of him anymore. And to think, it was all because he had found the Spirits of Ice. Since then, the Tommy that's always running away from danger is now willing to face it head on. He's gotten so much braver and he wouldn't hesitate to fight for what he believes in or for the people he cares about.

Just look at him. The kid's grown up a lot. He's made so many friends along the way. Recently, he told me that he went to the amusement park with his friends and they went on the fastest, tallest and scariest roller coaster in the park. Not only he had so much fun, but he told me that he was the only one who didn't pee in his pants or threw up during the ride. Okay, not what I was expecting to hear from Tommy, but he's no wimp any more. As a matter of fact, Tommy is probably one of the bravest kids I know. As a matter of fact, I believe he's very close to become braver than me.

And let's not forget good old J.P. Shibayama! When he returned to the Human world, he too had success in making friends. And there were lots of them, especially since J.P. is such a great person to be around with. I mean, come on. Before we met, this guy was having trouble making friends. He was desperate, though. J.P. did impress others with a few magic tricks and chocolate bars. But how long did that last? J.P. could perform the greatest trick of all time and have a year supply of chocolate bars at his disposal. In the end, that's not how make friends. Good thing J.P. is a smart guy. After our adventure in the Digital World, he was able to make friends with his entire school. And this time, he didn't use a single chocolate bars or his famous magic tricks to do it. In fact he didn't even need them. J.P. realized that being yourself is all it takes to make everlasting friendships.

And what do you know? You'd be surprised how many friends this guy has after our awesome adventures in the Digital World. I guess you can thank his first set of friends and the Spirits of Thunder for his change of behavior. Before, this guy chickens out and finds a place to hide when it comes to fighting the bad guys. But now, he realize that all of his will always be behind him, no matter what the obstacle. J.P.'s a really nice person, if you get to know him. I'm glad he's on our side.

Of course, there are the twins: Koji and Koichi. Man, they look so much alike, it's kind of freaky. But I mean it in a cool way. I believe it's great to have a twin brother. Sheesh, why did mom curse me with Shinya instead of giving me a twin who'll probably more cool than the little squirt? Anyway, these guys have been two of my best friends since we've returned from the Digital World and ever since Koichi got out of the hospital. We always kept in with each other, updating what we doing each day and if we want to hang out with each other.

It's amazing how much Koji has changed since we first met. When his mother died, he told me he was having trouble warming up to his stepmother. That's why he didn't socialize with me and the others much when we were at the Digital World. The four of us traveled as a group, while Koji went alone, wondering off without anyone of us knowing. But when he was reunited with his brother, he warmed up to all of us a little bit.

Now, he's finally become more acceptant with his stepmother. Not only that, but he and his brother have never been closer. I swear, you won't see one without the other. I guess it's a twin thing. At least, that's what Koji keeps telling me. I guess twins have some kind of connection I'll never understand.

Koichi Kimera, or the Legendary Warrior of Darkness. He had short black hair and he was wearing a green jacket, a maroon t-shirt, white pants and black shoes. I'm still having trouble believing that such a kindhearted boy was consumed by darkness. Because of this, he nearly killed his twin brother. But thanks to Koji, these two were finally reunited with one another. After our adventure in the Digital World, Koichi frequently visits the rest of his family.

As I said before, ever since then, Koichi and Koji spend a lot of time with each other. I saw them sitting next to each other at the movies. Recently, I watch these two brothers playing basketball with each other. It was a typical one-on-one game and that time, and Koji won, but only by two points. Koichi keeps telling me that one of the cool things about being a twin is that they're always helping each other get better. It was a great game though and I wouldn't be surprised if Koichi took the next round. He's is an awesome guy and I'm glad I've got to know him.

They told me about their little family reunion and how great it went. Koji isn't as antisocial as we all thought and Koichi is glad that the whole family is back together again. Many people don't understand how important a family is in their lives. It is something that will always be a part of you, no matter where you go. The best families are the ones that keep their arms open for the ones they love.

Well, that's everybody... right?

Nah, I'm just kidding. Of course I was forgetting someone. In fact, how can I forget her? In my opinion, I believed she was the reason why I had so much fun in the Digital World. I'm talking about the only girl in our group. Emerald eyes, blonde hair that reflects the radiant sunlight, and that one of a kind was also known as the Legendary Warriors of Wind and my best friend. Zoe Orimoto.

When I first met her, we never really got along.

My first impression on her was annoying. When we were at the Digital World, she loves to make fun of me and the stupid decisions I make. A good example of this would be when we were searching for the Forrest Terminal. We came to a fork in the road. I wanted to go right, when Zoe wanted to go left. We argued, as usual, about who's right and who's wrong. She wasn't going to give up, and neither was I. That's one thing I noticed about Zoe. She and I are so stubborn.

Unfortunately for me, she was right. The path I chose nearly got me and Tommy killed. When we joined up with Zoe and J.P., she bragged about how I was wrong, although I didn't want to admit it. On the outside, I was just playing dumb, but on the inside, I felt humiliated. That was the first time I ever lost Zoe. And after having so many countless arguments, it won't be the last

Not only Zoe was annoying, but she would not hesitate slapping people in the face if they deserve it. Believe me, I would know. She's hit me more times than I can count. I don't know if it was something I said, or if she just loves getting on my nerves. I have no idea what her problem was, but once she's offended, her first course of action is to hit something. In this case, it's usually me. Why is it I'm always the victim of Zoe's beat downs? A good example I can think of is right after we left the Flame Terminal. Tommy and J.P. got separate from the two of us, and we spent the entire time searching for them.

*Flashback*

_Zoe and I walk through the forest looking and searching for Tommy and J.P. We shouted their names as loud as we could, but so far, nothing. Zoe tried luring the boys out with some chocolate J.P. gave her earlier, but even that wasn't working. I tried using my stupid D-Tector, but even I couldn't get this dumb thing to work. Oh well, I guess we should keep looking._

_"Where could they have gotten off to?" I asked, walking with Zoe by my side._

_"Poor Tommy. He's such a little guy. He didn't even want to be here in the first place." Zoe said._

_"Yeah, you're right." I said. "He really shouldn't be out without his parents. I guess I'm gonna have to keep my eye on him." I honestly thought I impressed Zoe showing her how responsible I can be. And then I heard her giggle. Why the heck was she laughing at a time like this?_

_"Look at you pretending to be all mature. How adorable!" she said, still giggling._

_"Hey! What do you mean pretending?" I asked. "I am in the sixth grade!" _

_Of course I'm not pretending. I am a responsible person. Back home, mom and dad always came home late from work, so it was my responsibility to take care of my little brother, Shinya. Sure, we argue with each other a lot, but he's my responsibility. No matter how many times we fight, he is still my little brother and it is my job to make sure nothing bad happens to him. Like Zoe would know anything about responsibility. I bet she doesn't even have younger brothers or sisters to take care of. _

_Then again, she called me adorable. No one's ever called me adorable before and she did. I guess, because of that, I wasn't too upset at her. My cheeks flushed for only a split second. Good thing she was too busy to even notice. Then again, I'm actually glad she called me adorable, whether she was joking or not. She's actually the first girl ever to call me that._

_"Really? You're in the same grade as I am?" She asked as she slowly walked away from me. She stopped after a few feet, just to tease me, I guess. _

_"Who'd have thought? I was sure you were two or three years younger, at least." She turned around with her hands on her hips and a huge grin on her face._

_"Wait a minute." I said. "What's that supposed to mean?"_

_"When's your birthday?"_

_"In August."_

_"Ha! I knew it. I am older. I was born in May. That makes me a grand total of THREE months older than you." She said while holding three fingers at my face. I was kind of surprised she's older than me by three months, but instead, I gritted my teeth and walked past her._

_"That doesn't mean anything." I huffed._

_"Whatever." She said, still giggling. Man that giggle's starting to annoy me. _

_We continued our search for J.P. and Tommy and still we couldn't find them. I looked at the ground and I noticed a white and green D-Tector. I got down to one knee and picked it up._

_"Hey, check it out." I said. Zoe turned her head, saw the small Digivice and let out a small, feint gasp._

_"That belongs to Tommy." She said._

_She walked towards me to take a better look. However, she lost her balance. She wrapped her arms around my neck as the two of us fell down a hole. We both screamed, waiting to reach the bottom of the hole. Unfortunately, that took like about five seconds. Thankfully, if it wasn't for the pile of leaves to cushion our fall, both of us would've had a concussion. But we still landed on our head. It was very painful for the two us. Zoe finally stood up, still embracing me._

_"I'm alive! I'm alive!" She said. "I can just kiss you!"_

_"Um..." I said. I knew I should've said something else. If not, at least do something._

_We were staring at each other for a few seconds, but for me, it felt like an eternity. I saw her green eyes sparkle when I gazed into them. She had both hands on my shoulders. It was a warm sensation that only she could bring to me. And, boy, did she smell good. It was an unusual scent that captivated me, caused me to release all of the tension within my body._

_Unfortunately, Zoe had interesting ways of snapping people back to reality. She shrieked and slapped my face four times before pushing me to the ground._

_"Get away from me!" she yelled._

_"What? Girl, you're the one who grabbed me in the first place!" I argued. I've noticed her face was turning red. Was she embarrassed for saying she would kiss me or something else? I have no idea, but she was definitely getting defensive._

_"My name is not girl! It's Zoe! And keep your hands to yourself in the future, little boy!" she yelled._

_"Uh..." Man, this girl has got some serious issues. I saved her life (twice) and yet she still treats me like dirt. "So, are all mature girls this crazy?" I wondered._

_"That is so like a child. Sitting here, yapping away, when we should be looking for Tommy!" She said to me with that tone of voice of hers._

_"Fine, let's go." I finally said, ending the pointless argument._

*End of Flashback*

It didn't stop there just so you know. When we were at Breezy Village, Zoe told me that she just gotten her Spirit. I could've said how amazing she was or just commented her on a job well done. But what did I do instead? I laughed at her because I thought she was joking. I mean, really. Her? Zoe got a Spirit? Of course, I was just kidding, but apparently, Zoe didn't like it. She wrapped me and Tommy up in a stranglehold and nearly squeezed the life out of us. Now I knew how strong Zoe really is, even when she's not a Digimon.

Another time she beat the snot out of me happened at Toucanmon's Paradise. The boys and I were having the time of our lives, swimming on the beach and relaxing in the sun. Little did we realize that it was all a trap set up by the Toucanmon to steal our D-Tectors for Ranamon, the Warrior of Water. The guys and I heard screaming coming out of the locker rooms and we knew it had to be Zoe. J.P. and I rushed over to see if she's alright.

The good news was she was okay and no harm was done to her. The bad news was... well... she was partially naked, right before me and J.P. She threw a bunch of clothes and buckets at us, ordering us to get out. Okay, so I deserved getting hit like that. But even so, I still cared for her safety. In fact, what if she was attacked and I didn't show up to protect her? What kind of friend would I be?

Those were the things I didn't like about Zoe during the trip. She turns her aggression on me and she constantly makes fun of me every chance she gets.

On the other hand, Zoe did make the adventure more fun and, to me, a lot more meaningful. Zoe has become my best friend ever since our adventures in the Digital World. She was a strong person, a brave individual and a great girl to be around with. Not only that, she can also be very inspirational.

Back when we were on Toucanmon's Island, we wanted to get the Autumn Leaf Fair, where the Toucanmon were heading with our D-Tectors. However, in order to get to the other side, we had to cross the ocean filled with dangerous whirlpools. There were Gomamon around the area and they convinced almost all of us that it was impossible to get to the other side of the ocean because of all of those whirlpools. It's sad because the Gomamon had family and friends waiting for them and they may never see them again. The guys and I voted that we explore the island and look for a flying Digimon that can help us get across.

And then, it was Zoe's turn to speak_._

*Flashback*

_"Come on!" she yelled._

_"Huh?" asked the Gomamon clan._

_"Are you trying to tell me you're not even a little sad, watching all your friends from afar, not even being able to talk to them? Well, I don't buy it! Everyone gets sad without their friends!" Zoe said._

_I've never heard her talk like this before. There was a look of determination on her emerald eyes. Her voice was not too loud, yet not too soft. Her tone was firm and very persuading, might I add. Zoe's pep talk can be overdramatic sometimes... but also very poetic._

_"Yeah, we just try to ignore that, 'cause otherwise we get all depressed." The Gomamon respond._

_"Listen, guys." She said, "I think I have a quick and simple solution to your problem. You're all going to come with us."_

_"Although I appreciate the sentiment, don't you think it might be a tad dangerous?" Bokomon asked._

_"Come on, guys. We have to try." Zoe said, this time her voice dropping a little bit. She sounded desperate, like she really needed our help. I wanted to volunteer for her, but..._

_"We can't even help ourselves." Koji interrupted. "I mean, we don't even have our D-Tectors anymore. What good are we?" _

_He did bring up a valid point though. The Toucanmon stole our D-Tectors. That means, if we were attacked, we can't Spirit Evolve and defend ourselves. That made the rest of us a burden. Zoe was the only one that could fight if there were any danger. But even if she did transform into Kazemon, she can't do it all by herself. As tough as she is, there is only so much Zoe can do alone. All and all, the situation seemed pretty much hopeless._

_"That's a great excuse if you want to give up, but I'm not going to." She responds. "Sure it's tough. But I believe we can do whatever we put our minds to." Zoe then turns back to the Gomamon, who started at her with shock and awe. "Come on, guys. Let's get you back to your friends, okay?"_

_"After that speech, I don't think we could say no even if we wanted to." Gomamon said. And they were right. Zoe's already convinced me. I was moved with her speech. I've noticed some of the Gomamon were bursting into tears. I smiled and looked back at Zoe, determined to help her, no matter how hopeless the situation is._

_"I hope it works. If it doesn't we'll make it work." Zoe said._

*End of Flashback*

Because of her, we managed to get across the ocean and helped the Gomamon reunite with their friends and family. It was a sight to see, and it was all thanks to Zoe's determination, courage and motivation. She did hug every single one of us when it was all over. Being hugged by a girl at the time felt strange for a guy like me. I saw the look on Koji's face and he felt extremely uncomfortable.

However, when Zoe wrapped her arm around me, I felt something peculiar. I had no idea what it was, but it had something to do with Zoe. Whenever she talks, giggles, laughs or even smiles, I feel something strange in my chest. What is this feeling? It seems so familiar, yet so new to me. Call me crazy, but I had that same exact feeling...

... when Zoe and I were in Ophanimon's Castle.

_*_Flashback*

_Zoe and I walked into the room and stared that large number of books before us. There were like a hundred shelves and each shelf has at least two hundred books. So many places to look, so we started right away. I walk towards one of the shelves to my right and took out one of the books. Big mistake on my part. Suddenly, an avalanche of books toppled on the two of us, knocking us to the ground. I got to my feet first and wondered if Zoe's okay._

_"Smooth move, Takuya." I heard her say. I turned around and watch as she removed a book off of her head. The look on her face told me that she wasn't happy. Yeah, she's right. That was a stupid move. So I tried apologizing, which everyone knows I'm terrible at._

_"It's like that game. Uh... what's his name? Anyway, I always lose. But it usually doesn't hurt this much." I said rotating my shoulder for a little bit. I looked at Zoe's eyes and noticed it changed. Instead of an annoyed look on her face, I saw a look of concern. Maybe she did care for me, a least for a little bit. Zoe always tend to show concern for others, especially towards me. "Do you think we have to check every book?" I asked._

_"Yeah, probably. As J.P. say, 'Nothing's ever easy.'" She then started to yawn. She must be really exhausted. Either because of the fighting or because she's really stressed out. Or maybe it's because neither one of us hasn't slept in a while. I had no idea. All I know is Zoe was on the verge of collapsing. So I decided to help her out._

_"Are you tired?" I asked. She opened her eyes and stared into mine._

_"How'd you guess?" She replied_

_"Gee, I don't know." I answered, sarcastically._

_"You wanna take a break?_

_"If I stop looking, I'll start thinking, and I really don't want to do that right now."_

_Zoe then started to laugh. This is a first. Since when does she laugh at my jokes? Strange, but it was good to hear her laugh again. I really don't like seeing Zoe depressed like that. She looked back at me, so I gave her the usual smiled that made everyone happy, including her._

_"Yeah." She said, still laughing. "We can't have you thinking now can we?"_

_"Well, Neemon thinks I'm good at it." I smiled._

_"Yeah..." She said._

_It was quiet after that, which was fine. I actually like it when it's quiet. It helps me focus on the upcoming battle I'll be having against the Royal Knights. And with Zoe by my side, it made it even more relaxing. We kept searching through the pile of books for a good five minutes, until I finally decided to break the ice._

_"You know Zoe, this could be our last battle. We fought well." I said._

_"It hasn't all been fighting, it's the other things I'll remember." She said. _

_I looked back at Zoe and gazed into her eyes once again as I listened to her talk. I just love listening to her voice. It's so calming and gives me a funny, yet pleasurable feeling inside. _

_"Sure it's way cool to be a Digimon and kick butt and all, but it wouldn't have been half as much fun without you guys. You're the first real friends I've ever had. I never even knew how to be a friend." _

_She looks back at me, gazing into my brown eyes. _

_"And now I understand myself a little better and others too. I don't think I'll ever have trouble making friends again and it's cause I actually like myself now."_

_"Well, I really like you too, Zoe." I said._

_"Yeah?" she asked._

_Silence. Awkward silence filled the room. I'm not gonna lie. I remembered actually what I said to her. I admit that I really like her. But did I mean it? Do I really like her as in... well... "like" like her? I mean, I like her as a friend. That's what I was trying to imply, but it got me wondering, do I see Zoe more than just a friend to me? _

_I feel my face warming up a bit. My heart was beating rapidly, my knees were shaking and my palms were sweating. So many thought were racing through my mind. I was so getting dizzy, I couldn't even think straight. I finally had the courage to speak, or at least say something._

_"Like, you know, not like-like. Um..." I got up and walked away from Zoe, who was blushing just like me. "Oh come on you know what I mean, right" I asked._

_"Right." Zoe said. _

_She sounded kinda down after my stupid confession. I made a huge fool of myself in front her. Not only that, but I've embarrassed her, put her in the spotlight, made her emotionally uncomfortable. We stopped talking to each other for a little bit and continue searching through the piles of books. I looked back to see if the tension has died down a bit. But when she turned around, I looked away, pretending that she doesn't exist._

_"Can't believe I just said that." I murmured to myself. "Way to go, Takuya. You've really done it now. Look at the mess you made. Not only that, look at Zoe. Look what you've done to her, man. Come on, buddy. You gotta fix this." _

_I let out a soft sigh. _

_"Just turn around and tell her how you feel. Tell her everything. Don't sugarcoat it. She'll understand. She is your friend, after all. I mean, come one. What's the worst that can hap..."_

_"Takuya?" Zoe asked while she turned her head._

_"Uh-oh!" I thought. "She's gonna ask me about my feelings towards her. No, man. You can't tell her now, it's too soon. But if I don't tell her now, Zoe will never know how I feel. Doesn't matter! Hurry up and do something! Tell her! No, I can't. Find the exit! No good, Zoe's in front of the exit. Do something!" _

_So I fell down on a pile of books and pretend to fall asleep. I know it's a stupid idea, but I didn't want to make Zoe any more uncomfortable than what she is feeling right now. At least this will calm things down and help regain my composure for a little bit. I pretend to snore to make it sound convincing._

_"Well, that figures." Zoe said. I can hear the frustration in her voice. Did she want to talk to me? Did she have something important to tell ask me? I didn't know. Actually, I was too scared to find out._

_"Sleep tight." She finally said. I opened one of my eyes. I watched her walk out the door. I lay on my back for a few minutes, thinking about Zoe, our upcoming battle with the Royal Knights and the fate of the Digital World. It took a while, but I finally got up and walked out of the library. Zoe was waiting for me with that cute smile on her face. I smiled back as we went back to find the others._

*End of Flashback*

When Zoe came back home, she had even more friends than ever before. She told me how she made pasta for her entire class and everyone was so anxious in trying it. I guess Zoe's not the same lonely girl she once was. Now she seems to be one of the more popular girls in school. Everyone wanted to be her friend. Man, has she changed so much, and yet still the same Zoe I've known since we've first met.

It was then I realized that we actually went to the same middle school with each other. What are the odds? She and I hang out a lot with Koji and Koichi. J.P. stuck with us until he eventually entered high school. Speaking of guys, you have no idea how many boys has asked Zoe to be their girlfriend. While she may be one of most popular girls, it kind of bugs me that she was getting a lot of attention. She's an amazing person, so it makes me wonder she has gone out with any of those good looking boys.

Then again, why does it bother me if Zoe does decide to go steady with someone else? She's my best friend, and I don't want any of those idiots taking advantage of her. If she's gonna go out with someone, it should be someone who knows her. Someone perfect for her. Someone who can make her laugh with his stupid jokes. He doesn't have to be cute or charming like the movies. But someone who can make her smile, even on her worst day. Given that I can do most of things, but still...

Come to think of it, I have been thinking about Zoe a lot ever since we've returned to the Human World.

I've been thinking about her long, golden hair that dance with the wind like butterflies. I think about those shining, emerald eyes that make me fall into dark devotion. I think about the times I watched her fight. I think of the times she annoyed the heck out of me in the Digital World, the times she laughed or giggled and the times she cried.

But most of all, I think about her smile. Her smile is like a disease, very contagious. I know it sounds corny, but it's the truth. Whenever someone sees that smile on Zoe's face, they return with a smile of their own. Her smile can make the shine on a cloudy day. I, absolutely, love Zoe's smile. Actually, I love everything about Zoe. As a matter of fact...

WHOA!

Wait a minute. Why am I spending this much time talking about Zoe? Why am I thinking about her more than anyone else? She's a great person, obviously. She's strong, brave, caring, independent, friendly, energetic and most of all, my best friend. That's what she is to me... right?

So there you go. You're now caught up to speed about what happened to me and my friends. We had so much fun in the Digital World. When we finally defeated Lucemon, we were sent back to the Human World and the gate to the Digital World was shut forever. We've waited patiently for the Digital Gate to reopen. It's been two years already and the gate was still closed. Some of us began to doubt whether it will reopen again. So instead, we all decided to return to our everyday, normal lives. In fact, I'm still in the middle of my summer vacation, and I plan to enjoy it while it lasts.

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

Meanwhile, underneath the city of Shibuya, were the remains of the underground train station that leads into the Digital World. It was dark, dirty, empty and in ruins. Everything inside the tunnels was nothing but pitch black.

Then suddenly, two pairs of eyes appeared out of the tunnel. The two strange creatures walked out of the tunnel and into the abandoned terminal. They noticed an elevator door in front of them. The two creatures walk towards the elevator and pushed the button on the side. It took a few seconds, but the elevator door finally opened. Dark gray clouds of smoke escaped the elevator. And then suddenly, two monsters walked into the elevator.

"We must find the children!" One of the creatures said.

"Right!" The other one agreed.

The door closes in front of them and the elevator carried the two creatures up to Shibuya Train Station. Little did the Digidestined know is that the gate to the Digital World has just reopened. What's waiting for them on the other side are new friends, new enemies and a whole new journey unlike any other.

A new adventure is about to begin.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter one. <strong>

**And now, the real story begins. Who are those monsters that came out of the tunnels? And what kind of adventures awaits the Chosen Children? ****These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	2. It's A Date

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Takuya, Zoe and four other kids had no idea what they were getting themselves into. One day, they found themselves in some strange place, known as the Digital World. Once there, they made all kinds of friends... and enemies too. Each were given their own Legendary Spirits, which gave them the ability to Spirit Evolve into the ten Legendary Warriors. Thanks to the power of teamwork and friendship, they were able to defeat the evil Lucemon once and for all. Now that the others are back in the Human World, you would think that things have returned to normal, right? Uh... wrong!**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter two!**

* * *

><p><strong>It's A Date<strong>

**Normal POV:**

The two strange creatures exited out of the dark tunnels and into the abandoned terminal. Carefully, they walked over the bits of broken glass, broken pavements and over broken wires that may potentially have electricity in them. They then noticed an elevator door right in front of them. The two pint sized monsters walk towards the elevator and pushed the button on the side. It took a few seconds, but the elevator door finally opened. Dark gray clouds of smoke escaped the elevator. And then suddenly, two monsters walked into the elevator.

"We must find the children!" One of the creatures said.

"Right!" The other agreed, shaking his head.

The door closes in front of them and the elevator carried the two creatures up to Shibuya Train Station.

One of creatures was a mutant-like monster with a small point on his head. He was wearing a pink elastic band around his waist. He was also carrying a small green book around one of his arms. The other monster next to him looked like a small yellow rabbit. Its eyes were somewhat closed and he was wearing a pair of oversize red pants.

Bokomon and Neemon had just entered the Human World.

As the elevator rose to ground level, the rabbit in trousers shook his body from side to side. The speakers were on and he was lost in the tedious, yet very catchy tune.

"Exactly what are you doing?" The creature wearing the pink waistband turned to his buddy and looked at him awkwardly.

"Oh come on! You got to admit! It's got kind of a catchy beat!" replied Neemon as he continued shaking his body and his head to the music.

"You imbecile! We have no time for dancing to some elevator music!"

"But it's fun!"

"How can you be thinking about having fun in a time like this? Don't forget why we're here, you moron! We have a very important mission to fulfill! Now, stop all of this foolishness and get your head straight!" ordered Bokomon.

"Fine..." The rabbit stopped his dancing and shrugged.

The elevators open up and two creatures walked out onto the lobby in the Shibuya Train Station. The moment they stepped onto the marble floor, they were surrounded by a stampede of humans ten times their size. Fortunately for them, not a single human noticed the presence of these two Digimon. Bokomon and Neemon dodged, danced and maneuvered around the tree trunk-like legs of the humans with enormous feet capable of crushing insects and small creatures such as these two.

Suddenly, an unsuspecting human accidently stepped on the rabbit's red leggings, causing him to trip and stumble into his buddy. The two tiny monsters fell on the tiled canvas and skidded on the ground until they crashed into a woman's legs. The twenty year old female was on her cell phone when something bumped into her lower extremity. But when she turned and looked down, her eyes noticed a couple of strange beings.

"YYAAAAHHHHHHHH! MONSTERS!"

"Oh dear!" Bokomon gulped nervously.

"Monsters? We're not monsters! We're Digimon!" Neemon ran his mouth.

"EEK! IT TALKS!" The woman shrieked.

Half of the crowd turned toward the dashed toward the nearest exit, scared of the pint sized Digimon. That included the most women and their children. As for the other half of humans in the lobby, they surrounded Bokomon and Neemon, cutting off all possible exits. A few adults called the police while the rest of them tried to capture the defenseless Digimon.

"What do we do now, Bokomon?"

"I don't know. Stay here let the humans take us away?" The Digimon wearing the pink elastic waistband glowered at his partner and replied sarcastically.

"That's your plan?" Neemon tiled his head to the side with confusion.

"No, this is... RUN FOR IT!"

Bokomon grabbed Neemon by his pants and hustled toward one of the small gaps to his right. Fortunately for the two Digimon, their speedy dash frightened the humans momentarily. This gave them a small opening to run through. Finally, the crowd of people snapped out of it and tried to capture these unknown monsters by stepping on them. Bokomon and Neemon juked form side to side, just barely avoiding every stomp that rained down on them. Moments later, they could see light at the end of the tunnel.

After ten minutes of nearly getting stomped on by the humans, the two monsters escaped the crowd and scurried toward the nearest exit. Thankfully, there were less humans in that area, so they weren't spotted. But the Digimon were running out of breath and if they slowed down right now, they might get caught. Finally, they reached the exit, and walked out of the Shibuya Station, panting and gasping for air.

"That was close!" The monster with the pink waistband said. He turned his attention to the yellow rabbit. "Are you alright?"

"No." The rabbit answered. "I'm Neemon. Nice to meet you. And who might you be?" The silly comment earned him a hard smack to the head, courtesy of the mutant-like Digimon. Bokomon smacked his forehead before placing his book back inside his waistband.

"Cut it out, you idiot!" He yelled. "Lady Ophanimon sent us on a mission to find our friends! And we have to hurry! The fate of the Digital World rests in the hands of the Legendary Warriors! Now, quit messing around and let's go! We have no time for games!"

"Games? I love games." said Neemon. "What game do you want to play first? Sharkmon and Minomon? Pin the Tail on the Mammothmon? Monmon in the Middle? Frigimon Tag? Hide and…"

"WOULD YOU JUST SHUT UP?" Bokomon yelled, giving Neemon a serious wedgie. "We have to find the others before it's too late! They're our only hope in saving the Digital World!"

"Right." said Neemon. After taking ten paces, Neemon finally stopped.

"Um… who are we finding again?" He asked. Bokomon lets out a long sigh and slapped his partner.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten about Takuya, Zoe and the other kids who saved our world a long time ago!"

"Uh... okay, I won't tell you!" Neemon grinned innocently.

"This is going to be harder than finding a piece of hay in a needle stack." Bokomon thought to himself. The two Digimon walked away from the train station and into the city.

The search for all six children was going to be tough for Bokomon and Neemon. Time is of the essence and they had no idea where to start looking. But with the fate of the Digital World in the balance, quitting was not an option. Then again, the city was so big and heavily populated, it's almost impossible to find the Chosen Children that once saved their world from total destruction.

* * *

><p><strong>Takuya's POV:<strong>

It was the middle of summer. I had about two weeks left until the end of summer vacation. Not only that, but once when school starts, I'll be a freshman in high school as well. I should be super excited about the transition from a dorky eight grader to a polish young freshman. I'm getting closer and closer in becoming an adult. What's not to like? A few more years, and I'll be taking care of myself without my parents or Shinya to nag me around

However, the way this summer's been going, what's to be excited about? Like last year, and the summer before that, my vacation can be described with one word. Here's a hint, it starts with the letter "B." The same word I've been using for the past two summers. Any guesses? That's right, my summer has been nothing but "boring." Plain, average, mundane, dull, ordinary, you name it. Just another typical, uneventful summer vacation I was having. You know something, I bet the next summer and the ones to come will be just as boring as this one. I should be going outside and doing something with my friends. But there's nothing to do when everyone's busy.

Okay, sorry about the attitude problems. But I can't help it. It's just that things changed ever since Koji, Koichi, Tommy, J.P., Zoe and I defeated Lucemon and restored the peace and harmony to the Digital World. Don't get me wrong, we're still really good friends with each other. I mean, we hung out a couple of times throughout the summer and we still keep in touch. Not too long ago, Zoe and the twins came to my house to study for finals. I haven't seen Tommy of J.P. in a while, though. But ever since the day we returned to the Human World, I get this strange feeling that the six of us have been drifting apart from each other.

Koji and Koichi spend most of their time with each other and their families. I wouldn't say they've forgotten about me or the others, but they've pretty much moved on with their lives, like everyone else has. They made a ton of friends back at school. Then again, being a twin does have its perks.

On the plus side, along with three of their friends, Koichi and Koji were able to form their own band. Koji has some serious skills with the guitar. He also has got a great voice as well. I had no idea that guy can sing. It's no wonder why he's the most popular kid in school. (At least, the girls think so.) The way he strums his guitar and his ability to hit the high notes made every girl in the school head over heels for him.

Koichi also plays guitar, but he provides the rhythm instead. Like his brother, he too can sing, but he only provides the backup vocals. Koichi has also become really popular with the girls, just not as popular as his twin brother. Fortunately, Koichi doesn't mind that his brother got most of the attention. After all, Koji is the cool one. (No offense, Koichi.) Together, along with a keyboardist, a bassist and a drummer, they formed "Darkness Into Light." I gotta admit, it sounds kinda catchy. But their music is beyond remarkable.

I also haven't seen or heard from Tommy for quite a while. I tried calling him to see if he wants to hang out, but every time, he always appeared to be busy. Either he's playing soccer with his friends or spending some quality time with his family. Tommy loves soccer. It's his favorite sport. One time, he and I played a little one-on-one with each other and he ended up winning.

No, let me rephrase that. He blew me out.

We were playing to eleven and I only managed to score three goals against him. A couple of those goals were lucky shots. However, I got to give credit to Tommy. He's turning out to be a potential premier player. His defense is impenetrable and his ball handling skills are jaw dropping. And not only his kicks are dead-on accurate, but they also have tremendous power as well. When he kicks the ball hard, it's like a rocket coming at your face. What can I say? The kid's got so much talent. I can see him as the captain of his soccer team, or the MVP. And you know something? I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes a professional soccer player when grows up.

I haven't got a hold of J.P. for a while. I guess he's busy hanging with the new friends he made at school. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for the guy. He's making friends everywhere he goes. But even so, I still miss the good times when we hung out with each other. The last time I hung out with J.P. we went to the arcade. He made a bet with me, saying that he can get more tickets than me.

Truthfully, I came just to have some fun, but a little action wouldn't hurt.

So we walked in the arcade and played a bunch of different games. I can remember some of the games we played. Skee-ball was first. Next we played Slam-n-Jam Basketball. After that came Big Bass Wheel, Steer Crazy and Whack-a-Croc. In the end, I got a total of two hundred and thirty-seven tickets. However, J.P. won the bet. He ended up with two hundred and seventy-three tickets. I wasn't too disappointed. Heck, I totally forgotten about the bet he made earlier. I gave him the rest of my tickets and walked outside. I went to the candy store and bought J.P. a chocolate bar. When I got back, I saw J.P. carrying a huge teddy bear. I laughed at the guy, and he smiled back. What did he do with his prize? To be honest, I have no idea. Maybe he gave it to his new girlfriend or something. Wait... J.P. has a girlfriend? Hmm... I should ask him the next time I see him.

Zoe was also busy during the summer, but she still found some time to hang out with me. Actually, she's the only person I hung out with through the summer. Every day of the week, I ask my five best friends if they want to get together. And Zoe seemed to be the only person that said 'yes' at least three of those seven days.

Unfortunately, we didn't do anything interesting though.

We went to the mall a couple times to go shopping. I should've know that Zoe would be such a maniac when it comes to something like this. Let me ask you. What is it with girls and shopping? I mean, for us guys, it takes us twenty minutes to go in, find what we want, pay and get out. Girls, on the other hand, take about two hours in one store. Zoe, however, is not your average girl. She spends about three hours looking and comparing different outfits, trying them on and just when you think she's satisfied, she finds another set of clothes she finds interesting. It's crazy and most of all, boring.

Sometimes we went to the movies with each other, but every time, we always argue on what movie we wanted to see. I wanted to watch action or horror movies. Zoe wanted to watch drama or comedy. Since we couldn't agree on anything, we left the theater without saying a word or watched our own movies instead. Altogether, we went to the movies seven times and ended up watching only two movies together. I don't remember the titles of the movies, but both of them actually sucked. I have no idea why I consider her my best friend, even though we hardly share the same interest.

Then again, I'm thankful that Zoe Orimoto was able to spend some time with me. I never really admitted it to her, but during those days when we do hang out, I learn something new about my best friend. For example, I had no idea she was an awesome cook. One time, she invited me to her house to taste one of her newest recipes. Initially, I thought I this was some kind of trick to poison me. But then my mouth tasted one of Zoe's best dishes: her four cheese ravioli with old-fashioned meat sauce. My taste buds were in heaven. From there, I fell in love with Zoe's cooking. Plus, I'm starting like... like... um, yeah..."

Anyway, back to the present.

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

Hot rays of sunlight shined through the window. The heat penetrated through the covers and onto Takuya's face. The former leader of the Chosen Children opened his eyes and removed the sheets off of his body. With his head relaxing on the pillow, Takuya stared at the ceiling for a good five minutes. He then stretched his arms and lets out a two second yawn.

The clock read 9:30am.

After what seemed about an hour, Takuya slid out of bed with little effort. He started the day with a nice hot shower that lasted about half an hour or so. Afterwards, Takuya turned the water off and grabbed a white towel to dry himself off. He picked up his toothbrush and brushed my teeth for a good three minutes. Once he was fully clean, Takuya walked back to my room and to get changed.

Minutes later, he went downstairs to the living room, where Shinya was waiting. There was a huge smile on his face, which could only mean one thing: he's up to something. But before Takuya could figure out what, Shinya suddenly wrapped his arms around his big brother's waist and gave him a great big hug.

"Happy Birthday, Takuya!" he said.

The teenage boy looked at his younger sibling oddly. Was it really his birthday today or was this some kind of practical joke. Then Takuya looked at the calendar hanging on the wall nearby. He checked to see what day it was and. sure enough, it was Saturday. To be more specific, it was Saturday, August 14th. Today was his birthday. Takuya smacked his head for his forgetfulness.

"Silly me, how could I forget my own birthday?" groaned the eldest Kanbara.

"Thanks, Squirt." Takuya grinned. Shinya finally released his brother and ran towards the kitchen. Takuya followed Shinya to his favorite place in the house and sat down at the table.

"Good morning, birthday boy." His mother said. Takuya turned and smiled back at her.

"Thanks, mom. So, what's for breakfast?"

"It's your favorite."

She walked towards the table and placed a plate in front of her son. He couldn't believe his eyes. There was a stack of pancakes with maple syrup, two strips of bacon, two sausage links and fried eggs. Takuya's mouth was already watery as he couldn't wait to taste his mom's cooking.

"BRING ON THE BEEF, BABY!" He yelled his signature chant before he chowed down on the food.

Without a doubt, his mom was an excellent cook. The pancakes were cooked to perfection. Nice and fluffy on the inside, yet golden brown on the outside. The strips of bacon were nice, hot and crispy, just the way he likes them. Plus, the fat has a little bit of juice left, which gave it an intense flavor. The sausage was really good too. His mother added some spices to it, so it had a slight kick to it. It wasn't too powerful, but enough to make him thirsty. But the eggs were probably his favorite part. Takuya claims that his mom makes the best fried eggs in the entire world.

Takuya ate like a pig, as usual. The food was gone in a matter of seconds. He slammed the plate on the table, miraculously not breaking it. After drinking a cup of orange juice, Takuya smiled back at his mom.

"Thanks for the meal!" The eldest said. His mom just smiled. She then turned her attention towards her youngest child.

"Shinya, aren't we forgetting something?" She asked.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" The little brother said.

"Takuya's present?" His mother reminded.

"Present? What present? I don't have a present for..."

"SHINYA!" The woman barked.

"Oh, right. Takuya's present!" Shinya smiled sheepishly.

He walked out of the kitchen and ran upstairs. He came back down a minute later and was holding a gift for his older brother. It was a small box covered with yellow wrapping paper and some gold ribbons. Takuya looked at the box awkwardly. Even though his brother doesn't know much about wrapping presents, this box could use a little bit more work... and effort. But he shrugged it off, because it's the thought that counts. Shinya smiled at his older brother and handed him his present.

"Here you go, bro." He said.

Takuya took the gift from his sibling and stared at it. He shook the box and heard some jumbling noise inside. Not wanting to wait any longer, Takuya started ripping through the present. Underneath all that wrapping paper and ribbons was a white box with a lid on top. He removed the lid and looked inside. Takuya reached in and took out Shinya's gift: a new hat.

It was black, not like his old one, with a white and red symbol on the front. I looked at the hat for a little bit and noticed something familiar about the symbol. It was an upside-down 'Y' with two dots on the upper right and left corners. Takuya tried to remember where he saw this symbol before or at least what does it mean. But after drawing a blank, he looked back up at Shinya and smiled.

"I thought you would like the design on the hat... so..." He stammered

"Shinya..."

"Well, do you like it?" He asked.

Instead of answering him, Takuya sprang up to his feet and tackled him to the ground. He wrapped one of his arms around his neck. With his other free hand, Takuya gave his little brother a noogie that lasted about a couple of minutes.

"You little insect! I love it! You are the best brother ever!" After he was finished, the eldest finally released him. Shinya wiped the dust off his clothes.

"Well, I gotta get going!" He said.

"What? You're not gonna spend time with your big brother?"

"You wish! I already given you your present already. I'm not going to spend the entire day with you. After all, I have something called 'a life' you know... Unlike you.

"Hey, watch it, Squirt!" Shinya stuck his tongue at his brother and made a beeline to the front door. But before he walked outside, he turned to Takuya one last time.

"Happy Birthday, bro!" He smiled. With that, he left the house and shut the door behind him.

Takuya has watched Shinya's grow up and mature the past couple years. Before, the two of them fought a lot and argued over the dumbest things. Today, they still do, but not as much as usual. As a matter of fact, the Kanbara siblings have never been closer. While not as close as Koji and Koichi, but it's still a big improvement compared to two years ago. Takuya can see that his brother is now capable of taking care of himself when he's away.

"What can I say? My brother is the best." He thought to himself.

"So Takuya, you got any plans today?" His mother asked.

"No, but I'm gonna call my friends to see if they want to hang out with me today."

His mother just nodded her head and returned to the kitchen to clean up her son's messy dishes.

Takuya picked up his cell phone on the table and went straight into his room. He decided to call Koji first. He punched in the numbers and placed the phone on his ear. After listening to the phone beep for thirty seconds, he finally got a hold of one of his best friends.

* * *

><p><strong>Takuya's POV:<strong>

"Yeah?"

"Koji, buddy!" I said happily.

"Oh, hey Takuya. How's it goes?"

"Nothing much. Say, are you and Koichi free today?"

"Nah. Unfortunately, my brother and I got plans today." He responded. Figures... They always got plans during the summer.

"Really? Where are you guys?"

"We're at the airport."

"The airport? Where are you guys going?"

"To Kyoto."

"Let me guess. Visiting family?"

"Yeah, sorry bro. Maybe next time okay?"

"Okay. Take care Koji. Have fun in Kyoto. Tell Koichi I said 'hi!'"

"Will do man. Oh and one more thing Takuya…"

"Yeah, what's up?"

At first, there was silence. Awkward silence. And then suddenly Koji started singing with Koichi in the background.

"_Happy Birthday to you!  
><em>_Happy Birthday to you!  
><em>_Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday!  
><em>_Happy Birthday to you!_"

A smile appeared on my face for having such good friends. When the song ended, they hung up the phone. You gotta love Koji and Koichi. You've haven't lived until you get these two to sing you a Happy Birthday. It's ashamed that they're on their way to Kyoto, while I'm stuck here in Shibuya. But it's summer, so I expect my friends to be busy.

"Oh well, two down, three to go." I said to myself. I punched in the numbers on the phone to call Tommy.

"Hello?"

"Hey, little buddy!"

"Hi, Takuya!" Tommy said ecstatically. "It's been a while since we last talked."

"Got that right. What have you been up to lately?"

"Nothing much." He answered. "I went to the beach with my teammates from soccer last week. And the week before that, my brother took me to play bowling."

"That's excellent Tommy!"

"Yeah. By the way Takuya, Happy Birthday." I smiled once again.

"Hehe, thanks buddy. You're awesome!" I heard Tommy giggling. I laughed along with him. "So, Tommy. I was wondering if…"

"T_AKE ME BACK AND I'LL NEVER LEAVE YOU_!  
><em>TAKE ME BACK AND I'LL NEVER HURT YOU!<br>__  
>I AM ALWAYS BY YOUR SIDE,<br>__I WILL BE HERE TILL THE END  
><em>_JUST WAIT FOR ME,  
><em>_NEVER LET YOU DOWN AGAIN,_

_TAKE ME BACK AGAIN!"_

Someone shouted. More like sang, but I couldn't tell really. I was dizzy from hearing that lousy racket. That was some terrible singing. And that was just me being generous. I put the phone back on my ear to see if Tommy was still there.

"What the heck was that?" I thought to myself.

"Sorry Takuya." He apologized. "That's my parents' favorite song. They sing it all the time whenever we're on the road."

"On the road? Where are you guys going?"

"Camping!" He answered. "My family and I are going camping for a whole week!"

"Really?"

"Oh yeah! We're going to Ina Camping Village. I'm so excited too. We'll go swimming in the lake, then we'll go mountain biking, then we'll go fishing and then…"

"OKAY, TOMMY! I GET IT ALREADY! SHEESH!" I said with a small hint of frustration in my voice. The room was silent for a few seconds before Tommy spoke.

"Um, Takuya? Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh yeah. I'm fine Tommy. Sorry, I don't know what came over me." I said.

"Oh, okay. We'll I gotta go Takuya."

"Yeah, okay Tommy. See you later. Have fun camping."

"Oh I will." He giggled, which made me smile a little bit. "Happy Birthday."

"Hehe, thanks buddy. Take care of yourself." I said as I hung up the phone. I fell back down on my bed. I stared at the ceiling.

I wasn't mad at Tommy. I can never be mad at him. The kid's spending some quality time with his family. I should feel happy for him. He's gonna have a great time there. I'm sure of it. On the other hand, I wanted to spend some time with him too. He's one of my closest friends, after all. I mean, he does owe me a rematch after embarrassing me in our last one-on-one soccer match. I don't mind getting trounced by a kid half my size. I just want to spend time with him, that's all.

"Three down, two to go." I said. I picked up the phone (again) and punched in J.P.'s number. Thirty seconds later, I head J.P.'s voice.

"_Hey guys! This is J.P. Sorry I can't come to the phone. But if you leave your name, number and message, I'll get back to you as soon as I finished my quadruple cheeseburger, large fries and chocolate shake. Hehe. Alright, talk to you later. Bye._"

I hung up before the beep. I dialed his number one last time.

"_Hey guys! This is J.P. Sorry I can't come to the phone. But if you leave your name, number and message, I'll..._"

Never mind, I give up. J.P.'s not answering his phone. He's probably stuffing himself with an extra-large, three-topping pizza.

Well, that leaves one person left: Zoe Orimoto.

Sometimes, I wondered. How does she feel being surrounded by a group of boys? She got along with everyone really well. She acts like a mother to Tommy and an older sister to the twins. J.P. constantly flirts with her, which always ends up with him getting slapped in the face. I take it that she's showing no signs of interest in J.P. whatsoever. As for me, it's an on and off kinda deal. She's my worst enemy one moment, and my best friend the next. But that's our Zoe.

I punched in Zoe's number on my phone. However, when I finished dialing, my finger hovered above the 'Call' button. There was an inch of space between the phone and my index finger. I tried telling myself to push the button, but it appeared as if my digit wasn't getting the message. Suddenly, I felt my chest tightening up just thinking about my best friend, who happens to be a girl.

"This is a lot harder than I thought. Then again, why am I so nervous in asking Zoe if she wants to spend some time with me? What are these strange feelings inside my stomach every time Zoe comes to my mind? I guess it's because it's my birthday and it'll just be the two of us... The two of us... Me and Zoe. She may be my best friend... but it feels like I'm asking her out on a..."

*gulp*

"Come on, Takuya. You can do this. I mean, it's not like this is the first time you've asked Zoe out, right?" He thought to himself. "Zoe's your best friend man. You've hung out with her before all the time. What makes today going to be any different?"

I finally pushed the 'Call' button and placed the mobile device next to my ear. As I waited anxiously for Zoe to pick up, the butterflies in my stomach returned. I felt my hands shaking like crazy, but it took everything I have not to drop the phone or to ask Zoe if she wants go out with me on a...

* * *

><p><strong>Zoe's POV:<strong>

I heard the birds chirping and singing one of my favorite songs outside my window. They kindly told me that it was time to open my eyes. I sat out of bed and stretched my arms a little bit before removing the covers off my body. I put on my lavender slippers and headed toward bathroom to wash up. After taking a twenty minute shower and brushing my teeth, I went back into my room to change. I walked towards my closet, opened the doors and got in my favorite attire. I put on my favorite blue and white striped short-sleeve shirt. After that came my purple skirt that reached up to my thighs. After I put on my long violet socks, I walked towards my desk.

"Today's Takuya's birthday. I gotta make this perfect."

I took out a box with Takuya's gift inside and set it on the table. I brought out some purple wrapping paper and some red ribbons. Wrapping presents is really easy. My mom taught me the basics. I had so much practice, but I've finally mastered the proper technique. When I wrapped up gifts, it's usually for my family during Christmas or for my friends during their birthday parties.

The real secret is in measuring the paper properly. Lack of excess paper makes the wrapping easier to handle and produces neatly folded ends, which give your gifts an elegant look. Also, try not to wrap in multiple angles. It will only results in messy edges and ripped paper, so go with the neat sides and vertices of a box.

I wrapped a piece of string around the box, overlapping it about one inch. This will be my cutting guide, which will help avoid wrinkled or torn paper. After cutting the string, I set the paper flat on the desk with the back facing up. I unrolled the gift wrap until I had a piece equal in length to the string I cut. I placed the box on the paper with the top facing down and brought the ends of the paper up to the middle of the bottom of the box. I used double-sided tape to secure the overlapping edges to one another. Next, I turned the box so that one of the unwrapped sides is facing me. I gently pushed the side edges of the paper to the center and creased them at the corners. After adding a piece of tape to each side to hold them in place, I did the same thing on the other side of the box. Then I fold the paper at the bottom of the box, (which is currently at the top of the work area), on top of the sides already folded in and taped it in place. I did the same thing on the other side of the box too. I folded the paper from the top of the box up to cover the other layers and taped it in place. Once that was done, the other side got the same treatment. When the wrapping was finished, I turned the box right side up and added a small red bow on top.

It is a long process, but I believe that the outside of the gift is just as important as the inside. To me, beautiful gift wrapping does more than just conceal its contents. It's another way of showing the recipient that they are special to you. And the person receiving this gift is more than just special to me. Even saying his name sends chills down my spine and makes my hair stand on end.

Takuya Kanbara.

He showed a huge amount of bravery when we were stuck in the Digital World. When my friends and I were in trouble, and courage and determination gave us the strength to fight. He kept our group together and knew exactly what to do whenever we were in a jam.

Okay, so he's not best leader in the world, but a leader nonetheless. He can be very stubborn sometimes. Also, he has a hot-headed personality, which usually leads to him arguing with Koji a lot. Did I also mention he's very annoying? Plus, he has a tendency to act without thinking. Sometimes, his irrational decisions put him or the rest of us in danger. For example, after we defeated Petaldramon in the Dark Continent, another evil Legendary Warrior named Duskmon appeared and with one swing of his sword, he defeated Arbormon and took away his spirit. The rest of us tried to fight Duskmon, but he was too powerful. So we had to retreat to come up with a new plan. Takuya, our "fearless" leader came up with a "brilliant" plan, or so he believes. Even though I voted to go with his plan of attack, somewhere in the back of my mind, I can't help but wonder. Did he take every factor into consideration? Did he thoroughly think this through? And if his original plan doesn't work, did he have a backup plan? As a result, Takuya's plan was a complete failure. Not only that, but Koji was seriously injured during the attack. Takuya disappeared and everything turned into complete darkness. All of this could've been avoided if Takuya used his brain for once. We were all lucky we got out of there alive.

But then again, there are other characteristics Takuya has that I admire a lot. He's very athletic and really energetic. He cares for the safety of others and Digimon as well. He's also brave, strong, kind, funny, and has a good conscious. Not only he can tell right from wrong, but he also fights for what he believes in. Takuya's very inspirational as well. I remember the time when he, Tommy, J.P. and I were getting our butts kicked by Sakkakumon. When the ten-eyed freak trapped us in a dark cave, I was completely terrified. I couldn't move an inch of my body. And to make matters worse, Tommy and J.P. were, all of the sudden, attacking me. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't attack or defend myself. I was on the verge of crying.

But then, Takuya stepped in. He managed to calm all of us down and told us to look inside our hearts and feel the strength within. He was right. I felt the presence of the Spirits of Wind. I could feel Kazemon's heartbeat. I could hear her breathing. All of her thoughts and feelings were my feelings. Because of Takuya's words of inspiration, we managed to defeat the Legendary Warrior of Steel for good.

On some days, he bugs the heck out of me. It's like he always has to have a comment for everything I say or do. It's not only annoying, but frustrating too. Instead of Zoe, he called me "girl" one time. Now that's just plain rude. Instead of being polite and trying to get to know me a little more, that little boy just had to open his mouth and speak his mind.

Then again, Takuya treats me like the girl next door. When I'm having a bad day, his signature, goofy smile was all I need to make me feel better. The way he looks at me gives me this sweet sensation. When he looks into my eyes, it's like I'm under his control. His hands must have some kind of magical powers. Whenever I feel his touch, I get this pleasant feeling that takes all my pain away and lifts all my stress off of my shoulders. Takuya is a kind, gentle, sweet, caring boy. He may not be the best at telling jokes, but he sure knows how to make a girl laugh. When I cry, he dries my tears and says some kind words to me or just giving me a nice hug.

Remember that time in Ophanimon's Castle when Takuya openly admitted that he really likes me? After that special moment, my thoughts and feelings for that hot-headed boy had changed. I wanted to ask him if he really meant it, but I saw him sleeping. Of course, I knew he was faking it. His breathing was too fast and too heavy, but I didn't want to disturb him. After all, he had a huge battle ahead of him and he needs all the rest he can get.

But deep down inside, I was scared to ask him how he really felt about me. I just couldn't. I was brave enough to face three talking mushrooms, a giant tree stump, the self-proclaimed diamond of the deep, and a putrid squid. But I couldn't muster any courage to ask Takuya about his feelings towards me. Takuya is a very important person to me. I can't imagine my life without him. My heart starts jumping like crazy whenever I see him. Let's face it. I'm in love with him. I never thought it could happen, but I'm actually falling for...

*Insert Ringtone: Kaze No Shizuku*

My cell phone on my bed started ringing and buzzing. I set the Takuya's present down, walked towards my bed and picked up my phone. Without looking at the Caller ID, I opened the phone and placed it on my ear.

"Hello?" I said.

"Hey Zoe! What's up?" A familiar voice from the other line spoke. I recognized that voice. It was Takuya. My heart started beating rapidly and my face was turning shades of red. I can feel my hands started to sweat. I placed the phone on my chest.

"Just calm down, Zoe." I said to myself. "Just act casual. There's no need to get anxious over something like this. Just talk to him like you usually do. And who knows? Maybe this could be the day when you tell Takuya how you feel about him..."

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

"Um, hello? Zoe, you there?" Takuya called.

"Of course I'm here you idiot!" Zoe said. "What do you want?"

"I just called to say hello, that's all"

"Fine. 'Hello!' Alright, now go away."

"Jeez, what the heck's your problem?"

"I got no problem. I was just enjoying my day when some immature, goggle-headed child called."

"Um… you're welcome. Man, can you be any ruder?"

"Excuse me? Are you're calling me rude?"

"So what if I am?"

"What did you just say?"

"Well, let's face it. You're the one with an ugly attitude."

"Ugly! Oh, that does it, Kanbara! I've had it! This conversation is over! I'm hanging up this phone right now!"

"No, wait!" Takuya said, causing Zoe to pause. "Sorry, I didn't mean it."

"Hmph" Zoe said. Her anger did drop however, just not that much. "That wasn't very nice. You know that, right?

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. Please forgive me?"

"Whatever, you need to learn how to talk to other people."

"Yeah… I'm working on it." Takuya said. Zoe let out a huge sigh. However, she was giggling to herself on the inside.

"Yeah, let me know when that happens."

"Hey, watch it!"

"I was just kidding, you dope!"

"Fine. So, what's up Zoe? How's your summer been?"

"Takuya, you asked me that question two weeks ago."

"Yeah, and two weeks have already passed. So, answer my question. How's your summer been?"

"Eh, could be worse." Zoe answers.

"Well... go on." encouraged Takuya.

"I didn't do anything, really. Besides shopping for clothes, accessories and school stuff, nothing interesting ever happened during the summer."

"I see." Takuya said. The boy lets out a small sigh, before asking "the question" to Zoe. "So Zoe? I was wondering if…"

"Oh, there was this one time where I went to mall and I ran into the twins. You know, Koji and Koichi? Yeah, I saw them performing by the food court and they asked me to sing along with them when we get to high school. I'm so excited! Oh my gosh, can you believe high school starts in two weeks? And to think, the four of us are going to be freshmen! *squeaks* I can't wait!"

"Um... that's nice Zoe. Anyway, I wanted to know if you..."

"Oh, Tommy stopped by here last week too." Zoe said. Takuya started to get a little frustrated. Here he was trying to ask Zoe a simple, yet complicated question and here she is talking nonstop about her summer.

"Why do girls talk so much?" he thought to himself.

"Tommy came over to help me bake some cookies for his soccer game the following day. That boy has got some serious talent; on the field and in the kitchen. How does he do it? Do you know Takuya? He could be an even better chef than me!"

"Meh, he might be. Anyway, I wanted to know if you want to…"

"Oh, by the way, J.P. called me last night. He said he and his family just arrived in Hawaii."

"HAWAII!" Takuya yelled to himself.

"Yeah, he'll send us a postcard. I told him to buy me a souvenir before he comes home. Oh, and I also told him to try a cherry snow cone with vanilla ice cream and snowcap..."

"OK ZOE! I GET IT ALREADY! WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP ALREADY?" yelled Takuya.

At that point, he covered his mouth with his hands, regretting what he just did. Silence filled the room. Takuya mentally cursed himself for yelling at his best friend. Meanwhile, Zoe just stood there with her mouth wide open. She was speechless to say the least.

"Um... Zoe? You still there?" Takuya asked.

"What do you think, you jerk?" She responded.

"Look, I'm sorry for screaming at you. I didn't mean it."

"Uh-huh. Sure you didn't."

"I'm serious, Zoe! I truly am sorry."

"Whatever. Listen, I gotta go. Sorry Takuya." She said. Tears were forming in her eyes. It took every ounce of energy inside of her to not let them out.

"Alright, I understand." Takuya said with guilt in his voice. "Can I just ask you one question though?" He waited for an answer, but it was quiet. He waited for five more seconds, and heard nothing but silence. "Zoe, you listening?"

"Just ask what you want to ask Takuya." Zoe ordered.

"Alright." This was it. The moment he's been waiting for. Takuya took a few good breaths, followed by one small sigh.

"Zoe, would you..." He stopped. "Would you..." Takuya slapped his face a couple times, before asking again. "Would you like to... hang on a second..."

"Huh?" Zoe asked, still confused.

"Sorry. This is really difficult." Takuya took another deep breath. "Zoe? Would you like to…SHEESH, COME ON, ALREADY! Man, this is hard."

"Hurry up Takuya. I don't have all day, you know."

"Sorry, but I'm having trouble finding the right words to say."

Zoe lets out one big sigh. "Takuya, either you ask me now or I'm hanging up."

"What?"

"You heard me. Just hurry up and ask me whatever question you have. And remember, if I hear you pause again, then that's it! I'm gone! _Capish_?"

"Capri-what?"

"_Capish_. Do you understand?"

"Oh. Okay, well here it goes." Takuya closed his eyes, took two deep breaths and opened his mouth. "Would you like to go out with me, today?"

It was so quiet in Zoe's room, you can hear the wind having a conversation with its surroundings. Meanwhile, Zoe looked like she's about to have a mental breakdown. Even her own body language could tell you that she's nervous. Both of her hands were shaking like crazy. Zoe's forehead, neck and palms were covered with sweat. Her breathing turned into panting. Her heart rate was accelerating and her muscles tensed up. Zoe's muscles in one of her hands began to tighten up to the point where it started cramping up. This caused the teenaged girl to drop the phone on the ground. Instead of picking it up, she stared at the wall in front of her, thinking, wondering and pondering about Takuya's "important" question.

"Am I dreaming?" She thought to herself. "Did Takuya asked me what I think he asked me? What I wanted him to ask me?" It took her twenty seconds to regain her composure.

"Um... Zoe? You okay? Zoe?" said Takuya's voice from Zoe's phone, causing the blonde haired girl to snap back into reality. She shook her head a few times and picked up the phone on the ground.

"Zoe? You still there? Hello?" Takuya asked.

"Yeah, I'm still here." Zoe answered.

"What happened? I thought I just heard something. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about it. Some of the neighbor's kids were just having too much fun. Hehehe." Zoe lied.

"Oh okay then. By the way, I haven't gotten an answer from you yet."

"What answer?"

"The answer to the question I asked you."

"What question?" Zoe asked. Of course, Zoe knew the question, but she just wanted to be one hundred percent sure. After all, she's been waiting for Takuya to ask her out since they've returned to the Human World. She needed to be sure.

"Look, Zoe. It's hard enough to ask the first time. Just give me an answer already."

"Sorry Takuya. I just... well, I... I just didn't hear the question. Can you please just ask one more time?"

"Fine." Takuya said after letting out a huge sigh. "Would you like to go out with me today?"

"I... I, um... well I..." Zoe stuttered.

"Come on girl!" She said to herself. "All you have to do is say 'yes' and, voila! You've been waiting for a long time for this. And now it's finally here. You can do it Zoe. You're almost there." Zoe took a deep breath and let it out, releasing all of the tension within her body.

"I..." She said. "I... um... *gulp*… Are you asking me out, Takuya?"

"Say what?" Takuya asked.

"Are you asking me out on a… um… you know… on a date?"

"Well I..." Takuya paused for a little bit. He sat back down on his bed, thinking.

"How the heck am I supposed to answer this question?" He said to himself.

"Well?" Zoe wondered impatiently.

"Yes!" the boy said, causing the blond haired girl's heart to stop beating.

"Yes?" She wondered.

"Uh... I mean no." Takuya said, changing his answer.

"No?"

"No. No, I mean, yes. Er... I mean... well... I don't know. This is confusing."

"You don't know?" Zoe yelled.

"I, uh..." Now Takuya's the one that's stuttering. Let's face it. Both yes and no were the correct answer. Yes he is asking Zoe out, but not in that way. They're just hanging out with each other. Nothing more, nothing less.

"We're just hanging out, that's all."

"You mean, it's not a date?" Zoe asked.

"Um… no, not really." Takuya answered.

"If that's the case, THEN FORGET ABOUT IT!" Zoe yelled, giving Takuya a small migraine. She hung up the phone a second later.

"Well, that didn't go the way I wanted to." Takuya said to himself. He gave out one small sigh before putting the phone back in his pocket.

"Guess this is gonna be another boring day, like always." He fell down on his bed and tried to fall asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Zoe's POV:<strong>

I placed my cell phone over my heart, which was still accelerating after the disastrous talk I had with Takuya. I leaned against the wall and slumped down to the floor. The conversation was already over, but I felt extremely embarrassed about the answer I gave to Takuya. He asked me to hang out with him for the day and on his birthday too. I could have said, "Yes, Takuya. I would love to hang out with you." Either that or something along those lines. But I didn't. In fact, I probably gave Takuya the worst answer possible. He was trying to be nice to me and what did I do? I threw it back in his face. I'm a terrible person. And for what? All because it's not a date?

"Now, that's just pathetic Zoe." I said to myself.

I stood back up and walked over to my nightstand next to my bed. Next to the lamp were a few pictures of me and a few of my friends. I picked up one picture in particular. It was a picture of me and Takuya standing in front of a lake at Yoyogi Park. He had his hands in pockets while I had my arms wrapped loosely around his neck. It seemed like a typical photograph of two best friends, but this picture has more meaning to me than what most people realize. I smiled at the picture and remembered all of the wonderful times I had spent with that goggle-headed boy. I then picked up my phone, dialed Takuya's number and waited for him to answer.

"_Please enjoy the ringtone while your party is reached_" said the voice on my phone

*Insert Ringtone: Salamander*

"Yeah, what?" Takuya finally answered, which caught me by surprise. Judging by the sound of his voice, either he's really bored or really angry. I couldn't tell, but either way, he didn't sound too happy, especially after the way I've treated him.

"Hey..." I said faintly. I was on the verge of crying, but I fought hard to hold back my tears.

"What do you want? Trying to add more salt to the wound? Don't you think you've done enough damage already?" He asked with irritation underneath his voice.

It was no use. A tear fell from my eye and brushed against my face. Still, I held back the rest. I didn't want to make things worse than they already are. After yelling at him, I've probably left poor Takuya depressed and broken. And I'm the only one that could put the pieces back together... if he'd let me.

"No, I mean…" I answered wispily. "I just... *sniff*"

"Zoe? Zoe are you alright?"

"Of course I am..." I croaked. "I'm... I'm... *sniff*"

"Wait a second. Are you... Zoe, are you crying?"

"No. Not really..." I said as another tear fell from my right eye.

"Oh, Zoe. Don't cry." I tried to holding back the rest of my tears, but it seems the harder I try, the easier it is for me to cry. I covered my face with my hands and continued sobbing, wishing that things would go back to normal.

"I'm sorry, Zoe." Takuya then said. The tone of his voice all of the sudden changed. I can sense his show of concern for me. All of the sudden, I felt the strength in my heart returning to me. I wiped the tears off of my face as he continues to speak.

"I'm really sorry for yelling at you. Please don't cry Zoe."

"I won't." I said as I wiped the last tear off my face. Even after all that commotion, I still managed to crack a smile, knowing well how much he truly cares for me.

"Look, I'm sorry for acting like that. I didn't mean to hurt you..."

"No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I was the one who yelled at you. It was wrong for me to overreact like that. I'm really sorry, Takuya."

"That's okay, Zoe. It wasn't your fault. All I want is for you to be happy. I can never forgive myself if I wasn't the one who cause you so much pain and suffering."

"Thanks, Takuya." I said, blushing a little. Just hearing those words from him is enough to make my heart leap. "That made me feel a lot better."

"No prob, it's what I do." He said, causing me to giggle. We spent a few seconds laughing and enjoying our conversation with each other. Oh... that reminds me.

"So, about your offer earlier..."

"Huh? What offer… oh, that. It's okay, Zoe. I don't mind. You don't have to come if you don't…"

"I would love to." I answered blissfully. I waited for Takuya to say something. My guess is he was a little shocked about the answer I gave him. There was a small, five second pause before he spoke again.

"Um... You what?"

"I said I would love to hang out with you."

"Really? You mean it?"

"Of course! After all, today is a special day, right birthday boy?"

"Well, yeah." He chuckled. "Thanks Zoe. You're the best."

"No problem. It's what I do." I answered, which caused Takuya to chuckle a bit.

"Hey! That's my line!" Takuya said sarcastically.

"Whatever! Heehee..." I laughed. "Okay then, meet me at the park at 1:00."

"Alright. I'll be there. Don't be late, Zoe. Um… _Capish_?"

"Hehe. _Capisco_!" I giggled. (Translation: I understand!)

"Alright, see you later."

"Bye." I said as I closed my phone.

I checked the clock and it read 10:45. Inside, I was jumping for joy as if I won the lottery or something. I'm going to spend some time with Takuya on his birthday. I never felt this happy in my life. Okay, so what if it's not a date? That doesn't mean I can't pretend it is. As long as I can spend some quality time with Takuya, everything will be alright. Besides, I remember when I was in the Digital World, I promised that if Takuya (or Koji) defeated Cherubimon, I would let them take me out on a date. To be honest, I never really followed through. Although, a part of me didn't forget that promise.

I've decided to change my clothes for today. You know, to make myself a little more presentable. I took off my sleeveless, lavender jacket and replaced my striped shirt with a light purple t-shirt with dark violet butterflies. I took out a black, sleeveless jacket out of my closet. Instead of wearing skirts, I grabbed a pair of short shorts from my dresser. They weren't too skimpy. But the shorts I picked did reveal a lot of my legs, like about thigh high. I also wore another pair of short, lavender socks with white tennis shoes to go with it. However, I kept my purple beanie.

That's another thing people don't know about me. I have a strange fixation to headwear. I guess you can say Takuya and I are pretty much the same. He's got his goggles, and I got my hat. I won't leave the house without one. I grabbed Takuya's beautifully wrapped present and ran downstairs. I walked into the kitchen.

"I got about two hours." I said. After setting the present down on the table, I put on an apron, grabbed a couple pots and utensils.

"Time to for me cook my signature dish for Takuya." I went to the refrigerator and grabbed all the ingredients I need. Altogether, I had one lobster (three to five pounds), two white onions, seven garlic cloves, some olive oil, whipping cream, salt, pepper and some Arborio rice.

I had everything I need to make Takuya some delicious lobster risotto.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter two.<strong>

**Now we know why Bokomon and Neemon are in the Human World. Can they find the Chosen Children before it's too late? ****These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	3. Surprise

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Takuya tried calling his friends to hang out with him on his birthday. However, Koji and Koichi were on their way to Kyoto, Tommy's camping with his family and J.P.'s out of town. Fortunately for the birthday boy, Zoe was the only one available. It took Takuya a lot of guts, but he finally asked his best friend out on a date. Aw, how cute! Meanwhile, Bokomon and Neemon had just entered the Human World with an important mission to find the Chosen Children. Sheesh! How can they find their friends when the six of them are scattered across the country?**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter three!**

* * *

><p><strong>Surprise<strong>

**Zoe's POV**

I just love to cook. I've been doing it since I was a little girl. It all started I was five. My mom was cooking dinner for me and my dad. Father was watching sports on television, while I was busy scribbling on some plain white pieces paper my mother gave me. One day, I had just finished one of my drawings and decided to hang it on the refrigerator. So I walked into the kitchen and was about to get one of those magnets inside one of the drawers, when I smelled something... tasty.

My mom was making some kind of pasta. I could tell because there were two pots sitting on the stove. There was a large pot that was boiling the noodles and a smaller pot that was heating up the sauce. When I first took a whiff, it smelled like a mixture of butter, cheese and little bit of black pepper. Back then when I was little, anything that smelled good would definitely taste good. It turned out that my mom was making Fettuccine Alfredo. And it was one of the best things I have ever eaten. The tenderness of the pasta combined with richness of the sauce was to die for.

The next day, I asked my mother to teach me how to make the same dish. She showed me all of the ingredients to make the Alfredo sauce. But it didn't stop there. Every evening, I join my mother in the kitchen and the two of us would cook all kinds of things together. We made a pasta, pizza, lasagna, stuffed peppers, roasted vegetables and baked desserts.

It wasn't until I was nine when I started cooking for my parents. Since mom and dad were usually busy with work, I kindly volunteered to make dinner for them by the time they returned home. Okay, so some of the first stuff I made didn't taste so well. A prime example of this was when I first tried cooking hamburgers. I seasoned the meat with salt and pepper before breaking them up into patties, just like my mother taught me. After putting a little oil on a frying pan, I placed three patties on top and started cooking. However, my biggest problem was keeping track of time. I was supposed to let it cook for at least ten minutes, but I accidently flipped the patties after five. When we ate the burgers, it tasted horrible. The meat was still raw, my dad got sick for days. I felt so ashamed for almost poisoning my family, I started crying.

But mom consoled me, instead of yelling at me. She told me that I will occasionally make mistakes in the kitchen and things will not always turn out how I want it to be or even taste good. However, the important thing is to learn from those mistakes. Also, mom taught me not to seek perfection, but strive for excellence. Perfection will slow me down and cause more problems, whereas excellence can take me on the path to become the best chef I can be.

Since then, all of my dishes have been superb. At least, that's what my friends and family keep telling me. I continued cooking for the people I love, even as I entered middle school.

Before I met Takuya, my mom gave me some advice, which I kept even to this day. She told me,

"_The best way to get through a man is his stomach_!"

And that's what I plan to do. I'm going to make my best dish just for Takuya. But not just as a birthday present. I want show him what I can do inside a kitchen. I want Takuya to be impressed with my cooking abilities. And maybe one day, he will ask me to cook food for him... hopefully for the rest of his life.

Oops, look at the time! I only had an hour and forty-five minutes left before I have to meet Takuya at the park. Well, I better get started on my signature dish.

To start off, I took about half of the lobster meat and chopped it finely. I also added a little bit of crushed saffron to and a little bit of truffle oil to the meat before I started stirring. Meanwhile in one of my pots, I heated the olive oil over medium-high heat and sautéed the shallots and onions for three minutes. Next, I added the garlic and the rice in the pot. After stirring for a minute, I added the chopped lobster meat. Before mixing the ingredients together, I added some whipping cream to lighten the texture. Next, I kept stirring until the pot was boiling. The rice should be soft, but not too mushy. It took me years to get it right, but I'm very proud of my recipe.

"What'cha cooking sweetie?" My mom asked as she walked into the kitchen.

"Lobster Risotto." I answered as I sprinkled some salt and pepper to the rice covered with the rich, creamy sauce.

I kept stirring the mixture of ingredients until the rice was nice and tender. I took out a small spoon and tasted the dish. It was perfect. The rich flavor of the lobster really seeped through the rice. And the sauce was terrific. It has a nice, semi-powerful kick too it, making my taste buds tingle for a little bit. I'm positive that Takuya would love this dish. If he doesn't... nah, he will.

"Interesting." My mom said. Then I noticed a huge smirk on her face.

"Alright, what's going on?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" I asked.

"You know exactly what I mean. You cook your signature risotto only for two reasons. Either it's for a special events... or it's for someone special. So, spit it out. What's the occasion or who's the lucky guy?"

"You're crazy, mom." I answered.

Although, she does have a point. I only make this dish on Christmas, Easter, birthdays, or whenever our families have guests. However, I felt that today was special. In fact, the person who would be receiving this dish is more than special to me. I looked back at my mother with a smile on my face.

"Today's my friend's birthday. I was going to meet him in the park for a little picnic. That's all."

"I see. So, you two are going out then?"

"Yeah, we're... wait, what?" I asked as my face turned shades of red.

"Oh, nothing. Heehee!" My mom giggled as she stepped out of the kitchen.

It took me a minute to regain my composure. So far, only a couple of people know about my feelings for the goggle-head. And that happens to be the twins: Koji and Koichi. Although, I didn't really tell them. More like they sort of figured it out. At school during lunch periods, the four of us would sit together and just talk about random things. But the brothers notice that I always keep my eyes on Takuya, even when he's not talking. Just only when he's not looking at me. But when he turned in my direction, I quickly look away and then blame Takuya for staring at me. While most would look at it as two best friends having another argument, Koji and Koichi saw right through me. And when they asked me about it, I told them the truth and they were delighted to hear it. Eventually, I'll tell Takuya how I feel about him. But who knows when I might get that chance?

I went to the cupboard and took out two plastic plates and a couple of plastic forks. I put three scoops of my lobster risotto on each of the plates. Next, I then sprinkled some parmesan cheese on top and added a little parsley for color. Finally, I covered both plates up with a plastic wrapper. I grabbed a brown picnic basket from the corner of the kitchen and placed the two plates inside, along with the two forks. After adding napkins to the basket, I went to the refrigerator and took out a can of grape soda. I also grabbed a can of cherry cola, Takuya's favorite drink. Lastly, I took out a medium sized blanket out of the laundry room. I folded it up and placed it inside the basket. I closed the basket and carried it under my arms. Before I left the house, I grabbed my cell phone and placed it inside my lavender purse. When I checked the clock, it read 12:45. I still had time, but I had to get going.

"See you later, mom!" I yelled.

"Have fun sweetie." My mom said as she washed my dishes. I put on my white tennis shoes, opened the door and walked outside.

It was a ten minute walk from my house to Yoyogi Park, the place where Takuya and I decided to meet. We hung out there a lot. Not just us, but the rest of the gang as well. I don't know why, but after a while, it became our usual hangout area. It's a great place to chill, have fun, exercise, relax, and spend time with good friends or family. In other words, if you're looking to have a great time, this is the place to be.

They got bicycle rentals as well as bike paths. I remember one time, Takuya and I biked around the whole park and then rested in the middle to watch the sunset. There's also a public basketball court. On some days, the six of us either play a little pickup game or just shoot around. I'll admit that I'm not too bad of a player, but it seems like Koji and Koichi were the best out of the whole group. There's also a place for people to play music or practice martial arts. There's another area of the park where dogs can run around freely.

On the other hand, there was still that one place by the pond. I like this area, in particular, because that's where I usually spend most of my time, especially with Takuya. Sometimes we take naps underneath the trees, watched the clouds above our heads, or just watch other kids play around with their parents or pets. It's such a relaxing place. This is where I would go to get away from any stress or depression. Everything we did there brought back so many wonderful memories. I'm happy to call this area, "Our Spot" because we spend so much time here together. However, I believe this is the first time I've celebrated Takuya's birthday at the park. So I got to make it special.

As I came to a stoplight, I started thinking about Takuya... again. I thought about the day we first met. When I first saw Takuya, he looked like your average twelve year old boy. There was nothing special about him, at least not in the beginning anyway. In fact, we never really got along when we were together in the Digital World. But after a while, we've became best friends. And eventually, I started to develop a crush for him.

I also thought all of our hard battles we were in and the many times we barely escaped with our lives. Takuya and I fought alongside each other a lot against all kinds of evil Digimon. He and I made a pretty good team on and off the battlefield. Or at least that's what the others keep telling me. I also thought about the awkward times as well as the special moments he and I shared. A prime example of this was when the two of us were in Ophanimon's Castle. That was the moment when my feelings for that hot-headed boy changed. Even after we returned to the Human World, I still get butterflies in my stomach whenever I see him.

I've always wanted to ask Takuya how he felt about me. Either that or just tell him how I feel about him. I practiced in front of a mirror the things I would say. There were a number of times I told myself that today would be the day. But every time I see him or when he approached me, I always lose my nerve and forgot everything I was going to say to him. He looks at me while I look away and sometimes vice versa. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but I still had to try.

One time, while we were still in school, I turned to Koji and Koichi for advice, since they sort of knew I had a crush on Takuya. They joked about it at first, but when they found out I was serious, they've decided to help. We tried all kinds of things, but nothing seemed to work. Homemade sweets, one on one study sessions, even going to Takuya's soccer games weren't enough to get his attention. Heck, the four of us went to an amusement park at night and the twins asked one of the workers to get me and Takuya on top of the Ferris Wheel during the fireworks show. It was truly romantic, and I even grabbed Takuya's hand and rested my head on his shoulder to lighten the mood. Unfortunately, Takuya was more excited about the fireworks going off, he didn't he even recognize the signs of me showing interest in him.

My latest attempt, however, turned out to pretty successful, in a sense. It took hours of planning, until we finally came up with an idea.

*Flashback*

_The plan was for me to sing a song for Takuya in front of the entire school, telling him how I feel. And I came up with the perfect song too. It's called "Ten" by Jewel. She was one of my favorite artists because her voice sounded like an angel. After the brothers and I set up a time to perform, I practiced singing in front of the mirror every day. Although my voice will never be as good as Jewel's, I think I sounded pretty good. This song reminds me a lot about Takuya and how I feel about him. Regardless of how much of a thickheaded idiot he is, he's still my best friend._

_During lunch, as I watched Koji and Koichi set up, I looked towards the quad to find Takuya. There were over two hundred students in the school, so it was kind of difficult to find him. I finally noticed a boy wearing gray, squared goggles walking towards me with the typical smile on his face which always brightens my day. At last, Takuya was going to watch me perform. But instead of approaching me, he made his way towards another girl sitting not far from the stage._

_She was just as tall as Takuya with golden hair, blue eyes, and creamy skin. I knew this girl. She's someone I despised so much. Her name was Ayaka Miyoshi, the hottest, smartest and the most popular girl in the school. Apparently, every guy was in love with her... even Takuya. I don't what makes her so special. She may be a straight A student, but Ayaka's selfish and will manipulate others to get what she wants. And the bad news was Takuya was falling for her tricks._

_I watched unbearably as my best friend wrapped his arms around the girl. I thought he was being friendly to her. But then Ayaka whispered something in Takuya's ear, which made the goggle-head's eyes widened with interest. My heart wasn't prepared for what happened next. I saw Ayaka giving Takuya a small peck on the cheek. At that point, my blood was boiling and my head was screaming in fury. I really wanted to go up to that girl and smack the lips right off her face. Heck, I wanted to drag Takuya out of the quad and beat him to a pulp myself. But I couldn't. I stood there, frozen in place. I continued to watch Ayaka planting small kisses on Takuya's cheek and neck. And the worst part was, Takuya's actually enjoying it._

"_Hey Zoe, we're ready." Koichi said. I could see him walking towards me in my peripheral vision, but my focus was still on Takuya. The black haired boy placed a hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay?" He asked. Koichi then noticed me staring blankly into space. He finally saw Ayaka Miyoshi kissing Takuya's neck._

"_Well, it looks like you got some competition." said Koji as he approached me and his brother. I glared back at him._

_"KOJI!" I snapped._

"_You're not helping bro." Koichi said._

"_Relax, will you?" Koji chuckled. "So what if Takuya's flirting with that bubble-headed blond bimbo? Once Zoe starts singing, he'll be head over heels for her."_

_"Do you really think so?" I asked, hoping that Koji's right._

"_Yeah." Koichi said. "You ready Zoe?"_

"_I guess so." I answered. _

_Koji and Koichi tuned their guitars as I walked towards the microphone. I waited until the bassist, keyboardist and drummer were ready. Finally, all five band members gave me the thumbs up, signaling me that they're ready. I looked back at Takuya, who was still enjoying the kisses coming from Ayaka. I then started to notice that her kisses were slowly approaching his lips._

_"I... uh..." I said. The microphone squeaked a few times before dying down. _

_At that point, everyone on the quad, including Takuya and Ayaka, turned their attention towards me. I stood there frozen like a rock. I never had the attention of the entire school. It felt good but extremely nerve-racking. I finally regained my confidence to speak._

_"So, uh, I'm going to sing a song for you guys. And... I would like to dedicate this song to... to, uh... *gulp*... a very special friend of mine." _

_Some of the students started clapping, which made me smiled a bit. I looked towards Takuya and I saw him clapping as well. He winked back at me, causing me to giggle. I looked at Ayaka, on the other hand, who was shaking her head with disbelief. Before long, the music started._

_*Insert Song: Ten*_

_The drummer tapped his sticks together to gauge the tempo. I listened to Koji and Koichi strumming on their guitars using a G Major Key. I could also hear the kick drum pounding and the keyboards playing. We smiled at each other one last time before I grabbed the microphone. I took a deep breath and started singing the song I dedicated to Takuya._

_"Whoever said that love is easy, must has never been in love;  
>Sometimes it's a land mine, one wrong step and it blows up;<br>A word... a look... lights a hidden fuse."_

_From that point on, I allowed the music to take control of my body. Every word that came out of my mouth was directed towards my best friend. I swayed from side to side and poured my soul into my singing. _

_"It's hard to see just what you have, when you're seeing red;  
>And it's easy to do something that you know you both will regret;<br>Better stop, think, count to ten before I leave."_

_As the music got louder, so did my voice. I felt that the more emphasis I put in the singing, the more meaning it would have. We finally reached the chorus. I looked to my right and locked on to Takuya's chocolate eyes, letting him know that these next few verses were directed towards him._

_"One, I still wanna hate you;  
>Two, Three, I still wanna leave;<br>Four, searching for that door;  
>Five, then I look into your eyes;<em>

_Six, take a deep breathe;  
>Seven, take a step back;<br>Eight, nine, I don't know why,  
>We even started this fight;<em>

_By the time I get to Ten,  
>I'm right back in your arms again."<em>

_Koji played his heart out when we got to his solo. At the time, I was trapped within the music. I looked back at Takuya and gazed into his eyes. I started to have flashbacks of all the times we were together. From the day we first met, to the adventures in the Digital World and the unforgettable moments we shared. Takuya's jaw dropped a little bit. I believe this was the first time he's heard me sing. He looked rather impressed. Ayaka tried getting his attention, but it was no use. Takuya's focus was only on me, and it made me feel happy. Finally, Koji's solo ended and so did the flashbacks._

_"Words thrown so callously like weapons when we fight;_  
><em>But when they cut too deep, I wanna leave it all behind;<em>  
><em>That I've to count to ten, before I cross that line."<em>

_"One, I still wanna hate you;  
>Two, Three, I still wanna leave;<br>Four, searching for that door;  
>Five, then I look into your eyes;<em>

_Six, take a deep breathe;  
>Seven, take a step back;<br>Eight, nine, I don't know why,  
>We even started this fight;<em>

_By the time I get to Ten,  
>I'm right back in your arms again."<em>

_And then, tears started to form in my eyes. I guess I was pour so much emotion out, I couldn't stop crying. I wasn't desperate, but I really wanted Takuya to know how I feel about him. And every time I see him with another girl or every day that passed without me telling him, I felt a tightness in my heart. As the tears continued to fall, I entered the bridge of the song._

_"You can lose what you're not thankful for,_  
><em>I don't want that to happen to you and me,<em>  
><em>Better count my blessings..."<em>

_We were approaching the end of the song. I looked back towards Takuya and gazed deeply into his eyes. As the words flow out of my mouth, I pretend that it was just me and him, with no one else around._

_"One, you still move me;_  
><em>Two, three, you send chills right through me;<em>  
><em>Four, you keep me wanted more;<em>  
><em>Five, when I look into your eye;<em>

_Six, you're my best friend;_  
><em>Seven, that will never end;<em>  
><em>Eight, nine, I don't know why,<br>But thank God it happens every-time;_

_By the time I get to ten..._  
><em>By the time I get to ten,<em>  
><em>I can see how blessed I've been."<em>

_Koji finished off with one more solo. At the time, I couldn't stop my tears from falling. I was crying uncontrollably. I dropped on my knees, covering my face. Koji's solo has ended, followed by a soft, rhythmic flow of notes from the keyboard. _

_Then I felt a sudden touch on my shoulder. It was a warm sensation that made me look up. I wiped my tears away when I saw Takuya's big grin on his face. I buried my face in his chest as the music slowly fades away. I didn't hear the roar of applause coming from the students. All I could think of was the hidden message I was trying to send to Takuya, wondering, hoping and praying he would receive it. I ended the song with one last message for my best friend._

_"I'd chose you all over again..."_

*End of Flashback*

The stoplight finally turned green. I woke up from the memory and walked down the street. Sometimes, I wondered if Takuya ever stop to think about the meaning of that song I sang for him some time ago. I would think so, or maybe his head's too thick. But the most important part was I tried. Now, all I had to do was wait patiently for him to make his move. Hopefully he will.

As I continue to walk with the picnic basket around my arm, I started whistling that song again. It wasn't just relaxing when I listen to it. This song has a special meaning, a hidden message of undying affection, that nothing can destroy a special bond two best friends have with each other. When I think of this song, I think of the one person I care about more than anyone else. The person who annoy me with his quirky jokes, yet make me smile with his adorable laugh. I'm talking about...

"Well, fancy seeing you here" Someone said.

When I heard Takuya's voice, I almost dropped the picnic basket. I regained my balanced and smiled at my best friend. There he stood with a black hat covering his dark brown hair. He looked at me with those chocolate eyes, causing me to blush for a little bit. He was wearing a red t-shirt with a fire breathing dragon on the front. He also wore a black, unzipped, hoodless jacket with red and white lines running down his sleeves. He also had a pair of jeans and red shoes on.

"Hey, birthday boy!" I grinned.

"Hey yourself! What'cha got in there?" He asked.

"You'll see. It's a surprise."

"So that's your gift? Lunch?"

"Yes. And, if you're a good boy, there'll be another gift for you."

"Oh, really?" He asked, before the sound of his stomach growling took over. He looked back at me with his signature grin. "Sorry, hehe!"

"Did you eat your brain again, Takuya? Because your stomach is thinking." I sighed.

"Yeah, whatever. Come on, let's go!" He said, grabbing my other hand, forcing my cheeks to turn a shade of red. I couldn't help but smile.

Hand in hand, we ran down the street, around the corner and out of the city. We arrived at the park a minute later. It was a Saturday, so it was no surprise that Yoyogi Park was full of people. I saw kids running on the fields flying kites, catching Frisbees or baseballs with their parents. I looked back at Takuya and smiled.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's head on over to our spot." I said.

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

Somewhere, in a dark alley a few minutes away from the park, laid a couple of trash cans filled up with all kinds of garbage. A small black cat leaped onto one of the garbage can lids. It sat down and started licking its fur. Suddenly, the cat heard a noise.

"BANG! BANG!" yelled one of the trash cans.

After letting out a fierce scream, the cat ran out of the alleyway. The lid on one of the garbage bins sprung up out of the can and landed on the solid concrete. Bokomon climbed out of the silver container and dropped to the ground, landing with a thud. He was panting heavily and covered in dirt and garbage. Apparently, they needed a place to hide after one of the humans spotted two tiny monsters roaming the city. They had to lay low for at least an hour until the coast was clear.

"I had no idea the Human World was such a cruel place." Bokomon said. He wiped the muck off of his body and removed a banana peel off of his head.

"Mmmm! Mmmm!" someone said. Bokomon looked up at the second garbage can and noticed two legs sticking out.

"Hold on, Neemon! I'll get you out!" He said as he got back on top of the garbage bin.

He grabbed the yellow rabbit's two legs and pulled as hard as he could. He pulled with all of his might, but Neemon appears to be buried deep in the garbage. Finally, after a good heave, he managed to pull his friend out as the two of them landed hard on the ground. The pair of Digimon laid on the street, still a dizzy and tired. Neemon was the first to get to his feet.

"What'd you do that for Bokomon?"

"What are you talking about, you big doofus?"

"They got food inside those giant container thingies. I was enjoying a nice tasty meal. They got cheeseburgers, red apples, and..." Bokomon took out his green book and slammed it hard on top of Neemon's head. The yellow rabbit held his head and struggled to fight the dizziness.

"Hey, look! I can see stars. And it's not even night time!"

"Oh, never mind." Bokomon sighed. "Come on, Neemon, we have to find the others." The two Digimon walked out of the dark alleyway behind them. They hid behind a couple of bushes to make sure the coast is clear.

"Exactly why are we hiding like this again?" Neemon asked, causing Bokomon to smack his forehead.

"For the last time, Neemon, we're in the Human World now! There are no Digimon residing in this world. Look around you. We're completely surrounded by humans."

"Oh, I see."

"I just can't imagine what would happen if we exposed ourselves to these unintelligent creatures. People will start screaming, panicking and before you know it, you got the entire city hunting us down."

"Ah, now I get it."

"I sure hope so. Come on. We must find our friends. They are the only ones that can save the Digital World."

"But where can they be? We searched high and low, in and out, near and far, but still no sign of them."

"Have faith, my friend. They'll turn up eventually."

"How can you be so sure of something so unsure?"

"Because I know they will! We will find our friends, Neemon. We just have to believe! Believe that we will find them, or they will find us."

"Ah, believe!"

"Yes. Now, let's go! Time is of the essence!"

Once when there were no humans in sight, the two Digimon sprang out of the bushes and onto the street. However, they did not see the traffic light above them, all of the sudden, changed. And little did they know, there were a number of cars lined up side by side with each other. When the light flashed green, the cars drove as fast as they could through the intersection, where Bokomon and Neemon appeared to be trapped in. They scattered in all different directions, dodging and trying to avoid all of the cars coming their way. They had a few close calls as well, but were lucky that not a single car hit one of them. The two Digimon made it to the other side of the road, but barely. They ran as fast they could towards a nearby bush. There, they rest to catch their breath. Both of them were wheezing and huffing for air.

"Let's not... do that... again." Bokomon said.

"And you call me stupid." Neemon said. Bokomon was about to slap the rabbit's face, but decided not to. He was too tired after that little incident on the street.

"At this rate, we'll never find them." said the yellow rabbit.

"Well, do you have any better ideas?" Bokomon asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do."

"Really?" said Bokomon with a hint of sarcasm.

"Oh yeah. I got a brilliant plan right here in my head. It's foolproof, I tell you."

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but what is it?"

"How about if we..." He paused. "... ask one of the humans if they have seen our friends?" Bokomon stared blankly at the witless Digimon. He then grabbed his green book and instead of slamming it on Neemon, he smacked it hard against his own forehead, giving him a serious migraine. He soon recovered a minute later and leered at his buddy.

"That's got to be one of the most ridiculous ideas I have ever heard!"

"Ridiculous? How can you call my plan ridiculous when none of your plans had worked at all?"

"Because mine's at least make sense, you idiot!"

"Mine does too."

"No it doesn't! I can think of two reasons why your plan's not going to work!"

"Really? Then tell me."

"Very well then. First of all, besides Takuya and the others, humans have never seen a Digimon in their life nor have any knowledge that Digimon exist. If we do try to communicate with these humans, the reactions would be as expected. They would respond with fear in their minds, which will only result in violence. That's why we've been running and hiding throughout the city!"

"Uh-huh."

"Secondly, even if we did find some human that could help us, how would they know who our friends are?" Bokomon pointed to a small boy a yard away. "Say we asked that boy, 'Excuse me young man, but have you seen Takuya, Zoe, Koji or any one of our friends?' It's stupid, Neemon! What are the chances of some random person in the Human World knowing where the Chosen Children are located?"

"We won't know until we try." Neemon answered.

"For the last time, Neemon, it will NEVER work!" Bokomon yelled. "WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING UP IS NOT UP FOR DEBATE! I CANNOT BE DONE AND WILL NOT BE DONE! THAT'S IT, OKAY? END OF DISCUSSION! SHEESH!"

"Wow, Bokomon. I didn't know you could yell that loud."

"Oh, just shut up, will you?"

"Okay then." Neemon smiled. "I'll tell you what. I'll ask one person if they know where our friends are. Just one person. If he or she knows, then that's great..."

"And if they don't..." Bokomon asked.

"... Why are you asking me? You're the genius. I can't think of everything you know."

"Never mind, just forget it."

"Already taken care of, hehe!"

"So, may I ask, which random human are you going to ask for help?"

"Well... how about..." Neemon looked through the crowd of people walking in all different directions. There were so many humans to choose from, he didn't know where to start. Finally, he pointed his hand out in front. "Her!"

"Who?" Bokomon asked.

"That girl over there!"

"There are a plenty of girls here, stupid. Which one?"

"The one with the purple hat!" Neemon says.

Bokomon finally saw the blonde haired girl Neemon was talking about. She did have a purple hat, as well as a purple t-shirt, a black sleeveless jacket and short shorts. She also had a picnic basket around one of her arms.

"Her?" He asked. He then burst into laughter. "Haha! Hahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You got to be kidding me, Neemon. Like she would know where our friends would be. Might as well ask her if she got any food in that basket." Bokomon then noticed that the girl wasn't alone. There was another guy walking with her.

"Oh, and on top of that, let's ask him too if he has seen our..."

But Bokomon stopped talking when he got a good look at the boy. Something about him seemed familiar. It's like he's seen him before, but where? Bokomon studied the boy for a little bit. He noticed the hair, the eyes, the outfit and that hat. But then, Bokomon noticed the small, silver, squared goggles on the boy's head. Bokomon's eyes widened.

"That's him!" He said. "It's him, Neemon! It's him! It's Takuya, the Legendary Warrior of Fire himself!" He then looked back at the blonde haired girl. Soon, it all fell into place.

"And that girl next to Takuya is the Legendary Warrior of Wind! That's Zoe! WE DID IT, NEEMON! WE FOUND THEM! COME ON, LET'S GO!" He said as he took off in running into the park.

"Hehe, told you so." Neemon chuckled.

The mutant-like Digimon ran as fast as he could towards the two teenagers. However, getting to them wasn't easy. The park was filled with a large number of humans. Some of these people brought along their pet dogs with them to the park. One of the dogs saw the strange creature. After letting out a few loud barks, he raced towards the Digimon. When Bokomon heard a barking noise coming from behind him, he turned around and his eyes widened at what he saw.

"Oh dear..." Bokomon gasped when he caught a glimpse of the giant Bull Terrier chasing him. All of the sudden, he took off and ran as fast as his little legs can carry him. He looked back to see that the dog wasn't far behind him. The more he ran, the closer the Bull Terrier got to him.

"Grrrrrr! Bark! Bark!" growled the mutt.

"Get away! GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU NASTY THING!" Bokomon cried.

Bokomon ran through the playground, across the basketball courts, around a few trees and dove into the pond. The dog sniffed at the water for a little bit before walking away. Bokomon walked out of the pond, all drenched and soaked. He wiped some of the water off of his face and made his way to a nearby tree. He then collapsed and fell on his chest, panting and gasping for air. The chase he had with the dog left the Digimon dazed and exhausted. He was on the verge of falling asleep.

"I hate this place!" thought the Digimon.

Suddenly, a large shadow covered the area. Before Bokomon can look up to see what's going on, a giant picnic basket landed on top of the poor creature's back.

* * *

><p>"Well, here we are." Takuya said as he took the picnic basket out of Zoe's arms and set it on the ground.<p>

"Yep." Zoe agreed. She unfolded the blanket and placed it on the ground nicely. She took a seat next to Takuya. "So, where are the others?"

"They're not coming." Takuya answered.

"Why not?"

"Well, it's more like they couldn't make it. You see, everyone's busy this summer. Koji and Koichi are flying to Kyoto, Tommy's camping with his family, and as you mentioned before, J.P. is in Hawaii."

"Oh, I see. So I guess it's just me and you then?"

"Sure seems like it." Takuya smiled, which allowed Zoe to let out a soft, yet relaxing giggle. "Is that alright with you?"

"Sure it is. Being around you guys does make me happy, but I have much more fun when I'm with you."

"Oh really? Why's that then, may I ask?"

"You're my best friend, silly!"

"Yeah, I know. Still, I wish Koji and the other were here."

"Well, this gives us some time to catch up with each other. I mean, it's been a long time since we last hung out, right?"

"What do you mean? Last time we hung out was a couple of weeks ago. Remember? You and I took Shinya to the aquarium."

"Of course, I remember."

"Yeah, and Shinya wanted to see the sharks, and the turtles and the eels. Man, he had such a great time there."

"Yep. So did I." Zoe smiled. "Oh, by the way..." Zoe reached for the picnic basket next to her and opened it up. She took out a beautifully wrapped present. She looked at Takuya nervously. With her hands still shaking, she held out the gift in front of him.

"What's this?" Takuya asked.

"It's your birthday present." Zoe said, while blushing.

"Zoe..."

"I...I... I hope you like it. I didn't know what to get you... so I..." Takuya looked back at Zoe and then at the present. A huge smile appeared on his face as he happily took the present from her.

"Aw, Zoe, you didn't have to!"

"But I wanted to. You're my best friend, Takuya, and you deserve something special. After all, you only turn fourteen once in your life."

"Yeah, that is true. Good point, though. I gotta say, nice work on the wrapping."

"_Grazie_!" The girl stifled a giggle. "Gift wrapping is one of my talents. If you ask me, the outside of a present is just as important as..." But before Zoe could finish her sentence, Takuya started ripping the wrapping paper off the box. The blonde haired girl shook her head and sighed.

"Oh, never mind." She thought to herself.

Once the wrapping paper was removed, Takuya stared at a white box on his lap. He took the lid off the box and looked inside. He saw three things in the cubic container. He first pulled a medium sized t-shirt. It was black with a bluish 'F' in the middle, surrounded by red and orange flames. On the back, the shirt had the text, 'FIRE' also written in flames. The goggle-head put the shirt on, and it was a perfect fit. He then took it off, put the shirt down next to him and smiled back at Zoe.

"Wow, that is so cool! Thanks, Z!"

He took out the second gift out of the box. In his hand were two tickets to a soccer game featuring the best players from Japan taking on the United States. Takuya, with his jaw dropped, was speechless. Soccer was his favorite sport. He loved watching the game as much as playing it. He slowly turned his attention towards Zoe, still trying to find the words to say.

"Well?" She asked.

"Zoe... I... how... how did you...?" Takuya stuttered.

"Let's just say, I know a guy, who knows a guy, who is also a big time soccer fan."

"Gosh! Thanks Zoe! This is awesome! But, um... you gave me two tickets!"

"I know. I just thought you would like to take someone with you to the game. It sure beats going all by yourself. You can ask your little brother if he wants to come, or maybe Tommy. He loves soccer just as much as you do and..."

"How about you come with me, instead?"

"Me?"

"Yeah. It'll be fun. Besides, I know how much you love soccer. Why not come with me?"

"Oh, Takuya. Are you serious?"

"I insist. What do you say?"

"Well..." She placed a hand on her chin and looked up at the sky, pretending to ponder. "... I have to think about it first."

"Oh, come on, Zoe. I..." Takuya was interrupted by a soft giggle coming from his best friend.

"I'm just kidding, silly boy. Of course I'll come!"

"Awesome! You're the greatest, Z. For a second there, I thought you were going to say no."

"So what if I did?" She giggled.

"Well... I..."

"Hehe! You're adorable, Takuya!"

"Haven't heard that one before."

"By the way, there are still one more thing inside. Have a look."

Takuya placed the two tickets in his pockets. He looked inside the white box and took out a white envelope. He opened the envelope and took out the birthday card. He opened up the card and started reading.

"_Dear Takuya,_

_Happy birthday to you. It's that time of year again, another candle on your birthday cake. But it's so much more than that. It's another year of wonderful memories. Moments of giggles, sly smiles and inside jokes. So many great memories too. Sure, there were some road bumps along the way. We also had our share of fights and arguments; some good ones in fact. But just think how boring it would be if we hadn't. You and I would never be able to make up with each other. Alright, I'm kidding... well sort of._

_When you blow out your candles, I hope you make a great wish. Not just a simple, common wish everyone makes on their birthday, but a special, meaningful wish that has significant meaning and value to you. I hope it comes true beyond your wildest dreams. I want nothing but good things for you. I will always be there for you when you need me. After all, you are my best friend. I look in your eyes each day and nothing makes me happier than seeing that huge smile on your face. I am so lucky to have you as my best friend._

_We have so many more birthdays to celebrate. More dreams to make a reality, and more memories to scrapbook in your albums. My dream has already come true, I get to spend my entire life with you. So, thank you for making my birthday wishes come true and I really hope yours do too. Happy birthday, Takuya._

_Love,_

_Zoe_"

Zoe felt slightly embarrassed when Takuya got to the word "love." She wanted to use the word "from," but she felt that the word was too generic. At least "love" has some significant meaning, even though Takuya's kinda dense on that topic.

The birthday boy finally noticed the last birthday present from Zoe.

It was a pendant necklace. Takuya looked at the pendent and noticed something. It had the Symbol of Fire on the front. But when he turned it around, it had the Spirit of Wind on the back. He smiled back at Zoe. Tears were forming in his eyes. He then gave the teenage girl the biggest hug ever. However, he failed to notice the flushed cheeks on his friend's face.

"Oh, Zoe! Thank you so much! This is the best birthday present ever."

"You're welcome. I'm glad you liked it."

"Liked it? I LOVE IT!" Takuya exclaimed.

"I'm glad you do." The two continued to stare at each other. Silence took over the area once again. Only noise that could be heard was the sound of the wind whistling against their faces. Finally, Takuya decided to break the ice.

"So, what was that song you were whistling a while back?" Zoe froze at the question. It took her a while to finally answer.

"Takuya, you... you don't remember...that song I sang in front of the whole school back in eighth grade?"

"Oh, yeah that's right! I remember that song. It's one of your favorites, right?" Takuya said.

"I also remember you said you dedicated that song to, and I quote, 'a very special friend of yours,' am I right?" Zoe couldn't help but blush. This was her chance. This could be the opening she needed to confess to Takuya her true feelings toward him, though she was a bit nervous.

"Y... Y... Yes, that's right." She answered nervously.

"That's great, Z! So tell me..." Zoe's heart was pounding like a drum, not to mention increasing in speed. She was sweating profusely and her muscles were starting were getting a little tense. "Who's the lucky guy you were talking about?"

"Oh, Takuya." Zoe sighed with disappointment. "You mean to say you don't know?"

"Nope, not really. Sorry, hehe, forgive me for being clueless." Takuya laughed while scratching the back of his head.

"Like always?"

"Hey, come on! You can't expect me to be perfect!"

"You're hopeless, Takuya. You know that, right?"

"Says you. Please, Zoe. Tell me who this guy is?"

"No."

"Come on!"

"I said 'no.'"

"Please? I really want to know"

"Forget it, Takuya! I'm not gonna tell you, okay? Jeez, can it already!"

"Well, if you're not going to tell me, would you at least tell me a little bit about him? I mean, what's he like? What are his interests, hobbies, etc.?"

"You really wanna know?"

"Uh-huh!" Takuya answered, giving the blonde haired girl a huge grin.

"Alright, fine." Zoe sighed.

"Where do I begin? Well, he's nice, kind, very friendly, and really sweet. He's athletic, like you, very charismatic and full of energy. Sure, he can be an idiot sometimes, but he's a lot smarter than most people think. He can be stubborn occasionally, but he's also really funny. He does have a tendency to act without thinking most of the time, but honestly, his friends would have been lost without him... I would've been lost without him."

Zoe sighed as she turned and gazed into Takuya's chocolate-colored eyes.

"He's an awesome person. He's nothing short of amazing. Thoughtful... and considerate. He's makes me laugh with his stupid jokes and unique personality. Sure he acts like a moron sometimes, but that's one of the reasons I like him so much. He's always there for me, even in my toughest times. All he needs to do is say one word, place his warm hand on my shoulder, gaze deeply into my eyes or tightly embrace me and all of my tears would disappear. He's not only cute, but charming as well. He's everything to me, and I hope someday..." Zoe drew closer towards the boy staring deeper into his eyes. "... I'm everything to him."

"Zoe..." Takuya gasped.

"Yes, Takuya?" Zoe whispered. She slowly closed her eyes, waiting for her lips to make contact with his. She inches toward them, getting closer... closer... closer...

"That's awesome!" Takuya smiled as he got up from the ground, subconsciously avoiding the blond haired girl's kiss. Zoe opened her eyes and looked back at the boy. She sighed disappointingly as another opportunity slipped through her hands.

"I'm happy for you. He seems like really cool guy. I would love to meet him someday."

"Oh, Takuya..." Zoe said to herself. "You're such an idiot. What do I have to do to get through that thick-headed skull of yours?"

"Looks like somebody's in love!" Takuya laughed jokingly.

"Shut up! That wasn't funny, Takuya!"

"Aww, come on Zoe? What's wrong? Just can't wait to give your special someone a 'kissy kissy?'"

"You have no idea..." Zoe said to herself.

"Zoe's in love! Zoe's in love!" Takuya laughed childishly as he danced around his best friend like a jester.

"TAKUYA!"

"I'm just kidding! Jeez, lighten up a bit Zoe."

"Hmph!" Zoe crossed her arms together and turned away from the boy with the goggles on his head.

"What's his name, by the way?" Takuya asked, causing Zoe's face to turn red again.

"H... H... His name?" Zoe asked, looking back.

"Yeah! Come on, Zoe. How can you be in love without knowing the guy's name?"

"I do know his name... it's just that..."

"Alright then, tell me. Please?"

"Fine..." Zoe sighed in a sarcastic tone. The answer caught Takuya by surprised.

"Really?"

"No!"

"Come on, Zoe! Please? I really want to know. Who knows? I could hook you guys up or something." Zoe looked at him, feeling both embarrassed and nervous.

As much as she wanted to say, "It's you, Takuya" she just couldn't do it. The pressure was starting to overcome her. However, when she saw Takuya's signature smile, most of the tension inside her body vanished. She sighed one more time with her heart banging like a drum.

"Oh, alright. But you must promise me you'll never mention this to anyone. Are we clear?"

"Crystal!" Takuya said.

"Okay." She said. Here it goes. The moment she has been waiting for. She reached the point where there's no turning back. She opened her mouth, but before she could speak…

"Grrrrrr." Zoe paused and looked back at Takuya. He was scratching the back of his head.

"Hehe, sorry. That was my stomach." He laughed. Zoe smiled and a soft giggle escaped her mouth.

"That's okay. You are getting kind of hungry. Why don't we eat first, okay?"

"Sounds good to me."

Zoe smiled as she shifted her body towards the picnic basket. She was still mad at herself for not having the courage to tell. Then again, she knew there will be other opportunities to tell him. She opened the basket and looked inside for the lobster risotto she made for Takuya.

"Eek!" She screamed as she sprang back to her feet and hid behind the teenaged boy.

"Zoe, what's wrong?" Takuya asked.

"There... there's something... in the basket." She gulped. Takuya looks back at the basket as he and Zoe slowly approach it. He opened up the basket again and looked inside. A small smiled appeared on his face.

"Oh, come on Z." He laughed. "It's just a little rabbit." He said. Takuya examined the little creature again and noticed something strange about the animal. Since when do rabbits wear clothes? "A rabbit... wearing red pants." He said. The critter turned his head at the two teenagers. His mouth was stuffed with the risotto Zoe made earlier.

"Hello there!" The rabbit smiled, causing both humans to gasp and step back a bit.

"A talking rabbit in red pants." Takuya said.

"Wait a minute..." The goggle-headed boy took a good long look at the rabbit. It's like he's seen this creature before, he just doesn't remember where or when he saw it. He kept pondering and pondering. Finally, it all came back to him and everything started clicking in.

"Neemon?" The boy asked. It didn't take long for the rabbit to react. He swallowed the rice in his mouth, smiled and waved back at the boy.

"Yep, that's me!" The Digimon grinned.

"Neemon? NEEMON!" Takuya smiled as he reached inside the picnic basket and took out the yellow creature. He gave the Digimon and great big squeeze.

"Oh, Neemon! It's so good to see you again! Hey, Zoe look! It's Neemon!"

"Neemon?" Zoe asked. She waited for Takuya to turn around to reveal what was in the basket. She noticed the boy carrying the yellow rabbit dressed in long red pants. A huge smiled appeared on the teenage girl's face.

"Oh my goodness! NEEMON!" She exclaimed as she too embraced the creature!

"Yep, it's me. Hello, strange human creatures." Neemon said, while cuddling inside Takuya's and Zoe's arms.

"Neemon, don't you recognize us? " Takuya asked. "It's me, Takuya! Remember, your friend back in the Digital World?"

"Oh, yeah! I remember!" Neemon shouted with joy. He looked back at the blonde haired girl. "And you must be... uh... wait a minute... Izumi?" he asked. Once again, Zoe giggled back at the Digimon.

"Close. It's Zoe." She said.

"Zoe! Oh, yeah. Hehe, my bad." Neemon laughed. Takuya and Zoe laughed along with their friend from the Digital World. A few seconds later, their laughter came to a halt.

"Hold on a second. I thought the gate to the Digital World was shut tight." Takuya said. He then followed with a string of questions. "How'd you get here in the first place? What are you doing here in the Human World? Where's..."

"Easy, Takuya." said Zoe. "One question at a time. After all, this is Neemon you're talking to."

"Yeah you're right." Takuya apologized as he lets out another sigh. "I'll start off with this. What are you doing..." He paused. Takuya looked around the area, searching for something.

"Say, where is Bokomon?"

"Bokomon?" Neemon asked.

"Yeah, your friend from the Digital World." Zoe said. "You know, the Digimon with the pink elastic waistband?"

"I'm here..." A deep voice said. Takuya and Zoe staggered to their feet. They scouted the area, in search of their other friend.

"Bokomon, is that you?" Takuya asked. He waited for a few moments, yet still there was no answer.

"Bokomon, where are you?" Neemon said playfully.

"I'm right here..." The voice spoke again.

"Where?" Zoe asked as she approached the picnic basket.

"I'M UNDERNEATH THE BASKET, YOU SIMPLETONS! NOW HURRY UP AND GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Bokomon screamed. Zoe lifted up the basket off the ground. Low and behold, there was Bokomon all covered in dirt, lying flat on his stomach. The mutant-like Digimon got up to his feet and wiped himself off.

"Woo, that was close. May the Digital Gods be praised. For a moment there, I thought I was never gonna see the light of day again." Bokomon said, gasping for air.

"BOKOMON!" Takuya shouted. The Digimon looked up to see the boy smiling back at him. Tears filled his eyes as he jumped up and dove straight into Takuya's arms.

"Oh, Takuya!" Bokomon cried. "Takuya, my boy! I never thought I'd see you again!"

"It's good to see you too, buddy." Takuya said. He too had tears forming in his eyes, but he held them back... at least for now.

"Bokomon?" called Zoe. The Digimon turned towards his left and saw a beautiful teenage girl standing in front of him. He noticed tears were cascading down her face.

"Zoe!" Bokomon yelled as he dove out of Takuya's arms and into Zoe's. The girl caught the little Digimon and gave him a great big hug.

"Oh, Bokomon, I missed you so much." Zoe cried.

"And I missed you too, my dear, Zoe." He said. He wiped off the tears off Zoe's face. "My, my! Look at you! You're all grown up now!"

"Awww, thank you Bokomon." She smiled, embracing the Digimon one last time.

"So, Bokomon, how'd you and Neemon managed to get to the Human World?" Takuya asked.

Bokomon looked back at the boy. The smile that was on his face had completely vanished. It was then replaced by a giant frown. Bokomon's eyes began to water and it wasn't long before he started crying again.

"Oh, Takuya! It was horrible!" He screamed. "It was horrible! There were explosions and destruction, and the Digital World is in… it's in... I... I... I can't say it! Lady Ophanimon, she... she said..."

"Bokomon, calm down!" Takuya ordered. The Digimon froze in his tracks and stumbled to the floor. The tears stopped falling, but his face was still wet and messed up.

"It's alright, Bokomon." Zoe said as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Tell us exactly what happened." For a few moments, Bokomon hasn't said a word. Silence filled the area. Takuya and Zoe looked at each other, feeling both confused and worried. Finally, Bokomon took a deep breath, gazed at his friends and said,

"THE DIGITAL WORLD IS UNDER ATTACK!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter three.<strong>

**Now that they've received the news, who's attacking the Digital World this time? Can Takuya and Zoe make it in time? And what challenges await our two warriors? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	4. Digital World Bound

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**We find our two heroes strolling through the park and enjoying a nice picnic with each other. While the dense Takuya thought it was just another nice birthday present from his best friend, it was more than that from Zoe's point of view. This was going to be her opportunity to confess her feelings for him. But before Zoe could tell Takuya, wouldn't you know it? Bokomon and Neemon appeared out of nowhere and were reunited with their friends! What a surprise! But too bad the excitement have to end so quickly. Especially when the Digital World is under attack once again!**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter four!**

* * *

><p><strong>Digital World Bound<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"THE DIGITAL WORLD IS UNDER ATTACK!"

"Say, what?" Zoe gasped.

"No way! Who is it this time?" Takuya asked. "Lucemon? The Royal Knights? "

"I'm not sure!" Bokomon answered. "But there's no time for me to explain! We were sent here by Lady Ophanimon to find you guys! You are our only hope! Please, we need your help to save the Digital World once again!"

"Well, Takuya? What's the plan?" Zoe asked, looking back at the goggle-headed boy.

Takuya placed a hand on his chin and started thinking. He had always wanted to back to the Digital World. It's been almost two years. On the other hand, he would never expect to return to the Digital World only to save it from being destroyed or taken over once again. So much for going back to take a vacation. He and his friends probably won't have time for that. He looked at the two Digimon standing in front of him and then back at Zoe.

"I guess we have no other choice." Takuya said. He then turned his attention back to his Digimon friends.

"Don't worry, Bokomon. We're here to help. You can count on us" Bokomon smiled and also noticed Zoe nodding her head as she approached Takuya.

"Just like old times, huh guys?" The blonde giggled.

"Oh, thank you so much my friends! Now, let's hurry! We have to go find the others, before it's too late." Bokomon quickly jumped to his feet. Just when he was about to sprint out of the park, Takuya stepped in front of him.

"Hang on, buddy." He said. "We... uh... well... we might have a small problem with that."

"What are you talking about, Takuya?" Bokomon asked. "We need everybody's help in order to save the Digital World and..."

"That's the problem." Takuya sighed. "We're the only ones here."

"I don't understand. What do you mean? Where is everybody? Koji, Koichi, Tommy and J.P.?" Bokomon asked.

"They're... on vacation." Zoe answered.

"What? Please tell me this is a joke." Bokomon huffed. Instead, Takuya and Zoe closed their eyes and shook their head, much to the poor creature's dismay.

"Oh, I only wish we could." Zoe sighed.

"Sorry, Bokomon. Koji and Koichi are out of town, Tommy's camping with his family and J.P. is... well, J.P.'s in Hawaii." said Takuya.

"Hawaii? Where's that?" Neemon asked his human friends.

"An island really far from here." Zoe replied regrettably.

"This is not good! We need all six of you! If not, then how can we..."

"Alright, alright Bokomon. We'll give them a call." Takuya said as he reached into his pocket and took out his cell phone. He punched in a few numbers and waited for an answer.

"Who are you calling?" Zoe asked.

"Tommy. He's the closest one here." Takuya answered.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in the middle of the lake at Ina Camping Village, Tommy and his older brother, Yutaka, were on a boat, fishing for trout. The two brothers were enjoying each other's company, while listening to the sounds of the birds chirping, the wind blowing and the smell of nature. Yutaka felt a nudge on his fishing rod. He reeled in and pulled as hard as he could. Yutaka pulled a fifteen inch trout out of the water. He showed it to his little brother.<p>

"Check it out, bro! Look what I've caught" He smiled.

"Wow, Yutaka! That's a big one! That fish is over a foot long!" Tommy cheered.

"I know. I bet you can't catch anything bigger than this."

"Oh, really?"

"You betcha! How about it shrimp? Winner gets to eat both fishes. Loser dives into the lake... naked!" Yutaka noticed a huge smirk on his little brother's face.

"You're on bro! There's no way I'm gonna lose to you." Tommy said. All of the sudden, Tommy felt something vibrate in his pocket.

*Insert Ringtone: Ice Ice Baby*

Unfortunately, his bigger brother heard the irritating noise coming from the squirt's mobile device.

"Tommy, you know you're not supposed to bring your cell phone while we're fishing. You know what could happen if there's... in accident." Yutaka said with disbelief.

"I know, I know." Tommy said. "Just let me take this call, okay? I might be important." Tommy took his cell phone out of his pocket and opened it up.

"Hello?"

"Tommy, it's me!"

"Oh, hey Takuya! What's up?" Tommy smiled.

"Never mind! There's no time to explain, Tommy! Listen, this is an emergency! I need you to get back to Shibuya as fast as you can because the Digit..."

"Hey, half-pint!" Yutaka called.

"What?" Tommy answered when he shifted his attention toward his sibling. He noticed a huge grin on his older brother's face.

"Heads up!"

At that moment, he heaved his fifteen inch trout towards his little brother. With little time to react, Tommy dropped his phone and caught the fish. Unfortunately, the cell phone bounced off the side of the boat and into the lake. Tommy stared with his mouth open as his phone sank down deep into the water.

"What the heck was that for, Yutaka?" Tommy growled.

"See what happens when you bring your cell phone while we're fishing? That's what you get for not listening to me. Stuff like this happens." He lets out a small, devilish laugh.

"You... YOU BIG JERK!" Tommy clenched his fist and pushed his brother into the freezing cold lake. It took Yutaka a few seconds to submerge.

"Why you little... You're gonna pay for that, you little zit!" Yutaka growled.

"BITE ME! I'M TELLING MOM!" Tommy yelled. He started the boat and steered towards the docks, leaving his older brother all by himself in the middle of the freezing, cold lake.

* * *

><p>"Hello, Tommy? Hello? Answer me!"<p>

"What's wrong, Takuya?" Zoe asked.

"I'm not sure, Zoe. One moment, we were talking with each other, and then the next moment, nothing." Takuya answered. He dialed Tommy's number again. "No answer. All I'm hearing is this bubbling, gurgling noise."

"Do you think he could be alright?" His best friend wondered.

"I don't know. It's not like the little guy to just... hang up on us like that. Hmm..."

"Forget about it. Takuya." Zoe said.

"But, what about Tommy?"

"Look, if we don't know when he's going to pick up. We can't just sit here and wait for him to pick up. That will take forever. It's best if we just call the others and hopefully they will be available."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Takuya sighed with defeat. "So, who should we call next?"

Call Koji while I'll get Koichi." Zoe ordered. The boy nodded in agreement before punching in Koji's number. The blonde, on the other hand, dialed the other twins' number and placed the phone on her ear.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in a house somewhere in Kyoto, five guys were in the garage tuning their instruments. The drummer twisted some knobs on a couple of snares and tapped the cymbals with his sticks. The keyboardist played a couple measures of classical notes, using various instrumental sounds besides the piano. As for the bassist, he had just finished tuning one of the strings on his instrument. When everyone was finished, the twins walked toward the front of the band.<p>

"You guys ready?" Koichi asked, holding his guitar up.

"I'm ready." The drummer answered.

"So am I." replied the keyboardist.

"Should be." The bass player sighed.

"Alright, we're ready bro!" Koichi smiled.

"Whatever." Koji commented. "Let's do this."

"You got it!" Koichi laughed. "Here we go! One, two, three, four!"

*Insert Song: I Turn Around*

With that, all five instruments started playing. The drummer provided a steady, up-tempo beat for the rest of the band. At the same time, the harmonic chords on the guitars were all strummed, perfectly in tune. The boys were having the time of their lives. Finally, after a few measures of music, Koji stepped closer to the microphone and started singing.

_"You're got a boy, you've got a girl,  
>Sitting' underneath a tree,<br>They sit there every day.  
>And even though, you may think,<br>That this is the way to be,  
>It may not always be that way.<em>

_You can't take nothing' for granted,  
>You gotta live like today;<em>

_I turn around, I can see what's behind me,  
>I turn back around and I can see what ahead,<br>And if you don't believe I've been here all along,  
>Just turn around.<br>Just turn around."_

Koji stepped away from the microphone and continued playing his guitar with his twin brother. For a few measures, they let the music take over their bodies and their minds. They were so caught up in the moment, that they didn't hear or see their phones vibrating on the table across from them. The loud sounds of the guitars, keyboard and drums playing drowned out the noise of the mobile devices. All of the sudden, Koichi stopped playing. But by then, the vibrations from the cell phones had stopped.

"Stop, stop, stop!" He ordered.

One by one, the boys stopped playing their instruments. Koji continued playing his guitar like he's some kind of rock star. Koichi kept on waiting for his brother to stop playing, thus making him very angry. Finally, Koichi had enough. He grabbed the neck of Koji's guitar, which made his twin brother mess up on the music. Koji finally stopped playing and glared at Koichi.

"What the heck did you do that for?" Koji furiously asked.

"Didn't you hear me? I said 'stop!'" Koichi argued.

"Why?"

"Because you're playing too loud!"

"Well, duh! That's because you're playing too loud!"

"No I wasn't!"

"Yes you were, bro! The rule is 'If you can't hear me, you're playing too loud.' I can barely hear myself playing because of you."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

The two brothers continue to argue like most siblings do. It went on and on. Who's playing too loud? Who's speeding up/slowing down? Who's out of tune or playing the wrong chords? They kept arguing and arguing. The bass player, drummer and keyboardist looked at each other and shook their heads. They too were growing tired of the twins arguing.

"Fine. From the top!" Koichi said.

"Whatever." Koji grumbled.

"Do us all a favor and stay balanced with the rest of us. Got it Koji?"

"As long as you keep up with us, Koichi. Try not to speed up like last time." The boys readied their instruments. Koji looked back at the band members.

"One, two, three, four!"

* * *

><p>Takuya stood there looking dumbfounded. He stared at his phone for a whole minute. He then looked back at Zoe, Bokomon and Neemon. He shook his head with disbelief. Zoe, on the other hand, had just as much of bad luck as her best friend. Judging by the disappointed on her face, she was frustrated that she couldn't reach her friends.<p>

You have got to be kidding me." Takuya grumbled with his arms crossed.

"Hmm... Maybe he and Koichi are taking a nap? Or having lunch? Or..."

"I don't want to hear it." The goggle-headed boy growled at the rabbit.

"He's not coming?" Zoe asked.

"Yep... What about Koichi?"

"I couldn't get a hold of him either."

"So... does that mean..."

"Bingo!" groaned the young woman.

"Terrific. Now what do we do?" The teenage boy wondered.

"How about giving J.P. a call?" suggested Bokomon.

"He's already out of town. What's the point of calling him when he's all the way over there? And even if he does pick up, how's he supposed to get back to Shibuya anyway?" Takuya sighed.

"We still have to try! Please, I'm begging you!" Bokomon pleased.

"We can't promise you anything. But alright, we're try..." Zoe nodded as she punched in J.P.'s number on her cell phone.

* * *

><p>"CANNONBALL!" J.P. yelled.<p>

He leaped off of the diving board and folded his arms and legs in towards his body. He entered the pool with a thud, creating a huge splash about twelve feet high. After touching the bottom of the pool, he swam to the surface. J.P. emerged from the water, gasping for air. He wiped the water from his face and swam to the edge of the pool.

"Not bad P.J.!" Another boy shouted from another diving board. His name was Ryu, J.P.'s cousin. He was two years younger, but he and J.P. were about the same size. "But I bethca I can make a bigger splash than you.

"You got to be kidding, buddy! Everyone knows I'm the Splashing King! There's absolutely no way you can beat me in a splashing contest."

"Oh, yeah? Watch this... CHERRY BOMB!"

After a couple of bounces, he jumped off the diving board, getting a lot of elevation. He pulled one leg upwards towards the chest, securing the leg with one's arms, and tilting the body back to a thirty-five degree angle. He entered the pool, creating a huge cavity. The cavity imploded, creating an eleven foot splash. J.P. waited until his cousin submerged.

"Ha! Beat ya!" Ryu smiled.

"Didn't!" J.P. argued.

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"I did, I did, I did!"

"Oh, yeah?"

All of the sudden, J.P. pounced on Ryu as the two wrestled in the pool. Neither one of them could hear J.P.'s phone beeping and buzzing on a table nearby. An elderly woman was sitting at the table, but didn't notice the mobile device vibrating. She was too busy watching her grandchildren play with each other. She finally picked up the phone and opened it.

"Hello?" She answered

"J.P.?" A female voice said.

"No, this is Noriko."

"Oh, is J.P. there? I really need to talk to him."

"Well, what a coincidence, I really want to talk to him too. He's swimming with his cousins."

"Listen, this is an emergency! May I please talk to J.P.?"

"Of course you may... uh..."

"Zoe."

"Joey?"

"Zoe."

"Snowy?"

"No, Zoe!"

"Ah, yes, Doughy!"

"IT'S ZOE!"

"Very well. I'll tell him right away." At that point, she closed the phone. She got out of her seat and walked towards the pool. She waited for her grandson to come out.

"Hey, J.P.!"

"What's up Grands?" The boy smiled.

"Chloe just called." She said. She walked back to her chair and took a seat. She fell asleep a few seconds later.

"Chloe... sure don't know a Chloe." J.P. thought.

* * *

><p>Zoe closed her phone and dialed the number again. Instead, she received J.P.'s voice message. She sighed and turned towards Takuya. She shook her head in the same fashion as he did. Takuya shrugged his shoulders and turned towards Bokomon.<p>

"Bad news, Bokomon." He said. "Apparently, we can't get a hold of our friends. I guess it's up to me and Zoe now."

"But..." Bokomon stuttered. "But... but... you guys, we need..."

"Listen Bokomon." Zoe interrupted. "I know how you feel about the current situation, but there's not much we can do. As you said before, time is of the essence. So the way I see it, you can do one of two things. You can either stay here and wait for the others to show up, or you can take the two of us to the Digital World."

"She's right, you know." Takuya agreed. "It's going to take a really long time for everyone else to get here, if we can reach them. By the time they do get here, the Digital World may already be gone."

"That is true." Bokomon whispered.

"Come on, Bokomon!" Neemon said, patting his friend on the back. "I want to go home." Bokomon looked at the yellow rabbit and then back at the two teenagers. He sighed and finally nodded his head.

"You're right. Very well, then! Let's get going!" Bokomon said, walking away from the group.

"Hey, wait for me!" Neemon yelled catching up to his friend. Takuya and Zoe started laughing.

"And there they go again." Takuya smiled.

"Yeah, you gotta love those two." Zoe said.

"So, Zoe, are you ready for another exciting adventure in the Digital World?" Takuya asked. Zoe looked at Takuya and giggled.

_"Ragazzo sciocco. Certo che sono pronto!"_

"Um... okay, then! Let's go!" Takuya said, raising one eyebrow.

Takuya grabbed Zoe by the hand as the two raced out of the park. They finally managed to catch up with Bokomon and Neemon. The two teenagers and Digimon ran as fast they could across the street and through the city. It wasn't long until the four finally reached the Shibuya Train Station. They entered the building and dashed straight through the lobby.

A few minutes later, Takuya, Zoe, Bokomon and Neemon stood in front an elevator. Takuya pushed the 'down' button next to the elevator and before you know it, the doors opened up. The four walked inside and waited for the doors to close. When it did, the elevator started to descend, transporting the passengers inside. Like the previous elevator Takuya took nearly two years ago, this elevator went passed the basement level. Twenty seconds later, the elevator slowly decreased its speed as it drew closer to its dentation.

"Well, this is it." Takuya said.

"Yeah. Once we start, there's no turning back." said Zoe.

"Tell me something. Are you nervous?"

"What? Me, nervous? Hehe, no way!" Zoe answered confidently.

Then, she noticed a look in Takuya's eyes. He starred deep into Zoe's eyes for a little bit. From the look on his face, he knew she wasn't telling the truth.

"Zoe...?"

"Well... not really..."

"Not really?"

"Oh... alright, fine. I am kind of scared." She admitted.

"Kinda?" Takuya repeated.

"Well... to be honest... I'm terrified." Zoe placed a hand over her heart and felt it beating rapidly.

"I don't know what to expect or what kind of danger is waiting for us. I'm just... I'm just..."

She never felt this scared in her life. This was entirely different compared to her first time going to the Digital World. Before, Zoe was just a curious girl who had no idea what she was getting herself into. Now, things were different. This time, there's actually 'real' danger waiting for her on the other side. She didn't want to cry, but she could feel tears beginning to form. Then Zoe felt something grabbing her hand. She looked up and stared deeply into Takuya's eyes. She smiled and rubbed her watery eyes.

"That's okay, Zoe. I'm scared too. But we can do this. We've saved the Digital World before, so how is this different?"

"There were six of us at the time. And now... we're down to two... you and me."

"So? What difference does it make?"

"It would be nearly impossible to save the Digital World if it's only us. With Tommy, Koji and the others, we would at least have a fighting chance. But since it's just you and me... I just don't if we could do it."

"But we do have a chance, Zoe. As long we have faith and believe in ourselves, we can do anything! It doesn't matter if there are six of us, four of us or even just us two. The point is, you're not alone, Zoe. You got friends around you. You have Bokomon and Neemon... and you have me. And I promise you, I'll never, ever leave you alone."

"Thank you Takuya." Zoe smiled. "That's really sweet of you." Takuya responds with another grin.

"Are you two ready?" Bokomon asked.

The two teenagers nod as the elevator doors in front of them slowly opened up. They stepped out of the elevator and into the underground train station, which was already in ruins. The floors were uneven with each other. There were also broken glass, bits of scrap metal and hanging wires from the ceiling. With Bokomon in front, the gang walked towards a tunnel at the end of the station. They stared at the dark entrance way.

"Let us hurry. A Trailmon is waiting for us." Bokomon said as he entered the tunnel.

"Hey, wait for me!" Neemon yelled, following his companion into the dark. Takuya and Zoe looked back at each other.

"Let's go." Takuya ordered.

All Zoe could do was nod. She followed behind Takuya into the tunnel of darkness. Once when she was inside, Zoe's vision was covered in pitch black. She couldn't see anything in front of her, to the side of her or behind her. She looked back and noticed the light at the end was gone. Still, she continued to walk.

"Sure is dark in here." Neemon said.

"Stop it, you're giving me the creeps." Zoe cried.

"Keep walking. We'll be there shortly." Bokomon suggested.

The four walked and walked for what seemed to be long time. Although only three minutes have passed since they've entered the tunnel, it felt like they've been walking for hours. Fatigue was starting to take effect, especially on Zoe. She then stopped to take a five second break. Not a good idea on her part.

"Hello?" She called. There was no answer. "Takuya? Bokomon? Neemon? Can you hear me? Where are you guys?"

Her body tensed up. She looked around her in search for any signs of light, but she saw nothing but darkness. She was all alone in this cold and dark tunnel. She dropped to her knees and started crying.

"Hey." A voice said. She looked up and, even though she couldn't see his face, she knew exactly who was talking to her.

"Takuya?" She wispily called.

She then felt her hand being grabbed by one of his. She got up to her feet and continued to walk with Takuya. The warm sensation from his hand made Zoe feel safe and secure. With Takuya by her side, she will never have to be alone again. It wasn't before long when the children started to see light. They then heard a voice coming from the tunnel.

"Hey, are you humans coming on or what?" Takuya and Zoe finally recognized the voice. The light was then bright enough for them see a train shaped like a worm with large teeth right in front of them.

"Hey, it's Trailmon!" Takuya yelled.

"Yeah, it's me." said Worm.

"Boy are we glad to see you!" smiled Zoe.

"Oh really? Do I owe you money or something?"

"Nah, we've come to save the Digital World." Zoe said.

"Then will you kids hurry up and climb aboard? I'm getting sick and tired of waiting for you guys to come. This place is giving me the creeps."

"Hehe, sure thing Trailmon." The goggle headed boy grinned.

Takuya and Zoe hopped aboard the train and the door closed behind them. The two finally took a seat, next to Bokomon and Neemon. After a couple of loud whistles, the Trailmon started to move through the tunnel.

The train ride was quiet. Not one human or Digimon said a word. Zoe first looked at Neemon and Bokomon, who were asleep on one of the seats. She then glanced back towards Takuya, who was still playing with his cell phone. Before she could speak, the mobile device started to glow and transform. Takuya stared at the red and black D-Tector in his hand. Zoe reached into her pocket and she too had her pink and purple device.

"Looks like we're back in business." Takuya laughed.

"Yeah, sure seems like it." Zoe smiled.

They looked back at the two sleeping Digimon. While Neemon was still and quiet as a mouse, Bokomon was tossing and turning, while making all sorts of noise like he was in pain. Takuya got up from his seat and sat next to Bokomon. He gently placed a hand on his head.

"NO! STAY BACK! GET AWAY!" Bokomon screamed. He sprang up out of his seat, dripping in sweat.

"Easy there, buddy. You just had a bad dream." Takuya said. Bokomon wrapped his arms around Takuya's body and started crying.

"It's okay, Bokomon. Everything's going to be just alright." Zoe consoled.

"My dear, Zoe, if you had seen the chaos and destruction in the Digital World, you would know that things are far from alright."

"Relax, will you?" Takuya said, patting the Digimon on the back. "Just calm down, tell us exactly what happened to the Digital World?"

"I can't recall all of the details, but I'll do my best." Bokomon said.

"Right after you guys left, peace was finally restored in the Digital World. Everything was just how it should be. The three Celestial Digimon returned to their respective castles along with the spirits of the Legendary Warriors. Finally, human Digimon and Beast Digimon were able to live together in harmony. And from that moment on, everything was perfect. But later on, we soon realized that perfect never lasts forever."

"Oh my God." Zoe gasped. "What happened?"

"Neemon and I were in the middle of the forest. Neemon was looking at the clouds above while I was busy reading my book. It wasn't until Neemon noticed something. I took a look to see what he saw. I noticed clouds, the sun, the sky and flying Digimon above our heads, but nothing out of the ordinary. Then I noticed another cloud, a really, REALLY, big, dark cloud. It covered the entire forest with pure darkness. It didn't take long for the cloud to cover up the entire Digital World."

"What is so unusual about this dark cloud?" Takuya asked.

"We didn't know at first. All of the Digimon gathered together to witness and study this strange article. Even the three Celestial Digimon have no knowledge of this dark feature. We all waited for hours for something to happen. And then... it happened."

"What? What happened?" Zoe wondered.

"Without warning, small black spheres descended from the clouds and crashed into our world like a meteor shower. We all ran to find shelter, but unfortunately, some of our fellow Digimon weren't so lucky. Some of these black balls crashed into our friends and soon after that, they disappeared."

"How terrible!" Zoe gasped.

"But that wasn't the worst part, my friends. Something happened when the spheres made contact with the ground. It broke into a millions of tiny black spheres and scattered throughout the area like shrapnel."

"Were more Digimon destroyed because of that?" Takuya questioned.

"Much worse than that. When those miniature spheres collide with a Digimon, it doesn't delete them. Instead, they slowly inserts itself into the creature's body and straight into his/her heart. Once inside, it gives the Digimon tremendous amount of power, making them twice as strong as they were once before. But power such as that comes with a price. It appears as if their minds were taken over by some kind of evil. The Digimon fused with the dark spheres started destroying each other. Some poor, unfortunate, innocent Digimon got caught in the crossfire and they too were destroyed. Before we know it, our friends became our enemies. It was terrible!"

"No way! Then what happened? What about the Celestial Digimon? Were they affected by the dark spheres?" Takuya asked.

"The three of them tried to purify the evil Digimon, but nothing appeared to be working. They tried fighting, but as I said before, the spheres give the Digimon an enormous amount of power. One by one, the three Celestial Digimon were defeated. The evil Digimon absorbed their Fractal Code, turning them back to their Rookie levels. They captured them and took them away. The next thing you know, the once peaceful Digital World was engulfed with chaos and destruction."

"Great, just great." Takuya huffed.

"But, what about the Legendary Warriors? And how'd you get to the Human World in the first place?" asked Zoe.

"It was all thanks to Lady Ophanimon. She feared that if these black balls fused itself with the Legendary Spirits, we would have no chance in fighting back. So, she scattered the ten Spirits throughout the Digital World before changing back into Salamon. The whereabouts of the Spirits as of right now, are unknown. She then ordered me and Neemon to go to the Human World and find you guys. With the little strength they had left, Patamon, Salamon and Lopmon used the rest of their energy to open a portal to the Human World. And that's how we got there."

"Oh, you poor thing." Zoe said, wrapping her arms around Bokomon's neck.

"It's alright, Bokomon. We'll think of something." said Takuya. "We'll save the Digital World again like we did last time."

"I sure hope so." Bokomon sighed.

"Hey, you clowns wanna keep it down in there? We have arrived in the Digital World." said Trailmon.

Takuya and Zoe got out of their seat and looked out of the window. Although their view was covered in darkness, they could see light at the end of the tunnel. Neemon woke up from his nap and sat up straight. He made his way to the nearest window so he could see outside.

"Well, this is it." Takuya said. "You guys ready?"

"You bet!" Neemon smiled. Bokomon nodded his head.

"I'm ready, Takuya." Zoe said.

The four waited as Trailmon got closer towards the end of the tunnel. Their hearts were pounding and adrenaline was flowing throughout their bodies. They wiped the sweat off of their forehead. Finally, Trailmon reached the end of the tunnel and rode into the Digital World. When Takuya and Zoe caught a glimpse of the Digital World, their hearts had stopped. They couldn't believe their eyes.

The Digital World was covered in Darkness. There were tons of explosions throughout the area. Hundreds of flying Digimon were attacking each other in the air while the Digimon on the ground fought against each other. Takuya and Zoe could see villages being burned to the ground, huge numbers of Digimon destroying each other and innocent Digimon turning into a Digi-Egg after their Fractal Code were taken from them. And to make things worse, they've also noticed the black spheres falling from the sky and fusing themselves with other innocent Digimon.

"This is insane! Look at all the damage!" Takuya said angrily.

"Oh dear, it's even worse than last time!" Bokomon gasped.

"We got to do something." Zoe said. "But what?"

"First things first." The goggle=head answered. "We have to find our Spirits. If we're going to defend ourselves, then searching for the Spirits should be our number one priority"

But where do we look? You heard what Bokomon said. Ophanimon dispersed all of the Legendary Spirits throughout the..."

But before she could finish her sentence, there was a loud thud that shook the entire train. The four occupants inside the Trailmon both stumbled to the floor. Takuya and Zoe looked up to see what was going on. They both heard another thud coming from up top, which violently shook the Trailmon. Suddenly, sharp steel claws appeared out of the roof of the passenger car. It shredded the top of the passenger car like a can opener and threw it off the train. A giant dragon with a metallic helmet on his head. It also had purple wings on its back. But what really surprising me was the cannons concealed within the creature's claws.

"Wha…What is that?" Zoe yelled.

"Oh no! It's Megadramon!" Bokomon cried.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Megadramon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Genocide Attack; Ultimate Slicer**

**Description: Megadramon is a fully evolved Cyborg Digimon programed to destroy everything in its path. Everything her sees automatically becomes a target for destruction. With his deadly 'Dark Side Attack,' this mechanized dragon is capable of wiping out three Digimon armies at the same time.**

"Destroy! Destroy! DESTROY!" Megadramon growled.

The dragon-like creature unleashed a loud and powerful roar, breaking every window in the passenger car. The wind force sent Takuya and Zoe slamming hard into the wall behind them. Huge jolts of pain were driven into their back. The two of them landed hard on the ground, rubbing our aching spines. Takuya looked up and saw Megadramon once again pointing his metallic cannon towards the two teenagers. He took aim and grinned, ready to blast the humans to smithereens.

"Genocide Attack!" He yelled. Two organic missiles shot out his arms and headed straight towards its targets: Takuya Kanbara and Zoe Orimoto.

"Guys?" Zoe cried. She was frozen, stiff as a rock. So was Takuya, but he was looking around the train for ways to protect himself or to escape.

The humans have been in the Digital World for a couple of minutes and death was already staring at them in the eyes. Takuya had to think of something fast or else he and his friends are all goners. He quickly grabbed Zoe's hand and opened the door towards the end of the passenger car. With Bokomon and Neemon by their side, they exited the passenger car and shut the door behind them. The missiles Megadramon shot collided against the door and walls behind them and exploded. It sent a sharp sting towards Takuya's back, but at least he was still alive.

Quickly, the four of them entered the next passenger car, rushed across the aisle toward the very end. Takuya opened the door and dashed into the next passenger car, and the car after that. It wasn't until they reached the fourth car. Takuya pulled on the handle as hard as he could, but the door wouldn't budge. Zoe tried too, but she couldn't open it either. That's when they realized that it was locked.

"Great, now what are we going to do?" Bokomon wondered nervously.

"We better get off this train, or else we're toast... literally!" Neemon blurted out the obvious.

Nodding his head, Takuya scanned his surroundings, thinking of ways to escape. He was thinking of jumping off Trailmon. But when he looked down, instead of solid ground, there was nothing but darkness. Definitely not a good idea. They could always go back to the way they came. Hopefully Megadramon was long gone. But even that was a high risk move. Takuya looked around, until he finally spotted something. He pointed towards a ladder attached to the passenger car in front of them for Zoe and the others to see.

"I'm not sure, Takuya." Bokomon said with hesitation.

"Are you sure it's safe?" Zoe nervously asked.

"We have no other choice!" He said. "We have a choice between certain destruction and the great unknown! It's the only option we have!"

Zoe was hesitant, but she reluctantly agreed with her best friend. Takuya was the first to climb up the ladder. It wasn't that hard of a climb, but at the speed Trailmon's going, it made it really difficult to get a grip. When he finally got to the top, he held his hand out for Zoe. She grabbed it as the boy slowly pulled her to the top of the passenger car. For moment there, they thought they were safe from Megadramon. And then...

"GRRAAAHHHH!"

"Takuya? What's that?" Zoe asked pointing towards the sky.

The goggle-headed boy nervously turned my head around and noticed another Digimon hovering above them. It looked exactly like Megadramon, but with some small differences. It had darker skin and his wings were made of steel. But it still had the cannons for his arms and a really nasty attitude.

"Isn't that Megadramon's brother?" Neemon asked.

"No, you moron, Gigadramon." Bokomon said.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Gigadramon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Genocide Gear; Guilty Claw**

**Description: Some say that Gigadramon is the prototype version of Megadramon while others believe him to be the upgraded version. It's unclear which one of these mechanized dragons are more ruthless. But his Genocide Gear and Guilty Claw can shred his enemies into scrap metal.**

"You kids aren't going anywhere!" Gigadramon shouted. Takuya and the others scrambled to their feet. But before either one of us could make a move...

"Your fate has been sealed, human!" Someone chuckled behind them.

The four turned around and saw Megadramon right behind them. At that point, they got nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. The terrifying sounds of Megadramon and Gigadramon growling were ear-piercing and thunderous.

"Terrific!" Takuya grumbled.

"Way to go, genius!" Zoe complained.

"So what do we do now?" Bokomon asked.

"Takuya?" Zoe looked back at her best friend.

"I'm... open for suggestions?"

"Oh, that's reassuring." Zoe sighed.

"Let's finish them off, Megadramon!" Gigadramon growled.

"My thoughts exactly, Gigadramon!" Megadramon roared.

The two mechanical dragon-like monsters opened up their claws and pointed it towards the humans and Rookie Digimon.

"We're doomed." Bokomon said.

"More like dead!" Neemon corrected

"I can't watch!" Zoe said as she turned away and covered her face. Takuya knew he and his friends were in a bad spot but he wasn't about to give up. He had one more plan left.

"Guys, listen to me! We're gonna have to jump!"

"Jump?" Neemon asked.

"Are you crazy?" Zoe said. "We're on a high speed train with no place to..."

"There's a downhill up ahead, which should cushion our fall if we make it." Takuya said, pointing to the upcoming slope.

"'IF' we make it?" Zoe whined.

"Are you sure about this?" Bokomon asked.

"Look, if you guys got any better ideas, speak now! Otherwise..."

"GENOCIDE ATTACK!" ||| "GENOCIDE GEAR!"

The two dragons shot a barrage of missiles out of their arms. Unfortunately, every one of those missiles was heading straight towards their direction. All of the sudden, Takuya's mind went completely blank. He grabbed Zoe's hand and wrapped the other two Digimon with around his other arm.

"JUMP!"

Upon command, the four of them leaped off of the train, just before the missiles could reach them. Once the projectiles made contact with the passenger car, a huge explosion formed. The extremely powerful forces of the shockwave sent the two humans and Rookies tumbling in midair. They landed hard on the hill, just as planned. But they kept on rolling down the slope. The good news was they managed to escape from Megadramon and Gigadramon. However, their troubles were far from over.

Takuya and Zoe kept on rolling until they came to a ledge. They flew passed the ledge and started falling down to the ground. At that point, Takuya lost his grip on Zoe's hand. The two of them fell for about fifteen feet. Takuya braced himself for the impact. But instead of landing on a hard surface, his body actually fell on top of a very squishy Digimon. He bounced off the unsuspecting creature's head and landed on his back. Takuya hit the ground with a thud and almost lost consciousness. His back was a lot of pain but he was awake and still alive.

The goggle-head turned on his stomach to look for his friends. He saw Bokomon and Neemon on a tree nearby. While he didn't know how they got up there, both of the two Rookies seemed to be alright, which was good news for him. But then there was Zoe. He looked to his right and saw his best friend lying flat on her back unconscious.

"Zoe!"

He quickly got to his feet and ran as fast as he could towards her. Based on her awkward position, it is reasonable to assume that she probably did not have a smooth landing. Takuya got down to his knees and placed her head on my lap. She wasn't moving an inch, nor was she breathing at all. The young man wiped the golden hair off of her face and stared deeply at her, hoping she would regain consciousness. All of the sudden, he could hear groaning coming out of Zoe's mouth. She finally opened her eyes and looked towards Takuya. The two of them gazed at each other for what seems like an eternity.

"Takuya..."

"Zoe..."

The blonde beauty managed to sit up straight while keeping her focus towards Takuya's. Her emerald eyes were sparking, capturing Takuya's attention. Some strange force is attracting him to his best friend. Takuya didn't realized one of his hands was still on her face. He then felt Zoe's soft, warm hands gently touching his cheek. The two of us drew closer to each other and let instincts took over. They both closed their eyes and waited for something magical to happen.

"TAKUYA, LOOK OUT!" Bokomon yelled.

The boy snapped back into reality and turned around. Giant fireballs were heading straight towards him. Takuya was frozen stiff, like a statue. One by one, the fireballs smashed into the ground around the two humans. The fireballs exploded once it hit the ground.

"We got to get out of here!" said Takuya. Zoe nodded her head. He got to his feet and took Zoe's hand. But once he pulled her back up...

"YEOW!"

Zoe screamed in agony and fell back down to the ground. She grabbed her right leg with both of her hands and curled into a ball. Zoe wasn't just hurt, she was in extreme pain. Tears were falling out of her eyes and her breaths were rapid. It seemed as if the pain was getting worse with each passing second. She tried to distract herself from her leg injury by pounding her fist into the ground and pulling her hair. But to no avail.

"Zoe, what's wrong?" Takuya asked.

"My leg..." Zoe cried.

The boy observed Zoe's right leg for any damages. He couldn't tell whether she twisted her ankle, sprained her knee or torn her ACL. But the goggle-head didn't have time to come up with a solution because another barrage of fireballs were heading straight towards their direction. He placed one arm around Zoe's back and the other under her legs. Slowly, Takuya lifted her up and carried her in my arms. He blushed a little bit seeing that he was making contact with Zoe's bare leg. Takuya immediately started running, while carrying the injured girl in his arms. He juked left and right, barely dodging the incoming fireball rained down on them.

"Takuya, in here!" Someone shouted.

The humans saw Bokomon near the entrance of a cave waving towards me. Takuya ran as fast as he could towards the cave with the injured Zoe in my arms. A large number of fireballs crashed and exploded behind them. But just when he thought we were in the clear, a wall of fire appeared in front of his direction, completely surrounding the humans.

"We're trapped!" Zoe yelled.

"Well, I could've told you that." said the goggle-head. He looked left and right, but couldn't find a way out. The fire was too high and way too hot.

"If I only had my Spirits, I could easily get us out of this mess." Takuya thought.

"What's this?" A deep voice said.

"Takuya, behind you!" Zoe gasped. He turned around and saw a giant Digimon marching towards them.

"Humans? Me CRUSH humans!" The same deep voice said.

"Who are you?" asked the young man.

It took a while before the two teens could get a good glimpse of the Digimon in front of them. Its body was made completely out of rock with spikes on his back shoulders and back. It also had a steel helmet protecting its head.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name**: **Golemon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Rock Punch; Sulfur Plume**

**Description: Golemon is a monstrous creature made up of rocks and minerals. He can crush mountains with his fists and create massive craters by stomping his feet. His Sulfur Plume attack releases a crimson gas from his back, completely overpowering his enemies.**

"Humans. Must... crush... HUMANS!" yelled Golemon.

Zoe and Takuya braced themselves as the giant Digimon lifted his arms up, preparing to crush them. With a body like that, he could flatten the two of them like pancakes. Suddenly, a purple beam nailed Golemon in the chest, causing the rock beast to stumble back a little bit. It took him a while to recover from the blast.

"Leave the humans alone, Golemon!" A large gray ape with a huge cannon mounted on his right arm ordered.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Gorillamon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Energy Cannon; Power Lifter**

**Description: Gorillamon is a Beast-Type Digimon with a mechanical cannon attached to one of his arms. But just because he has one arm, he is still one of the most feared Digimon in the jungle. His Energy Cannon attack can make you go bananas.**

"Golemon don't take orders from talking gorilla." Golemon said. "Golemon crush gorilla with bare hands."

The rock Digimon turned his body towards Gorillamon, He started to run as fast as he could towards the armed ape. Gorillamon retaliated by shooting another purple beam out of the cannon on his right arm. The beam hits Golemon's chest, but he still kept on running towards Gorillamon. Once he was close enough, he slammed his fist towards his enemy. Gorillamon leaped out of the way barely dodging Golemon's attacks. Takuya watched as the large ape continues to shoot at the rock giant.

"Hurry! Get out while you still can!" Gorillamon ordered.

"Right!" Takuya nodded.

With the wall of fire completely extinguished behind us, Takuya made our way towards the entrance of the cave where Bokomon and Neemon were hiding, with the injured Zoe resting in his arms. He looked back at girl, who was still wincing in pain. The goggle-head ran as fast as his feet could carry me towards the cave. Takuya turned around to see how Gorillamon was doing. He was hoping to see him defeat that giant rock monster. But instead, he saw something much worse.

Out of nowhere, something nailed Gorillamon in the back, causing him to yell in agony. Takuya I watched horrifically and helplessly as the sphere combined its dark energies with the Digimon. When the fusion has stopped, so did Gorillamon's screaming. He looked totally different. His eyes were glowing red with evil. His teeth were much sharper and his muscles were much bigger. His cannon had also doubled in size.

Gorillamon glared back at the humans and aimed his cannon towards them. Before long, a long purple energy beam was approaching Takuya and Zoe. The goggle-head immediately leaped to his left, just missing the beam by a few inches. The energy blast hits the ground and exploded, creating a huge fire in the area. Takuya looked back at the two Digimon, who had fierce scowls on their faces.

"Where do you think you're going, you pesky humans? Gorillamon asked.

"Gorillamon, what happened to you?" Zoe asked.

"I have achieved ultimate power. And now I'm going to use it on you humans!" Gorillamon roared.

"Golemon smash humans to tiny pieces!" Golemon growled.

"Whoa, hang on guys." Takuya said nervously. "We're not looking for trouble, alright? There's no reason for us to fight. My friend here is seriously injured and I really need to take her to..."

"SILENCE!" Gorillamon yelled.

"Please, Gorillamon. We don't want to fight any of you guys." Zoe begged.

"Oh, but we do." Gorillamon said. "Come, Golemon! Let us destroy these pesky humans!"

"DESTROY HUMANS!" Golemon shouted, lifting up his arms.

"W... W... Wait a second! Hold on!" The teenage boy said frantically, trying to stop the Digimon from attacking. Gorillamon pointed his cannon at his targets while Golemon lifts up a huge boulder over his head.

"Rock Punch!" ||| "Energy Cannon!"

Both attacks were coming towards them really fast. Zoe held on to her best friend tight as Takuya prepare myself to dodge the incoming boulder and energy shot. He moved to his right to avoid the boulder. The large rock slammed into the ground. It shook the area, creating a large crater on collision. The earthquake almost made Takuya lose his balance. The good news was he didn't fall to the ground or dropped Zoe. The bad news was he didn't have time or enough energy to dodge the next attack. Takuya turned around and braced myself for impact.

"Oh crud!"

The beam nailed him in the back hard. He can feel the energy blast burning through his skin. The attack caused him to lose my grip on Zoe as he fell to the ground. Takuya landed hard on his stomach. His chest was screaming in severe pain, but he was still alive. He opened his eyes and watched helplessly as Zoe slammed hard into Golemon's boulder. She cried in agony before she roll toward her best friend. When the tumbling stopped, Takuya looked at the teenage girl, praying that she's alright.

It turns out he was wrong. Her face was covered with dirt and tears. The status of her spine was probably worse than before. She was gasping for air and her cries sounded like extreme torture. She's in severe pain, not to mention barely conscious. Never before has Takuya looked so scared in his life.

"Zoe!" He yelled.

With all of his strength, Takuya tried crawling towards his best friend. She's in really bad shape and she needed immediate help. His hand was only a couple of feet away from her, when something heavy landed on his back. Takuya yelled out loud as if a hundred J.P.s were landing on top of my body. I turned to see one of Golemon's foot on top of him.

Takuya then looked back at Zoe and was terrified at what he saw. He watched helplessly as Gorillamon slowly walk towards Zoe. With his left hand, he grabbed her by the neck and lifted her up. Gorillamon started to tighten his grip on Zoe, squeezing the life out of her.

"Let her go! Dammit! Let her go!" Gorillamon looked back at the defenseless boy and smirked. Instead of releasing her or loosening his grip, he squeezed harder and harder on Zoe's neck.

"Let go! Please... let... go of me!" Zoe cried. "T... Takuya... help... me."

Tears were forming in her eyes. Takuya could hear her coughing and gasping for air. It made him so angry. There's nothing he wanted more than to tear the overgrown ape limb from limb for hurting Zoe. But with Golemon pinning him down, he was as useless ever.

"DAMMIT GORILLAMON, LET HER GO! PUT HER DOWN, RIGHT NOW!"

Gorillamon paused for a little bit. He looked at the boy, and back at Zoe. Her muscles were getting numb, her face was changing colors and she was running out of air. She was slowly losing consciousness. Finally, Gorillamon lifted her up high in the air. But instead of releasing her like Takuya ordered, he slammed her hard straight into the ground, creating a large crater. Dust and debris flew in all different directions.

"ZOE, NO!" Takuya cried. When the smoke cleared, he saw Zoe's body lying on the ground. She wasn't moving an inch. He feared for the worse. Takuya then saw Gorillamon approaching the motionless body.

"Let's end this." He said pointing his cannon towards Zoe. Takuya tried to move, but Golemon wasn't allowing him. With tons of weight preventing his movement, Takuya couldn't do anything. Gorillamon's started to build up power in his cannon.

"STOP IT!" The goggle-head cried. "LEAVE HER ALONE, GORILLAMON! TAKE ME INSTEAD!" He looked at the teenage boy and grinned.

"Patience, human. You'll have your turn. After I finish her, I'll destroy you too." He smiled. Takuya closed my eyes and turned away. He couldn't bear seeing my best friend destroyed right in front of me.

"Now, say good bye to your friend!"

"ZOE!"

"Leave her alone, Gorillamon!" Someone shouted.

The giant ape looked up and saw another something standing on a branch of a tree nearby. It was a humanoid black-haired Digimon wearing dark sunglasses and a blue tunic with a sword emblem in the middle. He also was wearing a white long sleeve shirt underneath along with darkish blue pants and black boots. There were also two broadswords on his back.

"Who the heck are you?" Gorillamon asked.

**Digimon Analyzer**

**Name: Swiftmon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Diamond Cutter; Chrono Dash**

**Description: There is no warrior quite like Swiftmon. He takes the common phrase, "Swift as the Wind," to a whole new level. His Diamond Cutter attack is so fast, his opponents won't see it coming until it's too late.**

"My name is Swiftmon. And this is your last warning. Leave the humans alone, or else." Swiftmon ordered.

"Or else what?" Gorillamon chuckled.

"Or else I would have to take you out myself."

"Hahaha! Bring it on! I would love to see you try!"

"Very well, then." He sighed. He unsheathed one of his swords and leaps off the tree. "Diamond Cutter!" He yelled.

Gorillamon pointed his cannon towards the flying warrior, but before he could fire, Swiftmon disappeared. Gorillamon stood there staring with a confused look on his face. A couple of seconds later, Swiftmon reappeared behind the gigantic ape. He spun his sword a couple times before putting it back in its original position. Gorillamon turned his head, growling and snarling at his opponent.

But before he could make a move, the cannon on his right arm was sliced off. It fell to the ground and disintegrated into tiny pieces, followed by his other arm, his legs and finally, the rest of his body. Swiftmon stood with his eyes closed for a couple of seconds before turning towards Golemon. The rock Digimon glared at the warrior-like Digimon.

"You make Golemon mad! Now, I crush you!" Golemon said, removing his foot off of Takuya's body.

He stomped towards Swiftmon with his arms raised high. Suddenly, a dark pink-colored beam appeared and hits Golemon's side. The blow sent the rock monster crashing into the trees. Golemon quickly recovered and sprang back towards his feet. He looked in front of him and noticed a slender female Digimon standing in between Takuya and Zoe.

"What an unpleasant sight." She said softly.

She had long flowing olive-green hair reaching her waist, long eyelashes and lavender-colored eyes. She was also wearing a long white dress with long sleeves that extend well past her hands, two thin belts that crisis cross around her waist and black boots similar to Swiftmon's. She was covering her mouth with her right sleeve and had an incomprehensible look in her eyes.

**Digimon Analyzer**

**Name: Beautymon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Beautiful Beam; Petal Dance**

**Description: Who's the fairest of them all? Your answer better be Beautymon or she'll lock you up in the dungeon. A lethal combination of composure, intelligence and beauty. Her Petal Dance incapacitates her enemies while her Beautiful Beam destroys them.**

Beautymon looked towards Zoe, who was still beaten up and unconscious after Gorillamon's onslaught. She shook her head in disgust.

"Such a pity." said the female Digimon. She then turned her attention towards Takuya. Underneath the sleeve covering her mouth, a small smile appeared on her face.

"Don't worry, Cutie. I'll take care of this." She giggled. She looked back towards Golemon, who was stomped furiously towards Beautymon.

"GOLEMON WILL CRUSH YOU!" He yelled, clenching his fist tight.

"I don't think so." Beautymon smiled. "Petal Dance!" Flower petals flew out of the warrior's sleeve and towards Golemon. When the rock Digimon entered the area filled with dancing flower petals, he stopped moving.

"What... what is this? Golemon can't move!" Golemon cried. He was frozen as a rock... literally.

"Wonderful, isn't it?" Beautymon giggled. "My Petal Dance releases flowers with an unusual scent that doesn't destroy my opponents. But whoever inhales the scent will immediately become paralyzed. That way, I can laugh at your unfortunate position and set up your destruction while you helplessly wait until..."

"That's enough, Beautymon!" Swiftmon ordered. "Hurry up and finish this. Lord Eldestmon will be returning soon. We need to get back to home base." Beautymon turned and stared at Swiftmon deeply. She lets out a soft sigh and closed her eyes.

"Oh Swiftmon, why do you always have to ruin the fun? You know how much I love playing with ugly creatures such as this beast..." It took a few seconds before Golemon was finally free from Beautymon's flower attack. He then ran as fast as he could towards the female Digimon.

"Now, I crush you! Rock Punch!" Golemon yelled, pulling one of his fists back, preparing to attack. Beautymon just stood there, waiting with her eyes closed.

"However..." She opened her eyes, glaring back at Golemon. "... you do have a point. Beautiful Beam!" She cried. A pinkish beam shot out of her sleeve and collided with the rock Digimon. Golemon screamed as his body disintegrated and disappeared.

Meanwhile, Takuya was crawling towards an unconscious Zoe. He was still clutching his stomach with one of his arms. He was still in pain from the attacks earlier. He reaches out and grabbed one of Zoe's hands.

"Zoe? Zoe, are you alright? Zoe, please say something." He waited for an answer, but so far, silence. Her eyes remained shut. He looked up and noticed Beautymon and Swiftmon approaching slowly approaching them.

"Who... Who are... you guys?" Takuya asked. Swiftmon and Beautymon looked at each other and then back at the boy. They remained silent. Takuya continued to speak. "Thank...Thank you...for saving...our..."

But before he could finish his sentence, Takuya collapse to the ground and just like that, everything turned black.

* * *

><p><strong>So, that's chapter four. <strong>

**Who are these mysterious Digimon? What are these black spheres that's creating a mess in the Digital World? And who's the mastermind behind all of this chaos? What will happen to Takuya and Zoe? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	5. The Digimon Battlefront

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**With everyone else busy, Takuya and Zoe were the only ones available to help save the Digital World. While on the way back, Bokomon retold the events of the chaos that's been occurring since the humans left. But once they've entered the Digital World, it was much worse than they could imagine. Without their Spirits, neither Takuya nor Zoe could protect themselves from the onslaught of evil Digimon. All hope seemed loss when Gorillamon and Golemon were very close to destroying them. But thanks to Swiftmon and Beautymon, our two heroes are saved. At least… until the next threat comes.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter five!**

* * *

><p><strong>The Digimon Battlefront<strong>

**Normal POV:**

Takuya woke up, staring at a blue ceiling. He had no idea how long he was out for, but it felt like days, maybe even longer. A strong scent of sweet peas and lilies entered his nose, relaxing the young boy's muscles and easing his mind. It took a while for him to realize he was in a hospital, lying on a bed. His body was still in pain after being attacked by two crazy, and wild Digimon. He still hasn't figured out why a couple of Digimon would do such a thing. But the agony in his chest prevented him from pondering any further. Let's just say if you got a two thousand pound boulder giant sitting on top of you, you would be in tremendous pain.

Takuya ignored the stiffness in his body and sat up straight. The goggle-head and looked around the strange room he was in. The walls were blue, the floors were made of marble and there were all kinds of injured Digimon lying on the hospital beds. Many of them he recognized, but there were some he had never seen before. One of them happened to be the Digimon trotting merrily towards him. It was a small, but fat pink creature with little white wings on its back. It also had a nurse's cap on its head and an apron with a red cross on it.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Blisseymon**

**Level: Rookie**

**Attacks: Ecstasy Outbreak; Painful Pills**

**Description: The Blisseymon are intelligent little creatures whose healing powers are indescribable. There's not one injury or illness they can't heal. But don't let your guard down. Their Ecstasy Outbreak attack numbs their enemies and fills their state of mind with intoxicating pleasure.**

It took Takuya a while to realize that this particular Digimon is unlike any other. The pink creature examined the boy thoroughly, trailing her hands all over his chest and stomach. Takuya cringes in pain every time the creature made contact with his broken ribs or any other body part that hurt. He was having trouble breathing since he was in so much agony. It felt like his body was on fire. Any kind of movement he attempted would backfire against him.

Blisseymon then sets her hands on the cringing Takuya's chest. The boy watched with amazement as Blisseymon's hands started to glow. All of the sudden, the pain inside Takuya's stomach was slowly disappearing. In a matter of seconds, all of his injuries had been completely healed. Takuya stared at his stomach area in shocked and looked back towards Blisseymon. He was having trouble coming up with words describing what he had just witnessed and experienced not too long ago. It was like magic... without the magic

"Um..." Takuya finally spoke. "Th... Thank you... um... uh... Who are you guys again?"

"Blisseymon." A voice said.

Takuya looked to his right and noticed a warrior-like humanoid monster approaching him. A very distinctive thing about this Digimon is the long broadswords on his back. Strangely enough, this creature looked familiar. It took several moments for Takuya to remember who this Digimon is. He was the one who save his and Zoe's life from Golemon and Gorillamon.

"Highly trained healing Digimon with superb medical abilities." The swordsman continued to speak.

"Hey, I know you. You're the one who rescued us from those Digimon who attacked earlier." Takuya pointed out.

"That's right. Allow me to introduce myself." The creature said. "I am Swiftmon, second-in-command of The Digimon Battlefront."

"The Digimon Battlefront?" Takuya asked.

"Yes. The Digimon Battlefront. An organization composed of other Digimon fighting to keep the pea... "

"Is he awake already?" Another soft, angelic voice said.

Takuya looked behind Swiftmon and noticed another humanoid Digimon with olive hair. She was wearing a long, white dress with the sleeves well passed her hands. She, however, was covering her mouth with one of her hands or sleeves. The creature locked onto Takuya's chocolate eyes and started giggling. She delightfully skipped towards the boy. The goggle-headed boy watched on as the female Digimon approached, paying close attention to her figure and the way she moved.

"Oh hiya, cutie." sang the olive haired beauty.

"Um... hi... Miss." Takuya said, while blushing. This caused the female Digimon to giggle some more. And the more she laughed, the redder Takuya's cheeks turned.

"Teehee! So adorable, aren't you? By the way, my name's Beautymon, but..." She leaned in closer and gave the boy a small wink. "... you can call me "Beautiful" if you like."

She slowly, but seductively approached Takuya. The boy wanted to resist, but for some reason he couldn't. He subconsciously removed the covers off of his body and got out of the bed. He felt that some kind of force was attracting him to her. It wasn't against his will or anything, but he couldn't do anything about it. It wasn't until Takuya was a few feet away from Beautymon when he finally picked up her sweet scent. He couldn't determine whether she smelled like strawberries or freshly picked violets. The female Digimon placed one of her sleeves on Takuya's face. She smiled at the teenage boy as she gave him a soft, subtle giggle.

"Um, Beautymon? What are you... What are you doing to me?"

"Shhhhh..." The boy gave a small gasp, trembling at the touch of Beautymon's hands.

She placed a soft finger on his lips. The delicate sound of her laughter caused Takuya's heart to accelerate. At that point, instincts has already taken over his body. Inadvertently, he closed his eyes and tilted his head sideways. He can feel his lips slowly approaching slowly approaching Beautymon's. His body was craving for the slender female's sweet lips, but his mind was trying hard to pull away. Unfortunately, the more he resisted, the closer he drew to Beautymon He can feel his lips drawing closer and closer to hers.

"Beautymon." Swiftmon said to capture his partner's attention. On the other hand, all of it was solely focused on the spellbound human.

"Stop teasing him Beautymon. There's work to be done." Swiftmon ordered.

She was only inches away from Takuya's lips. Beautymon sighed and walked back to Takuya. But not before giving him a quick pat on the nose with her finger. Once she returned to Swiftmon's side, she gave the boy one last wink, which made Takuya gulped nervously. But at that point, he has finally regained control of his body. The goggle-head shook his arms a little bit, just to be sure. Nevertheless, that mysterious force that attracted him to Beautymon was gone.

"Come on, Swiftmon. Why must you always interrupt my fun time?"

"Not now." The swordsman grunted.

"But please? Can't we just be alone for a few minutes..."

"THAT'S ENOUGH, BEAUTYMON!" The swordsman yelled angrily. Beautymon, who was unfazed by Swiftmon's sudden outbursts, flipped her long olive hair and turned away from her partner. She then shifted her attention back to the goggle headed boy.

"So, is your name as cute as your face?" Beautymon happily asked, giggling once again.

"I... I guess so." The boy answered, while stuttering. "I'm... my name is Takuya. Takuya Kanbara."

"Takuya..." Beautymon sighed adoringly. "Such a wonderful name. Handsome, brave, strong... Just saying it sends chills up my spine. Takuya... Takuya... Ooh, somebody pinch me. I think I'm in... YEOW!"

Unbeknownst to the female Digimon, the swordsman did as she requested and gave her a small pinch on her side. Hearing Beautymon squeak like a little girl made Takuya laugh for a little bit. The olive haired Digimon glowered daggers at her partner for pulling such a bold, yet unthinkable stunt. On the other hand, Swiftmon shrugged his shoulders like doesn't give a care in the world.

"I don't know if you guys remember, but I was one of the Legendary Warriors who saved the Digital World from Lucemon a long time ago." Takuya said, trying to change the subject.

"So we've heard." Swiftmon nodded.

"Wow." Beautymon gracefully sighed. "Not only he's cute, but heroic too."

"Beautymon?" glared Swiftmon.

"What? He's much better looking than that other human we picked up earlier. Ew! Haven't you seen her? Ugh, please! She looked her face got trampled on by a thousand Gorillamon." Beautymon complained.

"Wait, what?" Takuya jumped to his feet. "You mean Zoe? Where is she? Is she alright?"

"Relax. Your friend is in the other room, but she's in pretty bad shape." Swiftmon replied. "Her injuries were a lot worse than yours. Our team of Blisseymon is doing their best to heal her, but..." With that in mind, Takuya ran passed the two Digimon and raced down the hall to find his friend.

"O...kay..." Swiftmon tilted his head sideways in confusion.

"Wow, for a handsome Cutie, he sure knows how to move fast. Ooh, I just can't wait to get him into bed with..." Swiftmon said.

"Beautymon! Don't even think about it! There is a reason why these two kids are here! We should be thankful for...

"But why do we have to save that other human, Swiftmon?" Beautymon asked. "Have you even seen her face? Ugh! She is such an ugly creature. We could've just left her in the dirt along with those other ugly trash out there."

"Have you forgotten Beautymon? These two are Legendary Warriors. They saved the Digital World from destruction last time, and they'll do it again this time. Show them some respect."

"Whatever. Do you what you like with Blondie. But I got my eyes on the cute one. Toodeloo, Swiftmon."

Beautymon opened one of her sleeves. Flower petals danced out and surrounded the female warrior's body. A wide variety of flower petals sprayed around the area such as violets, roses, tulips, lilacs and chrysanthemums. Finally, the female Digimon was completely covered with flower petals of different colors and shapes. The petals then fell to the ground, but Beautymon was already out of sight. Swiftmon sighed with disappointment. But in a flash, he was gone from the hospital room.

* * *

><p>Takuya ran as fast as he could throughout the hallway. He checked room after room to see if Zoe was inside. But each room was either empty or had other injured Digimon inside. Takuya ran out of breath and slumped against the wall. He had been running for five minutes and he still couldn't find his best friend. His heart pounded against his chest.<p>

The goggle-headed boy subconsciously drifted his thoughts toward the blonde haired girl that came with him to the Digital World. He couldn't believe that so much exciting and frightening events has took place even before they got on the Trailmon... and on his birthday too. It was suppose be just him and Zoe having a picnic together at the park. Now, here he was, searching for his best friend and wondering if she's still alive.

After catching his breath, Takuya continued looking for Zoe. Moments later, he noticed a yellow rabbit and a mutant Digimon sitting on a wooden bench. Without wasting any time, he hustled as fast as he could towards his Rookie companions.

"Bokomon! Neemon!" Takuya shouted. The two Digimon looked up and saw the teenaged boy approaching them at a quick pace.

"Takuya!" Bokomon cried.

"I'm looking for Zoe! Where is she?" Takuya asked.

"She's in that room over there." Bokomon answered, pointing to the door behind him.

"Yep, she's been sleeping ever since we've got here!" Neemon added. His partner stared dumbfounded at him.

"I have to see her! Right now!"

"But Takuya, she's getting treated right now! You can't just..." But before Bokomon can finish his argument, Takuya zoomed passed him, and opened the door.

He entered the room and saw his best friend lying on a hospital bed across from him. Unfortunately, she was still unconscious. Zoe showed no signs of life. Her chest wasn't rising or falling. Not a single breath escaped her mouth. Takuya knew his best friend was hurt, but he just doesn't know how much pain she was in.

Takuya also noticed the Blisseymon surrounding the passed out blonde haired girl. As a matter of fact, there were more than just one nursing Digimon. Altogether, there were six Blisseymon working hard to heal the bruised and beaten Zoe. Takuya can feel his heart pounding hard like a drum. He couldn't bear watching his friend in severe condition such as this. He ran towards the hospital bed, calling her name. He reached the unconscious and injured Zoe. He placed a hand on her forehead. He slowly glides it down her face.

"Zoe? Zoe, please get up." He begged.

He could feel his eyes watering up. He then grabbed his friend's hand. Takuya remembered that terrible night when he and Zoe returned to the Digital World. Neither one of them expected that death and danger would be the ones welcoming them once they got back. They were being shot by a couple of flying dragons, had to leap off of a runaway train, and a couple of ruthless Digimon almost wiped them out. And that all happened in a matter of minutes. It was a miracle that he was still alive, even after all of that.

His attention turned towards Zoe's face. It looked like she was in a really deep sleep, just like a fairy tale princess. Takuya thought about ways he can wake his best friend up. He remembered, when he was just a little boy, his mother told him a story how some guy woke a princess up from an eternal sleep. He didn't remember the title of the story, the character's name, how the story ended or any of the important stuff. All he knew was the guy woke her up by... by... kissing her... on the lips.

"You got to be kidding me." gulped the nervous goggle-head after replaying that scenario in his head. This time, he replaced the male character with himself and the princess with his best friend. Initially, it disgusted the boy, for he would never do something like this to his best friend. Then again, desperate times call for desperate measures. And now that he thinks about it, maybe kissing Zoe to awaken her might not be a bad idea after all.

Finally, Takuya sighed and took a deep breath. He focused on Zoe's closed eyes, and then her little nose and finally her cheeks. The goggle-head spent a few seconds admiring how pretty she looked up close. It's strange how he never realized it before. Takuya then turned his attention towards Zoe's lips. It's as if they're waiting to be kissed... wanting to be kissed. Takuya can feel himself being pulled towards the blonde haired girl.

"Hey it worked for that one guy, it could work for me." He thought.

Takuya leaned closer and closer. His lips were only a few feet from hers... one foot away... inches apart... almost on top of each other. He closed his eyes and braced himself for what's about to happen next. That's when the young boy heard moaning from the blonde haired girl's mouth. He opened his eyes to check on his friend. At last, he saw movement. His best friend nudged her head from side to side. Suddenly, Zoe opened her eyes and the first thing she saw were a couple of chocolate orbs staring at her face.

"EEK!" She yelped.

Shocked at the reaction, Takuya stepped back and lost his balanced. He fell to the ground, landing hard on his butt. As the boy rubbed his swollen posterior, the six healing Digimon smiled at the humans and nodded at Zoe, signaling that they were done with their work. One by one, the Blisseymon slowly left the room, leaving the two embarrassed teenagers all by themselves. Neither one of them could say a word. In fact, both were afraid to speak. Silence took over the entire area. They could see each other's face turning red, but neither one of them wanted to mention it. Takuya and Zoe continuously stole glances at one another, only to look away in embarrassment whenever they were caught.

Finally, after what seemed like a long time, Takuya was the first to speak.

"Hey..." He smiled nervously.

"Hey yourself..." Zoe hesitantly responded.

"How, um... uh... how are... how are you doing?"

"I'm... I'm okay... I guess..."

"You still hurt?"

"A little... but I'm alright."

"That's good, hehe... yeah..."

Once again, silence filled the room for a few seconds. Not one of them said a word to each other. Both Takuya and Zoe were afraid to speak to each other, knowing that saying the wrong thing could cause problems. In fact, neither one of them were making eye contact with each other.

"What were you doing... so close to me?" The blonde asked.

"I, uh... I was trying to... wa... wake you up?"

"By staring at me?"

"Um, no... I was actually going for a..."

"Never mind. I don't want to hear it.

"Right... sorry." stammered Takuya.

"So..." Zoe finally said. "... where are we anyway?"

"Some hospital in the Digital World, I guess." Takuya answered.

"Not quite, my boy." A voice said. Takuya and Zoe noticed a tall Digimon entered the emergency room. They saw the swords on his back as well as the sword emblem on his blue tunic.

"Who's he?" Zoe wondered.

"What do you mean, Swiftmon?" Takuya asked.

"You're in The Digimon Battlefront's Medical Wing." The warrior Digimon said.

"The Medical Wing?" asked Takuya.

"Digimon Battlefront?" questioned Zoe.

"Yes, indeed." Swiftmon replied, as he approached Zoe. "Ah! And you must be one of the Legendary Warriors who saved our world from destruction a long time ago. Am I correct?"

"That's right." Zoe nodded. She extended out her hand towards the swordsman. "I'm Zoe. It's nice to meet you... uh... I'm sorry, I don't believe I know you."

"Swiftmon. Call me Swiftmon." He answered.

He got on one knee and grabbed Zoe's hand. He placed a small kiss on it, causing the young woman to giggle. Meanwhile, Takuya looked on as the swordsman displayed his chivalry. A twinge of jealousy hinged in his gut when the warrior's lips made contact with her hand. But he shook off the envious feeling and returned to the conversation.

"Swiftmon." Zoe smiled.

"He's the one who saved our lives, Zoe." Takuya pointed out. "He and Beautymon brought us here... by the way, where is Beautymon?"

"You called?" A calm, mature voice said. A mysterious girl appeared behind Takuya and placed her neck on his shoulder, catching the teenaged boy off-guard. He leaped in shocked, but immediately recovered his balance.

"Uh, yeah. Hey... Didn't see you there." Takuya laughed, while trying to regain his composure. He then turned his attention back to his best friend. "Zoe, this is Beautymon. And Beautymon, this is my best friend, Zoe Orimoto."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Zoe smiled, reaching her hand out towards Beautymon. The female Digimon looked at the girl's hand and glared back at her. She turned away with her eyes closed, while letting out a small 'Hmph.'

"Please keep your dirty hands away from me you filthy little creature." said Beautymon. The insult caught Zoe off-guard. As a matter of fact, she wasn't too fond with her response.

"Um, excuse me? What did you just say?" She argued.

"I don't affiliate myself with... how should I put it... ugly beings such as yourself." Beautymon spoke in a soft, innocent voice.

"UGLY?" Zoe howled. "Who are you calling ugly you... you... anorexic waste dump?"

"Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhh!" The Blisseymon in the room roared after hearing Zoe's retaliation. However, the look on Beautymon's face remained constant. She didn't seem fazed by the young girl's remarks. In fact, after hearing Zoe speak, she started to laugh.

"I'm so sorry. Was that an insult, Blondie?" Beautymon giggled, finally founding a new name for Zoe. "Forgive me. I always thought that unattractive little girls like you don't have the brain capacity to come up foolish mockery like that." She looked back at Zoe. Underneath the sleeve covering her mouth, a devilish little smile formed on her face when she caught a glimpse of Zoe's jaw dropping.

"You... YOU..." Zoe huffed. She can feel the blood boiling up her body. Her heart was pounding and her breathing was accelerating. Knots were forming in her stomach. However, before she could lay a finger on the female Digimon, the sound of the door opening filled the room. Another Digimon entered the room. He was small, humanoid-looking creature whose body is completely made of rock.

"Swiftmon! Sir, I bring you news!"

"What is it, Gotsumon?" asked the warrior.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Gotsumon**

**Level: Rookie**

**Attacks: Rock Fist; Earth Shaker**

**Description: Gotsumon's body is made of the strongest rocks and minerals ever found in the Digital World. He's a Digimon that can blend easily with his surroundings. Watch out for his Rock Fist attack. He can launch stones at you with high velocity, knocking you back to the Stone Ages.**

"Lord Eldestmon has returned!" said the rock Digimon.

"Excellent." Swiftmon grinned. "Gather up all the Digimon. We'll meet in the Briefing Room."

"Yes sir!" saluted Gotsumon as he quickly left the hospital room.

"Eldestmon?" Zoe repeated.

"Wow. Ugly AND deaf!" Beautymon angrily pointed out. Zoe heard the unfriendly remark and gave the slender Digimon a terrifying glare. Beautymon responded with a fiendish smirk on her face.

"Say that again, you rotten wench!" growled the blonde/

"Enough! Both of you." Swiftmon ordered. Zoe crossed her arms together and turned away from the female Digimon.

"Whatever." Beautymon giggled. "I can't stand being around this human. I'll meet you guys in the other room." She then looked back towards Takuya and gave him a small, yet enticing wink. Takuya received Beautymon's gesture and couldn't help but blush.

"I'll see you later, handsome!"

Beautymon blew one final kiss towards the boy. Takuya felt hypnotized by the sight of the Digimon as well as the scent of her. However, when she walked out of the room and closed the door, everything returned back to normal. That still didn't stop Takuya from thinking about Beautymon or staring blankly at the door. He didn't even notice a jealous Zoe standing right behind him, clenching her fist in anger.

"Come." Swiftmon said as he exited the room, leaving the two human teenagers alone.

"Well, we better get going, Zoe." Takuya said, looking back at his friend. He noticed she was still glaring at him. A confused look appeared on his face.

"What? Did I do something wrong?"

"Why are you still here? She's waiting for you." Zoe spoke softly, but with mild amount of irritation.

"Who?" Takuya asked.

"Who do you think? Beautymon." Zoe answered. "I can how she looks into your eyes, how she talks to you, how she..."

"Oh, come on, Zoe. You know she was just having some fun."

"Then, why were you letting her take advantage of you?"

"I couldn't help it, alright? It's like she had me under her spell or something. Believe me, Zoe. I tried to snap out of it. I couldn't control my body."

"Whatever, Takuya. Just leave me alone." Zoe commanded.

She turned away from Takuya. Tears were slowly forming in her eyes. It's a good thing her long, blonde hair was covering her face, or else Takuya would have noticed her crying. But a small sniff could be heard, and it made an impact on Takuya's heart. The door to the room slowly opened up. Bokomon and Neemon stepped in.

"Hey, are you guys coming or not?" Neemon asked.

"Everyone's waiting for us." said Bokomon.

"We'll be there soon, guys." Takuya said.

Bokomon and Neemon looked at each other, nodded and left the room without making a sound. After ten seconds of silence, Takuya slowly looked back at Zoe. He couldn't see her face, but he can sense she was in pain or really depressed. He slowly reached out. His hand was just above her shoulder. But he couldn't bring his hand down. He felt that he was going to make things worse, so he put his arm back on his side. He let out a huge sigh, before he spoke.

"Come on, let's go." He said.

He walked towards the door without looking at his best friend. He got to the door and turned his attention back at Zoe. He noticed her limping on one leg towards the door. Every time she took a step with her injured leg, she winced in agony. Takuya figured that her leg hasn't completely healed yet. He walked towards her, but stopped when Zoe put a hand up towards him.

"Don't you dare come near me!" She ordered.

"What? I was just trying to..."

"Go away." She grumbled. "I can walk by myself. I don't need your help, Takuya." But the boy ignored her commands. He put one arm around Zoe's back and the other under her legs. He lifted her up and carried her in his arms.

"Hey, put me down!" Zoe ordered. "I said I don't need your help!"

"Stop struggling already, okay?" Takuya grinned.

"I said I can do this by myself."

"I know you can, but 'doing it yourself' doesn't mean 'doing it alone.'" Takuya responded, giving his best friend his signature smile and a small wink for good measure. And just like that, Zoe's anger towards Takuya disappeared. She's a little angry about the incident, but just looking at Takuya's smile sure loosened the tension.

"Takuya, I..." she said, but before she could finish her sentence, Takuya jumped in a burst of speed out the door and through the hallway. He caught up with Bokomon and Neemon as the two raced toward the Briefing Room.

The goggle-head entered the Briefing Room carrying Zoe in his arms. The two of them noticed how incredibly huge the meeting place was. It was a large, circular room with a number of computers and machines occupying half of the space. They also noticed a huge number of Digimon inside the room, conversing and arguing with one another about battle plans and defensive strategies. Some Digimon were bragging about how many other Digimon they destroyed while others were weeping for their fallen comrades. Takuya looked back at Zoe, who was finally smiling at him.

"I'm okay, Takuya. You can put me down now." She said.

Takuya complied as he slowly lowered his friend to the ground. When Zoe's foot made contact with the floor, she cringed a little bit, trying hard to fight back the pain in her leg. When she finally recovered, she gave Takuya a small nod. Takuya replied with the same gesture. He then noticed Swiftmon and Beautymon enter the room. Their presence alone was enough to get the attention of every Digimon in the room. In a matter of seconds, the entire Briefing Room was filled with silence.

* * *

><p><strong>Zoe's POV:<strong>

"Members of the Digimon Battlefront!" Swiftmon spoke. "When the madness started, he was the light that gave each and every one of us hope. Today, with his determination and leadership, the light has grown brighter and stronger. With such a light on our side, we can defeat the darkness and the evil that dwells inside it. Fellow Digimon, please welcome, the leader of The Digimon Battlefront, Lord Eldestmon!"

Swiftmon extended his hand towards a door behind him. All of the Digimon turned towards the entrance as it slowly creaked open. The sound of footsteps echoed throughout the room. Then out of the shadows appeared an elderly, humanoid Digimon. He was a very, very old Digimon with a long white beard on his chin that reached all the way to his stomach. His eyes appeared to be shut, but his vision is surpassed by no other. It is said that he can see as far as the horizon. This Digimon wore a black uniform with a white cape around his neck. He also had black pants to match as well as brown shoes on his feet. He also carried a wooden cane in his right hand. Every Digimon showed respect by saluting to their leader.

"Lord Eldestmon, sir!" The Digimon cried.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Eldestmon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Sage's Shower; Chains of Supremacy**

**Description: Many Digimon travel far and wide to seek Eldestmon's wisdom. He's highly intelligent and an exceptional warrior. Don't let his old appearance fool you. He's stronger than most Digimon think. His Sage's Show attack has silenced many doubters turning skeptics into believers.**

The elderly Digimon slowly made his way towards the center of the room, making eye contact with every one of his followers. He walked pass me and Takuya as he approached the two Champion level Digimon we met earlier. Swiftmon showed respect by bowing to Eldestmon while Beautymon performed a light curtsey.

"Welcome back, sir." Swiftmon said.

"Skip the formalities" Eldestmon replied. He turned his attention towards the female Digimon. "Beautymon, progress report."

"Right." Swiftmon nodded head. "Forrest Terminal areas have been secured. Our armies have taken out a huge number of the enemies' forces."

"That is good news." Eldestmon said softly.

"Yeah, well, we also lost twenty of our best fighters during the battle. Some of them were destroyed; others were fell victim to the spheres." The swordsman continued.

"I see." Eldestmon replied.

"And, as of right now, we haven't recovered any of the Spirits, nor know the whereabouts of their locations yet." Swiftmon finished.

"Anything else?" asked Eldestmon.

"Um... nope, that's pretty much it." Beautymon smiled.

"Ahem…" I coughed.

The female Digimon turned and stuck her tongue towards me. I gave her a menacing glare, for giving me such a childish gesture. Beautymon thinks she's like the queen of the world or something. But in reality, she's nothing but a spoiled, immature brat. I can't believe someone like her holds a high position in the Digimon Battlefront.

She then noticed Takuya standing next to me. Beautymon gave the boy a small wink as she turned back towards Eldestmon. I looked at Takuya's face and was shocked to see him entranced by her looks. Actually, to make matters worse, he wasn't just smiling... he was blushing, being captivated by the female's 'beauty.' I couldn't believe it. How can my best friend fall for an insolent Digimon such as her?

"Oh, and, a couple of humans have just arrived to the Digital World." Beautymon concluded.

Eldestmon focused his attention towards me and Takuya, before approaching. When he was a few feet away, he examined us thoroughly, from the clothes we were wearing to the D-Tectors attached to our sides.

"The two of you stay here. Everyone else, you are dismissed." Eldestmon ordered.

Upon command, the Digimon inside the Briefing Room started to leave. One by one, the digital monsters departed the room. The last one to exit the room was Gotsumon. When the rock Digimon finally left, Eldestmon spoke again.

"Identify yourselves."

"My name's Takuya. Takuya Kanbara. I was the Legendary Warrior of Flame."

"And I'm Zoe Orimoto, Bearer of Wind" "I smiled.

"Ah, yes." Eldestmon said, playing with his beard. "So, you must be the humans that saved the Digital World from the evil Lucemon long ago."

"That's correct... um... Lord Eldestmon." said Takuya as he bowed to the leader of The Digimon Battlefront.

"Please, no need for formal respect." Eldestmon said. "Just called me Eldestmon."

"Very well then. It's a pleasure to meet you, Eldestmon." I said.

"Likewise. Welcome, my children, to The Digimon Battlefront.

"You guy keep mentioning it, but what is The Digimon Battlefront?" asked Takuya.

"The Digimon Battlefront..." Swiftmon replied instead. "... is an organization, founded by Lord Eldestmon, composed of Digimon fighting the forces of evil. You see, children, even after you saved the Digital World and restore peace to our land, there was still evil and darkness roaming in every corner of the Digital World. I've assembled a large number of warriors who are willing to fight to keep the peace throughout the world and to ensure the safety of other Digimon. And right now, we're on a mission to rescue the Celestial Digimon, recover the ten Legendary Spirits and stop the evil from spreading throughout our beloved Digital World. As you can see, we're at a war with Malevomon, an evil Digimon who is also the creator of the Chaos Spheres."

"Chaos Spheres?" I asked anxiously. He must've meant those dark balls we saw earlier. I'll never forget the terrible sight. Watching poor those, helpless Digimon turn into terrifying, evil creatures made my heart sank.

"You mean those black spheres that are giving other Digimon tremendous power?" Takuya wondered.

"Yes." Eldestmon nodded. "The Chaos Spheres are an extremely powerful device filled with dark energy. Once when these spheres get inside a Digimon's body, it fuses with the Digimon's heart and the dark energy is released. It increases their power significantly, but power like that comes with a price. Once a Chaos Sphere is inside a Digimon's body, they are under the power of the evil Malevomon."

"Who's Malevomon?" I asked.

"Where in the world has this girl been?" Beautymon groused, causing me to snarl at the female Digimon. "Hey, can we please get Little Miss Blondie a brain here?"

I'm almost at my breaking point. I want to snap that female monster's neck in half or watch her get run over by a Trailmon. Anything to get this skank out of my face is good enough for me.

"Enough, Beautymon." Swiftmon ordered, forcing his partner to be quiet. Eldestmon walked passed me and Takuya and made his way towards a just off center of the room.

"It's alright. Let me start at the beginning." Eldestmon said as he walked back to his chair. He set his cane down next to him and took a seat.

"Malevomon is an extremely powerful Digimon. He is an evil creature whose physical strength is only matched by his intelligence."

"Did he work for Lucemon or the Royal Knights?" Takuya questioned.

"No." Eldestmon quickly answered. "But he once was a faithful servant of mine."

"What do you mean?" Takuya asked. "You mean he used to be one of the good guys?"

"Indeed. Before he became Malevomon, he was a good friend of mine, Acrimon. Acrimon was the Digimon Battlefront's consultant. He may look like an ordinary bishop on the outside, but on the inside, he's a warrior unlike any other. He was a great fighter as well, but nothing can compare to his intellect. Whether it's battle tactics, strategies, weapons, attack patterns or defense mechanisms, strengths or weaknesses of the enemy's army, Acrimon had answers to everything. It was because of him we were able to successfully contain the evil in this world."

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Acrimon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Atrocious Aptitude; Standard Devastation**

**Description: He may look like your average councilman, but Acrimon is one of the strongest fighters in The Digimon Battlefront. His Atrocious Aptitude attack is one of the most devastating moves of all using his powerful mind to crush and defeat his enemies.**

"So what happened to him? How did he change from The Digimon Battlefront's advisor to public enemy number one?" Takuya wondered.

"It was a little over a year ago when it happened." Eldestmon recalled. "I remembered it as if it were yesterday. We were in a huge battle MegaDevimon and his army of evil Digimon.

"MegaDevimon?" Takuya pondered.

"An Ultimate level creature that controls the darkest regions of the Digital World. He was an extremely powerful Digimon capable of destroying anything and everything that stood in his way. Anyway, during the battle, our frontlines were getting overwhelmed by MegaDevimon's army. They were slowly advancing and, to make matters worse, our numbers were decreasing at an alarming rate. Fatigue was already taking effect on our warriors. MegaDevimon had us trapped in a corner, but surrendering was not an option in the Digimon Battlefront. Even my trusted advisor, Acrimon agreed with me. He informed me that he had an invention that has the ability to give Digimon a tremendous amount of power."

"The Chaos Spheres?" I pointed out.

"Yes. But before, Acrimon called them the Power Orbs. His unique device can double a Digimon's speed, strength, endurance, stamina, agility, mental toughness, calm under pressure, etc. This device has the capability of raising over one hundred critical intangibles by a couple of levels. Since the Digimon Battlefront weren't making any progress against MegaDevimon, I decided to go with his idea and use the Power Orbs to fight the wicked Digimon and his army."

"And? I asked, leaning forward with anticipation.

"It was a decision I will soon regret in the end."

"What do you mean?" Takuya asked. "What happened? Did you guys win? What happened to Acrimon?"

"Thanks to him and his new invention, our armies' strength and energy has increased just like he said they would." Eldestmon recalled. "Because of this, we were able to defeat MegaDevimon along with his army of evil Digimon. By then, we all thought that we won the battle. With MegaDevimon gone, the war against evil in the Digital World was all over. But I soon realized that the war was far from over. In fact, it had only just begun."

"Malevomon..." Takuya deducted.

"Yes. After the battle, Acrimon betrayed The Digimon Battlefront. He implanted some kind of evil energy into the Power Orbs, which caused them to change into the Chaos Spheres. He combined this newly acquired power with his own flesh and blood to Digivolved into the savage emperor himself, Malevomon."

"What happened to the rest of the Battlefront?" Takuya wondered.

"The Digimon who were given a Power Orb were doomed from the start." Swiftmon answered. "Any Digimon who had these devices inside their bodies, couldn't get them out. They were under the control of the evil Malevomon."

"That's right." Eldestmon confirmed. "He ordered all of his mind slaves to attack the rest of The Digimon Battlefront. We all tried our hardest to fight off Malevomon's attacks, but thanks to the Chaos Spheres, we never stood a chance. He absorbed the other Digimon's Fractal Code, making him ten times stronger than he was before. Only Swiftmon, Beautymon and I escaped. The others were either destroyed or under Malevomon's control."

"Oh my God..." I murmured. "That's just cruel! How can someone do such a terrible thing? I mean, destroying innocent Digimon, taking control of their minds against their will, forcing them to become their slaves is just..."

"My goodness, you're so annoying! Can you do us all a favor and shut up for the rest of the day? Seriously! I'm getting a huge headache just listening to you!" Beautymon suddenly interrupted. Once again, I gave the olive-haired Digimon a vicious scowl. I'm getting sick and tired of this woman running her mouth.

"Beautymon, that's no way to treat the Legendary Warriors." advised Swiftmon. "I think you owe the young lady an apology."

"Yeah, apologize to me you lousy wench!" I howled, giving the female creature a taste of her own medicine. But instead of saying sorry, Beautymon gave me one of her signature, annoying giggles.

"You know something? I was going to apologize for my... prudish remarks about your... superficial ugliness. But after listening to that feeble, half-hearted attempt of an insult, apologizing to you is just a complete waste of time. So, can you please not speak to me anymore? It's rather annoying."

At that point, I had just about enough of listening to Beautymon's constant, intolerant comments. I angrily stomped towards the slender, female Digimon with a fierce look in my eyes. My teeth were clenched and my fists were tight. I can feel the blood boiling in my body. I was breathing rapidly and heavily. I approached Beautymon and glared at her with malicious intent.

"You know something Beautymon? I'm getting sick and tired of you making fun of me! You've been insulting me since I got to the Digital World, and I've... had... enough of it! I don't know why you hate me so much, and apparently, I don't care! Right now, we got bigger problems! If you haven't noticed, Beautymon, the Digital World is in trouble, again! This isn't about you and this isn't about me, okay? This is about the fate of the Digital World."

"What's your point, child?" Beautymon sighed.

"I am asking you... no... I'm DEMANDING you to show me some respect. Quit wasting your time insulting me and focus more on the task at hand!"

"Hmmm, interesting. Very interesting." laughed Beautymon. "And what if I... how do you say it... refused?"

"I'm serious, you rotten witch. Next time you insult me and embarrass me in front of everyone, I'm gonna kick your scrawny butt all the way to the farthest side of the Digital World. I'm a Legendary Warrior, and don't... you... forget it." I said with a fearsome look on her face. I waited intently for the female Digimon to respond.

At first, the Briefing Room was covered with silence. It was so quiet, I can hear my heart pounding out of my chest. Then, all of the sudden, Beautymon released another one of her signature giggles. The giggles, all of the sudden, turned into hard laughter. While she was laughing, the anger inside my body was growing. I just can't stand the look or the sound of this rude, disrespectful, unforgiving, foul creature.

"Wow..." Beautymon finally said. "Not only are you terrible at insults, but you're even worse with threats too! Come on, Blondie! Was that the best you got, or are your threats just as empty as your head?"

"You... YOU!" I snapped. I couldn't control myself.

Then, suddenly, all hell has broken loose. With a clenched fist, I immediately ran towards the female Digimon, ready to punch her straight in the face. I unleashed a thunderous roar, but before I can land a strike, Beautymon leaped into the air, performed a couple of flips and turns, and landed gracefully between Swiftmon and Takuya. I turned around, scowled back and charged straight towards her.

"YOU LITTLE..."

"That's enough, both of you!" Someone shouted, causing me to stop dead in her tracks.

I turned towards my left and noticed an unpleasant stare on Eldestmon's face, causing me to stumble and fall on my butt. It wasn't that hard of a fall, but I did feel a stinging sensation on the rear. While rubbing the pain off of my behind, I saw the leader of The Digimon Battlefront slowly approaching me in my peripheral vision. Eldestmon's body casted a huge shadow, completely covering my body. At that point, my body started trembling uncontrollably. I was frozen, stiff as a rock. Somehow, I know that Eldestmon could detect the fear in my eyes. I didn't even notice tears were slowly starting to form.

"I must say I'm very disappointed in the both of you." Eldestmon stated. He turned his attention towards Beautymon, who was elegantly looking at her nails.

"Beautymon!" Eldestmon called out. The female Digimon slid her hand back into her sleeve and gave her leader another unfathomable look. "You're attitude to this young woman is unacceptable. I will not tolerate such disgraceful behavior, especially in The Digimon Battlefront. May I remind you that she's one of the Legendary Warriors, or haven't you forgotten that as well?"

"I haven't forgotten..." Beautymon sighed.

"Then you are aware that if it wasn't for her and her friends, you wouldn't be standing here, am I right?" Eldestmon questioned.

"Hmm... very debatable..." Beautymon disputed.

"Then start showing this young lady some respect. She has come to save our world from destruction. The least you can do is show her some gratitude. Remember, all of us here have one common enemy. And need I remind you that she is on the same side as us. We're going to need all the help we can get if we want to defeat Malevomon. Do you understand?"

Beautymon looked into Eldestmon's eyes one last time before glaring back at me. Just standing in front of him alone gave me the chills. It's like he can shatter one's self confidence just with his presence. After releasing a soft, inaudible sigh, Beautymon finally spoke.

"Fine... whatever..."

Eldestmon nodded in agreement. He then turned his attention back towards me. The intimating glower remained on his face. I felt like crying, but I told myself to hold back my tears. I'm a Legendary Warrior after all, so I must show him strength. Then again, when being stared down by one of the strongest Digimon ever to walk the Digital World, holding back your tears is much easier said than done.

"And as for you..." He said.

"Y... Yes sir?" I cautiously asked, still shaking with fear.

"If you're supposed to be a Legendary Warrior, then I suggest you start acting like one!" Eldestmon howled, making me flinch. "How dare you insult my third-in-command like that? There will be no fighting amongst ourselves in The Digimon Battlefront, not while I'm here. Am I making myself clear?"

"Yes, sir." I murmured. "I understand, but Beautymon said I..."

"I can care less what Beautymon has said to you. You will not treat her like the enemy." Eldestmon glared back at the female Digimon. "Same goes for you, Beautymon."

"Huh? You say something boss?" She innocently asked. Eldestmon sighed as he turned his attention back to me. I was slowly getting back to my feet. I looked back at the powerful Digimon with a look of guilt on my face.

"I'm so sorry, Eldestmon. Please forgive me." I apologized, looking down at my shoes.

"Indeed." Eldestmon confirmed, placing a warm hand on one of my shoulders. "Humans and Digimon must work together as one if we are to win this war. Do not let your anger misguide you for it will cause great pain to yourself and to others closest to you. Do you understand?"

"I do now. Thank you, Eldestmon." I nodded.

And just like that, all of the anger and hatred inside my body had completely vanished. I felt so much better after the small pep talk I had with the leader of The Digimon Battlefront. Although a part of me still wanted to beat the heck out of Beautymon, Eldestmon does have a point. She's not the enemy, Malevomon is. Eldestmon made his way back to the center of the room.

"So, what's the plan, Eldestmon?" Takuya asked. "I mean, Zoe and I really want to help you guys, but there's one problem. We're both powerless without our Spirits."

"I'm glad you pointed that out, young man." Eldestmon said. "You see, Malevomon has already absorbed the Fractal Codes from the three Celestial Digimon. He also has captured them and locked them up in his dungeon. With them out of the way, he's now focusing on finding the ten Spirits of the Legendary Warriors."

"That's right." I said. "Lady Ophanimon used what's left of her energy to scatter the Spirits throughout the Digital World."

"Precisely." Eldestmon nodded. "Before you guys arrived in the Digital World, I send my troops all over the world searching for the Legendary Spirits. We did manage to find a few of the Spirits, but before we can obtain it, Malevomon's army of evil Digimon showed up and a huge battle broke out for the possession of the Spirits. Because his forces were too great, we never stood a chance."

"You've got to be kidding me." Takuya moaned. "You mean he has some of the Legendary Spirits in his possession?"

"Yes. As of right now, he has captured three of the ten Legendary Spirits."

"Which ones?" I asked. Inside, I was praying with all my heart, hoping that Malevomon doesn't have my Spirit or Takuya's.

"I can answer that." Swiftmon interrupted. "Malevomon has the Spirits of Thunder, the Spirits of Darkness and the Spirits of Light under his control."

"No... This can't be." I cried.

"Wait, what do you mean, 'under his control?' Are you saying he fused the Spirits with the Chaos Spheres?" Takuya questioned.

"Correct." answered Eldestmon. "He has three Spirits under his command, while we have none."

"Great, just great." Takuya complained.

"This is terrible." I said. It's a good thing Koji, Koichi and J.P. weren't here to listen to the awful news. They would be devastated that something so important to them was taken away by some evil Digimon.

"We have to find our Spirits before Malevomon does." I said.

"But where could they be?" Takuya inquired. "Lady Ophanimon scattered the Spirits throughout the entire Digital World. For all we know, they could be anywhere. We don't even know where to…"

"Lord Eldestmon! Lord Eldestmon!" A voice suddenly said. I looked towards the door and watched it slowly opened up. I then noticed a rock-like Digimon enter the Briefing Room. It was Gotsumon. His hands were on his knees and he was gasping for air.

"What is it, Gotsumon?" Eldestmon said. We all waited for him to catch his breath.

"Sir, we've located another Spirit!" Gotsumon exclaimed.

"You've what?" Takuya asked.

"Where?" I wondered.

"That's excellent news, Gotsumon." Swiftmon smiled.

"Details, please." Beautymon sighed.

"Yes madam. Our scouters have discovered that one of the Spirits is located somewhere in the Flame Terminal."

"Which ones?" Eldestmon asked.

"The Legendary Spirits of Flame, sir!" Gotsumon yelled.

That's when I saw the look on Takuya's eyes. It was a combination between fear and resolve. Like the time when Lucemon broke through to the Human World. We couldn't stop him and he easily defeated me and my friends. I was beaten really badly, and with Lucemon on the loose in Shibuya, things seemed pretty much hopeless. We had no chance in winning.

However, Takuya would never give up. Regardless how impossible the situation is, he would keep on fighting until the very end. At that time, he had the same, exact look on his eyes. I can sense the anxiety surrounding his entire body. He too had a feeling of doubt in his mind, just like me. But I can also sense his strong willpower in his heart. His courage and motivation helped me got back to my feet. Because of him, we were able to work together to defeat Lucemon for good. It's no wonder Takuya's not only the leader of the group, but the heart and soul of it as well.

It's been a long time since I last saw Takuya like this. On the other hand though, seeing the determined look on his face just fills my heart with so much admiration. I can sense a small, tiny flame inside his chest starting to burn. It may be little, weak, insignificant, whatever you wanted to call it. But, a single spark like that can cause a huge fire. When I looked at Takuya, I felt something I haven't felt in a long time; something very powerful. I know it sounds strange, but this is one of the reasons why I'm so attracted to him. It's one of the reasons why I'm so in love with him.

"I see..." Eldestmon said, placing a hand on his chin. He then turned his attention towards his second-in-command. "Swiftmon, gather your best fighters. We need to retrieve that Spirit before Malevomon does."

"Yes sir!" saluted Swiftmon.

"We've already lost three Spirits to Malevomon. Losing is not an option. I refused to give that evil Digimon a fourth Spirit. Hurry up and find that Spirit before Malevomon's army shows up." Eldestmon ordered.

"Yes, sir! Right away, sir!" Swiftmon nodded while spinning one of his swords.

He finally placed his weapon back in his sheath and sprinted out of the Briefing Room. Before we know it, Swiftmon was gone in a flash. I looked back towards Eldestmon, who had his attention towards the other Digimon in the room.

"Beautymon!" He spoke

"Present!" She happily giggled.

"Get the Digiporter ready."

"Sure, whatever..." She sighed, while nodding her head so slightly.

She turned and walked away, giving me a cold shoulder when she walked pass me. I told myself to remain calm since I don't want to start any unnecessary conflicts. I just looked away, pretending like she doesn't even exist. But then, I noticed her slowly making her way towards Takuya, and that's when I felt my heart turn to stone. The female Digimon placed on of her hands on his chin and gave him one of her soft, subtle giggles. Takuya's cheeks started to turn red.

"I'll see you later, Cutie."

She smiled towards Takuya, giving him one last wink. I watched Takuya smile back towards the slender creature, laughing along with her. This made me very angry. Who gave this woman the right to steal Takuya from me? But before I could protest, flower petals with different colors and shapes surrounded Beautymon's body. Once when the thousands of petals fell to the ground, she was nowhere to be seen.

I turned my attention back towards Takuya, who still had an infatuated look on his face. Seriously? What makes that hideous beast so attracting? Takuya's falling head over heels for her and he's not even noticing me. It frustrates me. I mean, saying I'm jealous is only an understatement. I let all of my anger out by giving Takuya a hard slap to his face.

*smack*

"Ow! What the heck did you do that for?" Takuya yelled, rubbing his swollen cheek.

"It's very rude to stare, you know!" I irately advised.

"Staring? Who's staring?" He asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"Don't play dumb with me!"

"Oh come on, Zoe. It's nothing like that..."

"Whatever..."

"Jeez, somebody's jealous here." Takuya grinned.

"I AM NOT JEALOUS!" I screamed, raising my voice with every word that came out of my mouth. I was hoping that my outburst would get him to wipe that stupid grin off his face, but it didn't. Instead, the smirk got much bigger.

"Oh, really?" He chuckled. I could feel my cheeks turning red. I'm also having trouble keeping eye contact with him. I'm constantly shifting my weight from side to side.

"I... I'm not jealous, Takuya..." I stuttered, which was obviously a lie.

But I didn't want him to see my anger towards Beautymon. I hate seeing her taking advantage of him. The seductive way she looked at him makes me sick. It's unbearable watching her placing her filthy paws on his face or seeing her lips inching closer to his.

"I'm not jealous." I repeated, this time with more confidence. "It's just... when I see you two together, I... don't like it."

"Zoe..." "He whispered.

"You'll have to excuse Beautymon." Eldestmon said. "She could be very flirtatious at times."

That still didn't make me feel better though. She can be flirty with whoever she wants, but not on my Takuya.

"Now if you excuse me..." said Eldestmon as he got up out of his seat and walked towards the doors behind him.

"Where are you going, Eldestmon?" I asked. "Aren't you going to get the Spirits with the rest of the Battlefront?"

"No, I have to stay here and protect the injured and the weak." Eldestmon answered.

"But what about us? What do you want us to do?" I questioned.

"You two are Legendary Warriors, right? It's your destiny to save our world from destruction. Go! Retrieve the Spirits and defeat the evil Malevomon!" Eldestmon ordered.

"Yes, sir!" Takuya and I saluted. Eldestmon smiled as he walked away from us. When he was gone, Takuya and I were the only ones left in the Briefing Room.

"Can you believe it Zoe? After all this time, we're finally back in action!" Takuya smiled.

"I know right? Then again, I have a confession to make. I'm not sure whether I should be excited or nervous." I said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the Digimon we're going up against seemed to be a lot stronger than last time. With our current strength, I'm not sure if we can handle it."

"But if we can get the Spirits, then we'll have a chance. We could beat those evil Digimon and restore peace back to this world."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." I looked back down, still unsure about the whole thing.

"Hey, don't worry about it Zoe! Everything's going to be alright in the end!"

"Still, we mustn't let our guard down. Most of these evil Digimon are being controlled by the Chaos Sphere. We might be dealing with a whole army, next time." Bokomon mentioned.

"But we got the Digimon Battlefront on our side. They're willing to fight until the very end. They'll defeat Malevomon and restore order in the Digital World, or die trying. We cannot lose hope. We have to have faith in each other and believe we can win this war. NOW, WHO'S WITH ME?" motivated Takuya.

"YEAH!" The rest of us agreed, raising our fists high.

After hearing his speech, the four of us left the Briefing Room to get ready for our first official mission.

* * *

><p><strong>So, that's chapter five. <strong>

**Now that The Digimon Battlefront has the location of the Legendary Spirits of Flame, things are starting to heat up! Can they retrieve the Spirits in time, or will Malevomon add another Spirit to his collection? These questions will be answered in the next action-packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	6. Flame Terminal

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Thanks to Blisseymon, Takuya and Zoe were healed back to normal. They soon find themselves in the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters. There, they met Eldestmon, the leader of this resistance group. He may be a hundred year old Digimon, but this guy is as wise and tough as they come. Eldestmon told our heroes about the Chaos Spheres, black orbs that gives Digimon ultimate power, at the cost of their free will. These treacherous inventions were created by Malevomon, a nasty Digimon who bents on world domination. Man, this creep made Takuya's and Zoe's last adventure in the Digital World look like a vacation.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter six!**

* * *

><p><strong>Flame Terminal<strong>

**Normal POV:**

The door to the Briefing Room opened up. Takuya walked out with Zoe, Bokomon and Neemon following him. The two teenagers and Digimon started walking down the hallway. They then noticed a large number of Digimon racing across the hall, making their way towards their appropriate post or station. It was like rush hour all within the facility.

"Just look at all of these Digimon!" Zoe exclaimed. "I've never seen so many in one place before!"

"Everyone's in a rush." Neemon pointed out. "They must be late to a party. Hey! How come we aren't invited?"

"There is no party, moron!" Bokomon snapped, driving his book onto Neemon's skull.

"Quit clowning, you guys. This is serious." Takuya ordered. "They had just received location of my Spirits of Flame. Eldestmon has ordered to help find them, and that's exactly what we're going to do. The fate of the Digital World is at stake. So please, save all your clowning around for later."

"Okay!" Neemon said, giving Takuya the thumbs up sign.

"He's right." Zoe agreed. "This isn't going to be like our last adventure in the Digital World with the others. We're probably dealing with someone who can make other Digimon his slaves."

"I know. But first things first. We got to find the Swiftmon or Beautymon." suggested Takuya.

"But where could they be? The home base for The Digimon Battlefront is so huge, we don't know where to look. It's like a giant maze in here. We'd be lucky to find either Swiftmon or Beautymon." Zoe complained.

"Well, we're not going to find them by just standing here. Come on, we better get moving before"

But just before Takuya or any of his friends could make a move, they heard a noise coming from the intercom above their heads.

"_Attention! All Digimon fighters, battlers and warriors report to the Digiporter Room immediately. I repeat. All Digimon fighters, battlers and warriors report to the Digiporter Room immediately._"

Takuya and Zoe could feel the hallways starting to shake. It started off as a feeble vibration. Seconds later, the small vibrations became violent earthquakes, causing both humans to fall to the ground. Vast amounts of Digimon marched across the hallway. The monsters trudge passed the two teenagers side by side in three straight lines, yelling with enthusiasm for every step they make.

Half of the Digimon were carrying a variety of weapons. Some wielded ginormous battle axes, while others were holding razor sharp broadswords. A few Digimon had long, pointy spears in their possessions while a handful were carrying spiked clubs. Some of the warriors had smaller weapons, like daggers and knives. While they will be at a disadvantage in range, maneuverability and speed would be on their side. These are the creatures that preferred close quarters combat.

The rest of the marching Digimon were carrying projectile weapons, favoring long range and keeping their opponents at a distance. These monsters wielded crossbows, and arrows on their backs. Then again, other Digimon prefer the more powerful weapons like carrying cannons and laser guns.

While most of the Digimon had weapons for the upcoming battle, half of them had armor on. A few wore leather vests or other type of fabric. Some of them were wearing steel plated armor, others were wearing butted chain mail. As for the unarmored fighters, they believe that wearing such equipment could potentially slow their movements and limit their range of motion.

"Look at all the Digimon!" said Zoe.

The monsters stomped ferociously towards tall, decorated, red doors. It had bronze balls spread throughout the front, silver designs brushed along the perimeters and golden spirals toward the center. The doors slowly opened up and the Digimon marched into the room.

"That must be the Digiporter Room." Takuya deduced, remembering the announcement earlier.

"Hey, where's the party?" Neemon asked.

"THERE IS NO PARTY, YOU MORON!" Bokomon screamed in his partner's ear before slamming his green book onto the rabbit's skull.

"Everyone's on the move. They're all getting ready for battle." Zoe thought.

"Indeed." Bokomon agreed. "Hurry! Let's follow them!"

He grabbed Neemon by his pants and dragged him across the hallway. They waited for the doors to open. Once it did, the two Digimon walked in the room to join the rest of the fighters. Again, the two humans were all by themselves in the lobby. Takuya looked back at the blonde haired girl and smiled.

"Well, what are we waiting for Zoe? Let's go!" He grinned. "Race you to the doors!"

Takuya took off in running and dashed towards the entrance of the Digiporter Room. The hallways blurred below him as adrenaline took control of his body. The steady thump of footsteps echoed through his ears. He can feel beads of sweat running down his forehead. It took him a few seconds to reach towards the red, decked doors. Panting for air, he raised his arms in victory.

"YES! WHO'S THE FASTEST RUNNER OF ALL TIME?" He roared. Takuya looked behind him. "Huh? How do you like me now, Zoe?"

His victory was soon short-lived. The smile on his face dropped when he noticed Zoe hobbling on one foot at a very slow pace. Occasionally, she would slump against the wall and grab her injured leg. The pain would last a few seconds before going away. Obviously, the grimace on her face told the goggle-head that she was in a lot of pain. Without thinking twice, Takuya hurried back to his friend to check on her.

"Zoe, are you alright?" He anxiously asked. He looked at her face and noticed her cringing in agony. Takuya knew that Zoe hasn't fully recovered from the injury she sustained earlier, but he never realized that it was this bad. However, before he could apologize...

*slap*

Zoe's hand viciously struck his face, giving him one of the biggest slaps he's ever gotten. Takuya rubbed his swollen cheek and glared back at his best friend.

"OWWWWWWWWW!" Takuya screamed.

"You idiot!" Zoe shouted.

"What the heck did you do that for?"

"Did you forget that my leg still hurts? Stupid Takuya, you're so inconsiderate!"

"Jeez! I'm sorry, okay? But even so, that still doesn't give you the right to slap me!"

"Want me to do it again, you jerk?"

"No! My goodness, what the heck is your problem?"

"Whatever. You're a moron, Takuya." She pouted, giving him the cold shoulder.

Takuya sighed. He was a little disappointed for his stupid actions. He should've known that his best friend was still a little sore from last time. However, he was relieved to know that Zoe's okay. The scent of delicate violets coming from Zoe's hair entered his nose, causing him to enter a mesmerized state. He stared with awe at the attractive girl in front of him.

Sure, she's only three months older than him, but Zoe has matured quiet a lot, becoming the beautiful young woman she is right now. The strong urge to touch her took over his mind. He slowly approached the teenage girl and reached his hand towards her. But before he could he could make contact with her, the sound of loud footsteps echoed across the lobby. Zoe and Takuya turned to see Gotsumon rushing towards the Digiporter Room. He quickly made eye contact with the two teens.

"Well? Are you humans coming or are you just going to stand there like a couple of lovebirds?" He asked.

His unexpected question caused both Takuya and Zoe to blush significantly. Their hearts started beating heavily and rapidly. Beads of sweat were falling off of Takuya's face, while Zoe started fidgeting with her fingers. If anything, the girl was more embarrassed than her best friend. On the other hand, it was a good thing neither one of them could see each other's faces or signs of nervousness.

"L... Lo... Lovebirds?" Zoe timidly asked. Gotsumon grinned back at the two teenagers as he continued to run to the Digiporter Room. He left the two of them alone in the lobby, with their faces as red as beets.

"WHO THE HECK ARE YOU CALLING LOVEBIRDS?" Takuya hollered. "WE ARE NOT LOVEBIRDS, YOU POCKET-SIZED PEBBLE!"

It took Takuya a few minutes to compose himself. The redness on his face had already faded. However, the blush on Zoe's cheeks remained. Hearing Gotsumon say "lovebirds" made her more uncomfortable than before. Just the thought of her and Takuya being a couple made her dizzy and ecstatic. Thinking about Takuya asking her out is like a dream come true. She snapped back into reality when Takuya turned to look at her.

"What a dunce." He laughed. "Calling us 'lovebirds.' I mean really. You and me, Zoe? Lovebirds? Come on, that's..."

But instead of listening to Takuya's mockery about her supposed fantasy, she zoned out, feeling demoralized and disheartened. It's one thing being ridiculed by others about a simple crush. But it's a whole another thing when the person criticizing you is the person you're in love with. The words coming out of Takuya's mouth felt like a thousand daggers stabbing and piercing through Zoe's fragile heart.

"What do you think, Z?"

She turned her face away so Takuya wouldn't see the tears on her cheek and the ones forming in her eyes. While Zoe knew that her best friend could be a dense knucklehead sometimes, hearing him making fun of the possibility of the two of them becoming a couple crushed her emotionally. Of course, Takuya never meant any harm when he said those things, yet it still hurt her though.

"Zoe? Hey Zoe, are you okay?" Takuya asked, noticing a miserable frown and the wetness on her face.

"Hang on a second..." The goggle-head said.

He conveniently had a tissue in his back pocket. Takuya brought out the paper cloth and used it to wipe the tears off of her cheek. He was thinking that the pain in Zoe's leg was too much for her, it made her cry. Oh, if he only knew the reason why his best friend was in tears. Moments later, Zoe's face was all dry.

"Feel better?" Takuya asked again.

The blonde saw his look of concerned. Despite how much she wanted to slap him again, beat him to a pulp, or just walk away from him, she couldn't. No... She wouldn't. This boy means so much to her and there's no way she could be angry at him, hurt him or leave him. Regardless how thickheaded this boy is, he's still Takuya Kanbara; her Takuya Kanbara. The boy she fell in love with.

"I'm... I'm fine, Takuya. Really..." She said.

Zoe tries walking pass Takuya towards the Digiporter Room, but one step on her injured leg caused her to wince in pain. She was about to stumble back to the ground, when she felt something holding her by the shoulders. Zoe then realized that she was being embraced by tender, warms arms. She didn't have to look up to know who was holding her.

"Zoe, are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah. Don't worry about me, Takuya." Zoe said, putting on a fake smile. "I'm okay. It's not that bad."

"What do you mean it's not that bad?" Takuya snapped, wiping the fake grin off of Zoe's face.

"Look at you, Zoe! You can barely walk!"

"Takuya... I..."

"That's it! You're staying!" Takuya ordered.

"What?"

"You heard me! You're staying right here! You're not coming with us!"

"Takuya, you can't be serious..." Zoe laughed, but fell silent when she noticed a serious look on Takuya's face.

"Okay, you are serious."

"Stay here Zoe. Get someone to fix that leg of yours. It's for the best."

"Not to worry, Takuya." She smiled, noticing a Blisseymon skipping across the hallway. "Hey, Blisseymon! Over here!" She said, signaling the healing Digimon to come over. Blisseymon obliged and trotted merrily towards the two humans. She placed both of her hands on Zoe's bare leg. It immediately started to glow, causing the pain in her leg to disappear. Once when the pain was gone, she let out a sigh of relief.

"Much better. Thank you, Blisseymon." She giggled. The Digimon performed a small curtsey as she continued to skip happily through the halls. Zoe turned her attention back towards Takuya, feeling more confident about herself.

"There you go, Takuya. I'm all better! Now let's get going! Last one there's a rotten egg!" She grinned.

She was about to sprint as fast as she could towards the red decorated doors, like Takuya did last time, when she felt something grabbing her arm. Zoe looked back to see a stern look on Takuya's face.

"Takuya? What's wrong?" She asked, looking confused.

"Don't make me repeat myself, Zoe." He grumbled. "You're not coming. You're staying right here, and that's an order."

"My leg is fine, Takuya. See?" She extended her leg out and brought it back in. After a few good kicks, she smiled back at the boy, hoping that it was enough to convince him, but Takuya was still unimpressed.

"Zoe, what part of 'that's an order' don't you understand?" He argued.

"Okay, now you're starting to act like a jerk." Zoe fought back.

"I'm not a jerk. I just..."

"Then what? Why can't I come with you?"

"Well, I..."

"Are you afraid that I'm going to find the Spirit before you do? Huh? Afraid to be beaten by a girl?" She joked.

"No, it's not that..."

"Is it because I'm a burden to you?"

"No, you're not a..."

"Let me you tell you something, young man. I am NOT a burden to you or anybody! I can take good care of myself. I've done it before, right?"

"Y... Yes you have. But Zoe..."

"But what, Takuya? Come on! Tell me, why can't I come with you guys?"

"Because... because it's too dangerous." Takuya timidly answered, still trying to hide the truth from her.

"Too dangerous! Is that it?" Zoe said, feeling disgusted. "Give me a break Takuya! You call this dangerous? This is nothing! You, of all people, should know how many tough Digimon I fought in the Digital World!"

"That was then, Zoe. This is completely different!"

"So what? We can handle anything Malevomon throws at us. After all, we're Legendary Warriors!"

"Zoe, listen to me..."

"No, you listen to me, Takuya! I don't care how dangerous it is! I'm coming along! I can take care of myself!"

"I CAN'T!" Takuya screamed at the top of his lungs.

His voice bounced and echoed throughout the lobby. Zoe was caught off-guard when the boy yelled her at, practically in the ear. She stared back at Takuya, feeling both speechless and upset. She stood there, frozen like a rock, waiting for Takuya to speak. Then again, she was afraid of what he might say or do next. She knew she was just having fun with Takuya when they were arguing, but it never crossed her mind that she was offending him, like she did a while ago.

She was on the verge of crying, but stopped when she saw something unexpected. Zoe noticed Takuya placing both of his hands on her shoulders. He had his head down, and he started trembling. It looked as if... as if... Takuya's... crying. Zoe stood there staring at her best friend, feeling both confused and sad at the same time.

"Takuya, what's wrong..."

"I can't, Zoe. I'm just... I'm just..."

"You're what, Takuya? Tell me what's wrong?" Takuya wiped the tears off of his face, cleared his throat and looked into Zoe's eyes.

"I'm just too weak. I couldn't protect myself, and I couldn't protect you." He said softly.

"I don't understand, Takuya." Zoe said. "You're not weak. You're the strongest person I've ever met..."

"That's not true. I'm nowhere near strong. Before we arrived at the Digital World, I made a promise to myself that I'll always protect you, no matter what happens. I swore that I would never let anything happen to you. A couple hours later, look what happens. Two flying, metallic dragons came out of nowhere and attacked us, and two other beastly Digimon nearly killed us. To make matters worse, you got hurt during the fight."

"Takuya, I..."

"I made a vow, Zoe, that I will always protect you; that I will never let anything happened to you. And that's why you have to stay here, where it's safe. I can't imagine seeing you getting hurt out there. It makes me so miserable. I can't live with myself, knowing that I'm the one who caused you so much harm."

"Oh Takuya..." Zoe sighed.

"If anything bad happens to you, Zoe... *sniff*... If you were hurt, beaten, injured... or worse, I would never forgive myself! It's my job to protect you and I failed miserably!"

Takuya fell down on his knees as the tears from his eyes continue to fall. Zoe stood there, shocked at Takuya's reaction. Never in her entire life had she seen a fragile side of Takuya. It's so unlike him. Normally, he's the one who pulls through, the one who's the first to get on his feet or the last one to fall. But not this time. It's very sad to see Takuya looking or feeling weak as he is right now.

And then, Zoe smiled.

She's never seen Takuya so frail before, but it's for the sake of her safety. He actually does care about her. He's willing to do anything to protect her, even if it means putting her out of harm's way. And that's one of the qualities she admires about him. Zoe got down on her knees and placed a hand on Takuya's chin, causing the boy to look up and notice a cute smile on her face.

"_Ragazzo sciocco!_" She chuckled.

"Let me guess, 'Stupid Boy' or 'Silly boy?'" Takuya guessed.

"_Corretto!_" Zoe giggled. She helped Takuya back to his feet, still with her hand on his chin.

"Takuya, you didn't do a miserable job in protecting me. In fact, it's completely the opposite. You did a wonderful job! I broke my leg when we tried to escape Megadramon and Gigadramon. I thought it was all over, since I couldn't move or fight back. If it wasn't for you Takuya, I wouldn't be standing here now, would I?"

"I... I guess so." Takuya said, finally cracking a smile.

"You carried me out of harm's way, Takuya. And, I know we got attacked by two other Digimon afterwards. But don't get so down on yourself. Even when you didn't have your Spirits, that still didn't stop you from protecting me. You did all that you could Takuya, and that's all anybody could ask for."

"Yeah, you're right."

"I truly appreciate you showing your concern for me, Takuya. And I know the Digital World is more dangerous than what it was before. But it's alright. I'll be fine. I can take care of these losers!"

The two teenagers burst into laughter of Zoe's somewhat silly comment. For that moment, they forgot about Malevomon, the destruction in the Digital World or Takuya's Spirits. All they could think about was each other's personality, appearance and the memories they shared together.

Once when the laughter stopped, they gazed into each other's eyes. Takuya's chocolate orbs captured the blonde haired girl's attention while Zoe's emerald eyes made the young boy fall into pure devotion. A powerful force drew the two closer together. But the two of them never had a chance to work their magic.

A delicate, graceful, yet choric voice interrupted their moment of silence. The two humans looked and noticed a female Digimon with olive hair and white sleeves covering her mouth. Her eyes shot daggers at the blonde haired girl. Afterwards, she glanced at Takuya and gave him a tranquilizing wink.

"Hiya, Cutie!" She happily waved. Her expressions changed however when she saw Zoe standing a little too close to her cutie.

"Just keep walking you old hag!" Zoe demanded.

"I wasn't talking to you." She shifted her attention back to Takuya. "Are you coming with us?"

She giggled as she merrily skipped towards the Digiporter Room. Takuya was still captivated by Beautymon's attractive voice and appearances, but was completely aware that Zoe was still near him. He snapped back into reality quickly and looked back towards her. He was kind of surprised that Zoe wasn't giving him the evil eye or something like that.

"Everyone's waiting, Takuya. We should get going." Zoe said. Takuya looked at his best friend for a little bit and then back towards the decorated doors.

"Are you sure you want to come along, Z?" Takuya asked, looking back at her.

"I'm one hundred percent sure." Zoe said feeling self-confident. Takuya sighed, but followed up with a smile.

"Alright. You can come with us..."

"YAY!" Zoe screamed, jumping for joy.

"But..." Takuya said, stopping Zoe from getting too excited. "... under one condition. It's a battlefield out there. It's a very dangerous environment. And I hate to point out the obvious, but you don't have your Spirits yet. So, listen up Zoe, because I'm only going to say this once. If anything goes wrong or if anything happens to me... you run... okay? I can't take any chances. It's going to be really ugly out there. I don't want anything bad to happen to you. So promise me Zoe. If things get really bad, run away. Get as far away as you can, okay?"

"Takuya, I..."

"Promise me." Takuya demanded. The look on his was very firm. He stared into Zoe's sparkling emerald eyes. She thought about it for a little bit, before nodding her head.

"Alright." She agreed. "I promise."

"Okay. Let's get going." Takuya said, smiling back at his friend. The two walked towards the door to the Digiporter Room, side by side.

* * *

><p>Takuya pushed open the door and the two teenagers walked inside. They noticed every single Digimon in the room was staring at them, including Bokomon and Neemon. The atmosphere in the room all of the sudden had dropped. It was so quiet, you can hear a pin drop in the room. The blank, awkward staring gave Takuya and Zoe an uncomfortable feeling.<p>

"It's about time you humans joined us!" Gotsumon complained. "What took you guys so long?"

"It's complicated..." Zoe explained.

"Sorry we kept you guys waiting." Takuya apologized.

"Not to worry my boy." Swiftmon said, patting Takuya's back. "The most important thing is that you're here. Now pay attention. Beautymon is about to go through the procedures." He turned his attention back to his partner.

"Take it away, Beautymon!"

"Gentlemen!" She seductively smiled.

Just that one word caused every Digimon to cheer, and scream towards her. She smiled and waved back at the Digimon warriors in the room. When she spotted Takuya blushing, she blew a small kiss towards him. Her smile dropped when Zoe placed her hand in front of Takuya's face, catching the supposed blown kiss. She glared back at the young girl, but managed to strike a grin.

"And ladies..." She finished with significantly less enthusiasm.

"Beautymon..." Swiftmon said forcefully.

"Alright, already." Beautymon sighed.

"Listen up, boys! Just recently, our scouters have located the Legendary Spirits of Flame somewhere in the Flame Terminal! We've also received word that Malevomon's army is slowly moving in! Our mission is to find and retrieve the Spirits!"

"Malevomon's army of evil Digimon are incredibly strong." Swiftmon stepped in. "They'll do whatever it takes to get that Spirit. Our job is to get there first and claim it before they do. Losing is not an option! We cannot allow Malevomon to have another Spirit! WHO'S WITH ME?"

"YEAAAAAAAH!" The Digimon, along with the two humans cheered, raising their arms and weapons high.

"Gotsumon, turn on the Digiporter!" Swiftmon ordered.

"Yes, sir!" He saluted. He pushed a red button on the side of the wall. Alarm sounds and whistles echoed across the room. Takuya and Zoe looked around, waiting for something to happen. They noticed Bokomon pointing his finger down to the ground.

"Where is the Digiporter?" Neemon asked.

"We're standing on it, you nitwit! Didn't you see me pointing?" Bokomon yelled. Takuya and Zoe looked down and noticed they were standing on a large platform, illuminated by bright, white lights.

"Digiporter's at 25%, sir!" Gotsumon asked.

"Alright, boys! Listen up!" Beautymon ordered. "Here's how the plan's going to work. Group A will go in first and provide a distraction on Malevomon's army. Be aggressive, boys. I don't want any one of those nasty, evil Digimon on our tails."

"Yes, madam!" A Centarumon said. "You can count on us!"

"Digiporter's power at 50%" Gotsumon interrupted.

"Good. Now while, Group A's keeping them busy, Group B... including you Cutie..." Beautymon said, giving the boy a small wink. "... will search for the Spirits. Times of the essences boys. The longer we take, the stronger Malevomon's evil Digimon become, and thus making retrieving the Spirits of Flame nearly impossible."

"Don't worry, Beautymon. We'll find it!" Takuya assured.

"Digiporter's power at 75%" said Gotsumon.

"One more thing..." Swiftmon added. "Once we get word that we have recovered the Spirits, everyone return to home base. We did not come to start a fight. We came for the Spirits. Get back to the Digiporter and teleport yourself back. Everybody understand?"

"YES, SIR!" The Digimon exclaimed.

"Digiporter's power is at 100%!" Gotsumon confirmed. "Ready to teleport on command, sir!"

"Excellent job, Gotsumon. Take it away!" ordered Swiftmon.

"Entering coordinates to the Flame Terminal." Gotsumon said, typing the numbers on the computer. "Coordinates are set, ready for teleportation! Teleporting in five..."

Beautymon made her towards the center of the Digiporter. She stood next to Takuya, giving him another one of her signature giggles.

"Four..."

Swiftmon made his way towards the edge of the platform, spinning both of his swords before placing them back in his sheathes.

"Three..."

Bokomon placed his green book back in his elastic waistband, while Neemon just stood there, staring out into space.

"Two..."

Zoe took a deep breath, and looked back towards Takuya. She felt slightly apprehensive about the current situation. To ease the tension within her body, she decided to make her move. She softly grabbed Takuya's hand, causing the boy to look back at her.

"One..."

Takuya tightened his grip on Zoe's hand and gave her a quick nod, assuring her that everything's going to be alright and he would never let anything happen to her.

"Commence teleportation!" Gotsumon shouted, slamming his fist on a blue button.

A white light shot out from the bottom of the Digiporter, engulfing every Digimon and the two humans with its bright light. At that point, the entire room was covered with the blinding light. When it subsided, Takuya, Zoe and all of the Digimon on the platform had vanished, leaving Gotsumon alone in the room.

* * *

><p><strong>Zoe's POV:<strong>

My eyes closed throughout the entire process. I held onto Takuya's arm real tight. I finally opened my eyes to see where we are. I noticed a station-like building lit with a fire on top. I recognized this place. This was my first stop in the Digital World, the place where we met Bokomon and Neemon, the place where Takuya got his Spirit. We made it! We've arrived at the Flame Terminal.

I was about to give Takuya a hug, when something devastating caught my eye. There were a lot of explosions coming from all sides of the building. Smoke exited out of the structure, followed by a few bursts of flames. I checked my surroundings and noticed the entire place was covered with explosions, flying projectiles and wildfires. The way this placed looked was no different than when I first laid my eyes on the chaos in the Digital World when Takuya and I first arrived.

"LOOK OUT!" Someone shouted.

I turned and noticed a giant fireball heading my way. I shielded my face and braced for impact. Suddenly, I felt someone tackled me to the ground. Takuya and I rolled on the dirt, just barely avoiding the attack. I wiped the dirt off of my shirt and shorts. I grabbed Takuya's hand and he helped me up back up.

"This is terrible!" I cried. The destruction in this town was completely devastating. Never had I seen such chaos in one place.

"Alright, troops! You know the drill!" Swiftmon directed. "Group A... MOVE OUT!"

"Yes sir!" Centarumon complied along with the rest of the group. "Ready, men?" He waited until every monster had their weapons up.

"Let's get 'em." Centarumon shouted, pointing his finger towards the enemy. "CHARGE!"

The Digimon charged towards Malevomon's army of evil Digimon with their weapons held high. The two groups met on the battlefield and began fighting each other. It was such a terrible sight, seeing these Digimon destroy each other. I didn't have time to check who was winning or who has fallen. Takuya grabbed my armed as we race through the terminal, trying to find the Spirits.

Takuya had his D-Tector out and waited for a signal to go off. Fireballs, laser beams, arrows and other things flew in our direction, but the fighters in The Digimon Battlefront protected us. We just had to find the Spirits. We just had to. It wasn't before long when Takuya's D-Tector started beeping. A miniaturized map appeared on the screen on Takuya's device. A red dot also appeared on the screen. That could be where the Spirit is.

"That way!" Takuya pointed towards his right. He took off in running with Swiftmon and Beautymon in the lead. I followed behind with Bokomon and Neemon by my side.

"ATTACK!" Someone shouted. I looked to my left and noticed a lot of angry Digimon charging at us.

"DIGIMON BATTLEFRONT, COUNTERATTCK!" Swiftmon ordered.

At that point, all of the Digimon in our group broke formation and rushed towards the evil Digimon. I can hear blades collide, monsters roaring, screaming in pain. I've seen a lot of fights between Digimon, but not like this. This is beyond cruel.

"Come on, we got to keep moving!" Swiftmon said. Takuya and I nodded. We kept on running, never looking back at the Digimon fighting behind us. I looked at Takuya's D-Tector and noticed we were getting closer to the Spirits.

"We're almost there, guys!" Takuya said. "I can sense the presence of the Spirits nearby." We ran for a whole minute. With each step we take, the signal got stronger. We stopped when the map showed us that we were on the spot.

"Well, where are the Spirits?" Bokomon asked.

"I... I don't understand." Takuya said softly. "The signal is at its strongest point at this area. That means the Spirit should be around here."

I looked around the area, but all I could see were burning trees, burning buildings and Digimon tearing each other apart.

"Where could it be?" I wondered.

"Maybe it's not here..." Neemon suggested.

"What do you mean, it's not here?" Bokomon yelled. "The D-Tector says we're on the right spot! How can you say that it's not here?"

"Maybe the Spirits are hidden somewhere." Neemon smiled.

"Where?" Bokomon asked. "In one of the buildings? Beneath one of the rocks?"

"No, maybe it's underground." Neemon thought. It may sound crazy, but Neemon could be right. After all, Takuya found his Spirit underneath the terminal, so it is possible. Maybe the Spirit could be in the same place.

"It's possible." Takuya confirmed. "Swiftmon, is there a way we can get underneath the Flame Terminal?" I watched as the swordsman pointed his blade towards a tunnel nearby.

"There." He said. "Inside that tunnel is the Heating Room. That's where The Flame Terminal get its fire from. It is how this place operates."

"Alright, let's go..."

"DESTROY THE HUMANS!" Someone shouted. I looked up to see who it was. We were completely surrounded by a large number of giants whose body was completely made of fire.

"What are those things?" I asked.

**Digimon Analyzer**

**Name: Meramon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Roaring Fire, Magma Bomb**

**Description: Meramon is a hot-tempered, Digimon whose body is covered by roaring hot flames. A violent creature capable of burning everything in its path. His Roaring Fire attack will give you third degree burns.**

"Meramon!" Bokomon answered. "They are very fearsome Digimon made of fire. Anything that gets within a few feet of him will melt to the ground, like an ice cube."

"Magma Bombs!" The fiery Digimon shouted. Fireballs appeared out of their hands. They heaved their attacks at the group. The remaining Digimon, as well as the humans, dove out of the way to avoid the barrage of fireballs.

"There's just way too many of them!" Zoe cried.

"We can't worry about that right now!" Takuya commanded. "Right now, we have to focus on finding the Spirits!"

"We must retrieve them before it's too late. Beautymon?" Swiftmon said, looking at his partner.

"I know, I know." She complained. "Such unsightly creatures. I just can't stand looking at them. Oh well. Let's just get this over with already." She leaped high in the sky, twirling around in circles.

"Petal Dance!" She cried, releasing a bunch of flower petals out of her sleeve. The Meramon inhaled the scent of the flowers and immediately froze in place.

"Betcha I can take out more Meramon than you can, Swiftmon. Beautiful Beam!" She giggled.

Beautymon spotted a group of incapacitated Meramon and took aim at them. She cried as she fired a barrage of pink energy beams at the fiery Digimon. One by one, the beams nail the squad of Meramon in the chest area. The impact sent a few of them crashing into other structures or into each other. The more beams Beautymon shot, the more fun she was having. Which actually scared me for a little bit. She skipped merrily towards the group of Meramon, firing more and more beams from her hands. Takuya and I watched awkwardly at the female Digimon, wondering why she finds so much enjoyment in taking out those Digimon.

Swiftmon sighed disappointingly as he turned his attention back towards me and Takuya.

"I swear, I still don't understand why she's our third-in-command." grumbled the swordsman. Takuya and I giggled at his statement. Swiftmon then looked back at the two of us, silently reminding us the seriousness of the situation.

"It's up to you now." He said. "We'll keep them busy. Hurry and find the Spirits."

"Understood." Takuya agreed. "Come on, Zoe. Let's go."

With Takuya in the lead, we both raced towards the tunnel. There were a few steps, leading to the Heating Room below. Takuya entered first, along with Bokomon and Neemon. Before I walked in, I looked back at the two Battlefront Digimon. I watched as Beautymon unleashed a pink beam towards one of the fiery monster. I also noticed Swiftmon spinning his broadswords, racing towards one of the Meramon. Before I entered the tunnel, the last thing I saw was a shadow-like creature with sharp fangs staring me down. I ignored the creature as I continued to follow my friends down the stairs.

* * *

><p>The tunnels were dark, but not that much. There were a few torches, lighting up a path for us to see. We got to the bottom of the steps and continued walking down the corridor. I stayed close behind Takuya, since he's the only protection I have. I check Takuya's device and noticed it started ringing again. A map with the same red dot appeared once again. The D-Tector told us the Spirits are just up ahead. We raced towards the Heating Room, hoping the Spirits would be inside. We finally entered the circular room. I had no idea how big it was. There wasn't really much, except uneven floors and a giant hole in the middle of the room where the fire supposedly comes out.<p>

"It's got to be around here somewhere." Takuya said, "Start looking, guys."

We all spread out, looking for the Spirit. The signal on Takuya's D-Tector was going crazy, so it has to be here. I checked the walls, the rusted machines, every possible location, but still no Spirits. I saw Neemon looking underneath a few rocks, while Bokomon checked the walls, looking for the Symbol of Flame.

"It's not underneath this rock." Neemon smiled. Bokomon sighed with disappointment.

"Where could it be? We looked everywhere." Bokomon moaned.

"Takuya?" I spoke, looking back at him.

"I don't understand. My D-Tector said it should be here. We searched the entire room. Why can't we find it?"

"Find... what?" A voice growled.

"What else? The Legendary Spirits of... Huh?"

The dark sound caught the two of us off-guard. We looked towards the entrance of the room and saw a shadowy creature approaching us. Bokomon screamed in fear and hid behind my leg. Neemon also saw the monster blocking the doorway and he too hid behind me; more specifically inside Bokomon's waistband. Takuya and I look around, looking for the source of the noise.

"Who... Who are you?" The goggle-headed boy asked.

"What is this? Haven't we forgotten already?" The voice snarled. Moments later, the strange Digimon took a step forwards.

The light coming from the torches revealed the beast's body. It was a large dog-like creature with a black body and short gray hair on its head. He also had sharp, metallic claws on each paw. It had a couple of dog-like shoulder plating on his shoulders. His teeth were really sharp, like a hungry wolf. The creature growled and took a step forward, causing us to move back.

"Don't you remember me now, boy?" He snarled.

"Wait a minute... Oh, crud!" Takuya gasped with his eyes wide open. "I know you! You're Cerberumon!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Cerberumon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Emerald Blaze; Portals of Darkness**

**Description: He is also known as the Watchdog from the Underworld. Cerberumon is a fighting machine on four legs. His claws are made of the hardest metal in the Digital World and his fangs can crush boulders. His most fearsome attack is the Emerald Blaze.**

"That's right, boy!" Cerberumon smirked. "I came here for the Spirits."

"The Spirits?" Neemon repeated.

"Yes, the Spirits. Is there an echo in here?" The creature laughed. "I'm here to retrieve the Spirits and bring them back to my master. Lord Malevomon will be most pleased!"

"So you work for Malevomon, now!" I deduced.

"Of course, my child! Now, hand over the Spirits!"

"You're not getting them!" Takuya opposed.

"I wasn't asking, boy! I'm demanding you to give the Spirits, RIGHT NOW!"

He leaped and pounced towards us. Before I could react, Takuya pushed me out of the way. I rolled on the dirt and collided against the wall. I looked back up and Takuya with his back against the wall. Cerberumon dove for him once again. Takuya moved out of the way as the dog-like Digimon slammed against the wall and landed unconsciously on the ground.

"Takuya!" I screamed.

"Zoe, get out of here!" He ordered.

I shook my head. I refuse to leave my best friend behind with this monster. "No! I can't leave you behind! That's crazy!"

"It's too dangerous! You'll get hurt! I can't allow that to happen! Go, now!"

"No! Forget it! I'm not going! I'm not leaving without you!"

"Zoe!" But Takuya never got a chance to argue. He looked back and noticed Cerberumon was back on his feet, much angrier than before.

"Takuya, catch!" Bokomon yelled. He tossed a steel pole towards him.

Takuya caught the metallic weapon and got into a defensive position. Cerberumon chomped towards the boy, but he blocked his fangs with the rod. With all of his strength, Takuya pulled back the metal rod and swung viciously at the animal like a baseball bat. The pole slammed against one of the monster's legs, causing the creature howled in pain. Takuya moved closer towards Cerberumon and struck the other front leg, followed by more powerful blows to both of his back legs. His attacks caused the dog to wobble and growl in agony. He could barely stand straight. It looked like at least one or two of his legs were broken.

Even though Takuya has got the monster on his knees, I still feared for the worst. I watched as Takuya went for the finishing blow. He brought the staff back and went for his head. Takuya nails Cerberumon straight on his skull. When the metal made contact with his head, a loud "clink" sound echoed throughout the room. Cerberumon fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Alright, Takuya!" I cheered, hoping that this was the end of him. "You did it, you beat him!"

"Oh, did he?" A dark voice laughed, sending chills down my back.

I recognized the voice. It was Cerberumon's. But how could it be? Takuya had beaten him. He took out all four of his legs and knocked him out cold. I looked down at the fallen Digimon. His bloodshot eyes leered at me. He got back on all fours, still roaring with laughter.

"But how?" Takuya asked.

"Foolish boy. You think I could be defeated by the likes of you? A puny human?" He chuckled. "You fool! I was merely toying with you!"

"He's what?" I cried. I knew Takuya was in big trouble. I thought he had a chance in beating that oversized canine. But I was wrong.

"And now, it's my turn to destroy you." Cerberumon growled, whipping the grin off his face.

"Emerald Blaze!" Cerberumon opened his mouth and burst of green flames exited his mouth. The blast was heading straight towards Takuya. He leaped to the side, just barely dodging the fire. I watched as Takuya rolled out of the way.

"Takuya!" I called out.

"Zoe, get out of here, now!" He ordered.

Once again, I shook my head. Regardless how dangerous this monster is, I refuse to leave him behind. Takuya needed my help, but what can I do? Without our Spirits, we're pretty much powerless and...

Wait a minute. That's it. There is a way we can beat Cerberumon. I have to find Takuya's Spirit. If I can, then he might have a chance.

"Takuya, keep him busy, while I find the Spirits. Come on, you guys!" I said, looking back a Bokomon and Neemon. They nodded as we stagger throughout the room.

"Zoe, no!" Takuya screamed, dodging another attack from Cerberumon.

I really hated going against Takuya's orders. I even promised him that I would run away if anything bad happens. Cerberumon attacking us would be classified as something bad. But Takuya's my friend and I'll do whatever it takes to help out my friend. And I don't care if I get hurt or not. His safety is much more important than mine.

I checked everywhere in the room while dodging Cerberumon's attacks. I looked at the walls, looking for the Symbol of Flame. So far, no luck. I looked up at the ceiling, but still no sign of the Spirits. The Heating Room is such a big place, yet I have no idea where the Spirit is.

"Gotcha!" Cerberumon laughed.

I looked back at Takuya. My eyes widened when I saw his body wrapped around Cerberumon's tail. The dark Digimon slammed his tail down, crashing Takuya on the ground. I can hear him groaning, like he just got the wind knocked out of him. Tears were forming in my eyes as the vicious canine threw him into the wall. Takuya landed on the ground with a thud. It was really painful to watch, especially when Takuya got back on his feet, hungry for more punishment. Cerberumon slowly closed the distance. A fiendish grin appeared on his face.

"You're mine now, human."

He pounced towards Takuya with his jaws wide open. Takuya slid to his left, which made the dark creature crash into the wall. Cerberumon fell back down to the ground. The impact on the wall caused many giant rocks from the ceiling to fall on top of the unfortunate Digimon. I looked back at my best friend, who was struggling to stay on his feet. He was running low on energy. Dodging and taking all of Cerberumon's attacks took a lot out of him. He smiled back at me and then collapsed on the ground, dropping his D-Tector in the process.

"Takuya!" I yelled.

I was about to tend to Takuya's injuries, when a giant red flame shot up from behind me. It caught me by surprised. Never had I seen a fire so big before. I saw the flame burning brightly in the middle of the room. It was a beautiful sight, really captivated my attention. The heat of the fire spread across the room. Then again, I had this feeling that something inside those flames was giving it power.

All of the sudden, I started hearing beeping sounds coming from Takuya's D-Tector. A bright, white light appeared on the screen. It told me that the Spirits were nearby. It rang for a few seconds later, before the sounds from his little device faded away. At the same time, the giant flame behind me subsided and fell back into the giant hole. I stared at the hole for what seems to be a long time, wondering... just wondering.

I took a step closer towards the hole. When I finally got close enough, I looked down below. I saw nothing but darkness. From one edge to another, pitch black surrounded the entire area. For a moment, I thought it was rather foolish for the Spirits to be hidden down there. But just when I was about to give up hope, I noticed something in the middle of the hole. A small item too far away for me to see. But I did see something... shining. I had to get a better look without endangering myself. I thought about how I'm going to do it. Finally, a thought came into my mind.

"Bokomon!" I called. "Get me a torch!"

"Alright, Zoe!" Bokomon obeyed. He leaped up and grabbed one of the torches hanging on the walls. He ran as fast as he could towards me.

"If you don't mind me asking, what kind of plan are you cooking up?" He asked, handing me the torch.

"Trust me." I assured.

I dropped the torch down the hole and watched it fall down to the abyss. I watched as the torch approached closer and closer to that small spec I saw earlier. When it got close enough, I finally caught a good view of what I saw. As a matter of fact, I saw two things floating in the hole. I looked closely and saw two relics floating in the darkness.

The relic on the left was red with yellow and golden flames on it. It had three horns on the front with yellowish hair on it the back. The relic on the right looked similar to the one on the left. It had the same red and yellow colors, but it also had orange wings on its back. The relic also had gold weapons on its arms and a white helmet on the front. My eyes widened with astonishment. I had found them; the Legendary Spirits of Flame.

"Takuya!" I cried. "Quick, come here! I've found the Spirits!"

"You have?" Takuya asked, as he got back to his feet. "Where?"

"Down there!" I answered, pointing at the hole behind me.

He picked up his D-Tector and ran as fast as he could towards me. Once close enough, he looked down at the hole to find the Spirits. Sure enough, there they were; the Human and Beast Spirit of Flame.

"Well, my D-Tector's reacting, so this has to be it."

"I can't believe it. You think we've actually found the Spirits?" I asked.

"It has to be! It's the perfect place to hide it, too." Bokomon confirmed.

"Well, there's only one way to find out." Takuya said.

He held up his D-Tector and pointed it down the hole. His D-Tector started to glow as Takuya unleashed a violent roar. Suddenly, a white beam shot out towards the two Spirits. Just like the effects of a tractor beam, Takuya's D-Tector attracted the two Spirits closer towards him.

Finally, the Spirits of Flame entered Takuya's device. I let out a huge smile once when I saw the Symbols of Flame shining on the screen of Takuya's D-Tector. He looked back at me and smiled. He held his D-Tector up towards me so I could have a look at the Spirits.

"We did it, Zoe!" He exclaimed. "We finally got the Spirits!"

"That's wonderful, Takuya!" I smiled. Suddenly, I felt the ground starting to shake. It caused the two of us to stumble, almost losing our balance.

"Come on! We got to get out of here, before Mr. Ugly wakes up." Takuya ordered.

Bokomon, Neemon and I nodded at each other. Takuya put his D-Tector back in his pocket and grabbed my hand. We were just about to make our way out of the Heating Room when...

"Who are you calling, Mr. Ugly?" A deep voice asked. Out of the pile of rocks, leaped a terrifying and somewhat angry Cerberumon. He landed right in front of the four of us. His giant body blocked our only escape route.

"You again?" Takuya sighed. "Come on, buddy! Give it a break, won't you?"

"Never!" Cerberumon howled. "You will pay for this. I will burn you all to a crisp!"

"Oh yeah? Try me!" Takuya grinned more confidently.

"It will be my pleasure." The black creature snarled. Takuya got out his D-Tector and held out in front of him.

"Let's see how tough you are against a Legendary Warrior!" He said.

Cerberumon's eyes shot up with what he saw. He couldn't believe that Takuya has not only found the Legendary Spirits, but he's now in possession of it. At that point, I felt safe. Takuya is great fighter when he transforms into Agunimon. I remembered way back when we first entered the Digital World, he kicked this guy's butt very easily. I strongly believe that this time would be no different.

However, I checked the look on Cerberumon's face and noticed it had changed. Before he was shocked, surprised that Takuya's got the Spirits in his D-Tector. Now, all of the sudden, he looked calm, rather unfazed. And then he broke out into laughter. His laughs echoed across the room, and let me tell you, they were quiet deafening. He's snickering like he's already won the battle.

"You think you're so powerful, now that you have your Spirits?" He asked. "You're more of an idiot than I thought."

"What do you mean by that?" Takuya asked. Cerberumon shifted his attention towards me and gave me a horrifying smirk. He's planning something... something bad.

"So, you got your Spirits. Congratulations, foolish boy. But, what about your girlfriend over there?" My heart stopped beating. "Let's see how strong you are when she becomes my next target."

"You leave Zoe out of this!" Takuya commanded, stepping in front of me.

"Ah, I see. It appears I have found your sensitive side!" Cerberumon grinned.

"I'm warning you, you freak! Leave her alone!" Takuya glared.

"It's too late, foolish human!" laughed Cerberumon. "Time for me to destroy you and the rest of your pathetic friends." He dug all four of his paws down to the ground and opened his mouth wide.

"EMERALD BLAZE!"

A giant wave of green fire shot straight towards me and Takuya. I stood there, frozen like a statue. I couldn't move. I couldn't react. I couldn't defend myself. I wanted to cry, but my tears wouldn't fall in time. I placed my hands over my face and braced myself for the end.

"ZOE, NO!" Takuya screamed as he pushed me away towards the side.

At that point everything started moving in slow motion as I continue to fall to the ground. I watched fearfully as Takuya smiled back at me and braced himself for the attack. The green flames slammed into Takuya's body, knocking him backwards. Takuya screamed in pain as he plummets down the deep, dark hole behind him.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

"TAKUYAAAAAAAAAA!" I screamed.

I crawled towards the giant hole and gazed down into the abyss. I checked every area of the hole, searching for his body. But I couldn't find it. The hole was so dark, I couldn't see anything. My best friend was nowhere to be found. I thought I lost him forever. I was completely devastated. Not only that, I didn't even get a chance to tell him how I truly feel about him. I cover my face with my hands and burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Takuya... no..."

"Hahahahaha!" laughed the wicked Digimon behind me. I glared back at the beast as he continued to speak. "I knew that boy was weak. Revenge never tasted so good. Mwahahahahaha!"

The anger inside my body was reaching its peak. How dare that animal say such cruel things? Nobody insults my Takuya like that and gets away with it! I knelt down and picked up another steel rod on the ground. I waited patiently for my opportunity to strike. From my viewpoint, it appears that Cerberumon hasn't noticed me closing the distance. I held my weapon up in ready position.

"YOU MONSTER!"

Finally, with all of my strength, I swung the metallic weapon down on the monster's skull. The steel staff landed on his head, creating a loud "cling" on impact. I was hoping to at least break his skull or inflict some kind of damage on the creature. But I didn't. As a matter of fact, it was completely the opposite. Once the rod slammed into Cerberumon's head, the vibration sent a shock of pain towards my hands. As I grabbed my hand, I looked back at the dark Digimon, who was staring venomously towards me. I gazed into his bloodshot eyes with fear and terror. My body went completely cold. I couldn't move at all, nor muster up the courage to defend myself.

"Um..." I stuttered. "N... Ni... Nice... doggy. Nice doggy." He took a step forward as I took a step back. I still had the steel rod in my hand, but what good will that do if I can't use it?

"You're mine now, human." Cerberumon smirked.

"Easy there boy!" I said nervously.

Then, an idea has struck me. I've seen this in a movie once. Maybe it could work now. I waved my weapon towards his face and spun it around and around. "Here boy! Here boy! See the nice stick? See it?" I looked back at Cerberumon, who was still growling at me. If anything, I believe was I making the situation worse. His growls were getting louder and if I didn't do something, I'm toast.

"Ready boy...? And... Fetch!" I screamed, as I hurled the staff towards my right.

But instead of jumping towards the stick, or at least making an effort to, he opened his mouth and blasted it into smithereens with his green flames. When Cerberumon had finished, bits and pieces of burnt of metal were all that were left. He turned his attention back towards me, showing me his fierce, sharp fangs. He again stepped closer to me. I stepped back to increase the distance between us.

"You're mine now! And do not expect any mercy for me! For all who stands in Lord Malevomon's way shall be destroyed!"

Suddenly, my leg tripped on an uneven surface on the ground and I fell hard on my back, with my head crashing down on the floor. I placed my hand on my head to fight the dizziness feeling in my head. My vision became clear again and I looked back up, noticing Cerberumon's fiendish eyes glowering at me.

"There's nowhere to run, you puny human!" He grinned.

"Zoe, get out of there!" yelled Bokomon from the other side of the room.

I wanted to run away, but I couldn't. My eyes locked onto the creatures eyes. My body felt like it's turning into stone. I couldn't move or budge. Panic and fear invaded my mind. I knew the end was coming. And without my Spirits, how can I defend myself? Great, can this day get any worse? Takuya's gone and now I'm about to be burned to a crisp.

"I love my humans nice and crispy on the outside... tender and juicy on the inside!" He roared. Drool was dripping all over his face. I can see the sharpness on his teeth. This was it for me.

"Die, you pathetic human!" He opened his mouth real wide, prepping his attack on me. My eyes began to water. I clamped my head with both hands and closed my eyes real tight, bracing myself for the end.

"EMERALD BLAZE!"

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

><p><strong>So, that's chapter six. <strong>

**Is this the end of Takuya? Can Zoe survive this horrifying attack, or will Cerberumon turn her into barbeque? You'll have to find out on the next action packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	7. Get A Fire Power

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**Takuya, Zoe and the rest of the Battlefront teleported to the Flame Terminal to search for the Spirits of Flame. But when they arrived, an army of evil Digimon was there to welcome them. Somehow, Takuya and his friends ended up in the Heating Room. The good news is that's where the Spirits of Flame were located. Unfortunately, Cerberumon was also there to reclaim the Spirits for his master, Malevomon. And to make things worse, he tossed Takuya down a dark hole and is about to burn poor Zoe into a crisp. Boy, things are starting to heat up... literally!**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter seven!**

* * *

><p><strong>Get A Fire Power<strong>

**Takuya's POV:**

"TAKUYAAAAAAAAAA!"

As I fell down into the abyss, her sweet, soft, angelic voice became nothing more than a mere whisper. I kept falling and falling. My body got heavier and heavier with each second passing. I didn't want it to end like this. I'd never thought that I would end up falling to my death; and of all places, the Digital World. So I closed my eyes, praying that the end would come sooner than later.

"Takuya..."

My eyes shot open at the familiar voice. I looked for the source of the sound, but no one was there.

"Takuya..." Again the voice spoke.

I checked my entire surroundings and saw nothing but pitch darkness. Great, now I'm hearing voices in my head.

"Where are you?" I wondered.

"Check your D-Tector." He ordered.

I reached inside my pockets and took out my red device. I looked at the screen and there he was.

"Agunimon!"

Once when I spoke his name, I finally stopped falling and floated in midair. All of the sudden, my D-Tector began to glow. A beam of white light shot out of the screen. I was astounded at how bright the light was and how warm it felt. Before long, I faded image of the Legendary Warrior of Flame appeared before me.

"Takuya..." He spoke in calm, composed voice. "I thought you were better than that. How can you quit when you still have a chance to win?"

"I, uh..."

"Your friends are in trouble. You're the only one who can save them. They need you."

"I know. I'm sorry for running away."

"Never give up. When things are at its worst, then we have to get stronger. You are a Legendary Warrior. You become a part of me as I become a part of you. Together, we can defeat Cerberumon, just as we did last time."

"That's right. I'm not alone anymore. I got the Spirits by my side."

"Exactly. Your courage makes you stronger than ever." Agunimon held his hand out towards me.

"Are you ready to accept your destiny and save the Digital World?"

"Bring it on!"

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

*Insert Song: With The Will*

A bluish sketch of the Human Spirit of Flame traced on the black screen of Takuya's D-Tector. When the outline was complete, the screen on the little device stated to glow in shining, white light. With his black and red D-Tector in his right hand, Takuya extended his left arm in front of him and opened up his hand. A ring of Fractal Code surrounded the boy's hand. He crossed his arms as well as swung them around a few times, before finally bringing his device and the Fractal Code ring together. When the Fractal Code scanner on the top of the D-Tector made contact with the ring of Fractal Code, Takuya's device started making loud and powerful sounds. The dark area that surrounded Takuya's body was completely engulfed by glimmering, bright light.

"EXECUTE..." Takuya screamed out loud, swiping the Fractal Code ring with the D-Tector's scanner. "... SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

Upon command a long line of Fractal Code swirled and surrounded the boy's body. At the same time, Takuya's clothes began to disintegrate as the Human Spirit of Fire awakened. The boy felt a surge of energy completely taking over his body. He could feel himself becoming one with the Spirit. His arms, legs, head and his entire body were slowly changing into the Legendary Warrior of Fire. It wasn't long before the transformation was finally complete. He uncrossed his arms, creating giant flames on both of his fists. He gave a hook with his left arm and another powerful punch with his right arm, sending the large fireballs flying like a cannonball.

"AGUNIMON!" The creature said.

"Die, you pathetic human!" He growled. "EMERALD BLAZE!"

He opened his mouth real wide, prepping his attack on the teenage girl. Zoe's eyes began to water. Tears cascaded down her face. She clamped her head with both hands and closed her eyes real tight, bracing herself for the end.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"ZOOOOOEEEEEE!"

Agunimon leaped out of the dark hole and dove towards Cerberumon with his fists clinched tight. The dog-like Digimon was about to deliver the finishing blow, when he felt a solid punch to his face, knocking him into the wall behind him. The Legendary Warrior relaxed his arms and turned back towards the teenage girl, who still had her hands shielding her face.

Finally, Zoe lowered her defenses. She looked back and her eyes widened when she caught a good view of the Digimon standing before her.

It was a humanoid Digimon wearing a black bodysuit, with a silvery chest plate. He had red and gold armor covering both of his arms and legs. The creature also had red and gold shoulder plates with a black spike on top of each one. It had silver gauntlets on its wrists with three separate holes on the front. It had two white belts that crossed at the middle, where an emblem of the Symbol of Fire held them together. The Digimon also had long, spiky blonde hair that reached all the way to his back. Finally, the creature was wearing a red mask with three grey horns on the top of it. The only thing visible was his mouth and bluish eyes.

A huge smile appeared on Zoe's face.

"Agunimon!"

"Zoe, are you alright?"

"I am now."

"That's good..."

But before he could go on, he heard someone laughing from behind him. He glared back and noticed Cerberumon standing on all fours. He was covered in dirt and tiny rocks. He was breathing really heavily like he's dying to rip someone's head off.

"Just like old times, you brainless puppy!" Agunimon teased.

"Indeed." The dark monster grinned. "But this time is different. Not only I'm going to take your Spirits, but I will also have the pleasure in watching you die!"

Cerberumon jumped as high as he could until his body was above the Legendary Warrior's. He opened his mouth real wide, creating green flames in his jaw.

"Emerald Blaze!" He shouted, shooting a huge wave of fire towards Agunimon.

The Legendary Warrior of Flame waited until the attack was only a few feet away before leaping up in the air, completely dodging the attack. While in midair, he punched his two fists together, making two large balls of fire at the end of his knuckles.

"Take this, you oversized freak show! Pyro Punch!"

He hurled his fists towards the black beast, releasing two giant fireballs. The attack was so fast, Cerberumon didn't have time move out of the way or counterattack. The first fireball hit the creature on the side, getting him in a prone position. The second fireball send him flying into the wall. Agunimon ran as fast as he could towards the fallen creature with another flaming fist. Cerberumon leaped back into a defensive position and growled back at the Legendary Warrior.

"I will not be beaten by a human." He snarled. "Portals of Darkness!"

The eye slits on the helmets of Cerberumon's shoulders flashed with glimmering purple light. When the light had vanished, numbers of dark portals opened up throughout the area. Agunimon landed on his feet, just inches in front of one of the holes. He remembered this technique in his previous encounter with this treacherous beast. This time, the fiery Digimon was confident he won't fall for the same trick twice.

He regained his balanced before checking on Zoe and the others. His eyes widened when he saw the teenage girl standing next to one of the one of the opening portals. He ran as fast as he could towards her to prevent her from falling, but it was too late. Zoe lost her balance, causing her to slip and fall down into the darkness. Agunimon dove down the hole, trying his hardest to save Zoe. He grabbed one of her hands with his left hand, while holding on to the edge with his right.

"Agunimon!" Zoe cried.

"Zoe, hang on!" He shouted. He noticed the girl nodding her head. He then heard another roar coming from his sides.

"You're mine now!" Cerberumon shouted.

Agunimon watched as the beast approached him and a defenseless Zoe. When Cerberumon got close enough, he vanished into the darkness. The warrior looked to his left and then to his right, searching for the hidden monster. He could be anywhere. He could sneak up from behind and attack you from his blindside. Worst of all, he could attack Zoe, who was not only helpless, but Spirit-less. All of the sudden...

"AAAAHHHHH!" Agunimon howled in pain.

He felt something sharp slashing his chest, followed by another strike, and another. The agony was severe, but Legendary Warrior fought through the pain as his body continued to take on more punishment. He hung on tight to the edge and onto Zoe's hand as well. However, with every slash delivered by Cerberumon, the grip on Agunimon's hands began to weaken.

"Still struggling I see..." chuckled Cerberumon. "Very well, then. I see you can withstand my attacks..." He then leered at a terrified Zoe. "...but what about your friend there?"

"Leave her alone!" Agunimon ordered.

"Silence, boy! It's time for the little girl to scream!" Cerberumon growled as he dove towards the defenseless Zoe, with his razor, sharp metallic claws ready to slice her into ribbons.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" The blonde cried as she covered her face.

Feared for her safety, Agunimon used his strength to heave Zoe out of the dark abyss. She flew out of the portal and landed hard on the ground. Meanwhile, as Cerberumon came for the kill, Agunimon lifted his leg up and gave the dog a vicious roundhouse kick to the face. The vicious blow send the creature flying deep into the darkness. Agunimon then lifted himself back up out of the hole.

He finally got out and fell on his hands and knees, panting for air. The fiery Digimon was still recovering from the brutal attacks Cerberumon had given him. Suddenly, a giant wave of green fire shot out of the hole like volcano. Agunimon got back to his feet and into a defensive stance. Out of the jaded blaze, leaped a very angry Cerberumon.

"Burn away, human!" He growled.

"Thanks, but I'll pass." Agunimon said.

His hands were again covered with red hot raging flames. He jumped into the air and towards the diving Cerberumon. The flames on Agunimon's fist then started to grow. Scorching heat surrounded his body. He extended his arms to his side and started spinning around. He spun faster and faster, increasing the size and energy of the flames on his fist until...

"PYRO TORNADO!"

He screamed, creating a fiery cyclone around his body. The blazing hot attack collided against the dark creature's body. He flew ten feet above the ground and landed with a thud, making a huge crater upon impact. The dark portals he created earlier slowly disappeared. Agunimon landed smoothly on the ground and observed the fallen creature.

"He did it!" Bokomon shouted from behind, dancing around a confused Neemon. Zoe approached the Legendary Warrior, holding one of her arms with her hand.

"_Eccellente_!" Zoe exclaimed.

"Yeah... what she said." Neemon drooled. Agunimon turned back around and smiled at his friends.

"Come on, let's get out of here." He suggested. The others nodded in agreement.

They made their way towards the exit of the Heating Room. Because of the vicious battle, there were plenty of uneven floors, as well as bits and pieces of metal scattered across the room. They finally got to the door, but before anyone could open it, an evil laughter echoes throughout the room. Agunimon looked behind him and noticed Cerberumon slowly getting to his feet.

"Where do you think you're going, lousy humans?" He grinned. However, he was still wobbling on all fours. He could barely stand. Not only that, but his entire body was covered with burns, bruises and dirt. Yet, he was still laughing.

"Give it up, Cerberumon." Agunimon commanded. "It's over. You can't beat me."

"NEVER!" Cerberumon howled. "It's not over yet, you filthy piece of trash. In fact..." His bloodshot eyes widened. "This is only the beginning."

Suddenly, long streams of Fractal Code covered his bodies. Agunimon and Zoe bunched closer together as the evil Digimon transformed inside the cocoon of data. This could only mean one thing.

"CERBERUMON... DIGIVOLVE TO..." The evil monster shouted.

Before long, the transformation was complete. The Fractal Code disappeared and an Ultimate level Digimon stood before them. A giant dog-like Digimon whose body was made completely out of bone. The metal on his claws were replaced by sharp, dense bone. His eyes were flashing red. Drool made entirely of acid spewed from his mouth and burned the canvas it touched.

"Oh no... Not that! Anything but that! panicked Bokomon.

"SKULLCERBERUMON!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: SkullCerberumon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Emerald Burner; Bone Breaker**

**Description: One of the most feared creature in the Digital World. SkullCerberumon only focuses on one thing. And that is to cause destruction and incinerate anything that gets in his way. No one has ever survived his Emerald Burner attack and lived to tell the tale.**

"Oh great!" Zoe groaned.

"We're doomed!" Neemon thought.

"Get back you guys! I can take him!" said Agunimon.

Zoe and the two Rookies nodded. They do not want to be around when this creature attacks. So instead, they hurried as quickly as they could toward the edge of the room. The skeleton-type Digimon unleashed a powerful roar. It created a strong force blowing away everything in its path. Agunimon was strong enough to stand his ground. But Zoe, Bokomon and Neemon, on the other hand, weren't.

"AAAHHHHHHH!"

The wind force sent the trio flying across the room. Bokomon and Neemon crashed landed on the uneven pavements and rolled on the ground. Zoe, unfortunately, slammed hard into the wall behind her, creating a huge crater. The impact send large jolts of pain into Zoe's spine. She fell down to the floor and lost consciousness.

"ZOE!" Agunimon screamed. He noticed the teenage girl slumped against the wall, out cold. He turned back toward SkullCerberumon with fire in his eyes.

"You monster... YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS!" He yelled as Fractal Code, once again surrounded his body. Inside the long steams of data, Agunimon began to change forms.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!"

Finally, the Fractal Code had vanished, and a new Digimon appeared before SkullCerberumon. It looked similar to Agunimon, but much different. It had a white helmet on its head with two horns on the side and one in the front. It wore the same body suit with a silver plate on its chest serving as the bottom layer. He also wore a crimson red and golden plate armor on top of his chest. His shoulder armor were also red and gold with a crimson horn at the end of both shoulders. His silver gauntlets he had earlier were replaced by some kind of blasters called the Rudori Tarpana. It was gold on the outside and a crimson on the inside. His legs were also covered with red armor with gold outlines and kneecaps. The creature also had a long, red tail wagging behind him. On its back were bright orange wings.

"BURNINGGREYMON!" The monster screamed. The winged beast growled at SkullCerberumon, who was examining his new opponent.

"I see that this human now has the Beast Spirit in his possession." He grinned. "That doesn't matter. No matter what he throws at me, I'll destroy him!"

The Beast Warrior of Flame flapped his wings as his body started levitating above the ground. He flew straight towards SkullCerberumon with vengeance in his eyes. He tucked his arms to his side, aiming his blasters at the skeleton monster. His cannons locked on to the target and began to charge in energy. Once it reached full capacity, the fiery Digimon was ready.

"Pyro Barrage!" BurningGreymon cried.

Solar heat-wave energy bullets shot out of his cannons like a machine gun. Surprisingly, while some of the bullets hit their target, the rest of them bounced off of the body and bones of the creature. It appeared as if BurningGreymon's attacks weren't causing much damage, but the Beast Warrior wouldn't quit. He kept shooting a barrage of bullets at the terrifying creature, which only ricocheted off of the skeleton's bones and limbs on impact.

Already bored with his opponent's first attack, SkullCerberumon lifted one of his front paws and swatted the flying Digimon down to the ground. BurningGreymon's body slammed hard into the ground. Dust and debris flew all over the place. When the smoke settled, the Beast of Flame was already on all fours.

"BurningGreymon!" Bokomon cried, running to his aid. "Please tell me you're alright!"

"I'm fine." growled the Legendary Warrior. "Don't worry about me, Bokomon! Protect Zoe, not matter what!" He got back to his feet and flew once again to the skeleton-like Digimon.

"Right!" Bokomon obliged as he made his way towards an unconscious Zoe. He grabbed Neemon's wrist as the two of them raced to the blonde haired girl, who was slowly coming to. She opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was Neemon's fat head.

"Good, you're awake!" Neemon smiled. Zoe got up to her knees, still rubbing her aching head.

"What happened?" She asked. Zoe waited for her vision to clear up.

When it finally did, she saw a humongous dog skeleton in front of her. She gasped in fear but then also noticed a winged dragon shooting solar bullets at the creature. It was the Beast Warrior of Flame himself, BurningGreymon. She watched nervously as SkullCerberumon wrapped his tail around the fiery creature's body and hurled him into the wall.

"BurningGreymon!" Zoe cried. She leaped to her feet and made her way towards the armored dinosaur.

"Stay back!" The Beast Digimon ordered, stopping Zoe dead in her tracks. "It's too dangerous!"

"But..." Zoe begged with tears forming in her eyes.

"I'll be fine. I can beat this bucket of bones!" BurningGreymon said, flying back towards the skeleton-like creature. He noticed a fiendish grin on SkullCerberumon's face.

"Give me all you got, pathetic human!" He snarled.

"You want it? YOU GOT IT!" He growled angrily at boney monster. All of the sudden, BurningGreymon's entire body was covered with raging, red hot flames.

"WILDFIRE TSUNAMI!" BurningGreymon screamed.

The flames around his body has reached his peak. He then released a powerful, fiery tornado towards SkullCerberumon. The skeleton Digimon smiled as he braced himself for the attack. The gigantic flaming tornado engulfed the monster's entire body. BurningGreymon flew overhead, observing for any signs of damage.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" SkullCerberumon laughed. With a wave of his paws, the flames around him disappeared. BurningGreymon was shocked. There were no burns or any kind of damage done. He had unleashed his most powerful attack and yet he still couldn't hurt him.

"Foolish human!" SkullCerberumon chuckled. "You think an attack like that could bring me down? Hahahahahahaha! I guess you are as dumb as you look."

"This can't be happening!" BurningGreymon grumbled.

"He put everything he had in that attack and he's still standing!" Zoe pointed out. "Why won't you go down?"

"Simple!" SkullCerberumon answered, turning his attention towards Zoe. "The Chaos Sphere!"

"The Chaos Sphere?" Zoe repeated.

"Of course, my child. Lord Malevomon has fused my body with the awesome powers of the Chaos Sphere. With it, I am faster, stronger, meaner and better than what I was before! And now..." He turned his attention back to BurningGreymon. "... I'm going to use the Chaos Sphere's power to destroy you!"

He slowly opened his mandible as wide as he could. A ball of green light formed inside the creature's jaw. Smoke and steam inside the creature's mouth made its way out of the mouth. Suddenly, the ball of green light started to change. Green flames surrounded the luminosity. All of the sudden, SkullCerberumon closed his mouth and glared back at BurningGreymon.

"EMERALD BURNER!" SkullCerberumon shouted, opening his mouth one more time.

A gigantic fireball shot out of his mouth and towards the Beast Warrior of Flame. BurningGreymon couldn't believe his eyes. The fireball heading his way wasn't just fast, but it was huge. It was about four times the size of him. He got to a defensive stance, bracing himself for impact. SkullCerberumon's attack nailed BurningGreymon straight in the chest.

"AAARRRRGGGHHHH!" The Beast Warrior screamed in pain as the green flames engulf the creature's body.

The flames were so hot, BurningGreymon not only felt his skin was burning, but his muscles and bones were stinging in pain. He felt all of his energy being drained out of his body. He couldn't stand the heat anymore. Finally, the green fireball began to expand, increasing in size. Once when it got big enough, it exploded, filling the area with heavy clouds of smoke.

"TAKUYA!" Zoe cried, searching for Digimon of Flame.

The smoke was so dark and so thick, she couldn't see anything. Some of the burning fumes entered her nose, making the teenage girl sick to her stomach. She coughed really hard, fighting for air. It took only a few seconds for the smoke to clear. Once Zoe was finally able to breath, she spotted a teenage boy lying unconsciously on the ground. Tears fell out of her eyes as she made her way towards him.

"No, Takuya!" Zoe wept.

She got to her knees and placed her hand on the fallen warrior. Zoe examined Takuya's body and it was in pretty bad shape. He was covered in dirt from head to toe. There were a few burns on his right arm a couple of scratches on his left. His jeans were somewhat ripped and so were his shirt and jacket. She rolled the boy over until he was lying on his back. Zoe looked at her unconscious crush with nervousness and sadness in her eyes.

"Oh Takuya..." She whispered.

A teardrop fell off of her face and on to the boy's cheek. She would've cried more if she hadn't heard groaning noises coming from her best friend Takuya's face and stared at his shut eyes. The goggle head opened his eyes and saw a pair of emerald eyes filled with tears.

"Zoe...?" He called, faintly. He reached his hand towards the blonde haired girl and touch her face. Zoe gasped when Takuya's soft hands made contact with her face. She placed her hand on top of Takuya's to stop crying.

"Takuya! Oh thank goodness! You scared me half to death! I was so worried about you!"

"Z..." Takuya said. He smiled at the weeping girl, showing that he's happy that he's still here.

"Pardon me..." A dark, malicious voice interrupted. The sound send chills down Takuya's and Zoe's spin. The two of them looked up and noticed SkullCerberumon standing above them.

"I hate ruining a moment such as this, but I still have to destroy you!" There was a look of anger in Takuya's eyes. Zoe, however, showed fear and nervousness.

"Sku... SkullCerberumon!" Takuya sneered.

"Relax, boy. After I take your Spirits, I promise to make your demise quick and relatively painful." SkullCerberumon said. His long, boney tail slowly approached the two humans. The evil Digimon spotted the boy's D-Tector and made an attempt to retrieve it.

"NO!" Zoe cried, covering the D-Tector as well as Takuya's body with her own. Takuya's eyes shot open when he noticed his friend tightly embracing her.

"Zoe! What are you doing?" Takuya asked.

"Stand aside, foolish girl. It's not you who I'm after."

"Leave him alone, you creep!" Zoe ordered, scowling at the Ultimate level Digimon.

"I'm warning you. If you interfere, then I won't hesitate in hurting you as well! Now, for the last time, back away from the boy!" SkullCerberumon threatened.

"Zoe, run!" Takuya ordered. Zoe looked back at the boy's chocolate eyes. "He's too strong! Get out while you still can!"

"Takuya..." Zoe said.

"I'll be fine... Don't worry about me."

"NO!" Zoe spoke, more firmly. She got back to her feet and glared at the Digimon. She stood with her arms out wide and her legs apart, like she's protecting him.

"I won't run, Takuya."

"Zoe!" Takuya screamed.

"You've done all you could to protect me, and now it's my turn to protect you." Zoe said. She leered back at SkullCerberumon, who looked somewhat surprised that a mere human is standing up to him.

"So you're willing to risk your life for him, huh?" He asked. Zoe didn't say anything or nod her head. It was her eyes that gave SkullCerberumon the answer. The skeleton dog chuckled to himself, before snarling back at the defenseless girl.

"Very well. I'll destroy you first."

He wrapped his long, boney tail around Zoe's slender body. The teenage girl shrieked like a banshee as she's lifted up higher in the air. Next, SkullCerberumon squeezed hard on the girl's body. Zoe felt the pressure being applied on her body. She screamed in pain as the Digimon tightened his grip. Tears were forming in her eyes, but Zoe refused to let them fall. Still, the harder SkullCerberumon squeezed, the harder it was for her to resist.

"ZOE, NO!" Takuya screamed. He tried getting up, but his body was too weak. All he could do is helplessly watch the giant skeleton crushing his friend's body. It wasn't long until...

*snap*

"YEOOOOOOWWWWWW!" Zoe screamed loudly. It was the sound of one of her ribs breaking in half. But that still didn't stop SkullCerberumon from inflicting more pain on her. The louder she screamed, the harder he squeezed.

*snap*

Another one of Zoe's ribs has been broken. Zoe once again screamed in excruciating pain. Not only her body was getting crushed, but she was having trouble breathing as well.

*snap*

Another rib has been broken inside Zoe's body. She yelps in agony. White hot tears cascaded down her face. She was struggling to catch her breath. Zoe can feel her limbs growing numb. The pain was unbearable. She's not sure how much she could take.

"ZOE!" Takuya cried.

He never felt so helpless before. It's like déjà vu all over again. He remembered how useless and helpless he was when Gorilliamon attacked a defenseless Zoe. He wanted to help. He wanted to fight back, but he just couldn't. The same thing is happening here. He was too weak to get up, to fight, and to do anything to protect Zoe.

Finally, SkullCerberumon loosen his grip on Zoe's body, releasing her from his clutches. The girl landed hard on the solid ground. She winced in pain upon impact. She couldn't move or breathe. Tears were falling from her face and onto the ground. But before she could do anything else, SkullCerberumon wrapped his tail around Zoe's neck. He lifted her up above the ground like he did last time. He smirked back at the beaten boy.

"It's your choice, human." He said. "Either you give me the Spirits..." He tightened the grip around Zoe's neck, choking the life out of the poor girl. Zoe coughed, gasping for air, but the more she struggled, the hard SkullCerberumon squeezed. "... or your friend pays the price."

Takuya's eyes shot open at the proposal. He slowly got to his feet, still tired and injured from his previous fight. He gritted his teeth tightly together and scowled back at the Digimon.

"Put her down, SkullCerberumon!" He ordered, but the monster wouldn't let go. His tail was still wrapped around Zoe's neck. "Dammit, SkullCerberumon! I mean it! Let her go! Right now, or I'll..."

But before he could finish his threat, he paused. Upon hearing the argument, SkullCerberumon tightened his grip on the poor little girl's neck. Takuya stood there, feeling helpless. He looked at Zoe and noticed the tears streaming down her face. She couldn't breathe and her face was slowly changing colors. Even her coughs were becoming faint. Her arms and legs were growing numb. If she doesn't get any oxygen soon, she'll suffocate.

"This is your last warning, human." threatened SkullCerberumon. "If you don't give me the Spirits right now, then you'll never see your precious friend ever again. You hear me? Now, HAND OVER THE SPIRITS!"

Takuya stood there, frozen like a solid statue. He was very well aware of the precarious situation he's in right now. Now he's forced to make one painful choice. Should he give up his Spirits and save Zoe? Or should he keep the Spirits and risk losing Zoe for good? It's one of the toughest decisions he ever has to make. Would he risk his friend's life to save the entire Digital World? Or would he risk the entire Digital World to save Zoe? Takuya looked down at his D-Tector, thinking as hard as he could. The harder he thought, the tighter he clenched his little device. Finally, Takuya gave up.

"Alright..." He sighed. He held out his hand, revealing his D-Tector to the Ultimate level Digimon. "Here you go, SkullCerberumon. My Spirits are..."

"No... Takuya!" Zoe cried feebly. Her words stopped Takuya from going any further. He looked back up at his friend. Her face was wet, her hair was a mess and her body looked completely messed up. Takuya noticed her shaking her head.

"Don't... Don't do it... T... Takuya." She coughed. It was painful for her to speak. A couple of ribs inside her body were broken, making it very difficult for her to talk, let alone breathe.

"But Zoe, if I don't give him the Spirits, he will..." Takuya tried reasoning.

"I don't care... what... what he does to me. Never give up. D... Don't stop... f... fighting, Takuya. You can beat him..." Zoe spoke, still struggling to breathe

"Silence, captive!" SkullCerberumon ordered, choking the air out of the defenseless girl.

"Zoe!" Takuya cried.

"You... You can beat him... Ta... Takuya." She gagged. "I... I believe in you."

And then, Takuya saw something he hadn't seen in while. Zoe was smiling back at him. A gigantic skeleton dog was choking her out, and let she still has the strength to crack a smile. Takuya saw the assuring gesture. He felt a powerful surge in his heart. His confidence level went back up a few notches.

"I said..." SkullCerberumon growled. "SILENCE!"

Losing his patience, he slammed Zoe hard into the wall. The violent blow shook the entire room. As Takuya try to regain his balance, the skeleton beast slammed Zoe into another wall across the room. A crater the size of Zoe's body formed when she slammed into the wall. Takuya stood there motionlessly. He watched as the skeleton beast kept throwing her around the room like a rag doll. His eyes began to water. The blood in his body was pumping at an extremely fast pace. Anger filled inside her body and in his mind. He held his D-Tector up, preparing to Spirit Evolve once again.

But before he can do anything, SkullCerberumon threw Zoe up in the air. Her body crashed hard into the ceiling. She groaned in pain, as if her body can't take any more punishment. Never in her life had she been through so much pain, especially in the Digital World. Her cheeks were covered with tears and dirt. SkullCerberumon examined the motionless body wrapped around his tail.

The evil Digimon finally loosened his grip around the girl. He and Takuya watched as the girl fell from the ceiling to the solid ground below. She landed on a pile of rocks, screaming in agonizing pain upon impact. She was coughing and gasping for air. It felt like almost every one of her ribs has been broken. Even her arms and legs felt numb. She was in so much pain, and yet she couldn't move. It wasn't long before a circular ring of Fractal Code surrounded her body. An evil grin appeared on SkullCerberumon's face.

"Excellent." He chuckled. "The human's Fractal Code is now mine to take." But before he could approach the injured girl, Takuya stepped in front of him.

"Move aside, worthless human."

But Takuya wouldn't budge. His entire body was shaking. However, it wasn't in fear, but more along the lines of anger and rage. His black hat covered Takuya's eyes. His breaths were hard and heavy. His fists were clenched so tight, you can see the veins on the boy's hands. He slowly raised his head and leered at the giant skeleton.

"You've hurt my friend..." He said softly. He held his D-Tector at this side, slowly moving up to his chest. "... and for that... I will... never... FORGIVE YOU!"

The ground started shaking violently, making SkullCerberumon fall on one of his knees. A body of fire completely covered the boy's body. The wall of fire was then wrapped by long strips of Fractal Code. Takuya held out his D-Tector out in front and unleashed a loud and powerful roar.

*Insert Song: With The Will*

A bluish sketch of the Human Spirit of Flame traced on the black screen of Takuya's D-Tector. But at the same time, an outline of a red beast opened its jaw and snapped towards the fourth wall. Finally, the Human Spirit and Beast Spirit of fire overlap one another on Takuya's D-Tector. His device began to glow as he reached forward with his left hand. This time, a large ball of Fractal Code covered the boy's hand. After a few quick arm swings and stretches, Takuya brought his D-Tector and Fractal Code together.

"EXECUTE, NOW!" He hollered. He swiped the ball of Fractal Code with the scanner on top of the D-Tector. "FUSION EVOLUTION!"

Upon saying those words, a long stream of Fractal Code spiraled around the boy's body. And just like before, Takuya's clothes began to disintegrate as both the Human and Beast Spirit of Fire awakened. The boy felt a surge of energy completely taking over his body. Takuya screamed as loud as he could during the transformation, signifying how much energy and power his body is consuming. He could feel the two Spirits coming together and combining their energies. His arms, legs, head and his entire body were slowly changing into the Legendary Spirits of Flame. It wasn't long before the transformation was finally complete. The cocoon of Fractal Code exploded, revealing a newly fused monster ready to fight. The Digimon created a fireball twice the size of a basketball and shot it in front of him. At the same time, a wall of fire surrounded the creature's body. When it subsided, the Digimon stood tall and firm.

"ALDAMON!" The Digimon cried.

The fiery Digimon stomped viciously on the floor and unleashed one of his loudest roars. The temperature in the Heating Room suddenly rose. SkullCerberumon took a long good look at his new opponent. It was a Digimon fused together with both the Human and the Beast Spirit of Flame. He had the same black bodysuit as the previous two Spirits had. He also had crimson red plating with gold outlines on his chest, forearms, hips, thighs, and shins. The monster also wore fiery red shoulder plates with a block spike on top. Besides the red armor on his arms, the monster had extended golden blasters or Rudri Tarpana. The creature had sharp talons on its feet covered with shining white armor. Blazing hot orange wings spread across its back along with long, spiky yellow hair on his head. Finally, the creature wore a red mask with three thick, grey horns on the top of it. The only thing visible was the Hybrid's mouth and bluish eyes. Aldamon looked back at the unconscious Zoe who was laying motionlessly on the ground. He growled as he turned his attention towards the skeleton-like Digimon who had a surprised look on his face.

"What the heck..." SkullCerberumon wondered. "What is this? Fusion Evolution? How did this boy able to combine the Human and Beast Spirits together?"

"Aldamon!" Bokomon cried, approaching the fiery Digimon.

"Bokomon, I'm counting on you..." said Aldamon. "Protect Zoe!" He spread his wings out wide and flew up in the air. He and SkullCerberumon exchanged vicious glares at each other, waiting for their opponent to make a move.

"So what if you fused the two Spirits together? That still doesn't mean you're going to win. I'll destroy you and deliver the Spirits of Flame to Lord Malevomon!" At that point, SkullCerberumon leaped towards the Flame Digimon, ready to tackle him to the ground. "NOW, DIE HUMAN!"

Aldamon waited patiently for his target to get close enough. The cannons on his arms made a 180° turn and opened up for firing mode. His Rudri Tarpana started glowing a fiery red, increasing energy with each passing second. Finally, Aldamon's blasters had reached full capacity.

"You first, you bucket of bones. Atomic Inferno!"

Aldamon started punching rapidly towards the skeleton Digimon in front of him. He released thousands of rocketing fireball missiles from his cannons as each projectile flew towards the pouncing SkullCerberumon. Each fireball missiles exploded upon impact against the monster's skeleton body. Each explosion knocked the Ultimate level Digimon backwards until he crashed against the wall behind him. Aldamon wasn't done with his assault. He dove towards the fallen skeleton Digimon with his tightly clenched fist. SkullCerberumon shook off the dizziness in his head and got back on all four paws. But the moment he turned his head to find the Digimon of Fire, a brutal punch to the face, knocking SkullCerberumon off his feet. A thick cloud of gray dust filled Aldamon glided himself backwards in the middle of the room to observed the beaten Digimon. When the smoke clears, Aldamon could see the skeleton Digimon wobbling on all fours. Now he's the one who's covered in dirt and burn marks. SkullCerberumon was gasping hard, panting for air.

"Give up, SkullCerberumon." ordered Aldamon. "It's over."

"It's not over, foolish human!" chuckled SkullCerberumon. "You can't beat me. I have the Chaos Sphere inside my body. There's no way I could lose to you. The Chaos Sphere has given me tremendous power. And with it, I SHALL DESTROY YOU.

SkullCerberumon opened his mandible as wide as he could and a ball of green light formed inside the creature's jaw. Smoke and steam inside the skeleton's mouth made its way out. The ball of green light, all of the sudden, changed into green flames. SkullCerberumon closed his mouth and glared back at Aldamon.

"EMERALD BURNER!" SkullCerberumon shouted, opening his mouth one more time.

A gigantic fireball shot out of his mouth and towards the Digimon of Flame. Aldamon stared intensely at the scorching projecting heading his way. He gave out a small sigh before shutting his eyes, letting the fireball hit him head-on. Then, without warning, the green fireball engulfed Aldamon's entire body.

"Aldamon! No!" Bokomon shouted. He looked away from the horrific scene in front of him. He had his eyes shot, forcing the tears back.

"T... Takuya..." Someone whispered.

Bokomon eyes shot up and looked towards the source of the sound. He saw Zoe's unmoving body still lying on the ground. He noticed Zoe's shirt tattered and torn. The same thing could be said about her purple beanie. Bokomon observed Zoe's lower extremities and noticed a few scratches, scrapes and bruised on Zoe's bare legs. The mutant Digimon made his way back up to Zoe's facial features. Her hair was scraggly and all over the place. Zoe's cheeks were somewhat covered in dirt as well as a few tear stains. But Bokomon noticed two emerald eyes gazing up at the battle in front of them.

"Zoe!" Bokomon cried. "My dear, Zoe! Are you alright?" He asked.

Zoe, however, didn't answer Bokomon's question. Instead, he mind was focused on the expanding green fireball with Aldamon trapped inside. When the fireball stopped growing, it exploded. Thick clouds of smoke once again filled the area.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" SkullCerberumon laughed in triumph. "I told you, pathetic human! You can't beat me; not with the power of the Chaos Sphere inside my body! My attacks are faster and more powerful than yours will ever be! It's all over, human!" He unleashes another deafening laugh.

"Takuya..." Zoe murmured with tears running down her face. She gazed deeply through the thick cloud of smoke, trying to find either a fiery Digimon or a goggle headed teenaged boy.

"You're were saying?" A deep voice said, causing the skeleton's laughter to come to a stop.

He looked closely at the dark cloud. It took a while, but he finally caught a glimpse of a silhouette hovering inside smoke. A few seconds later, the smoke faded away, and an enraged Aldamon appeared before the skeleton Digimon. SkullCerberumon gasped in shock. He could not believe his eyes.

"Im... Impossible!" stuttered SkullCerberumon. "I've unleashed my strongest attack on you! I even have the Chaos Sphere inside me! So, why are you still standing? Answer me!"

He watched as Aldamon lowered himself down to the ground. He landed next to Zoe, who was barely conscious. However, she could see a reassuring smile on Aldamon's face. The Digimon of Flame turned back to SkullCerberumon.

"TELL ME!" The creature demanded.

"Why tell you... WHEN I CAN JUST SHOW YOU?" Aldamon answered, raising his voice with each word he spoke.

The Hybrid Digimon raised his hands in the air and gathered all of the heat energy within the Heating Room and the area around him. The assembled energy he collected started to take form and expand, creating an extremely dense fireball.

"No! You can't!" SkullCerberumon said nervously. "I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED!"

"Too late, SkullCerberumon! It's time for you to pay. THIS ONE'S FOR ZOE!" Aldamon roared. Finally, the fireball's energy has reached its critical peak. Aldamon focused on his target and roars out loud one last time.

"SOLAR WIND DESTROYER!" He yelled, heaving the giant fireball towards SkullCerberumon.

Everything in the fireball's path either caught on fire, melted to the ground or incinerated into a million pieces. Finally, the fireball collides into SkullCerberumon's body. The skeleton Digimon cries in extreme agony as the energy of Aldamon's attack. One by one, the bones on the Digimon crumbled into thousands of pieces. SkullCerberumon lost one of his front legs and one of his back legs. The long boney tail fell off of the creature and landed hard on the ground, disappearing on impact. SkullCerberumon continued to cry in pain, but before more of his bones could be destroyed. A ring of Fractal Code surrounded the creature's body.

"Nobody harms my best friend and gets away with it." Aldamon said, pulling out his D-Tector. "And you're no exception, Bonehead!" The scanner of the top of the device lighted up and the symbol of Flame appeared on the screen.

"FRACTAL CODE... DIGITIZE!"

He swung his arm out, absorbing the Fractal Code around SkullCerberumon's body. When all of the data has been absorbed, the body of the Ultimate level Digimon also digitized until there was nothing left.

A body of Fractal Code surrounded Aldamon's body and seconds later a teenage boy with goggles appeared in the middle of the room. He looked down and noticed a black sphere on the ground, surging with energy. But since the host was defeated, the power in the Chaos Sphere diminished. When the evil energy was all gone, the Chaos Sphere shattered into bits and pieces. Takuya placed his D-Tector back in his pocket and ran towards Zoe, who was still on her back, too hurt to move.

"Zoe..." He spoke. He got on his knees and placed a hand on her cheek. The dirt and tear stains on Zoe's face covered her substantial blush.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

He watched as Zoe nodded her head. She coughed a few times and cringed in pain with each gag. Her ribs were still broken and she still couldn't move, but that doesn't matter. Takuya's alive and is right by her side. She gazed deeply into his chocolate eyes. Nothing can interrupt this wonderful moment their sharing together... nothing...

"Um... Takuya?" Bokomon butted in. "I hate to interrupt, but we need to get out of here!"

The goggle-head looked up and noticed rocks and metal falling from the roof. He just had a huge battle with SkullCerberumon. All of the smashing against the walls and attacks are making the place unstable. If they don't get out of there soon, the entire room will cave in.

"Come on! Let's move!" Takuya ordered.

Bokomon leaped to his feet, grabbed Neemon by his pants and hurried towards the exit of the Heating Room. Takuya wrapped one of Zoe's arms around his neck. He placed one of his hands on her injured back and the other hand under her legs. He lifted her off the ground and dashed out of the room. A ton of rocks and boulders fell on the ground, and just like that, the entire Heating Room was caved in.

Takuya rushed through the hallway, up the steps that lead back to the surface. He exited out of the tunnel with a cloud of dust following behind him. Takuya took a minute to catch his breath. He turned towards Zoe with another smile on his face. He was kind of surprised noticing Zoe breaking a smile back at him. He removed the hair off of her face, revealing her mesmerizing emerald eyes, her cute, petite nose and a pair of lips begging for Takuya to work some magic...

"Roaring Fire!" Someone shouted. Takuya and Zoe looked behind them and noticed a Meramon running straight towards them. A fireball the size of a basketball was in his hand, ready to use to burn the two teenage humans.

"Diamond Cutter!" A gallant voice cried.

Meramon stopped dead in his tracks and the fireball in his hand disappeared. Swiftmon reappeared in between the Digimon and the two human teenagers just as the fiery Digimon burst into tiny bits.

"Are you two alright?" He asked.

"We're fine." Takuya answered. "We're just a little sore from..."

"Hang on a second..." interrupted the warrior-like Digimon. His attention shifted towards another group of Meramon marching towards them. Each one of them had a fireball in their hands. They approached Swiftmon and the two humans.

"Swiftmon!" Takuya cried.

"I got this... Diamond Cutter!" shouted the swordsman Digimon.

He quickly disappeared from the Chosen Children's sights. That still didn't stop the Meramon from proceeding with their attack. They launched their fireballs at the two humans. Takuya watched helplessly as the fireballs drew closer and closer. He wanted to Spirit Evolve again, but he just couldn't. His energy level was just too low. Not only that, but Zoe was hurt real bad. He couldn't leave her alone, especially in her condition.

But just when the fireballs could get any closer, Swiftmon reappeared and slashed each oncoming fireball in half. The swordsman disappeared again and this time reappeared behind the group of fiery Digimon. The Meramon turned and prepared themselves to launch another attack. With both swords in his hands, Swiftmon quickly danced around the squad of fiery Digimon, hacking and swinging his blades at the enemies. Five seconds later, Swiftmon reappeared in front of the two humans. He spun his sword around a couple of times before sliding it back into his scabbard. The sound of sword and sheath colliding makes a "chink" noise. The moment the sound entered Meramons' ears, their bodies disintegrated into a pieces. Swiftmon looked back at Takuya and Zoe.

"What happened to you guys?" He asked.

"We were attacked by one of Malevomon's evil Digimon." Takuya answered.

"Well, did you find the Spirit?" Swiftmon wondered. Takuya reached into his pocket and took out his D-Tector. The Symbols of Flame appeared on the screen and Takuya showed it to Swiftmon. Swiftmon just nodded his head.

"Excellent job, you two!" He complimented. "Now, let's get...

"Beautiful Beam!" An angelic voice sang.

Swiftmon, along with Takuya and Zoe, turned their attention towards Beautymon, who was just finishing off the last couple of Meramon with her destructive dark pink beam. When the fiery Digimon were defeated, the female Digimon turned towards Swiftmon with her olive hair dancing with the wind. She looked back at her partner and gave him one of her signature winks.

"I win, Swiftmon!" She giggled. "I've defeated more Meramon than you!"

"Beautymon?"

"Oh, don't be a sore loser."

"Now's not the time, Beautymon." grumbled Swiftmon.

"Whatever..." She sighed. She gave the boy another one of her enticing winks. However, her seductive techniques were falling on deaf ears. She noticed the brown haired had his attention focused on the injured Zoe and she didn't like it; not one bit.

"BEAUTYMON!" Swiftmon yelled.

"WHAT?" She yelled back.

"The signal?" Swiftmon mentioned. Once again, Beautymon sighed in disappointment. She rose her hand up as high as she could and fired another "Beautiful Beam" in the sky.

"Everybody, back to the Digiporter, NOW!" Swiftmon ordered. He took off in running back to where the Digiporter was. Beautymon just stared at the two human children with envy in her eyes; more towards Zoe. She waved her arms around as flower petals surrounded her body. She vanished in thin air as the remaining flower petals danced gracefully with the wind.

"Come on, guys. Let's get out of here!" Takuya ordered.

He ran as fast as he could behind Swiftmon with Bokomon and Neemon following behind. He was still carrying a beaten Zoe around his arms, which slowed him down a little bit. And to make things worse, there are still more evil Digimon attacking them. Takuya juked left and right with a couple of backdrops in order to avoid the oncoming lasers, bolts and arrows, and heavy boulders. He quickly spotted Bokomon and Neemon standing on top of the Digiporter But the platform started to lighting up, which meant that teleportation process has just started.

Takuya kicked it into high gear and sprint the remaining distance. He can feel his heart pumping harder and faster than ever before. He looked back at Zoe and gave her a quick nod. Once he was close enough, he leaped towards the platform and landed perfectly on the Digiporter on both of his feet. A second later, a white light shot out from the bottom of the Digiporter, engulfing every Digimon and the two humans with its bright light. When it subsided, Takuya, Zoe and all of the Digimon on the platform had vanished.

* * *

><p>The Digimon, along with Takuya and Zoe finally reappeared in the Digiporter Room a few seconds later. Once the teleportation process has been completed, all of the Digimon started walking off of the platform. Takuya was the last one to step off of the Digiporter, carrying an unconscious Zoe under his arms. He walked towards the exit of the room as it slowly open up. A very old Digimon with a long white beard appeared before the two teenagers. He approached Takuya, who was showing signs of weakness and fatigued. He noticed his knees were trembling and his breaths were hard and rapid.<p>

"Lord Eldestmon, we have come to you with some good news!" Swiftmon proclaimed, bowing towards the leader of the Digimon Battlefront.

"Did you retrieve the Spirits?" asked Eldestmon. Takuya set his best friend down to the ground. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his D-Tector.

"I got em'!" Takuya said, showing his device to Eldestmon. He saw the Symbols of Fire on the D-Tector's screen. He slightly nodded in approval.

"Excellent work, my boy." He complimented. "With the Spirits of Flames in our possession, we are one step closer in..."

But before he could finish, the young boy dropped his D-Tector. He saw Takuya fell down on his knees and collapse on the floor next to Zoe and immediately slipped into unconscious. Eldestmon, along with Swiftmon and Beautymon, examined the two unconscious humans lying on the ground.

"Wow..." Beautymon spoke. "He's even cuter when he's knocked out."

"Enough flirting, Beautymon." Eldestmon ordered. He then snapped his fingers, and just like that, two Blisseymon appeared pushing two stretchers in front of them. "Take these two to the Medical Wing."

The Blisseymon oblige by giving a tiny curtsey. They placed the two unconscious humans on the stretchers and pushed them down the hallways with Bokomon and Neemon following behind. As Eldestmon watched them go, he felt like a huge burden has been lifted above his shoulders. It may be just one victory, but this could be exactly what the Digimon Battlefront need to turn the tide of this war.

* * *

><p>Cold, dark, empty, and lonely. Those are a few of the many words that can describe the wicked Malevomon's castle. With bone-chilling stone walls surrounding the fortified structure all the up to the tallest towers. Surrounding the walls was a moat filled with ice cold water. Large amounts of evil Digimon under Malevomon's control patrolled the boarders on the castle. Each monster was looked just as nasty as the one marching next to them.<p>

One of the dark creatures was frantically running towards the castle. He juked passed the patrolling Digimon and approached the moat. He watched as the drawbridge lowered itself down to the ground and the gigantic doors to Malevomon's castle opened up. He quickly rushed across the bridge and entered the castle. He raced through the pitch black hallways of the lobby and up the spiral steel staircase. The long fleet of stairs led the Digimon straight to a pair of wooden doors that leads to the Throne Room. He opened up and entered a circular room. Inside, a tall chair made of obsidian and brimstone sat in the middle of the room.

"Lord Malevomon! Lord Malevomon!" The Digimon cried. "I bring you good news and bad news, your highness!"

The Digimon was a dark, pint-sized imp with a white "S" on his chest. He had dark, bat wings on his back, gray gloves on his hands and a small, devil-like tail on his behind. On his back was a black backpack carrying tiny bombs, explosives and other items. He stood in front of the throne and got down on one knee. In front of the little creature, a portal opened up, and a tall silhouette appeared in front of the trembling creature. The image was pitch black, making it impossible to see who the figure inside.

"Well... Get on with it, Sinistromon!" The silhouette ordered.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Sinistromon**

**Level: Rookie**

**Attacks: Mini Boomer; Double Ganger**

**Description: Sinistromon may be small, but his Mini Boomer attack packs quite a punch. He uses dirty tricks and mind games to get inside the enemy's head. Sinistromon most notable roles are being Malevomon's lap dog and most trusted, loyal servant.**

"Y... Yes, most excellent one." Sinistromon obeyed.

He reached inside his backpack and took out a couple items which appeared to be Legendary Spirits. One of the relics had a sharp green top with a circular mirror in front, while the other had multiple green orbs with eyeballs stacked on top of each other. However, both Spirits were made of solid metal.

"The good news is, we've recovered another Spirit for you, your highness." He said, presenting the relics to his master.

"Excellent work, Sinistromon!" The shadowy figure praised. "Put them in the vault, where the other three Spirits are."

"Yes sir! Right away, sir!" Sinistromon said, putting the Spirits back into his backpack.

"I also sent Cerberumon and his regiment to the Flame Terminal where the Spirits of Flames are located. He should be returning shortly." The silhouette said. Upon hearing the announcement, the tiny imp froze. He slowly turned back to his master with beads of sweat dropping on his forehead.

"Um... your highness?" He spoke nervously. "That's the bad news..."

"Say what?" The shadowy figure of Malevomon asked.

"I'm... I'm afraid, sir... Cerberumon's has been... defeated, my lord."

"WHAT?"

"I'm sorry, sir... but... the Digimon Battlefront has... well... they have the Spirits now, sir..."

"IMPOSSIBLE!" A giants hand shot out of the portal and grabbed Sinistromon's neck. He lifted him up in the air. The small demon's feet dangled above the ground as he struggled to breath.

"How can those Digimon Battlefreaks defeat Cerberumon? He had one of my precious Chaos Spheres! How could he have lost? ANSWER ME!" He shouted, squeezing tighter with each sentence.

"Sir... I can explain." Sinistromon gaged. "It's the humans..."

"Humans?"

"Yes, your highness. It seems that a couple of humans have joined the Digimon Battlefront... sir. One of the humans somehow managed to retrieve the Spirits of Flame... and, uh ... used it to defeat Cerberumon."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, your highness. Even with the Chaos Sphere, Cerberumon still couldn't defeat the humans with their Spirits."

"I see..." Malevomon said. The shadow hand released the imp's tiny neck, dropping him to the ground. The hand pulled itself back into the portal.

"What are we going to do, your majesty?" asked Sinistromon. "The Humans have the Spirits of Flame in their possession and have defeated one of best fighters."

"That doesn't matter." Malevomon reassured. "Sinistromon, things have gotten a lot more interesting..."

"Haha... Hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter seven. <strong>

**Now that Takuya's got his Spirits, will Zoe be able to find hers? With four Spirits in Malevomon's possession, will our heroes be able to defeat the great evil spreading throughout the Digital World? Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	8. Breezy Village

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**Takuya Spirit Evolved to Agunimon and rescued his friends just in time. And just like before, he easily trounced Cerberumon. That is, until Dog Breath Digivolved into to the Ultimate level. SkullCerberumon overpowered the Warrior of Flame and even injured poor Zoe in the process. After seeing his best friend sacrificing herself to save him, Takuya Fusion Evolved to Aldamon and defeated SkullCerberumon once and for all. He and the others barely escaped the Flame Terminal with their lives. But while this may be a huge victory for our two heroes, who knows when and where Malevomon will strike next?**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter eight!**

* * *

><p><strong>Breezy Village<strong>

**Normal POV:**

Malevomon's giant castle resided somewhere in the darkest parts of the Digital World. It is so dark, it's nearly impossible for any kind of light to penetrate its boundaries. Many say that once a Digimon enters the area, they come out with their minds plagued with malicious thoughts and their hearts filled with wicked energy. This entire spot where the malevolent emperor reigns supreme is known as The Dark Kingdom.

The long drawbridge to the castle dropped open as a tiny imp with bat wings on its back and gray gloves on his hands dashed into the castle. He raced through one of the dark hallways and up the spiral, steel staircase. Once when he got to the very top, he dashed through another hallway until he came up to a pair of wooden doors with dimly lit torches hanging on the sides of the wall. The tall doors opened up, and the small demon entered the circular Throne Room. A tall chair made of obsidian and brimstone sat in the middle of the room. The tiny creature made his way towards the center and got down on one knee.

"Lord Malevomon, sir! I bring you good news, sire!" said Sinistromon. A few seconds later, giant portal opened up in the middle of the room, revealing a shadowy figure of the malicious emperor. The imp grinned as he once again spoke.

"Go on..." The silhouette said.

"Of course. We have the location of the Legendary Spirits of Wind. It's in a small place called Breezy Village. Your highness"

"And what about the humans?"

"No problem sir, I've sent a few of our best fighters over to retrieve the Legendary Spirits of Wind. So, if they do encounter those pathetic humans, they'll crush them with no problem."

"Excellent, Sinistromon." The evil emperor grinned. After a few seconds of maniacal laughter, the shadow figure slowly stepped out of the portal and into the center of the Throne Room.

In front of Sinistromon stood the evil emperor of the Digital World, the creator of the Chaos Spheres, Malevomon. He had a pair of black dress shoes with a dark spherical emblem on the front. He also wore black formal suit pants with a small patch on both of the kneecaps. Malevomon also had a casual white shirt with a crimson and black vest, with a long, thick, red scarf around his neck. A dark coat with a high collared cape draped down to his lower back. There was a small slit in the end of each of Malevomon's sleeves and white gloves on each of his large hands. Finally, he had a large silver mask covering his entire face. Only his mouth and terrifying eyes can be seen.

"All hail the great emperor, Lord Malevomon!" Sinistromon praised.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Malevomon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Malevolent Onslaught; Kinetic Chaos **

**Description: He is the Creator of Chaos, the King of Destruction and the Emperor of the Digital World, Lord Malevomon. This wicked Digimon makes all of the other evil Digimon look like cupcakes. He tortures, breaks and beats innocent Digimon to a point beyond recognition before completely annihilating them. His most devastating attack is Malevolent Onslaught.**

"It's time I finally introduce myself to those humans." He announced.

"But, sir! Please, I beg of you! Save your strength, your majesty! You don't need to waste your energy on those worthless humans! Let me take care of them for you, my lord."

"Are you questioning my authority?"

"Of course not, your highness. I'm just saying, these humans are they're a lot stronger than we could ever anticipate. After all, they did defeat Cerberumon. Even with a Chaos Sphere in his possession, it wasn't even to defeat those meddling kids."

"It matters not. Besides, out of every Digimon in my control, that mangy mutt was my weakest servant."

"But, my lord..."

"Enough, you imbicle!" ordered Malevomon. "I want to meet these two Legendary Warriors. And... I'm sure that they would want to meet me, too."

He then broke off into his signature maniacal, wicked laughter that echoed across the Throne Room, through the hallways to the outside portions of Malevomon's dark castle.

* * *

><p><strong>Takuya's POV:<strong>

This is the tenth time I've walked past the Emergency Room. I gazed at the door for almost a full minute, waiting for them to open. Time passed and still nothing. I got an aching feeling in my stomach, since I knew who was behind those doors. During the retrieval of the Spirits of Flame, Zoe got hurt real bad. Now she's in the infirmary with plenty of Blisseymon inside healing her injuries. I prayed my hardest hoping she'll be alright, hoping she'll walk out of the room fully healed.

Minutes turned to hours. And yet my best friend still hasn't come out of the Emergency Room. The long wait was killing me, but I had to believe in Blisseymon's powers. After all, Swiftmon said so.

*Flashback*

_My consciousness returned and the first I noticed was the sweet smell of freshly picked strawberries or green grass entering my nose. I slowly opened my eyes to search for the source of that wonderful smell. All of the sudden, a pair of violet orbs gazed deeply into mine, which caught me by surprise._

_"YIKES!" _

_I slipped off the edge of the bed and landed on the top of my skull. I rubbed my head, trying to ease the huge headache. But then suddenly, the smell of luscious flowers entered my nostrils, instantly healing my mild head injury. Someone took my hand and helped me to my feet. Before I knew it, I was wrapped in a nice, warm embrace. It took me a while to figure out who was hugging me._

_"Good morning, sleepyhead!" Beautymon giggled, before releasing me._

_"Um... Hey, Beautymon." I smiled. "What are... What are you doing here?"_

_"Heehee! Why else would I be here? I'm taking good care of you."_

"_Oh. Um... thanks Beautymon, but that's alright." I replied. "You don't have to..."_

"_Oh, but I insist..." _

_I tried to get away from Beautymon, but she had a strong grip on my wrist. But when I turned to confront her, my face was surrounded by all kinds of dancing flower petals. Another scent entered my nose, and just like that, I had lost control of my body. I couldn't move a muscle. Beautymon quickly took advantage of my position and cupped my chin. She puckered up her lips and slowly closed the distance. While a part of me tried to resist, the other half accepted the female's kind gestures. I subconsciously went with the flow, tilted my head sideways and had my lips hover over Beautymon's._

"_What's going on here?" Someone spoke. My eyes shot open and I looked to my right. Leaning against the door with his arms crossed together, was a humanoid Digimon with a couple of broadswords on his back. _

_"Cut it out, Beautymon. Now's not the time for that."_

"_Oh, Swiftmon..." Beautymon sighed. "You're such a killjoy." _

_Her sleeves slid off of my chin and her hair danced off of my face. Finally, the sweet smell of the female Digimon had disappeared. At that point, I finally regained control of my body. I looked back at Beautymon, who just gave another one of her signature winks. Her little gestured made my cheeks turn red._

_"I'll see you later, Cutie!" Beautymon waved before skipping out of the Medical Wing._

"_How you feeling, my boy?" Swiftmon asked._

"_I guess I'm alright." I answered, rubbing the back of my head. I then looked around the room and noticed that someone was missing._

"_Where's Zoe? Is she alright?" I waited nervously for Swiftmon to answer. He placed on a hand on my shoulder and sighed. I could tell the news wasn't good when I saw him shaking his head._

"_Son, your injuries were only minor. Hers... well..."_

"No!_" I gulped nervously. The muscles in my body were growing more tense._

"_She suffered quite a few broken ribs, a fractured spine and a punctured lung. She's in critical condition. We got our team of Blisseymon in the Emergency Room working on her..."_

_I didn't care what else Swiftmon had to say. I ran past him, rushed out of the room Medical Wing and raced through the halls, searching for the Emergency Room. I juked passed a few battlefront Digimon walking down the lobby. Beads of sweat glided down my face, but not because of the strenuous sprinting. I'm more worried about Zoe and the pain she's in. If she doesn't make it out alive, I can never forgive myself._

_Finally, I saw the Emergency Room. It had two large steel doors with a red cross on the top of the wall. The red cross was lit red, which meant that someone was inside. In this case, it was Zoe. I saw Neemon lying on a bench nearby while Bokomon was pacing back and forth in front of the door._

"_Bokomon! Neemon!" I called. _

_Bokomon stopped his walking and saw me running towards him. Neemon also woke up from his slumber and jump next to his friend. I was only a few feet away from my two Digimon friends when I crashed into another Digimon. After fighting off the dizziness, I looked up and noticed the Battlefront's second-in-command standing in between me and the Emergency Room_

"_Swiftmon!" I spoke._

"Y_ou're not permitted to enter." He ordered._

"But..._ Zoe needs me!" I argued. "It's my fault that she's like this. I have to see her. I need to know if she's alright."_

"_I understand how you feel, but you can't go in there. We got more than half of our team of Blisseymon working on her injuries. We need them to focus on their jobs. Do not disturb them."_

"_But I..."_

"_That's an order!" He spoke. _

*End of Flashback*

I've walked around the hallways eleven straight times already. I finally returned to the Emergency Room and noticed that doors were wide open. Two Blisseymon merrily walked out of the Emergency Room, carrying medical supplies and a few aprons. I immediately sprinted towards the entrance and peeked inside the room, hoping to see a fully recovered Zoe standing in front of me. Unfortunately, when I walked in, there was no one inside. All I saw was a hospital bed, medical tools and a couple of weird looking machines. A small, purple beanie rested against one of the pillows of the bed. I picked it up and examined it.

"Zoe..." I thought as I grabbed her headwear. No doubt this was hers. Where could she be? She would never go anywhere without her...

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Someone shouted. My head shot up as I recognized who screamed.

"ZOE!" I cried. I dashed out of the Emergency Room and sprinted through the halls. "WHERE ARE YOU? ZOE!" I yelled.

"NO! STOP! GET AWAY FROM ME! HELP!" The voice hollered.

"HANG ON, ZOE! I'M COMING!"

As I raced through the halls, I thought about my best friend. For all I know, Zoe could be in trouble. Maybe she's under attack or worse. I didn't know what to think, but if I don't find Zoe right away, who knows what would happen to her? Seconds later, I came to another door, where the screams were at its loudest. I placed my ear against the door.

I grabbed the handle and yanked the door wide open. I observed the strange roo... Wait a minute... I'm not in a room. I'm outside. I can see the blue skies, white clouds, and the hot sun above. The grass was green and moist while the bushes were nice and thick. There were a few tall trees within the area as well as a small playground with swings, monkey bars, tall slides, see-saws and a jungle gym. Call me crazy, but is this a playground?

I looked to my right and saw a blonde haired girl slowly walking backwards. A look of fear on her eyes was extremely noticeable. That could only mean one thing. But before I could move, something sprang up out of the ground and tackled the girl down to the ground. Next thing I knew, a bunch of tiny Digimon started ganging up on the poor girl.

"Zoe!" I shouted as I ran towards my best friend. My fists were clenched tight. I was about to grab the first monster I see and punch its lights out.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Zoe then laughed.

The sound of Zoe giggling surprised me. She got pounced on and she's laughing about it?

"Stop! You're tickling me! Hahaha!"

"Zoe? What the heck is going on?" I spoke, catching the girl's attention. Her smile tingled my stomach a little bit.

"Hi, Takuya!" She said. "The kids and I are playing Tickle Tag. Want to play?"

"Tickle Tag?"

"Yeah, it's their favorite game." Zoe answered, motioning to a bunch of In-Training Digimon.

"That's why you were screaming? You were getting mobbed by these... kids?" I questioned, raising one eyebrow.

"What? We were just having fun!"

"Jeez, Zoe! Don't scare me like that. I thought you were in trouble or being attacked or something."

"Takuya..." She gasped.

"Awwwwwww!" The In-Training children sighed. I glowered back at the little creatures, feeling both annoyed and embarrassed. I felt my cheeks changing colors.

"Awwwwwww? What does that even mean?" I snapped at the In-Training Digimon.

"So, you were worried about me, weren't you?" Zoe asked with a smirk. A small blush appeared on my face, but it wasn't enough for Zoe to notice. Then again, some of the kids saw my face turning red, causing them to giggle slyly.

"Me? Worried?" I asked in somewhat a defensive tone. "No, I never said I was worried about you, Zoe. I was just..."

Suddenly, we heard beeping noises coming from the intercom. After a few squeaks, scratches and clicks, a voice came from the radio above our heads.

"_Attention! Would the humans please report to the Digiporter Room immediately? I repeat. Would the humans please report to the Digiporter Room immediately?_"

That was the end of the announcement. I turned back toward the Battlefront entrance.

"Come on, Zoe." I said. "Let's go. They probably found another Spirit or something."

"In a minute, Takuya." Zoe replied. She kneeled down and gave each small Digimon a small pat on the head.

"Okay, kids. Zoe's got to go now."

"NOOOOOOO!" They complained.

"Don't go!" ||| "Stay here!" ||| "We want to play with you!"

"I know, I know." She sighed.

Sure seems like she didn't want to leave. From what I saw, she was having so much fun with the kids. I guess after a long day of fighting, battling and saving the Digital World, it's nice to settle down and play with young Digimon such as them.

"But, don't worry. We'll continue our game tomorrow. Okay?"

"Okay..." The Digimon grunted. She smiled back at the kids before turning to me.

"You ready?" She asked.

"Let's go." I nodded, handing my best friend her purple beanie.

* * *

><p>We walked to the Digiporter Room in utter silence. I can see Zoe occasionally sneaking in a couple of glances at me every now and then. But when I turned towards her, she would look the other way. I can tell Zoe was nervous about something. For some reason, her face had a small hue of red. Although I would never admit this to my best friend, she looked kind of cute when she's like this.<p>

"I'm sorry..." Zoe sighed.

"About what?" I asked.

"For being so weak."

"What are you talking about, Z?" I asked, coming to a stop so I can fully listen to her.

"Back at the Flame Terminal... when I tried to protect you from SkullCerberumon. Do you think I did the right thing?"

"Well, you did what you had to do." I smiled.

"I know. Pretty stupid, huh?" She asked, smiling along with me. A giggle escaped her mouth.

"Duh!" I grinned. That made Zoe playfully punched my arm. I grabbed the spot where she hit, pretending to be in pain. Which she likes... for whatever reason.

"Oh, Takuya. You're such a child." She said, turning away from me.

At least Zoe's happy again. Seeing her smile makes me smile too. It's like a chain reaction, you know? Whenever she's depressed, I feel the same way too. I took my hand off her shoulder and sighed.

"But in all honesty Zoe, what you did back there was very brave." I smiled.

"You really think so Takuya?" She asked me.

"But of course! You're the bravest person I know. Not a lot of guys would stay behind and sacrifice themselves to save their best friend from danger."

"You don't understand Takuya. I didn't do it because you were in danger. I didn't do it to prove how brave or tough I am. I did it because I care about you. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you back there."

"There's no need to worry Zoe. You will never lose me. As long as you're here with me, nothing bad will ever happen to us. I promise you."

"Thanks Takuya."

"No prob. Now come on, everyone's waiting for us."

I grabbed the handle on the decorated doors and pulled it open. Zoe and I walked into the Digiporter Room. I was expecting the room to be crowded like last time. But when we got inside, the only Digimon waiting for us were Bokomon, Neemon and Gotsumon. Zoe approached Gotsumon with a curious look on her face.

"Where is everyone?" She asked.

"This is everyone." Gotsumon answered.

"Where are all of the other Digimon?" She then asked.

"Either they're busy on other missions or they're too weak to fight. As of right now, it's just you humans that have been called."

"Hold on, you mean to tell me it's just the two of us?" I asked.

"Of course it is, Cutie." A choric voice spoke.

Various scents of wild flower entered my nostrils again. This could only mean one thing. I turned to see a wavy of olive hair brushing across my face. Two violet eyes appeared before me, almost catching me by surprise.

"Beautymon!" I exclaimed. She winked back at me, making my cheeks turn red. I turned back to Zoe, and... you guessed it. She sure doesn't look to happy, especially when Beautymon's capturing my attention

"He has a name, you know!'" Zoe hissed.

"Indeed he does, Blondie! And he shall be named 'my Cutie.'" Beautymon giggled.

"Oh no you don't."

"Back off, Blonde! He's mine!"

"Enough! Both of you!" Someone behind me ordered. I turned around to see Swiftmon and Eldestmon standing in front of the room. Swiftmon stepped forward.

"This is no time to be arguing, you two. Now settle down and listen up. Lord Eldestmon has our next assignment."

"Thank you, Swiftmon." The old aged Digimon said. "Just recently, one of our scouters has found the location of another Spirit."

"Which one?" I asked.

"The Legendary Spirits of Wind." answered Eldestmon. I turned back towards Zoe and notice her jaw dropped. Finally, it's her turn to get her Spirit back.

"Where is it, Eldestmon?" She questioned.

"Somewhere in Breezy Village."

"Breezy Village? Isn't that the place with the Floramon and the Mushroomon and the giant tree and the gardens and the..."

"Wow! You're smarter than you look." Beautymon giggled. I saw the scowl on Zoe's face. When she noticed me shaking my head, her anger died down a bit. I don't want her to start anymore unnecessary conflicts.

"Yes. Not only that, but Breezy Village is one the main regions for the Digimon Battlefront's food supply. We do our best to protect the territory from Malevomon's army." Eldestmon said.

"Speaking of Malevomon, doesn't he know the whereabouts of the Spirits?" I asked.

"Not yet. But we have to hurry. The sooner we find the Spirit, the better." answered Eldestmon. "We cannot allow Malevomon and his army of evil Digimon take over Breezy Village. I want the four of you to protect the village and find the Spirits of Wind. Do you understand?"

"Absolutely, sir!" Swiftmon bowed. Beautymon giggled, followed by a tiny curtsey.

"Got it!" I nodded.

"Very well, then." Eldestmon said. "Good luck. The fate of the Digital World is in your hands now."

After the somewhat assuring message, he walked out of the Digiporter Room. When he was gone, I looked back towards Zoe. We both gave each other a quick nod before walking over to the platform with lights. Bokomon and Neemon soon joined us and stood right in front of us. Beautymon stood between me and Zoe. She winked back at me, like she did before. I could feel butterflies dancing in my stomach. Either because of Beautymon's attractive gesture or because the difficulty of our next mission. Swiftmon spun his broadsword a few times before putting back in his sheaths. He walked onto to the platform and faced forward.

"Gotsumon, turn on the Digiporter!" Swiftmon ordered.

"Yes, sir!" He saluted. He pushed a red button on the side of the wall. The room was then filled with buzzing noises and squeaky whistles. I looked at the platform below and noticed it starting to glow.

"Digiporter's at 25%, sir!"

"Listen up! Here's how the mission's going to work." Swiftmon spoke. "When we get to our destination, we will split up into two groups."

"Digiporter's power at 50%, sir!" said Gotsumon.

"One group will stay and protect Breezy Village from Malevomon's army or any other invaders."

"Digiporter's power at 75%, sir!"

"The other group will search the village and find the Spirit. Once when they found it, you guys will join us in protecting the village. Everybody understand?"

"Don't worry, Swiftmon." I grinned. "We can do it!"

"Digiporter's power is at 100%!" Gotsumon confirmed. "Ready to teleport on your command, sir!"

"Excellent, Gotsumon. Take it away!" ordered Swiftmon.

"Entering coordinates to the Breezy Village." Gotsumon said, typing the numbers on the computer.

"Coordinates are set, ready for teleportation. Teleporting in five, four..."

I put my red and black D-Tector back in my pocket. I am fully aware how tough the fights are going to be. It won't be easy. My first fight took a lot out of me. Even when I had my Spirits, the Digimon were tougher than before.

"Three, two..."

And then there was Zoe. She's knew how dangerous this mission was going to be. The Digimon we're going up against are a lot faster, stronger and meaner than last time. Until she finds her Spirit, Zoe's got target on her chest and a bullseye on her back.

"One..."

That's when Zoe looked back at me. Her mesmerizing emerald eyeballs gazed into mine. Her smile sent me a message saying that everything's going to be alright and that we'll be successful on this mission. She gave me a quick nod before turning her attention back to the front.

"Commence teleportation!" Gotsumon shouted, slamming his fist on a blue button.

A white light shot out from the bottom of the Digiporter, engulfing us with its bright light. Before long, the entire room was covered with white, blinding light as I felt myself being teleported from one side of the Digital World to the other.

* * *

><p>It took a few seconds for the shining light to fade away. I opened my eyes and the first things I saw were a large field covered with colorful flowers and a giant tree standing right in the middle of the area. There were a few huts scattered throughout the village as well as other Digimon working the gardens. Without a doubt, we made it to our destination. I looked back at Zoe. She took a step in front of her and stared in awe at the breathtaking scene in front of her. She stood with her arms out wide, letting the nice, gentle breezy flow across her face. Just seeing her so happy made my cheeks heat up temporarily. Good thing she was too busy to notice.<p>

"So beautiful!" She complimented.

"But, of course I am!" Beautymon giggled.

"I wasn't referring to you, stupid stank!" glared Zoe.

"Quiet, both of you! Swiftmon ordered. The two females glowered at each other for a few seconds before giving each other the cold shoulder. I sighed as I turned back to the swordsman.

"Now that we're here, what do we do now?"

"We're splitting up into two groups. One group will go outside and protect the village from oncoming attacks while the other group stays here and finds the Spirit." said Swiftmon.

"Perfect!" Beautymon cheered. In a flash, she skipped joyously towards my side and placed one of her sleeves on my shoulder. Even though her other sleeve covered her mouth, I can see she that huge smile on her face.

"Cutie's mine!" She then said. Looking back at Zoe, I noticed both of her hands on her hips. She looked somewhat annoyed, or maybe a little jealous.

"Beautymon!" Swiftmon said, raising his voice a little.

"Oh, please Swiftmon?" She begged.

"No! The boy comes with me. We're protect the village while girls search for the Spirits of Wind." He ordered.

"WHAT?" Beautymon viciously yelled.

"You got to be kidding me." grumbled Zoe.

"Me working with... _her_? Eww... I'm sorry Swiftmon, but I'd rather eat dirt."

"Oh, let me help with that you lousy, good for nothing..." The blonde approached the olive haired Digimon with a handful of mud.

"That's enough!" Swiftmon commanded. "I don't want to hear any more of your stupid complaints. Our mission is to find the Spirits and that's exactly what you two are going to do. Got it?"

"But Swiftmon..." Beautymon complained.

"THAT'S AN ORDER!" He yelled.

"Fine, whatever." moaned Beautymon.

"Good." Swiftmon then turned his attention back towards me. "Let's move." He ordered.

I gave him a quick nod. I looked back at Zoe one last time. She too gave me one last nod and smile for good luck. She also stuck her arm out and gave me a 'V' sign, letting me know that's she got it all under control. To be honest, I was a little disappointed that Zoe wasn't my partner. We make a great team and I would love to help her search for her Spirits. Then again, I was a little worried, wondering if she and Beautymon can work together, but who am I to question Swiftmon's orders? After smiling back at her, I immediately followed the swordsman through the forest.

* * *

><p>Looking around, I noticed a large amount of trees covered the entire area. Even though it was just the two of us, silence surrounded the place. However, Swiftmon reminded me to keep my eyes open at all times. Never trust the silence, even when there's no one around. Evil Digimon could pop up anytime, anywhere. Letting my guard down would be a huge mistake. As we ran through the forest, the swordsman increased speed. I followed the Battlefront's second-in-command until we finally exited the forest.<p>

In front of me was an extremely large desert. Brownish sand spread across the area. Tall and prickly cactuses were the only protections we have against blazing hot sun above our heads. The Digital World is a strange place. One moment I was in a luscious forest and then the next moment, I'm in an arid desert. It's so weird, you think I be used to it by now. I turned my attention back towards Swiftmon. There was a firm look in his eyes.

"Here they come..." He spoke softly, gripping the hilt of his sword. I turned back to the desert and noticed a large group of Digimon marching right towards us.

"What are those things?" I asked.

There were two kinds of Digimon stomping towards us. One was a giant red dinosaur with green plates on its back. He had terrifying claws, but his teeth looked pretty sharp.

"Tyrannomon." answered Swiftmon.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Tyrannomon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Dino Blast; Slash Claw**

**Description: Tyrannomon is one of the most ferocious Dinosaur Digimon that ever walked the face of the Digital World. He may have a brain the size of a walnut, but he's big, mean, strong and extremely dangerous. Try to avoid his a sharp teeth and claws. His Dino Blast drove a lot of Digimon to extinction.**

There was another dinosaur-like monster approaching us. This time it had four legs and gray skin. It also had black armor covering his head and backside all the way down to his tail. It had sharp teeth just like Tyrannomon, but it also had one large, sharp horn on the front. But before I could say anything, Swiftmon had already answered my question.

"And those are beasts are called Monochromon."

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Monochromon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Volcanic Strike; Slamming Horn**

**Description: Getting run over by Monochromon is no laughing matter. His horn is harder than diamonds and can grow up to half the size of his length. This Digimon gores his enemies with the rushing power of his charge. While his Slamming Horn is great for closing the distance, his Volcanic Strike is perfect for long range.**

I saw Swiftmon taking out both of his swords out and spinning them a few times. In his right hand, he held his sword regularly. However, he had a reverse grip on the other sword with his left hand. He got in a fighting stance. I took out my D-Tector and looked back at him.

"You ready?" He asked.

"Are you kidding? I was born ready!" I yelled.

"EXECUTE... SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

* * *

><p><strong>Zoe's POV:<strong>

So it looks like Takuya and I won't be working together for this mission. Oh well, at least Bokomon and Neemon would keep me company. It's ashamed though. I wanted to help him protect the village. Either that or I want him to help me find the Spirits of Wind. But the bottom line is I would like to spend some time with him.

But guess what? I'm working with... _her_: Beautymon, the worst Digimon I've met in my life. She thinks she's so perfect and everything revolves around her. And on top of that, that skank believes that she is the best looking being in all of the Digital World. Ugh, has she ever looked in the mirror recently? She's not as beautiful as you think. She's selfish, narcissistic, rude and arrogant. I can go on forever if I like. Beautymon is so annoying.

"Great, now I'm stuck with this thing." I moaned.

"Oooh!" Beautymon sounded amazed, although I detected sarcasm the moment she opened her mouth. "Oh my goodness! '_It_' speaks!" She pointed at me while giggling once again.

"Will you stop that?" I asked irritably.

"Aw, what's wrong, Blondie? Am I too gorgeous for you?"

"Hardly..." I sighed. As much as I want to rearrange that hideous face of hers, I had to restrain myself. My main priority is to get my Spirits back, not beat her up.

"Never mind. Come on, we better find the Spirits before you really get on my nerves."

"Hehe, probably the smartest thing you said all day, Blondie!"

"It's Zoe..."

"Whatever!"

I took my pink and purple D-Tector out of my pocket and started walking around the village. I didn't know whether or not Beautymon was following me or if she went her separate ways. But I don't really care right now. She's become somewhat of a nuisance to me. If she gets attack and needs my help, don't expect me to do her any favors.

Breezy Village looked a lot more deserted than before. There was not a single Digimon in sight. Although the village looked extremely beautiful, it appears as if no one's around to take care of it. I remember a while ago, a bunch of Floramon took care of this place. Now there doesn't seemed to be any of them here.

First thing's first though. I have to find the Spirit first. I looked down at my miniature device and small map appeared on the screen. I saw a purple arrow pointing in the direction I was facing. But unlike last time, there was no dot on the map to indicate their location. I walked around the village as well as the giant tree in the middle of the area, but still, no dot.

"Stupid D-Tector! Why won't this thing work?" I asked myself. I tried pushing all of the little buttons on the device, but to no avail.

"Be patient, Zoe. I'm sure they'll turn out eventually." said Bokomon.

"I know. But where could they possibly be..."

*snap*

"Eek! What was that?" shrieked Neemon.

I too heard something. It sounded like a branch snapping in half. Someone's nearby. I can feel it in my bones. A few seconds later, I heard soft, frightened gasps. I turned around to see who was there. My eyes widened at the little creature standing before me.

It was a plant-like monster with green vines as feet and purple flowers as hands. Its whole entire face has the appearance of a flower. Red petals surrounded its neck while a petal-styled shell protected its head like a helmet. I looked at the small Digimon for a long time, as if I've seen her before. And that's when it hit me.

"Floramon?" I cried joyfully.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Floramon**

**Level: Rookie**

**Attacks: Rain of Pollen, Acid Shower**

**Description: Floramon are prideful Digimon who takes good care of the plants and the environment around them. When invaders are not around, they are usually in a cheery, happy mood. But don't let their appearance fool you. Their Rain of Pollen attack can completely weaken their opponents fighting abilities and fighting spirit.**

"I don't believe it! It's really you!" Floramon shouted.

She ran towards me as fast as her little legs can carry her. My arms were wide open for her and when she was close enough, I gave Floramon a great big hug. The scent of wild flowers entered my nose. I could see tears raining down Floramon's eyes. It's been so long since I've last seen Floramon and I missed her so.

"Oh, Floramon! It's so good to see you again."

"I feel the same way too!" She cried. I finally released her, so we both can catch our breaths. Floramon turned around to face the entire village. "It's alright, everyone! You can come on out now!" She shouted.

I examined the village, waiting for other Digimon to appear. More Floramon walked out of the huts while some appeared out of the ground. A few more of them came out of hiding behind trees, including the giant tree in the middle. Before I knew it, I was surrounded by a village full of Floramon. They were all cheering, crying and dancing for joy.

"What's going on here?" Another voice came out of the crowd, this time a little deeper. I looked around for the source of the voice and noticed another set of Digimon standing with the crowd of Floramon.

They were a little bit bigger and they also had purplish gloves and boots. Their bodies were in the shape of a poisonous mushroom. I remember these guys. A long time ago, their minds were corrupted by Cherubimon's evil. But thanks to me and my friends, were we're able to purify them and now, they helped the Floramon decorate and protect the village.

"Hey, wait a minute! You're that human who saved us a long time ago!" The talking toadstool pointed.

"It's good to see you too, Mushroomon." I smiled.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Mushroomon**

**Level: Rookie**

**Attacks: Fungus Crusher; Giggle Grenade**

**Description: Mushroomon are extremely ill-tempered Digimon who loves bullying the weak to show off its strength. But they also have a shy side, always concealing half of its face with the giant mushroom on its head. Their strongest attack is the Fungus Crusher, which sends powerful mushroom bombs disabling and destroying their enemies.**

"Come on, everybody! Let's all greet our human friend to our village!" shouted one of the plant-like Digimon. All of the other Mushroomon and Floramon agreed as they all got up and stood with their hands to their sides and feet together. I caught a few of the Digimon giggling, which made me somewhat nervous.

"Here we go!" Floramon shouted. "Ready... Set..."

"WELCOME TO BREEZY VILLAGE!" The Floramon and Mushroomon hollered, bowing their heads during the process. Then out of the crowd, one Floramon put a garland of various flowers around my neck.

It was such an amazing feeling. Not once in my life I had an entire village greeting me and treating me with the utmost respect. I felt my cheeks turning pink and my eyes watering. I rubbed the salty tears off of my face and gave the friendly Digimon one of my biggest smiles.

"Aww, you guys... you shouldn't have! Thank you!" I beamed.

"Well, that's what I call a warm welcome!" A voice spoke behind me. The expression on my face had flipped. The happy smile turned into an irritated scowl. My emerald eyes saw another Digimon with olive hair and a disgusting white dress.

"M... Miss Beautymon!" Mushroomon cried. "Wha... What are you doing here, ma'am?"

"Looking for the Spirits! What do you think, you twit?"

"We're sorry, Miss Beautymon." Mushroomon said. "We've searched the entire village and we couldn't find any of the Spirits. We humbly apologize ma'am. Please forgive us!"

"PLEASE FORGIVE US!" The other Mushroomon and Floramon bowed in apology.

"What a shame..." Beautymon softly sighed. "You Digimon are just as pathetic as the rest." I detected disappointment in that tone of hers. It made me really mad putting down these hard working Digimon like that. The least she could do is show them some gratitude.

"Come on guys, don't get down on yourselves!" I spoke encouragingly. "We can't just give up now! I'm sure the Spirits are around here somewhere!"

"Didn't you hear them Blondie... or are your ears just useless organs hanging on your face?" Beautymon giggled. "These pathetic villagers has already said they've searched everywhere. How can 'your' Spirits be here when it's _not_ here?"

"Shut up, Beautymon!" I ordered. "Everyone here's working hard to at least find the Spirits."

"When will you learn, Blondie? Hard work means nothing... if you can't get the job done."

I'm getting sick and tired listening to her irritating voice. The female Digimon stared at me for a few seconds before flipping her hair and giving me the cold shoulder. I shook my head in disbelief before turning back to the other Digimon.

"Don't listen to her guys." I suggested. "She just doesn't appreciate how valuable you Digimon are to us."

"But she's right. We are nothing but useless, inferior Digimon." One Floramon spoke with a pair of wet streams on her cheeks.

A few other Floramon were also on the verge of crying. Even some of the Mushroomon were finding hard to hold back their tears. I can't believe Beautymon would have the nerve to say something so cruel to these Digimon. Her words can be extremely hurtful. Now's not the time to be crushing their spirits. I have to keep everybody positive. Otherwise, there's no way we can win this war.

"Listen to me, everyone." I said. I waited until everyone's eyes were on me. "Whatever Beautymon says, she's wrong. You guys are neither useless nor inferior and you're going to prove Beautymon wrong."

"But how are we going to do that?" Mushroomon asked me.

"Simple. You're going to help me find the Spirits." I answered.

"But we searched the entire village already." Floramon argued.

"I understand that guys, but we're not just finding any Spirits. These are the Legendary Spirits of Wind, my Spirits. When I got my Spirits for the first time, I formed a synergistic union with the Digimon inside. I can feel Kazemon's energy and Zephyrmon's power. And even when I went back to the Human World, the Spirits of Wind continues to live inside my heart."

"If there's a point Blondie, now would be a good time to get to it." groaned the female Digimon. I glared back at dateless wonder, before turning my attention back to the other Digimon.

"The point is the Spirits are somewhere in this village. Although I can't see them, I can sense their energy around this area. I just know that their here somewhere. We just have to keep trying and never lose hope."

"If what you say is true..." One Floramon said. "... then we'll do everything in our power to help you get your Spirits back. Right guys?"

"RIGHT!" Every Digimon cheered. Well... everyone except Beautymon that is.

But I can see the mood has changed. Everyone wants to help retrieve the Spirits. I can see it in their eyes. Now these Digimon are more motivated than before. They don't feel inferior nor hopeless. With this new determination fueling inside them, the Mushroomon and Floramon were more than ready to help.

"Alright, guys! Let's go find the Spirits!" I screamed.

"YEAH!" Everyone else shouted.

The Floramon and Mushroomon scattered throughout Breezy Village, searching for the Spirits of Wind once again. I told everyone to not only look in the most ridiculous of places, but also double-check just in case they missed something. As the rest of the Digimon continued to work hard, I walked around the village with my D-Tector, searching for any signs of the Spirits. I checked under rocks, beneath a few bushes and other places where the Spirit might be hiding. A few minutes passed and still no reaction from my D-Tector.

"Did you find anything, Bokomon?" I asked the Rookie approached me.

"I'm afraid not, my dear Zoe." He answered. "What about you?"

"Nothing so far." I sighed.

"Bokomon, look!" I heard Neemon screamed. He was running as fast as he could towards his friend.

"What is it Neemon?" questioned Bokomon.

"Did you find my Spirits?" I wondered.

"No! But I found this rock that's shaped like my head!" replied the rabbit, showing me and Bokomon his 'discovery.'

"You moron! This is no time to be playing around! Now stop looking at rocks and start looking for Zoe's Spirits." Bokomon screamed.

"What Spirits?" Neemon asked.

Bokomon grabbed the rock out of Neemon's hand and threw it at the yellow rabbit's head. Neemon fell on the ground with a dazed look in his eyes. I giggled at the comedy show these two were putting on. At least my Digimon friends were making the search somewhat amusing.

"Come on, back to work, you pinhead!" Bokomon ordered, dragging his friend's pants back into the village.

I got back on my feet and looked around the area. Everyone's working just as hard, including Bokomon and Neemon. It pleases me to see the Floramon and Mushroomon encouraging one another and working together to find my Spirits. Everybody's doing a great job.

Well... almost everybody.

There was one Digimon that wasn't helping us look. In fact, she wasn't helping at all. I marched angrily towards Beautymon. I stood there in front of her with my arms crossed and a vicious scowl on my face. I waited patiently for her to give me her undivided attention. However, Beautymon would rather play with her long olive hair than look at me just once.

"Excuse me!"

"What do you want, Blondie?"

"Are you going to help us or stand there like a brainless idiot?"

"Hehe, you're the one who's standing there like a brainless idiot, Blondie. Besides, I am helping." She said softly.

"Oh really? And exactly how are you helping, may I ask?"

"Eh, supervising..."

Instead of going on this pointless argument, I continued the search without her. I decided to check the giant tree in the middle of the village. If I recall, that's where the Human Spirit was located the last time I came here, so who knows? As I got closer to the tree, a map reappeared on the screen on my D-Tector. So far, no dots or any indication on where the Spirits are. I was beginning to doubt whether or not the Spirits will actually be here. But all that has changed when I finally reached the tree. My D-Tector started vibrating and making strange noises. And wouldn't you know it? A purple dot finally shows up on the map.

"Hey guys! Come over here! I'm getting a reading on my D-Tector." I said. The rest of the Digimon stopped what they were doing and gathered around me. I showed everyone the purple dot on the map, including Beautymon, who looked somewhat unimpressed.

"That must where the Spirits are!" exclaimed Bokomon.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" I commanded

"RIGHT!" Everyone else replied.

We walked past by the giant lung tree and a few of the huts in the village. As we got closer to our destination, I can feel my D-Tector vibrating like crazy. The beeping noises were getting louder too. I knew we were getting close. I can sense the presence of my Spirits close by.

It wasn't long before we came to a large flower garden at the edge of the village. It was a beautiful landscape with a few paths, ponds, numerous garden beds, bushes, a couple fountains and small patio just to the side. I spotted various flowers growing in the garden, as well as planted fruits and vegetables.

"Wow!" I said. The rest of the words got caught in my throat. It was so beautiful. The gardens back in Shibuya were never this beautiful.

"What a lovely place!"

"This is the Sacred Garden." Said Floramon.

"The Sacred Garden?" I repeated.

"Yes. The soil is very rich, fertile and full of nutrients. We grow all kinds of plants and other crops in this garden." explained Floramon.

"Oh my goodness!" I shouted ecstatically. This place reminds me of my favorite spot in Yoyogi Park, except better. The breeze feels nicer and the view was absolutely stunning.

"The Spirits must be somewhere hidden in this garden." I suggested. "Split up guys, and search every inch of this landscape."

Upon command the Mushroomon and Floramon scattered throughout the luscious garden. As I got closer to the center of the garden, my D-Tector became more reactive. The signal went crazy went I reached the middle of the area. I looked around and noticed a bunch of different flowers surrounding and decorating the place. I also saw wild berries and other fruits growing on some trees up top and plants down below. Elongated vines wrapped and coiled the wooden fence surrounding this wondrous garden. After a while, I noticed a tall sculpture standing in the middle of the garden. It looked like a Digimon I've never seen before.

"Who's that, Floramon?" I asked.

"That's Lady Chrysanthemon." Floramon responded.

"Lady Chrysanthemon?" asked Bokomon.

"Who is she?" Neemon wondered.

"Lady Chrysanthemon was the caretaker of the Sacred Garden. She knew everything about taking care of plants and other crops. She gave the garden its beauty, abundance and fruitfulness. Thanks to our beloved Chrysanthemon, the Sacred Garden has now become to crowned jewel of Breezy Village."

"Wow, that's amazing!" I cried. "Where is Lady Chrysanthemon? I would like to meet her. Maybe ask her to give me some tips on how to take care of the flowers I have back at home."

I wasn't expecting the reaction I got when I asked that question. Every Floramon and Mushroomon had a depressed look on their faces. Some of them were crying while others were clinching their fists tight. At that point, I knew something was wrong. Something terrible must've happened to Lady Chrysanthemon.

"I'm sorry..." Floramon croaked. "It all happened so fast. Lady Chrysanthemon is... is..." The flower-like Digimon couldn't finish her sentence. The emotional toll was too overwhelming. Every Floramon in the garden started crying. Even some of the Mushroomon showed signs of sensitivity and sadness.

"What happened guys?" I asked.

"Well..." A Mushroomon bravely stepped forward. "A long time ago, it was just your typical day in Breezy Village. A lot of Digimon stopped by the Sacred Garden, where Lady Chrysanthemon was working. She was just finishing up watering all of the roses. And that's when it happened."

Another Floramon continued the tragic story. "A dark cloud appeared in the sky and before we could react, black balls fell down to the ground. These dark spheres fused itself with the Digimon in the village and before long, they started tearing up the place. Not only that, some powerful Digimon named Malevomon showed up."

"Malevomon..." I gasped. "But what about Lady Chrysanthemon? Did she survive?"

"She tried to protect us, the garden and the village too. But it wasn't enough. A Chaos Sphere nailed her on her blindside and she fell unconscious. Malevomon took her away from us. When it was all over, our entire village was destroyed. We were the only ones left. Everyone else was either taken captive by Malevomon or destroyed in front of our very eyes." continued Mushroomon.

"How cruel..." I spoke softly.

"It's true. We haven't seen our beloved Chrysanthemon since then. After the attack, the rest of us did our best to bring Breezy Village back to what it once was. But it's not the same. I miss Lady Chrysanthemon. I really do." cried Floramon

"We all do." Mushroomon agreed.

"Aw, you guys are too kind..." Someone softly said.

The strange voice caught every single one of us by surprise. I turned around to see who spoke to us. Standing right in front of us was a slender female Digimon, about the same height as me. She was wearing a light green leotard with gray sleeves dressed all the way to her forearms. There were long vines wrapping around each arm. The Digimon also had white thigh high boots. Besides vines wrapping around each leg, there were pink flowers decorated on the book as well. She also had black eyes and golden hair with long pigtails. Finally, she had a pink flower on both sides of her hair, portraying her beauty and elegance.

"Could it be?" Mushroomon gasped.

"I don't believe it! Lady Chrysanthemon!" Floramon cried.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Chrysanthemon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Blooming Barrage; Toxic Spray**

**Description: Chrysanthemon is widely known as one of the best gardeners in all the Digital World. She is regarded as the mother of all plants and flowers. However, this powerful Digimon will do whatever it takes to protect her beloved plants. Her Blooming Barrage attack are strong enough to fend off poachers and other invading Digimon.**

The two Digimon started running towards their flowery caretaker. I noticed a gentle smile on her face and her eyes were closed. She looked really happy to see her children... a little too happy. That's when I remembered what Mushroomon told me. Lady Chrysanthemon was captured by Malevomon, which could only mean one thing.

"No! Wait a second, you guys! Get back!" I shouted.

But it was too late. Chrysanthemon's eyes shot open again. This time, the tender and sincere look was replaced with a malicious smirk. But before I could say anything...

"Blooming Barrage!" The female Digimon cried.

Chrysanthemon extended her arms out in front of her and fired a barrage of seed-like bullets towards Floramon and Mushroomon. The two Digimon screamed in agony as the bullets hit them in almost every parts of their body. All I could do is watch helplessly as Chrysanthemon ruthlessly assaulted the two Rookies. When the barrage had ended, Floramon's and Mushroomon's bodies disintegrate and just like that, they were deleted. Chrysanthemon absorbed their Fractal Code with the pink flower accessories on the sides of her head.

"Excellent!" She grinned. "The Fractal Code will be perfect for the garden back in Lord Malevomon's castle."

"Lady Chrysanthemon, what has happened to you?" asked another Floramon.

"Her mind is being controlled by the Chaos Spheres. She now works for Malevomon." I answered.

"What do we do now?" Mushroomon cried.

Bokomon then looked towards me. "Zoe, we need to find the Spirits of Wind before Chrysanthemon causes any more damage." I nodded, agreeing with his suggestion.

"I'm afraid that's not going to happen." chuckled Chrysanthemon.

"And why not?" I leered.

"Because the Spirits belongs to my master, Lord Malevomon. And I've come here to retrieve them. He'll be most please with my accomplishment, especially taking the Fractal Code of all you pathetic creatures."

"You'll never get my Spirits!" I growled. She looked at me straight in the eyes and started laughing again.

"Sorry, young lady, but they're not your Spirits anymore. They now belong to Lord Malevomon." She then lets out a long, soft sigh.

"I don't have time to play with you weaklings. Oh, boys?"

She raised her hands up towards her face and snapped her fingers. The sound echoed throughout the area. A seconds later, the ground began to shake. The violent upheaval caused all of us to fall to the ground, with the exception of Beautymon and Chrysanthemon. I looked back up and saw a Digimon slowly approaching the flower creature.

He was a tall monster dressed in brown and with dark green leaves covering his upper body and vines wrapped and his abdomen. Another surprising feature was his hands were replaced by vines with prickly thorns all around them. One green leaf covered his left eye, but I can see an evil look on his right eye.

"I am here to serve you, my lady." The monster said in a dark voice.

"You're too kind, Hederamon" giggled Chrysanthemon.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Hederamon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Vindictive Vines; Trunk Thrasher**

**Description: Hederamon is one of Chrysanthemon's loyal servants. His main weapon is the vines on his hands which can crush giant boulders and bring down tall buildings. The thorns on the ivy surrounding his body are filled with an incurable, deadly poison. Although, that's nothing, compared to his Vindictive Vines, his most devastating attack.**

"We will crush our enemies and their Fractal Code will be used to glorify your beauty, madam!" Another voice said.

I saw another Digimon standing on a tree branch, beside Chrysanthemon. This time, the monster had four legs, each with sharp claws at the end of each leg. He also had many different colored leaves all over its body. It also had a leaf shape helmet on its head as well two sharp horns on top.

"Why, thank you, Foliamon." smiled Chrysanthemon.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Foliamon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Leaf Shurikens; Leaf Shrapnel**

**Description: Another servant of Chrysanthemon, just as strong as his partner. Foliamon is one Digimon you do not want to cross blades with. He's very ruthless and extremely aggressive with his razor-like leaves that can slice and cut through anything, even the toughest of armor. When you see his Leaf Shurikens fly, you know you're about to die.**

My eyes widened at the three plant-like Digimon standing before us. I can hear my friends crying and panicking behind me. We may have them outnumbered, but with the Chaos Spheres fused with their bodies, they have us outmatched. But before I could make me move, I heard Beautymon sighing behind me, like she was unfazed with the threat in front of us.

"This is unpleasant." She murmured. "More unsightly Digimon I have to destroy. Oh well, at least I get to blast somebody."

"How cute..." Chrysanthemon smirked at the female warrior on the other side. "But playing with you would be a complete waste of time. Now if you excuse me, I got to get the Legendary Spirits. In the meantime, why not have some fun with these guys. They're dying to rip all of you apart. Right, boys?"

"With pleasure!" replied her two faithful servants.

Foliamon unleashes a powerful roar. A few leaves on his body stood up. I can see the sharpness and the cutting edge on the leaves on the creature's back. As for Hederamon, the vines on his hands grew a few feet longer. He then cracked has vines a few times like a violent whip. I was sweating profusely and nervously. But when I looked back at Beautymon, her reaction was different. She looked cool, calm and collected. She's always ready for a fight, even against two powerful Digimon like Hederamon and Foliamon.

"How pathetic." She grumbled. Beautymon then turned to me. Although her sleeve was covering her mouth, I can tell she was smiling at me.

"Stay back, Blondie, so you won't get in my way."

As unnecessary and rude as that last comment was, Beautymon did bring up a valid point. She's the only one here that could stand up against these monsters. Now that just leaves me, Floramon and Mushroomon completely defenseless. I felt like that it's my duty to protect everyone in the Digital World. Oh, if only I had my Spirits. That way, I wouldn't be so useless.

"Very well then. Boys?" spoke Chrysanthemon.

"Yes, my lady." bowed Hederamon and Foliamon. She took a deep breath and sighed. Chrysanthemon reopened her eyes and glowered deep into mine. A fiendish smirk appeared on her face.

"DESTROY THEM ALL!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So that's chapter eight. <strong>

**Can Zoe find the Spirits of Wind back and save her friends? Or will Chrysanthemon deliver the Spirits to Lord Malevomon? The answers to these questions will be revealed in the next action-packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	9. Kick It Up

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**After finding Takuya's Spirit, the Digimon Battlefront located the Spirit of Wind somewhere in Breezy Village. While Swiftmon and Takuya protected the village from oncoming attacks, Zoe and the rest of her friends searched for the Spirits. While they were looking, Floramon and Mushroomon told Zoe about the Sacred Garden and its caretaker, Chrysanthemon. Apparently, when Malevomon's army took over, she was captured and taken away. Moments later, Chrysanthemon has made her return. The only problem is, now she's working for Malevomon; with a very important mission: Find the Spirits of Wind and annihilate anybody who gets in her way.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter nine!**

* * *

><p><strong>Kick It Up<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"Boys?" Chrysanthemon spoke.

"Yes, my lady?" Both Hederamon and Foliamon asked while bowing their heads. She took a deep breath and unleashed a subtle sigh. She opened her petite black eyes and glowered back at Zoe, Beautymon and the other remaining villagers. A fiendish smirk appeared on her face as she finally gave orders to her servants.

"Destroy them all!"

"As you wish, madam!" exclaimed Hederamon, lashing both his whips on his hands.

"We serve you and only you, Lady Chrysanthemon! We will destroy our enemies and absorb their Fractal Code, all in your name!" Foliamon proclaimed. The razor-like leaves on his body stood up as he prepares for battle.

The two Digimon glanced at each other. They both exchanged devilish smiles before looking back at their targets. They slowly move towards the villagers with their weapons up and ready to be used.

"So, Hederamon, who do you want to take out first?" asked Foliamon.

"Hmmmmmm... Let's see here!" pondered the vined Digimon. He drew his attention towards the only human in the group.

She was frozen like a statue on the outside, but very well relaxed on the inside. Her breathing seemed to be in control. She was taking at least three seconds to breathe in and three seconds to breathe out. As she exhaled, the tension in her body began to disappear. Once all of the stiffness had been removed, the look on her eyes had also changed.

The fire in her eyes displayed courage, willpower and determination. An indomitable spirit took over her body as well as her mind. Zoe clenched her fist as tight as she could and glared at the two plant Digimon in front of her. Unfortunately for her, neither Hederamon, nor Foliamon seemed to be intimidated. To make things worse, Zoe's gestures of standing her ground only caused Chrysanthemon's servants to snicker slightly to themselves, amused at the girl's overconfident gestures.

"Grrrrrrrrr..." Foliamon purred. "Feisty, isn't she Hederamon?"

"Indeed." Hederamon agreed. "The brat's got a lot of spunk."

"She seems to be the perfect victim for you, huh?"

"But, of course. I hate creatures with lots of spunk. Their attitudes are poisonous to Lady Chrysanthemon's beautiful garden. They don't deserve to live. They must be exterminated, like weeds."

"Exactly. How about you take out the human? I'll take care of Little Miss Perfect over there." Foliamon said, leering at Beautymon.

"Typical of you." Hederamon commented. "You always get to fight the strong one, while I'm left with this garbage." The vined Digimon pointed at Zoe.

"Quit complaining, Hederamon. Think of it this way. I'll get credit for taking out the Digimon Battlefront's second best fighter and you'll be rewarded for destroying one of the humans. Either way, we both win. Lady Chrysanthemon will be most pleased once we deliver their Fractal Codes to her. So, stop complaining and let's get this over with already."

"Very well, then. Let's get 'em."

The two plant-type Digimon started charging towards their opponents. As Foliamon closed the distance, Beautymon leaped in the air, performed a couple flips over the plant Digimon, before landing smoothly on the ground. She turned back towards Foliamon, who had a terrifying smirk on his face. Beautymon extended her left arm out.

"Petal Dance!" cried Beautymon.

A barrage of petals flew out of her sleeve. They danced with the wind as they sailed towards Foliamon. The leafy creature grinned back at the female Digimon. He hopped to his left to avoid Beautymon's attack. He looked up just in time to see Beautymon throwing more of her powerful petals back at him.

Again, Foliamon moved out of the way, dodging the oncoming petals. He got back to his feet and turned back to Beautymon. She waved her arm around and extend them towards the enemy. A few more flower petals danced out of her arms and back towards the Foliamon. The plant creature growled as the colorful petals approached him once more.

But a second later, his snarl was replaced with a devilish grin.

He unleashed a powerful roar, which blew away all of Beautymon's flowers. The petals whirl around as it slid through the air. It slowly fell down to the ground. Beautymon's eyes widened, since the majority of her flowers are scattered throughout the entire area. She looked back at Foliamon, still with the same expression on her face. She could see the leafy subordinate's cocky grin and terrorizing eyes. But then Beautymon returned the favor by giving Foliamon her own arrogant smile.

"Hehe, you got a pretty strong attack. I'm impressed." Foliamon grinned.

"Of course you are. Who wouldn't be awed by my prowess?" giggled Beautymon.

"I see. But, this is only the beginning. I still haven't showed you my true power yet. You're gonna have to do a lot more than just throwing a bunch of flowers if you want to defeat me. Then again, we all know that's not going to happen. Right, sweet checks?"

"Sweet cheeks?" said Beautymon in disgust. "Ew... How repulsive... Please do not call me such a ridiculous name. It's very insulting."

"Come on, baby. Don't be such a killjoy. Show me some love. I just want to get to know you. It's not every day I might a gorgeous like yourself. Might as well get to know you before I stomp all over you."

"For Chrysanthemon's little lackey, you sure have a big mouth. Tell me something, you sick ugly freak? Do you talk this much when you're fighting for your life?"

"Well, now that you mention it, I do become a little loquacious when victory is so easily within my grasps."

"Interesting." grinned Beautymon. "So, in other words, if I start getting serious, you would actually shut up then, huh?"

"Why I oughta..." growled Foliamon.

"Don't worry, sweetie. If you want me to fight for real, all you have to do is ask. There's no need to get jumpy. I'll be happy to finish you off quickly if you wanted me too. After all, you're just Chrysanthemon's little pawn. You're not even worth the trouble. So how about I defeat you right now, so I can get back to polishing my nails?"

"You're mocking me?" Foliamon snarled. "That's enough. I'm tired of playing with you."

"My thoughts exactly. Can you just do me one favor?"

"What?" asked Foliamon in a defensive position.

"Just... hold still..." said Beautymon. She extended her arm out towards the plant Digimon. A small pink energy ball appeared on her hand. The ball slowly gathers energy as it slowly increases in size. Beautymon smirked back at Foliamon.

"... so I can blast you to bits. Beautiful Beam!" She cried.

The giant pink ball on her hand shrunk into a tiny sphere. Then, without warning, a pinkish beam shot out of Beautymon's sleeve. It zoomed straight towards Foliamon at a high velocity. The leaf Digimon leaped to the side, evading the high energy attack. The beam barely grazed a couple of leaves on Foliamon's body. As he approached the ground, he looked behind him and watched as the beam exploded when it nailed a tree.

He turned back towards Beautymon, but instead, he saw another beam coming his way. Foliamon jumped out of the way, cleanly dodging it by a few inches. Beautymon's attack hit another tree and exploded on impact. Foliamon landed smoothly in front of Zoe. He sneered at the blonde haired girl, displaying his sharp, white teeth. Zoe could see Foliamon's petrifying eyes gazing deep into her soul. She was about to take a step back when...

"Beautiful Beam!"

Beautymon launched another attack towards the plant Digimon. Foliamon looked behind him and saw the oncoming pink blast. He leaped out of the way, leaving Zoe in the crossfire. She dove to the ground to avoid the hit. The beam sailed over her head and into another tree. Zoe got back to her feet and glowered at the Beautymon. Her face and clothes were all covered in dirt.

"Hey! Watch it, you stupid wench!" She screamed. She could barely hear Beautymon softly giggling to herself.

"Oh, you still alive?" She said. "What a shame... I was actually trying to hit you, but I guessed I must have aimed it a little too high."

"Excuse me?" Zoe huffed.

"Next time, Blondie, when you see me shooting at you, do me a favor and hold still. That way, I don't have to..."

"Watch out! Behind you!" Zoe shouted. Beautymon looked behind her and saw Foliamon towering above her.

"Nice moves there, girly. Now it's my turn to show you what a real attack is." Foliamon grinned. A large number of star-like leaves broke apart from his body. For a few seconds, the leaves spun around and danced in the wind and around Foliamon's body.

"Leaf Shurikens!" Foliamon yelled.

He performed a regular front flip. However, as he finished the twist, the bladed leaves zoomed past Foliamon's body and towards Beautymon. The female Digimon sighed disappointingly as the attack drew nearer. She danced like a ballerina to dodge the razor-like leaves. The leaf stars missed Beautymon by a few centimeters as she continue to move her arms, legs and body elegantly and gracefully. When the attack was over, Beautymon ceased her dancing and smiled back at a stunned Foliamon.

"Is that all?" She laughed. "How disappointing... I was expecting more of a challenge."

"Silence, you witch! Leaf Shurikens!"

Foliamon did another front flip in the air and shot another barrage of leaves towards Beautymon. She gave a subtle yawn before twirling around in circles with her sleeves whiling like a ribbon dancer. She continued to spin around, dodging Foliamon's leaves as she enters the forest, leaving Zoe behind with Bokomon, Neemon and the rest of the villagers.

"Miss Beautymon!" Floramon called.

"Don't worry. She can take care of herself." Bokomon said, putting a hand on his friend's back.

"He's right." Zoe confirmed. "As much as I hate her, she's very strong. She may be selfish, rude, and arrogant, but she's one of the Battlefront's strongest fighters. I'm just glad she's on our side and not Malevomon's. Trust me, there's no way Chrysanthemon's stupid and pathetic underlings can bring her down. She'll beat them without breaking a sweat."

"Is that right?" A deep voice asked.

"Yeah that's right. No doubt abou... huh?" Zoe's eyes shot open upon hearing the voice filled with evil.

She turned around and saw a tall Digimon with green leaves covering his chest and long vines wrapped around his stomach. His hands were replaced by a couple more vines with small thorns filled with poison. Zoe could see one leaf covering his left eye, and a horrifying glare on his right eye. The blonde haired girl gasped in fear and almost lost her balance.

"H... H... Hederamon!" Zoe shrieked.

"That's right, you puny human." Hederamon growled as he took a step closer towards the young woman. He cracked his vines a few times like a vicious whip.

The loud sound caused a few Floramon and Mushroomon scattered and hide in the Sacred Garden. Zoe stood there at the edge of the garden, staring at Hederamon's intimidating face. A devilish smile appeared on the Digimon as he closed the distance.

"What were you saying about me?" He growled.

"I... uh... I was just kidding... you know..." stammered Zoe.

She took a step back, moving into the garden. A small bead of sweat glided down her forehead. She knew she was in trouble. There was no way she could fight this monster in her current state. She still didn't have her Spirits. Zoe was completely defenseless. To make things worse, there was no one around to help her. Beautymon's busy fighting Foliamon somewhere in the forest while Swiftmon and Takuya were outside the forest defending the village.

"Go on, you pathetic human! Tell it to my face! Tell me all of the things you've said about me!" Hederamon howled, this time with more rage in his voice.

"She called you stupid and pathetic!" Someone yelled out of the blue.

"NEEMON?" Bokomon screamed.

"What?"

"Really? I'm stupid and pathetic?" Hederamon asked, glowering at the teenager. Zoe stood there, frozen like a statue.

"Let me show you what this stupid and pathetic Digimon can really do."

Hederamon held his right arm up to the side. Zoe watched as the vine increased in length, until it reached fifteen feet. He cracked his vine twice like a bullwhip. Zoe cringed every time she heard the snapping noise from the whip. Hederamon smirked at the human and pulled his arm back, ready to attack.

"Here I come, human." Hederamon grinned. "Vindictive Vines!"

He lashed his vine towards the defenseless young woman. Zoe's eyes widened like a deer in headlights. She wanted to run away, but she couldn't move her body. Her legs were stiff as a board. The villagers watched as Hederamon's attack drew closer to their human friend.

"Zoe! Watch out!" Bokomon yelled. Zoe closed her eyes and shielded her face with her hands.

"NOOOOOOOO!" One Floramon shouted.

Instinctively, she pushed her friend out of harm's way. Zoe landed hard on the ground. She coughed up the dust trying to enter her lungs and looked back towards her Digimon friend. She watched helplessly as Hederamon's deadly vines whipped and lashed all over Floramon's small body. The flower Digimon screamed in pain as Hederamon continues with the assault. When the thrashing had stopped, Floramon fell on her knees, wincing in pain.

"Floramon!" Zoe cried.

"Please..." Floramon spoke wispily. "... You're our only hope. Save our village... and the Digital World..."

"Floramon, no." Zoe said with a tear falling from her eye. "You can't leave me! Not now! I just got back! We barely even have time to...

"You can do it..." coughed the Digimon."... I believe in you. We all do" She gave Zoe one last smile before slipping into unconsciousness. She disintegrated into pieces and a Digi-Egg appeared before Zoe's eyes.

"No! Floramon!" Zoe screamed with tears cascading down her face. She crawled towards the Digi-Egg laying on the ground and hugged it close to her body. Some of her tears were falling on the purple egg with green stripes.

"Oh Floramon... I promise you. I will not let you or any one of my friends down." She said, wiping the tears off of her face. She glared back at the Hederamon, who had finished collecting Floramon's Fractal Code.

"That rotten plant wasn't worth my time. You're next, human." He spoke in a dark voice, grinning at the blonde. He slowly walking towards the teenaged girl. Zoe quickly got back to her feet while still carrying the Digi-Egg. She planted both feet on the ground, ready to anticipate Hederamon's attacks.

"Hehehe! Look at you, acting tough and all. You really think you can defeat me?" Hederamon laughed. "Please... don't make me laugh. You're just a human. A small, puny, insignificant, human. If you think you can defeat me all by yourself, then you're sadly mistaken. No matter what, I'll crush you and your pathetic friends. Lady Chrysanthemon will be most pleased."

"You... monster!" Zoe snarled, taking another step back.

"There's nowhere to run and nowhere to hide, my dear. In fact, there's nothing you can do to delay your imminent fate. Just surrender, and I promise I'll make your demise as quick and painless as I can. And, I'll even spare your pitiful friends back there. What do you say?"

Zoe looked towards her right and saw Bokomon and Neemon hiding behind a tree. She also saw a few Mushroomon hiding either in the bushes or behind a couple large rocks. She looked towards her left. She saw more Mushroomon hiding behind a couple of thick trees and under a few bushes. She also spotted most of the Floramon hiding somewhere in the Sacred Garden. Zoe turned her eyes to the Digi-Egg around her arms. She closed her eyes and remembered the huge thrashing Floramon took. Not to mention Floramon's last words to her.

"_You can do it... I believe in you..._"

"Say goodbye, human." Hederamon yelled, interrupting Zoe's thoughts. He raised his arm up and took aim at the young woman.

"Vindictive Vines!" Hederamon screamed as he flogged his vines towards the defenseless girl.

The blonde beauty opened her eyes just in time to see the oncoming attack. She leaped towards the side, just as the vines crashed into the ground. She landed near a tree, where Bokomon and Neemon were hiding. Her Digimon friends feared for her life, but the young woman wasn't scared at all.

"Zoe!" Bokomon cried.

"I'm fine, Bokomon." She answered.

"Thank goodness." Bokomon sighed, placing a hand on his heart. He felt it thumping against his chest, but it eased off a little bit knowing that his friend's alright.

"Bokomon, take this." Zoe ordered, handing the Digi-Egg to Bokomon. He took the egg from her and stuffed into his pink waistband.

"So, what do we do now?" asked Neemon.

"You guys gather all the villagers and take them as far away as you can." Zoe ordered.

"What about you?" asked Bokomon.

"I'll take care of Hederamon." said Zoe, leering back at the vined beast.

"What?" screamed Bokomon. "Are you crazy, Zoe? You can't take Hederamon all by yourself! You're no match for him! He'll beat you in a matter of seconds! It's suicide!"

"Well, thanks Bokomon. I'm glad I got your support." groaned the blonde.

"I'm being serious, Zoe! He's bigger, stronger and a lot meaner with a Chaos Sphere inside him! He'll crush all of us like insects! Oh, and may I remind you that you're still without a Legendary Spirit?"

"I know." Zoe sighed. "Don't worry about me, Bokomon. I'll be fine. I can take him. But I need you guys to get the villagers to safety. Okay?"

"But Zoe..." Bokomon argued.

"Please... do it for me?"

"Vindictive Vines!" Hederamon shouted, lashing his whip towards Zoe and the two Digimon.

The three of them ducked to avoid Hederamon's attack. The vine slashed right through the tree the two small Digimon were hiding behind. The top half of the tree fell to the ground towards Zoe, Bokomon and Neemon. They moved out of the way, just before the tree landed on the ground. After a few seconds of panting, Zoe turned her attention back to her friends.

"Bokomon?" She asked. The mutant Digimon looked down and thought about Zoe's request before releasing one more sigh.

"Alright." He complied, getting back to his feet. "Be careful, Zoe."

"I will." She said, giving her friends a quick smile.

Zoe nodded towards the mutant Digimon, signaling him to get going. With that, Bokomon grabbed Neemon's wrist and started running towards the Sacred Garden. Hederamon caught the two Digimon passing by him.

"Where do you think you're going?" He grinned. Hederamon lifted his vine up again. "Vindictive..."

"Hey, Curly! Over here!" Zoe shouted, stopping Hederamon from attacking. He grinned at teenager.

"When will you learn? You have no chance against me, you little brat. Why don't you run away, like the rest of your friends? You're fate is inevitable, but at least you could live for a few more seconds."

"I'm not running!" exclaimed Zoe.

"Huh?"

"You heard me. I won't run away, not this time. Come on, you leaf-headed freak! Fight me!"

"Hehe. You're such a loud mouth, young lady. But if that's what you want, then so be it."

Hederamon flogged his vine whip towards the young woman. She leaped out of the way, just before the vine slammed into the ground. The impact created a huge creator, spreading all kinds of dirt and dust in the air. Hederamon coiled up his vine and took aim at Zoe, who has her back against another tree. He whipped his vined weapon towards the girl. Again, she dove out of harm's way, but Hederamon's strong vine sliced through the tree.

"Zoe!" Bokomon yelled.

"Don't worry about me! Get out of here!" Zoe commanded.

"R... Right." Bokomon agreed, hesitantly.

He and Neemon ran through the gardens, gathering all of the villagers. It wasn't long before all the Floramon and Mushroomon were assembled together. Everyone seemed to be in a state of panic. It took a while for Bokomon to calm everybody down.

"What are we going to do?" One Floramon cried.

"Look at our village! It's ruined!" said Mushroomon.

"Come on, everyone! Let's get out of this place!" Bokomon ordered.

"Where are we going?" Mushroomon asked.

"We need to get to a safe place. It's way too dangerous here." The mutant Digimon answered.

"But what about Zoe?" Neemon asked.

"She said she'll be fine. She's keeping Hederamon distracted. Let's hurry. This is our chance to escape." Bokomon said. He took off in running towards the forest.

"Wait!" Floramon shouted, causing Bokomon to stop. "You mean she's going to fight that powerful Digimon all by herself?"

"I'm afraid so." answered Bokomon.

"She's crazy! She can't beat Hederamon alone! Without her Spirits, she's as good as finished!" The Digimon looked back towards the battle between Zoe and Hederamon. They watched as Zoe barely managed to dodge another ferocious attack from the vined Digimon.

"I know it looks hopeless, but as a Legendary Warrior, she's sacrificing herself to save all of you. Come on! Let's get out of here." Bokomon said, turning back towards the forest.

"No..." Someone softly spoke, again, forcing Bokomon to stop running. He turned towards the villagers and saw a fierce look planted on every Floramon's and Mushroomon's eyes.

"Huh?" asked Bokomon.

"We're not leaving. None of us are." Mushroomon declared.

"What are you guys talking about?" Bokomon wondered.

"We're staying here to save our friend." Floramon said resolutely.

"But... but you guys..."

"Listen to us, Bokomon." Floramon ordered. "Here in Breezy Village, we have one important rule. And that is 'No flower gets left behind.' I know it sounds strange, but those are the exact words from Lady Chrysanthemon."

"Lady Chrysanthemon said that?" Neemon asked.

"Yes. It's because of those words that our village has achieved fame and prosperity. Lady Chrysanthemon's sweet and powerful message has inspired us Digimon in Breezy Village. She taught us to never give up and that every plant gets taken care of. Even when a plant is on the verge of dying, we do everything in our power to make use of what we have."

"The same thing applies here." Mushroomon added. "No matter how strong the enemy is, we never give. If our beloved Lady Chrysanthemon was here, I'm sure she would say the same thing. Right, guys?"

"Right!" All of the villagers cheered.

"Besides, Bokomon..." Mushroomon continued. "... As I recalled, your friend saved us from Cherubimon's evil control, right? So, it's only fair for us to return the favor. After all, she is our friend. And here in Breezy Village, it's natural to help a friend in need."

"Yes, but Hederamon's an incredibly powerful Digimon. None of you guys are strong enough to defeat him." Bokomon argued.

"Alone, we don't stand a chance. But if we combine our strengths, we can defeat that big brute and save our friend. What do you say, Bokomon?" said Floramon. All of the villagers started to gather around each other like they were ready to fight and defend village.

Bokomon gave a long look towards the assembled villagers. He could see the strong resolve in their eyes. At that point, he felt something in his heart. It was like a piece of hope being lifted up inside of him. He shook his head and smiled. What was he thinking, leaving Zoe all alone with that monster? If it was anyone else, they would stay behind and fight to their last breath. As a matter of fact, if this were Takuya, he would keep fighting even after that point.

"You guys, I..." He finally spoke.

But before he could say anything, there was a huge earthquake that shook almost the entire village. The huge vibration sent every villager to the ground, including Bokomon and Neemon. A large sandstorm filled the area and entered into the creatures' lungs. Bokomon was the first to recover. He looked around the area, to see what had just happened. Bokomon saw someone lying unconsciously in the cloud of dust, but since the smoke was too thick, he see who it was. He waited for the sandstorm to subside. But when it did, Bokomon could not believe his eyes.

"Oh no! Zoe!" He screamed.

Meanwhile, Hederamon stomped viciously towards the fallen teenager. He stood over the young woman and laughed manically. Zoe's face, arms, legs and clothes were covered in dirt and a few scratches. She was also panting heavily. Probably because she spent a lot of time and energy evading Hederamon's attack. Each successful dodge made a critical impact on her stamina. It felt like she just sprinted three miles without stopping. She got on her knees and placed a hand on her head, trying to fight the dizziness. But then a huge shadow hovered above her. She turned her attention towards the vined Digimon with fear written all over her eyes.

"Hahaha! How sad! You act tough for a girl! But underneath all, you're nothing more than a pathetic weakling!" The plant mocked.

"Hederamon, what are you doing?" Another voice interrupted. Hederamon turned his head and saw Chrysanthemon with her arms crossed, her foot tapping and an impatient look on her face.

"I apologize, my lady." spoke Hederamon. "I was just having some fun with the human. You know how weak these creatures are. So I decided to play around with her for a little bit. It's no fun when it's one and done..."

"Enough." ordered Chrysanthemon. "We've wasted enough time with her. Stop playing games and finish her off, while I retrieve the Spirits." Chrysanthemon turned her back towards Zoe and started walking towards the Sacred Garden.

"Wait!" Zoe called, making the flower Digimon stop in her tracks. "You don't even know where the Spirits are." Chrysanthemon turned back to Zoe and started giggling. Even Hederamon joined in on the laughter with his mistress.

"Foolish girl, of course I know where the Spirits are."

"Wait, you do?" Zoe asked.

"Of course. It's in the middle of my tasteless garden."

"The middle of the Sacred Garden?"

"Yes. You see, child, the plants in that garden are no ordinary plants. They react whenever there's a huge amount of energy in the vicinity. Look closely at the flowers."

Zoe took a good look at the flowers in the garden. She could see all of the unique colors, shapes and sizes of almost every flower. But for some reason, that wasn't it. There has to be something about those flowers that tells the location of the Legendary Spirits of Wind. She looked long and hard, trying to find something. And then it hit her. The flowers were all pointing towards the middle of the garden, like Chrysanthemon said. But there was more to it than that.

"Hold on a second." Zoe finally said. "All of the flowers are pointing towards... that statue in the middle." She pointed towards the sculpture made of marble that resembles Chrysanthemon. "I don't understand! What could it mean?

"What do you think, you stupid girl? That is where the Spirits are located! Which could only mean one thing."

"No! You don't mean..."

"Yes... The Legendary Spirits are coming to mommy. And there's nothing you can do to stop me! HAHAHAHAHA!"

"Please, Chrysanthemon! Don't do this!" begged the young woman.

"Well, it's been nice knowing you. But my master is waiting for me to retrieve the Spirits. Hederamon?"

"Yes, ma'am?" spoke the vined Digimon.

"Finish her." Chrysanthemon ordered as she started walking towards the Sacred Garden.

"As you command, my lady." Hederamon complied as he pulled his arm back. Zoe tried getting back to her feet, but before she could move, Hederamon's vine coiled around the young woman's body. Zoe screamed at the top of her lungs as she's lifted up higher off the ground. Hederamon started to squeeze hard on the girl's body.

"YEOWWWWWWWWWW! LET ME GO!" The blonde haired girl cried. Zoe felt the pressure being applied to her. She screamed in pain as the vined Digimon squeezed harder. She tried to break free from Hederamon's grip, but the more she struggled, the harder it was for her to escape.

"Oh no... Not again!" Zoe said faintly. It's like déjà vu all over again. But this time, it's Hederamon who's crushing her. Zoe cries in agony as she's about to reach her breaking point. Her ribs were on the verge of snapping in half.

"I can't... let it end like this. My friends... they need me... Gotta... break free from..."

"Leave her alone, you freak! Fungus Crusher!"

Hederamon looked behind him to see who spoke. Instead, his eyes widened when he saw a bombardment of mushrooms heading his way. The flying toadstools hit the vined Digimon from behind and exploded on impact. The mushroom bombs went off like a bunch of firecrackers when it nailed its target. The explosions caused Hederamon to release the teenage girl.

Zoe tumbled helplessly towards the solid ground below. Thankfully, a bunch of Floramon were there to catch her before she collided against the floor. Zoe starts to come around with a barely audible moan. Her vision finally cleared up and saw a bunch of flower and mushroom Digimon smiling at her.

"Floramon! Mushroomon! What are you guys doing here?" She asked.

"What does it look like we're doing? We're saving you." grinned Mushroomon. "This is our village too. It is our duty to protect it."

"But you guys, it's way too dangerous. These guys are way too strong. You could get hurt, or worse..." argued Zoe.

"No flower gets left behind." Floramon spoke. "We would never leave any of our friends alone. No matter how tough they are, we will stand and fight. Right, guys?"

"RIGHT!" The villagers shouted.

"Enough of this!" A deep voice growled.

Zoe looked back up and saw Hederamon with a horrifying leer on his face. The thorns on his vines had grown slightly bigger and sharper. The vines had also grown a lot thicker than before. "I'll destroy all of you!" He charged toward Zoe and the villagers. Zoe took a step back, but the Floramon and Mushroomon stood in front of her. The Floramon extended their arms out towards the enemy.

"Rain of Pollen!" They shouted.

Allergy-inducing powder shot out of their arms and towards the vined creature. The pollen covered Hederamon's entire body. A few seconds passed until the monster stopped dead in his tracks. Suddenly, he lashed his vine to his right and then to his left. He flogged his weapons around in a circle. Unfortunately, all of his attacks were nowhere near the vicinity where Zoe and the other plant Digimon are.

"You annoying little gnats! Get over here! Hold still so I can hurt you!" Hederamon screamed at his targets. But no matter where he threw his attacks, he wasn't able to hit anything.

"Incredible!" Zoe gasped. "That attack made him dumber than rock."

"Our Rain of Pollen sends nasty chemicals to the brain, giving our opponents the illusion that we're in different areas. Not only that, but as the chemicals sink deeper into his brain, his fighting abilities will decrease."

"This gives us the perfect chance to strike!" Mushroomon yelled. "Let him have it, boys! Fungus Crusher!"

They heaved more mushroom explosives towards the stunned monster. The bombs exploded when it slammed into Hederamon's chest, arms and legs. Hederamon growls in pain as his body's being consumed by the powerful funguses.

"We'll keep green and gruesome busy. You get the Spirits!" ordered Floramon.

"You got it. Thanks guys." Zoe said, nodding her head.

She dashed out of the area and towards the Sacred Garden. There she saw Chrysanthemon slowly approaching the marble statue in the middle of the garden. She hid behind a bush to see what this creature was up to. Chrysanthemon stood in front of the statue and observed all of its features. She giggled a little bit since the sculpture did look exactly like her.

"Such a pity. I'm way better looking than this. Oh well, can't keep Lord Malevomon waiting." She extended her arms toward the statue. "Blooming Barrage!"

Chrysanthemon fired an onslaught of seed-like bullets towards the figure. Zoe watched as Chrysanthemon's attacks shattered and destroyed the statue in front of her. When she had finished, nothing but bits of stone laid on the ground. However, there was something shining on remains of the sculpture. Zoe squinted her eyes to get a good look at the contents that were inside the statues.

Two relics slowly levitated off of the destroyed image. One of the relics looked like a like a fairy in a crouching position with purple gloves, boots and hair, a silver eyewear and butterfly wings on the back. The second relic looked like winged beast in a prostrating position. It also had light blue, feather-like hair and wings on its back. Without a doubt, these were the Legendary Spirits of Wind.

"At last, the Spirits of Wind, finally in Lord Malevomon's possession." She slowly reached her hand towards the floating relics.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Zoe cried, leaping out of the bushes with her D-Tector in her hand. She pointed her device towards the broken statue.

Suddenly, a bright flash of light appeared, blinding everyone in the area, including Chrysanthemon. A white beam shot out of the D-Tector and towards the two Spirits. Just like the effects of a tractor beam, Zoe's D-Tector attracted the two Spirits past Chrysanthemon and towards her. Finally, the Spirits of Wind entered inside Zoe's device. The Symbols of Wind also appeared on the screen of the D-Tector. At that point, the bright light had already subsided. Chrysanthemon uncovered her eyes and leered at teenager, who has her D-Tector over her heart.

"This can't be happening!" Chrysanthemon growled. "Alright, you little brat, hand over the Spirits."

"No..." Zoe mumbled.

"I'm not going to ask again. Hand over the Spirits, or else."

"It looks like you just made your third mistake, Chrysanthemon." said Zoe, finally cracking a smile.

"What did you say?" Chrysanthemon finally noticed a huge grin on the girl's face.

"The first mistake was invading Breezy Village. The second was putting my friends in danger. And the third... was challenging me."

*Insert Song: With The Will*

A pinkish sketch of the Human Spirit of Wind traced on the black screen of Zoe's D-Tector. When the outline was finished, the screen on her device stated to glow. With her purple and pink D-Tector in her right hand, Zoe spun around once with her left arm on her hips. Upon completing the circle, she stuck her free hand out in front of her. A ring of Fractal Code surrounded the girl's hand. After bending and extending her arms a couple times, she finally brought her D-Tector and the Fractal Code ring together. When the scanner on the top of the device made contact with the ring of Fractal Code, Zoe's device started making loud noises. The dark area that surrounded the girl's body was completely engulfed by glimmering light.

"EXECUTE..." Zoe screamed, swiping the Fractal Code ring with the D-Tector's scanner. "... SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

Upon command a long line of Fractal Code swirled and surrounded the girl's body. At the same time, Zoe's clothes began to disintegrate as the Human Spirit of Wind awakened. The girl felt a surge of energy completely taking over her body. She could feel the wind's power flowing as she becoming one with the Spirit. Her hands, legs, and entire body slowly changed into the Legendary Warrior of Wind. It wasn't long before the transformation was complete. She spun around three times, creating sharp, turbulent winds around her. Once she completed her last turn, she gave a huge sidekick before flipping hair with her left hand

"KAZEMON!" The fairy said.

She floated in the air above all of the other Digimon, spreading all kinds of sparkling powder throughout the area. The villagers gazed in awe at the marvelous fairy in front of them. Bokomon and Neemon gasped at the beautiful sight. Even Hederamon and Chrysanthemon were astounded by the human changing into a Digimon.

She was a humanoid Digimon with very long, purple hair reaching all the way down behind her legs in a ponytail fashion with two strands in front of her face. Light reflected off of her creamy skin. Her outfit resembles female lavender lingerie. It was a strapless bra, belt, and underwear which was also part of the headband and clothing around her neck. She also wore double layered white shoulder pads. She wore a pair of tight pink gloves and on top of that, a pair of white and purple gloves with a pair of wings attached to each glove. A pair of thigh-high boots with a pale green butterfly pattern embedded on the kneecaps were worn. A pair of wings can be found near the bottom on each boot. From the top of the boots was a flexible thread connected to her belt, part of her outfit. Though she may not look strong, she makes up for this through speed, beauty and elegance. The butterfly wings on her back allow her to fly, which enhance both her movements and attacks. Next, she wore a headband which also wrapped the clothing around her neck and shoulders. On her headband, a pair of small wings were attached over her ears. Four green triangles are visible on her face with a special visor around her eyes.

"Wow! She's cute!" Neemon spoke.

"Shut up, you nitwit." Bokomon ordered. He pointed up towards the butterfly above. "Zoe's done it! She's used the Spirits to become the Legendary Warrior of Wind. She's Kazemon again!"

"It... It can't be!" said Chrysanthemon. "That's impossible! This human used the Spirits to transform into this?"

"Chrysanthemon, your heart is filled with evil. And for that, I must defeat you!"

Chrysanthemon gritted her teeth together, facing the giant butterfly hovering above her. She got into a defensive position. Kazemon grinned at her opponent as she too got into her fighting stance.

"Well what do you know? It looks like I'm gonna have a lot of fun playing with you after all. It's not every day I get to destroy a Legendary Warrior; let alone one with a human wielding the Spirits."

"Cocky, aren't you? That's okay. Be as arrogant as you like. I can guarantee that you won't be laughing by the time this is ov..."

But before either female Digimon could make a move, there was a huge explosion in the middle of the area and a large cloud of dust filled the vicinity. When the smoke had cleared, Kazemon could see another Digimon dressed in white stumbling on one knee. Her olive hair was a little frizzy and there was a small dirt spot on her left cheek. On the other hand, there were more patches of smears all over her beautiful dress.

"Oh no! Miss Beautymon!" Mushroomon yelled. The fungus Digimon ran towards the olive hair Digimon. "Miss Beautymon, are you alright? You're not hurt or any..."

"Shut up..." Beautymon ordered, throwing a rock towards the talking mushroom, knocking him to the ground. "It's really annoying when you pathetic Digimon show concern like that. You're stifling me." She glared back behind her and noticed a leafy Digimon smirking evilly back at her. Beautymon slowly got back to her feet, trying to fight the mild pain she was in.

"But Miss Beautymon..." Mushroomon argued. "That guy is way too strong. I suggest we work together with..."

"Do I hear compassion for your superior... or do you speak out of loyalty?"

"That's not it at all ma'am! It's just..."

"It's just..." Beautymon turned her attention back to towards the toadstool with a heated glare on her face. "... _what_?"

All of the Digimon who saw her glower stepped back and cringed in fear.

"N... N... Nothing. Sorry madam. We didn't mean to offend you!" The villagers apologized frantically.

"I really do my best to ignore your... how should I say it... recklessly arrogant attitude... but you repay my efforts with simply more... putrid, insulting behavior. Now stand back, you're in my way." Beautymon stomped furiously passed the villagers of Breezy Village and towards Foliamon, who was waiting patiently for her.

"Excuse me, Miss, but you really need to work on that attitude of yours." A sweet voice spoke, causing Beautymon to stop her approach. She looked to her left and watched annoyingly as Kazemon landed gracefully next to her and smiled. "Hello, Beautymon."

"You again." Beautymon huffed. "You know, you should've stayed in your human form. You're less promiscuous that way."

"Hehe, that's so funny, I forgot to laugh." giggled Kazemon. "Then again, how could I take that insult seriously when it came from someone with a horrible looking beauty mark on her face?"

"OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH!" The villages gasped at the remark. Beautymon scowled at the butterfly as she tried rubbing the dirt off her face. She gritted her teeth together, but remained silent.

"I thought so." said Kazemon.

"That's enough!" Another female voice yelled. Kazemon looked in front of her and noticed the three evil plant Digimon still standing. Foliamon had a bunch of leaves floating all around him while Hederamon had his vined weapons ready for use. "I didn't come here to watch you two squabble. I came to retrieve the Spirits. And I'll do it by force if I have to. Boys?" Hederamon and Foliamon took a step forward.

"An ugly thought. That's truly ugly." Beautymon said. She was about to get into a defensive stance when Kazemon stepped forward. "What in the world do you think you're doing?"

"Since you're unable to defeat these guys, allow me to finish what you started."

"What?" asked Beautymon with her temper flaring up. "You can't be serious! Are you saying you can defeat those ugly beasts all by yourself?"

"Hehe, that's exactly what I'm saying." Kazemon laughed.

"Please tell me this is a joke." sighed Beautymon. "You stupid or something? There's absolutely no way you could defeat any one of these guys; let alone both of them. If I can't do it, what makes you so sure you can?"

"Because I have the Legendary Spirits of Wind on my side." answered Kazemon.

"That's it? Is that all you got?"

"That's all I need, Beautymon. That's all I need." Beautymon took a deep breath and sighed. There was still frustration in her eyes and a little bit on her last breath. Finally, she turned around and walked the other way.

"Fine. Have it your way. But don't come crying to me for help. If you're about to get your Spirit taken away, don't expect me to give you any assists."

"Good. I wasn't going to ask for it anyway."

"Well, it's your funeral."

"Whatever you say." Kazemon then turned her attention back to the three plant Digimon glowering at her. She smiled and gave them the 'Bring It!' hand gesture.

"Come get me boys."

"Destroy her!" ordered Chrysanthemon. Foliamon and Hederamon ran as fast as they could toward the fairy Digimon.

"Vindictive Vines!" Hederamon shouted lashing his whip.

"Leaf Shurikens!" yelled Foliamon as he flipped in midair, firing his razor leaves at the female Digimon.

Kazemon grinned as the attacks drew nearer. She leaped in the air and flipped a few times, dodging the attacks. Hederamon curled up his whip and shot it towards the Warrior of Wind. Kazemon soared to the left as the vine flew passed her. She looked towards the two plant Digimon and noticed another barrage of sharp leaves approaching her. She performed a few twists, avoiding every single leaf.

"You're mine now!" Foliamon growled, leaping towards the fairy Digimon.

The Legendary Warrior of Wind smiled as she bent her body backwards and watched as Foliamon sailed over her. The leaf Digimon stopped his momentum in midair, turned around and fired more razor leaves at Kazemon. This time, instead of avoiding the shurikens, she thought of another tactic. She flew all around the garden, dodging the oncoming leaves from Foliamon and the vine from Hederamon. She then flew towards a tall, thick tree with Foliamon on her tail.

"Leaf Shurikens!" shouted the Digimon.

More leaves float off the creatures back. Foliamon flipped in the air, shooting his leaves towards the Warrior of Wind at a high velocity. As Kazemon flew through the village, she continued dodged the looming shurikens. The fairy movements were like graceful dancer, elegance and poetry in motion. When the barrage had stopped, Kazemon flew towards another tree in front of her. She landed smoothly on the trunk and sprung towards Foliamon.

"Let's kick things up a notch!" proclaimed Kazemon. Foliamon's eyes widened when he noticed the Legendary Warrior rocketing towards him. In a split second, Kazemon gave her opponent a vicious sidekick to the chin. The impact sent Foliamon falling. He landed hard, creating a huge hole in the ground. Kazemon flipped her hair and smiled.

"Vindictive Vines!" Hederamon shouted from below.

He hurled his vine towards the blind side of Kazemon. The Legendary Warrior of Wind again leaped up to evade Hederamon's attack. She looked back at her second opponent and gave another cute smile. Hederamon clenched his teeth together as he pulled his vine back.

But then he noticed Kazemon flying at him at top speed.

Instead of attacking, he put his arms up in front of him, getting on the defensive end. Kazemon turned her feet toward the vined Digimon and rapidly kicks her opponent with both legs. Hederamon kept his guard up, blocking every kick delivered from the Legendary Warrior. Each kick would knock the Hederamon backwards until he was backed into a tree. Kazemon kept the pressure on by following up with more of her rapid kicks.

"Come on! Is that the best you got?" teased Kazemon.

She kept on kicking the plant Digimon who was still in a semi-crouched guarded position. As seconds pass, Hederamon's defense started to fall apart. Kazemon managed to strike a few kicks to her opponent's face and midsection. It appeared as if Kazemon has the upper hand.

But when she tried going for a roundhouse kick, Hederamon countered by not only blocking the kick, but catching her left leg with his arms. Kazemon tried break free from Hederamon's clutches, but he was too strong. She growled at the plant monster, who was chuckling out loud. With his right arm grasping Kazemon's leg, he lifted his left arm up. The entangled vine on his hand began to straighten out. The Warrior of Wind gasped when she saw Hederamon's vine became a sharp, pointed spear.

"No more games. Let's end this." said Hederamon. Kazemon tried to free herself, but she couldn't break loose. She looked behind her and saw Foliamon running towards her. The fairy Digimon turned back to Hederamon and she noticed a huge smirk planted on his face.

"What are you waiting for, Hederamon? Finish her!" ordered Foliamon.

"With pleasure! Say goodbye, Legendary Warrior!" Hederamon snickered.

He pulled his arm back, prepared to deliver the finishing blow to Kazemon. The Warrior of Wind again tried to get her left leg free from Hederamon's grasp, but the harder she struggled, the tighter he held on.

Suddenly, the vined Digimon thrust his vined lance towards the female butterfly.

With little time to react, she used her right foot on the ground to spring herself up. She turned her slender body ninety degrees to her left and gave Hederamon a vicious kick to the back of the head. The attack loosened Hederamon's grip on Kazemon's leg as the female butterfly shook herself free and landed effortlessly on her feet. She looked in front of her and noticed a bunch of leaves floating around Foliamon's body. The four legged Digimon jumped up, vaulted his body forward and fired his Leaf Shurikens attack at the Warrior of Wind. There was a look of fear in Kazemon's eyes as she took a couple steps back. The backsides of her wings were only inches apart from Hederamon, who was still groggy from the kick to the back of his head from Kazemon.

As the leaves approach the two Digimon, the look on Kazemon's face changed. She confidently smirked at leaf Digimon before taking to the air once again, completely evading the attack. Foliamon gritted his teeth hard, disappointed he missed his target. But his eyes widened at what he saw next. His shurikens did manage to hit something, his dazed partner, Hederamon. The vined Digimon screamed in agony as the Leaf Shurikens cut and slashed through every part of his body. One by one, Hederamon's arms and legs fell off and became disintegrated when it made contact with the ground. Next was his entire body and finally his head. And just like that, Hederamon was deleted.

"Hederamon!" Foliamon called. He growled back at the female Digimon with fire in his eyes.

"Hey, Foliamon?" giggled Kazemon. "Am I too quick for you, or is your aiming really that terrible?

"Don't... you... mock me!" shouted the four legged Digimon, prompting him into a rage.

He then unleashed another thunderous roar, creating a strong wind in the area. Kazemon watched Foliamon unfathomably. She noticed every single leaf attached to the creature started to come off and float around the creature's body. A few seconds later, Foliamon's green body was surrounded by every one of his razor leaves. The plant monster sneered at the Warrior of Wind.

"That's it! No more playing around! You've become somewhat of a nuisance to me!"

"Yeah, I get that a lot." joked Kazemon.

"Enough!' Foliamon yelled. "I'm going to put everything I have in this one attack. There's absolutely no way you will escape this alive." He then started spinning around in a circle. As he spun faster and faster, the revolving leaves around him also increased in speed. Kazemon quickly turned to the villagers down below.

"Take cover everybody!" She ordered.

All the villagers nod and scattered across the area, hiding behind trees, large rocks and tiny huts. When Kazemon believed all of the Digimon are out of harm's way, she turned back to her opponent. She extended her hands out in front of her. Long, thin, pink tornadoes erupted out of her fingertips. She waited patiently for Foliamon to strike. It took a while, until the creature finally stopped spinning. However, the leaves around his body were still moving in an extremely fast pace.

"TAKE THIS!" Foliamon hollered. "LEAF SHRAPNEL!" He vaulted towards the Warrior of Wind, violently throwing the shower of leaves towards the fairy Digimon at high speeds with dead-on accuracy. Kazemon smiled and waited as the razor sharp leaves came in her direction.

"HURRICANE WAVE!" Kazemon shouted.

Flicking her hands toward the enemy, she blasts her tornadoes at the enemy. The attack created a powerful gust of wind, blowing all of the oncoming leaves away. Foliamon tried to keep his ground, but the wind was too strong. He was sent flying straight into a tree. The impact sent sharp jolts of pain into the creature's spine. Foliamon looked back up with anger in his eyes. But before he could react, Kazemon gave the evil Digimon a powerful sidekick to the creature's jaw. The attack was so strong, it broke off the crown of the tree. Foliamon groaned as he fell down to the ground. Upon impact, his body disintegrated into millions of pieces. Kazemon slowly lowered herself down and landed next to the spot where Foliamon had fallen.

"Whoa..." The Mushroomon gasped.

"Unbelievable!" spoke the Floramon.

"Meh..." sighed an unimpressed Beautymon.

"She did it! Kazemon did it!" Bokomon cried. All the Digimon around the village started cheering. They leap up and down, throwing flower petals and other pants in the air. They chanted songs of praise towards the Warrior of Wind, making her smile.

"SILENCE!" Another voice shouted, immediately ceasing the singing. Kazemon looked behind her and scowled at the enemy. "If there's going to be any singing, it's going to about me and only me!"

"Chrysanthemon!" said Kazemon

"That's right, you fool! Now, be a good dear and hand me the Spirits, before I really get angry."

"Lady Chrysanthemon!" The villagers cried.

"Silence! After I'm finished with her, you're all going to become faithful servants to Lord Malevomon! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Her evil laughter caused almost every Digimon to tremble in fear.

"That's enough!" interrupted Kazemon. "Chrysanthemon, regardless of what you had become, these villagers still respect you and honor you. And this is how you repay them? I can't believe such a kind and gentle Digimon like you would turn into a maniacal menace.

"Kind? Gentle? Hmph! That was my weak side getting in the way of reaching my full potential. And now, thanks to my master, we will rule the Digital World together!"

"Don't do this, Chrysanthe..."

"Enough! If you won't give me the Spirits, I'll just take them from you! Blooming Barrage!"

She held her hands out and fired a large number of bullet-like seeds out of her palms. Kazemon shook her head and sighed. She soared up to the skies, completely evading Chrysanthemon's attack. Chrysanthemon aimed her hands toward Kazemon and shot a few more seeds. The female butterfly twirled and whirled in the air, like a Zero Fighter jet, avoiding the seeds.

Suddenly, Kazemon changed direction and zoomed in towards Chrysanthemon. The flower Digimon continues her onslaught of bullets, trying to take down the Warrior of Wind. However, the speed and quickness of her opponent was too great. Kazemon gave Chrysanthemon a powerful kick straight to the jaw, knocking her to the ground. Chrysanthemon quickly got back to her feet, still rubbing her swollen mandible. She clenched her fist together as Kazemon landed softly in front of her.

"You're going to pay for that!" She howled. The pink flowers on her head started to glow. Chrysanthemon curled her body close together, gathering as much energy as she could. She glowered back at Kazemon before shouting her attack. "TOXIC SPRAY!" Just then, purple mist of poison flew out of the flowers on her head and towards the Warrior of Wind.

"Careful!" A Floramon shouted. "That attack's deadly! Touching that mist alone would be devastating."

"Relax." Bokomon said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Zoe's not only strong, but she's smart. Just watch."

Kazemon smile got bigger the closer the mist got to her. After letting out another disappointed sigh, she put her hands on the ground and, with her legs spread out wide, she spun them around in the air.

"Tempest Twist!" She hollered, creating a strong force of wind.

Kazemon spun faster and faster, increasing the strength of the power of the wind being generated. She used her attack to blow the mist right back at Chrysanthemon. With literally no time to react, she shield her face and braced herself as her Toxic Spray surrounded her entire body. Chrysanthemon fell on her hands and knees, coughing profusely. Some of the poison entered her lungs and was slowly started to take effect. Kazemon walked towards the fallen Digimon.

"You're making a mistake, Chrysanthemon. Nothing good comes out when you're serving Malevomon. All he cares about is himself. To him, you're just another pawn."

"Silence! You lie..." coughed Chrysanthemon.

"He doesn't care about you. Once when your purpose is served, that's it. You're done. He'll kick you to the curb and have another one of his servant suffer the same fate."

"NO THAT'S NOT TRUE!" The flower Digimon started crying. "HE WOULDN'T!"

"He's a very cruel Digimon. You'll be alone just like the others. But we can protect you, Chrysanthemon. Join us and I can guarantee you won't be alone anymore. You'll have friends who care about you and they'll protect you from the evil..."

Suddenly, there was a huge earthquake, knocking all of the villagers to the ground. Kazemon kept her balance and scanned the area. She looked up and noticed black clouds were forming, covering the entire village with darkness. Innumerable amounts of lightning bolts crash into the ground and the trees around the garden. Kazemon could see a fearful look on Chrysanthemon's face. She could also sense the presence of an evil Digimon nearby.

A terrifying silhouette appeared in front of her. The evil creature stood there with shadows cloaking his entire body and face. Finally, the shadows had lifted, revealing a tall monster with a black high collared cape and a silver mask. He looked at the trembling Warrior of Wind, as well as every other Digimon in the village, and smirked. Chrysanthemon saw the malicious creature's dark eyes and evil grin. Her eyes shot up and her skin became as pale as snow. Her muscles grew tense with each passing second and small gasp escaped her mouth.

"M... M... MALEVOMON!"

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter nine.<strong>

**How would Kazemon fair against the Creator of the Chaos Spheres? Can the Warrior of Wind hold her own, or will Malevomon be too much for her to handle? Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	10. Evil Shows His Face

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**It's complete chaos in Breezy Village when Hederamon and Foliamon were wreaking havoc all over the place. Beautymon tried to stop them, but even she was having trouble holding her own. Later, Chrysanthemon found the Spirits of Wind hidden inside a statue. But it was a good thing Zoe got to them first. She Spirit Evolved into Kazemon and took care of Chrysanthemon and her servants easily. But just when the butterfly was about to help Chrysanthemon come to her senses, wouldn't you know it? Malevomon finally shows up, ready to cause some more trouble. Uh-oh, Kazemon's in big trouble.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter ten!**

* * *

><p><strong>Evil Shows His Face<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"PYRO TORNADO!"

Large, hot fireballs appeared on Agunimon's fist as his entire body was surrounded by the scorching heat. He extended his arms to his side and started spinning around. The faster he rotated, the bigger the fireballs on his fists grew. Soon, a fiery tornado engulfed the Warrior of Flame. Once he was ready, the Warrior of Flame spun toward the closest Digimon towards hum.

The blazing hot attack collided against a nearby Tyrannomon. The Champion grunted in pain as the heated attack left behind several burns on his body. The red walking lizard collapsed on his back and remained motionless. Like a pinball bouncing off a bumper, Agunimon ricocheted off of the defeated dinosaur and into another Tyrannomon. The reptile beast grunted in agony as his body fell to the ground.

"DINO BLAST!" A third Tyrannomon shouted from a few meters away from the fiery tornado with a certain Legendary Warrior inside.

He unleashed a barrage of fireballs at the rotating Agunimon. But the flamed spheres weren't strong enough to stop or slow down the Legendary Warrior. The fireballs either bounced off of the fiery cyclone, or it added more heat to the tornado, making it more powerful. And thanks to Tyrannomon's contribution, Agunimon's Pyro Tornado has doubled in size and heat energy. All it took was one hit from the rotating attack, and the dinosaur-type Digimon was flat on his back. His body burst into bits when he was completely out of energy.

Agunimon stopped his attack as he slid his feet on the dirt. He then turned his attention to his next opponents, which happened to be another pair of four legged dinosaurs He pushed off towards a couple of growling Monochromon, running at them at full speed. With the building momentum on his side, Agunimon was ready to take both Digimon at the same time.

"Volcanic Strike!" The horned beasts roared.

The two Digimon opened their mouths and shot large fireballs at the Legendary Warrior. Agunimon juked left to avoid one of the blasts and spun to the right to avoid the second. He also jumped in the air to avoid a few more oncoming fireballs. But just when he landed on the ground, a fireball exploded near his feet, filling the spot with thick smoke. The Monochromon examined the smoky cloud in front of them and began to chuckle.

"Hey, what are you clowns laughing at?" A voice spoke.

The two dinosaur Digimon ceased their laughing when they saw a dark silhouette standing inside the smoke. They gasped in shock as Agunimon stepped out of the debris unscathed. The Warrior of Flame sprinted towards the two Monochromon. Large bursts of flame emerged on both of his fists. The Monochromon launched a few more of their Volcanic Strike attacks at the Legendary Warrior, but Agunimon was way too quick. He dodge left and right as he closed the distance.

Agunimon finally got within striking range and gave one Monochromon a fiery punch to the face, knocking the oversized Digimon to the ground. The Warrior of Flame turned around to face the second Monochromon. Agunimon could see the four legged dinosaur's cantankerous glare as he scrapped the ground with his front foot, like a raging bull ready to charge at a matador.

"Slamming Horn!" Monochromon screamed as he charged at the humanoid fighter.

The Warrior of Flame grappled the monster by his horn. The two Digimon displayed tremendous strength, pushing each other as hard as they could, trying to get their opponent off balance. So far, it's been nothing but a standstill. Neither the dinosaur, nor the Legendary Warrior were about to give their opponent an inch. Both Agunimon and Monochromon were pushing each other to their limits, trying to get the other to back down.

But as the seconds pass, Agunimon began to lose energy. His strength in his pushing decreased, which Monochromon took full advantage of. The Legendary Warrior stumbled onto one knee, trying to hold off the beast off. The dinosaur Digimon continued to apply pressure on the Legendary Warrior. Monochromon's grin grew wider when he realized victory was within his gasped.

"Hehehehe!" The mind controlled dinosaur chuckled.

"Ugh... can't... hold on..." grumbled Agunimon as he was down to the last of his strength.

"Diamond Cutter!" A valiant voice shouted.

Agunimon's head popped up at the sound of Swiftmon yelling his attack. The sound of his swords quickly slicing through the enemy made Agunimon's eardrums go crazy. In a matter of seconds, the warrior-like Digimon reappeared behind the ferocious Monochromon, still spinning his weapon around. Even though the swordsman wasn't watching his opponent, the look in his eyes told the fiery Digimon he's the victor in this fight.

The Warrior of Flame let out a quick gasp as he could feel the weight of the dinosaur monster being slowly lifted off of him. Monochromon turned his sharp horn towards the swordsman and was ready to strike. But when Swiftmon placing his weapon back in his sheath, the four legged beast screamed in pain as his giant body turned into shredded bits. Swiftmon marched toward Agunimon and helped him back to his feet.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah! Thanks, Swiftmon." The Warrior of Flame said, wiping the dirt off himself.

"Don't let your guard down." The second-in-command reminded. "Our mission is far from over."

"Right!" complied Agunimon.

He got into defensive position as he observed the scene around him. Large numbers of Tyrannomon and Monochromon were lying on the sand, either unconscious, exhausted or on the verge of being deleted. On the other hand, that was only a fraction of the army sent to destroy Breezy Village. Agunimon looked back up and saw more strong Digimon approaching. Every time they take out one Monochromon or Tyrannomon, it seems as if three more show up to take its place. Agunimon lets out a 'can this get any worse' kind of sigh.

"Stand your ground! Things are about to get tough." Swiftmon commanded, swinging his sword and obliterating a couple more Monochromon.

Agunimon followed up by launching a couple of fireballs at the enemy. As he finished throwing his attacks, he looked up at the clear blue sky above. He began to see dark clouds forming up above. It shrouded the battlefield in darkness. Lightning crashed into the ground and thunder sounds echo throughout the area. These clouds weren't your average rain clouds back in the Human World.

"Swiftmon, what's going on?" asked Agunimon. Swiftmon looked up at the sky and also noticed the clouds in the sky.

"I got a bad feeling about this..." He murmured.

"What? What's wrong?" But instead of answering Agunimon's question, he turned his attention back towards the forest.

"What's taking those two so long?" He wondered. "They should've recovered the Spirits by now?"

"Maybe we should go back to help them."

"No. We have to stay and fight. Once when Beautymon gives us the signal, then we'll retreat. Understand?"

"Alright." answered the Legendary Warrior, with less enthusiasm.

He turned back towards the battleground and saw more Tyrannomon and Monochromon approaching the forest. He was about to get into his usual fighting stance, when his eyes caught three energy beams heading his way. He dove to the side to avoid getting hit by the blast. Agunimon rose to his feet to see his next opponent.

"Destroy them all!" A giant triceratops ordered. It had thick armor shell shielding his body and head. The sharp horns on the front had red stripes in them.

"Uh-oh! We got even more company!"

"Damn, I knew this was way too easy..." Swiftmon groaned.

"What is that thing, Swiftmon?" growled Agunimon.

"Triceramon..." The swordsman murmured.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Triceramon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Tri-Horn Blast; Mega Slam**

**Description: Triceramon is one of the most ruthless Digimon that ever lived. The armored shell he wears is said stronger than any other Digimon's armor. But his defense pales in comparison with his offense. His Tri-Horn Blast fires energy shots from his horns, making it three times more difficult to dodge.**

"Careful, he's a lot stronger than the ones we've been fighting." said Swiftmon.

"Thanks for the warning!" The Warrior of Flame mumbled sarcastically. "Anything else I should know?"

"Yes. It's only going to get tougher than here! So, be on guard and don't take your opponents lightly!"

"Oh, that's just great." grumbled Agunimon. He was getting tired from all the fighting earlier. Still, he hadn't forgotten his mission. "More powerful Digimon. It's what I've always wanted."

"Is that so? Well, look no further. You're about to get your wish. See for yourself." said Swiftmon, pointing his sword towards his left.

Agunimon looked towards the direction where Swiftmon was pointing. There were more giant Digimon approaching the two warriors. They looked like Tyrannomon, but with black skin, green plates on its back and red marks scared across his arms, legs, and tail. What separates them from the Champions are that they're bigger and have a much nastier attitude.

"Whoa! They're huge! Are those Tyrannomon too?"

"Not quite." Swiftmon approved. "Those are called DarkTyrannomon."

"DarkTyrannomon?" Agunimon gulped.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: DarkTyrannomon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Dino Fire; Iron Tail**

**Description: And you thought Tyrannomon was bad. That guy's nothing, compared to DarkTyrannomon. It is said that a computer virus transformed this cuddly creature, making him one nasty Digimon. His attacks not only got stronger, but his personality did a one-eighty. Don't believe me, try taking his Dino Fire attack head-on.**

"Like you said, my boy. It's what you've always wanted." Swiftmon chuckled a bit.

"It's called 'sarcasm.' Ever heard of it?" argued the Legendary Warrior.

"Save the jokes for later! We got hold them off and give the girls time to find the Spirits. I just hope they're alright!"

"I do too." Agunimon said, glancing back at the forest.

"Zoe..." He said to himself.

"Come on, Agunimon! Let's go!" Swiftmon ordered, unsheathing one of his swords and charging at a nearby Triceramon.

"Right!" Agunimon said, turning his attention back to the battlefield. Suddenly, a large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded the Legendary Warrior's body. Inside the long steams of data, Agunimon began to change forms.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!"

Finally, the large body of Fractal Code disappeared, and a new Legendary Warrior emerged. Underneath the golden armor covering his mouth, the winged dinosaur grinned like he was ready to turn up the heat. Finally, the Beast of Flame spread his orange wings out wide and unleashed a thunderous roar that made the entire desert shake.

"BURNINGGREYMON!"

* * *

><p>A massive earthquake struck the entire village, knocking down almost every Digimon to the ground. Bokomon and Neemon grabbed a hold of a nearby tree and hung on tight as the violent tremor progressed. A sick Chrysanthemon fell on all fours while the composed Beautymon stood her ground successfully. Kazemon somehow managed to stay on her feet, but almost lost her balance a few times.<p>

The Warrior of Wind scanned the area, searching for anything peculiar. She looked towards the sky and saw dark clouds forming in the sky, covering the gardens with shadows and obscurity. In a matter of seconds, the entire village was shrouded in pitch darkness. Large number of lightning bolts struck the ground and numerous trees in the area. The trees burst into flames as it fell straight into the ground in front of the villagers.

"This is not good! THIS IS NOT GOOD!" Neemon ran around panicking.

"What's happening?" Bokomon yelped. Kazemon looked around the area again and could sense the presence of an evil Digimon nearby. She checked back with Chrysanthemon, who has a terrified look on her face. It looked like she had just seen a ghost. Either that, or something even more frightening than a ghost.

"Chrysanthemon, what's going on?" The Warrior of Wind asked the flower-type Digimon

"He... He's here." She said softly.

All of the sudden, thick clouds of smoke filled the area, blinding the Legendary Warrior's vision. Kazemon turned to find her friends, but the dark fog made it almost impossible for her to find Bokomon, Neemon or any of the villagers. On the other hand, the Warrior of Wind could feel the evil aura getting stronger and more malicious.

"Hahahaha!" A pitchy voice laughed. Kazemon looked up and noticed a black imp floating above the village. He flew around and around like a bat in a cave as he continued to speak. "Ladies and Gentlemon! It is the moment you've all been waiting! He's the Creator of Chaos, The Master of Disaster and the Emperor of the Digital World! I give you..."

"A headache..." The voice of Beautymon heckled the imp.

"Be quiet, you!" The angry Rookie growled. "As I was saying, he is the most powerful Digimon in the world, the Ruler of Ruination, and the..."

"Hey look! A giant flying stuffed animal!" Neemon aimlessly blurted out, causing the imp to suddenly fall to the ground, frustrated and extremely annoyed. He quickly got up to his feet and glared at the retarded rabbit.

"Hey! Shut up! Who are you calling a stuffed animal? Show me some respect you insignificant piece of..."

"Ooh! And it talks to!" Neemon gasped.

"Be quiet!" yelled the monster, pulling out a miniature bomb out of the black backpack.

"Take this! MINI BOOMER!"

He heaved his tiny explosive at Neemon and Bokomon. The bomb bounced and rolled on the ground towards the two rookies. It exploded a few feet short of its target, but it did knock the two Digimon back to the ground. The imp placed his hands on his hips and started laughing hysterically. Seeing others' pain and misfortune is always amusing.

"Bokomon! Neemon!" Kazemon cried. She leered back towards the imp Digimon, with her fist clenched tight. "Hey! Those are my friends! Who do you think you are?"

"Oh, that's right." The devil smirked. "How rude of me... I've forgotten to introduce myself! I am his majesty's most faithful servant! But you can call me... Sinistromon!"

"Sinistromon?" said Kazemon.

"Yeah, that's right! And you must be one of them Legendary Warriors, huh?" Sinistromon asked, observing Kazemon's features. He flew in a little closer to get a good look at her. He reached towards her long purple hair, but an annoyed Kazemon swatted Sinistromon's arm away.

"Hehe, for a cute Digimon, you got a lot of attitude. I like it. I like it a lo..." Sinistromon turned his attention towards another Digimon standing behind the Legendary Warrior of Wind. He flew past Kazemon and glided towards the other female Digimon with a smirk on his face.

"Well, now... What do we have here?" He asked, slowly approaching olive haired warrior. Beautymon gazed into Sinistromon's eyes before turning her head away I disgust.

"Oh great, you again..." She grumbled.

"Hello, Beautymon." Sinistromon grinned.

"Sinistromon. Been a while... I haven't seen your ugly face in a long time." Beautymon said unenthusiastically.

"Too long, if you asked me. But enough games! I want my rematch! Right here, right now!"

"Silly child... what rematch?"

"Don't play with dumb with me! You know exactly what I'm talking about! That rematch you owe me after you humiliated back in the Continent of Darkness. It was one of the worse days of my life!"

"What are you talking about?" Beautymon curiously asked. "I don't owe you a rematch. It'll only be a waste of time."

"Grrrr! You think, you're so tough, huh?"

"So what if I am?" She giggled before sighing again with disappointment. "Besides, why are you complaining? If I recall you and your master were the ones that walked away with the Spirits of Darkness..."

"That is beside the point, you crazy wackjob!" hollered Sinistromon. "Lord Malevomon was extremely frustrated at me for failing to destroy the Digimon Battlefront! And for that, the master put me through a hellish beat down with a few of his nastiest fighters! It was humiliating, I tell you! HUMILIATING!"

"Oh poor baby, I guess your life is tough." giggled Beautymon.

"Sure, rub it in. And now that you're here, Beautymon, vengeance will be mine!" Sinistromon took a huge leap into the air and pulled out a couple of small bombs out of his black backpack.

"MINI BOOMER!"

He heaved his small explosives towards the olive-haired warrior. The bombs exploded on the ground, filling the area with smoke, flames and debris. When the smoke cleared, Sinistromon could see Beautymon standing in the same spot, unfazed and unscathed. Covering her mouth with her sleeve, she gave the annoyed imp an arrogant wink.

This made Sinistromon very angry. He reached into his backpack and pulled out two handfuls of miniature explosives. He threw them as hard as he could towards the female warrior. Beautymon tilted her head side to side to avoid the first two bombs. However, she noticed another bomb coming from her right side. Instinctively, she leaped out of the vicinity and watched as the bombs went off like a bunch of firecrackers. Upon landing smoothly on the ground, her incomprehensible look changed into an irritated glower.

"Sinistromon..." She warned the little devil. "I'm not in a good mood. So, if you don't mind, get lost! Because if you don't, I'll..."

"Mini Boomer!" cried Sinistromon as he took out more explosives out of his backpack and heaved them once again towards Beautymon. She put her hands in front of her face as the bombs exploded all around her, covering Beautymon with a thick cloud of smoke. Sinistromon fell down to the ground and rolled with laugher.

All of the other Digimon, including Kazemon, gasped upon seeing the thick smoke surrounding the female Digimon. Everyone couldn't help but wonder the status of their third-in-command. Finally the smoke had cleared, revealing the Champion level Digimon with her beautiful white dress covered with dirt, mud, debris, rubble and burn marks. Sinistromon continued to roll on the ground laughing like a child; he failed to see Beautymon, with a small smudge on her elegant face, towering above him.

"You... little... BRAT!" Beautymon screamed, causing the entire village to shake. Kazemon was surprised at olive haired creature's outburst.

It's extremely rare for Beautymon to display any kind of emotion. Then again, messing up Beautymon's appearance is one way to get yourself killed. Sinistromon ceased his laughing when he noticed Beautymon's shower hovering above him. He hastily got back to his feet as Beautymon stuck her right hand in front of the tiny Digimon.

"My beautiful dress! My perfectly sown dress, the dress that makes every Digimon gasp with admiration... RUINED! YOU HAVE CROSSED THE LINE! BEAUTIFUL BEAM!" Beautymon fired her signature beam towards Sinistromon. The imp immediately took to the skies, barely evading the attack. After a couple more dodges, he grinned at the female warrior.

"Finally, you decided to get serious, huh?" He smirked. "Very well then... so will I! Double Ganger!"

Sinistromon's body becomes outlined in gray and then glows in white. During the process, the little monster was able to create four multiple copies of itself. Each clone of Sinistromon surrounded Beautymon. The female Digimon figured she was outnumbered, but that still didn't faze her. She noticed each copy of Sinistromon taking out a couple of miniature bombs. Beautymon planted her feet on the ground and waited for the enemy to strike.

"Hey Ugly!" One Sinistromon called out, drawing Beautymon's attention.

"Speak for yourself, you ugly little..."

"Mini Boomer!" A second copy yelled, heaving one of his bombs towards the distracted Beautymon.

Luckily, she saw it coming in her peripheral vision. She leaped out of the way to the blast. But when she landed back on the ground, she saw two more bombs coming her way. Again, she spun like a ballerina to avoid the first attack and performed a series of flips to avoid the rest. She backflipped into the forest, with the rest of the copies of Sinistromon following right behind her.

"Miss. Beautymon!" Floramon shouted.

"Oh great, where is she of to now?" complained Kazemon. "I swear, she does this every time. Whenever someone calls her the 'U-Word', she always has to..."

Suddenly, a lightning bolt struck the ground between her and the extremely ill flower-type Digimon on the ground. The clouds in the sky became darker and the bizarre feeling in the atmosphere has returned. Kazemon could feel her spine tingling in fear. Whoever was coming, not only was a Digimon unlike any other, but also more powerful than she could imagine.

But then she turned towards Chrysanthemon. Her eyes were red, puff and covered in tears. Her breaths were rapid and shallow. Chrysanthemon tried getting back to her feet, but some kind of invisible force caused her to stumble back to the ground. The flower Digimon stayed on all fours, waiting for a certain Digimon to appear.

"What's going on Chrysanthemon?" asked Kazemon.

"He's here..." The flower creature answered. The look of fear in her eyes, all of the sudden, had changed. A huge grin appeared from one side of her cheek to another as she started to laugh psychopathically.

"My master is here! Look!"

She pointed towards the thick cloud of smoke a few feet in front of her. Kazemon turned and saw a shadowy figure inside the cloud. The silhouette took a couple steps forward towards the two female Digimon.

The shadows had lifted, revealing the Master of Disaster, Malevomon.

He had black dress shoes with a dark spherical emblem on the front on each footwear. He also wore black pants with a small patch on both kneecaps. He also had a white dress shirt with a black vest, with a long, red scarf around his neck. A dark coat with a high collared cape draped down to his lower back. There was a small slit in the end of each of the emperor's sleeves and white gloves on each of his large hands. Lastly, he had a large silver mask covering his entire face only revealing his mouth and horrifying eyes. His eyes locked on the trembling Warrior of Wind.

"Hello... my child." He smirked.

"It can't be! Are... Are you... Malevomon?" Kazemon stuttered.

"Show some respect, you insolent little pest!" Chrysanthemon ordered as she got back to her feet. Still weak from the poison in her body, she wobbled towards her master and stood by his side.

"You will refer to him as Lord Malevomon! Isn't that right, master?" She asked, with her lovely eyes.

Malevomon gazed into Chrysanthemon's captivating eyes, causing him to smile. He cupped her chin with one hand while placing his other hand on her cheek. He chuckled softly to himself and noticed Chrysanthemon closing her eyes and puckering up her lips. He replied with the same suit, ready to return his subordinate the favor.

But just when his lips was about to make contact with hers, he pulled his head back and gave the flower Digimon a vicious backhand slap to her face. The powerful attack knocked Chrysanthemon back to the ground. Tears filled her eyes as she rubbed her swollen cheek. Malevomon walked towards the fallen female Digimon and viciously stomped on her petite body repeatedly.

Kazemon watched helplessly as the evil emperor continue to trample on Chrysanthemon. As much as she wanted to help, she couldn't move. Her body was completely stiff. She was too afraid to intervene. Malevomon is a violent creature and she's completely terrified of what he can do to her. It wasn't until she saw the malicious ruler grab the back of Chrysanthemon's neck and lifted her high off the ground. Kazemon snapped back into reality and focus on her new opponent.

"Hey! Leave her alone, you big brute!" She screamed, zooming towards Malevomon. "Hurricane Wave!"

Swirling pink tornadoes appeared out of her fingertips. When she got within range, she threw her tornadoes at Malevomon. However, the tornadoes bounced off the evil Digimon, leaving him practically unscathed. Malevomon glowered back at the Warrior of Wind. He stuck his hand out towards the human butterfly. She felt some kind of unseen force stopping her in midair. The Legendary Warrior tried to shake free from Malevomon's psychic powers, but to no avail.

"Fly away, weakling..." Malevomon snickered. He swung his hand towards the right, which pushed the helpless Kazemon also towards the right. She crashed hard into a nearby tree. Her body goes limp as she slumped to the ground.

"Kazemon!" Bokomon cried, running towards the fallen warrior. Malevomon chuckled to himself for a few seconds before turning his attention back towards the gagging Chrysanthemon.

"M... Master, what... what are you doing..." chocked the female Digimon.

"You disappoint me, Chrysanthemon." Malevomon answered. "I ordered you to retrieve the Spirits..." He tightened his grip around Chrysanthemon's neck. "... and you did not. And I also ordered you to destroy the humans..." He then lifts Chrysanthemon up and slams her down to the ground. "... and you failed!" The flower Digimon winced in pain upon impact. Her body went numb and her face was a huge mess.

"Forgive me, my lord..." Chrysanthemon faintly spoke. "I... I tried... but that human was too strong for me..."

"Pity... then again, I expected no less from a weakling like you." Malevomon spoke. Chrysanthemon felt a thousand daggers piercing her fragile heart. She got back to her feet and hobbled towards the evil emperor.

"My Lord... you surely don't mean that..."

"You're a failure, Chrysanthemon. I refuse to work with failures. They are better off dead."

"Please... give me another chance. Now that you're here, we can destroy the humans and take over the world... together. Please, master... what do you say?"

"Hmm..." Malevomon pondered, placing a hand on his chin.

He took a long look at the exhausted and beaten Chrysanthemon. Malevomon then turned his attention to all of the villagers still in the vicinity and then back to Kazemon, who was still on barely conscious on the ground. He sighed, turning back towards his subordinate.

"I'm sorry." He said. "You're right Chrysanthemon. I should be more sympathetic. After all, you're one of my hardest workers and strongest fighters. Not to mention the garden you grew in my castle was beyond extraordinary." His complement caused the flower Digimon to finally smile.

"Th... Thank you, my lord." She bowed.

"And now, let me reward you for your..." A fiendish grin appeared on the wicked emperor's face. He pointed his hand towards Chrysanthemon. "... grateful services."

But upon hearing those words, Chrysanthemon's smile had dropped. A black sphere of energy started to form in the palm of Malevomon's hand. The flower Digimon's eyes began to water as she subconsciously shook her head. Her mind was screaming at her, but her body was frozen like a statue.

"Malevolent Onslaught..."

Finally, Malevomon shot the energy ball towards the terrified female Digimon. Chrysanthemon tried to run away, but it was too late. The energy ball increased in sized and engulfed the poor Digimon's entire body. Malevomon grinned at his creation.

"What... What's going on?" A Mushroomon asked.

"I got a bad feeling about this!" Bokomon spoke.

Meanwhile, Kazemon managed to regain consciousness. After shaking off her mild headache, she noticed the dark energy shape in front of her.

"Chrysanthemon?" She called as she rose to her feet. But before she could take a step further, Kazemon could hear voices.

"No! Master, please! Spare me! I'm begging you! Don't do it... NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Breezy Village was covered with Chrysanthemon's screams of agony. The villagers gasped in fear, frightened of what's happening to their beloved Chrysanthemon. Malevomon, however, continued with his maniacal laughter. He snapped his fingers, and the ball of energy faded away.

Kazemon checked the spot where Chrysanthemon once stood, but she was gone. All that remained were the two pink flower head ornaments that hung on the flower-type creature's head. Kazemon and all of the other Digimon felt tears trickling down their faces. The Warrior of Wind glared at Malevomon, who had already ceased his hysterical outbursts. He turned towards the Floramon and Mushroomon in the village and smiled.

"BOO!"

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" That one word was enough to get the other Digimon to disperse into the forest, leaving Bokomon, Neemon and Kazemon all by themselves.

"You monster!" roared the Warrior of Wind. "Who do you think you are?" Malevomon slowly turned until his eyes locked on to Kazemon's. Even though her eyes were covered by her silver visor, he could see right through them and he noticed the fear.

"How dare you treat Chrysanthemon like that? You sick freak! You'll pay for this!"

"Your empty threats doesn't concern me my child." Malevomon sneered. "But forgive me, I haven't properly introduced myself. I am, Malevomon, but you can call me the Digimon Emperor if you like. And when I collect all of the Legendary Spirits, this world will be mine! And every creature will become my salves for all eternity."

"That's some wacko dream you got there, tough guy." Kazemon growled.

"It's not a dream, it's my destiny. You have a couple of the Legendary Spirits I seek. Now be a good girl and hand them over. If you cooperate, I will spare your lives. I'll even leave this disgusting village alone. All you had to do is..."

"Never!" Kazemon replied.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't making myself clear. I'm not asking, I'm _demanding_ you to give me the Spirits!"

"No way! There are a lot of innocent Digimon counting on me! I can't let them down! If you want to get my Spirits, you're gonna have to fight me!"

"Hahahahahahaha! Please, dear. You have no idea what you're up against?"

"I'm not afraid. I can take you!" declared Kazemon.

"Foolish girl. My powers are too great. I can do things beyond your imagination, things you only see in your wildest dreams... and darkest nightmares. You don't stand a chance."

"We'll see about that!" The Legendary Warrior leaped high in the air and flew towards Malevomon. She stuck her two hands out in front of her, creating swirling pink tornadoes on her fingertips.

"Hurricane Wave!" She yelled, throwing the tornadoes at the evil Digimon.

Kazemon's attack nail Malevomon in the face, but he didn't budge. The pink tornadoes either bounced off the creature's face or blew his hair back a little bit. Kazemon was shocked that her attack didn't do any damage.

"Hmmmm... that's such a nice breeze." Malevomon snickered. "Come now, my child. You're a Legendary Warrior. I expect more of a challenge, but so far, I'm not impressed. Is this the Warrior of Wind's true power, or are you just holding back?"

"Shut up! You haven't seen anything yet!" Kazemon put her hands on the ground and, with her legs spread out wide, she spun them around in the air.

"Tempest Twist!" She hollered, creating a strong force of wind using her legs.

The Legendary Warrior spun faster and faster, increasing the strength of the power of the wind being generated. She spun closer towards Malevomon until she was in range. Kazemon unleashed a barrage of spin kicks all over the emperor's head and body. The evil Digimon blocked a couple of Kazemon's kicks, but allowed the butterfly to get a few good hits on him.

Then again, all of Kazemon's attacks have been ineffective. Malevomon grinned as he watched Kazemon trying to find a weak spot. But no matter how many times she's hit her target, the evil Digimon was unaffected by her attacks. Suddenly, she sprung her hands toward the ground, causing her to ascend back in the air, which surprised the evil monster.

"Take this!" She screamed.

"Huh? UGH!"

Catching Malevomon off guard, Kazemon gave him one of the most ferocious roundhouse kicks she's ever delivered to the creature's head. The blow, however, twisted Malevomon's neck at almost one-hundred and eighty degrees. Malevomon was shocked that this little girl can unleash such an incredible attack. He groaned in pain and gasped for air. His body began to fall backwards. Kazemon landed on the ground and observed the damage she'd inflicted. The small victory made the Legendary Warrior smile to herself. She sighed and started walking back towards Bokomon and Neemon.

"Sorry... fooled ya..." A deep voice laughed.

Kazemon stopped dead in her tracks and turned back towards her opponent. Her eyes widened at what she saw. With all of his might, he readjust his somewhat broken neck, creating a loud cracking sound which echoed throughout the village. The Warrior of Wind cringed at the noise. Just like that, Malevomon's neck was repaired.

The butterfly stood there, frozen and afraid. She threw everything she had and it's still not enough. She took a step back, but stumbled back to the ground. Her entire body was covered with Malevomon's shadow. She looked up with fear written all over her eyes.

"It... It can't be!" She gasped.

Malevomon pointed his hand at Kazemon, levitating her off the ground. He pulled her toward him. Kazemon tried to break free, but she couldn't get loose. Once she was close enough, Malevomon punched her once in the face and twice in the gut. Kazemon winced in pain, but then the evil Digimon grabbed her head a slammed her hard on the ground. The Warrior of Wind screamed in agony upon impact. Malevomon chuckled at his defeated and dazed opponent.

"You don't understand, my child. Do you know why I ordered Sinistromon to fight your friend, Beautymon? Not just to make a fool out of himself, but to get her out of the vicinity. You see, she and Swiftmon were the only obstacles in my way. The rest of you pathetic creatures..." He extended his hand towards the fallen Legendary Warrior. He grabbed Kazemon by the neck and lifted her up in the air. She coughed and gagged for air, silently praying for someone to save her.

"... are already _dead_."

* * *

><p>"Pyro Barrage!" shouted BurningGreymon.<p>

Solar energy bullets shot out of the Digimon's machine guns attached to his arms. The attack sprayed a couple of DarkTyrannomons' body. The dinosaurs cried in pain, before they were obliterated. BurningGreymon turned his body around and gave another DarkTyrannomon a huge uppercut to the jaw. He then focused on a couple charging Triceramon.

He unleashed a huge roar as hot flames engulfed his body.

"WILDFIRE TSUNAMI!" BurningGreymon screamed, releasing the hot attack towards the Triceramon. But before the dinosaur Digimon could move out of the way, the flames swallow the Triceramon, incinerating their entire bodies until there was nothing left. BurningGreymon landed smoothly on the ground

"Behind you!" Swiftmon cried.

The Beast of Flame turned and noticed three energy blasts heading his way. He moved left and right to avoid the first two shots. However, the third blast hit BurningGreymon in the chest. He fell to the ground with a thud. Fractal Code surrounded his entire body as he transformed back into Takuya. He got on his hands and knees and saw a DarkTyrannomon standing really close to him. He growled at the young boy as he lifted up one of his leg, ready to stomp on the defenseless boy.

"Diamond Cutter!" Swiftmon yelled, quickly dancing around DarkTyrannomon and slashing his broadsword at the dinosaur. Swiftmon landed in front of Takuya. The goggle-headed boy watched as DarkTyrannomon's body exploded into tiny pieces. He quickly got back to his feet and looked back at the swordsman.

"Thanks, Swiftmon."

"We mustn't get careless! Hurry and get back in the..."

"Take this you, witch!" Some voice spoke.

Takuya and Swiftmon looked back towards the forest and noticed a few explosions, followed by a few pink beams. The attacks were drawing closer towards the warriors. Finally, a tiny imp flew out of the trees and landed on the ground, a few feet in front of Takuya.

"Ow... my back."

"Sinistromon..." snarled Swiftmon.

"Sinistromon?" Takuya asked. "Who's he?"

"This is bad. If he's here, then that means..." Suddenly, another figure jumped out of the forest and landed on top of Sinistromon. The wind gracefully blew her long olive hair back.

"Poor Sinistromon. Teehee! I told you! I'm too fast, too strong, too good and just too..."

"Beautymon? What are you doing?" Swiftmon asked, with both irritation and anger in his voice.

"Where's Zoe?" Takuya questioned. "Is she alright? Did she find her Spirits yet?"

"Oh hiya, Cutie!" waved Beautymon. "Aw, did my little darling get a boo-boo? Did those nasty Digimon hurt my little..."

"Beautymon!" Swiftmon yelled, snapping the female Digimon out of her ecstasy.

"Ow! What, Swiftmon? No need to yell so loud in my delicate ears!"

"What are you doing here? Where's the other human?"

"Oh, she's getting her butt kicked by Malevomon."

"WHAT?" Swiftmon screamed, again in Beautymon's ear.

"Zoe... no..." Takuya gasped.

"If Malevomon's at the village, why are you here? You should be protecting the..."

"But Swiftmon..." She complained, pointing at the beaten little devil on the ground. "He called me 'ugly.'"

"What..." Swiftmon sighed. "That's it? That's why you abandoned your post? Because of a stupid insult?"

"Stupid insult?" huffed Beautymon. "You know how I operate, Swiftmon. You call me 'ugly' and you pay the price. This unfortunate fool got what's coming to him. Now if you excuse me, Swiftmon..." She pointed her hand out towards the barely conscious Sinistromon. "... I got some unfinished business to take care of."

"Oh, you're going to be in so much trouble when Lord Eldestmon finds out." Swiftmon shook his head.

"Whatever..." Beautymon giggled. "What do you think, Cutie?" She then asked looking towards Takuya, who was running back to the forest. In a matter of seconds, the Bearer of Flame disappeared in the trees.

"Huh? Where's he going?" Beautymon asked.

"He's going back to save his friend from Malevomon."

"Oh, please. If anything, she's probably dead by now. And if she is, then good riddance. I have no use for such weak..."

"Shut up Beautymon and help me out here!" ordered Swiftmon, unsheathing his swords and heading straight for the remaining dinosaur Digimon.

"Fine... whatever... but you owe me a new dress when this is all over, Swiftmon." Beautymon sighed heavily, joining her partner in the long, vicious battle.

* * *

><p>Takuya ran as fast as he could through the dense forest, praying that Zoe's still alright. At the same time, he felt some kind of evil presence surrounding his body. As he got deeper into the forest, the stronger the aura grew. He couldn't help but think of Zoe, what kind of danger she's facing right now, or better yet, who was she currently facing.<p>

"I hope Zoe's okay." Takuya thought. He finally saw light at the end of the forest. "Zoe..." He said as he departed the forest and entered the boundaries of Breezy Village.

He observed what's left of the village. Besides a few huts untouched, the rest of the place was almost completely destroyed. A majority of the trees and small homes have been annihilated, wildfires destroyed much of the luscious plants and flowers. The sight devastated him. But that wasn't his concern right now. He looked around the village and saw Bokomon and Neemon hiding behind the giant tree still standing in the middle. He ran towards them and the first thing he saw were tears in their eyes.

"Bokomon, Neemon? What's going on?" He asked. However, neither one of the said anything. He saw the worried look on their faces, and he knew something was wrong.

"Where's Zoe? Is she..."

Suddenly, something crashed into the giant tree, nearly breaking it in half. The impact sent the other three towards the ground. Takuya quickly got to his feet and looked towards the tree. He noticed a giant beaten up butterfly slumped against the broken tree. She was panting heavily. Bruises and scratches were smeared all over her slender, fragile body.

"Oh God! Kazemon!" Takuya gasped heavily.

"T... Takuya?" Kazemon said wispily. She slowly turned her head towards the teenaged boy. She could see a nervous look on his eyes.

"Wha... What's happened to you? Who did this?" Takuya stammered.

"Ah, you must be another one of the Chosen Children!" A deep voice echoed. Takuya turned towards the source and saw a tall well-dressed humanoid standing in front of them.

"You..." Takuya growled. His heartbeat started to beat rapidly. "Did you do this to her?"

"Hahahahahaha! You humans are such fascinating creatures. You care so much for one another. Cute, but a nothing more than a sign of weakness."

"You slimeball!" Takuya growled, pulling his D-Tector out of his pocket.

*Insert Song: With The Will*

A large ball of Fractal Code covered the Takuya's hand. After a few quick arm swings and stretches, Takuya aggressively brought his D-Tector and ball of Fractal Code together.

"EXECUTE, NOW!" He yelled with all of his might. He swiped the ball of Fractal Code with the scanner on top of the D-Tector. "FUSION EVOLUTION!"

A long stream of Fractal Code spiraled around his body. The Human and Beast Spirit of Fire finally awakened and started to combine its powers with each other. The boy felt a surge of energy completely taking over his body. Takuya screamed as loud as he could during the transformation, signifying how much energy and power his body is consuming. It wasn't long before the transformation was complete. The cocoon of Fractal Code exploded, revealing a Hybrid Spirit of Flame.

"ALDAMON!" The Digimon cried.

He stepped in front of the fallen Warrior of Wind and got into a defensive position. Malevomon stood right on his spot with his arms crossed. He sighed deeply and shook his head in disappointment.

"Silly me, I forgot to introduce myself! I'm the future ruler of the Digital World, but you may call me... Lord Malevomon!"

"Malevomon!" Aldamon snarled. "So you're the one who's causing all of this chaos!"

"Chaos? Foolish boy! The world these pathetic creatures live in right now is already in chaos! I am here to restore order and..."

"You want nothing but to destroy the Digital World!" accused the fiery Digimon. "To force innocent Digimon under you control and hurt anyone who stands in your way!" The cannons on his arms made a 180° turn and opened up for firing mode. They started glowing red, increasing energy with each passing second until it reached full capacity.

"And for that, you're gonna play! ATOMIC INFERNO!"

Aldamon started punching rapidly towards the evil Digimon. He released thousands of rocketing fireball missiles from his cannons. Malevomon stuck his hand out towards the oncoming fireballs. With a wave of his hand, he telepathically moved the attack towards a couple of huts, making them explode on impact. He stared deep into the Aldamon's eyes.

"What a shame. You Legendary Warrior are such a disappointment. Playing with you children is a waste of time."

"Why you..." snarled Aldamon.

"T... Takuya..." Kazemon spoke behind him. The Hybrid Digimon looked back and noticed the Warrior of Wind struggling to get back to her feet. Moving alone would send huge jolts of pain throughout her body. Still, Kazemon fought through it and hobbled towards Aldamon.

"Kazemon! Are you alright?" Aldamon asked.

"I'm fine..." coughed the butterfly. "This is nothing. I've... I've been though worse."

"You should rest! You're in no condition to fight!"

"But..."

"He's right, you know!" laughed Malevomon. "I've toyed with you long enough! I'm sorry, my child, but you're not even worth destroying! If you asked me, you must be the weakest fighter out of all the ten Legendary Warriors! Hahahahahahaha!"

"Why you..." Kazemon snapped. She took a step forward, only to fall back on her knees again.

"Zoe!" Aldamon cried, helping her back to her feet.

"I'm fine, Takuya." She said. "Please, let's fight him together!"

"Are you sure? It's too dangerous. He's a very powerful Digimon. If we're not careful, he could..."

"He's insulted me for the last time! There's nothing I want more than to shut his big mouth up for good!" declared the Warrior of Wind.

"Zoe..." Aldamon said to himself. He thought about it for a few seconds before nodding his head.

"Alright, just be careful."

"I will. Just let me change into something more comfortable!" The Warrior of Wind said as Fractal Code surrounded her body. Inside the long steams of data, Kazemon began to change forms.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!"

Finally, the Fractal Code had vanished, and a new Digimon appeared. It was a winged beast Digimon that closely resembled a ninja whose skin is darker as opposed to Kazemon's. She has a pair of long brown wings for versatile movement and light blue hair, shaped into a pair of feathered wings. A long black scarf is worn around her neck, which hangs down behind her legs. Like Kazemon, her outfit consist of a lavender battle suit, bra, and underwear with metallic shoulder pads. Unlike Kazemon, Zephyrmon's hands are metal claws. The metal extend from her hands up to her elbows. The Symbol of Wind is embedded on each hand. She wore tight lavender stockings and metal knee pads. Her feet have three talons on each foot. Finally a face mask covered her neck and mouth, revealing her sparkling blue eyes.

"Zephyrmon!" The winged beast shouted.

"Oh... so you do have some fight left in you." Malevomon laughed. He crossed his arms and brought his two feet together.

"Very well, then. Come after me."

"Let's get him!" Aldamon commanded.

"Right!" complied Zephyrmon. She flew up in the air, getting ready to unleash her attack.

"Hurricane..." She slowly brought her arms back before... "... GALE!"

She created a purple tornado with throwing blades of pink energy at the enemy. Malevomon sighed deeply as he used his hand to move the attack away from him and towards the forest. The winged beast Digimon retreated as Aldamon made his move.

"Atomic Inferno!"

By punching rapidly at his opponent, he released thousands of fireballs towards Malevomon. Again, the evil emperor telekinetically pushed the attack out of harm's way and towards a few standing huts to his left. The small houses exploded upon impact. Malevomon laughed at the two Legendary Warriors in front of him.

"This is so tedious. You're attacks are useless against me."

"He's right." Aldamon said, clenching his fists. "We have to try a different approach."

"I got an idea. Keep him busy!" Zephyrmon said, taking to the skies.

"Alright! Be careful, Zoe!" Aldamon said, making his move towards Malevomon.

"What's this?" Malevomon said, unenthusiastically. He watched Aldamon throw more powerful fireballs in his direction. Again, he pushed them out of the way with a wave of his hand.

"Alright, buddy! Try this! SOLAR WIND DESTROYER!"

He raised his hand in the air and gathered all the heat energy all around him, creating a giant fireball. Once the energy reached its limit, he throw it at the evil Digimon. This time, the powerful attack surprised Malevomon. He gasped a little bit, before stepping out the way. As the fireball passed him, he did feel a strong surge of heat stroking his face. He landed smoothly on the ground and grinned at the Hybrid.

"Impressive. I underestimated you, children."

"Zoe, now!" Aldamon ordered.

"With pleasure!" Zephyrmon reappeared in Malevomon's blind spots. Her claws and talons started to glow crimson red, forming giant orbs on her hands and feet.

"PLASMA PAWS!"

Zephyrmon dove towards the unsuspecting Malevomon. The distance between the two of them closed quickly. But before she could land her attack on him, Malevomon turned his head a little bit, showing Zephyrmon his terrifying eyes. He then stuck his left hand out and caught the Beast Digimon of Wind by the neck. The red orbs on Zephyrmon's hands and feet disappeared. She tried to break free, but Malevomon's grip was too strong. She started coughing as her oxygen supply depleted.

"Zoe!" Aldamon shouted. "Let her go, Malevomon!"

"You want her? Come and get her." said Malevomon, with an evil smirk across from cheek to cheek.

"YOU MONSTER! TAKE THIS! ATOMIC INFERNO!"

He released more powerful fireballs at the evil emperor. Malevomon sighed as he held Zephyrmon in front of the attack. Aldamon eyes widened and gasped heavily as the fireballs spray Zephyrmon's defenseless body. The Digimon of Wind cried in pain. Even the muscles in her body felt like it was catching fire. Finally, the attack stopped, leaving a barely conscious Zephyrmon dangling in Malevomon's hands. Aldamon stood there; shocked and terrified at what he just did. He had inadvertently attacked his best friend, which made his sick to his stomach.

But Aldamon was so lost in thought, he failed to see Malevomon throwing the female Digimon directly at him. The Hybrid quickly snapped back into reality, but it was too late. Zephyrmon's body crashed into his, send the two Digimon tumbling on the ground. They both slammed hard into a nearby tree. Suddenly, a ring of Fractal Code surrounded Zephyrmon as her entire body turned into black. On the Fractal Code, the Beast Spirit of Wind revealed itself to Malevomon.

"Excellent!" He laughed. He held his hand up and telekinetically pulled the Spirit towards him. Finally, the Beast Spirit of Wind was in his possession. He looked back at the fallen Warriors. He saw Aldamon slowly getting to his feet and crawling towards his friend. A motionless Kazemon laid flat on her back, covered in dirt, scrapes and bruises. Although the ring of Fractal Code around her had disappeared, she was still out cold. She could be easily destroyed with one more attack.

"Zoe... no..." Aldamon said softly.

He reached his hand towards Kazemon's. But before he could grab her hand, an invisible force dragged the barely conscious Warrior of Wind away from him. Malevomon pulled Kazemon back towards him and caught her by the back of the neck. He then apply pressure to poor Kazemon's throat.

"No! Leave her alone!" Aldamon cried, listening to his friend gagging for her life.

The Hybrid tried getting to his feet, but his body wouldn't move. Malevomon snarled as he telepathically pushed Aldamon back into the tree. He fall to the ground, almost unconscious. Malevomon laughed as he turned his attention back to the choking Warrior of Wind.

"Pay attention, my child. I'm about to show you my most devastating attack."

Again, he pointed his hand towards the defenseless Hybrid of Fire. A black sphere began to take shape in the palm of his hand. Kazemon gasped deeply. Seeing this attack brought back a horrible memory of Chrysanthemon. She remembered the fear in her eyes, unlike anything she's ever seen before.

"TAKUYA! NO!" She cried.

"Malevolent Onslaught." Malevomon mumbled, releasing the energy ball towards Digimon of Flame. Aldamon regained his consciousness and saw the dark sphere approaching him, but by then, it was already too late. The energy ball increased in sized and engulfed his entire body.

"No..." gagged the Warrior of Wind as a large ball of Fractal Code surrounded her body. The long lines of data soon disappeared, and a teenage blond reappeared, still with Malevomon's grip around her small neck.

"Now, my girl... listen to the joyous sounds of your friend screaming in pain." Malevomon laughed. Zoe looked back at the dark sphere and noticed it surging with energy. However, she couldn't see what's happening inside the sphere. Her heart grew heavy and cold.

"AHHHHHHH!" A voice cried from inside the sphere. "KYAAAAAAAA! YEOOOOOOOOOWW!"

"Takuya... No!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Malevomon laughed. "Music to my ears."

"Stop... please..." Zoe said. Tears trickled down her cheek. "T... Ta... Takuya..."

"Most amusing. You humans are such interesting creatures." said the evil emperor.

Finally, Malevomon snapped his fingers. The ball of energy surrounding the Digimon began to fade. An unconscious boy lie motionlessly on the ground. Zoe's tears continued to fall. It breaks her heart seeing Takuya unconscious like that. She feared for the worst and knew that's going to be next.

"Ta... Ta... Takuy..." Zoe gagged

But before she could shout his name, Malevomon gave the teenage girl a vicious punch to the gut. Zoe coughed heavily for air after the blow to her midsection. Malevomon grinned at the beaten young woman. He then threw the teenage girl at the subconscious Takuya. They two bodies crashed into each other and tumbled on the ground and into a tree behind them. Upon impact, both human children fell unconscious. A large ring of Fractal code encircled Takuya's and Zoe's body.

"Perfect. With the Chosen Children out of my way, no one can stop me!" Malevomon pointed his hand towards the children, prepared to absorb their data, and destroying the children for good.

"Pity though... I expected more of a challenge from you Legendary Warriors. But I guess I was wrong. Now disappear, you pathetic worms... Huh?"

"Sage's Shower!"

Malevomon looked behind him and towards the sky. He noticed a bunch of meteors and comets raining down upon him. Giant boulders and balls of energy slammed the ground around Malevomon, exploding and sending dust and debris toward his face. Malevomon looked up again and saw another giant boulder coming his way. He disappeared and reappeared a few yards from his original spot.

The wicked sovereign looked back at the fallen children, only to discover that they were gone. He then turned towards the front and saw Swiftmon reappeared, with the children under his arms. A fiendish grin appeared on his face.

"Well, now... It's been a long time. Hasn't it... old geezer?" In front of Malevomon was an elderly Digimon with a long white beard on his chin and a wooden cane on his right hand.

"Indeed, it has." Eldestmon spoke softly.

"Malevomon! Your reign of terror ends right now!" Swiftmon declared, pulling out one of his swords.

"Easy, Swiftmon." Eldestmon said, placing a hand on the second-in-command's shoulder.

"Is that so?" Malevomon laughed. "Bring it on, pretty boy! At least you'll put more of a fight than those lousy, pathetic children!"

He took a step forward towards his opponent. He lifted his arm up and pointed at the two Digimon in front of him. Suddenly...

"KYYAAAHHHH!"

A tiny monster shot out of the forest, landed hard on the ground and tumbled toward Malevomon's feet. The imp Digimon was in a fetal position, coughing in pain.

"Nice of you to show up..." Malevomon snarled.

"For... Forgive me, master." Sinistromon begged.

"Hehe! Too bad, little one." An angelic voice sang. Sinistromon looked up and saw Beautymon slowly lowering herself to the ground, landing smoothly in front of Swiftmon. "Told ya so! Looks like I win again! Ooh! Am I good or am I..."

"Beautymon!" Swiftmon screamed again in his partner's ear.

"Again with the shouting, Swiftmon?" The female complained, playing with her olive hair.

"You'll never get away with this! Fate has chosen the children to defeat you!" Eldestmon declared.

"Oh, really? Then you can tell 'fate' that it's wrong! Look what I've got!" He held his hand up and revealed a pink orb with the Symbol of Wind in the center.

"He's got one of the Spirits! Give it back, Malevomon, or I'll slice you to ribbons." Swiftmon ordered.

"The Spirits belong to me! And soon, the rest will fall under my control! It's only a matter of time before The Digital World will be mine! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Why you..." growled the swordsman.

"Well, as much as I love to play with you pathetic creatures, it's time I take my leave! I'll be seeing you weaklings later! And tell the children this! The next time they see me will be their last! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

As he continued to laugh, dark clouds started to form around Malevomon and Sinistromon. Their bodies disappeared into the thick smoke. Moments later, the smoke began to subside. Swiftmon held his sword tight and leaped into the dark gaseous area, but it was too late. The dark Digimon was nowhere in sight.

"Swiftmon..."

"Sir?" The swordsman bowed to his leader.

"Quickly take the children to the Medical Wing."

"Yes, sir." said Swiftmon. He walked over towards the unconscious Takuya and Zoe. Bokomon and Neemon quickly followed behind him. He carried them under his strong arms, walked towards the Digiporter and immediately disappeared.

"I best be going too." Beautymon said, turning back to follow her partner.

"Beautymon..." Eldestmon said.

"What?"

"Report to my office immediately when you get back."

"Why?"

"Swiftmon told me about your carelessness and inability to follow directions. I'm very disappointed in you. And for that, there will be consequences.

"But..."

"THAT'S AN ORDER!"

"Fine... whatever." Beautymon sighed.

She opened her sleeve and flower petals danced out and surrounded Beautymon's body. Finally, the female Digimon was completely covered with flower petals. The petals soon fell to the ground, and Beautymon was already gone.

Eldestmon looked around and noticed the destruction brought upon Breezy Village. It was tragic, devastating and disastrous. Only a few huts were left standing. Everything else either burned to the ground or just simply destroyed. The once prosperous and fruitful Breezy Village had become an arid and abandoned ghost town. While many of the villagers have made it to safety back at the headquarters, there were a few recorded causalities, including the caretaker of the Sacred Garden.

"Malevomon must be stopped. If the Chosen Children cannot defeat the evil emperor, than this is exactly how our beautiful world will turn out." said Eldestmon after scanning the barren village for anymore survivors.

He finally lets out a heavy sigh before turning around and disappearing into the forest.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter ten. <strong>

**Now that Takuya and Zoe got a taste of what they're up against, it doesn't look good for our two heroes. Can they possibly survive and stop Malevomon from taking over the Digital World, or will this be the end of the Legendary Warriors?** **Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	11. Uphill Struggle

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**After Malevomon destroyed Chrysanthemon for disobeying his orders, he then unleashed a vicious attack on Breezy Village, scaring almost all of the Digimon away. Takuya and Zoe tried stopping the malicious ruler, but they just weren't strong enough. Malevomon easily overpowered the Chosen Children and stole Zoe's Beast Spirit. He would've finished them off for good, if it wasn't for Eldestmon. He came just in time to save the humans from certain destruction. But now, our heroes finally know what they're up against. And unless they find the rest of the Legendary Spirits, it will be impossible to defeat Malevomon. **

**So, without further ado, here's chapter eleven!**

* * *

><p><strong>Uphill Struggle<strong>

**Zoe's POV:**

My consciousness slowly returned to me. I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was the blue ceiling above my head. My back rested on a comfortable hospital bed. I sat up straight so I can get a better gage of my surroundings. But the very second I moved, jolts of pain vibrated throughout my body. A loud hiss of agony escaped my lips, which was only a sample of what I was actually feeling right now.

My body felt like it's been slammed through about ten brick walls; and through twenty automobiles after that. It was almost impossible for me to move without experience some intense pain in my body. It felt like my windpipes were crushed and at least twelve of my ribs were broken. I even felt some pain lingering in my back. Either there were some herniated discs in my spine, or there was a fracture in my vertebrae. Either way, the pain was too much for me. I was hurt so bad, I slumped back into the bed.

"Ow... It hurts!" I moaned, trying to endure the stiffness in my torso and in my back.

I turned towards the entrance of the Medical Wing and searched for any type of Digimon to help me with my injuries. It wasn't until I noticed a few Blisseymon walking into the room. They made their way towards the hospital bed I was laying on, ready to heal me and take good care of me. Before they got to work, each of the medical Digimon gave me a soft smile, reassuring me that everything's going to be alright.

One of them placed a hand on my aching head while another Blisseymon rested her hand on my injured ribs. I watched with amazement as their hands started to glow, thus starting the healing process. At first, I felt my body was on fire. But moments later, the pain started to fade away. If I was attacked by an ordinary Digimon, the Blisseymon would be able to fix me up in a matter of seconds.

Then again, Malevomon's no ordinary Digimon. His attacks are at least ten times stronger than many Digimon I know. In fact, I might even consider him on the same level as Lucemon; possibly even stronger. I mean, that big bully tossed me around like a beat up rag doll. It didn't matter whether I was Kazemon or Zephyrmon. Malevomon overpowered me just like that. And as a reward for thrashing me, he stole my Beast Spirit away from me. Then again, I should consider myself lucky he spared my life after he attacked me.

Since his attacks were so powerful, the Blisseymon had to spend a lot of time healing my injuries. What usually took seconds, now took minutes. (probably hours.) The pain receptors inside my body were going crazy. I cried as Blisseymon continued to heal my injuries. After what appeared to be a long time, the Blisseymon's power started kicking in. All the pain in my chest, back and head were all gone. Just like that, I was healed.

"Thank you, Blisseymon." I smiled. All of the Blisseymon formed a straight line and on cue, performed a small curtsey. After the polite gestures, they merrily skipped out of the Medical Wing.

"Can we come in now?" A familiar voice asked from the entrance. I turned to the front of the room and saw two Rookie Digimon peeping their heads at the doorway. I also noticed the huge smiles on their faces when they finally saw me sitting up straight.

"Bokomon! Neemon!"

"ZOE!" Bokomon cried.

Obviously, both of my Digimon friends were excited to see me. The two of them ran towards the middle of the room, where my hospital bed was. Since Bokomon got a head start, he was the first Rookie to reach me. He hopped onto the bed and dove into my arms, giving me a great big hug. I embraced him just as tightly. Small tears fell off of my face and on to the back Bokomon's head.

"My dear Zoe! It's good seeing those beautiful eyes of yours!" The Digimon wearing the pink elastic waistband said to me.

"Aw, you're sweet, Bokomon." I said with my cheeks turning red.

"Help! Somebody help me up!" The yellow rabbit shouted.

I looked at the edge of the bed and noticed Neemon trying hard to get on the bed. His arms grabbed onto the edge of the mattress and the Rookie held on for dear life, like he was hanging off of a cliff. Seeing the rabbit struggle to reach the top made me giggle softly. He's so funny, even when he's trying not to be. I know I shouldn't laugh, but that's what Neemon's there for. Oh, I'm so mean. Poor Neemon.

I got Bokomon's attention and pointed towards the rabbit. He released me and went over to his friend. Bokomon grabbed Neemon's hand and he helped him onto the bed. I smiled at my Digimon friend and welcomed him with my arms wide open. Neemon rushed towards me at full speed and dove into my chest. He wrapped his arms around me and tackled me back to the bed. My head slammed into the soft pillow. I may have gotten a small headache, but it's worth seeing Neemon's happy face again.

"Playtime!" The rabbit screamed all of the sudden. That's when Neemon began his tickle torture.

"Neemon, what are... Hahaha! Stop it... Hahahaha! I can't breathe! HAHAHAHAHA!"

I laughed uncontrollably as Neemon's tiny fingers danced on my tummy. But the more I resist, the more fierce his tickles became. I flipped over on my stomach and tapped out in defeat. Meanwhile, Bokomon sat on the mattress with a smile on his face, watching me roll with laughter as I struggling to breathe. After a few minutes of fun, Neemon got off me and sat next to Bokomon. It took a while for me to catch my breath. But after a while, I sat up straight, fixed my tangled blond hair, and turned my back to my friends.

"How you feeling, Zoe?" Bokomon asked. "Are you still hurt from that fight?

"Much better." I answered, letting out a small cough. "I'm still a little sore, but I'm alright now."

"Oh, that's wonderful news! For a moment there, we thought we lost you!" praised the Digimon wearing the waistband.

"What about you guys? Did any of you get injured at all?" I asked. Bokomon showed me one of his fingers. I noticed a small band-aid wrapped around it.

"Just a little cut. But it's nothing to worry about." Bokomon said with a smile on his face.

"Oh, you poor thing..." I teased.

I lightly grabbed Bokomon's hand and gazed at the bandaged digit. The Rookie looked at me awkwardly, wondering what I was going to do next. But I didn't let that bother me. I smiled at Bokomon and gave his little boo-boo a soft kiss. I could see the Digimon blushing when my lips made contact with his finger. He quickly pulled his hand back and turned his reddish cheeks away, which I thought was pretty cute.

"There. All better?" I asked in the best motherly voice I could.

"Well, um... Y... Yes, but... but I, uh... Zoe, I..."

"It's alright, Bokomon." I giggled. "There's no need to be shy."

"I... I have no idea what you're talking about." Bokomon protested.

"Come on, Bokomon. Don't tell me you've never been kissed before."

"Well... I, uh..."

"Hehe, I'm just kidding." I laughed.

The tension all around Bokomon started to lightened. His cheeks slowly went back to normal. Maybe it's the sound of my laughter, but who knows? Nothing wrong with a little teasing to ease the mood. I then noticed Neemon approaching me, with a smile just as big as mine. I can tell he's more than excited to receive the surprise I had in store for him.

"Hello, Neemon. Do you also have any injuries?" I politely asked.

"Why, yes I do!" Neemon answered.

"Aw, poor baby." I giggled, while patting him on the head. And then my voice changed to the motherly tone I used for Bokomon. "Show mommy your little boo-boo."

Neemon gave me a simple nod. Finally, he turned his backside towards me and bend forward. I assessed for scars, bandages, anything. I let out a light gasp when I noticed two band-aids in the shape of an 'X' stuck on Neemon's right butt cheek. The rabbit was ready for his treatment. I, on the other hand, had an awkward look on my face. You have got to be kidding me. He wanted me to kiss... that?

"Oh..."

That was pretty much all I could say. In all honesty, there wasn't really much I could say. As much as I wanted to help my friend, there's no way I'm going to put my lips on his... um, yeah. Then again, this is Neemon I'm talking to. When it comes to this nimrod, you'll find injuries pretty much anywhere, even in the most unexpected and unpleasant places.

"My turn. Go ahead, Zoe!" Neemon chuckled. I stared at the bandages hesitantly, still deciding whether I should do it or not.

"I, uh..."

"Well? I'm waiting." Neemon shouted impatiently.

"Oh, alright." I finally sighed. But instead of planting my lips on Neemon's posterior, I gave him a soft pat on the back. I know it's not the same, but at least it's effective.

I remember a couple years back, when I was taking care of little Tommy, all he wanted to do was cry. I too gave him a small pat on the back. His parents weren't around at the time, so I decided to take on the motherly role. Tommy was such a cute kid. I don't know whether it's my soft hands or something else I'm unaware of, but that relaxing gesture was enough to get him or anyone else to smile.

"Hey! That is not fair! How come Bokomon gets a kiss?" Neemon complained. Of course... you guessed it. Bokomon, here to save the day, with another painful wedgie to poor Neemon.

"Seriously! When do ever use your common sense?" Bokomon growled.

"Hey! What did you do that for?" Bokomon cried, rubbing his aching behind.

"You numbskull! Why would Zoe want to kiss your stinking, fat..."

"Alright, you two that's enough!" I said, trying to stop my friends from arguing with each other. Of course, that doesn't mean I couldn't stop myself from stifling a giggle.

"Ah. I see you're finally awake." A valiant voice spoke, capturing the attention of everyone in the room.

I looked towards the entrance of the Medical Wing and saw Swiftmon standing there, placing one of his swords back in his sheath. He made his way towards my hospital bed.

"Swiftmon!" I waved.

"Salutation, Legendary Warrior. I assume you have recovered from all of your injuries."

"Yeah, I'm alright." I answered. "How's everyone else?"

"Everyone appears to be okay. Well, everyone... except..."

That's when I saw the look on his face had changed, and not in a good way. He had his eyes on the floor for quite a while, indicating that the news he had for me wasn't pleasant. The room was filled with silence... uncomfortable silence. Oh how I hated the silence.

My thoughts then focused on a specific goggle-headed boy. The person I admire the most, the one who fills my heart with joy every time I think of him. I haven't heard any about him ever since I woke up. My heart stiffens every time I think of what happened back at Breezy Village. The two of us fought hard together. But alas, we didn't have the strength to defeat Malevomon. I wish I could see him right now, just to know if he's alright.

"Oh Takuya..." I murmured. My heart almost stopped beating. I can feel my stomach turning into ice. Terror held onto me like a vice grip.

"Swiftmon, where's Takuya?" Bokomon asked.

"He's in the Emergency Room."

"Oh dear! Is he alright?" Bokomon asked.

I looked back towards the swordsman Digimon. And once again, I noticed him slowly shaking his head. That could only mean one thing. Takuya's in really bad shape. His injuries were probably a lot worse than mine. He could be seriously hurt, or in a coma... or worse...

"Swiftmon?" I asked. "Is Takuya... Is he...?"

"No. But he's in critical condition. Our entire team of Blisseymon are working hard healing his injuries."

"Takuya... Oh God, no!" I felt like I was going to have a heart attack if I don't see him.

Without thinking, I immediately got out of the bed and sprinted out of the room. I ran passed a few Digimon walking down the lobby and searched frantically for the Emergency Room. I can feel sweat dripping down my cheeks and my heart beating rapidly. I thought about Takuya and the kind of pain he's in, which makes me even more worried.

The last thing I remember was seeing him trapped inside a dark sphere filled with evil energy. If I recall, that seems to be Malevomon's ultimate attack. Poor Takuya. He took that move at full blast. I heard Takuya screaming like his body was on fire. But after that, everything went black.

Finally, after running for five minutes, I came across two very large steel doors with a lit red cross on the top of the wall.

"Takuya..." I said, placing my hand over my broken heart.

A small tear fell out of my eye. I had never been this scared in my life. Behind those metal doors is a boy fighting for his life. I cursed myself for not being by his side, especially when he needs me the most. Oh, if I could only hold his strong hands, brush his brown hair, stroke his soft cheeks, touch his warm heart... taste those tender lips.

"Zoe!" Someone shouted.

I wiped away my tears and saw Bokomon and Neemon catching up to me. I also saw Swiftmon coming up from behind them. He walked in between the two rookies and stood in front of me. His eyes gazed into mine. I stared back at the second-in-command, silently begging him for me to see him. But Swiftmon replied by simply shaking his head.

"I'm sorry. But the Blisseymon inside are busy healing your friend's injuries. Best left undisturbed, my child." He told me.

I looked down at the floor and more tears started to fall. I'm usually not the type of person who cries. But I can't help it. All I want to do is cry. My heart was in so much pain, it's unbearable. Takuya is hurt real badly, and there's nothing I can do. I can't neither speak to him, nor hold his hand to let him know I'm here. Why can't I see him? Why can't I help him?

I felt Swiftmon's hand resting on my shoulder. I looked up at those incomprehensible eyes once again.

"Stay strong, my girl. Everything's going to be alright. Your friend will be back on his feet in no time. But he can't do it alone. He needs all of us... especially you."

"But... what can I do?" I asked. I opened my ears and waited anxiously for what Swiftmon's orders. I really wanted to help Takuya, but how can I help him if he's in there and I'm out here? Swiftmon looked at me and detected my strong resolve.

"You have to believe." He told me.

"Believe?" I asked.

"Yes. Your friend is as tough as they come. I know, without a doubt, there's no way Malevomon can destroy him that easily. But if you believe, my child. Believe as hard as you can. And I can guarantee you that he'll be standing right here, waiting for you." That alone was enough to make me smile. I'm willing to do anything to see Takuya smiling in front of me again.

"Believe? I don't get it!" Neemon randomly blurted out.'

*bam*

Once again, Bokomon slammed his book on Neemon's thick skull. I looked back at the two Rookies and giggled to myself. At that point, the tension in my heart was lifted off of me. I'm still a little worried about Takuya, but I know he can fight through this. I know that weird goggle-head better than anyone. And I definitely know that _quitting_ is not a word in his vocabulary.

I gave Swiftmon a quick nod, letting him know I can do this, which made the swordsman nod. Finally, he turned around and walked into another room to take care of some business. I looked back at the doors to the Emergency Room, which concealed my best friend.

"Takuya..." I said to myself. "... Be strong for all of us... and for me."

* * *

><p>I decided to walk down the hallways to pass the time. My legs felt kinda stiff, so a little exercise wouldn't hurt. And, with Bokomon and Neemon tagging along, it will be entertaining along the way. As we walked through the lobbies, we passed by a few battlefront Digimon and a few of them said "hi" to me. After a while, we came across a few rooms. I stopped by and took a peek inside each room to see what's inside and to learn a little bit more about the Digimon Battlefront's home base.<p>

Some rooms had a ton of computers and electronic devices in them. Others looked like training rooms. They had mats, targets, weapons, training dummies and a lot of Digimon sparring against each other, trying to keep their fighting skills sharp. We left the Training Room and I noticed we were approaching the Briefing Room. I remember meeting most of the Battlefront members, as well as Eldestmon in that room. I decided to take a small peek to see if anyone's inside.

"UNACCEPTABLE!" shouted a voice from another room, catching my attention.

It turned out that the voice came from the room across the Briefing Room. I tiptoed towards entrance and took a peek inside. I saw two Digimon arguing with each other. But upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Eldestmon and Beautymon. I saw a disappointed look on Eldestmon's face. He must be really angry at Beautymon for doing something terribly wrong. If Eldestmon was screaming at you, you would be trembling in fear, just like me.

However, I saw Beautymon's eyes and it she looked just as calm as ever. She had those same incompressible eyes like she's not interested in what he has to say. To be more specific, she was looking at anything in the room, except her superior. I noticed Beautymon stroking her long olive hair, which usually is an indication that she doesn't care what the elderly Digimon has to say.

"Please be gentle, Eldestmon. My ears are really sensitive and very delica...?"

"SILENCE!" Eldestmon yelled, shaking the room with his voice.

"Hmph! I'll have you know that raising your voice is very annoying, not to mention rude." I shook my head after hearing Beautymon's pathetic comment.

"Enough." Eldestmon ordered, finally shutting up the senseless hag. Eldestmon turned his backside toward the female Digimon as he spoke again. "Beautymon, do you know why I called you in hear?"

"To say how beautiful I am?" answered Beautymon.

"No! It is about your inexcusable behavior at Breezy Village!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Swiftmon told me _everything_."

"He did, huh? Why, that tattle-taling, ungrateful little..."

"Beautymon!" Eldestmon interrupted. "When Malevomon attacked the village, you abandoned your post and left the Legendary Warrior of Wind alone with the malicious ruler. It's your duty to protect her. It's your duty to defeat Malevomon and his army of dark creatures. And it's your duty to...

"But Eldestmon, Sinistromon was there too, and he called me ugly."

"And... how is that relevant?"

"Um... hello? No one calls me ugly and gets away with it. That little plush toy got what he deserved."

"How foolish of you! Because of your selfish behavior, we lost another Spirit! Malevomon now has the Beast Spirit of Wind in his possession! Unacceptable, Beautymon! Unacceptable! What do you have to say for yourself?"

Beautymon placed her hand on her chin and looked up at the ceiling. She appeared to be pondering about what she was going to say. But I know Beautymon. Simply put, she has no regard for others around her. She only cares about herself and her good looks. (if she had any.) Finally, she looked back at the leader of the Digimon Battlefront and shrugged.

"It's not my fault that ugly little girl's so weak."

"Unbelievable." Malevomon sighed. He let out a soft sigh and started walking out of the room. However, just when he was about to reach the exit, he stopped and glared back at Beautymon.

"I'm very disappointed in you, Beautymon. And for that, there will be consequences. You will not be part of the next few missions. Instead, you will be staying here, training and disciplining our new recruits."

"Oh lovely. Working with pathetic monstrosities. I'm underwhelmed..."

"And..." Malevomon once again interrupted. "You will formally apologize to the Legendary Warrior of Wind for your misconduct."

"WHAT?" Beautymon screamed, shaking the entire room. My eyes widened and a huge smirk appeared on my face.

"Oh no, Eldestmon! I won't do it! I refused to... to apologize to this... this... garbage, who calls herself a Legendary..."

"Beautymon! Do what I say, or else."

And with that, Eldestmon walked out of the room. When he stepped into the lobby, he turned his attention to me and gazed into my eyes. He then gave me a small nod and walked away. I waited until he was out of sight, before turning back to Beautymon, who was already standing in front of me.

I could see her olive hair, her unfathomable eyes, and her sleeve covering her mouth. I stood there with my arms crossed, waiting for her to apologized. But she didn't. She turned her head away from me and gave me the cold shoulder, followed by soft, "Hmph!"

"Well? I'm waiting!" I said impatiently.

"Waiting for what, child? Waiting for your next assignment? Waiting for me to give you tips to improve your looks? Waiting for..."

"I'm waiting for you to apologize, you stupid wackjob."

"Apologize? Me? Apologize to you?" You guessed it. Her annoying giggles entered my ear. I don't know about you, but listening to her laugh drives me crazy. She stopped laughing a few seconds later and glowered back at me.

"Blondie, you don't deserve an apology. It's not my fault you were so... _weak_, and got a good beating. Let's face it. You couldn't handle Malevomon by yourself. You're just too weak... and too ugly. You don't belong here. You're just holding all of us back. Why don't you go back to the Human World and leave the rest of the fighting to us beautiful and strong warriors... like _me_?"

She winked back at me and I turned my face in disgust. She turned around and walked away without saying another word. And what's worse, she didn't even apologize like Eldestmon ordered. If anything, she's put more fuel in the fire burning inside me. My anger towards the disgusting female Digimon grew exponentially. I just want to snap her neck in half or mess up that atrocious face of hers.

I walked down hallways, back to the Emergency Room. My thoughts turn back to that one special person, Takuya Kanbara. My heart leaps for joy every time I think of him, yet stands still when I come so close to confessing my feelings to him. If I only had his courage, his strength or his bravery, I would be able to tell him how I feel about him... how much I need him... how much I lov...

"Hey Zoe!" A voice said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I thought I was hearing things. I thought I was dreaming. Either that, or the voice I just heard was only my imagination. But when I looked up, I was wrong. A teenage boy in the middle of the hallway waving to me. I noticed his hat, his clothes, and the signature goggles on his head. I also saw his smile; his one of a kind, goofy smile that makes my soul do backflips. The smile that gives everyone hope and strength.

"TAKUYA!" I screamed as I ran to my best friend.

I dove into his arms and buried my face in his chest. Many of my uncontrollable tears fell on to his clean shirt. I couldn't help but let everything out. I thought I would never see Takuya again and just seeing him in front of me... no... having his arms around me is a feeling even words can't describe. I wish I could stay in this position forever.

"Uh... Zoe? Are you okay?" Takuya then asked. I gazed deep into those memorizing chocolate orbs. He looked kind of confused, seeing my face covered with tear drops. I placed both of my hands on his shoulders.

"You idiot!" I cried. "I was so worried about you! I thought I'd lost you for sure! I'm so glad you're okay!"

"Okay? Zoe, I feel great! There's nothing wrong with me."

"I know, I know." I smiled while wiping away my tears, even though a few more continued to fall.

"Aw, Zoe." Takuya said, using his finger to wipe the rest of the tears off of my face. "You don't have to worry about me! This is nothing! That jerk Malevomon got nothing on me! Next time I see him, I'll be sure to return the favor for hurting my friends!"

I couldn't help but giggle at his confident, yet cocky remark. He noticed me laughing softly and looked somewhat confused. Now, where have I seen this look before? Hmmm... I remember Takuya having those same eyes when I sort of teased him about something. But what was it about anyway? Hmmm...

Oh yeah! I remember now.

"Look at you pretending to act like a tough guy. How adorable." I chuckled.

Again, Takuya looked at me kinda strangely, wondering where I was going with this. The way I said my last statement, I was hoping he had a clue to where I was going. It turns out that this young man is a lot smarter than I thought. A huge smirk appeared on his face, but then was quickly replaced by a look of faked annoyance.

"Hey, what do you mean pretending? I am the leader after all, Zoe. Haven't you forgotten?"

"Really? You're the leader of this little brigade?" I asked with a mild amount of sarcasm.

I slowly walked away from Takuya, like I did last time. I stopped after a few feet, just to tease him. Of course, Takuya had already caught on this little act of mine, but I decided to have some more fun with him. I turned around with my hands on my hips and a huge grin on my face.

"Who'd have thought? I was sure you were one of them slackers who can't do anything right... at least."

"Wait a minute, what's that supposed to mean?" Takuya asked, trying hard to hold back his laughter.

"How many Digimon you had to defeat to get your Spirits? And who?"

"Um... One! And that's SkullCerberumon."

"Ha! I knew it! I am better than you! I defeated Chyrsanthemon, Hederamon and Foliamon! That makes a grand total of _three_ Digimon compared to your measly _one_."

What's supposed to happen next is Takuya gritting his teeth together in annoyance, since he lost to a girl, once again. You know, just like a couple of years ago. But this time was different. He place a hand behind his head and started to laugh. At the same time, I too began to laugh. It was wonderful seeing Takuya happy once again. The sound of his laughter is like magic. I know it sounds kinda cheesy, but it can't be further than truth.

We stopped laughing after a few seconds and stared into each other's eyes. I looked around the hallway and noticed there was no one around us. I finally looked back at Takuya, who still had that goofy smile of his. It's a smile I've known for so long, and yet I can never get tired seeing it. Just seeing that gorgeous smile on his face at least once is enough to help me get through the day.

"This is my chance." I said to myself. "Finally, after waiting for so long, I can now tell Takuya how I feel about him. This is the perfect opportunity, Zoe. Seize it now! Don't let it slip by."

"Zoe, are you okay?" Takuya asked me. I looked back at him and nodded my head. I let out a soft sigh before speaking again.

"Takuya?"

"Yeah? What' up Z?"

"I... I have something... to tell you." I gulped nervously.

"Oh? What is it?"

"Well...*gulp*... I, uh... I've been wanting to tell you this... almost a long time ago. I wanted to tell you when we got home from the Digital World a couple years ago, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. That's because... I, um... I was afraid of what you would say, or how you would react."

"Come on Zoe! You know you can tell me anything. I mean, seriously! You and I are best friends. We pretty much tell each other everything."

You big dummy. Oh, Takuya. Why are you so dense? I have given you so many signs and clues to show how I feel about you. And you're wrong. I haven't told you everything; about how you make me feel, about how much of an impact you made in my life, about how much you mean to me... how much I love you.

"Well then, here it goes." I said. I took a deep breath and quickly rehearsed what I'm about to say to Takuya. This was it. Once when I say it, there's no turning back. The moment of truth has arrived. I opened my mouth and was ready to tell Takuya the truth about my...

"Ah! There they are!" A voice interrupted us. We turned and a couple of Rookies approaching us.

"Bokomon! Neemon!" Takuya grinned. "What's up guys? It's good to see you again!"

"Takuya!" Bokomon cried, running towards the teenage boy and giving his leg a great big hug.

"You big oaf! Don't scare me like that. I thought you were a goner after what Malevomon did to you."

"Oh come on, buddy. You're overreacting again. I'm perfectly fine! No need to get so emotional about it."

"Sorry, my boy. It's just... I was so worried when Malevomon defeated you and Zoe."

"But the important thing is that you're safe. That's all that matters." I sighed happily.

"Yeah, I guess." Takuya smiled. "By the way, guys, when's our next mission?"

"Our next mission?" I asked. "I don't know. No one has called in or anything."

"Aw man, staying in this crowded place is driving me crazy! I'm ready for some action. I want to go out there, find some more Spirits and kick some more Digimon butt as soon as possible!"

"My, my. Aren't you high on energy, Takuya?" Bokomon grinned, while crossing his arms.

"Let it go, Bokomon." I said. "Takuya's always pumped up like this whenever he's suffered a huge defeat. I mean, one time after his team got thrashed in a soccer game, I saw him practicing and working harder than anyone else out there. It's just like Takuya to become stronger than ever when..."

But before I could finish my sentence, we heard beeping noises coming from the intercom above our heads. After a few squeaks, scratches and clicks, a voice came from the radio above our heads.

"_Attention_. _Would Groups D, G and M please report to the Digiporter Room immediately? I repeat. Would Groups D, G and M please report to the Digiporter Room immediately? Also, would the humans please report to the Digiporter Room as well? Again, would the humans please report to the Digiporter Room? Your next assignment awaits you."_

"D.G.M? What does that spell?" Neemon asked.

Of course, upon hearing such a ridiculous question, Bokomon slammed his green book and Neemon's noggin. The poor rabbit slumped to the floor in daze. After the announcement, the four of looked at each other. I looked back at Takuya and noticed a huge smile on his face; probably bigger than usual.

"Well, duty calls, guys. Come on! Last one to the Digiporter Room's a rotten Digimon!" And with that, he took off in running down the hallways.

"Wait for me! I hate being a rotten Digimon!" Neemon hollered as he followed Takuya and disappeared into lobbies. Bokomon and I stared at the empty hallways before looking back at each other.

"Strange." The mutant Digimon spoke.

"What's wrong?"

"It's Takuya. He doesn't appear to be... himself."

"What are you talking about? Takuya's just fine. He's just a little too excited. That's all. There's nothing to worry about, Bokomon. I can reassure you."

"I hope you're right." The Rookie told me.

"I hope so too..." A part of me still skeptic about Takuya's condition.

"Come on, Zoe. Let's go meet the others."

"Right!" I agreed. Bokomon and I raced down the hallways and ran as fast as we could towards the entrance of the Digiporter Room.

Moments later, we saw Takuya and Neemon ahead of us. Both of those two pinheads had their hands on their knees, gasping for air. When we finally joined the two, Neemon spoke again.

"Ha! Beat you Takuya! That means you're a rotten Digimon! Hahaha!"

"Oh, shut up, Neemon! You cheated." Takuya complained, although he was just pretending. I could tell he was playing around, by that tone of his.

"Nu uh! I won fair and square! Now you can kiss my Digimon but..."

"Hey!" A high-pitch voice shouted. We turned and saw Gotsumon standing in front of us with his arms crossed.

"Are you freak shows coming in or not? We're all waiting for you!" The rock-type Digimon walked in between Takuya and me and entered the Digiporter Room. Well... that was sure rude.

"Come on, Zoe! Everyone's waiting for us." Takuya said.

We entered the Digiporter Room, with Bokomon and Neemon behind us. When we got inside, we noticed a good number of Digimon standing on top of the Digiporter, conversing with each other about all kinds of things. The four of us made our way toward the center of the room and stood on the Digiporter. We looked up and saw Swiftmon and Eldestmon in front of their troops. Everyone in the room gave the two Digimon their undivided attention. The leader of the Battlefront took a step forward to brief us on our next mission.

"Listen up! Our scouters have found the location of another Legendary Spirit!"

"Which one?" I asked.

"Spirits of Earth." answered Eldestmon.

"Where is it located?" questioned Bokomon.

"It's in a village somewhere on top of Terra Hills."

"Terra Hills? Never heard of it" I said.

"Ah, yes. The Terra Hills Village" Swiftmon stepped forward. "The village on that hill may be small, but it is heavily guarded with tons of highly trained Digimon. We must all be careful. These Digimon are not fond of outsiders."

"Plus, if we don't act soon, Malevomon and his army of mind slaves will be one step closer in taking over the Digital World! We cannot allow him to take more Spirits." added Eldestmon.

"Looks like we have to keep our guard up." I said.

"Don't worry, Eldestmon!" Takuya grinned, giving the old Digimon the thumbs up. "We'll get those Spirits! That creepazoid, Malevomon doesn't stand a chance!"

I couldn't help but giggle at his confidence. Okay, sure we both got our butts kicked by Malevomon last time, but Takuya believes that this time will be different. I've never seen Takuya speak with such confidence. It gives me strength and confidence that we are going to win this ongoing war. Eldestmon just nodded his head at Takuya's confidence.

On the other hand, Swiftmon had a different expression. His eyes were focused on the fearless boy standing next to me. However, when I read his eyes, they revealed to me that something's not right. To make things worse, he turned his attention towards me and shook his head. I looked at him, feeling somewhat puzzled. What is he trying to tell me?

"Very well. You know what to do. Failure is not an option. Good luck out there! The fate of the Digital World is in your hands." Eldestmon said before walking out of them room.

"Gotsumon, turn on the Digiporter!" Swiftmon ordered.

"Yes, sir!" The rock monster saluted. He pushed a red button on the side of the wall. The room was then filled with buzzing noises and squeaky whistles. I looked at the platform below and noticed it starting to glow.

"Digiporter's at 25%, sir!"

"Listen up, here's how things are going to work!" Swiftmon spoke. "Our mission is to retrieve the Spirits of Earth! Be aware that there are villagers on top of Terra Hills! We're not here to start a fight, but protect yourselves at all costs!"

"Yes, sir!" Everyone shouted.

"Digiporter's power at 50%, sir!" said Gotsumon.

"Say, where's Beautymon?" Takuya asked.

Just hearing that name made me purple as a plum. My heart was filled with so much anger and hate for that one lousy excuse of a Digimon. My fist were so tight, and my head was seething with rage. I just want to punch the living daylights out of Takuya for mentioning that name in front of my face.

"Digiporter's power at 75%, sir!"

"Beautymon won't be joining us on this mission. She has... other priorities." Swiftmon answered.

"Thank... God!" I exclaimed. Everyone looked at me kinda strangely, but I didn't care. I never liked that lousy wench. Just saying that out loud actually felt kinda good.

"Okay then..." Bokomon said, breaking the awkward silence.

"Digiporter's power is at 100%!" Gotsumon confirmed. "Ready to teleport on your command, sir!"

"Excellent, Gotsumon. Take it away!" ordered Swiftmon.

"Entering coordinates to Terra Hills." Gotsumon said, typing the numbers on the computer.

"Coordinates are set, ready for teleportation. Teleporting in five, four,..."

I could feel my heart beating rapidly. It happens every time we're sent on another mission to retrieve another Legendary Spirits. My only hope was we don't run into Malevomon. Believe me, fighting him once was bad enough. I'm not ready to face him again... at least, not yet anyway.

"Three, two..."

I looked back at Takuya. I noticed him hopping in place, and loosening his shoulders. I noticed his mouth going up and down, like he was pumping himself up. I have to admit, it's kind of strange seeing Takuya this excited for a simple mission such as this. Then again, based on our past experiences in retrieving Legendary Spirits, there's no such thing as a simple mission.

"One..."

Now when I think about it, Takuya has been acting kind of weird ever since he's stepped out of the Emergency Room. I can't help but wonder if there is actually something wrong with him. He may look really confident on the outside, but I wonder what's happening on the inside. A sense of doubt and a sense of danger was planted in my mine as my attention shifted away from Takuya.

"Commence teleportation!" Gotsumon shouted, slamming his fist on a blue button.

A white light shot out from the bottom of the Digiporter, engulfing us with its bright light. Before long, the entire room was covered with white, blinding light as I felt myself being teleported from one side of the Digital World to the other.

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

Meanwhile, back in the Dark Kingdom, bright colors of light could be seen from the windows of Malevomon's castle. A few fireballs, explosions and energy shots blasted out of the walls of the castle. A few cries of agony followed seconds later.

Inside the Throne Room, a violent energy blast sent Sinistromon crashing into the walls. His body goes limp as he slumped back down to the ground. Malevomon slowly marched towards his beaten subordinate. He wrapped his ginormous hand around Sinistromon's little head and lifted him off the ground. The wicked emperor squeezed the poor little devil's skull, making Sinistromon's cries even louder, which echoed throughout the area.

"You're such a failure, Sinistromon!" stated the evil Digimon. "And you know very well how much I despise failures. They don't deserve to live."

He then viciously threw the imp Digimon into the wall behind him. Again, Sinistromon crashed hard into the stone walls, creating a small sized crater. His body dropped to the floor and the Digimon fell flat on his face. He was gasping for air, but couldn't move, due to the tremendous amount of pain he's going through.

"My... My Lord..." cried Sinistromon. He struggled to get back to his feet. "Please, oh excellent one! Gi... Give me another chance. Let me atone for my mistakes. P... Please, master! I'm begging you. Give me another chance and I'll destroy those pesky humans!"

"You? Defeating the humans? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Nonsense, you insignificant little fool." Malevomon then grabbed Sinistromon's neck and once again, lifted him high off of the ground. Sinistromon coughed and struggled to breathe as the malicious emperor continued to mock his loyal servant.

"Why should I believe the likes of you could ever defeat two Legendary Warriors? Huh? ANSWER ME!" He growled, tightening his grip around his throat.

"I... I have some excellent news... your highness. But... But please... let go of me. I can't... breathe..."

Malevomon gazed at the nearly lifeless body in the palm of his hand. He lets out a disappointed sigh and finally released Sinistromon. The little devil-like Digimon landed face first on the ground. It took him a while to regain his strength and breath. Finally, he got back to his feet and turned his master.

"Sir, I have located the Spirits of Earth. It is hidden somewhere in the village on top of Terra Hills."

"Hmmm... The Spirits of Earth? This is perfect. Another Spirit to add to my collection!"

"Yes, my Lord! Leave this to me! I'll send a few of our strongest fighters, retrieve the Spirits of Earth and destroy those meddling kids once and for all!" Sinistromon turned and started to fly out of the Throne Room.

"Not so fast, you fool!" Malevomon ordered, stopping the small Digimon from going any further.

"What's wrong, master?"

"You failed me more times than anyone, Sinistromon! Because of your reckless behavior and poor decisions, we lost a lot of battles to the Digimon Battlefront! This is your mission now, Sinistromon! If you're going to defeat the Legendary Warriors, you're going to do it all by yourself!"

"Wait, what? My Lord, what are you saying?"

"You heard me! If you're so confident, then I want _you _to retrieve the Spirits of Earth and destroy those meddling kids, along with the rest of the Digimon Battlefront... on you own!"

"But sir? I can't do it alone! They have me out numbered, and those two humans have their own Legendary Spirits! Taking on the entire Digimon Battlefront is like walking into a slaughter! They'll tenderize me!"

"Well then, at least you'll be serving your purpose." Malevomon sighed as he turned back towards his throne.

"Wait, master! Please!" Sinistromon begged, falling down on one knee. "I beg of you! Help me! I can't do this alone! I need your help! Please, Please, PLEASE! Help me, master!

Malevomon closed his eyes in disgust. Sinistromon may not be the smartest or the strongest Digimon in the world. But as long as he can remember, he's been the most loyal. The wicked emperor opened his eyes, sighed and turned back to his pitiful servant. With a snap of his fingers, a Chaos Sphere appeared in front of Sinistromon. The imp Digimon took the powerful device and placed it in his backpack.

"Do not waste it, Sinistromon! You get one, and one _only_! And remember, do not fail me! Otherwise, there will be 'severe' consequences! Do you understand?"

"Yes sir! I will not fail you my Lord! I promise you!" Sinistromon bowed.

He flapped his little wings together and flew out of the castle. Malevomon sighed once again as he turned back towards the throne. He snapped his fingers again and a portal opened up. He walked into the mystical portal and disappeared into another dimension.

* * *

><p>A bright flash of light appeared somewhere at the pass of Terra Hills as the Digimon, along with Takuya and Zoe reappeared after teleporting themselves from the Digimon Battlefront's home base. Once the teleportation was completed, all of the Digimon and humans walked off of the platform.<p>

Immediately, Takuya took his D-Tector out of his pocket. He looked down and a small map appeared on the screen. Zoe looked over Takuya's shoulder and observed the map. However, she noticed there wasn't any kind of dot to indicate where the Spirits might be located.

"Come on! Why won't this thing work?" Takuya complained.

"Oh boy..." groaned Zoe.

"Stay focus. There's a village on the top of that hill. If I were to guess, that's where the Spirits might be." Swiftmon said, pointing his blade to what appeared to be a really tall, steep, rocky mountain.

"Alright, listen up! Group M will stay here and guard the Digiporter! Signal us if there's any trouble!" said the second-in-command.

"Yes, sir!" saluted one of the Digimon.

"The rest of us will go into the village and find the Spirits! Remember, do not harm the villagers, but protect yourselves at all cost! Do you understand?"

"YES, SIR!" The rest cheered.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get a move on!" said Takuya as he took off in running down the path.

"Takuya, wait!" Zoe called out.

Unfortunately, her cries didn't seem to get through his head. The goggle headed boy continued to run up the hill, full of energy and excitement, without thinking of the dangers ahead of him. After letting a sigh of disappointment, she instinctively started running to catch up to her best friend. But before she could go any further, she felt a hand grabbing her right arm. Zoe looked behind her and saw Swiftmon gazing deep into her eyes. The swordsman shifted his attention towards the remaining Digimon groups.

"Follow him. Make sure he doesn't get into trouble." Swiftmon ordered.

"Understood!" The rest of the Digimon complied. They began sprinting up towards the path, to catch up to the stubborn human. Bokomon and Neemon followed in the rear. But before going on, they turned towards the teenaged girl.

"Zoe, aren't you coming?" Bokomon asked.

"Just give me a second. Go on without me." Zoe smiled. Bokomon and Neemon nodded as the sped up the hill. When the two were out of sight, Zoe turned back to the warrior-like Digimon.

"Swiftmon?" She asked.

"There's something I need to ask you." He spoke softly. "Hasn't your friend been acting... _strange_ recently?"

"No!" Zoe replied. But she looked back towards the hill, thinking about Takuya and his somewhat odd behavior he had been displaying the past ten minutes. She looked back at the swordsman.

"Well, I'm not really sure. I mean, he seems to be really excited about this mission. Then again... maybe a little too excited. But don't worry, Swiftmon! Takuya's just fine. He just couldn't wait to get back into action. That's all."

"If you insist." Swiftmon sighed and gave Zoe a small nod. He and Zoe raced down the path to catch up to the others.

Zoe checked her surroundings and noticed luscious plants and trees on the sides. As she moved along the path, the plants were replaced with dirt, with bunch of rocks and boulders. Zoe stopped to gaze at the remarkable view. The crisp air brushed against her face as the hair golden hair danced with the wind. The color of the blue sky was more vibrant than ever. The glorious view of the Digital World was spectacular. If she only had a camera to capture this breathtaking view.

"ZOE, LOOK OUT!" Bokomon shouted from behind.

The blonde snapped out of her thoughts and looked behind her. She noticed a giant boulder falling from above. She sprinted out of harm's way as the gigantic rock crashed into the ground and crumbled into pieces. Zoe looked back with a hand over her heart, gasping for air. That could have been her head if she reacted a little bit late.

She looked back to see what was going on. It turned out to be complete chaos. The Digimon Battlefront were once again in a huge battle against a lot of Digimon who appeared to be controlled by Malevomon. These Digimon looked like giant jagged tortoises. They also had tough, armored spikes all over their back and a few on its head. It unleashed a loud roar, which sounded just like a lion.

"Bokomon, what is that?" asked Zoe.

"Oh no! Tortomon!" Bokomon cried.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Tortomon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Strong Carapace; Grand Dash**

**Description: These ferocious reptiles Digimon are called Tortomon. Even when they are hiding underneath their shell, they can still unleash their powerful attacks. Their most devastating move is the Strong Carapace. The spikes on their shells glow with energy as they launch them at their enemies.**

"Attack! Destroy them all for Lord Malevomon!" One of the Tortomon order.

Upon command, more Tortomon appeared out of the mountains and attacked the Digimon Battlefront. Some of them used their thick, strong paws, while the rest of them launched their heavy spikes at the Digimon Battlefront. Cries of intense pain echoes throughout the area from both sides. Zoe stood there in shock. She couldn't comprehend what's going on right now.

Five minutes into the mission and they already have their first battle. Zoe was about to take her D-Tector out, when she spotted something else, which made the situation even worse. To the left, were some more Digimon running for their lives with their children next to them. Swiftmon shifted from station to station, taking out the evil Tortomon and protecting the defenseless Digimon.

"We'll take care of this! Protect the villagers!" Swiftmon ordered. Zoe nodded in agreement. She went over to the group of panicking Digimon. The blonde guided the villagers back up the hill, while keeping them under control and out of harm's way.

"Come on! This way!" Zoe command "It's okay! Everything's going to be alright! Just stick together!"

There were a lot of Digimon Zoe had to protect, but at least she doesn't have to fight anyone... not yet, anyway. While keeping the villagers in line, she looked around, searching for Takuya. Bodies, spikes, and weapons were flying all over the place. Dust and debris started to fill the area. The sounds of Digimon screaming in pain were deafening.

It wasn't long, before Zoe saw a young boy with goggles on head. But he wasn't in a defensive position, in his Spirit form or helping other Digimon get to safety. In fact, he wasn't doing anything at all. He was just standing there, watching what's going on in the battlefield. Zoe looked confused and worried at the same time. It's not like him to hesitate at a time like this.

"What is he doing?" Zoe asked. Suddenly, she saw a Tortomon slowly crawling behind the defenseless boy. Takuya was completely unaware of what's going. Without thinking, Zoe sprinted towards her best friend.

"TAKUYA, BEHIND YOU!" She screamed.

The Bearer of Flame turned around and saw a gigantic turtle towering above him. He released a thunderous roar, which made Takuya's body as cold as ice. Fear was written all over his face. His eye widened as if he's seen a ghost. Tortomon lifted up one of his paws, ready to give the young boy a vicious strike, potentially finishing him off for good.

"Grand Dash!" Tortomon shouted. He swung his paw at Takuya.

Thankfully, Zoe was there in time. She tackled his friend to the ground as the two rolled on the dirt, creating a cloud of dust along their tracks. Zoe helped Takuya back to his feet.

"Takuya? Are you alright?" She asked. Zoe looked at him, feeling very concerned. She waited for an answer, but never got one. The look of fear was still on Takuya's face. He looked back at Tortomon, feeling completely terrified.

"Takuya, what's wrong? Why won't you fight?" Zoe asked. Again, Takuya ignored her questions. Zoe's concern was slowly being replaced by anger. She thought about giving Takuya a huge slap to the face to wake him up.

"DADDY!" Someone cried. "DADDY, HELP ME!"

Zoe and Takuya looked behind them and saw a small lion cub with one of its hind legs trapped underneath a rock. The little beast Digimon tried to move, but he was stuck. The rock was too heavy. Zoe looked at the tiny Digimon, and then back at Takuya. She had no idea what's going on inside Takuya's head, but now's not the time to make assumptions.

"Takuya, I'll rescue him! You cover me!"

She ran as fast as she could towards the lion cub Digimon. She got on one knee and placed one of her soft, warm hands on the creature's head. It looked like an ordinary cub with a golden coat, a ball of fiery red hair on his head and, what appears to be, a Holy Ring around his neck. She noticed a couple tears dripping down the poor cub's face.

"Hey, little guy. It's alright. I'm going to get you out."

She dug her fingers underneath the boulder and bended her knees. She used all of her strength, attempting to lift up the huge rock. At first, the rock seemed to be too heavy for a young girl to lift. But she wouldn't give up. She got down low once again and uses her legs to lift the boulder off of the cub's leg. She pushed the heavy rock out of the way and got down to her knees. The little lion was still crying.

"It's okay. Everything's going to be alright." Zoe said softly, wiping a tear off of the creature's face. "What's your name, little one?"

"L... Liollmon." stuttered the Digimon.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Liollmon**

**Level: Rookie**

**Attacks: Lio Claw; Critical Bite**

**Description: Liollmon has a strong sense of territoriality, so he doesn't show mercy to those who enter his territory, even if they are the same kind of Digimon. But if threatened, the hair on his head tingles with static electricity, producing a terrifying sound. His Lio Claw attack can slice his enemies into ribbons.**

"Daddy. I'm looking for my daddy. Haven't you seen him?" Liollmon asked.

"No, but we can look for him together. What do you say?" smiled Zoe.

But before she could get back on her feet, there was a huge dirt explosion a few feet away from her and Liollmon. A large cloud of dust filled the vicinity. Zoe covered her eyes so that the debris won't get inside. When the smoke had cleared, the girl saw Takuya lying on his stomach, with his D-Tector next to his side. The young woman felt her heart skip a beat

"TAKUYA!" Zoe screamed.

The teenaged boy slowly started coming to his senses. He struggled to get back to his feet. He did manage to stand on one knee. However, a violent stomp from a nearby Tortomon caused a vicious earthquake, sending Takuya back to the ground. He rubbed his injured head and turned his attention to the Champion level Digimon with the same look of terror on his face.

"Takuya! Hurry up and Spirit Evolve!" yelled Zoe. But her words fell on deaf ears. Takuya stood there frozen like a statue. He had never been so scared in his entire life.

"What's the matter with him?" She thought.

Tortomon took another step forward, causing Takuya to drop his D-Tector to the ground. The evil Digimon backed Takuya up into a nearby boulder. The young boy leaned against the rock, still shaking in fear. He looked to his left and to his right for a way out, but Tortomon managed to seal all of the boy's exits. Takuya slowly turned his head and gazed into Tortomon's eyes.

"It's time for me to destroy you, human." Tortomon proclaimed. His shadow covered Takuya's entire body. Finally, Tortomon lifted up one of his paws, ready to strike the Legendary Warrior.

"Takuya, no!" Zoe cried.

"DIE, HUMAN! GRAND DASH!" Tortomon yelled as he swung his paw at the defenseless boy.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Takuya cried, as he shielded his face, bracing himself for the end.

"TAKUYAAAAAAAAAA!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So that's chapter eleven. <strong>

**What's going on with Takuya? Can Zoe save him in time? Will our two heroes find the Spirits of Earth before Sinistromon does? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	12. To Fight Or Not To Fight

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**Malevomon sure did a number on Takuya and Zoe in their last battle at Breezy Village. Thankfully, the Blisseymon were able to heal most of their injuries. Just when our heroes were finally back on their two feet, the Digimon Battlefront has another mission waiting for them. This time, the Chosen Children and every else were sent to a place called Terra Hills to locate the Legendary Spirits of Earth that's possibly hidden in a village. But when they got to their destination, an army of Tortomon attacked. And to make matters worse, something seems to be wrong with Takuya.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter twelve!**

* * *

><p><strong>To Fight, Or Not To Fight<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"GRAND DASH!" growled the tortoise-like Digimon.

He lifted up one of his giant paws and swung it at the defenseless boy. With the deadly combination of size and speed of the attacking foot, it would be nearly impossible for the goggle-head to survive. And judging by the look in Tortomon's eyes, he's ready to stomp this pathetic human into a pancake; with absolutely no remorse.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Takuya cried. He shielded his face and braced himself for the end.

"TAKUYAAAAAAAAAA!" cried Zoe as she ran toward her best friend. There were a bunch of fighting Digimon she had to maneuver to get to the frightened young man. But his life was on the line, and Zoe wasn't going to let anyone destroy the boy that means so much to her.

She took out her purple and pinkish D-Tector and was ready for action.

*Insert Song: With The Will*

A pinkish sketch of the Human Spirit of Wind traced on the black screen of Zoe's D-Tector. When the outline was finished, the screen on her device stated to glow. With her purple device in her right hand, she spun around once with her left arm on her hips. She stuck her free hand out in front upon completing the circle. A ring of Fractal Code surrounded the girl's hand. She bended and extended her arms a couple times before bringing her D-Tector and the Fractal Code ring together. The scanner made contact with the ring of data, making Zoe's device beep, and screech. The dark area surrounding the girl's body was engulfed by glimmering light.

"EXECUTE…" Zoe shouted, swiping the Fractal Code ring with her D-Tector. "… SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

A long line of data surrounded the girl's body. At the same time, Zoe's clothes digitized as the Human Spirit of Wind awakened. The girl felt a wave of energy taking over her. The wind's power flowed throughout her body as she becoming one with the Spirit. Her hands, legs, and entire body slowly changed into the Warrior of Wind. Finally, the transformation was complete. She spun around three times, creating strong, turbulent winds around her. Upon completing her last turn, she gave a huge sidekick before flipping lavender hair with her left hand and striking a pose.

"KAZEMON!" The fairy said.

She flapped her wings and soared towards the defenseless Takuya and the attacking Tortomon. Just when the evil Digimon was about to finish Takuya off, the Warrior of Wind gave the tortoise a strong kick to the jaw, knocking the Digimon on his back. Tortomon tumbled on the dirt until he crashed into a nearby boulder, shattering the large rock into tiny pebbles.

Kazemon landed gracefully in front of Takuya and got into a defensive stance. From the corner of her eye, she could see the timid teenage boy looking more nervous than ever before. It bugs her seeing her best like this. Normally, he would be the first one on the battleground, ready to take out any Digimon who dare threaten the peace of the Digital World. Now, it's like he's completely change. Kazemon would like nothing more than to slap his face, kick him in between the legs, anything to get Takuya back in the game.

However, the lavender haired butterfly would have to wait for another time. She looked back to her opponent and saw the very same Tortomon back on his feet. Judging from the look in his eyes, he's definitely no happy after Kazemon kicked him squared in the chin. He unleashed a deafening roar that shook the whole area. He stomped viciously towards the Warrior of Wind and a terrified boy.

"Takuya, stop sniveling and make yourself useful! Don't just stand there! Help the villagers get to safety!" ordered Kazemon. Takuya still stood there, either thinking about what to do, or too afraid to move. Unfortunately, Kazemon's patience was growing thin.

"WELL, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? MOVE IT, TAKUYA!" She howled. That actually got her best friend's attention. He looked shaken up after being yelled at by the Legendary Warrior. It took him a few seconds to catch his breath.

"O... Okay." Takuya agreed.

He quickly moved out of the way and headed towards the scrambling villagers. Kazemon shook her head and sighed disappointingly. At least now, Takuya's doing something to make himself useful instead of just standing there and being an open target. She hasn't figured out what's wrong with Takuya or why he's acting so strange lately.

But now's not the time to be thinking about such things. She focused on the enemy in front of her. Tortomon picked up speed and charged at the giant butterfly.

"Give me the Spirits!" He demanded.

Kazemon slid to her right, and Tortomon's head slammed into a boulder. The boulder broke apart and crumbled into tiny pieces. For most Digimon, this would give them a massive headache. But not Tortomon. His head is like made of iron. He can headbutt over a hundred boulders and still not get dizzy from doing it. This Digimon is as tough as they come.

Tortomon glowered back at the Warrior of Wind and again rushed towards her. Kazemon waited until her opponent was in range. She leaped into the air and hovered above the evil tortoise. Kazemon checked to make sure she was in line with her target. Finally, she dove down and turned her feet towards him. Kazemon gave a vicious double kick across Tortomon's face.

But he quickly recovered from the attack and glared back at the Legendary Warrior, who was shocked to see him still standing. Unfortunately, that left her vulnerable to an attack. Tortomon charged at her once again, lowered his head and gave Kazemon a ferocious headbutt straight to the gut. She landed hard on her back, clutching her stomach with both hands. But before she could get back to her feet, Tortomon stomped his paws on her abdomen. Kazemon gasped for air as the evil Digimon continued drilling his foot into the warrior's stomach.

"Ooof... Ooof! YEOW!" Kazemon cried, trying to endure the pain. It felt like the head of a sledgehammer being dropped on her exposed midsection. And it only got harder with each hit.

"KAZEMON!" Bokomon shouted.

The Bearer of Flame turned back and saw Tortomon trampling on the poor Legendary Warrior. His eyes went up and heart rate increased with each stomp Kazemon took. He had to do something. If this keeps up, the evil Digimon will flatten the Warrior of Wind like a pancake. Takuya reached into his pocket and grabbed his D-Tector. He tried to pull it out, but something in his mind was preventing him. And just like that, he was once again frozen on the spot.

"You're mine now! Grand Dash!" Tortomon chuckled.

He lifted his paw one last time, ready to finish off Kazemon. But the Warrior of Wind swiftly recovered from the many powerful blows she had received on her midsection and quickly rolled to her right, barely dodging Tortomon's attack by a few centimeters. Kazemon sprung back to her feet, charge toward the evil Digimon and delivered a vicious sidekick to Tortomon's jaw. This time, she was able to knock the mind controlled tortoise flat on his back.

Now, it was her turn to get on the offensive. Kazemon grabbed the creature's tail and lifted him off the ground. The Legendary Warrior may look weak, but she's a lot stronger than what she appears. In fact, she managed to lift Tortomon thirty-five feet in the air and swung him around and around in circles. Poor Tortomon was already dizzy; either from being airborne or from the excessive spinning.

Finally, the Warrior of Wind released her opponent's tail and watched Tortomon plummeted towards the ground, crashed on a pile of rocks with a huge thud. Debris and dust spread across the area. Kazemon landed smoothly on her feet and check to see if she won. Unfortunately, the fight was far from over. Tortomon sprang out of the cloud of dust and returned to his stance. He snarled at the Legendary Warrior as the spikes on his back started to glow.

"Strong Carapace!" He growled.

He launched a barrage of spikes at the butterfly. Kazemon got back in her defensive position and waited for the projectile spikes to approach her. Once they were in range, the lavender haired butterfly spun her body around, completely avoiding a few oncoming spikes. Tortomon continued firing his attack at the dancing Legendary Warrior, but Kazemon graciously and elegantly moved her body out of the way.

She stopped twirling and returned to her stance, tracking how many spikes remained. The Legendary Warrior noticed more were coming in bunches, so dodging them would be more difficult. But that didn't prevent Kazemon from smiling. She turned defense into offense and rapidly kicked all the incoming projectiles. Her long, powerful legs shattered the spikes upon impact, breaking them into tiny pieces.

Once the barrage had ceased, Kazemon got back to her original position. Her eyes widened when she noticed Tortomon charging at her once again. This time, she was ready. When Tortomon came in for the kill, Kazemon leaped over the pouncing monster, while driving both of her feet into the back of his head. The attack made Tortomon dazed and confused. His vision became blurry and distorted. He shook his head, trying to fight the dizziness.

But when his headache finally subsided, the first thing Tortomon saw was the Warrior of Wind doing a handstand. Moments later, the butterfly spread both of her long legs out wide and spun around in the air.

"TEMPEST TWIST!"

Kazemon spun faster and faster as she inched closer towards Tortomon until she was in range. The Warrior of Wind unleashed a barrage of spin kicks all over the creature's head and body. Tortomon groaned in pain as his body continued taking Kazemon's powerful leg strikes. The butterfly Digimon finished off with a brutal heel kick to the side of the head. The blow knocked Tortomon unconscious as he fell to the ground. A ring of Fractal Code surrounded the creature's body. Kazemon landed smoothly on her feet and gazed at her opponent.

"Evil Digimon, you disgust me!" Kazemon said. She did a little twist before pulling out her purplish D-Tector.

"It's time for some purification." The scanner lit up and the Symbol of Wind appeared on the screen. She did one more turn before closing it out.

"FRACTAL CODE... DIGITIZE!"

She swung her arm out, absorbing the data around Tortomon's body. When all of the Fractal Code was absorbed in her device, Tortomon's body digitized until there was nothing left. At last, the evil Digimon was defeated.

Fractal Code surrounded Kazemon's body, transforming the Legendary Warrior back to her human form. She looked down and noticed a black sphere on the ground, still flowing with energy. But since its host was gone, the power in the Chaos Sphere diminished. When the evil energy in the orb has reached zero, the Chaos Sphere shattered into bits.

"She did it!" Neemon jumped high in the air and cheered.

"Way to go, Zoe!" complemented Bokomon, who saw the entire thing.

Zoe saw the two Rookies running towards her with huge smiles on their faces. But as much liked seeing that her Digimon friends were alright, there was one person in particular she was most concerned about.

And there he was. The teenage blonde saw Takuya standing in the same spot as before, looking quite shocked to say the least. But for some reason, that made the Bearer of Wind very upset. Zoe's clenched her fist tight and a terrifying scowl reappeared on her face. She stomped her way towards Takuya, passing by both Bokomon and Neemon.

Zoe finally reached her best friend and stood before the goggle-headed boy. She crossed her arms and waited for him to say something. Anything. A word, a phrase, a short sentence. She just wanted an explanation for his strange behavior. Then again, Takuya shifted his eyes toward the ground. He was having trouble coming up with the right words to say. And even if he did, who's to say what Zoe might do.

Eventually, the goggle-head gazed back into her emerald eyes and opened his mouth.

"Zoe, I..."

*slap*

The teenage girl gave Takuya a hard smack to the face, knocking the boy down on all fours. Takuya hissed as he rubbed his swollen cheek. It stung when he made contact. But his mind wasn't prepared for what Zoe had next.

"YOU FOOL! WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT ALL ABOUT? I WAS FIGHTING FOR MY LIFE AND HERE YOU ARE STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BATTLEFIELD LIKE A CLUELESS IDIOT. ISN'T THAT RIGHT? HUH? ANSWER ME TAKUYA!"

"Uh..."

"WHAT? WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? ONE MINUTE YOU WERE SO HYPED UP FOR THIS MISSION AND READY TO RETRIEVE ANOTHER SPIRIT, AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW, YOU'RE TOO SCARED TO SPIRIT EVOLVE! JUST WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?"

"Um..."

"I TOLD YOU TO PROTECT YOURSELF! I TOLD YOU TO PROTECT THE OTHERS! I EVEN TOLD YOU TO SPIRIT EVOLVE WHEN YOU WERE IN DANGER! AND YET YOU DID NONE OF THAT! WHAT'S WRONG, TAKUYA? HAVING TROUBLE COMPREHENDING WHAT DANGER IS? HUH?"

"Zoe, please stop..."

"SHUT UP! THAT'S IT! I'M SICK AND TIRED OF THAT SORRY ATTITUDE OF YOURS! I'VE HAD IT! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! YOU KNOW WHAT? HOW ABOUT IF I..."

Zoe pulled her arm back, ready to give Takuya one hellacious beating. However, Swiftmon quickly grabbed her arm, before the girl could continue. Zoe turned towards Swiftmon and noticed him shaking his head. She tried to shake free, but the swordsman's grip was too tight. The only thing for her to do was to cool down and let go of her anger.

She glowered back at Takuya who was still rubbing his cheek, which still had Zoe's handprint on it. The blonde saw a look of guilt on Takuya's face. But while she was still curious about what's going on with the boy, she had no sense in feeling any kind of sympathy towards him.

Once when the mood had died down, Swiftmon released Zoe's arm. The frustrated Bearer of Wind walked passed her best friend. But not before giving him a strong, rude bump on his shoulder with hers. Zoe kept her eyes close so she doesn't see the pathetic look on Takuya's face. She stomped angrily away from the group and sat down on a rock to gaze at the view.

"Zoe?" Bokomon cried out, but his words fell on deaf ears. The Rookie then turned back to Takuya, who was already back to his feet. He looked really sad, ashamed of the something he did... or didn't do.

"Takuya? Are you alright, my boy?"

"Come on, let's go." Takuya mumbled. His tone was inaudible and very monotonic. Still, Bokomon and Neemon understood his command. They walked by his side and continued walking uphill towards Terra Hills Village without another word.

Swiftmon checked to make sure everyone was present and accounted for. They only lost a couple of Digimon during the skirmish with the army of Tortomon. But according to second-in-command, one Digimon is _not_ an acceptable loss. He looked behind him and saw the Bearer of Wind still sitting on a rock, gazing at the breathtaking view. He could sense some pain lurking inside the girl.

"Let's move out! We still have a mission to fulfill! Go to the Terra Hills Village and find the Spirits of Earth!" He commanded.

"YES, SIR!" His troops replied

Swiftmon wait until every Digimon has left the premises before heading toward the heartbroken girl.

* * *

><p><strong>Zoe's POV:<strong>

"Stupid Takuya." I said to myself, while kicking another small rock off of the cliff. I felt a tear brushing against my cheek.

No one can understand the pain that's inside my heart. I scolded at Takuya for no reason. I let my anger get the best of me. And what's worst, I added injury to insult to poor Takuya. That slap I gave wasn't anything I've ever felt before. When I struck his face, I felt a knife piercing through me. It hurts so much treating him like that. I knew he was acting strange, but why did I have to overreact? Why couldn't I just talk to him... like best friends should?

"Are you okay?" Someone asked. I looked down and saw a small lion cub with a Holy Ring around his neck. I wiped my face and smiled at him.

"Oh, hey Liollmon." I spoke. "Yeah, I'm alright. Just a little upset, but I'm fine."

"Care to talk about it, Miss?"

"No, but thanks anyway. And please, call me Zoe."

"Zoe... Would you like to be my friend?"

"It would be an honor. By the way, did you find your father?"

"Yeah. I saw him going back to the village after you guys defeated the Tortomon. I saw you fighting with their leader! You were amazing, Mis... I mean, Zoe!"

"Aw, thanks Liollmon."

"Yeah, you were like... 'BAM!' And when Tortomon attacked, you were like... 'POW!' And when that bully hurled those giant rocks at you, you were like... 'BOOM! BOOM! POW!' That so cool!"

"Thanks, Liollmon. But it wasn't just me. We all worked together to keep you guys safe."

"Yeah, but... who was that other human? I thought he was cool like you. Who would have thought he'd be such a coward?"

"Now, now. Takuya's _not_ a coward. He just... just... well, uh..."

"Maybe I can answer that." said a voice from behind. I turned and saw a warrior-like Digimon looking at me.

"Swiftmon!" I said. I got to my feet and hustled towards the swordsman, with Liollmon behind me.

"Oh, Liollmon, this is Swiftmon, second-in-command of the Digimon Battlefront."

"Pleasure." Swiftmon said, patting Liollmon on the head.

"Digimon Battlefront?" repeated the cub. "I heard about you guys! My father keeps mentioning about how you'll save the Digital World from a dark creature known as Malevomon! He also mentioned a couple humans becoming Digimon using the power of the Legendary Spirits!"

"Indeed." Swiftmon nodded. He then looked back at me.

"I need to talk to you. It's about your friend." The look in his eyes had changed. Whatever he's about to tell me, I'm sure it's not going to be good news. Since this is Takuya we're talking about, it must be pretty serious.

"What is it, Swiftmon? What's wrong with Takuya?"

"Remember when I asked you if your friend was acting strange? Care to change your answer?"

"Well... I don't know. I mean, it's not like Takuya to chicken out on such an important mission like this. But something tells me that there is something wrong with him. He's just not... himself."

"Let me ask you another question." Swiftmon said. "When Malevomon attacked back at Breezy Village, did he do anything to you guys?"

"Besides giving us a good beating? No... Not really..."

"Are you sure? Did Malevomon used any kind of special moves on you or your friend?"

"Well..."

I thought back to that horrifying scene. I remembered it as if it were yesterday. Malevomon had his hand around my neck. I was barely conscious, very weak, and in so much pain. But instead of finishing me off, he did something to Takuya... something terrible. It was an attack I had never seen before, but just listening to Takuya screaming in pain tore my heart in two. I had never felt so helpless. I looked back at Swiftmon and told him what I remembered.

"Now that you mentioned it, there was this attack Malevomon used on Takuya... and Chrysanthemon too. He created some kind of dark sphere and blasted it at them, trapping them with its evil energy. I don't know exactly what was going on inside that sphere, but I could hear Takuya crying in pain. It's like he's trapped in his own little nightmare with no way to get out. I believe Malevomon called this move the..."

"Malevolent Onslaught!" Swiftmon and I said in unison.

"I knew it..." the swordsman sighed.

"Swiftmon, you know this move?" I gasped

"Know it? I've seen Malevomon used that move on a number of us. We've lost a lot of fighters and innocent Digimon because of that devastating move."

"What is the Malevolent Onslaught? I know it's dangerous, but what's really going on inside that dark sphere?"

"When Malevomon traps you inside that sphere, the dark powers zap you from every conceivable direction and drains all of your energy until there's nothing left but a lifeless body."

"But... Takuya survived that attack. Chrysanthemon didn't share the same fate, but Takuya was still alive."

"The Spirits of Flame may have saved his life."

"So why was he acting weird all of the sudden?"

"Let me finish, my child. That attack usually finishes off Malevomon's enemies. But those who survived it... well, let's say it's just the beginning."

"I don't understand. I mean, Blisseymon healed all of his injuries, so why is he still..."

"Physical injuries. Remember. The Malevolent Onslaught not only damages the body, but the mind as well. Our medical team can heal all kinds of physical injuries. But as for mental injuries, that's a different story. Your friend may look fine on the outside, but it's probably a complete mess on the inside."

"Oh no. Takuya..." I felt my eyes watering. I don't want to Takuya to isolate himself from others, especially me. I don't want to lose him. Not now, not ever. I just got to help him somehow. I just gotta.

"Swiftmon, please tell me there's something we can do. There's got to be a way to help Takuya get back to normal again. Please, Swiftmon! I'm begging you! I don't want to lose my best friend!"

"I'm sorry, my child. There's nothing we can do. We can provide support or be there when he needs us. However, that's pretty much it. Your friend is the only one that can overcome this struggle. Whether he wins or loses is up to him."

I looked back up the hill and my thoughts return to Takuya. He needs my help, and I'll do whatever it takes to get that lost young boy return to the Takuya I once know. The next time I see him, I'll talk to him and try to make him feel better; make up from the slap I had gave him earlier. Then again, it won't be easy, since I was the one who made things worse than what it already is.

I looked back at Swiftmon and nodded.

"I understand." I said.

"Good. Now, come. The others are waiting for us." Before I could speak, Swiftmon disappeared from sight. I stood back up and smiled at my new Digimon friend.

"Ready to see our village?" Liollmon asked me.

"I'd love to." I smiled.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"Race you to the top!" I giggled. Liollmon grinned as he and I ran on the path and raced up the hill.

Beads of sweat glided down my forehead and the gentle breeze blew my hair back. I can feel my heart pounding against my chest, filling my body with so much adrenaline. Nothing beats the thrill of going fast. Liollmon and I were just having a friendly competition, but this little kitty is one heck of a speed demon. I got tired about three quarters of the way, while Liollmon sprinted ahead of me.

I looked up and saw the entrance to Terra Hills Village. There was a gigantic wall right before my eyes with a couple of guard towers on both ends. One humanoid Digimon appeared out of one of the towers and looked down upon me.

"Halt! Who goes there?" He shouted.

"It's me, Dinohyumon! Please open up!" Liollmon replied.

"Why, of course, young master! I'm on it!" The warrior saluted as he disappeared back into the tower.

"Young master?" I asked, looking puzzled.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. My father, uh... he's the head of Terra Hills Village. Perhaps, I forgot to mention..."

"Well, you don't say!" I giggled.

That's when sounds of a crank turning entered my ear. I looked back at the wall and noticed it opening up like the door to a mysterious temple. I must say that this place has some pretty cool security, compared to most villages. Liollmon and I smiled at each other as we stepped inside.

It was a small place filled with all kinds of Digimon, surrounded by sheer mountains and rocky crags. Most of the houses were built of stones and clay with red tiled roofs. In the middle of the village, there is a shrine surrounded by all kinds of statues and decorations. To the right of the village flowed quietly a clear and babbling stream. I noticed a bunch of young Digimon splashing each other, going for a little swim or just relaxing by the waters. There were also a few shops, eateries and a few decorated tents filled with other interesting merchandise.

"Welcome to our village!" Liollmon smiled brightly at me.

"Oh my goodness." I gasped, taking in the entire scenery. "It's beautiful!"

"Come on! Let me show you around!"

I followed the young lion cub as he gave me a tour of his home. He showed me the best place to eat, where to get a good view of the entire village, and even where he goes to school. (Yes, Digimon attend school, like us humans) He even introduced me to some important Digimon in the area, like village's council and commander of the defense forces.

I got to say that the villagers were very friendly and extremely helpful. We got along really easily, plus I got a chance to tell them about myself, my past adventures in the Digital World, and even what the Human World was like. After a few minutes of good conversation, Liollmon took me to a park filled with large numbers of young Digimon. They were all playing with each other and having fun. Some were playing their own version of soccer, a few drew pictures on the ground while others ran around and played tag or any other kind of running games. It made me so relaxed and so happy seeing the smiles on their faces.

"Hey, Liollmon! Over here! Play with us!" Some of the kids shouted.

"Care to join me, Zoe?" He grinned. I smiled back at the boy.

Sure, after a few days of nonstop fighting, it's good to take a break and run around with the young ones. I was about to answer when something caught my eye. I noticed someone sitting all by himself on a rock nearby. He had really sad look on his face, like he's lost something special to him. His attention was entirely on the ground. Suddenly, I felt some kind of pain aching inside my heart. I didn't want to leave him alone, not after the way I treated him a while ago.

"You go on ahead without me. I just gotta take care of a few things." I nodded his head and ran towards the group of children.

I turned my attention back to Takuya. It's like he's been in that position for a really long time. I can't imagine what he's feeling right now. I just got to help him somehow. Swiftmon did mention that I can provide emotional support, but I know I can do better than that. I started walking towards the lonesome young boy, constantly reminded myself to be patient and understanding, After all, I made his condition a lot worse than what it already was. The least I can do was make him smile again.

My head is telling me to give him space, yet my heart is reaching out to him. But Takuya needs me now, regardless of how he's feeling. I stood in front of Takuya feeling very apprehensive. However, it appeared as if he doesn't even know I'm here. I sat down on a rock next to him, hoping he would at least acknowledge me. I then placed a warm hand on his shoulder. Sure enough, his eyes gazed directly into mine.

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

"Hey." She spoke.

Unfortunately, that's pretty much all she could say right now. She wanted to start off slow, just to loosen the tension a bit. For if she said something wrong, her best friend may never speak to her again. Takuya stared at her blankly for a little bit before turning back towards the ground without saying a word. Zoe sighed again and tried talking to him once more.

"Look... I'm really sorry for yelling at you a while ago. I, uh... I knew I was wrong. And I'm truly sorry. I shouldn't have done that to you, Takuya. Can you... can you ever forgive me?"

Her eyes lit up when she Takuya looking back at her and slightly nodding his head. Sure, it wasn't much of a reply. Especially since most people wouldn't even noticed the nod. But she noticed it and her smile grew larger. At least Takuya responded, so she was making good progress in cheering him up. But she couldn't stop there. She had to keep going.

"This place sure is wonderful. They got a bunch of stores, places to eat, a nice little stream on the side and even this one place where you get the entire breathtaking view of the entire village! Oh and look, they have many places for the little Digimon to play. See Takuya? Look at that. Isn't it cute?"

Zoe then pointed to a group of young Digimon playing in the fields. Takuya looked up and noticed the children running around with each other and having so much fun. Each Digimon was either laughing or smiling with their friends. Seeing their happiness allowed Takuya to smile once again. Zoe looked back at her best friend and she too noticed Takuya's timid smile.

"Ah! Takuya, you smiled! You finally smiled! I'm so glad! You know what I always say, 'You can't start feeling better, until you smile!' Right?"

"Yeah... I guess you're right." Takuya finally spoke. He looked back at his best friend, with a grin on his face. But that was nothing compared to Zoe's. She looked as happy as a clam in butter sauce. At last, she finally got him to talk to her. Now it's time for the next step.

"That's good." giggled Zoe. She scooted in closer towards the young boy with goggles. Her cheeks turned a small hue of red. "So... are you feeling better now?"

"Yeah... I'm okay... I guess..."

"Alright... Listen, if you ever need anything, just let me know. I'm always here for you, Takuya. Always have, always will." She spoke as she stared into his brown eyes.

"Okay... Thanks, Zoe. You're a true friend."

"Yeah. No prob..." Zoe said softly. She cringed a little bit due to the fact that she and Takuya are only, and will probably forever be, friends. But that issue will be settled another time. She looked back at Takuya and continued the conversation.

"By the way, I looked around the village and there's still no signs of the Spirits yet. Did you find the Legendary Spirits of Earth yet, Takuya?"

He responded by shaking his head. He and Zoe both let out a sigh of disappointment. Finally, Zoe got up from her seat and extended a hand towards her best friend. It took the boy a few seconds for him to notice the girl's hand in front of his face. He looked back into her emerald eyes and saw that cute little smile of hers.

"Well, come on Takuya. We're not going to find the Spirits by just sitting here." She grinned.

"But... what if they're not here?"

"They just have to be. Everyone's working hard to stop Malevomon and save the Digital World. But they need us to do our part too. And to do that, we must find the Legendary Spirits and secure it before Malevomon and his cronies get their filthy hands on it. Right?"

"Well... I guess so..."

"Then, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Immediately, she grabbed Takuya's hand and helped him to his feet. Takuya looked back at Zoe looking somewhat surprised. She really wanted to help him get back to his feet and will not take no for an answer. The two of them walked back to the village, hand in hand.

Zoe took her D-Tector out of her pocket and a miniaturized map appeared on the screen. However, there was no dot indicating where the Spirits were hiding. She looked left and right, up and down, but still no signal. She then turned back towards Takuya. His eyes were still towards the ground in defeat. Zoe noticed the same frown he wore not too long ago. Even his D-Tector was still clipped to his side pocket. Zoe sighed once again and stopped in the middle of the village as she released Takuya's hand.

"Chin up, Takuya! We'll find the Spirits of Earth soon. You'll see." That still didn't help. Takuya's eyes never left the ground. Zoe started to worry, wondering if Takuya will ever return to the same goggle-headed young boy she admires so much. "Come on, Takuya. Whatever happened to that indomitable spirit you always have when we're out on a mission? Where is that energetic, yet stubborn goggle boy that everybody loves so much? Huh?"

"Last time I was like that, I almost got squashed by Tortomon."

"But you're all better now, right?"

"I'm afraid not."

"I don't understand Takuya. It's like you've forgotten how to fight."

"I didn't forget." Takuya muttered. "I just... I just don't want to fight anymore."

"Don't want to fight? What do you mean?"

"Fighting brings nothing but pain and misery. I don't want others to get hurt because of me."

"Okay, Takuya. Now you have officially lost it."

"I'm serious, Zoe. No more fighting."

Zoe stood there with her mouth dropped. Is she hearing things? Is Takuya really serious about not fighting anymore? What's going on? Why the sudden change? The old Takuya couldn't wait to get on the battlefield and kick some Digimon butt. However, the Takuya standing in front of her is completely different. She couldn't believe her ears. What does he mean he doesn't want to fight anymore? Hasn't he forgotten that he's a Legendary Warrior and that it is his duty to protect the Digital World and its inhabitants at all times, no matter what the cost? Zoe thought back to what Swiftmon mentioned earlier.

"_Your friend may look fine on the outside, but it's a complete mess on the inside._"

Could this be what Swiftmon was talking about? Could Malevomon's attack may have affected Takuya's will to fight? Exactly how bad is Takuya's condition? And how long will it take for him to return back to normal? Zoe turned her attention back to Takuya and tried reasoning with him once more.

"Takuya, we have no other choice. We have to fight. If not, more and more innocent Digimon will get hurt."

"There has to be another way. What if we're fighting our friends? What if we're force to destroy the ones we love? What if I'm forced to do battle with you? Huh?"

"Takuya... I..."

"I can't do it Zoe. I just can't."

"Stop it, Takuya!" yelled Zoe. "Do you have any idea how ridiculous you sound? Look around you! If you haven't already noticed, there is war going on in the Digital World! It is our job as Legendary Warriors to find the Spirits, stop the evil Malevomon and bring peace back to this world! Come on, Takuya! It's our destiny! We are the Chosen Legendary Warriors!"

"And would you mind telling me who exactly chose us for this dumb job anyway?"

"Dumb job? DUMB JOB? Takuya, protecting the Digital World is not a job! It's our duty! Everyone in the Digital World is counting on us!"

"And what if we fail, Zoe? What if we're not strong enough to defeat Malevomon and the rest of his army?"

"Then we'll have to get stronger and keep on fighting until we..."

"You don't get it, do you Zoe? It's impossible! We can't win! We'll never defeat Malevomon! He's just too strong for us!"

"That's enough Takuya! Man, what has gotten into you? Open your eyes, already! We can't save the Digital World with a lousy attitude like that!"

"Me? Open my eyes? Why don't _you_? Why can't you see that our efforts means nothing? We can't save the Digital World, no matter how hard we try! It's useless! What's the point in trying anyway?"

"Oh my God... TAKUYA?

"ZOE?"

The two of them angrily stared into each other's eyes, trying to force the other into submission. Neither one of them spoke another word, letting their eyes do all of the arguing. Their bickering caused a few Digimon around the village to stop and observe their little staring contest. However, it seemed as if neither Takuya nor Zoe realized they were attracting some attention.

"TAKUYA! ZOE!" A voice screamed, snapping the two of them out of their silent argument. They looked and noticed Bokomon and Neemon sprinting towards them.

"What is it?" Zoe queried. "What's going on?"

"Come quickly!" said Bokomon.

"What's wrong? Where's Swiftmon?" asked Zoe

"He's having a discussion with the leader of the Terra Hills Village!"

"About what?"

"The Legendary Spirits of Earth! It seems as if the leader knows the location and Swiftmon's trying to find out where it is!"

"Then why are we standing around here? Let's go!" exclaimed Zoe.

"Go where? To the bathroom?" Neemon randomly asked.

An annoyed Bokomon tugged hard on the rabbit's pants and gave him another painful wedgie. He grabbed Neemon by the ear and dragged him away, while the rabbit rubbed his aching behind, screaming in agony. Zoe sighed and glowered back at Takuya.

"We'll discuss this later." Zoe hissed as she stomped off toward her two Digimon friends.

"Whatever..." Takuya growled to himself, walking slowly behind the group.

* * *

><p><strong>Takuya's POV:<strong>

Zoe and I walked together, side by side without speaking to each other. We both knew that saying just one word could start another argument and the bickering would continue. Neither one of us were making eye contact with each other, knowing it could potentially lead to more problems. I kept my eyes off of her ever since our little argument we had earlier.

Why can't she see things my way? We all know that fighting would lead to more fighting. We lost a lot of Digimon when we fight, yet Zoe insists that we MUST fight, since it's the only way to restore peace in the Digital World. Does that even make sense? Who does Zoe think she is anyway? What's the point of talking to her when she has no idea what she's talking about?

I noticed Bokomon looking behind us. He could sense the tension as well as the silent treatment going on between me and Zoe. He's probably wondering what's going on and decided to break the ice, since the silence was getting on his nerves.

"Aright, you two. What's going on?"

"I don't want to talk about." Zoe said.

"Same here." I huffed.

"Talk about what?"

"SHUT UP, NEEMON!" Zoe and I yelled in unison. We glared at each other for a few seconds before turning our attention back to the front.

"Well, whatever problems you two have, you better resolve them quickly, because we're already here." Bokomon said.

We came to a large tent with brown, and orange stripes. It was surrounded with golden drapes decorated with amber and topaz gems. I noticed a couple golden flags on top. I figured out this is where the head of the village reside. We were just approaching the entrance to the tent, when we heard noises coming from inside.

I opened the flaps and saw two Digimon conversing with each other. On one side was the second-in-command of the Digimon Battlefront, Swiftmon. However, there was another Digimon on the other side of the table. It looked like a giant lion with a dark brown mane around his head with the bottom portion tied into a smaller tails. He had a gold skin, sharp paws and two tails on its back.

"That's why need the Spirits, my friend." Swiftmon argued. "In order to defeat Malevomon, we need to assemble all the Legendary Spirits and use their powers to stop his evil from spreading across the Digital World."

"It is true. Malevomon has proven himself to be one very powerful Digimon." The lion Digimon countered. "However, the Spirits of Earth gives the Terra Hills Village protection. Without it, the Digimon will feel insecure, our defenses will crumble and we could very well fall into the evil hands of Malevomon."

Zoe and I quietly tiptoed inside as we continue to watch and listen to the two Digimon debate.

"Is that the leader of the village, Bokomon?" asked Zoe.

"Indeed. He's Liamon." answered the mutant Digimon.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Liamon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Thunder of the Beast King; Critical Strike**

**Description: If a lion symbolizes courage, then Liamon is the bravest Digimon of all. He prefers capturing prey stronger than itself and it has often been observed commencing an attack against an Ultimate level Digimon without hesitation. His Thunder of the Beast King attack shoots blast of electricity at those who oppose him.**

"Ah, you must be the Legendary Warriors." spoke the lion Digimon.

Zoe and I turned towards Liamon and nodded our heads. I stepped forward and walked up to the head of the village.

"Yes, sir. My name's Takuya, and I hold the Legendary Spirits of Flame." I said.

"And I'm Zoe, Bearer of the Spirits of Wind." said the girl behind me.

"Pleasure's all mine. I am Liamon, leader of the Terra Hills Village and the guardian of the Spirits of Earth."

"Guardian?" I asked.

"That's right. Only two Digimon know the whereabouts of the Spirits of Earth, and I happened to be one of them. It is my duty to protect the Spirits from any evil Digimon trying to get their hands on it."

"I see." Bokomon nodded.

"Um... excuse me, Mr. Liamon?" Zoe stepped forward. "Could you please tell us where the Spirits of Earth are? We need the Spirit's power to stop the evil Malevomon from destroying the Digital World."

"If Malevomon get his hands on the Spirits of Earth, there's no way we could defeat him. Please, Liamon? We need the Spirits to save the Digital World." I argued.

Liamon treaded towards me and Zoe. He looked at us as if he's searching for something. He walked around us a couple times before standing before us, ready to give his answer. "My children, I understand your purpose for coming here. And I'm also aware of the darkness being spread that evil creature that calls himself the Digimon Emperor..."

"Great! So that means you can give us the Spirits now?" Neemon blurted out.

"Shut up, you imbecile!" Bokomon shouted. Zoe and I looked back at the two nut jobs back there and giggled a little bit. We turned our attention back towards Liamon, both with a serious look on our face.

"As I was saying..." continued Liamon."... Even though our world is in danger, as the guardian of the Legendary Spirits of Earth, I cannot give them to you."

"But why not?" I wondered.

"You see children, the Spirits of Earth protects our village from evil. Its power drives away the darkness and keeps the Digimon here secure. The Spirits must remain here, or our defenses will fall. The Digimon would have nothing left to protect them."

"Please understand." said Swiftmon. "Malevomon is after the Legendary Spirits as well. There's no telling what might happen if he gets another Spirit under his control."

"I understand." Liamon said. "Malevomon is a very powerful Digimon, and he must be stopped. I would love to help you children on your mission. I know where the Spirits are and would love to tell you. But here in Terra Hills Village, that's not how things work around here. I cannot just give you the Spirits of Earth. You would have to earn it."

"Huh? What are you saying?" Zoe asked with her head slightly tilted.

"What do you mean we have to earn it?" I followed.

"It's quite simple. If you want the Spirits, then you must accept my challenge."

"Challenge? What challenge?" said Bokomon.

"You must prove yourselves worthy to obtain the Spirits."

"And how do you propose we do that?" I questioned.

"As I said before, I am the guardian of the Spirits of Earth. That makes me the strongest fighter in Terra Hills Village. If you want the Spirits so much... then you must defeat me in a battle."

"WHAT?" I protested.

"Hmph! Is that it?" Zoe chuckled.

"Yes. If you win, then Spirits of Earth will be yours. However, if I win, then you must leave this village and never return."

"But..." I interrupted.

"... And the Spirits will remain with me, for better or worse. Are we clear, Legendary Warriors?"

I looked at the ground nervously and pondered about the lion's proposal. From what I understand, if we're going to get the Spirits of Earth, we have to fight Liamon in a battle... and win. I never wanted to fight anyone, not like this. I don't care if the Legendary Spirits are on the line, fighting is not a good way to settle things.

Sure, if we win, then the Spirits come with us. It'll be a critical step towards defeating Malevomon and his army of evil Digimon. But at the same time, what if something bad happen to Liamon? What if we fought and we actually defeat him? There is a chance we could seriously hurt him... or worse. I can't fight a Digimon that plays an important role in this village.

Then again, what if we lose? When I looked at Liamon, he wasn't kidding when he said he will do whatever it takes to protect the Spirits as well as the entire village. Does that include destroying us? Is Liamon willing to go that far to protect the Spirits of Earth? I can't risk my life for that... and I'm not willing to sacrifice Zoe's life just for some Spirits. Not only that, but we would be forced to leave Terra Hills Village.

In other worlds, we will never obtain the Spirits of Earth, which could possibly end all hopes in saving the Digital World. There has to be another way to settle this dispute. Maybe I can try convincing Liamon to give us the Spirits for the sake of the Digital World. After all, no one has to get hurt over some Spirits. I looked back at the beast Digimon, ready to give him my answer.

"... DONE!" Zoe hollered. Her quick answer surprised me; and not in a good way. I stared back at her, feeling both shocked and annoyed. Here I was, thinking how to obtain the Spirits without anyone getting hurt, and here comes Zoe, opening her big mouth once again. Now someone's bound to get hurt. Man, she's so inconsiderate.

"Very well, then." Liamon nodded. "Come, children. Follow me to The Circle, where we will have our battle. And may the strongest fighter win." He gave us one quick nod and stepped out of his tent. Swiftmon looked back at me and Zoe.

"Alright, you two. Who's going to fight Liamon?" He asked us.

"Um... Swiftmon? Do you think we could settle this without fighting?" I asked.

"Takuya? What are you talking about?" said Zoe.

"I just don't want anyone else to get hurt, that's all. I'm sure we could get the Spirits of Earth if we just talk to Liamon." I answered.

"Son, if it were that easy, we would've been walking away with the Spirits an hour ago." said Swiftmon.

"Takuya, you heard Liamon. We have no choice, but to fight. It's the only way to the get the Spirits of Earth back to our side."

"I know... I just..."

"It appears the effects of Malevomon's attack hasn't fully healed yet." Swiftmon muttered to Zoe.

I looked back at the swordsman, looking more confused than ever. What the heck was he talking about? 'Effects of Malevomon's attack'? Come on, that's ridiculous. I looked back at Zoe and noticed her attention was towards the ground. She looked really sad, but for what reason?

"Well, what's the plan guys?" Bokomon questioned.

"I know! How about we go outside and play with the kids? That sounds like a good plan" Neemon randomly suggested.

Annoyed with his friend's idiocy, he dragged him by the pants out of the tent. Zoe and I, along with Swiftmon followed the two rookie Digimon out of the tent. We followed the warrior-like Digimon towards the place the villagers called The Circle. As we walked, awkward silence filled the area. It felt extremely uncomfortable, especially for Zoe. She never liked the quiet.

"One of us is going to have to fight Liamon..." Zoe spoke softly. She looked back at me, waiting for me to say something. Her eyes felt like they're asking me to volunteer.

"What, Zoe?" I said in retaliation. She could sense the irritation in my voice.

"I didn't say it had to be _you_." Zoe huffed. She turned away from me without saying another word. I looked at the teenage girl for a few more seconds before turning back towards the front.

There was a large crowd of Digimon gathered in one area. Most of them were screaming and cheering. I assumed we arrived at The Circle. Upon further inspection, I now know why this spot is called The Circle. In the middle of the crowd was a small circular area, big enough for two Digimon to battle each other. I also noticed Liamon waiting at the edge of the ring. There was a fierce look in his eyes. It's like he's ready to fight and there's no way he's going to lose. Swiftmon, Zoe and I made our way towards the outer edge of the ring. We made eye contact with the head of the village. He grinned towards us and spoke once again.

"This battle will determine the fate of the Spirits of Earth!" He proclaimed. "I assume the humans know the stipulations of this fight, right Swiftmon?"

"Indeed, they do." The swordsman bowed.

"Very well. Now, who shall be my opponent?" The lion asked.

Swiftmon turned back towards me and Zoe. He observed every one of us, deciding who would be the best choice in fighting the beast Digimon before us. But for some strange reason, Swiftmon had his attention more on me than on Zoe. I had a feeling I know where this was going, and I'm not going to like it.

"I know just the right opponent for you, Liamon. And it shall be none other than... The Legendary Warrior of Flame!"

"WHAT?" Zoe and I yelled in unison.

"YEAH!" The other Digimon cheered. "LET'S GET THIS FIGHT STARTED! KICK HIS BUTT, LIAMON!"

"Very well, then! Step forward, young man!" The lion ordered.

However, if anything, I took a step back. There's no way I'm fighting Liamon. I won't do it! I refuse! Why did Swiftmon pick me to fight? Why didn't he pick Zoe? She's willing to fight and hurt our friends to get the Spirits of Earth. She may not be a better fighter than me, but at least she's willing to step up.

"No!" I argued. "Swiftmon, I won't do it! I'm not going to fight him!"

"You have to!" said the swordsman. "The fate of the Digital World rests in your hands now! There are a lot of innocent Digimon counting on you! Do not let them down!"

"Yeah, but..."

"Come on, Takuya! You can do it!" Bokomon said, smiling at me. Neemon was behind him and he waved back at me too.

I looked up and my eye looked on to Zoe's. At first I sensed anger inside of her. Either because she wanted to be the one to fight Liamon, or because she knows I'm going to lose, which could mean the end of the Digital World. But then, I detected a pinch of concern. Zoe doesn't like the sight of others getting hurt, especially me. She's not just mad that I might fail, but she's worried about me too. I saw her tiny, little smile that gives everybody hope, including me.

"I believe in you, Takuya!" She shouted. Those words entered my ear and must have set something off. A surge of confidence overcame my entire body. I nodded back at my best friend and turned walked towards the center of the circle, where Liamon was waiting.

"I hope you're ready, boy! Because I won't go easy on you! I will not hesitate in destroying you when I get the chance!" His threatening words made me gulp a little bit. I took a step back to regain myself.

"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" The villagers demanded. "FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"

"Alright... LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!" Liamon growled.

His hair around his neck surged with static electricity. I knew he was ready. But was I? I took a deep breath and looked back at Zoe. She had both her hands over her heart. However, her eyes never left mine. She smiled and gave me one last nod for insurance. I nodded back and looked back at the lion Digimon. I reached into my pocket and slowly took out my D-Tector.

"Oh, come on! Would you two hurry up and get this show started? You guys are wasting my time here!" A scratchy voice spoke in the wind.

Everyone around the area, including me, searched for the source of the noise. We looked high and low, but we couldn't seemed to find who spoke to us. Then again, I recognized that voice and I knew for sure he was here.

"Show yourself, Sinistromon! I know you're here!" Swiftmon demanded. Saying that name caused some villagers to gasp in fear. Some shielded their children from any potential attacks.

"Whatever you say, pretty boy!" The voice spoke again.

"Look! Up there!" Bokomon hollered, pointing his finger up out in front. Every one of us looked up and sure enough, there was Sinistromon, sitting on top of one of the flagpoles in the village.

"Sinistromon!" gasped Zoe.

"Geez, I came here to see Liamon tear apart that pathetic human standing over there!" He laughed, pointing at me. I clenched my D-Tector tight. "But man, you losers have no idea how to put on a good show! Man, what a waste of life! I should destroy you right now!"

"Sinistromon! Why don't you come down here, so I can rip you into tiny pieces?" ordered Liamon. "You came here uninvited and disrespected the villagers! And for that, you shall be punished! Come here, you pesky insect!"

"Hahahahahaha!" The demon Digimon laughed. "Good one, Liamon. But there's one problem with your little statement there." He stood up on the flagpole and spread his wings out. "You see, you're not going to rip _me_ into pieces..."

The evil minion dove down towards the lion Digimon and reached into his backpack. He pulled out a black sphere no bigger than a baseball. My eyes widened in fear. Sinistromon's got a Chaos Sphere in his possession, which could only mean one thing.

"Oh no... You are going to rip EVERYONE ELSE into pieces!"

Sinistromon disappeared before approaching Liamon. But a second later, he reappeared from the lion's blind spot and drilled the Chaos Sphere into his backside. Liamon screamed in pain as the dark energies of the evil orb started consuming his entire body. It sank deeper into the creature and fused itself with Liamon's heart. All of us watched helplessly as the Chaos Sphere transformed the leader of Terra Hills Village into a maniacal monster. When the fusion had stopped, so did Liamon's screams.

"What are... your orders, sir?" Liamon bowed towards Sinistromon. His gold coat was replaced with gray and black. His brown mane has also turned black and his eyes were bloodshot red. Sinistromon few around his new mind slave and smirked at the terrified villagers.

"Liamon!" Zoe cried out.

"This is bad..." Swiftmon growled. He reached for one of his swords, ready for another battle.

"You see those weaklings over there?" He asked pointing at all of us. The evil Liamon leered at his prey and a huge grin appeared. "Destroy them all, and bring me the Legendary Spirits of Earth!"

Liamon turned his body towards us and planted all four of his feet on the ground, ready to strike and kill everything in his sight.

"Your wish... is my command!"

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter twelve. <strong>

**Can Takuya and Zoe stop Liamon before he terrorizes the entitr village? Will our heroes ever find the Spirits of Earth? Or Sinistromon deliver them to Lord Malevomon? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	13. Trouble At Terra Hills

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**According to Swiftmon, the last attack by Malevomon has affected Takuya's mental toughness. More specifically, the fear of destroying a fellow Digimon overwhelmed him and made him hesitant in fighting. When the humans arrived at Terra Hills Village, they met a very powerful Digimon named Liamon. It turns out that he currently has the Spirits of Earth, and is willing to give it to the humans if Takuya defeats him in a battle. But just when the fight was about to get underway, Sinistromon appeared out of nowhere and drilled a Chaos Sphere inside Liamon's body. Man, what a sleeze!**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter thirteen!**

* * *

><p><strong>Trouble At Terra Hills<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"Your wish... is my command." Liamon growled.

He planted all four of his feet on the ground and leered at terrifying villagers. The hungry lion unleashed a powerful and frightening roar, showing his sharp, grueling teeth towards his enemies in front of him. Most of the Digimon cringed and burst into tears upon hearing their leader's deafening howl. Fortunately, a few warrior-like Digimon stepped in front of the defenseless villagers. They took out their weapons and prepared themselves for another difficult battle.

Zoe stood between the line of fighters and the frightened Digimon who couldn't fight back. She looked to her right and saw Takuya shaking in his shoes. His D-Tector was still in his hands, but his entire arm was trembling. Not only that, but his attention was all on the ground. Clearly, he still hasn't recovered from Malevomon's last attack. His mindset isn't where it should be, and that will surely affect him if he decided to take action. Then again, whether that time will come remains to be said.

The Bearer of Wind shook her head in dismay and sighed. She was disappointed that Takuya still hasn't come to his senses yet. This was so not like the goggle-headed boy she knew. The old Takuya would risk his life to save the ones he cares about. No matter how strong of an opponent the enemy is or what kind of danger awaited them, he's usually the first one on the battlefield. But thanks to Malevomon, his courage has gone out the window. The fiery attitude that normally energizes the entire crowd seemed to disappear.

Then again, a part of her was still worried about him. If the enemy attacked Takuya while he was still in his human form, he could get seriously hurt or worse. There's absolutely no way he could survive if a powerful Digimon, such as Liamon, attacked him. Unless the Takuya comes back, Zoe's on her own. And to make things worse, she has her hands full dealing with Liamon and protecting Takuya at the same time.

She took her purple D-Tector out of her pocket and stood in front of her best friend. Takuya felt Zoe's long blonde hair brushing against his cheek. He looked up and noticed the teenaged girl standing in front of her. The goggle-head wanted to say something, but his words only got caught in his throat. She turned her head and smiled at the boy.

"Z... Zoe..." He gasped.

"It's alright, Takuya. You don't have to say anything. I'll protect you with my life, no matter what." said Zoe.

"I'm... I'm really... sorry..."

"Do me a favor and apologize after this is over. Okay?"

Her best friend nodded and took a few steps back until he stood before the defenseless villagers Zoe turned her attention back to the front lines. She saw Swiftmon stepping in front of the entire group of Digimon. He took out one of his swords and pointed at the former head of Terra Hills Village. At the same time, the Battlefront members unsheathed their weapons and they too dropped in their defensive stance, ready to fight the evil Digimon standing before them.

"Liamon, listen to me! There is a Chaos Sphere inside your body!" The second-in-command spoke, trying to see if he could use his words first before his blades. "You are being controlled by Sinistromon! He's using you to destroy your village! Your own people too! Don't let him brainwash you!"

"HAHAHAHA!" laughed the evil lion Digimon. "Nonsense. My friend... Sinistromon isn't controlling me. In fact, it is the exact opposite. Sinistromon is helping achieve what I've always wanted; and that is to obtain ultimate power!"

"It's no use! We've lost him!" Bokomon panicked. But the blonde haired girl shushed the Rookie and faced the malicious lion.

"Liamon, stop! Please, we don't want to fight you!" Zoe begged.

"Is that so? Then if those fools wish to live, they must surrender to me and pledge to serve the Emperor of the Digital World; the Almighty Lord Malevomon!"

Inaudible murmurs of fear and concern filled the village. Some of the Digimon believed that the better decision is to give up and let the malicious sovereign take over their village. While their free will and control over their bodies will be relinquished, at least they don't have to fight their beloved leader. On the other hand, the second half of villagers spat Liamon's deal back at his face. For they believe it is better to go down fighting, than to live the rest of their lives under the control of Malevomon.

"Don't do this, Liamon! Please! Do you have any idea how devastated these villagers are? Their leader is now working for the enemy, and now we have no choice but to..."

"SILENCE!" roared Liamon.

His outburst created a strong burst of wind. The Digimon Battlefront, as well as Zoe and Takuya fought hard to stand their ground. However, it did caused most of the villagers to fall on their knees, clutching their heads while cringing at the sound of Liamon's dark voice.

"Foolish girl! Do you think I care what those pitiful villagers think? You Digimon are nothing more than pathetic creatures that need to be destroyed! If you choose to oppose the Almighty One, then so be it! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Liamon..." Zoe sighed. It was no use. His mind was shrouded with darkness. There is no way words could break through to him.

"Now, listen up, you incompetent weaklings. You all have two option. You can either surrender yourselves and join Malevomon his army of ultimate creatures..."

He carefully observed the group of Digimon and pair of humans in front of him. A fiendish grin reappeared on his face. His sharp, white teeth shined in the sunlight. He took a step forward towards his prey. But then suddenly, Liamon shifted his attention to his right. From the corner of his eye was a Dinohyumon pouncing from the side. The warrior-like Digimon had two swords in his hands as he drew closer and closer to his former leader, ready to fulfill his duty and protect his village from evil.

"Lizard Dance!" He shouted.

But Dinohyumon gasped in midair when his eyes caught the lion's evil smirk. Liamon dug his feet into the ground and leaped towards his prey. Thanks to the Chaos Sphere, his speed has increased dramatically by several levels. Liamon approached Dinohyumon with blazing quickness. The warrior Digimon tried to react by swinging his swords down at the enemy. However, Liamon was too quick. He moved to the side, completely avoiding Dinohyumon's attack.

Liamon grinned at his defenseless opponent. He moved in on Dinohyumon, picked him up by the stomach and ferociously buried his teeth into the body. Dinohyumon screamed of in excruciating pain as the sharp, solid teeth tore through his flesh. The weakened warrior lost grip of his weapons and dropped them to the ground Liamon laughed to himself as he could taste his prey's energy and power.

Finally, the lion gave his opponent one more vicious chomp. His teeth sank deep into Dinohyumon's body and cut through his vital organs. The warrior screamed in pain one last time before his body burst into tiny pieces. Liamon absorbed his defeated opponent's Fractal Code and glowered back at the villagers. Apparently, they were more terrified than ever. Even Takuya and Zoe were now afraid after observing what Liamon had just done. They could very well be next.

"... or you can suffer the same fate as that pathetic Dinohyumon."

"Liamon..." Takuya gasped.

"No..." Zoe cried.

"This is not good." complained Bokomon.

"Are we doomed now?" Neemon asked, but got no reply because

"That's right, you losers!" laughed Sinistromon. "Now why don't you kids do the right thing and give it up already? You guy know you can't defeat the forces of evil. When are you idiots going to learn that 'good' and 'justice' is stupid?"

"Sinistromon! You won't get away with this!" The second-in-command of the Digimon Battlefront pointed his sword at the Rookie

"Oh yeah, Swiftmon? Well, if you're so confident, then come get me! I can take all you guys out."

"Oh yeah? You and what army?" Neemon shouted.

"Hehe... Boys?" Sinistromon called.

Suddenly, there was a violent earthquake that knocked every Digimon to the ground, with the exception of Swiftmon and the two Legendary Warriors. Takuya managed to stay on his feet and looked out in front of him. Large Digimon appeared out of the ground. They leaped out of the hole and formed a line in front of the Digimon Battlefront.

They appeared to be large brown bulls with a bronze ring around their noses. The ferocious Digimon also had sharp black horns, thick brown hair on their heads, brown boots and tough, firm skin with a bunch of scratches and stitches on them. Their left hands, on the other hand, were replaced with a large robotic arm.

"You had to open your big mouth, huh Neemon?" Bokomon growled while strangling the poor rabbit's neck.

"Bokomon, please don't tell me those things are bad news!" complained Zoe.

"It's worse than that! Those are Minotarumon!" answered the mutant Digimon.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Minotarumon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Demon Arm; Darkside Quake**

**Description: These bulky, bad beasts are called Minotarumon. Many Digimon don't know what's nastier: their attacks or their attitudes. Their Demon Arm isn't just for show. It can turn giant bridges into stepping stones, make a tall skyscraper fall to its knees and wipe out any Digimon who dare stands in their way.**

Another group of Digimon marched towards the group of Minotarumon. Their footsteps echoed throughout the village, like a group of disciplined soldiers. Finally, they stood in front of the bull-like Digimon, raising their spears and clubs high. These creatures strongly resemble small green ogres with tattered and torn battle suits. The nails on their fingers and toes were just as sharp as their teeth. However, the spikes on their weapons were probably their sharpest weapons of all.

"Ah, Goblimon! Just in the nick of time! Hehe." grinned Sinistromon

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Goblimon**

**Level: Rookie**

**Attacks: Goblin Strike; Goblin Pummel**

**Description: Goblimon uses trickery, instead of brute force, to defeat other Digimon. They usually travel in bunches, always outnumbering their opponents. They may be small, but don't let their size fool you. They can fling their Goblin Strike attacks with extreme precision at incredible speeds.**

The Minotarumon and the Goblimon gave the Digimon Battlefront malicious grins. The evil Digimon marched toward the enemy and formed a half-circle around them. They brandish their weapons around to intimidate their opponents, trying to get one of them to flinch or fall out of line. Swiftmon looked carefully at the large amounts of Digimon confronting them and immediately figured that they had them outnumbered. Sinistromon took the skies and flew around the clustered Digimon Battlefront.

"This is your last chance, Swiftmon. Surrender or perish?" He grinned.

"Never!" answered the swordsman. "As a member of the Digimon Battlefront, we have one 'unspoken' rule. And that is 'Fight till your last breath.' Sinistromon, we would rather die in battle, than serve your lousy master. ISN'T THAT RIGHT, TROOPS?"

"RIGHT!" The Digimon Battlefront, plus the Legendary Warriors exclaimed.

"Well, it's your funeral then." chuckled the imp Digimon. He turned his attention towards lion Digimon standing in front of his soldiers. "Liamon, you have my permission to take care of these useless wimps! Do Lord Malevomon a favor and make their demise relatively painful!"

"Yes sir!" roared the lion.

As Swiftmon dropped in his stance, he looked back at the two children. "Get the villagers to safety. We'll hold them off."

"O... Okay." Takuya mildly responded.

"Leave everything to us!" Zoe said confidently.

"Ready, boys?" asked the evil lion.

"YEAH!" The Minotarumon and Goblimon cheered.

"THEN DESTROY THEM ALL!" Liamon command, the evil Digimon ran towards their enemies with their weapons held high.

"Digimon Battlefront, attack!" Swiftmon commanded.

With the exception of Takuya, Zoe and the defenseless villagers, everyone else in the Battlefront charged towards the attacking Minotarumon and Goblimon. Finally, the confrontation has begun. Swords, axes and other blades clinked against each other. Arrows, fireballs and explosives flew from one side of the village to the other, taking out any Digimon that got in its path. Forceful shouts and deep grunts escaped out of the creatures' mouth as they land their attacks on their opponents. Then again, cries of pain and agony echoed across the village as the defeated monsters disintegrated into tiny pieces the moment they couldn't fight anymore.

Sinistromon also got into the fight. He flew around the area, avoiding attacks like it was nothing. He used his 'Double Ganger' move to create multiple copies of himself to assist him in battle. The Digimon confronting Malevomon's faithful servant tried attacking one of the clones surrounding, but ended up hitting one of the fakes instead. Sinistromon took advantage of the situation and used his copies of himself to increase his damage productivity and destructive efficiency. He grabbed a handful of miniaturize bombs and heaved them at the Digimon Battlefront warriors. The bombs may be small, but when it explodes, it caused so much destruction. The imp Digimon managed to obliterate a few of his enemies.

Minotarumon used their brute strength to plow through another group of Digimon. While these Digimon lack speed and mobility, they make up for it in raw power and toughness. No matter how many times the Battlefront attacked the Minotarumon, they easily took the assault like it was nothing. Like raging bulls, they used their sharp horns to pierce through the enemies' bodies and ram them hard into other structures. After half a minute of nonstop bulldozing, the Minotarumon used their 'Demon Arms' attack to deliver the finishing blow to most of the Digimon Battlefront's strongest fighters. Getting punched by that large metallic arm is like getting hit by brass knuckles, multiplied by ten. One hit from that powerful punch knocks a Digimon out of the fight. And that could be said about Digimon Battlefront. All it took was one punch and the warriors fell to the ground, defeated.

The Goblimon, however, didn't have the strength capacities like Minotarumon, nor the quickness of Swiftmon. And while they may not have the brains like their master, they still had something else that gave them an advantage in battle. The goblin-like Digimon used the numbers game to overwhelm any opponent that confronted them. One Goblimon goes in first to get the Battlefront warrior to lower his defenses. But during the distraction, he rest of the other ogre monsters gang up on the enemy. They rapidly and repeatedly threw strong punches to the head and midsection, while the rest of them launch scorching fireballs at the blind spots. It was a matter of time before the numbers game caught up to the Digimon Battlefront fighters. In a matter of seconds, they were deleted by the many hands of these cunning creatures. It was a messy process, but nevertheless, it got the job done. The Goblimon high fived each other and searched for their next opponent to destroy.

As for the Digimon Battlefront's second-in-command, he's probably having a much better time dealing with the army of evil Digimon, than his followers were. Whether it was his speed or swordsmanship, Swiftmon took care of the evil Digimon confronting him with one or two swings of his blade. It wasn't long until the warrior-like Digimon realized that more and more of Malevomon's mind controlled slaves started to converge on him, hoping that the numbers game would eventually overwhelm Swiftmon.

And for a while, it almost worked. As the swordsman took out two or three evil Digimon, he left himself vulnerable to an attack for at least half a second. Now to many, that does not seem like a long time. But to Swiftmon, it felt like minutes. And against Malevomon's army, half a second vulnerability could be costly. Just as one of clubs from Goblimon was about to knock him out for good, Swiftmon flash stepped out of danger and away from the group. He then quickly ran across the battleground, searching for either one of the humans, or the lion type Digimon.

Liamon used a combination of quickness and strength to defeat his enemies. No matter what attack that came his way, he was too fast for them. He zipped through a line of warriors from the Digimon Battlefront, using his sharp teeth to strike the enemies' vitals and weak points. The Digimon he defeated were deleted in a heartbeat. With the Chaos Sphere inside his body, bringing this lion down won't be easy.

On the other hand, short range wasn't Liamon's only specialty. He also possessed a super powerful long range attack, able to hit his opponents with dead-on accuracy. He turned towards another group of warriors and used his 'Thunder of the Beast King' attack, firing a blast of electricity from his head towards his enemies. While his lightning attacks pales in comparison to the Warrior of Thunder's attacks, it can still cause a lot of damage. The fighters moaned as the powerful jolts annihilated them on the spot.

After destroying the thirteen Digimon that faced him, Liamon then turned his attention towards another group of Digimon or more specifically, the humans and the villagers. He gritted his teeth together and growled like a hungry animal. At last, he has found his targets. In just a few short moments, both of their Spirits will belong to him. Then he will deliver them to his master and he'll be handsomely rewarded for his loyalty and accomplishment.

"I got you now, puny humans! Thunder of the Beast King!" He cried, charging and then releasing electricity generated in its mane.

The powerful blast made its way towards the powerless Digimon. It took Takuya and Zoe a couple of seconds to notice the attack coming their way. Unfortunately, neither one of them had enough time to put up some kind of defense. All they could do was braced themselves for impact and hope that they could survive the electrical technique.

"Get down!" Someone shouted.

Realizing that voice came from Swiftmon, Zoe dove to the ground, bring Takuya down in the process. In a flash, the swordsman Digimon reappeared in front of the two humans with his both weapons unsheathed. Swiftmon dropped in his stance and used one of his swords to block the electrical attack. The lightning reflected off of the blade and into a dead tree nearby, causing it to explode upon impact. The swordsman and the lion glowered at each other.

"Leave them alone, Liamon!" Swiftmon demanded.

"You're in no position to give me orders, old friend. NOW GET OUT OF MY WAY!" growled Liamon

He pounced at the warrior-like Digimon. Liamon showed Swiftmon his sharp paws and treacherous teeth. The Battlefront's second-in-command stepped to the side to avoid Liamon's first strike. Swiftmon countered by swinging one of his broadswords down at the body of the beast. However, Liamon was too quick and he leaped out of the way just before the swordsman could carve him in half. Swiftmon used his second sword to execute a horizontal slash across the lion's torso. Liamon leaped back to avoid the swing. He dug his feet into the ground and stared into Swiftmon's eyes.

The swordsman returned into his defensive stance, spinning each sword occasionally with each step he took. Liamon howled at his opponent while Swiftmon struck his two swords together. Suddenly, the Terra Hills Village leader leaped towards the swordsman and tackled him to the ground. The two Champion level Digimon rolled on the ground, fighting for position. The bad news was that Liamon ended up on top of the warrior. However, Swiftmon used his swords to keep Liamon's sharp teeth at bay. Back and forth the test of strength went on between those two powerful Digimon. Neither one of them gave their opponent an inch. As the humans looked on, it was difficult to discern who was winning.

"Swiftmon!" Zoe shouted. She pulled out her D-Tector and was about to rush in to save the Digimon Battlefront's commander when...

"Stay back!" Swiftmon commanded, stopping the blonde haired girl in her tracks.

"But, I can't just sit here and do nothing! I want to help you!" Zoe tried reasoning with the swordsman.

"I'm okay! Go! Get the villagers to safety!"

"Are you sure?"

"I'll hold him off as long as I can! Just go! Get out while you still can!"

"Right! Come on, Takuya! Let's get out of here!"

"Um... okay." The goggle-head mumbled.

Without being told twice, the two of them kept the panicking Digimon in line as they escorted them towards the village's exit. They could see wet streams on the women's and children's faces. While they were trying to escape from the village, their husbands, fathers, brothers and/or families were out there fighting for their lives. There was a huge possibility that they may never see them again. A thought that really frightened the defenseless and powerless villagers.

It was a good thing the gates to the Terra Hills Village were open, otherwise it the area would too crowded, leaving them vulnerable to an attack. One by one, the Digimon filed out of the area and down the hills. Of course, there were still hundreds of more villagers to escort. Most of them were still panicking, and couldn't help but wonder whether they too will make it out alive. Thankfully, Takuya and Zoe were there to keep the peace, making sure every single Digimon gets to safety.

"Don't worry, everyone. Just stick together. You're in good hands now." said Takuya.

"Stay calm! There's another group of Digimon waiting for you guys at the bottom of the hill. They will take you to Digimon Battlefront's Headquarters where it's safe! You must hurry! Come on, let's move it!" ordered Zoe.

The villagers had no choice but to follow instructions. With a few belongings in one hand and their child's hand in the other, they rushed down the hill towards the third group of Digimon protecting the Digiporter. As seconds pass, escorting the Digimon became easier. The groups grew smaller and smaller until there were no more. Finally, Takuya and Zoe witnessed the last Digimon exiting the village and hustling down to safety. The two humans let out a soft sigh and smiled at each other.

"Well, I think that's all of them." Takuya sighed with relief.

"Good, they are all safe now." The girl smiled.

"DADDY!" A voice shouted, causing both the teenagers to gasp in fear. They looked back towards the village and saw and small lion heading back towards the battlefield. Both of their hearts skipped a beat.

"Aw, man..." Takuya grunted.

"Liollmon, no!" Zoe cried. She and Takuya chased after the cub.

"What the heck's he doing?"

"Liollmon, stop! Come back! It's too dangerous! You're gonna get hurt!"

Unfortunately, the cub Digimon had no intention of leaving his father. Thousands of emotions raced throughout the young cub's mind. Although he saw Sinistromon fusing a Chaos Sphere in his dad's body, he couldn't just run away and let the others handle this. After all, he is his son.

Moments later, Liollmon found his father swinging his paws at Swiftmon. The swordsman Digimon took a step back to avoid the attack. Again, he countered with a few more downward strokes with his blades. Unfortunately, the Champion level lion stepped from side to side, easily evading every one of Swiftmon's strikes. Back and forth those two went. Swiftmon was the more aggressive Digimon, increasing the speed of his attacks every time he failed to connect. But no matter how many times he attacked, Liamon saw the moves coming from a mile away and dodged them with ease. The two Digimon stared at each other waiting for their opponent to make a move.

"You're much slower than I remembered, old friend." grinned Liamon.

"Do you have to comment about something every time we do a standoff?" Swiftmon asked with a mild amount of annoyance."

"No! I'll shut my mouth AFTER I finish you..."

"DADDY, STOP!" Liollmon shouted from the side, catching Liamon's attention.

The young cub gazed into the bloodshot eyes of his father. He skidded to a halt and stood there frozen in place as Liamon showed his son his ultra-sharp teeth, capable of chomping boulders and other hard metals. Liollmon was so scared, he didn't notice his father's mane surging with electricity.

"Foolish boy! You should've ran away with the other cowards! But now that you're here, I can destroy you once and for all! Thunder of the Beast King!" He roared, shooting lightning bolts at his defenseless son. Liollmon turned away and shut his eyes, not wanting to see the end.

"LIOLLMON!" Zoe cried. Apparently, she was too far away to save the young Digimon from being wiped out. She too shielded her eyes thinking to herself, "I can't watch..."

However, like his life depended on it, Takuya sprinted as fast as he could towards the defenseless cub. The only thing in his mind was to prevent another casualty. His desire to save Liollmon was so great, it gave him a burst of speed. Meanwhile, Zoe reopened her eyes and saw her best friend rushing toward danger. Her heart had stopped. She held her breath and prayed with all of her might that both he and the Rookie Digimon would make it out alive.

At the last second, Takuya dove towards the young cub, wrapped his arms around his small body and rolled out of the crossfire. The two of them barely dodged the lightning blast a couple centimeters. Takuya held on to the young Digimon as he came to a complete stop. He looked back at the frightened Digimon and saw tears falling from his eyes.

"Are you alright, Liollmon?" Takuya asked.

"You... You saved me!" The lion gasped. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it. But you shouldn't be here. It's way too dangerous. You could get seriously hurt. I don't want to lose another friend, if you know what I mean." The goggle-headed boy gave the Rookie a wink.

"But... my dad..." Takuya looked back at Liamon, who continued his fight with Swiftmon.

"I don't know how else to say this Liollmon, but that's not your father anymore. Sinistromon has..."

"Yes, I know. But I don't him to end up like the others. I just know that my daddy's in there somewhere! We just need to try! Please, save him!"

"We'll see what we can do, Liollmon. But right now, the most important thing right now is your safety. Let's get you to a safe place first before we..."

"TAKUYA! LIOLLMON!" Zoe screamed from afar.

Takuya's head shot up upon hearing his best friend's voice. He looked around and noticed he was surrounded by an army of evil Goblimon. The ogre Digimon growled and hissed at their two victims. They raised their clubs and sharp weapons high, ready to take down the human and the young Digimon. A few Goblimon pulled their hands back and small fireballs appeared on their palms.

"Get 'em boys! Goblin Strike!" One of them shouted. Upon command, the entire army of Goblimon launched their fireballs at the frightened Takuya and Liamon.

"TAKUYA, NO!" Zoe shouted, taking her D-Tector out of her pocket.

*Insert Song: With The Will*

The sketch of the Human Spirit of Wind outlined on the black screen of Zoe's D-Tector. When the sketch was complete. The screen stated to glow. She spun around once and stuck out her free hand out upon completing the circle. A ring of Fractal Code surrounded the girl's hand. She bended and extended her arms before bringing her D-Tector and the Fractal Code ring together. The scanner made contact with the data, making Zoe's device beep, and screech. The dark area surrounding the girl's body was engulfed by glimmering light.

"EXECUTE…" Zoe cried, swiping the data with her D-Tector. "… SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

Upon command a long line of Fractal Code swirled around the girl's body. At the same time, Zoe's clothes began to disintegrate as the Human Spirit of Wind came to life. She felt a surge of energy completely taking over her body. She could feel the power of the wind flowing as she became one with the Spirit. Her hands, legs, and entire body slowly changed into the Legendary Warrior of Wind. Finally, the transformation was complete and a beautiful butterfly suddenly appeared. She spun around three times, creating strong winds around her. Once she completed her last turn, she gave a huge sidekick before flipping her violet hair.

"KAZEMON!" The fairy said.

She took the skies and sailed towards her two friends. As she approached the army of Goblimon, she pulled her hands behind her head, ready to launch her first attack.

"Takuya, duck!" She commanded. Takuya heard Kazemon's orders. He embraced Liollmon as tight and got down on the ground. Once her two friends were out of the way, the butterfly was ready to go on the offensive.

"HURRICANE WAVE!" The Warrior of Wind cried.

She flung her hands forward, shooting a bunch of pink cyclones from her fingertips. The tornadoes blew out all monsters' fireballs like a birthday candle. Some of the cyclones also knocked a few of the evil Digimon off of their feet, sending them straight to the ground. While her main objective was to save her friends, Kazemon did manage to delete a couple of cronies in the process.

The Goblimon turned towards the female Digimon with angry scowls on their faces. But the Warrior of Wind replied with cute smile, wordlessly daring her opponents to come and get her. Half of the creatures raised their clubs up while the other half opened up their palms, creating another set of fireballs to use against the lavender haired butterfly.

Kazemon flew in towards the army of monsters at elegant speeds. She gave the first Goblimon to greet her a ferocious kick to the jaw, knocking him flat on his back. She then ran towards a couple more goblin-like monsters. They threw their spiked clubs at her, but Kazemon shifted her slender body from side to side, gracefully dodging it with ease. She then gave her two opponents a jump split kick straight to their chins, knocking them out of the fight permanently.

All of the sudden, a tingling feeling at the base of my brain alerted her that there's something coming from her blindside. Kazemon allowed instincts to take over her body as she subconsciously tilted her head to the left side. It turns out that she was right. A blazing hot fireball sailed past her head, just like she predicted. The Legendary Warrior looked behind her and noticed four more Goblimon approaching her with their spiked weapons in their hands.

"Get her, boys! Don't let her escape!" One of them commanded as they charged in towards the Warrior of Wind.

Kazemon quickly formed her plan of attack as the squad of Goblimon approached her. She jumped off of the ground and delivered a diving side kick to the Goblimon on the far left side, putting a lot of force on his left cheek. Upon landing on the goblin's face, she delivered a brutal heel kick to the other Goblimon next to her. Kazemon landed smoothly on her feet and faced the other two creatures, who were angrier than ever since their buddies were easily taken out. But the Warrior of Wind flipped her hair and waved at her opponents, waiting for them to make a move.

The goblin-like creatures threw their spiked clubs at the Legendary Warrior, one aiming at her skull while the other targeted her midsection. Kazemon spun out of the way to avoid the first weapon aimed at her belly. Next, she kicked the second club out of the village upon completing the circle. The Warrior of Wind then sailed towards the unarmed Goblimon. She delivered a huge sidekick to the chin of the first Goblimon. The blow knocked out a few of his sharp teeth out of his mouth before falling to the ground.

Kazemon faced her other opponent and gave him a front kick to his chest. However, the monster caught her leg before it struck its target. He let out a menacing laugh as he pushed Kazemon's leg out of the way. But the Legendary Warrior reacted by staying balanced on her other leg, going with the turn. She caught her opponent from the corner of her eye as she came to a full circle. She leaped up and delivered a powerful spinning wheel kick, whipping her foot across the evil monster's temple. Kazemon knocked Goblimon flat on his back and out cold. She then turned to the remaining Goblimon in the group, who were only moments away from closing the distance. She quickly got on her hands, spread her long legs out wide and spun her body around in circles.

"Tempest Twist!" She yelled.

Kazemon spun faster and faster towards the squad of ogres. She gave the first Goblimon a powerful spin kick to the side of his head, sending him straight to the ground. Then, like a pinball in a machine, she bounced off her opponent and kicked another evil creature in the face. Kazemon ricocheted off each of the small fiends, ferociously kicking them during the process. It wasn't long before the Warrior of Wind gave the last Goblimon a huge sidekick to his nose, possibly fracturing it. Kazemon finally stopped her rotation and sprung back to her feet. She observed the huge mess she made. A lot of Goblimon laid on the ground motionlessly, either unconscious or too hurt to move.

The Legendary Warrior giggled as the wind gently blew her long lavender hair back, displaying her grace and perfection all at once. Takuya took notice nearby and stared at her with his mouth agape, admiring her beauty. But just when Kazemon was about to turn towards her friends, the goggle-head quickly shifted his attention elsewhere so she wouldn't catch him shamelessly staring at her. Finally, Kazemon walked back towards astounded cub and her best friend.

"Takuya! Liollmon! Are you guys alright?" She asked.

"Zoe..." Takuya replied with his jaw dropped. Kazemon extended her hand out to the goggle-head and waited for him to take it. The Bearer of Flame constantly shifted his eyes from the Warrior's hand to her face, and vice versa. But after seeing Kazemon's smile, he immediately took it without hesitation.

"Cool!" shouted Liollmon as he too got back to his feet. "That was awesome! You were amazing! The way you took out those ugly freak shows over there? That was the coolest thing ever! You gotta teach me that!"

"Hehe. Thanks Liollmon. Maybe another time. But you really shouldn't be here. It isn't safe. There are plenty of evil Digimon invading your village. You could get hurt, or worse."

"I know. I'm sorry." The young lion apologized. "But... my dad. There's something wrong with my dad."

"Listen, Liollmon. You need to get out of here. It's way too dangerous. I can't risk losing you too. It's my responsibility to get you and the others to safety. If something bad happens to you, I can never forgive myself." Kazemon said.

"I know, and I'm sorry. But please! You have to save my dad! He's in trouble and in so much pain." Tears started to form in Liollmon's eyes.

"Liollmon, your father is being con..."

"I'm begging you, you must save him. Please?"

Takuya and Kazemon knew as long as the Chaos Sphere is inside Liamon's heart, there's no way they could get him to return back to normal. Even pleading words and faces full of tears weren't enough to get Liamon to snap out of it. Not only that, but they have been told that once a Chaos Sphere is inside a creature's body, it is impossible to get it out. However, Takuya and Kazemon looked into Liollmon's watery eyes. They saw desperation, determination and hope. Liollmon's not willing to give up on his father; not now, not ever. Takuya and Kazemon looked back at each other and nodded.

"Alright, Liollmon. We'll do the best we can." said the Warrior of Wind.

"You just need to get out of the village and join the others down the hill. We can't take any chances out there anymore. So once when Zoe give you the signal, you..."

Takuya was interrupted by a huge explosion a couple yards from them, causing a semi-massive earthquake. A large cloud of dust filled the vicinity. The three of them covered their eyes so the sand doesn't blind them. After a while, Takuya, Kazemon and Liollmon gazed into the smoky area and noticed a swordsman Digimon on his back covered in dirt and many scratches. He still had both of his weapons still in his hands, but it was obvious he was hurt. It didn't take a genius to figure out who was winning the fight between Malevomon's newest servant and the Digimon Battlefront's second-in-command

"Swiftmon!" Kazemon cried, flying towards her fallen comrade. The warrior-like Digimon got back to one knee, using his swords as leverage. After shaking off the pain, he looked back at the Warrior of Wind.

"I'm fine."

The swordsman got back to his feet and glared back at Liamon, who was slowly closing the distance. Swiftmon held his swords up, ready to fight, but when he took a step forward, he fell to his knees. Clearly, Liamon has done quite a bit of damage to him. His face grimaced in agony. He was supposed to be the Digimon Battlefront's best fighter. Regardless how strong and tough of a Digimon he was, it was very difficult for him to fight back the pain he was in.

"How pathetic, Swiftmon." chuckled the evil lion. "I expected more a challenge from you. How utterly disappointing."

"I'm not done yet! You think some mere scratch is gonna keep me down, Liamon?" The second-in-command growled, again trying to return to a vertical base. But just like last time, his spaghetti legs gave in. He would've fallen on his face, had Kazemon not been there to catch his fall. She gently lowered the swordsman to his knees, while at the same time checking for any more damages he had suffered.

However..." The evil Digimon turned his eyes towards Kazemon standing next to him. A huge grin appeared on his face "... I'm sure the Warrior of Wind would prove to be more of a worthy opponent. Isn't that right, young lady?"

"That's enough, Liamon!" Swiftmon growled. "I'm your opponent. Fight me you..."

All of the sudden, Kazemon stepped in front of the swordsman. Before he could finish his sentence. She leered at the evil Digimon in front of her and knew what she had to do. "Fine, Liamon! I accept your challenge."

"Excellent..." Liamon grinned.

"Kazemon..." Swiftmon said as got back to his feet.

"I'll be okay. Go and help the others. They need you more than they need me." Kazemon said, motioning towards the other groups of Digimon fighting the evil monsters.

"Alright. Don't let your guard down. And be careful. He's very strong." Swiftmon commanded. He scowled back at Liamon before spinning one of his swords and ran to join his troops.

Kazemon planted her feet and got into her fighting stance. She kept her defense up as Liamon paced around her, like a hungry lion stalking its prey. The newest servant of Malevomon quickly scouted his opponent, analyzing her physique, strengths and her weaknesses. But regardless of the fact that a Legendary Warrior was now her opponent, Liamon was more than confident that he was going to win. Moments later he finally stopped and prepared to pounce on the lavender haired butterfly. It's as if the evil Digimon was toying with her, waiting for her to make a move. A bead of sweat dropped on her forehead. She feel the adrenalin pumping in her body going into overdrive. Still, the Warrior of Wind held her ground... at least for now.

Kazemon took one step back and Liamon immediately charged in on her. He viciously swiped his paws at the butterfly, but Kazemon took to the skies, completely avoid the first strike. Liamon manage to catch himself and once again leaped at the Legendary Warrior. This time, he showed her his sharp front teeth, ready to chomp through her slim waist. Kazemon shifted her body to the side, avoiding the oncoming attack with ease. She turned towards her opponent, who was still up in the air.

Liamon turned his body around and leered back at her, feeling quite annoyed she's been playing defense the whole time. The hair around his head glowed with electricity. He shot a powerful blast of lightning towards the butterfly. With little time to react, Kazemon bend her body backwards, and the watched the attack sail over her. She completed the backflip and landed smoothly on the ground. The ground shook when Liamon crashed his feet into the dirt.

"Is that the best you can do, Warrior of Wind? Come now, you can't dodge my attacks forever. Eventually, I'll be able to predict every move you make." He grinned at the Legendary Warrior.

Kazemon gritted her teeth together. She can't keep dodging or stay on the defensive like this all the time. Sooner or later she's gonna have to attack. But due to Liamon's quick movement and lightning fast attacks, it's hard for Kazemon to find an opening. Even though the Warrior of Wind's speed is her strength, that kinda goes out the door when her opponent could keep up with her.

"I can't just attack blindly. I need to keep this up until he makes a mistake. That's when I'll strike. But for now, all I can do is use my speed and try to find an opening." The Legendary Warrior thought to herself. She looked behind her and saw Takuya and Liollmon crouching behind a couple boulders in the village. The two of them peaked out of their hiding place to see what was going on.

"Daddy!" The small cub cried. He started running towards battlefield where his father and Kazemon were fighting. But Takuya caught up to him and grab a hold of his body. Liollmon used every ounce of energy he had trying to shake free, but the teenage boy wouldn't release him.

"Let me go! I need to help my dad!" Liollmon begged.

"Calm down, Liollmon!" Takuya ordered. "You can't go out there, he'll destroy you! He's being controlled by the Chaos Sphere. That is not your dad. He's just another evil Digimon working for Malevomon."

"DADDY!" Liollmon shouted as he try to get himself free from Takuya's grasp. Even though Liollmon is a small Digimon, he's not easy to restrain. Even the Bearer of Flame was having trouble keeping the young lion out of the fight.

"Takuya!" Kazemon cried out. He waited until his eyes met hers. "I could use your help right about now."

Takuya froze on the spot. Is she asking him to fight? Even after that heated argument they had earlier, Takuya's still hesitant on fighting, regardless of the costs. Kazemon saw him taking his D-Tector out, but she noticed his arms were trembling. She wondered if the aftereffects from Malevomon's attack hasn't fully healed yet. Then again, she can't take that chance. She sighed and looked back at the boy.

"Never mind. Take Liollmon back down the hill, where the other villagers are."

"But..." He argued.

"I'll be fine! I'll hold him off while you guys head back down the hill! I can't risk losing either one of you!"

"Zoe..."

"Listen Takuya, if you're not going fight, then make yourself useful by getting Liollmon to safety. Understand?"

"I... um..."

"JUST DO IT!"

In the back of his mind, Takuya thought that leaving Zoe alone with this untamed beast could be disastrous. Liamon took out one of the Digimon Battlefront's best fighters. It would be miracle if she defeated him all by herself. But then he turned towards a frightened Liollmon. He must be heartbroken seeing his father annihilating his followers and fellow villagers. He can't imagine what's going inside his mind right now. Takuya picked up the young lion and wrapped him around his arms.

"Alright. But please be careful, Z." He sighed.

He started running towards the village's exit. Liamon caught the two of them trying to escape the area. He dug his paws into the ground, ready to chase his prey.

"Running away, are we?" He chuckled. "Run all you want boys, but no one can escape from..."

"Hey Liamon! Over here!" shouted Kazemon. She captured the evil lion's attention. Liamon noticed the Warrior of Wind had her hands out. Small tornadoes erupted out of her fingertips.

"Hurricane Wave!"

Kazemon threw her hands forward and flung the pink cyclones at the lion. Liamon gasped at the sight of attack, but quickly took a few steps back. The tornadoes sailed passed Liamon and blew away a couple of large rocks behind him. Liamon growled at the Legendary Warrior. She got back into her stance to resume their fight. Liamon couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Either he was impressed that his opponent was actually pushing him this far, or frustrated at himself for not being able to finish her off so quickly.

"Hehe, how cute. You would have been better off if your pathetic friends stayed and helped you."

"Takuya's in no condition to fight. And I can't put your son's life in danger. No, I can handle you myself just fine! It's just _you_ and _me_ now, kitty."

"Pitiful. I was hoping to destroy both you humans at the same time so I can deliver both the Spirits of Flame and Wind to my master. But then again... this is even better..."

"What? What do you mean? Explain yourself!"

"Foolish girl! Don't you know anything? Ask any hunter and they'll say the same thing. 'The chase is part of the fun.' So it's a good thing those two chickened out like that. After I'm done with you, I'll find my pitiful son and your pathetic boyfriend and I'll spread their body parts throughout the entire mountains, leaving the rest of your comrades the difficult task of picking them up! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"You... you monster!" Kazemon roared. She clenched her fists real tight. She couldn't imagine the ugly sight of this Digimon tearing his own son apart. But then he mentioned the word, 'boyfriend" or in this case...

"Takuya..." She thought to herself.

While her cheeks turned a tiny shade of pink, she thought of the devastating consequences if she did not defeat this mad beast right away. She would never forgive herself if Liamon did something terrible to him. And as of right now, she's the only one that could stop this evil Digimon. She squatted in her defensive stance and leered at the enemy.

"Leave them alone! I'm your opponent! If you want them, then you're going to have to go through me first!"

"I thought you never asked, my child. I hope you're ready, because from here on out... THERE'S WILL BE NO MORE MERCY! CRITICAL STRIKE!"

He leaped towards the Warrior of Wind. He opened his mouth wide and showed her his sharp teeth. Kazemon gasped in fear before taking to the skies once again. Liamon landed where the butterfly Digimon once stood. As the lion searched for his target, the Warrior of Wind fluttered backwards to gain some distance between herself and the mind controlled Digimon. He leered back at her with his mane surging with energy.

"THUNDER OF THE BEAST KING!"

Upon command, a large number electrical blasts shot out his hair and towards the floating female Digimon. Kazemon flew to her left to avoid the first attack and back to her right to avoid the second. There was a third lightning blast coming at her feet. Kazemon executed a split jump and watched the lightning bolts pass through her legs. There was one more lightning projectile to dodge. The Legendary Warrior arched her back and the electrical attack sailed above her head. Kazemon returned to her normal position as she completed the backflip in midair. While Liamon was busy charging up for his next attack, Kazemon examined her opponent thoroughly, thinking about his attack patterns as well as any weaknesses she may have discovered.

"Liamon's got incredible speed. He can quickly get to my blindside in a flash. In fact, he may be just as fast as Swiftmon. I hate to admit it, but with that speed, I can't keep up with his attacks. Not only that, but he also has tremendous leaping ability. While he can jump higher than a two story building, Liamon can only leap up to a certain point. Now, about his attacks. From what I've seen, he's more suitable for close range combat. His sharp teeth and claws are an excellent complement to his quickness, strength and ferocity. And although his short range attacks are deadly, his long range attack is just as devastating. It reminds me of Beetlemon's electrical moves. It's got a lot of power, and he can shoot it with dead-on accuracy at the same time. But one of the downsides is he has to recharge every few shots. Plus, he can only fire one blast at a time; which could give me an opportunity to strike"

Kazemon flew a little higher to increase the distance between her and her opponent. In her mind, she carefully drew out a battle plan to defeat her opponent. One of the things many Digimon didn't know about the Warrior of Wind is how intelligent she is, especially on the battleground. The butterfly knew what she was going to do. And if her first plan fails, she has a few backups to turn to just in case.

"This could work... If everything goes right, then I should be able to win this fight..."

"Fat chance..." The lion interrupted her thoughts. The Legendary Warrior gasped in fear.

"Did he just read my mind? How does he know what I was thinking?"

"Foolish girl, you thought I was trying when I was fighting you? What ashamed... Haven't you forgotten? I have the power of the Chaos Sphere inside of me. What you just saw was a portion of my powers. You think you have me all figured out? Well, think again. You haven't seen anything yet!"

"Impossible... This can't be..."

"Enough stalling, Legendary Warrior! Now PERISH! THUNDER OF THE BEAST KING!"

His hair surged with electrical energy. Liamon lets out a huge roar as he fired not one, not two and not three; but six lightning blasts at the Legendary Warrior of Wind. Kazemon again gasped at the speed of the six lightning bolts coming her way. They appeared to be faster than the other electrical attacks the evil Digimon previously fired.

Kazemon shift to the right to avoid the speeding attack. She barley dodged it by a couple centimeters. However, her left wing felt a powerful shock, Kazemon, however, had little time to react as another lightning bolt zoomed towards her. She moved her slender body to the left, just barely missing the attack. But her right butterfly wing felt the same electrical shock her right wing felt earlier. Her flying mechanisms went numb for half a second before returning back to normal.

The Warrior of Wind quickly recovered and noticed four more lightning blasts coming her way. Like before, she split jumped over the first one and ducked under the second one. But before Kazemon could make another move, the fifth lightning bolt shot one of Kazemon's wings, sending tremendous jolts of pain to the Legendary Warrior's backside. The pain doubled when the final lightning bolt struck the other wing.

"AAAAHHHHHHHH!" The female Digimon cried as she started plummeting to the ground.

"Gotta... fight... the pain..." She thought.

Again, she tried getting her wings to flap again. Although she was still hurt, Kazemon ignored the agony and managed to regain control of her wings. She used them to slow down her fall. She lets out a huge sigh of relief. If it wasn't for her quickness, the damage would've been worst, and she would've crashed hard on her back. But just when she thought she was safe...

"YOU'RE WIDE OPEN!" A voice shouted from behind.

Kazemon turned around and saw Liamon leaped from the ground and pouncing on her. Again, she gasped in fear. Liamon's attack on her wings caused her to fall in Liamon's jumping range. She tried moving out of the way, but it was too late. Liamon tackled the Warrior of Wind in midair.

While the two of them were falling, the lion tried sinking his teeth into her. Kazemon used her hands to push the evil lion's mouth back. She was in another precarious position. She's plummeting down to the ground at an alarming speed, and she's got a giant hungry lion on top of her, in position to deliver the finishing blow. Kazemon tried to shake free from Liamon's grip or to regain control of her body before crashing down. However, the evil Digimon had other plans. A terrifying smirk appeared on his face as his mane surged once again with electrical energy.

"I GOT YOU NOW! THUNDER OF THE BEAST KING!" Liamon growled, firing his lightning attack at Kazemon at point blank range.

"KYYAAAHHHH!" She cried as the lightning bolts nailed her straight in the chest.

The blast caused her to plummet back down into the village. She crashed into the solid ground below, creating a giant crater upon impact. Kazemon howled in pain as her entire body went completely numb. She couldn't move at all, and what's worse, the pain inside grew even more intense. The female Digimon tried getting back into the fight when...

"YEOOOOOOWWWWWW!"

Liamon landed right on top of the defenseless and injured Legendary Warrior, He drilled all four of his feet into the butterfly's body, almost fracturing one of her ribs. Kazemon coughed for air as the evil Digimon towered above her with his sharp teeth in front of him.

"You're mine now! CRITICAL STRIKE!"

He lunged forward with his teeth aimed at the Warrior of Wind. At the last minute, Kazemon clenched her fist and delivered a backhanded strike into the side of Liamon's jaws as he was about to deliver the fatal blow to her. The attack knocked the lion Digimon off of her as he rolled a couple times on the dirt before bouncing back to his feet. Liamon grinned when he noticed the female fighter struggling to get back on her two feet. Her legs were shaking and her midsection was in a lot of pain. Still weak from the previous attacks, she put her hands up in front of her, ready to resume their battle.

"Come now, little girl? Aren't you getting tired?" mocked the evil Digimon "Surely, this isn't your best now, isn't it? For a Legendary Warrior, you sure don't put much of a fight! Hahahaha!"

"He's right..." Kazemon thought to herself. "He's got me outmatched. If it wasn't for that stupid Chaos Sphere inside him, things would have been a lot different." She came up with another battle strategy to defeat her opponent. Fighting through the pain she's in, she tried using her wings to get back in the air where she, at least, has the advantage.

"Oh no! My wings!" Kazemon panicked. "I can't feel my wings! It's like they've become paralyzed or something. But how?"

"Hahahaha!" laughed Liamon upon examining her unfortunate situation. "What's wrong, weakling? Having trouble using those pathetic wings of yours?"

"What did you do to me?"

"Hehe, you can thank me later! Because of the Chaos Sphere, my attack power has doubled... no, tripled! Anything I blast becomes immobilized, even those annoying butterfly wings! Now with your flying mechanisms practically useless, you are nothing more than easy prey!"

"Why you..." huffed the female Digimon. She tried flapping her wings again, but it was no use. This is bad news for her. Almost all of her attack patterns revolve around her maneuvering through the air. Now with that gone, she's a sitting duck.

"Stupid wings! If this keeps up, I'm a goner." Kazemon thought to herself. "Damn... if only I had my Beast Spirit... or if..."

"It's over, Legendary Warrior!" laughed the evil Digimon. "NOW, DIE! THUNDER OF THE BEAST KING!"

Liamon finished charging up his attack, took aim and fired a devastating lightning electrical blast at the Warrior of Wind. The bolts of energy rocketed towards Kazemon. With her wings immobilized, she couldn't avoid the oncoming attack.

"YEOOOOOOWWWWWW!"

The lighting blasts nailed Kazemon dead straight in the chest, sending powerful shocks throughout Kazemon's body. This attack was a lot stronger than the other bolts Liamon previously fired. In fact, it was enough to make Kazemon's whimpers echo throughout the entire Terra Hills Village.

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><p><strong><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter thirteen. <strong>**

****Can Kazemon possibly survive Liamon's onslaught, or will the newest servant of Malevomon capture the Human Spirit of Wind and destroy Zoe at the same time? **These questions will be answered in part two of this exciting battle.** Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.********

***Don't forget to review!***


	14. Triumph At Terra Hills

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**After Sinistromon fused Liamon with the Chaos Sphere, he went berserk all over the Terra Hills Village. Swiftmon and the rest of the Digimon Battlefront tried to stop him, but they already had their hands full dealing with another invasion from Malevomon's army. Things got even worse when Zoe was the only one that could fight, while Takuya gets the other villagers to safety. She Spirit Evolved to Kazemon and was able to put up a good fight against Liamon. But thanks to that darn Chaos Sphere, the Legendary Warrior easily outmatched. Oh man... Where's Takuya when you need him?**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter fourteen!**

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><p><strong>Triumph At Terra Hills<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"Hurry, Liollmon!" Takuya commanded as he raced down the hill. The sound of explosions, weapons colliding and Digimon screaming entered his ear. But he blocked out the noise so he can get his friend to safety.

"We're almost there! Just a few more..."

"KYYAAAHHHH!" Someone screamed. The teenage boy and the young lion immediately froze on the spot. Liamon was the first to turn around and when he did, he saw something that made his eyes water.

"Oh no! Kazemon!" He cried.

Takuya slowly turned his head and the first thing he noticed was a large butterfly getting zapped with large bolts of electricity. As she unconsciously plummeted to the ground, his heart sank. The sight of his best friend losing in battle crumbled his spirit. But he was so focused on the fallen Legendary Warrior, he failed to notice the young lion hustling back up the hill.

"Hang on! I'm coming!" He shouted, snapping Takuya out of his thoughts.

"Liollmon! Stop! Come back!" Takuya called out as he chased after his friend.

The Rookie heard Takuya's call and looked back for a little bit. But Liollmon pressed onward, completely ignoring the human's commands.

"Daddy... I'm coming!" He said to himself. It shattered his soul when he saw his father was turned into an evil Digimon, thanks to the Chaos Sphere. Having another Legendary Warrior fight his father made it even more unbearable. But he felt like he had to do something, no matter how dangerous the situation was.

With the wind rushing across his face, Liollmon sprinted all the way up the hill and back towards the entrance to the village. He walked in and took a look around. His eyes jaw dropped at the sight of his destroyed home. A lot of houses had been completely wiped out. The ground was covered with the remains of other structures. And plenty of Digimon laid unconsciously on the canvas, too weak or hurt to fight.

"Daddy! Where are you?" He cried.

The young Digimon explored all four corners of the village. But he couldn't seem to locate his father, nor the Warrior or Wind. Liollmon, however, did spot the Digimon Battlefront fighting against several hundred of Malevomon's cronies. He hid behind a nearby boulder and stayed out of sight as best as he could. For a moment, he was safe.

"Well... what do we have here?" An evil voice chuckled.

A shadow casted over Liollmon's body. Fear completely overtook the young cub. He looked up and saw a goblin-like creature leering deep into his eyes. He had a spiked mace club in one of his hand. Goblimon laughed insanely as he approached the terrified Liollmon.

"STAY BACK! LEAVE ME ALONE!" The small lion yelped.

"HAHAHAHA! GOBLIN POMMEL!" Goblimon grinned as he raised his weapon. He laughed his gut out as he brought his weapon down, ready to strike down the defenseless young lion.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Liollmon screamed as he braced himself for the end.

"Uuuuhhh!" The ogre Digimon said faintly.

Liollmon opened his watery eyes and looked back towards the giant bully, instantly noticing the lifelessness in his eyes. A few seconds later, the ogre Digimon dropped his weapon and collapsed to the ground, falling face first on the dirt. Takuya stood above the fallen creature holding a large rock with both of his hands. The Bearer of Flame panted heavily as he dropped the rock and fell on his knees. It took a while for the young Digimon to figure it all out.

"Takuya!" He cried as he pounced into the teenager's arms. The goggle-head returned with his own, warm embrace. He shot a quick glance at the unconscious Goblimon. Although his sneak attack knocked him out, it won't be long before he wakes up again.

"Come on! We got to get out of here!" Takuya exclaimed as he got to his feet and ran out of the area with Liollmon tucked underneath his arms.

"But what about Kazemon?" The cub asked as Takuya weaved through obstacle after obstacle, trying to get out of the village.

"It's not safe here, Liollmon!" argued Takuya. "You could get seriously hurt and I can't let that happen."

"What are you..."

"My job is to get you and the others to safety. I can't take that risk. Now, come on! We have to hurry. Everyone is waiting for us." The Bearer of Flame replied as the entrance to the village came into view.

"No!" Liollmon said softly. Once they got to the front gate, Liollmon leaped out of Takuya's arms and landed on all fours.

"Liollmon, what are you doing?"

"My friend's in trouble. I have to help her!"

"Are you crazy? It's way too dangerous? Haven't you forgotten that your father is being controlled by the Chaos..."

"I DON'T NEED YOU TO REMIND ME!" The young cub snapped.

For what seemed like a long time, the two stared into each other's eyes. Takuya was taken aback by Liollmon's abrupt emotions. Even the young cub was too surprised how he reacted to his friend's concern. The two of them finally took a couple steps back to give each other space.

"Liollmon... I'm... I'm sorr..."

"Of course I'm devastated! It breaks my heart seeing my dad become one of the bad guys."

"I'm sorry, Liollmon. But there's nothing we can do. Your father is way too powerful and if we don't get out of her soon, he'll destroy all of us."

"Unbelievable..." mumbled Liollmon.

"Huh?" asked Takuya.

"As a Legendary Warrior, you're supposed to be strong, determined, and (most of all), brave. But for the past hour or so, you haven't been any of those things. Instead, you are nothing but a coward... a foolish, weak and pathetic coward. I thought you were cool, like you're other human friend... then again... maybe I was wrong..."

"Liollmon, I..." Takuya stuttered.

But before he continued with his argument, he paused a little bit to reflect what Liollmon said about him. Now that he mentioned it, Liollmon does have a point. Takuya hasn't been living up to the expectations of being a Legendary Warrior. If anything, he hasn't done a good job protecting the villagers as well as his friends. He also thought about what Liollmon called him: a coward. He never really thought of it that way. Takuya was hoping that if he avoids fighting, less Digimon would get hurt. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case. As a matter of fact, even more Digimon were suffering because of his 'cowardice.' Takuya took a deep breath and looked back at the young lion.

"I just don't want to destroy your father because he's so important to your village. He's your role model, and not only that, but he knows the location of the Spirits of Earth. If we defeat Liamon, we may never know where the Spirits are hidden.

"I understand. I know my dad is being controlled by the Chaos Sphere. And I know that's why we have to stop him before he destroys everything else. My father once told me, 'It's better to die on your feet, than to live on your knees.' I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help my dad... even if it means defeating him in battle. Because knowing my dad, he would rather be destroyed than serve the enemy..."

"Liollmon, I..."

"KYYAAAHHHH!" Some cried, immediately catching Takuya's and Liollmon's attention.

They looked towards the ahead of them and saw something crashing hard into one of the houses in the village. Upon impact, the small house crumbled down creating a large cloud of dust and debris in the process. Takuya waited until the smoke disappeared. He looked towards the damage house to see what had happened. Instantly, his eyes widened in fear. A beaten, battered and bruised butterfly cringed in severe pain and gasping for air. Her lavender hair was a mess, and there were a lot of scratches, scrapes and bruises all over her body.

"KAZEMON!" Liollmon cried.

"Zoe..." Takuya said to himself.

He slowly took his D-Tector out of his pocket. But froze on the spot when he saw a giant evil lion landing between him and the Warrior of Wind. Liamon looked behind him and noticed the fear in Takuya's and his son's eyes. He gave them a terrifying grin, displaying his sharp white teeth. The cub and the teenage boy took a step back upon hearing the monster's deafening growl.

Liamon turned his attention back towards the beaten up Kazemon and slowly approached her. His mane once again surged with electrical energies. The Warrior of Wind opened her eyes and saw her opponent coming in for the kill. She tried to get back into the battle, but she was too weak to continue. She couldn't feel her wings nor move a single inch. And even if she could, large jolts of pain would force her back down.

Finally, the Champion released a powerful blast of lightning at the defenseless female Digimon. Kazemon saw the oncoming attack and gasped in fear. But she had very little time to react or put any kind of defense up. In a flash, the powerful bolts send large amounts of pain throughout he butterfly' body. Kazemon screamed from the top of her lungs as the pain grew more and more intense. She fell on all fours as Liamon continued with the onslaught.

"YEOWWWW! AAAHHHH!" cried the female Digimon as the pain grow more and more intense with each passing second.

"ZOE!" Takuya yelled.

"Hang on! I'm coming!" Liollmon suddenly shouted. With that, he sprinted as fast as he could towards his father.

"LIOLLMON! NO!" cried Takuya, but he was too late.

As the cub got closer towards his father, flashbacks of the two of them played back in his head. From the first time he saw his dad, to the time his mother passed away. He also remembered him teaching how to hunt, pounce and to protect himself whenever he was in danger. While he was strolling down memory lane, a small tear fell from his face.

Liollmon snapped back into reality and focused back on his target. More specifically, he set his sights on one of the arteries in Liamon's neck. The young Digimon knew what he had to do, but (still) a part of him didn't want to. Then again, it must be done, regardless of the consequences. Liollmon wiped away his tears as he closed the distance.

"DADDY, STOP!" shouted the cub. He sprung towards his dad's exposed neck, with his sharp fangs out in front of him. He finally was in range as he brought his teeth together onto Liamon's vitals.

"CRITICAL BITE!"

Liamon's eyes shot open. He felt something sinking its teeth into his neck. He couldn't breathe. Liamon gasped in pain and huffed for air. With that, his electrical attack had stopped on the Warrior of Wind had stopped. Kazemon fell on her stomach, moaning in agony. Meanwhile, Liamon took a couple steps back, trying to fight back the pain he was in. He managed to turn his eyes towards what's on his neck. The evil Digimon noticed a young Liollmon, with his teeth buried deep into his neck. There were also small tears in his eyes. Liollmon released his dad's neck and looked back at him, still keeping his guard up. He slowly approached his father, wondering if he's still in there.

"D... Daddy?" He said.

"Why, you insignificant little furball!"

"No! Dad..." cried Liollmon. But before he could react, Liamon viciously gave his son a powerful backhand slap to his face. The blow send the young lion tumbling on the ground. Liollmon suddenly crashed into one of the walls of one of the buildings.

"LIOLLMON!" Takuya shouted.

He looked back at the angry lion and clenched his D-Tector tight. Takuya noticed the bite mark on Liamon's neck and was incredibly shocked that Liollmon's attack had no effect at all. The evil Digimon approached the barely conscious cub, with his mane surging with electricity.

"How pathetic. Son, I had high hopes for you. You could have been a faithful servant to Lord Malevomon and become one of his strongest fighters. But now, all I see is weakness and foolishness. You are not worthy serving my master. You are not strong enough and you will never be as powerful as me."

"Daddy... please..."

"And for that, you must be destroyed." Liamon dug his feet into the ground and took aim at his son.

"Daddy..." Liollmon sobbed. He closed his eyes, as one last tear fell from his face.

"THUNDER OF THE..."

"LIAMON!"

The evil Digimon stopped and looked behind him. He noticed the teenaged Bearer of Flame standing his ground, with his red and black D-Tector in one hand.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

Liamon could see a fierce look of determination on the boy's eyes. He could also sense a huge fire blazing inside his body. However, that still wasn't enough to intimidate him. Liamon gave the young man a huge grin as he made his way towards him. He kept eye contact with Takuya as he circled around him, like a hungry lion stalking its prey.

"Foolish boy. Why did you come back? You could've escaped with your life. Your fate had already been sealed, but at least you could live a little bit longer."

"You monster..." growled Takuya. "Look what you did to your son!" He pointed towards barely conscious young cub nearby. Unfortunately, Liamon's eyes never left the boy's. Takuya was very angry, but he continued speaking.

"Look what you've done to my friend!" The motioned his arm toward the injured and unconscious Warrior of Wind. Liamon's grin grew even wider.

"Those weakling are no match for my power. But that was just a sample of what I'm going to do you. Pathetic human, you don't stand a chance against me!"

"Liamon... don't make me do this..."

Takuya turned his attention back to Liollmon, who was struggling to get back on all fours. While watching the young lion getting up, the fire inside him grew more intense. The monster in front of him has hurt two of his friends, and yet he has done nothing about it. Takuya's eyes shot open and looked back at Liamon. He knew what he had to do. And with his D-Tector in his hands, stepped forward onto the battleground.

"Liamon... you have insulted and hurt my friends..."

"Huh?" Liamon said. He stopped circling around Takuya and dug his feet into the ground, ready to pounce.

"Unforgivable... UNFORGIVABLE!"

*Insert Song: With The Will*

A figure of a red beast snapping its jaws towards the fourth wall of Takuya's D-Tector. Soon, the screen displayed the Beast Spirits of Flame. Takuya's device stated to glow in shining, white light. With his D-Tector in one hand, Takuya extended his left arm out and a ball of Fractal Code appeared. After a few arm swings and stretches, he brought his device and the Fractal Code together. When the ball of data made contact with the scanner on the top of the D-Tector, Takuya's device started making powerful noises. The dark area surrounding his body was completely engulfed by glimmering light.

"EXECUTE…" Takuya screamed out loud, swiping the Fractal Code with his D-Tector. "… BEAST SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

A long stream of data spiraled around the boy's body. And just like before, Takuya's clothes began to disintegrate as the Beast Spirit of Fire came to life. Scorching hot flames engulfed the boy's body.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Takuya screamed during the transformation, expressing how much energy the Spirit has.0 He could feel the Spirits giving him a tremendous amount of power. His arms, legs, head and his entire body were slowly changing into the Beast Spirit of Flame. Before long, the transformation was complete. The creature clenched his sharp teeth before a piece of golden armor covered it up. He landed hard on his feet with wildfires surrounding him. The beast raised his arms up, just when the flames reached its peak. Finally, when he brought his arms down, the fire dispersed in all directions.

"BURNINGGREYMON!" The Digimon cried.

The winged beast unleashed a powerful roar, sending heat waves throughout the area. Liamon felt the oscillation of hot energy as he took a couple steps back. However, a bead of sweat fell from his cheek, either due to the heat or the sight of his new opponent.

"So, you do have some fight in you... very good. But I have no time for such foolish games. No matter what, I'll crush every single one of you! I'll make you all scream for mercy before finishing you off. Lord Malevomon will..."

"ENOUGH, LIAMON!" growled the Beast Digimon of Flame. "You put my friends' lives in jeopardy, and mocked me for the last time! I was hoping it wouldn't have to come to this, but I guess I have no other choice!" He got into his fighting stance, while maintaining eye contact.

"How pathetic..." grinned Liamon. "You Legendary Warriors just don't know when to quit. Then again... a part of me wanted to destroy you. It's not every day you get to take down two Legendary Warriors in one day."

BurningGreymon said nothing. However, he did look back at the unconscious Warrior of Wind. He cursed himself for not being there for her when she was fighting for her life against this monster. If he had fought back earlier, Zoe wouldn't be in this mess. BurningGreymon saw Liollmon hobbling towards the bruised Kazemon.

"Don't worry, guys. I'll take care of this..."

"Enough talk. NOW DIE!"

Liamon leaped towards the Digimon of Fire with his sharp paws out. BurningGreymon swiftly moved out of the way, watching the lion pass him in a flash. Liamon quickly regained his ground and pounced back at his opponent. This time, BurningGreymon flapped his wings and flew over the attacking beast. The Beast Digimon of Flame gently lowered himself back to the ground and the first thing he noticed was Liamon coming back for another attack. BurningGreymon clenched his fist and gave the evil lion a huge uppercut to the jaw. The blow actually knocked out a few of Liamon's sharp teeth. The evil Digimon tumbled on the dirt, but quickly sprung back to his feet. He spat out any chipped teeth that was in his mouth.

"Such power." Liamon thought. "This boy is a lot stronger than I anticipated. But the stronger the opponent, the sweeter the victory will be."

The hair around his head again surged with electrical energy. He took aim at his target, but BurningGreymon was in ready position. Liamon finally fired a couple of lightning bolts at the fiery Digimon. BurningGreymon moved to the left to dodge the first blast and back to the right to avoid the second. He then noticed a third lightning bolt coming his way at a very fast speed. BurningGreymon reacted quickly by taking to the skies to evade the attack. Once when he was high enough, he searched for Liamon once again. Instead, he saw another electrical blast coming his way. The Beast Digimon of Flame put his right arm in front of him and used one of his Fire Cannons to block the attack. The lightning blast did send some jolts of pain into BurningGreymon's arm, but he easily fought the pain. He shook his arm a couple times until the pain was gone.

"Impossible!" Liamon howled, disappointed that his attack didn't do much damage.

"You call that an attack, Liamon?" laughed the Beast Digimon.

"You dare mock me, you pathetic human?"

"Nah... I rather do THIS..." BurningGreymon tucked his arms in and aimed his blasters at the evil Digimon.

"PYRO BARRAGE!"

He rapidly shot a large number of solar heat-wave bullets at Liamon. The onslaught of heated attacks sprayed all over Liamon's body. He yelped in pain as the BurningGreymon continued with the barrage. Finally, the fiery Digimon stopped shooting and watched as Liamon fell to the ground. BurningGreymon landed smoothly and observed his opponent. He noticed Liamon slowly getting back up to his feet, still trying to fight back the pain he was in.

"You filthy little pest..." growled Liamon. He dug his feet into the ground, preparing for his next assault. "You think you've beaten me? Hehe, how foolish... You and your pathetic friends are not in the same level as me. I have the Chaos Sphere inside me! I have the ultimate power! NO ONE CAN STOP ME! HAHAHAHAHA!"

The Beast Digimon of Flame gritted his teeth together and snarled back at the enemy. If he doesn't defeat Liamon (right here, right now), it would very well mean the end of the Digital World. He shifted his attention towards Liollmon nearby. He had just approached the injured Warrior of Wind and is trying his best to wake her up. After a while, Liollmon looked back at his father with tears in his eyes. Knowing very well what he had to do, he glared back at his opponent.

"Liamon! I don't care if you got one of those stupid Chaos Spheres inside of you. I'm going to defeat you and save the Digital World!"

"HAHAHAHA! You talk a lot of nonsense, Legendary Warrior. And exactly how do you plan to defeat me?"

"How? Simple..." answered flamed Digimon. "Because I don't need some stupid device to give unlimited power! No... I have something much better and much stronger than all of the Chaos Spheres combined!"

"And what would that be?" Liamon growled.

"My friends..." replied BurningGreymon.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! You think the power of friendship can overcome the awesome powers of the Chaos Spheres? How naive! But if that's how you plan to defeat me, then so be it! CRITICAL STRIKE!"

Again, he leaped towards BurningGreymon with his all of his might. The fiery Digimon countered by placing one of his arms out in front. He blocked Liamon's attack using one of his cannons. The evil Digimon tried to bite through BurningGreymon's weapon, but to no avail. The material made out of his blasters were too tough, even for his sharp teeth.

But BurningGreymon wasn't done there. With his free hand, he gave the lion a ferocious hook to the cheek. Not only the attack send Liamon tumbling on the dirt, but it actually knocked out a few teeth. The evil lion crashed into a nearby boulder. The large rock crumbled into tiny pieces upon impact. Liamon struggled to get back to his feet. He leered back at his opponent, feeling nothing but anger and rage.

"It's over, Liamon... Surrender now."

"NEVER! DO... NOT... UNDERESTIMATE ME... YOU PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A DIGIMON!" He quickly recovered and again pounced towards the Beast of Flame. He held out his sharp claws and displayed his powerful teeth. Even his mane was surging with electrical energy. He unleashed a very powerful roar as he approached BurningGreymon at top speed

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH! NOW, DIE! CRITICAL STRIKE!"

"So be it..." BurningGreymon sighed. He tucked his arms in and gathered all the energy he possibly could. In a matter of seconds, his entire body was covered with raging, red hot flames.

"BurningGreymon!" Liollmon shouted from behind.

"Ta... Takuya..." Kazemon whispered faintly, still trying to fight back the pain she was in. The Beast Digimon of Flame looked back at his two friends and nodded his head.

"Don't worry, guys. I'll protect you." He could see tears falling down Liollmon's cheeks and he too felt his pain. He glared back at Liamon and unleashed a deafening roar.

"THIS IS FOR MY FRIENDS! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! WILDFIRE... TSUNAMI!"

The flames around his body reached its peak. He then released a powerful, fiery tornado towards Liamon. The evil creature's eyes widened when he saw the oncoming, blazing attack. But it was too late. He had no time to react or defend himself. In a matter of seconds, Liamon's body was covered with raging hot flames.

"IMPOSSIBLE! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The pain receptors in his body were out of control. The flame's energy was too hot and too much for Liamon to handle. He screamed in agony as the fire attacked him from every conceivable direction. A couple seconds later, the flames subsided and Liamon fell unconsciously to the ground. A ring of Fractal Code surrounded the lion's body. As soon as BurningGreymon landed on the ground, large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded his body. Inside, the cocoon of data, the Beast Digimon of Flame began to transform.

"SLIDE... Evolution!" Finally, the Fractal Code had vanished, and Warrior of Flame appeared.

"Agunimon!" He shouted. He took a step closer towards the defeated Liamon. Before finishing him off, he looked back at a sobbing cub.

"Liollmon?" He asked. The young Digimon wiped away his tears and nodded at the Legendary Warrior.

"It's okay. *sniff* Just do it." said the lion. Regardless of the situation, he showed the fiery Digimon his strength and his smile. Agunimon nodded as he turned to close it out.

"I'm sorry, Liamon... But you leave me with no choice." He said, pulling out his D-Tector. "Now, it's time for some purification." The scanner of the top of his device lit up and the Symbol of Flame appeared on the screen.

"FRACTAL CODE… DIGITIZE!"

He swung his arm out, absorbing the Fractal Code around Liamon's body. When all of the data has been absorbed, the body of the evil Digimon digitized until it was all gone. After that, Fractal Code surrounded Agunimon's body and transforming him back to the teenaged goggle-head.

Takuya looked down at the spot where Liamon once was and noticed a black sphere on the ground, still surging with energy. But since its host was defeated, the power in the Chaos Sphere dropped down to zero. The evil energies finally depleted, and the dark orb broke into pieces. Still shaken up from the fight, he slowly hobbled back to his friends. He watched as Fractal Code surrounded Kazemon's body, turning her back to Zoe. He finally approached Liollmon and the injured teenage girl.

"Liollmon... I'm... I'm sorry." He apologized, shifting his attention to the ground.

"It's okay. You did what you have to do." smiled the cub. "Um... Takuya?"

"Hmmm?"

"I was wrong about you. You _are_ very brave. Hehe... I mean, I enjoyed watching you fight. You guys are way cool!"

"Aw, thanks Liollmon." Takuya chuckled. He then looked back at Zoe, who also was smiling at him. "Hey, Z. Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah... I'm alright... Don't worry about me..." She answered, still wincing.

"Wait right here!" Liollmon ordered. With that, he took off in running towards one of the shops that was still standing to see if he could find some healing items. The two of them laughed as Liollmon ran off.

"Takuya?"

"Yeah? What's up?"

"I was... I was wondering. I mean... at first, you were kinda hesitant on fighting. But... but now you... how did you..."

"Oh, that... Yeah, I don't really know. A part of me didn't want to fight Liamon. But when I saw him hurting you guys, I just... I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to do something. You mess with my friends, and you mess with me."

"Takuya..."

"I realized, Zoe, that there are some battles worth fighting... and some sacrifices have to be made."

"I know..." She said. Zoe managed to sit up straight, still clenching her stomach and grimacing in pain.

"But we cannot let those sacrifices be in vain. We have to get stronger, because it's only going to get tougher from here. And not only that, but eventually we'll have to fight..."

"Malevomon..." The two of them spoke together. Takuya looked deeply into her eyes and could sense doubt and fear inside her. He then gave his best friend a hug, just relieve her stress. What he didn't see was Zoe's face turning red when he embraced her.

"I know, Zoe. I know." He said after he released her. "Don't worry. We can beat him."

"But Takuya..."

"Trust me... we'll do it together."

"Oh, Takuya..." blushed Zoe. The boy noticed the girl's cute smile and his cheeks also turned a shade of red. They gazed into each other's eyes. With neither one of them realizing it, a very familiar, yet unknown force drew the two closer toward each other

"Zoe!" Someone shouted, snapping the two humans back to reality. The blonde haired girl saw Liollmon approaching her with a brown jar of elixir. He set it on the ground next to her.

"Here, drink this. It will help you stop the pain for a little bit."

"Thank you, Liollmon." Zoe smiled.

She opened the bottle and drank the contents inside. In a matter of seconds, Zoe could feel the effects of the medicine kicking in. She could now move her muscles without feeling any kind of pain. Her mild head injury was also healed and she was able to stand again. However, while standing, she clutched her stomach and grimaced a little bit.

"Sorry, this medicine isn't the best one we have, but it was the only one I could find."

"Don't worry about it." Zoe said. "I feel much better now. Thank you."

"Hey! Save some for me! I got hurt during the fight too!" Takuya complained.

"You're such a baby, Takuya." Zoe giggled.

"Says you!"

"Whatever..."

"Come on! I'm hurt too you know!"

"Ask me nicely."

"Zoe?"

"Come on Takuya! Say the magic word. Here, let me help you, 'May I PLEASE have some med...'"

"ZOE!"

"What?"

"Behind you..." Takuya said, pointing past her shoulder.

The blonde turned and saw a small army of Goblimon surrounding them. They opened up their palms and small fireballs appeared on their hands.

"Take em' out boys! Goblin Strike!" One of the ogres said. Upon command, the Goblimon heaved their attacks at the two humans.

"Zoe, get down!" Takuya ordered

He tackling his best friend to the ground. The fireballs sailed over the teenager's head by a few inches. Takuya and Zoe looked up again and noticed that all of the Goblimon towering above them with their weapons up and ready. There was no escape.

"Takuya, we're trapped!" exclaimed Zoe.

"Great, now what?" The boy thought to himself. All of the sudden, the entire army of Goblimon brought down their weapon on the two defenseless humans. Takuya and Zoe screamed out loud as held tight as the two of them braced for the end.

"DIAMOND CUTTER!" Swiftmon shouted as he approached the army of monsters.

The two teenagers opened their eyes and saw a warrior-like Digimon dancing around the army of Goblimon. The ogre monsters tried to retaliate by launching a couple of fireballs and swinging their weapons at the swordsman. Unfortunately for them, Swiftmon was way too quick. He avoid their attacks with ease and proceeded to cutting them down. In a five seconds, he took out half of the squad of ogres. The warrior Digimon reappeared a few feet away from the Chosen Children.

"Destroy them all!" One of the Goblimon ordered.

Upon command, they charged at the swordsman and the two helpless children like a crazed riot. They raised their weapons high, ready to annihilate their enemies. The swordsman Digimon blocked each of the Goblimon's strike with his sharp blades. He try to get some offense in, but because there were so many of those ogre Digimon, it was hard for him to find an opening. He kept his defenses up, since they enemy had him outnumbered. On the other hand, as the seconds pass, Swiftmon started to lose stamina and his blocks were getting less and less sturdy. Not only that, but the attacks from the Goblimon were getting more and more relentless. The swordsman knew he had to change tactics.

Swiftmon leaped into the air, unsheathing the second broadsword on his back. With two swords in hand, it meant twice the power, twice the destruction, and twice the carnage. He landed in front of the tiny beasts and gazed into their eyes. When the ogres were close enough, Swiftmon grinned as his body disappeared from sight. The Goblimon stopped dead in their tracks and looked for the Champion level Digimon. They looked left and right, while still keeping their guards up. The Goblimon bunched closer and closer together until their backs were against each other and their shoulders were also touching.

"Now..." Swiftmon said to himself. "Diamond Cutter!"

A blurry swordsman danced around the remaining army of Goblimon. The sound of swords slashing through the ogres' bodies echoed throughout the ruined village. He moved from monster to monster, attacking them with his lightning speed and sharp weapons. Three seconds later. Swiftmon reappeared in between the army of Goblimon and the two Chosen Children. He spun both of his swords a few more times before placing back in their original position. There was a loud *click* when Swiftmon put the blades in the sheaths, which echoed across the entire village.

However, when the noise entered the Goblimons' ear, they all screamed and howled in pain, as their bodies turned into tiny shredded bits. Takuya and Zoe watched with their eyes wide open as the Goblimon began to disappear one by one until they were all gone. Swiftmon grinned as he got back to his feet and made his way towards the two Legendary Warriors.

"Swiftmon!" Takuya exclaimed.

"Boy, are we glad to see you!" smiled Zoe.

"Likewise." Swiftmon nodded. He then noticed the two of them still holding on to each other real tight... Then again, almost too tight. He smirked at the humans and raised one eyebrow.

"Nice to see you two getting along..."

Takuya and Zoe looked strangely at the amused Swiftmon. Both of them were wondering what he's thinking about... or what he's staring at. They finally looked at each other and both were surprised to see how close they were to each other. Their eyes were practically on top of each other and their noses were almost touching. Both of them were speechless, especially when they noticed their lips were only inches apart from each other. It took only a second to snap both of them out of their little fantasy world.

"Eek!" Zoe shrieked, causing the teenage boy to release her.

She and Takuya immediately turned away from each other to hide their conspicuous blushes. Zoe's heart beat was accelerating while beads of sweat cascaded down Takuya's face. The Warrior of Flame slowly turned his head to look back at the nervous blonde.

"Um... Zoe?" Takuya called out to her. He waited until his eyes met hers. "I, uh..."

"Keep your hands to yourself, okay Takuya?"

"Huh? Me? What are you talking about? You're the one who grabbed me in the first place!"

"And there you go again, with your stupid lies! You're such a pervert!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"AM NOT!"

"ARE TOO!"

"ENOUGH!" Swiftmon ordered.

"SHE STARTED IT!" ||| "HE STARTED IT!" The humans shouted in unison, while pointing at each other.

"I don't care!" said the swordsman. "We have no time for such bickering. Liamon's already defeated, but we still don't know where the..."

"MINI BOOMER!" A scratchy voice hollered.

"Swiftmon. Look out!" Zoe cried.

The warrior-like Digimon looked behind him and saw three miniature bombs heading his way. He unsheathed one of his swords and got in ready position. He swung his blade at one of the bombs and successfully cuts it in half. He swung his sword a second time and knocked the second bomb out of the area. For the final incoming explosive, he thrust his weapon at the bomb, and completely pierced right through it. When all of the bombs had been disabled, Swiftmon glared up at the sky and noticed an imp Digimon also leering back at him.

"Curse you Swiftmon! You and those pathetic Legendary Warriors! How dare you make a fool out of me?"

"Give up now, Sinistromon." the swordsman ordered. "It's over. You can't win." The little devil gritted his teeth together. He looked around the Terra Hills Village. Besides the place almost completely destroyed, he noticed all of the Minotarumon and Goblimon have been defeated. While most of them were already deleted, a few of them had already surrendered.

"You have won this battle... but the WAR is far from over. This isn't over yet, Digimon Battlefreaks. I'll be back, and with even more powerful Digimon than you losers." said Sinistromon. He flapped his tiny bat wings and was about to sail away from the destructed village.

"Hey Sinistromon!" Takuya yelled. The evil Digimon turned and his eyes widened with fear when he noticed Takuya's bloodshot glare. "I have a message for your 'Master.' Tell Malevomon, 'We are ready for him and we're not afraid any more. The next time we see him, we'll defeat him! Count on it!"

"You arrogant human! How dare you insult Lord Malevomon like that? You'll pay for this! You hear me? You'll be sorry! You'll never get away with this once I tell the master! Heed my word, Legendary Warriors. You will be begging for mercy before Lord Malevomon finishes you off for good. Your fates have been sealed! There is no escape! You can't win! Hahahahahahaha!"

Sinistromon pulled out a couple more small gray bombs out of his backpack. But instead of tossing them at his enemies, he threw his weapons just a few feet short of his target. Takuya, Zoe and Swiftmon braced themselves as the miniature bombs impacted the ground. It broke apart, but instead of exploding, it filled the vicinity with thick clouds of smoke. The gas entered both humans' lungs. Takuya and Zoe coughed, wheezed and gagged as they fought for air. Finally, the smoke cleared and they were able to breathe again. The three of them looked around for Sinistromon, but he was already gone.

"Damn!" Takuya said, slamming his fist into the ground. "I hate that creep!"

"Let him go, Takuya." suggested Zoe.

"YEAH! WE WON!" The rest of the Digimon Battlefront shouted. They raised their weapons up in victory.

"Settle down! Settle down!" Swiftmon commanded, trying to keep his troops under control. They may have won the battle, but the war was far from over. He turned towards the children.

"You Legendary Warriors still have a mission to complete. I'll gather up the rest of the Digimon Battlefront and we'll meet you back at the Digiporter." With that, he disappeared and reappeared in front of his troops.

"Digimon Battlefront, move out!"

"Yes, sir!" replied the troops.

They marched out of the village in an orderly fashion. Swiftmon waited until the last fighter left the village. He gave the two children a quick nod before making his way back down to the others.

"Well, what are waiting for, Takuya? We still have to find the Spirits. Now that Sinistromon's gone, we should be able to..." Zoe paused when she noticed a sad look on Takuya's face. She knew something was wrong. "Takuya, what's the matter? Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Zoe. I'm just... thinking."

"Well, that's a first." giggled Zoe.

"Hey! Watch it!" Takuya grinned. He waited until his best friend's laughter died down before he got serious. "It's just... I can't help but remember what Liamon said earlier before the Chaos Sphere took control of him."

"Really? What did he say?"

"Don't you remember? He said that only two Digimon know the whereabouts of the Spirits of Earth, and he happens to be one of them."

"Oh..."

"So then, who's the second?"

"That would be me!" Someone said. Takuya and Zoe looked down and noticed a young lion cub approaching them.

"Liollmon!" Zoe smiled.

"Do you know where the Spirits of Earth are hidden?" asked Takuya.

"I do." Liollmon answered. He stuck his chest out so that the two children could see a green gem attached to his Holy Ring. "The Spirits of Earth are in here: The Earth Stone. When my daddy found the Spirits of Earth, he vowed to protect it with his life, just as he done with me. So it made sense to hide the Spirits inside the Earth Stone."

"But Liollmon, why didn't you tell us you had the Spirits before all of this commotion happened?"

"Really? Do you expect me to give the Spirits of Earth to a couple strangers? Sorry, but that's not how it works in Terra Hills Village. You had to prove yourselves worthy..."

"Oh great, here we go again." complained the teenage boy.

"And you already had..." continued the cub.

"Huh?" Takuya asked.

"You have proven yourself worthy, Takuya. You defeated my father in a battle. Also, you helped saved the villagers, not to mention your friends too."

"Liollmon..." Takuya said with a smile.

"Congratulations! You've earned it my friend. So, there's only one thing left to do. And that's to give you the Spirits of Earth. Stand back please."

Takuya and Zoe complied as they took a couple steps back. Liollmon closed his eyes and began to concentrate. The energy surrounding him grew as Liollmon's body was surrounded with green light. Takuya and Zoe shielded their eyes, since the light was so bright. Yet, I had a warm, powerful sensation to it too. The Earth Stone attached to the bronze ring around Liollmon' neck also started glowing.

Finally, a couple of items appeared before the Chosen Children. The light subsided and the energy around Liollmon had disappeared. Takuya and Zoe carefully examined the two floating relics in front of them. The one on the left had purple armor for the body and a long red hat on top. The one on the right, however, looked like a huge Digimon in a crouching position with brown skin and white marks from his head all the way down to his legs. Without a doubt, these were the Legendary Spirits of Earth.

"I can't believe it! The Spirits of Earth!" Zoe said with his jaw slightly dropped.

Takuya took out his D-Tector and pointed it at the two floating relics. A white beam shot out of the D-Tector and towards the two Spirits. Just like the effects of a tractor beam, Takuya's D-Tector attracted the two Spirits closer towards him. Finally, the Spirits entered inside Takuya's device and the Symbols of Earth also appeared on the screen.

"Alright! We got another Legendary Spirit!" Takuya cheered!

"And not only that, we are one step closer in defeating Malevomon and saving the Digital World." Zoe added. She turned back towards the cub. "And it's all thanks to you, Liollmon!"

"N... No problem... my friends..." said the young lion with a smile from cheek to cheek. However, bringing back the Spirits drained almost all of his energy. His four legs gave in and he collapsed on the ground.

"Liollmon!" Takuya and Zoe cried. They approached the unconscious cub.

"Is he..." Zoe said softly.

"He'll be okay. He's just exhausted, that's all." answered Takuya. He got down and picked up the young Digimon, carrying him underneath his arms. He looked back at the teenage girl. "We better get going. It's not safe here."

"Right." Zoe agreed.

She got back to her feet and the two Chosen Children walked together, side by side, out of the village. When they got to the front gates, they took one last look at what's left. While a few houses remained standing, everything else had been completely destroyed. Almost every building has been wiped out, leaving nothing but bits and pieces of clay and dirt. Even some of the village's tallest buildings have been flattened into a pancake.

"How terrible..." Zoe whispered with her eyes watering. "This can't continue. We can't allow more and more innocent Digimon to get hurt, or have them being controlled by the Chaos Sphere."

"And we're going to stop him..." Takuya declared, catching Zoe's attention. "... no matter what it takes."

Zoe nodded after hearing her best friend's statement. They both took one last look at the ruined village before walking back down the hill. Takuya carried the exhausted Liollmon underneath his arms. The two of them could hear the cub soft snoring. Zoe giggled to herself once she noticed how cute Liollmon looked when he was asleep. She slowly shifted her attention back towards a face much cuter than Liollmon's. (In her opinion, that is.)

"Takuya?"

"Yeah? What's up Zoe?"

"I just... I just want to say that you... that you were very brave back there."

"Huh?"

"I mean... At first you were very hesitant on fighting. Then all of the sudden, you took out Terra Hills' best fighter. You incredible back there."

"I didn't have a choice, Zoe. I couldn't just let Liamon put my friends in danger. I had to do something... even if it means putting myself on the line."

"I understand. As Legendary Warriors, it's one of the sacrifices we have to make. Every day, we put ourselves on the line, so other Digimon could walk, play and live another day." said Zoe.

"Yeah..." Takuya agreed. "Come on, let's go."

The two continued to walk in silence down the hill. The sun was about to set and the Digiporter was just a little over a mile away from where they were. It wasn't long before the two of them came to the spot where the army of Tortomon first attacked. Zoe observed the area and reminiscing the events that took place. She remembered the villagers panicking and running for their lives while most of the Digimon Battlefront fought to hold the Tortomon off. She also recalled meeting Liollmon for the first time and saving him from certain death. But of course, she remembered poor Takuya and how she saved his life not once, but twice. Zoe also remembered what happened after the fight, when she got a bit carried away and gave Takuya one hard slap he would never forget. Zoe finally snapped back to reality and stopped to look over the cliff. She wanted to see the breathtaking view of the Digital World one last time before heading back to home base. Takuya, however, noticed his best friend was dragging behind a little bit. He stopped to check on her.

"Zoe, what's wrong?" questioned Takuya. Zoe's emerald eyes locked on to his.

"Huh? Oh, nothing. I just..." She then looked back at the marvelous view. "Um... can we rest here for a little bit?"

"Eh? What are you talking about? Come on, Zoe. The Digiporter is not that far away. Besides, everyone else is waiting for us."

"I know, I know..." She sighed. "Just a five minute break. Is that okay with you?"

"Well... Oh, alright. Five minutes."

"_Sono contento! Grazie mille!_" giggled the blonde beauty.

"Um... uh, you're welcome?" Takuya said with an awkward look on his face.

"You're adorable..." Zoe smiled, as she sat down on a nearby rock.

Takuya sighed as he made his way towards the same rock and sat down next to the teenage girl, with a sleeping Liollmon resting on his lap. The two of them gazed out into the sunset. Pink clouds gently floated through the purple sky. The red and gold sun made view nothing short of spectacular. The colors and intensity of the light calmed their inner soul. The sun is like a great big romantic, inspirational fire in the sky. It's as if a powerful symphony was quieting down, becoming more emotional and beautiful as it drifts away. This wonderful feeling could be described as the comforting warmth of a sweet embrace, stilling their hearts, and causing their breaths to hold for the slightest of moments as the wonderment of the beauty of it collects in a bag of mixed emotions, leaving both Takuya and Zoe to feel a true sense of joy in the end.

"Wow! Beautiful!" said the blonde in awe. Takuya again looked into her eyes and noticed it sparkling with the fading sunlight, causing his jaw to drop. Zoe's long blonde hair danced with the wind, making her more gorgeous than ever.

"She sure is..." Takuya said softly, while still staring at Zoe.

"Huh? You say something?" Zoe asked, turning her attention back to her best friend. Takuya snapped back into reality the moment their eyes met.

"Huh? Oh... n... nothing... I didn't say anything." stammered the goggle-headed boy as he looked back at the view with his cheeks turning slightly red from embarrassment.

"Oh... okay..." sighed Zoe, with a small blush on her face. She thought she heard Takuya called her 'beautiful' but she wasn't a hundred percent sure.

For a while, the two just sat together, enjoying the view and each other's company. It was only a matter of time before the sun would disappear below the horizon. Zoe started to yawn, probably because she was so exhausted after what happened today. She then did something that caught Takuya off guard. She rested her head on his shoulders.

For Zoe, it was comforting relaxing close to the person you admire the most. But for Takuya, he had mixed emotions. On one hand, he felt a sense of awkwardness. This is probably the first time Zoe did something like this to him and he has no idea what to do. But on the other hand, Takuya felt really happy that she's this close to him. If it was any other girl, he would freak out or panic. But Zoe isn't like any other girl. She's Takuya's best friend and he would do anything to make her happy.

"Man, we sure don't get sunsets like these back at home." grinned Takuya.

"I don't think so either." The young woman agreed. Takuya looked and noticed a sad look on the girl's face.

"You alright, Zoe?"

"Just... feeling a little homesick, that's all."

"Oh..."

"I miss my house, the city, the parks... I even miss our friends. Tommy, Koji and the others..."

"Yeah. I miss them too, Zoe. I mean, the Digital World isn't the same without them. But look on the bright side. You still got me."

"What does that supposed to mean?" Zoe asked, shifting her attention back to Takuya. She noticed a huge grin on his face.

"Well, think about it. You wouldn't be standing here if it wasn't for me."

"Excuse me, Takuya?"

"Hehe... nah, I rather not."

"May I remind you that I save your sorry butt not once, not twice, but three times today."

"Yeah, yeah... and who was the one who saved you from certain destruction?" Takuya laughed as he pointed at himself. "Haha, me."

"Oh, big deal."

"Ha! Told ya so. What would you do without me?"

But before Zoe could say anything else, she stopped and pondered about the question. The look in her eyes had changed. She seemed to be in a serious mood. However, she looked back at her best friend with another smile to match his.

"To be honest, Takuya... I don't know what I'd do without you."

"But of course..." joked Takuya.

"No really, Takuya. I'm serious. I'm so glad you're here with me right now."

"Eh?" said Takuya, raising one of his eyebrows. "Why's that Zoe?"

"Well... you're part of the team. We would be incomplete without you."

"Ah..." chuckled the boy.

"_I would be incomplete without you_." Zoe said to herself.

"Is that all?"

"Oh there's so much more." continued the girl. "You make the adventures so much fun. You're also a great leader and a really good fighter. You saved my life more time than I could count, and it was because of you we were able to get the Spirits of Earth in our possession. So, um... thank you."

"For what?"

"For always being there for me."

"Oh, don't mention it Zoe. After all, you and I make a great team." He noticed Zoe leaning closer towards him.

"We're a little more than a great team..." She whispered.

Takuya noticed the sparkles in Zoe's eyes and was memorized at what he saw. Words cannot describe how beautiful and gorgeous she looked right now. It's odd that he didn't even notice it before. Takuya lost all of his senses as he observed the girl sitting next to him. Now he's just taking what Zoe's giving to him. When she smiled, he too smiled. As she drew closer to him, he responded with the same suite. Both teenagers closed their eyes, just as the sun disappeared below the horizon. Takuya and Zoe had no idea what's going on, but quite frankly, neither of them cared. They could feel each other getting closer... closer... and closer..."

"HEY, YOU TWO!" A voice shouted, snapping Takuya and Zoe out of their little magical moment. They turned and noticed a mutant Digimon and a yellow rabbit standing in front of them.

"Bokomon!" Takuya said.

"Neemon!" Zoe replied.

"What are you guys doing up here... all by yourselves?" The rabbit asked, heavily emphasizing the last few words.

"I... uh... we were just, uh..." ||| "We... um... he and I, um..." Both humans stammered.

"Oh never mind. It's already getting dark and everyone is waiting for you. Come along now!" Bokomon ordered. He and Neemon headed down the mountain where the others are.

Zoe sighed as she got back to her feet. After a few stretches, Takuya picked up the sleeping Liollmon, who was resting nearby, and carried him under his arms. He looked back at his best friend, who was smiling at him once again. "We better get going. We don't to keep everyone else waiting. And not only that, but we have to tell Eldestmon the good news." She got back on the path and started walking down the hill.

"Zoe!" Takuya called out from behind her. The blonde haired girl stopped and looked back at the boy.

"Yes, Takuya?"

"Do you really mean what you said? You know... that you and I... we're a little more than a great team?"

"Hehe! _Certo che ci credo, ragazzo sciocco._" Zoe smiled. (Translation: Of course I do, silly boy.)

After giving her best friend a small wink, she headed back down the mountain, leaving a speechless Takuya behind. For a few seconds, the boy stood there with a huge smile on face, yet mildly blushing. "I have no idea what the heck she just said... but man, I just love it when she speaks Italian." Takuya grinned. After sighing one more time, he too made his way down the hill. It took a while for him to catch up to Zoe, but he did eventually. The two humans walk side by side when they finally arrived at the Digiporter. The only remaining Digimon that waited for them were Bokomon, Neemon and Swiftmon.

"Well, it's about time, you two!" Bokomon complained.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Zoe apologized.

"Did you get the Spirits?" asked Swiftmon. Takuya showed the swordsman his D-Tector. Swiftmon looked closely at the screen and noticed the Symbols of Earth. He gave the boy a small nod. "Excellent work you too! Now come. We must return to home base and bring Lord Eldestmon the good news."

"Right!" The other four shouted in unison.

One by one, they stepped onto the platform. A second later, a white light shot out from the bottom of the Digiporter, engulfing the three Digimon and the two humans with its bright light. Seconds passed until finally, the light had subsided and the five of them had already vanished.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, back at Malevomon's castle, a weak and wounded Sinistromon appeared before the entrance of The Throne Room. Injured from his last fight at Terra Hills, he got down on his knees and leaned against the doors, still trying to fight the pain he was in. He pounded his fist on the ground with anger.<p>

"Curse those humans!" He snarled. "Curse them and their rotten Legendary Spirits. I HATE THEM! Wait until I get my hands on them. They'll be sorry! No more mercy. YOU HEAR ME HUMANS! THE NEXT TIME WE MEET, YOU WON'T BE..."

"SINISTROMOOOOOOOOOOON!" A dark, evil voice shouted. A huge force of wind blasted the doors wide open and slammed the imp into the wall. Sinistromon cringed in pain as he slumped back down to the cold floor. A giant portal opened up in the middle of the room and the wicked emperor appeared before his servant.

"Oh boy..." Sinistromon shivered. He immediately fell on his hands and knees. "M... My lord!"

"You have failed me again, Sinistromon!" growled Malevomon.

"P... Pl... Please forgive me, master! I can explain... *cough*..."

"Stop stalling, and tell me how could you have possibly failed me for the second time in a row, you stupid little reject! That is... while you're still able to talk..."

"Ye... Yes sir, oh great one! The humans... It's all of the humans' fault. Them and their Legendary Spirits... their just too powerful! More powerful than your Chaos Spheres, sir! Because of them... I wasn't able to..."

"SILENCE!" Malevomon shouted. He then gave his servant a powerful backhanded fist to the face, knocking Sinistromon straight into the wall. The evil ruler slowly approached his beaten subordinate and grabbed his tiny neck.

"M... Master... please..." begged Sinistromon. Malevomon grinned as he tightened his grip, thus chocking the life out of poor Sinistromon.

"What those pathetic humans did to you... is NOTHING... compared to what I'm going to do to you..."

"Wait, my lord... please don't..."

"Enough! Time to say good bye, Sinistromon! HAHAHAHAHA!"

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter fourteen. <strong>

**Is this the end of Sinistromon? With another Legendary Spirit in their possession, what's next on the list for our two heroes? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	15. Beach Brawl

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**With Kazemon struggling to hold her own against Liamon, it was now up to Takuya to save his best friend from certain destruction. He was hesitant at first, but after seeing Liollmon's bravery and the evil Champion ready to finish off the Legendary Warrior, the goggle-head regained his confidence and Spirit Evolved to defeat Liamon once and for all. Surprisingly, it turns out that Liollmon had the Spirits of Earth all along. He kindly gave them to our two heroes before passing out. Now Takuya and Zoe have added another Legendary Spirits to their total. What's next for them now?**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter fifteen!**

* * *

><p><strong>Beach Brawl<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"Enough! It's time to say goodbye, Sinistromon! HAHAHAHAHA!" Malevomon laughed. He pulled his arm back and opened up his palm, creating a black sphere of evil energy. Sinistromon immediately shut his eyes and braced himself for the end.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" He cried, just as Malevomon was about to unleash his ultimate attack. But before the malicious sovereign can discharge his Malevolent Onslaught...

"LORD MALEVOMON! LORD MALEVOMON!" Someone called, halting the wicked Digimon from destroying Sinistromon.

Malevomon turned towards the front door as it opened up. An imp-like Digimon with gray skin, a couple of bat wings and very sharp claws entered the room. He had his mouth open, revealing his teeth and disgusting drool. Malevomon looked at the fiend for a while before realizing he still had Sinistromon's neck in his grasped. After sighing disappointingly, he threw his subordinate into the walls of the Throne Room. Sinistromon crashed hard into the wall before slumping back down to the floor.

"What is it Vilemon?" asked the emperor.

"Great news, sir!" grinned the pint sized monster.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Vilemon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Nightmare Shock; Evil Wing**

**Description: Vilemon's one nasty Digimon that loves to fight and hates to lose. Then again, he prefers tormenting the weak and defenseless, instead of getting into direct combat. His Nightmare Shock attack emits supersonic waves from his mouth, trapping his enemies inside a horrible dream.**

"Well, get on with it!" ordered Malevomon.

"Yes, your excellency!" Vilemon bowed. "We have the location of another Legendary Spirit, my lord!"

"Is that a fact? Well done, Vilemon! Tell me. Which Spirit are we going for this time?"

"The Spirits of Water, sire!"

"Go on..."

"Of course, master. We believe that the Spirits are somewhere around Toucanmon's Island and Gomamon's Island. While we are unsure of the exact location, we did pick up energy readings of Legendary Spirits in that area, sir!"

"Any signs of those humans?" Malevomon questioned.

"Not yet. But we've already started our assault on both islands. So far, there hasn't been much resistance. Hundreds of the islands' inhabitants have been captured. As of right now, we are inserting Chaos Spheres in every one of our prisoners. Those puny humans have no idea what they're up against. So by the time they get there, they will have a huge army waiting for them! Hahahaha!" laughed the imp.

"Excellent. I knew I can count on you, Vilemon."

"Thank you, your majesty. I'm always ready to serve you whenever I can!"

"Indeed. Let me reward you for your... grateful services" The malicious Digimon grinned.

However, the moment Vilemon noticed Malevomon's dark smile, fear took over his body. He stood there, frozen like a statue, too afraid to move the slightest of muscles. While Vilemon tried snapping out his thoughts, Malevomon opened up his hand and created another black sphere filled with energy made of pure evil. Vilemon immediately turned to the doors and ran for his life. The evil emperor gave his subordinate a few seconds for a head start. Once when he felt like he waited enough, the smirk on his face widened.

"Malevolent Onslaught!"

Vilemon was twenty feet away from the entrance, when Malevomon fired his ultimate attack at his fleeing servant. The imp-like creature looked back and his eyes widened when he noticed the black sphere was quickly closing the distance. He finally got to the doorway, but it was too late. The energy ball increased in sized and engulfed the creature's entire body.

"NO, MASTER! DON'T DO THIS!" pleaded Vilemon. "PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU, LET ME OUT OF... NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The Throne Room was covered with Vilemon's screams of pain. Meanwhile, Sinistromon gasped in fear, terrified of what's happening to one of Malevomon's servants. Malevomon, however, continued with his maniacal laughter the orb in front of him surged with its evil energies. Finally, he snapped his fingers, and the ball of energy faded away. He and Sinistromon checked the spot where Vilemon once stood, but he was already gone. While the wicked ruler laughed manically, his loyal subordinate was scared out of his life. He might be the next Digimon to suffer the wrath of his master.

"How pathetic..." huffed Malevomon. "Why do evil geniuses have to be surrounded by incompetent fools?" He then turned towards the beaten Sinistromon. He slowly stomped towards his subordinate and grabbed him by the neck. He tightened his grip a bit, just barely choking Sinistromon. The Rookie level Digimon struggled to catch his breath.

"Sinistromon?"

"M... Ma... Master?" Sinistromon answered faintly. He opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was Malevomon's bloodshot glare.

"It seems fate has given you another chance. I have another mission for you."

"S... Sure, master. Anything! Say the word and I'll get it done for you" Malevomon released his subordinate's neck and he fell to the floor. As Sinistromon coughed for air, the evil emperor continued with his orders.

"I want you to finish what Vilemon started! Find the Legendary Spirits of Water and bring them back to me. Vilemon has already inserted Chaos Spheres inside the prisoners, so you'll a whole army at your disposal."

"Thank you, sir! I promise I'll never fail you again!"

"For your sake, you better not. This is your last chance, Sinistromon. I'm losing my patience. I'm getting sick and tired of your failure and excuses. Mark my words. If you fail to capture the Spirits of Water, or destroy the humans, then you will suffer the same fate as Vilemon. Do not disappoint me again. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, your highness. The Spirits are as good as yours."

"Then, GO!" commanded Malevomon.

Sinistromon bowed to his master one last time. He flapped his wings and flew out of the castle. Malevomon sighed as Sinistromon flew out of sight. Regardless how much of a failure his subordinate has been over the past, the wicked emperor felt it's such a waste of effort to have retrieve the Spirits all on his own. Besides, no matter if Sinistromon completes his mission or doesn't come back, Malevomon will have one less problem deal with. He turned back towards his throne and snapped his fingers. A portal opened up in the middle of the room. He walked into the mystical gateway and disappeared into another dimension.

* * *

><p><strong>Takuya's POV:<strong>

I opened my eyes and realized we made it back to the Digiporter Room. One by one, my friends and I walked off of the platform and headed towards the exit. Surprisingly, we were the only ones in the room. My guess is that the other fighters were either preparing for their next mission, getting treatment for their injuries or resting after a long battle. I glanced at Zoe and saw her yawn for the second time.

She must be really exhausted after the hard battle up at Terra Hills a while ago. Her legs were wobbling and weight was noticeably shifting from side to side. Zoe was having trouble keeping her eyes open. Poor girl. She could definitely use a good rest right about now. I mean, she sure deserves it. After a successful mission in retrieving the Legendary Spirits of Earth, a nap doesn't sound like a bad idea.

Actually, I'm pretty tired myself. I could just crash on the first bed I see. Even if it's a small bench, there's nothing I want more than to close my eyes and catch the next train to dream land. It took me a while to realize that Zoe and I had been in the Digital World for a few days now. On the other hand, we only got about three hours of rest... total. Then again, Malevomon and his army of evil Digimon on the loose, and the Legendary Spirits are scattered throughout the Digital World. There's very little time for napping. Such a bummer.

We walked out the room and a couple of healing Digimon with a stretcher were there to greet the two of us. Both Blisseymon waved at us, but we were all too tired to respond. I looked back at the sleeping Liollmon that was still underneath my arms. This young Digimon has showed tremendous amounts of strength and courage. Even when the enemies were tearing his village apart and when they took control of his father's mind, he wouldn't give up. He kept fighting and never stopped believing that he could win, no matter how stacked the odds were against him. Words cannot describe how thankful I am that he's alive. I placed the cub on the stretcher and smiled at the Blisseymon. After that, Swiftmon stepped forward.

"Take Liollmon to the Medical Wing immediately." ordered the swordsman. Both Blisseymon performed a nice little curtsey. They pushed the stretcher down the hallways and disappeared.

"Well, another successful mission in the books." Bokomon commented. "I'm very proud of you guys. You all have done extremely well. But then again, I shouldn't expect any less from two of the humans that saved our world from total destruction the last time."

"Thanks Bokomon! That really means a lot." I smiled.

"How are we all doing?" Swiftmon then asked us.

"We're all okay." Zoe answered. I saw her yawning for third straight time. "Just a little tired, that's all."

"Same here. We've been fighting a lot ever since we came back to the Digital World. We sure could use a small nap right about now." I added.

"Indeed. You two should get some rest before we start on our next mission." suggested Bokomon.

"Good idea." I nodded. I looked back at Swiftmon to get his approval. "Is that alright, Swiftmon? Can Zoe and I take a little break? You know... for about an hour or so?"

"In a little bit." answered the swordsman. "First, we have to tell Eldestmon the news."

"News? What news? Good news? Bad news?" Neemon randomly blurted out.

"Be quiet, you nincompoop!" shouted Bokomon. He tugged hard on Neemon's pants and gave him another wedgie. The rabbit continued to rub his swollen behind as Zoe and I laughed.

"Ah! So you've finally returned!" A voice spoke. We turned and an old Digimon appeared before us.

"Eldestmon!" Zoe exclaimed.

"Lord Eldestmon!" Swiftmon said as he stepped forward and got on one knee. "Good news, sir!"

"Skip the formalities..." the leader of the Digimon Battlefront interrupted as he turned to me. I could see a serious look on his face. I have to admit, it was kind of intimidating, but wait until Eldestmon hears what we've accomplished.

"Did you find the Spirits of Earth?" He asked us.

"Oh yeah..." I chuckled as I took out my D-Tector. I held my little device out front and displayed it to the old Digimon. Eldestmon saw the Symbols of Earth on the D-Tector's screen.

"I got em'!"

"Excellent work!" He nodded. "I knew I could count on you on such a difficult task."

"Anytime, Eldestmon." I grinned. At that point, fatigue got a hold of me. I couldn't help but let out a small yawn.

"Well, mission accomplished you guys. Time to hit the sack. Come on, Zoe."

"Coming, Takuya!" Zoe complied. She caught up to me and walked by my side.

"Not so fast, Legendary Warriors!" Eldestmon interrupted, stopping us in our tracks. We turned towards the old Digimon with puzzled looks on our faces.

"What's up Eldestmon? Did we do something wrong?" Zoe wondered.

"Of course not, my child..." answered Eldestmon. "But, unfortunately, you have no time for rest."

"_Devi essere scherzando_!" complained my best friend.

"Say what?" I said to myself.

Zoe and I are incredibly exhausted and yet Eldestmon has another mission for us. I felt hesitant on asking, since I rather sleep for a little bit than hunt for another Spirit. But if that happens to be our next mission, then I guess we have no choice but to fulfill our duties as Legendary Warriors.

"I'm sending you on another mission to retrieve another Legendary Spirit." Eldestmon ordered. Yep, should've guessed it.

"Great..." I complained.

"Seriously?" Zoe groaned.

"Indeed. Come quickly! There isn't much time." said Eldestmon.

He walked passed us and entered the Digiporter Room, with Swiftmon behind him.

"I can't believe this." I growled, almost throwing down my D-Tector. "We bring back one Spirit and now we have search for another. Man, this stinks. Sorry for being such a whiny butt Z, but I'm really exhausted right now! Why can't we just call it a day and let everyone else go on without us?"

"I know, Takuya. I'm just as tired as you. But have no choice. The Digital World is in pearl and we cannot afford to stop here."

"Yeah... It's just frustrating, you know? We've been fighting for a long time now. I believe we deserve a break."

"Oh, Takuya..." Zoe giggled.

"I'm serious, Z. My body has seen a lot of action. Even star athletes need a day off once in a while."

"True, but star athletes aren't the ones saving the Digital World... we are."

"I guess..." I sighed.

"Don't worry, Takuya. I'm sure we'll get some rest eventually." Zoe said as she slowly approached me. I gazed deep into those mesmerizing emerald eyes of hers. I could also see a huge grin on her face. Little did I realize that she was drawing closer to me. But I didn't mind. For some reason, I like it when Zoe's this close to my face.

"And when we do, it'll JUST be the TWO of us and..."

But before Zoe could finish, beeping noises echoed into our ears. We looked above and noticed the intercom ready to make another announcement. After a few squeaks, a voice came from the radio.

"_Attention! Would Groups T and Z report to the Digiporter Room immediately? Repeat. Would Groups T and Z report to the Digiporter Room immediately? Also, would the humans report to the Digiporter Room as well? Again, would the humans please report to the Digiporter Room immediately?_"

"T and Z? What does that stand for?" Neemon spoke.

"It doesn't stand for anything, you nimrod! Those are just the group names! Get it through your head!" Bokomon argued.

"Oh..." said Neemon. "... So what are their group names then?"

Bokomon sighed as he slammed his green book on poor Neemon's head. The rabbit fell to the ground, feeling dazed and confused. While Neemon recovered from his minor concussion, Bokomon dragged his friend by the pants into the Digiporter Room. Zoe and I watched with awkward looks on our faces as they entered the room, leaving the two of us alone with each other.

"Well... that was entertaining." I said.

"Give those two a break, Takuya. They may be goody and all, but they're still our friends." Zoe suggested. "Anyway, we might as well get going. Eldestmon said we have to retrieve another Legendary Spirit. We better hurry, before Malevomon gets his hands on it..."

"LET'S MOVE OUT, TROOPS!" Someone shouted.

Zoe and I looked towards the hallways and noticed a bunch of Digimon marching across the hallway with a variety of weapons in their arsenal. We watched them tread side by side in two straight lines, yelling with enthusiasm for every step they make, like soldiers preparing for battle. One by one, they marched into the Digiporter Room.

"Wow, everyone's seems to be pumped up about our next mission." Zoe pointed out.

"Yeah! Getting the Spirits of Earth seemed to increase their confidence. We cannot let them down." I said.

"Don't worry, Takuya! With the two us together, there's nothing we can't face. No matter who stands in our way, you and I can take them down as a team. Remember what I said to you back at Terra Hills? You and I are more than..."

"CUTIE!" A voice from a female Digimon spoke.

Zoe and I turned towards the halls to see who was shouting. The voice sounded familiar. I was about to ask Zoe who's calling us, when I noticed her eyes. She was glaring deeply at whoever was coming towards us. By the expression on her face, my guess is that she's nowhere near happy.

"CUTIE!" The same voice shouted.

A female Digimon ran towards me at full speed. She had long olive hair, black eyelashes and lavender eyes. She also wore a long white dress with sleeves that extend past her hands. I noticed a worried look in her eyes. Upon further inspection, I think I have noticed some wet streams running down her face. Apparently, she was crying, although I can't seem to figure out why.

"Beautymon?" I called.

"Great, 'her' again..." Zoe complained.

"CUTIE, CUTIE, CUTIE!" She kept calling. I smiled at Beautymon. It's good to see her again. But what's with that look on her face? Is she concerned about something or is she happy to see me? But before I can ask more questions, Zoe stepped in front of me with her arms crossed.

"Oh no you don't." glowered Zoe. "Back off, you trash heap! Takuya is not in the mood to speak with the likes of..."

But Beautymon showed no signs of stopping. This only made Zoe even angrier. I noticed her taking her D-Tector out, which could only mean one thing. But before I could stop her, Beautymon shoved the girl out of the way. Zoe fell and hit the ground hard. My attention returned to Beautymon, who dove and wrapped her arms around me. It caught me off guard as we both fell to the floor. I landed on my butt and felt my head slammed hard into the ground. Thankfully, Beautymon's sweet scent somehow healed my minor injuries. For some reason, I just can't get enough of the way she smells. It makes me feel... relaxed, yet happy. I sat up straight and noticed she still had me in a huge embrace.

"Um... Hey, Beautymon..." I said awkwardly, to figure out what's going on. I have to admit, getting hugged by Beautymon feels kind of... nice. It's just like being embraced by Zoe's arms.

"Oh Cutie, I was so worried about you. You've been gone for such a long time. I thought I would never see you again." She cried.

I looked at Zoe, wondering if she could help me out here. However, her eyes weren't happy to see mine. They were raging with anger and hate. Her arms were still crossed and her foot tapping with a rushed tempo. Whether it's towards me or Beautymon is anybody's guess. Beautymon finally loosened her grip around my body. She placed both hands on my shoulders and gazed into my eyes.

"Goodness! Are you alright, 'Darling?' Have you been injured? Did any of those evil Digimon hurt my precious Cutie?" She asked in the sweetest voice possible.

"What? Me? Nah, of course not! Don't worry, Beautymon. I've never felt better in my..." I paused. I thought about the new name Beautymon gave me. "... uh, wait... Hold on... Did you... did you just call me... 'Darling?'"

Beautymon winked at me, which cast some kind of magical spell. I felt mesmerized, wanting, craving for the female Digimon. My body moved on its own, as a mysterious power drew me closer toward Beautymon. That is... until I saw Zoe who was standing right behind her. She clenched her fists even tighter than before. Apparently, she's mad at something... or someone.

"Oh never mind..." giggled Beautymon. "I'm just so glad that you are alright."

"Um... Thank you?"

"Still..." She pondered. "... I do think it would be best for you to get checked out thoroughly at the Medical Wing. In fact..." She turned with a huge smile on her face and her nose inches away from mine. "... Why don't I go with you? It's not good for you to go all by yourself, and you could always use some company to..."

"That won't be necessary!" Zoe objected. She stood up and marched angrily at me and Beautymon. "Takuya's fine, you idiot. There's no need for him to go to the Medical Wing nor to get any kind of treatment. Besides, we have another mission and everyone's waiting for us. So stop wasting your time and GET OUT OF OUR WAY!"

"Oh, hello Blondie..." Beautymon sighed with those incomprehensible eyes. She stood up and leered at the teenage girl. "I do not like that ugly attitude of yours. It really disgusts me. Then again, I can't seem to figure out what's uglier. Your attitude or your face!"

"Speak for yourself..." Zoe muttered.

"Hmph! That's very rude of you. Please understand it's only natural for me to care about my darling. Isn't that right, Cutie?" She asked, which made my face turn red.

"Uh-huh..." Zoe said sarcastically. "Is that so? Just because your bosom overflows with human kindness?"

"Indeed, it does." Beautymon grinned. "And it's certainly more pleasant than scowling like an ugly troll... such as yourself."

"EXCUSE ME?"

They two glared deep into each other's eyes. As I got back to my feet, I couldn't help but wonder. Why are they fighting each other? Heck, why are they fighting over me? Zoe's glare got bigger as Beautymon's grin grew wider.

"What going on here?" A voice shouted. We turned and saw a cross-armed Gotsumon standing in front of us.

"SHE STARTED IT!" Zoe and Beautymon both yelled while pointing at each other.

"Never mind! Hurry up and get inside! We're about to start the next mission!" ordered Gotsumon. He angrily stomped inside. I looked back at the two girls, who were still glowering at each other. Finally, they turned their backs towards each other while letting out a small 'Hmph!'

"Come on girls, we better get moving." I said. In a flash, Beautymon sprang towards me and grab a hold of left arm. The sound of her giggles entered my ear, making my cheeks turn red as beets.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go, Cutie!" Beautymon smiled.

With both hands around my arms, we walked into the Digiporter Room. I looked behind me and saw a horrifying glare on Zoe's face. She's probably angry at me. But about what? Beautymon's just being nice to me... then again, a little too nice. Who knows? I don't understand girls. Zoe may be my best friend, but there are something about her I just haven't figured out yet.

* * *

><p>The three of us walked in the room and made our way towards the Digiporter. I walked onto the platform with Beautymon attached to my arms. I looked for Zoe and saw her standing on the opposite side of us. I stared at her, silently asking why she's there and not here. But when my eyes met hers, she turned away like she doesn't want to talk to me. I shook my head as I face the front of the room.<p>

Swiftmon and Eldestmon stepped forward, ready to brief us on our next assignment.

"Beautymon, what are you doing here?" Swiftmon asked with irritation in his tone.

"What does it look like? I'm helping Cutie with his next mission."

"Beautymon?"

"Are going to stand here arguing all day or are we gonna get down to business?"

"You're such a nuisance. What do you think Lord Eldestmon?" Swiftmon asked the leader of the battlefront.

"It's alright. Just remember, Beautymon. If you leave your comrades behind ever again..."

"I know!"

"Very well then." Eldestmon replied. He waited until the room was silent and every Digimon had their eyes on him.

"Our scouters have found the location of another Legendary Spirit."

"Which one?" I asked.

"The Legendary Spirits of Water." answered Eldestmon.

"Where is it, Eldestmon?" Zoe questioned.

"We aren't sure yet. All we know is that it's somewhere between the Toucanmon's Island and Gomamon's Island."

I remembered resting at Toucanmon's Paradise with my friends. Once there, we had delicious food and some fun in the sun. We didn't realize it was a setup to separate us from our D-Tectors. They flew away and headed toward the Autumn Leaf Fair, while we were stuck in the middle of the island. Thanks to a few Gomamon, and a little inspiration from Zoe, we were able to build a raft to get to the other side.

Of course, Ranamon showed up and attacked us. Kazemon fought back, but since she was in Ranamon's territory, she was no match for her. She fell into one of the whirlpools and I thought I would never see her again. But she survived and emerged out of the blue with her Beast Spirit in her possession. Zoe defeated the Digimon of Water and helped us got to the other side. It was an adventure I'll never forget, especially seeing how much Zoe has changed since then.

"What about the Toucanmon and Gomamon? Have they been captured or controlled by the Chaos Spheres?" I asked.

"Possibly. Malevomon's forces has already made its move. We must hurry. There's no time to waste. The fate of the Digital World is in your hands now. Do not let your guard down and find those Spirits!" Eldestmon commanded.

"YES, SIR!" Every Digimon in the room complied. After nodding to his troops, Eldestmon walked out of the room. Swiftmon stepped forward and looked at Gotsumon, who was sitting at a nearby computer.

"Gotsumon, turn on the Digiporter!" Swiftmon ordered.

"Yes, sir!" The rock monster saluted. He pushed a red button on the wall. The room was then filled with buzzing noises. I looked at the platform below and noticed it starting to glow.

"Digiporter's at 25%, sir!"

"Listen up! Our mission is to find the Legendary Spirits of Water! Stay alert! Malevomon's army has already started invading the area! Protect yourselves at all times!"

"Digiporter's power at 50%!" Gotsumon interrupted.

"Remember, our main priority is the Spirits! Once we retrieve the Spirits of Water, return back to home base immediately!"

"YES, SIR!" The Digimon cheered.

"Alright then. Stay focused and stay alive!" Swiftmon concluded as he made his way towards the platform.

"Digiporter's power at 75%!"

I searched through the crowd of Digimon and found Zoe in the back. She was looking at her D-Tector feeling somewhat disturbed or distracted. I couldn't help but wonder what's going on in her mind. I squeezed through a few of the warriors and made my way towards her. As I got closer, I noticed her refusing to make eye contact with me.

"Hey...' I smiled as I approached my best friend.

"What do you want?" She huffed, still staring at her small device.

"Just wanted to know if you're okay."

"I'm just peachy, thank you. Why aren't you with Beautymon? Apparently, she's got a thing for you..."

"I don't want to be with Beautymon... I want to be with you." I said, while trying to be nice. She turned and looked into my eyes. I could feel the tension between us slowly disappearing.

"Really?"

"Yes..."

"Digiporter's power is at 100%!" Gotsumon confirmed. "Ready to teleport on command, sir!"

"Excellent job, Gotsumon. Take it away!" ordered Swiftmon.

"Entering coordinates to Toucanmon's Island." Gotsumon said, typing the numbers on the computer.

"Coordinates are set, ready for teleportation. Teleporting in five…"

The swordsman Digimon spun one of his blades around before placing it back in its sheath.

"Four..."

Bokomon placed his green book back in his elastic waistband. Neemon, on the other hand, grabbed something that was on the platform and dropped it in his pants. Bokomon saw his partner's entire disturbing idiocy and responded by giving another painful wedgie.

"Three, two..."

Zoe smiled at me as Gotsumon continued the countdown. She placed her D-Tector back in her pocket and sighed. I could tell she was nervous about the mission. As a matter of fact, she was like this every time we go off searching for another Spirit. But the important thing is I'm here for her. She will never have to fight alone ever again.

"Thank you, Takuya."

"One..."

"Everything's going to be alright, Zoe. Trust me..." I reassured her.

I grabbed her hand to really let her know everything's going to be alright. Her cheeks grew extremely red, but that's nothing compared to the blush on my face. A strange butterfly-like feeling appeared inside my body. I don't know why I did what I did, but I want Zoe to know I'm always by her side, no matter what happens. All of the sudden, the awkward feeling disappeared and I gave Zoe another comforting smile.

"Commence teleportation!" Gotsumon shouted, slamming his fist on a blue button.

A white light shot out from the bottom of the Digiporter, engulfing us with its bright light. Before long, the entire room was covered with white, blinding light as I felt myself being teleported from one side of the Digital World to the other.

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

Meanwhile, just under a mile from Toucanmon's Island, a bird-like Digimon flew over the oceans of the Digital World. He was a small blackish bird with black feathers, and a blue beak with yellow stripes. His body looked like part of a red egg with two yellow spots that looked like buttons. He wore red shoes with a yellow color all the way to down to the toes. He also had a small, but thick blade on top of his head.

Moments later, this flying creature came to a very, VERY, large rock that is shaped like a human's skull. He flew inside the right of eye of the skull and entered a dark cave. He landed on the ground and gasped for air. While catching his breath, the bird looked up and saw two shadowy figures in front of him. The one on the right closely resembled Malevomon's subordinate, Sinistromon. The one on the left, however, was a small four legged creature. That was all the bird-like Digimon could see.

"Tell everyone to get ready. Once when those pesky humans arrive, you know what to do." Sinistromon ordered. The four legged beast gave a quick nod and crawled away without saying a word. As it disappeared into the darkness, Sinistromon began chuckling to himself. "While those guys keep the humans busy, I'll be searching for the..."

"Sinistromon, sir!" The bird cried. "They're coming. The humans are on their way!"

"Say what?" growled the imp. "Well, get on with it Toucanmon!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Toucanmon**

**Level: Rookie**

**Attacks: Crazy Crest; Marble Peck**

**Description: Toucanmon is a very timid creature who always has his guard up, even when he's not fighting. His Crazy Crest attack may sound silly, but the sharp blade on the top of his head is no laughing matter. Although his fighting skills are somewhat decent, in reality, he's really a coward.**

"S... Sir, I just re... received word that the Digimon Battlefront are a... about to ar... arrive on the island. What should we do?" Toucanmon stuttered nervously.

"Proceed as planned, you dumb animal. Once when you see the humans, ATTACK!"

"Uh... Understood sir... Anything else?"

"GET OUT OF HERE!"

"Y... Yes, sir!" Toucanmon responded. He flapped his wings and flew out of the cave.

* * *

><p>Bright lights flashed on Toucanmon's Island. The Digimon Battlefront and the two humans found themselves on the beach once the teleportation was completed. One by one, they walked off of the platform and scanned the area. Takuya and Zoe were the last ones to dismiss themselves off of the Digiporter.<p>

Their feet made contact with the warm sand. They gazed at the marvelous view in front of them and were both flabbergasted. The gentle breeze blew against their faces as the smell of summer entered their noses. The sunlight bounced off sand and the ocean. The plants behinds them were luscious green and there were a ton of palm trees that were as tall houses. Finally, the ocean... Oh, how beautiful the ocean was. The water is crystal clear, turquoise where it's shallow, royal blue in the deep.

"Hey Zoe, does ever cross your mind that the beaches in the Digital World are better than the ones back home?" Takuya grinned.

"I noticed that!" giggled the blonde.

"You know what that means?"

"SUMMER VACATION!" Both of them shouted.

"ENOUGH!" Swiftmon ordered, stopping the two humans from getting carried away. "We didn't come here to have fun! We came to find the Spirits of Water! There is no time for rest and relaxation!"

"But Swiftmon..." Zoe complained.

"Stop complaining, Blondie. Just listening to you grumble is very... annoying." Beautymon sighed.

"Watch it!" Zoe growled at the female Digimon.

"Hopeless..." Swiftmon said while shaking his head. Takuya sighed as he took out his D-Tector. A small map appeared on the screen, but there was no dot indicating where the Spirits might be.

"Well, we better start moving." suggested the boy. "The Spirits aren't going to come to us. We have to find them before..."

"HEEEELLLLLLLLP!" Someone shouted.

The group turned to where the voice was coming from. The screams grew louder and louder with each passing second. All of the fighters in the Digimon Battlefront took out their weapons and prepared themselves for what's ahead. Takuya and Zoe also got ready for battle, taking out their D-Tectors out of their pockets.

"Stand your ground!" Swiftmon ordered as he unsheathed one of his broadswords.

Upon command, the soldiers got into their battle formations. There were more warriors on the front lines, compared to the ones in the back. Takuya joined the group in the front while Zoe stayed behind just in case. She looked ahead and noticed a bunch of small, mammal Digimon that appeared to be running for their lives. Zoe observed the creatures and noticed they looked very familiar.

They were white furry seal-like creatures. They had long ears with purple markings at the end of each ear, along with an orange-red mane. Even their faces, back and front paws had purple markings on them. They also had large black claws, short tails, and a W-shaped mouths with two pointed teeth protruding out. Zoe's eyes widened upon realization.

"Hey!" Takuya wondered. "Isn't that..."

"GOMAMON!" Zoe cried.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Gomamon**

**Level: Rookie**

**Attacks: Marching Fishes; Claw Attack**

**Description: The Gomamon are Sea Animal Digimon who has the ability to move on land and swim underwater. Their claws are strong enough to break through solid ice. With their Marching Fishes attack, they can gather a hoard of fish friends to attack the enemy or to just help him out.**

"They may be in trouble!" Takuya deduced.

"What makes you say that?" Neemon asked

"Just look, you nimrod!" Bokomon said, pointing his finger.

The two teenagers looked beyond the stampede of Gomamon and saw a bunch of giant ferocious, water-type Digimon chasing and attacking them. They appeared to be hermit crab-like creature. They had green hair that's shaped liked a sea anemone. They have soft, pink bodies like a mollusk with blue spots down their arms. Finally, the backside of these Digimon are attached to large, thick-layered shells. These defense mechanisms are tougher than steel and had spikes all over for protection.

"What are those things?" Zoe gasped.

"Shellmon!" answered Bokomon.

"What's a Shellmon?" questioned Neemon.

"Big trouble if we don't do something!" Takuya announced.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Shellmon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Aqua Blaster; Slamming Attack**

**Description: Shellmon may have low intelligences and belligerent personalities, but they're very dangerous Digimon; on land or sea. The shells on their backs are almost unbreakable. Their Aqua Blaster attack is so strong, it can put holes through solid rocks.**

"Get them, Shellmon! Destroy every single one of them! Another voice ordered from above. Takuya and Zoe looked up and saw a bird-like Digimon hovering above the group of shellfish creatures. Zoe gasped while Takuya gave the toucan a menacing glare.

"TOUCANMON!" Takuya growled, catching the bird's attention. He noticed the two humans, as well as the warriors in the Digimon Battlefront.

"Oh, great! It's the humans!" Toucanmon mumbled to himself.

"Leave the Gomamon alone, Toucanmon!" Takuya ordered. He took a step forwards, which mildly intimidated the bird-like creature.

"Give it up, you pathetic twerps! You can't win! I suggest you surrender now! That way, no one gets hurt!"

"Not if we could help it!" Swiftmon announced! He spun his sword and got in a defensive stance. Toucanmon watched nervously as every Digimon in the Battlefront get into their fighting position. He gulped one more time before proceeding with his orders.

"SHELLMON, ATTACK!" Toucanmon ordered.

"Aqua Blaster!" The water-type Digimon shouted.

The Shellmon took aim and shot powerful blasts of water at the fleeing Gomamon. Streams of high pressure water sailed towards the seal-like creatures, just barely missing them by a few inches or so. However, it did send the Gomamon flying across the beach.

"GOMAMON!" Zoe screamed.

"We got to help them!" said Takuya.

"Alright..." Swiftmon said as he turned back to his troops. "Group Z, gather all of the Gomamon and get them to safety. The rest of you... come with me."

"Yes, sir!" Everyone obliged. Upon command, the Digimon split into two groups. One group protected the weak and tired Gomamon. The other, including Takuya and Zoe went after the Shellmon. As they ran into battle, the two humans smiled at each other.

"You ready, Zoe?"

"Let's do it!"

*Insert Song: With The Will*

Sketches of Human Spirits of Flame and Wind were traced respectively on Takuya's and Zoe's D-Tectors. When the outlines were finished, the screens stated to glow. With their D-Tectors in one hand, they extended their free hand out and a ring of Fractal Code appeared. After a couple of arm swings, Takuya and Zoe brought the ring of data with the scanner of their devices.

"EXECUTE…" They cried, swiping the Fractal Code ring with their D-Tectors. "… SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

Upon command, a long line of Fractal Code swirled around their bodies as the Spirits of Wind and Fire awakened. The humans could feel a surge of energy taking over their bodies. While Takuya was transforming, raging hot flames surrounded him, giving him a lot of energy and strength. As for Zoe, she felt the wind's power flowing as she became one with the Spirit. It wasn't long before the transformation was complete. Two Legendary Warriors suddenly appeared onto the battlefield.

"AGUNIMON!" The Warrior of Flame roared.

"KAZEMON!" The Warrior of Wind screamed.

The fiery Digimon took a step forward and pounded his fists together, creating two large fireballs at the end of each knuckle. While Agunimon was getting ready, Kazemon extended her hands out and thin, pink tornadoes erupted out of her fingertips. Both Legendary Warriors took aim before unleashing their attacks.

"Pyro Punch!" Agunimon shouted. He gave two solid punches, sending the fireballs straight towards a couple of Shellmon.

"Hurricane Wave!" Kazemon shouted as she flicked her hands at the enemy, releasing the tornadoes to a few more unsuspecting Shellmon.

Agunimon's fireballs nailed a couple of Sea Animal Digimon straight in the chin, knocking them to their sides. Meanwhile, Kazemon's group of tornadoes also knocked a few Shellmon off their feet. The group of crab-like creatures ceased their shooting at the Gomamon and scowled at the two Legendary Warriors. The Digimon Battlefront gathered around the two Humanoid Digimon and got in ready position. One of the Shellmon unleashed deafening roar, thus ordering all of the other Shellmon to charge at the group of warriors.

"ATTACK!" Swiftmon ordered. Upon command, the Digimon Battlefront and the Legendary Warriors scattered across the battlefield and headed straight towards a Shellmon.

With both swords in hand, Swiftmon sprinted towards a couple of Shellmon. The watery monsters lowered their heads and shot powerful jet streams of water at the warrior-like Digimon. However, Swiftmon saw the attack coming from a mile away. He dove to the side and rolled out of the way. He could feel some of the water dropping on his face. He looked towards his opponents and charged in on them. The Shellmon continued with the attack, trying to spray the swordsman away.

All of the sudden, Swiftmon got within striking distance. With one powerful swing of his sword, the first aquatic Digimon was instantly defeated. Swiftmon shifted his attention to the second Shellmon. He noticed another jet stream coming his way, but he sidestepped to evade the attack. He circled around the Mollusk Digimon, waiting for an opportunity to strike. The moment he saw Shellmon lowering his head, he dove in for the kill. Swiftmon swung his sword at the creature's body and landed smoothly on the ground. After groaning in pain, his body disintegrated into tiny pieces. Just like that, he was deleted.

He then sprinted towards the closest Shellmon to him. The aquatic beast blasted a couple powerful jets of water at the swordsman. Swiftmon used his quickness, speed and agility to dodge the attacks. He finally got in range and held his weapon up. Shellmon countered by retreating into his shell. Swiftmon hacked, slashed and attacked every part of the monster's armor. However, with each strike delivered, Swiftmon's stamina decreased bit by bit. He stopped for a while and observed the giant shell in front of him. He grunted when he noticed his swords weren't even scratching the surface. Swiftmon took a step back and move on to Plan B.

"Diamond Cutter." He whispered as he disappeared from the vicinity. A few seconds later, Shellmon got out of his shell and searched for the swordsman. He looked left and right, but the warrior-like Digimon was nowhere to be seen.

"Where are you? Show yourself!" He ordered.

"With pleasure..." A valiant voice obliged.

Shellmon looked up and noticed a shadowy figure covering the sunlight. He retaliated by firing more hydro blasts at the swordsman. Swiftmon cut through each oncoming attack and quickly closed the distance. Shellmon ceased firing and tried crawling back into his solid defense. That's when Swiftmon saw his opportunity. He held both swords in front of him before disappearing again.

Half a second later, he reappeared in front of the crab-like creature. He spun one of his swords around before placing back in its sheath. A loud *clink* echoed as the blade returned to its position. However, when the sound enter Shellmon's ear, he screamed in pain before his body obliterated into pieces. Swiftmon unsheathed his blades again and search for his next opponent

Meanwhile, Beautymon found herself surrounded by three other Shellmon. She gazed into her opponents' eyes, waiting for them to make a move. Finally, the Shellmon planted their feet into the ground and aimed their heads towards the female Digimon. They rapidly fired a barrage of water towards Beautymon. The olive-haired warrior sighed before spinning and turning her body gracefully to avoid the attacks. She twirled around in circles with her sleeves whirling in the air like a ribbon dancer.

But before completing the turn, she took aim at the closest Shellmon and fired a powerful pink beam at it. The energy attack blasted the Sea Animal Digimon into smithereens. Beautymon landed smoothly on the ground and aimed at another Shellmon. Both Digimon launched their attacks towards each other at the same time. Shellmon's Aqua Blast collided with Beautymon's Beautiful Beam. For a while, the two were at a standstill. Neither one of them was giving an inch towards the other. Suddenly, Beautymon smirked at Shellmon.

"Got ya..." She winked as if she wasn't even trying. She then added a little more energy into the attack, completely overpowering Shellmon's jet stream. The beam made contact with Shellmon's body. There was a huge explosion before the aquatic monster was deleted.

"Oooh, that's gotta hurt." Beautymon giggled.

She faced her final opponent who was trembling in fear. Figured that he wouldn't stand a chance, Shellmon retreated back into his shell. Beautymon could sense the cowardice in her opponent. As she approached the crab-like creature, she extended one of her arms out and released a barrage of flower petals from her sleeve. The petals made its way through the opening of Shellmon's defense.

"Come on out, sweetie. I got something for you." seduced Beautymon.

Upon command, Shellmon slowly poked his head out of his shell and gazed deep into Beautymon's eyes like he's in some kind of a trance. The female Digimon held out a closed fist in front of Shellmon. With drool coming out of his mouth, Shellmon looked down to see the surprise Beautymon has for him. But when she opened her hand, she fired a powerful beam at point blank range. Shellmon screamed in pain before disappearing from sight.

"Such a pity..." She smirked.

Elsewhere, Agunimon took on two other Shellmon. He pounded his two fists together and two fireballs appeared on each of his hands. The Warrior of Flame sprinted towards one of the Shellmon. While dodging the opponent's oncoming barrage of water attacks, he heaved his fists at Shellmon, launching both fireballs at the target. Both fireballs nailed Shellmon straight in the chin, forcing his head back.

Agunimon saw an opening as he closed the distance. He gave Shellmon a huge uppercut straight to the jaw, knocking him on his back. Agunimon turned his head and saw another onslaught of hydro blasts coming his way. The fiery Digimon grinned as he dodged left and right, avoiding each attack Shellmon delivered. Once the barrage has stopped, Agunimon grinned at his second opponent.

"You missed me buddy!" He smiled.

"Aqua Blaster!" cried Shellmon as shot more high pressured liquid at Agunimon.

The Warrior of Flame dove to his right and rolled on the sand. He quickly recovered and got in back in his fighting stance. He saw Shellmon took aim at him once again. Large fireballs appeared on his hands. He extended his arms to his side and started spinning around. His entire body was surrounded by a fiery cyclone. Shellmon stood his ground as he launched a powerful burst of liquid at the Legendary Warrior. The water made contact with the flamed tornado, creating lots of steam. However, the flames on the tornado blazed on. Agunimon spun faster and faster towards his target. Shellmon continued firing more hydro blasts at the Warrior of Flame, but to no avail. Finally, Agunimon was in range.

"TAKE THIS!" He cried as the fiery tornado collided with Shellmon's body. The crab-like Digimon screamed in pain as Agunimon knocked him off his feet.

Meanwhile, Kazemon just gave one Shellmon a vicious roundhouse kick to the face. The creature landed hard on the ground. The Warrior of Wind turned and saw another Shellmon slowly approaching her. Once when he got close enough, the aquatic beast snapped his jaws at the butterfly. However, Kazemon quickly moved to the side to avoid Shellmon's bite. She then turned her backside towards the crab-like Digimon and tapped his cheek with her buttocks.

Shellmon flinched a little bit before lowering his defenses. His blue eyes were replaced with pinkish hearts. Al of the sudden, Shellmon has developed some kind of attractive feelings toward Kazemon. The Legendary Warrior smiled as she pat the immobilized Shellmon on the head. She then noticed a couple more Shellmon coming her way. Neither one of them looked happy.

"Shellmon? Take care of them for me, will you?" She asked.

He obliged by taking aim at the other two Shellmon and blasted them with a powerful jet of water. The high pressure liquid sent the two aquatic creatures flying. They both crashed hard in the blue ocean. Kazemon giggled to herself as she patted the Shellmon again. A few seconds later, she gave her supposed servant a powerful spinning heel kick to the jaw, knocking him unconscious. She floated in the air and scanned the area, looking to see if there are any more Shellmon left to defeat.

"Well, that wasn't so har... AAAAHHHHHH!"

She felt some kind of vine wrapping around her body and holding her tight. She looked down and noticed a Shellmon had one of his hairs around her. She tried to break free, but the crab-like Digimon wouldn't let go. Shellmon squeezed hard on Kazemon's slender body. The Legendary Warrior could feel the pressure being applied to her, but she couldn't get loose.

"Let her go, Shellmon!" Agunimon demanded as he came in for the rescue. He leaped up and chopped the hair in half, releasing the Warrior of Wind from Shellmon's grasp. Kazemon made her way towards Agunimon and the two Legendary Warriors stare at what seems to be the last Shellmon left standing.

"Thanks Takuya!" She said.

"Are you alright?" asked Agunimon.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Kazemon responded. Suddenly, the Shellmon unleashed a powerful roar that shook the ground. Although the sound was intimidating, it wasn't enough to scare the two Legendary Warriors. They got into a defensive stance, ready to take down Shellmon.

"Zoe, let's defeat him together." Agunimon suggested.

"My thoughts exactly." Kazemon said with a smile.

The two warriors sprinted towards Shellmon. The crab-like Digimon again fired a rapid barrage of liquids at the two. Agunimon juked side to side to avoid the attacks. Kazemon flew through the area and spun around a few times to dodge the water coming her way. As they continue to avoid Shellmon's attacks, red fireballs appeared on Agunimon's hands while pink tornadoes erupted out of Kazemon's fingertips.

"On my signal. Okay?" Agunimon ordered.

"I'm right behind you!" confirmed Kazemon.

After a few seconds of dodging, Agunimon finally saw an opening. He dug his feet into the ground while Kazemon floated just behind him.

"NOW! PYRO PUNCH!" shouted the Warrior of Flame as he launched both fireballs at the target.

"HURRICANE WAVE!" The Warrior of Wind cried, releasing her tornadoes at the enemy.

One fireball hit Shellmon's body, which immediately stopped the barrage of hydro attacks. He glared back at his opponents, only to see the second fire ball coming his way. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to react or retreat to his shell. The fireball made contact with his chin, almost knocking him off his feet. Half a second later, the pink tornadoes from Kazemon collided against Shellmon's body, sending him tumbling in the air. The Legendary Warriors watched as Shellmon got higher and higher off the ground.

Finally, gravity got a hold of the poor creature as he began to descend back down to the beach. Once when he was in sight, Agunimon grabbed both of Kazemon's hands. After nodding to each other, the Warrior of Flame swung the butterfly around in a circle, like a hammer throw. He finally released her as Agunimon threw the Warrior of Wind at the plummeting Shellmon. She darted at the aquatic beast like she was shot out of a cannon. She finally got in range and prepared to deliver the finishing blow. Kazemon flipped forward and gave Shellmon a powerful ax kick to the belly. Shellmon cried in pain as his body crashed hard into the sand. A ring of Fractal Code surrounded the creature's body. The Legendary Warrior landed smoothly on her feet and gazed at her opponent.

"Time for some purification!" Kazemon said. She did a little twist before pulling out her D-Tector. "I hate it when shellfish goes bad. Yuck!" The scanner lit up and the Symbol of Wind appeared on the screen. She did one more spin before moving on.

"FRACTAL CODE... DIGITIZE!"

She swung her arm out, absorbing the data around Shellmon's body. When all of the Fractal Code was absorbed, the aquatic creature digitized until there was nothing left. Fractal Code surrounded Kazemon's and Agunimon's body, transforming them back to their human form. The two teenagers looked down and noticed a black sphere on the ground, still flowing with energy. But since its host was defeated, the power in the Chaos Sphere decreased. And with that, the Chaos Sphere shattered into bits.

Takuya then looked up at the sky and glared Toucanmon. The bird-like creature saw the anger in the young man's eyes and became somewhat terrified.

"You're next, Toucanmon!" He growled. The toucan felt intimidated by Takuya's threats. He flew backwards a little bit to get more space between himself and the boy.

This isn't over yet, humans! You may have defeated the first battalion of troops, but I can assure you that I have plenty more along the way! You'll see! The Spirits of Water belongs to Lord Malevomon! And I can assure you that we will be the ones to find it first! It's too late, you weaklings! There's nothing you can do to stop us! Our master's quest for Digital World domination will become a reality! You'll see! Hahahahaha!"

And with that, Toucanmon flew away. He sailed above the ocean and disappeared into the horizon.

The battle was over and the Digimon Battlefront were victorious. They've defeated a large number of Digimon controlled by the enemy. Every warrior in the Digimon Battlefront raised their weapons and cheered in victory. Bokomon was swinging Neemon around and around in a circle. Takuya and Zoe gave each other high five. Even Beautymon showed hint of satisfaction from winning the battle. Swiftmon reappeared in the middle of the group of warriors. He waited until every Digimon and human had their eyes on them.

"This is only the beginning" Swiftmon announced. "We may have won the battle, but the war is far from over. The enemy will return, and they'll be even stronger than last time. Do not let your guard down. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!" The warriors replied. Swiftmon nodded as he turned towards the two Chosen Children.

"And as for you two..." He said. Takuya and Zoe waited anxiously for what Swiftmon had to say. "Both of you showed tremendous bravery, strength and teamwork. I'm proud of you two, but then again, I expect nothing less from the Legendary Warriors. Keep up the good work!"

"Thanks, Swiftmon." Takuya smiled. Zoe nodded back and giggled.

"Alright then, MOVE OUT!" The swordsman ordered.

Swiftmon took the lead as and his troops walked along the beach and continued to search for the Spirits. Takuya and Zoe waited until all of the warriors have assembled with the groups. The two of them stared out into the ocean, either reflecting about their last battle or thinking about what's to come. They looked at each other, nodded and smiled.

"Come on, Zoe. Let's go." He ordered.

"Okay." said the blonde.

The two of them walked side by side along the beach as they followed the group of warriors. They were both really exhausted from the fight with the army of Shellmon. But as much as they two of them wanted to rest, they had to press on. The fate of the Digital World is at stake and they cannot afford to let Malevomon get his hands on another Spirit. The two humans walked on the sand for about ten feet before coming across a seal-like Digimon. A few seconds later, more Gomamon appeared and gathered around the Chosen Children.

"You saved our lives! We are all so grateful! Thank you so much!" One of the Gomamon said.

"THANK YOU SO MUCH!" The rest of the Gomamon followed.

"No problem, you guys." Zoe smiled. "There's no need to worry anymore. You guys are safe now. As long as we're here, nobody can hurt you!"

"Again, thank you very much." said Gomamon. "By the way, what brings you here?"

"We're searching for the Legendary Spirits of Water. Word has it that it's somewhere in this area. We just don't know where to look." answered Takuya. "Say Gomamon, do you guys know where the Spirits are?"

"Sorry, we have no idea." The Gomamon answered as they shook their heads.

"That's okay! Why don't you guys come with us? The more friends we have looking for the Spirits, the better chance we'll find it. How about it, you guys? With your help, we can cover much of the island in no time!" Zoe suggested.

All of the Gomamon in the area cheered happily. Zoe spoke a few words and yet she managed to inspire every single Gomamon, like she did a long time ago. The goggle-head couldn't be more proud of his best friend. Takuya placed a hand on Zoe's shoulder and the two of them smiled at each other once again. They were both thinking the same thing. With so many friends on their side, what could possibly go wrong?

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Toucanmon flew over the oceans of the Digital World and came across the skull shaped rock. He flew inside the right eye and entered the dark cave where Sinistromon's hideout was located. He gently lowered himself down to the ground, panting and gasping for air. A shadowy figured appeared in front of the toucan-type Digimon.<p>

"You're here early." said Malevomon's faithful servant.

"Si... Sinistromon!" gasped Toucanmon.

"Well? Enough stalling, you bird brain! GIVE ME A REPORT!"

"Yes, sir." said Toucanmon. "All of the Gomamon have escaped and are now on the same side as the humans."

"All of them?"

"Uh-huh! All of them."

"And? What about the rest of the..."

"Everything's in place. The traps have been set, and your troops are anxiously waiting for your orders. Sir, the humans suspect nothing just as you predicted."

"Excellent!" Sinistromon grinned as he rubbed his hands together. "Phase One of my Master Plan has been complete. Toucanmon!"

"Yes, sir?"

"Proceed with Phase Two!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter fifteen. <strong>

**What kind of diabolical plan is Sinistromon cooking up right now? Can Takuya and Zoe find the Spirits of Water before it's too late? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	16. Fun In The Sun

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**At last, the Spirits of Earth our in Takuya's and Zoe's possession. But with another Legendary Spirit located, our heroes won't have time for another break. The Digimon Battlefront were then teleported to Toucanmon's Island, hoping to find the Spirits of Water. But before they can begin the search, they spotted an army of evil Shellmon chasing away a bunch of Gomamon. Takuya and Zoe quickly Spirit Evolved to save their friends from getting destroyed. In gratitude, the Gomamon agreed to help the humans search for the Spirits of Water. Let's just hope they find it first before Sinistromon does.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter sixteen!**

* * *

><p><strong>Fun In The Sun<strong>

**Zoe's POV:**

All of us scattered throughout Toucanmon's Island, searching for the Legendary Spirits of Water. Swiftmon constantly reminded us to keep our eyes open, since they could be anywhere. But in all seriousness, the swordsman couldn't be any more right. Back at the Flame Terminal, Takuya found his Spirits at the bottom of a dark hole. My Spirits were hidden in a statue at Breezy Village. And for the Spirits of Earth, one of our good friends had it the whole time.

In other words, the Spirits of Water could be hidden anywhere on this island.

Then again, it shouldn't come to me as a surprise. Every time Eldestmon sent me and Takuya to retrieve the Legendary Spirits, they were in places none of us would ever thought of looking. I bet that the Spirits of Water would be hidden in another ridiculous place somewhere along the island. They could be underneath a rock at the bottom of the sea, or maybe buried underneath all of this sand. Or possible hidden inside an oyster or in a dark cave. Who's to say?

I scanned the island and saw a lot of Digimon searching the vicinity for the Spirits. A few of them checked the middle of the island. Palm trees, plants and other luscious greens surrounding them. Some of the creatures had to use their weapons to cut down the plants so they can try to locate the Spirits. Other Digimon looked on the sandy beaches. While some flew above the island to get a good bird's-eye view, the rest of them started digging in the sand, hoping that the Spirits would be burred underneath them. So far, no luck.

There was also a possibility that they could be underwater or hidden in the corals in the depths of the ocean. Unfortunately, the only ones that can search there are the Gomamon. It was a good thing a bunch of them were here to help us out. While we searched the land, the Gomamon searched the waters. It's encouraging to hear my friends tell me that they'll search every inch of the ocean to find the Spirits of Water. But as of right now, I haven't gotten back from them yet.

I don't know what's taking the Gomamon so long. But I am confidence that they will find it sooner or later.

I continued my search for the Spirits, along with Takuya. I checked the map on my D-Tector, but so far... nothing. Everywhere I go, the Spirits were nowhere to be found. Even Takuya's having the same luck as I am. We've searched high and low and we're still coming up empty. Either we were looking in the wrong places, or maybe we just missed it.

Takuya made a map the island to keep track of the places we've already looked and the ones we have yet to search. Every time we checked a certain spot and found nothing, we mark it with an 'X' and then move on to the next location. The last time I checked the map, there was an 'X' on almost every spot on the paper. Only a few places left to look, and still no sign of the Spirits.

We've been searching for the Legendary Spirits of Water for almost two hours and we still don't know where they are. We were all getting really tired and very frustrated. Some of the Digimon were already giving up. I can tell by their attitudes. As the time passed, they're growing more irate and even more impatient. I couldn't help but feel sorry for them. We're all working hard to find the Spirits and save the world. It would help if we were given some kind of clue to where the Spirits might be hiding.

I looked towards the shoreline and finally noticed a couple of Gomamon coming out of the water.

"Hey guys! Did you find the Spirit yet?" I asked as they approached me. However, my excitement was short-lived when I saw their heads shaking and the frowns on their faces.

"Sorry." One of the Gomamon said. "We've searched the entire ocean and still no luck."

"No way." I gasped.

"What's going on here?" A voice spoke. I turned and saw a teenage boy wearing goggles approaching me and the seal-like Digimon.

"The Gomamon are searching the waters, but they haven't been able to find the Spirits yet."

"Man, this stinks." complained the goggle-head. "We've search pretty much checked the entire island already. Dammit! Where could they be?"

"Don't give up, Takuya." I said. "We'll find the Spirits of Water. They gotta be around here somewhere. We're just not looking hard enough."

He nodded in agreement as we continued our search. I could sense impatience and anxiety inside Takuya. I kinda felt sorry for him though. The longer the search continued, the more frustrated he's become. The same thing can be said about me too. Don't get me wrong, I'm feeling kinda edgy and restless as well. Each time I come up empty after checking a spot on the beach, anger slowly starts building on me. I'm not going crazy or anything, but things could happen to a girl if stuff like this happen.

I took out my D-Tector and looked at it for what appears to be the third time. Again, there wasn't any kind of dot indicating where the Spirits are. After letting out a soft sigh, I placed the device back in my pocket. I checked on the Gomamon to see if they've come up with anything. But as I approached them, I noticed the sad look on their faces.

"What's wrong, Gomamon?" I asked.

"What's the point?" grumbled one of the aquatic Digimon. "We'll never find the Spirits."

"Come on, you guys! We can't quit now. I'm sure they're out there somewhere."

"But we've looked everywhere and still no signs of the Spirits."

"We can't give up, Gomamon. Everyone else is counting on us. We cannot let them down."

"Yes, but... it all seems... hopeless."

"Listen guys! That negative attitude of yours won't get us anywhere. We have to keep searching before Malevomon and his goons get here. We need all the help we can get. We need you guys to not lose hope and keep looking until we find it."

"You say it like it's so simple." replied the Gomamon. "But in reality, it's not. Some of our friends have been captured by the evil Malevomon. Now, they are working for the enemy. Let's face it, things are not going our way and it never will."

"Gomamon..." I looked at my best friend, hoping he would give me some support. "A little help here, Takuya?"

"They're probably just tired, Zoe." He answered. "We all are. I mean, we've been on this stupid island for a long time now. We all could use a break."

"Takuya..." I sighed.

"What? I'm serious! My neck's killing me, my legs are giving in, and I'm about to have a huge headache. And not only that, I'm getting pretty hungry too."

"What's going on here?" A voice asked. I immediately recognized it as Bokomon's voice. We turned and saw him and Neemon walking towards us.

"Hey guys!" I smiled. "Any luck finding the Spirits?"

"Nope!" Neemon answered.

"Sorry. We did not." Bokomon replied while shaking his head.

"Great, just great!" Takuya growled. He kicked up some sand in frustration with some of it accidently landing in Neemon's eyes.

"Chill out, Takuya." I said. "It has to be here somewhere."

"Maybe so, Zoe. But even if it is, we don't even know where to look." said Bokomon.

"Let's face it. The Spirits aren't around this place. We've pretty much searched everywhere!" My best friend complained.

"_Almost_ everywhere." said Neemon. He emphasized the word 'almost' so he must be on to something.

"What are you talking about, Neemon?" Bokomon asked.

"We haven't checked there yet. Look!" He said, pointing his fingers out in front. Takuya and I looked toward that direction. Our eyes widened and a small gasped escaped our mouths.

"You got to be kidding me." grumbled Takuya.

"Well, what do you know?" I thought.

A few yards from us stood a small hut standing on the beach. I observed the dwelling and its features. It had a pinkish thatched roof made of straw. Most of the structure was made of wood, but it had a few leaves around it. There were a few flags on the roof, and a couple of them in front of the hut. There were a couple of locker rooms in the back. Takuya and I slowly approached the dwelling. The first thing we saw as we got closer was a sign brought back old recollections of our first adventure in the Digital World.

"Toucan Paradise"

Looking at the sign brought back so many memories. Without a doubt, this was the spot where we first met the Toucanmon. We all had decided to take a break and relax a little bit. The Toucanmon treated us like valued guests. They provided us some of the best food I've ever tasted and some beach rentals for us to use after we finished eating. At that moment, all of us thought we were in paradise. Not only that, but the Toucanmon seemed really friendly. Shy at first, but they were a nice group of Digimon.

But as we all know, it was all a big scam to separate us from our D-Tectors. While the boys were out having fun on the beach, those sneaky Digimon snuck inside the locker rooms and stole their D-Tectors. Once when they got their hands on them, it was off to see Ranamon, the Legendary Warrior of Water, so she could give them a kiss or something along those lines.

Takuya and I walked inside the hut and noticed it looked just the same as last time. The floors were squeaky clean and the room looked awfully inviting. To my right, was the same table my friends and I sat when the Toucanmon fed us. A large white tablecloth covered the top surface of the furniture. As a matter of fact, the tableware has already been set. Each seat has a small plate, napkin, fork, knife, spoon, pair of chopsticks and a drinking glass. On the left side was the place where the Toucanmon kept their beach stuff. Strange, but everything was still there. There were a bunch of swimsuits, inflatable inner tubes, and other beach items.

"Well, here we are again." I said.

"Yep. Thankfully, those lousy Toucanmon aren't here." grinned Takuya.

"Are you serious? We're going back in there again?" Neemon gasped with excitement.

"We're not here to have fun, you moron. Don't forget that we have a mission to complete. Come on. We better start our search." Bokomon said as he ventured further into the room with Neemon by his side. I looked at Takuya and noticed him nodding back at me.

We then split up and searched every inch of the hut. Bokomon checked behind the counters and a few cabinets. So far, he found nothing but clean plates and a few cobwebs. Neemon searched under every table, finding nothing but crumbs and bits of leftover food. The fact that he was eating it kinda grossed me out.

"Anything guys?" Takuya inquired.

"It's not back here." said Bokomon.

"What about you Neemon? Did you find anything?" I asked.

"Yes, I did!" The rabbit shouted.

"Really?" The rest of us. We gathered around Neemon and waited for him to show us his discovery.

"Yeah!" shouted Neemon as he showed us brought a plate of chocolate chip cookies in front of us. "Who wants cookies? I found them on the table and look really good..."

"YOU NINCOMPOOP!" Bokomon screamed. He took out his book and slammed his partner on the head. "We're here looking for the Spirits, and all you can think about is having a snack?"

"Sorry... but I couldn't resist." said Neemon as he recovered the vicious blow Bokomon gave him. "They smelled really good, like they were freshly baked out of the oven." He took one cookie off the plate and ate it.

"Moron! You such a pig, you know that?" grumbled Bokomon as Neemon scarf down a couple more of those scrumptious cookies.

"Come on, Bokomon! These are actually really tasty." Neemon laughed. He then turned towards me with crumbs all over his mouth. "Would you like one, Zoe?"

"Why, thank you!" I smiled, taking the cookie from the rabbit. I was about to take a bite when I noticed a puzzled look on Takuya's face. I've seen those eyes before. It either means he's thinking about something, or something's not right.

"You okay, Takuya?" I asked.

"I wonder..." He mumbled. "Hey Neemon, where did you find those cookies again?"

"On the table, where the food usually is, silly." answered Neemon.

"And when you found them, you said they appeared to be freshly baked right?"

"Um, I guess so."

"What's going on, Takuya?" I wondered.

"I'm not sure, but I got a bad feeling about this." He told me. Takuya must be up to something. I looked back at my cookie. It smelled really good, like the way my mother use to make them. I wasn't about to waste any more time. I am getting kind of hungry myself. I guess a little snack wouldn't hurt.

"_Buon Appetito_!" I said to myself. The cookie slowly approached my mouth when...

"Ah, there you guys are..." A valiant voice spoke. We all turned towards the front of the hut and saw Swiftmon and Beautymon at the entrance.

"Hey Swiftmon, Beautymon!" Takuya smiled as he waved at the two Digimon.

"Hiya, Cutie!" giggled Beautymon. I saw her give Takuya another one of her stupid winks. Honestly, am I the only one here who thinks that's very annoying? And why hasn't this two-face skank called Takuya by his actual name?

"Well, did you find the Spirits of Water yet?" Swiftmon asked.

"Nope, but we did find some cookies. Would you like one?" Neemon said out of the blue. Bokomon, Takuya and I dropped our heads, sighing with utter disappointment.

"Don't mind if I do!" said Beautymon as she walked towards us.

However, instead of going to Neemon, she went straight for me. I glared deep into her eyes. She probably wanted to insult me with another comment about my looks or something. Or probably try to make me jealous by getting all flirty with Takuya. Suddenly, she swiped the cookie that was in my hand and skipped towards Swiftmon.

"HEY!" I shouted. I watched helplessly as Beautymon took a bite off my cookie. My fists were tight and my head was about to burst. But she replied by sticking her tongue toward me.

"Stop it, you two!" Swiftmon ordered. He looked back at Takuya. "So, any luck finding them?"

"Sorry, we weren't able to locate it." Takuya apologized.

"That's impossible. It has to be around here somewhere. Lord Eldestmon will not be pleased when he..."

"Now calm down, Swiftmon. I'm beginning to think that the Spirits are probably on a different island instead." suggested Bokomon.

"Like where, Bokomon?" I asked.

"Well, for instance, what about that place the Gomamon used to hang out and play? You know, Goma Island?"

"It is possible." said Swiftmon.

"It has to be." Takuya added.

"In that case, let's move!" The swordsman ordered.

Beautymon lets out another disappointed sigh before complying with her partner's commands. I yawned and stretched for a few seconds before joining up with the other two Digimon. Sure, I was tired and a little moody. How can I not be? Spending the last two hours searching for the Spirits of Water and coming up with nothing can be very frustrating for anybody. But then again, complaining isn't going to get us anywhere.

I looked back at Takuya, wondering if he's coming with us. Instead, I found my best friend slumping into one of the chairs. He seemed to be very exhausted. Takuya's known for having a lot of energy, but this is different. But after observing his attitude for a while, I figured that he's bound to pass out sooner or later.

"Takuya, what's wrong? Are you feeling alright?" I cried with a small hint of concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired, that's all." He answered, which made me sigh with relief. I guess he and I are on the same boat. "Hey, Swiftmon? Can we take a break for a little bit?"

"Excuse me?" The swordsman asked.

"Oh, Cutie." Beautymon sighed.

"Takuya..." I gasped.

"We have no time for any sort of stoppage. We must keep searching for the Legendary Spirits. If Malevomon gets his hands on another Spirit, then that means..."

"I know, I know..." Takuya complained. "But we've been looking for two hours already. I'm hungry, I'm thirsty, I'm cranky, my neck's killing me and I'm very exhausted. So, please Swiftmon? Can we rest for a while?"

"Aw, poor Cutie." said Beautymon in somewhat of a bubbly voice as she skipped merrily towards Takuya. "Here, let me help you take the pain away and..."

"Can it, you loudmouth!" I shouted as I stood between her and Takuya. Once again, another staring contest broke out between the two of us.

"That's enough, you two." ordered Swiftmon. He stepped in between the two of us to break up our little argument. I took a few steps back and stood behind Takuya.

"Anyway, what do you say, Swiftmon? Is it alright that Zoe and I rest for a little bit? Just for an hour or two? I promise we'll get straight back to work when we're done." Takuya said.

"Please Swiftmon?" I begged.

"Hmm... I don't know." said the swordsman.

"That sounds like a great idea, Cutie! How about I join you so I can keep you compan..."

"Oh no! Not you, Beautymon! You are coming with me to the other island to search for the rest of the Spirits.

"WHAT?" Beautymon yelled in her superior's ear, though the swordsman refused to budge. "YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS! HOW COME BLONDE GETS TO TAKE A BREAK, WHILE I HAVE TO... "

"Will you just shut up? Your voice is getting on my nerves." Swiftmon yelled. I snickered a bit to myself. Nothing's more enjoyable than watching Beautymon getting put in her place. The second-in-command approached the two of us and nodded.

"Very well then. You can sit this one out." He finally said.

"ALRIGHT!" Takuya cheered.

"YAY!" I screamed while jumping for joy.

"Hang on, you two. I wasn't finished yet." Swiftmon interrupted, stopping us from getting carried away. "The two of us will continue our search on Goma Island. I expect you two to be back here in two hours and not a minute later. Otherwise, I would have to send Beautymon over to fetch you guys. Are we clear?"

"You got it, Swiftmon!" Takuya said, giving him the thumbs up.

"Don't worry about us. We'll be fine." I added.

"Good." He grinned. "Come, Beautymon. We better get a move on."

"But Swiftmon? I'm also tired!" complained the female Digimon. "My legs hurt, my dress is a mess, my hairs scraggly, and my..."

"Woman! I don't want to hear another one of your pathetic excuses! Now, get moving, or I'm going have to drag you along myself!" ordered Swiftmon.

"Fine, whatever..." She complained with a pouty face.

Swiftmon immediately stormed out of the hut. Beautymon turned towards Takuya one more time, silently begging him for his help. But I stepped in front of my best friend, stuck my tongue out towards that witch and 'politely' waved goodbye. She glared at me like a hungry animal, but I grinned back at her. I knew I was going to get the last word on her, and believe me, it feels SO good. After dealing with her constant name calling and teasing, it's about time I got some payback. After giving me a small 'Humph' she stormed out of the hut. Takuya, Bokomon, Neemon and I were the only ones left.

At last, now I get to spend some time with my best friend.

"Well, they're gone now." Bokomon said.

"And about time too! We can finally rest and relax for a while." smiled Takuya.

"How about it boys? Wanna go have some fun in the sun?" I asked.

"Yeah, definitely!" said Takuya.

"Sure, why not?" Bokomon laughed.

"Oh goodie! Beach time!" Neemon shouted.

"OH YEAH!" We all screamed.

So what if Swiftmon gave us only get two hours of playing time? The sun is shining, the sand is warm, the water's beautiful, and I have my friends with me. Nothing can get better than this.

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

Meanwhile, Toucanmon soared over the salty waters of the Digital World and flew into the cave where Sinistromon was hiding. He got down on one of the rocks and waited for the imp-like Digimon to give him his undivided attention.

"What the heck are you doing here, Toucanmon?" Sinistromon asked.

"Sinistromon!" The bird cried. "The troops have reported that the Digimon Battlefront have gone off to the other island to search for the Spirits of Water."

"So?"

"Sir, they've left the humans all by themselves on our island!"

"What? Already?"

"Wha... What should we do?" Toucanmon asked nervously.

"Are you an idiot or something? Give the orders already! Tell the troops to get ready to attack!" commanded Sinistromon.

"But sir, should we wait until the rest of the Battlefront members join up with the humans? We could take out all of them in one single..."

"Are you actually questioning me, you bird brain?"

"Huh? N... No, sir!

"Lord Malevomon has put me in charge of this mission! I've lost too many Spirits to those meddling kids! And I'm not going to let this one get away from me! Now, are you going to do what I say? Or do you still have problems with my authority?"

Not at all, sir! But I just think that..."

"THEN QUIT ARGUING WITH ME AND DO AS I SAY!" yelled the devil.

"Understood sir." Toucanmon obliged.

"NOW GO!" ordered Sinistromon.

Upon command, Toucanmon flapped his wings and flew out of the cave. Once he was gone, Sinistromon flew back up the air and started meditating, using his energy to find the location of the Legendary Spirits of Water. As far as he knows, it could be anywhere. Then again, he has his loyal minions to look for him. So while his subordinates are doing all the work, he plans to get all of the credit.

Sinistromon sir! I have news for you sir!" A voice cried out. Another creature crawled out of the water and climbed on the rocks. He stood before the devil-like Digimon and got on one knee.

"Yes, what is it?" Sinistromon asked.

"The Digimon Battlefront is approaching our island. Should we proceed with our assault?" The creature asked.

"Not yet. Let's wait and see how things play out."

"Yes, sir." The watery Digimon replied. He bowed to his commander before diving back into the water.

"Those humans have no idea of my master plan! By the end of the day, the Spirits of Water will belong to me! And those troublesome brats will be at the bottom of the ocean for all eternity. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

* * *

><p>Back at the Toucan Paradise, everyone was getting ready to have some fun at the beach. Bokomon was the first one out. After picking a good spot on the sand, he sets up his umbrella and unfolded his chair. The Rookie relaxed in his seat while drinking a cold, refreshing smoothie he made using the ingredients he found at the beach house. The mutant Digimon put on his sunglasses and immediately felt comfortable resting on the beach.<p>

He looked to his right and saw Neemon dressed in a red and white stripped bathing suit. In one hand were a couple of buckets with some small shovels in them. In his other hand were snorkeling gear. He slowly approached his best friend, who was doing his best to ignore him.

"Hey Bokomon?"

"What is it?"

"Should I build sand castles first, or should go snorkeling and look at the pretty fishes?"

"Why are you even asking me, you imbecile? Do whatever you like. I'm busy catching some rays and enjoying myself."

"But that's thing. I can't decide."

"Well, that's your problem then. Not mine."

"You're such a meanie! Fine, I'm going to build the biggest sand castle the world has ever seen." Neemon walked a few feet towards the ocean and started to play on the sand. Bokomon sighed as he watch his friend make a fool of himself. He turned back towards the hut.

"Hmm... I wonder how Takuya and Zoe are doing. Honestly, what could those two being doing on such a beautiful day like this?" He thought.

Meanwhile, Takuya had just walked out of the locker room. He was wearing black boarding shorts with crimson red trimmings. His D-Tector, on the other hand, was in his side pocket. He hadn't forgotten what happened last time. The Toucanmon tricked him and his friends to get their feathers on their devices. He was not going to make that same mistake again. Although there weren't any evil Digimon in sight, now's not the time to take any chances. Takuya went to one of the shelves and picked up a red towel. He walked back to the locker rooms and waited patiently for his best friend.

"Zoe, you gonna come out yet?" He called out.

"I'll be there in a minute!" answered he blonde haired girl.

"Fine... Man, why do girls take forever just to get ready?" He muttered to himself.

Inside the girl's locker room, Zoe was still trying on a bunch of different swimsuits. There were so many to choose from. Each suit came with a bunch of different colors, shapes and patterns. While Zoe was rummaging through the clothes like a teenage girl in a department store, she thought about what outfits her best friend might like.

She wanted to look good in front of him, so she had to find the perfect bathing suit. Not too revealing, otherwise he would think she's a promiscuous girl. But at the same time, she doesn't want a suit giving him the message she's self-conscious about body. One by one, she tried the swimsuits on, and one by one, they ended up on the floor.

"Hmm... let's see now..." Zoe said as she took out pink one piece swimsuit. "This one looks cute. This reminds me of the time when my parents used to take me to the beach when I was little. Aw, I was so adorable in this!

Zoe pictured how she would look in the suit. Her smile widened as she imagined others complimenting how cute she looks. But then again, something about this outfit just doesn't seemed right; like it doesn't suit her age.

"Uh, probably not. I'm not a little girl anymore. I need something more grown up, in a sense. Next!" She said as she tossed the pink one piece suit onto the floor.

"What about this one?" She thought. It was a black one piece swimsuit. It was plain with no particular designs or patterns on it. Zoe took a long look at the suit and smiled. "Ooh, this one's good too. I look just like an athlete or a swim instructor in this one!"

Again, Zoe pictured how she would look like if she wore this suit. She saw herself dominating in beach volleyball or other kind of extreme sports. While the thought of Takuya giving her praise in how great she was in the games, again Zoe wasn't satisfied.

"Yeah, maybe not. We're supposed to be having fun in the sun, not competing for gold medals. Let's see, what do we got here?" Zoe placed the outfit back on the hanger and continued looking at the other suits.

"Hey! I remember you! SEXY DYNAMITE!" She exclaimed as she took out her third suit. It was a two piece bikini as red as a stick of dynamite.

Zoe closed her eyes and imagined herself in this 'hot' outfit. She knew Takuya would be drooling all over her once he sees her in this. In fact, she might be the most gorgeous thing in the world if she went out in this. However, her smile dropped after thinking about it for a while.

"Meh, not today I guess. I don't want Takuya to think I'm that desperate. Sure I'll look good in this, but I'm no super model. Oh well, let's see what else we got..." Zoe tossed the red bikini on the floor where the other suits are.

"Jeez, why is it so hard for a girl to find the right swimsuit?" She said out loud. "I mean, really Zoe. Just pick something and go with it. No need to fuss about what Takuya's going to think..."

She then paused. Her eyes spotted a particular swimsuit. She took it off the rack and looked at it for a little bit. She observed thoroughly from top to bottom. Once her evaluation was complete, she lets out a huge smile. Zoe had found what she was looking for.

"Now this one's good. As a matter of fact... IT'S PERFECTO!" She exclaimed. She had found the perfect bathing suit. It wasn't too childish, but at the same time, not too promiscuous. She just couldn't wait to try it on.

"Zoe, are you ready yet?" complained a voice outside, which surprised her a bit.

"I'm almost done, Takuya. Just give me a second!" She replied.

"Well, hurry up! You've been in there forever!" The boy demanded.

Zoe shook her head and sighed once again. Takuya can be very impatient sometimes, but then again, it's partially her fault. She's the one who too forever to find what she wanted to wear at the beach. Zoe quickly got undressed and placed her clothes in a small basket. She then put her swimsuit. To her surprise, it fits perfectly. She grabbed a white towel on one of the shelves and waked outside.

The sunlight almost made her go blind. She put a hand above her face just to block the brightness. Zoe then noticed Takuya pacing back and forward. It took her a few seconds to realize he was already changed. She saw his swim trunks and smiled to herself, knowing that it looked really good on him. Zoe then turned her attention to Takuya's bare chest. He was incredibly fit, especially for his age. She noticed the muscles on his arms, not to mention the six pack he's somewhat working on.

Okay, so this isn't the first time she saw Takuya shirtless. Of course, the first time was when they were at Toucan Paradise for the first time. And there were a couple of occasions back in the Human World. For example, she was watching Takuya and the boys play basketball with each other at the park. It was supposed to be Shirts vs. Skins. Guess what team Takuya was on? At first, Zoe didn't seemed to mine seeing Takuya without his shirt on. But as time passes and as her feelings toward him grew, a strange tingling occurs when she sees his chest. She couldn't help but blush. Even today's no different.

"Alright, Takuya. I'm ready." She said, finally getting his attention.

"About time, Zoe." He grumbled as he turned towards her. "What the heck were you doing in there an... any... anyway... WHOA!"

Takuya's eyes widened and his mouth dropped the moment he saw Zoe. He took a long look at her from head to toe. She was wearing a purple two piece bikini with light purplish trimmings. His attention shifted towards the girl's gorgeous body. She was beyond perfect. In fact, she would make other super models jealous. She wasn't skinny or fat; his best friend was the perfect size. Takuya stared at her belly, and slowly shifted his attention to her long, sexy legs. The sunlight bounced off her smooth, creamy white skin. Takuya never seen his best friend like this before. He couldn't find the words to describe her.

"Well, how do I look?" She asked with a hint of red on her face. There was a little bit of nervousness in her voice.

"Zoe... you're... you're... my God..." stammered Takuya.

"What?"

"Zoe, you look amazing!" He shouted.

The girl's smile grew bigger after hearing the compliment. Her cheeks grew even redder. It made her so happy knowing that Takuya loved it a lot. She managed to calm herself down as her blush began to disappear. She looked back at Takuya and noticed he was still staring at her. More specially, at her chest. It took a while for her to realize this. She suddenly shrieked and covered her chest up with both arms.

"You moron!" She screamed, snapping Takuya from his thoughts.

"What? What did I do?" He asked defensively.

"You were _staring_ at me!"

"Staring? I wasn't staring! I was just... uh..."

"YOU JERK!"

*slap*

The blonde gave Takuya another hard slap to the face for his supposed perverted actions. The boy fell hard on the warm sand. He rubbed his swollen cheek and slowly regained himself.

"Ow! Alright, Zoe. I'm sorry! Better?"

"Not good enough..." She huffed, turning away from Takuya with her arms crossed.

"Fine. I'm sorry Zoe for 'staring' at you." He said with a hint of sincerity in his voice.

Zoe finally turned around and gazed into Takuya's eye. She sighed one last time and was able to let out another smile. At least he didn't mean to do it. When a beautiful girl standing before him, how could he not stare? Just thinking about it made Zoe blush again.

"Much better!" She beamed.

"Great! Now, that that's taken care of, how about we have some fun on the beach?"

"Well, what are we waiting for? _Andiamo_!"

Takuya and Zoe picked up their stuff and raced each other towards the beach. They spotted Bokomon resting in his chair and Neemon playing in the sand. Zoe took out a blanket and placed it gently on the sand next to Bokomon's seat, while Takuya sets his stuff next to Zoe's. After placing all of her belongings down, the blonde sat next to Bokomon underneath the umbrella and took out a bottle of sunscreen.

Zoe started to put some lotion all over herself. Takuya watched the blonde beauty apply sunscreen all over her body. He immediately became mesmerized at the gorgeous young woman in front of her. The way she strokes her arms and legs was pleasing to his eyes. He instantly became lost in his own little world. All Takuya could think about was Zoe and all of the beautiful qualities she possesses; something that the goggle-head hasn't noticed until now.

"Hey Takuya?" Zoe asked, snapping Takuya out of his thoughts.

"Huh? What's up, Z?"

"Could you put sunscreen on my back, please?"

"You... You want me to what?" Takuya froze at the question, wondering if those words came out of her mouth.

"I said, would you please put some on my back? It's kinda hard for me to reach and I was wondering if you could do it?"

"Why don't ask Bokomon or Neemon to do it?"

"Because Bokomon's resting and Neemon's busy playing in the sand."

"Yeah, but..."

"Just do it!" She ordered.

"Fine..." Takuya sighed as he took the sunscreen from her.

He squeezed the bottle gently and the lotion fell on his hand. Takuya took a good whiff at the sunscreen. It smelled exactly how summer should smell like with a combination of tropical fruits and the sea blended together. After rubbing the lotion on his hands for a few seconds, Takuya got on his knees behind Zoe and stared at her back.

The goggle-head's eyes went up. Even Zoe's backside was attracting, just like her front. How he wish he could stare at this gorgeous body before him all day. But in his peripheral vision, he noticed Zoe was about to look behind her. And if she saw him staring, who knows how she'll react? Immediately, Takuya snapped out of it and started applying the lotion on her back.

When he made contact with her bare skin, Zoe lets out a soft moan of ecstasy. Her shallow inhales enter Takuya's ears and a strange feeling appeared inside his body. It's a feeling he's somewhat familiar with, but couldn't come up with the words to describe it. On the other hand, he was more focused on the fact that he's actually touching his best friend.

Poor Takuya was sweating with nervousness. His hands trembled along her back, worried if he's doing it right or not. But after a while, the Bearer of Flame managed to calm down and continued to apply more sunscreen on his best friend. Though he never said it out loud, Takuya's actually enjoying this. Here he is, rubbing his hands all over Zoe Orimoto's back and she liked it. Normally, this girl doesn't appreciate it when other boys get too close to her, not even her closest friends. Takuya, however, seemed to be the only exception.

"Alright. I'm done." He said as he wiped the rest of the sunscreen off his hands.

"Thanks Takuya." She smiled.

"No prob..." He said as he turned away from her, hiding his blush.

"So, you wanna go swimming?" Takuya asked.

"I will later. Just let me relax first." Zoe replied as she lied flat on her back under the sun.

"Oh, come on Zoe. Swimming all by myself is no fun."

"You can either go now, or wait for a few minutes."

"Seriously?" Takuya grumbled.

"We'll swim with you!" Someone said. Takuya looked behind him and noticed three seal-like Digimon sitting behind him.

"Gomamon!" exclaimed the young man.

"We loved to swim and play in the water! It's so much fun! We'll play with you, if you don't mind." One of them spoke.

"Of course I don't mind! Thanks guys." Takuya grinned. He looked back at Zoe and waved at her. "See ya later, Z."

"Have fun you guys!" The young woman smiled.

"Come on! Let's go!" said another Gomamon.

"Alright! Last one in has to get dunked by the others!" smirked the Bearer of Fire.

Takuya and the Gomamon sprinted as fast as they could towards the ocean. They could feel the warm sand in between their toes. The salty air entering their nose gave the boy the impression that he was in paradise. As they approached the water, Takuya could see the waves and hear them crashing against a few rocks. He was ahead of the Gomamon as entered the ocean.

He managed to get wet up to his knees before stopping. Takuya didn't anticipate how cold the water would be. He was sensory nerves were telling him to get out of the water since the water was freezing. But as the Bearer of Flame retreated, the Gomamon ran past the human and dove into the water. They submerged to the surface and waved to the boy.

"Come on in! The water's great!" One of the Gomamon said.

"Great? It's colder than cold! It's freezing!" complained Takuya.

"You're funny!" laughed Gomamon. "Want to know a little secret?"

"What secret?"

"The trick is dive into the water all at once. If you do that, the coldness wouldn't be so bad."

"That's it? All I have to do is dive in?" Takuya asked.

"Exactly!" grinned the Gomamon.

"Well, what do I got to lose?"

Takuya stepped out of the water to regain himself. He took a few steps back and gazed at the ocean. He noticed the Gomamon waving at him and signaling to jump in. Takuya closed his eyes and cleared his thoughts. All of the sudden, he sprinted towards the ocean. His feet entered the water and the cold feeling returned. But Takuya fought the chills and continued running.

The goggle-head then held his breath and dove into the water. The water was even colder than last time. However, in a split second, Takuya got used to the water's freezing temperature. Soon, he swam back to the surface and took a deep breath. After catching some air, he wiped the water from his eyes and turn towards the Gomamon.

"Come on! Let's play!" They cried as they swam towards Takuya.

The seal-like Digimon started splashing water into the boy's face. Takuya retaliated by splashing back at his friends. For a whole minute, the splashing war went back and forward. While the Gomamon continued pushing water into Takuya's eyes, the boy came up with another tactic. He dove back underwater and swam away from the group. The Gomamon also dove underwater and chased after Takuya. Since they were sea creatures, their speed underwater was much faster than the boy's. In a matter of seconds, they caught up to him. Takuya appeared out of the water and took a deep breath. He couldn't help but laugh since he had no idea when was the last time he had so much fun.

Suddenly, he felt something grabbed both of his legs. Before he could react, Takuya felt himself being dragged underwater. At first he thought it was all fun in games. You know, the Gomamon were just playing around with him. But when he opened his eyes, he felt something was wrong. He noticed the smiles on the sea creatures have disappeared and was replaced by evil grins. Takuya was shocked and confused. He couldn't figure out what's going on.

The Gomamon dragged him down deeper and deeper into the ocean. Takuya tried breaking free from their clutches, but he was too weak. He was running low on oxygen and running out of time. But before he could do anything else, the third Gomamon grabbed Takuya's neck and began choking him out. His vision became blurry. His consciousness was slowly slipping. It's only a matter of seconds before he passes out.

"Can't... breathe..." Takuya thought as the darkness slowly closed in on him.

Suddenly, he felt the Gomamon's grip starting to loosen. He opened his eyes and saw that they were in some kind of a trance. He wanted to figure out why, but he was in desperate need for air. Takuya quickly swam back up to the surface. Once when he reached the top, he coughed out some water and gagged for oxygen. But thankfully, he was alive.

Slowly, he crawled back onto the sand and laid flat on his back. His heart rate was rapidly accelerating. Although, he couldn't help but wonder what has happened to the Gomamon. He opened his eyes once again and noticed a bunch of flower petals floating gently on the ocean. Not only that, but a familiar sweet scent entered his nose. He immediately recognized that smell, as well as where it came from. He looked and saw...

"CUTIE!"

"B... Beautymon!" He cried.

"Are you alright, Cutie?" The female Digimon said as she knelt beside him. She placed her soft hands on his cheek. "Oh, Sweetie! I thought I lost you!"

"Beautymon, you... you saved me!"

"Of course! I would never let those disgusting Digimon take my Cutie away from me!"

It took a while for Takuya to catch his breath. He looked at Beautymon and noticed her olive hair dancing with the wind. The sunlight bounced off her skin like diamonds. His eyes immediately met hers as he fell into a trance once again. Beautymon was aware of him staring blankly at her. She put on a fake blush and turned away from him.

"Stop it, Cutie! You're embarrassing me." She gasped. The words entered Takuya's ear, snapping him out of his daze. He finally regained himself and stared at Beautymon with a serious look on his face.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to be with you." She giggled.

"But should you be on the other island looking the Spirits?"

"Yeah?" Beautymon replied. She slowly closed the distance between her and the boy.

"Um, Beautymon? I..." Takuya stuttered.

"Shhh..." hushed the female Digimon as she placed a finger on Takuya's lips.

The boy tried to resist, but something inside in lust for her. Beautymon's gentle hands brushed on his cheeks. The two of them closed their eyes as they inched closer and closer towards each other.

"TAKUYA!" Another voice shouted. The boy turned around to see who was calling him, which made Beautymon missed her kiss. She looked back at Takuya. But then her eyes shifted towards the certain blond haired girl. A look frustration appeared on her face.

"Oh, hello Blondie..." said Beautymon with little enthusiasm. In front of her was an extremely disappointed Zoe. She had her arms crossed and her foot was tapping in an unsteady pace. The young woman glowered at the female Digimon.

"And what do you think you're doing here, you rotten wench?" huffed Zoe.

"Hmph! You got a lot of nerve sticking your ugly nose where it doesn't belong!" Beautymon grumbled.

"Ooh, Swiftmon is gonna kill you when he finds out you bailed on the job! You're in so much trouble when I tell him." Zoe threatened.

"Go ahead, Blondie. I don't care. I'm here to have some fun with Cutie. Right?" She said, winking back at Takuya.

"I, uh..." stammered the Bearer of Flame.

"Absolutely not!" Zoe objected. "You shouldn't even be here in the first place!"

"What's going on here?" Someone shouted. The three of them turned and saw Bokomon and Neemon approaching them.

"Ask her..." Zoe said, pointing at Beautymon.

"What are you doing here, Beautymon?" asked Bokomon. "Where's Swiftmon and the others?"

"They're on the other island looking for the Spirits." She answered.

"Then why are you here? You should be helping them search for the Spirits instead of working on your tan or playing in water." argued Zoe.

"Not only that, Beautymon, but you don't have a bathing suit on." Neemon pointed out.

The female Digimon slowly turned her head towards the yellow rabbit. She stared blankly at the rabbit.

"Oh?" The female Digimon cutely asked.

She spun around until her attention was fully on Takuya. A couple of dips, twists and turns from the female Digimon made Takuya as hot as an oven. Even Bokomon and Neemon were somewhat attracted to Beautymon's sexy dancing. Zoe, on the other hand, wasn't very fond of the female creature's sorry attempt to captivate Takuya. She shook her head with disapproval. But before she could interrupt Beautymon's little dance session, the female Digimon slowly took off her dress. Her entire white attire dropped on the sand, revealing the contents inside.

Takuya was at a loss for words.

Standing before him was the third-in-command wearing a white two piece bikini with a flower on one of the straps. The sunlight reflects off of her creamy skin. Takuya stared at Beautymon with his jaw dropped and eyes all the way up. Even Bokomon and Neemon felt themselves amazed at how beautiful Digimon she was. Beautymon was aware of all of the boys staring at her and began to blush. She turned away from Takuya, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

She shifted her attention towards Zoe, who was even angrier than usual. The female Digimon smirked at the blonde haired girl. Inside the human's mind, she was throwing a tantrum. She grinded her teeth against one another and clenched her fists tight. Beautymon could sense hatred and jealousy inside this woman. She giggled to herself, knowing that she's has surpassed her in terms of looks and beauty.

Zoe couldn't believe what's going on. This was her chance to spend some quality time with Takuya. And then suddenly, this fowl creature stole him away from her. Zoe was so angry, she couldn't control herself. She picked up some sand and threw it at Beautymon's face. The female Digimon sensed the attack and quickly moved out of the way. However, the sand found another target: Takuya's eyes.

"OW! MY EYES!" He screamed in pain and covered his face as he fell to the ground. Both Beautymon and Zoe gasped in fear.

"Cutie!" cried Beautymon. She placed one arm around Takuya's neck and used her other hand to pat him on the chest.

"Takuya, I'm so sorry." apologized Zoe.

"Thanks a lot, Zoe! Argh, I can't see!" growled the Bearer of Flame.

"Takuya, I..." She reached toward her best friend, trying to make things al better.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Takuya demanded.

Upon hearing those words, Zoe's heart went stiff. She felt so ashamed of herself. It was supposed to be a relaxing day for the two of them. And now, it's ruined. She was on the verge of crying, but held back her tears. She didn't want Takuya to see her cry, nor Beautymon to see her sensitive side; even though the female Digimon was already aware of it. Zoe covered her face and ran away from the group.

"Zoe, wait!" Bokomon shouted as he ran after her.

"I hope she's okay." Neemon thought as he stayed with Takuya and Beautymon.

"Why that puny little toad..." grumbled the female Digimon. She helped Takuya to his feet.

"Come on, sweetie. Let's go wash that sand out of your eyes."

"Thanks Beautymon." said Takuya. His eyes were a little bit red and puffy. Tears were forming in his eyes. Beautymon grabbed the boy's hand as they walked towards the ocean.

Up in the sky, a Toucanmon had observed the little frenzy between the two humans. He couldn't believe what had happened. Takuya and Zoe are separated from each other. He had to tell Sinistromon the news. He flapped his wings and flew over the salty waters of the Digital World.

* * *

><p>It took Toucanmon ten minutes to reach the hideout. He entered the cave and landed on one of the rocks. He looked up and saw Sinistromon meditating above him. The devil-like Digimon opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was Toucanmon bowing to him. On the other hand, Malevomon's faithful servant didn't looked pleased to see his subordinate.<p>

"Toucanmon, you better have a really good reason for coming back here." He growled.

"Sir, it's the humans!" answered the toucan.

"Yeah? What about them?"

"They got into a little argument and have gone their separate ways."

"Is that so? Hmm... Then that means taking their Spirits will be easier than I..."

"Sinistromon!" Another voice shouted.

The two Digimon looked towards the entrance of the cave. A seal-like creature appeared before them. It was a Gomamon. There was an evil look in his eye and a malicious grin across his cheeks. He was also carrying a small brown bag on its back.

"Guess what I found in a sunken ship nearby?'

"Get on with it, Gomamon." snarled Sinistromon.

"Sir..." Gomamon said as his grin grew wider. "... I believe you were looking for these."

He took the bag off his back and dropped it on one of the rocks. Gomamon opened it up and brought the contents out. Sinistromon eyes went up when saw what the seal-like creature had presented him. In front of him were two relics that appeared to be Spirits. One of them had the Warrior of Water's headwear and outfit. The other one closely resembled the body of a squid.

Without a doubt, these were the Legendary Spirits of Water.

"At last! The Legendary Spirits of Water is finally ours!" yelled Sinistromon in triumph.

"What do we do now, boss? Should we bring them back to Lord Malevomon?" asked Gomamon.

"No... I have a better idea. Let's use the Spirits against those humans." smirked the devil.

"How are we going to do that?" questioned Toucanmon.

"Stand back, you idiots!" Sinistromon ordered. The other two Digimon obeyed and gave him his space.

Sinistromon placed the two relics in front of him and slowly raised his arms. He focused all of his energy on the two Spirits. While Sinistromon was doing this, the Spirits of Water started to glow. Bright blue colors surrounded the two relics. The more he concentrated, the more energy the Spirits released.

"Legendary Spirit of Water, AWAKEN!" Sinistromon demanded. Suddenly, the light engulfed the entire cave, blinding both Gomamon and Toucanmon. A few seconds passed and light began to fade. The Digimon unshielded their eyes and gazed at the sight where the Spirits once stood.

In front of the three creature stood the Legendary Warrior of Water. She was a small humanoid Digimon with teal skin, and fins on the side of her head and red eyes with extended lower eyelashes on the left side. She wore a bluish helmet with two rubies on the side and one on the front. This Digimon also wore a one piece bathing suit that extend all the way the way to her down to her knees, partially exposing her belly button, side, back and parts of her leg. The thick gloves on her hands reach up to her elbows and the circular disks wrapped around her ankles.

"Oh my! I just had the most gorgeous dream!" The Digimon spoke in a southern belle accent as she stretched her arms out.

"Ranamon, the Legendary Warrior of Water!" Sinistromon announced.

"Huh? And who might you be, Sugar?"

"I am, Sinistromon! And from this moment on, you will only serve the Emperor of the Digital World, Lord Malevomon!"

"Say what?"

"You work for us now!"

"Sorry, Hon. But I, the queen of the seas, the diamond in the deep, the prettiest pearl in an ocean's oyster, serve no one!"

"Oh really?"

"Of course! Now step aside before I give your face an extreme makeover!" threatened Ranamon.

"Boys?" grinned Sinistromon as he snapped his fingers. Toucanmon and Gomamon surrounded the Legendary Warrior. Ranamon, on the other hand, wasn't fazed at all.

"Honey, do you really think you can beat me?" She asked.

"This is your last chance, Ranamon! Join us, or we'll take you by force!" threatened the imp.

"In that case, I love to see you try, Sugar!"

"Take her out!" Sinistromon ordered.

"Ooh, this is gonna be fun!" smiled the Legendary Warrior as she go into a defensive stance.

Toucanmon flew towards the Warrior of Water's blind side. He lowered his head and pointed the sharp blade on his head at the female humanoid. Ranamon sensed the oncoming attack and gave the bird-like Digimon a vicious backhanded fist to the face, sending Toucanmon flying into the walls of the cave.

Gomamon was next one to make his move. He used his Marching Fishes to summon a hoard of fishes. Upon command, the fishes lung at the Legendary Warrior, trying to sink their teeth into her skin. Ranamon, however, was too quick. She nimbly dodged every fish that came her way. She also punched, slapped and kicked a few fish that were in range. Ranamon then aimed her hands towards a water hole nearby and gathered up most of the liquid. She threw her hands at Gomamon, sending large water plumes at the seal-like creature. The hydro attack nailed Gomamon head on, sending him crashing into a pile of rocks.

The Legendary Warrior then turned towards Sinistromon and gave him a terrifying scowl. She threw her hands toward the imp and fired a bunch if powerful jets of water at him. Sinistromon flapped his wings and took flight, dodging the attack completely. While Ranamon was busy aiming at her target, Sinistromon reached into his backpack and pulled out three miniature bombs. He threw them at the Warrior of Water. Ranamon shielded her face as the bombs went off. When it exploded, the area was filled with thick clouds of smoke. The Legendary Warrior coughed hard as she fought to breath. Sinistromon finally got the opening he needed. While Ranamon gagged for air, the imp flew behind her and took a Chaos Sphere out of his backpack.

"You're mine now!" He announced as he drove the dark device into Ranamon's back.

"YEEOOOWWWW!"

The Warrior of Water screamed in pain as the dark energies of the evil orb consumed her entire body. It sank deeper as the Chaos Sphere fused itself with Ranamon's heart. Sinistromon grinned as the dark orb transformed the Warrior of Water into an evil Digimon. The screaming finally stopped and the fusion was complete. Ranamon opened her eyes and a terrifying smirk appeared on her face.

"Oh yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" She laughed.

"At last, the Spirits of Water are in our possession! Lord Malevomon will be most please!" Sinistromon said.

"Indeed! Now, how may I serve Lord Malevomon?" asked Ranamon.

"Here's your first task, Legendary Warrior: find the humans, and destroy them!"

The female Digimon slowly opened her eyes and turned towards the imp. She laughed hysterically for a few seconds before a fiendish grin appeared on her face. Ranamon gazed into Sinistromon's eyes and giggled with a hint of evil in her tone.

"I thought you'd never ask, Sugar!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter sixteen.<strong>

**With a Chaos Sphere inside her, Ranamon now works for the enemy. Can our heroes withstand the wrath of a Legendary Warrior? Or will Ranamon's powers prove to be too great? These questions will be answered in the next action-packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	17. Rematch With Ranamon

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Our heroes decided to take a break after spending the last two hours searching for the Spirits of Water and coming up with nothing. Since Toucanmon Paradise was still intact, the gang put on their swimsuits and had fun in the beach. Unfortunately, Beautymon decided to crash the party. And that made Zoe really mad. In all of the commotion, she accidently threw sand in Takuya's eyes. Poor Zoe felt so ashamed, she ran away from the group. Just when things can't get any worse, Sinistromon has combined the Spirits of Water with a Chaos Sphere. Guess who's back, folks?**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter seventeen!**

* * *

><p><strong>Rematch With Ranamon<strong>

**Zoe's POV:**

"Takuya, I'm... I'm so sorry." I quickly apologized after I accidentally threw sand in his eyes.

"God! Thanks a lot, Zoe! I got sand in my eyes! Argh, I can't see!" Takuya growled.

I was taken back at bit when he raised his voice at me. I was originally aiming for Beautymon, not him. I didn't mean to get sand in his eyes. It wasn't my intention to hurt my best friend. I was only trying to humiliate Beautymon after she stole Takuya away from me. Never before have I had such hate for a certain Digimon. Then again, what I did wasn't really smart of me. I should've waited at least waited until Takuya was out of the way. I guess the only thing for me to do is to say I'm sorry and hope that he forgives me.

"Takuya, I..." I tried to speak.

"JUST GO AWAY!" He ordered.

My heart sank the moment I heard those words. I couldn't believe my ears. Takuya wanted me to leave him alone. That was something I never wish he would say to me. But no matter how many times I keep telling to myself that it was just my imagination, reality came back around and punched me in the gut.

I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to say. I wanted to apologize to my best friend, but the words just can't seem to come out of my mouth. Then again, even if I did try to apologize, I'm afraid I would make things a lot worse than what they already are. I felt so ashamed and upset at myself. It was supposed a vacation for both of us and I ruined it.

It took me a while to realize Bokomon, Neemon and even Beautymon were all staring at me. A combination of embarrassment and guilt filled my chest. It was then I noticed Beautymon getting too close to Takuya. She smirked at me with her cheeks practically touching his. Talk about adding salt to the wound. I glowered back at the fowl creature. I didn't want her to see my sensitive side. It would only make myself look weak to her. I have to stay strong and not back down from her.

But then again, Beautymon knows me all too well. She could definitely sense I was crumbling inside. I tried to keep the floodgates closed, but a couple of tears leaked out. And it got even worse when I saw her embracing Takuya like I always to do. It was so heartbreaking for me to see those two together. I covered my face and ran away from the group. My heart couldn't take it anymore.

"Zoe, wait!" Bokomon shouted as he chased right after me.

But I kept on running, no matter how many times Bokomon screamed. I had to get away from my friends. There was so much on my mind right now. Beautymon stole my thunder with her ridiculous bathing suit and now Takuya's mad at me for getting sand in his eyes. My mind was still trying to figure out what just occurred. It happened all so fast.

I guess my anger got the best of me again. But it wasn't my fault. Beautymon was seductively stripping in front of my best friend like sexual deviant. I saw the white swimsuit she was wearing. Seriously, she calls that suit 'cute?' What does she know about cute? There's way too much skin showing on hers, which made her look desperate. My swimsuit is a lot better looking than hers. At least I didn't look like one of those anorexic creeps begging for attention. Just being myself was enough.

Still, what was I thinking? Why did I have to act so stupid and get sand in Takuya's eyes? Because of my reckless actions, Takuya must be really mad at me. Great, it's my fault that our friendship is at a rocky state. Now I'm all alone. Alone... once again. And to think after all of this time, I'd be used to it by now. Loneliness is something I've known since I was a little girl.

Back before I went to the Digital World, I wasn't much of a friend to others. I didn't know what it means to be a friend. And even when I was able to make friends, they ended up leaving me either because something I did or said to them. Then again, being different from others has its drawbacks. Some of the girls just didn't understand me, which was way most of the time I was isolated from the others. Being alone is something I know more than anyone else. I guess it will forever be a part of me, no matter what.

It wasn't long before I reached the other side of the island. I took a seat on a rock nearby and stared blankly at the blue ocean just to clear my head. The sunlight bounced off the salty waters. I could hear the waves crashing against the rocks and flowing along the sand. The cold ocean hugged a little bit of my legs. It was very relaxing, I have to admit. But still, it's not the same. I wish Takuya was hear sitting next to me, watching the view and enjoying each other's company.

"Takuya..." I said to myself.

"Zoe? Zoe, where are you?" Someone said. I turned and saw Bokomon with both hands on his knees. He must have been chasing me this entire time. I could tell he was almost out of breath. He finally looked up and gazed into my eyes.

"Ah, there you are, Zoe!" He smiled.

"What do you want, Bokomon?" I said softly, still feeling a little depressed. He took a seat next to me.

"Are you alright? I mean, you took off without saying why. Is there something on your mind?"

"I don't want to talk about it." I huffed.

"But Zoe, everybody's worried about you and..."

"DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME? I SAID I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!"

I turned my body away from him and curled up into a ball. I dug my head into my knees. I hate showing my sensitivity in front of others, especially my friends. Normally, I'm recognized as a tough, independent young woman who's never backs down from anything. Even Takuya admires how brave and strong I am. In fact, he's one of the reasons why I'm braver and stronger than ever before. He gives me so much inspiration like no one else has.

But now look at me. Ever since Takuya told me to leave him alone, I just don't feel the same. I feel weak and lonely. Even this empty feeling inside my heart is getting worse by the second. I wanted to make things right, but I'm afraid it would do more harm than good. What am I supposed to do? How can I make things right with my best friend?

I then felt something patting my left leg. I took a peak and noticed Bokomon staring at me.

"Zoe, it's not like you to get angry like this." He said.

"Angry? Who's angry?" I yelled.

"See what I mean?" Bokomon replied, confirming his point. I sighed in annoyance and looked towards the ocean. Okay, so maybe I'm a little more edgy than usual. But like I said before, it's not my fault.

"I'm not angry Bokomon. I'm just... just... well... Okay, fine! I'm angry... You happy now? Sheesh!"

"Well, to be honest Zoe... _no_, I'm not happy. I really don't like seeing you like this."

"Whatever..." I groaned, trying to ignore him.

"Zoe, can I ask you something?" Bokomon asked me.

"Shoot..." I answered unenthusiastically.

"Did something happen between you and Takuya?" My body went stiff at the question. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and looked back at the Rookie.

"It's none of your business! Okay Bokomon? Jeez..."

I got up from my seat and walked towards the ocean. The warm sand felt great and all, but it still wasn't enough to make me feel better. It wasn't long before my feet entered the chilly waters. It was very relaxing to say the least. I stood there staring at the horizon, while feeling the small waves crash against my legs. I looked back and saw Bokomon staring at me with his arms crossed. He seemed to be pondering about something.

"Zoe, is it possible that you're... _jealous_? Of Beautymon... and Takuya?"

I guess that's what I expect from Bokomon. He can read you just like a book. As a matter of fact, he nailed it right on the button. I am jealous of Beautymon. I don't know what her deal is, or why she's even trying so hard to get close to Takuya. But it hurts even more when my best friend has no idea what's going on, or at least how I feel about all of this. I sighed and finally decided to come clean. It's time I let someone know how I'm feeling.

"It's just... It's just I... I really, REALLY don't like her. I mean, who the heck does she think she is? Please tell me, what does the lousy wench have that I don't? Huh? And what does that stupid boy see in that terrible excuse of a Digimon? Honestly, who gave her the right to steal Takuya away from me? It's just not fair! I'm his best friend, and yet here she is trying to take what's not even hers!"

"Ah, I see. So from you're telling me, it seems you do have feelings for Takuya. Isn't that right?" Bokomon asked, forming a grin on his face.

I turned towards him with a huge blush on my face. I guess Bokomon had figured it all out. Then again, he's the smartest Digimon I know, so it's no surprised he was able to put the pieces together. But even so, now that he knows the truth, I feel even more embarrassed. I gave Bokomon a small nod, confirming his suspicions.

"I knew it." He smiled.

"Huh? What do you mean? How long have you known?" I asked.

"To be perfectly honest... a pretty long time." Bokomon admitted.

"Really?"

"Of course! At first, I thought you two were just really good friends. But I've done a little observation and I've noticed how close you two have become, especially since you've came back."

"Bokomon..."

"It' pretty obvious, Zoe. The way you look at him, talk to him, act when he's around you; it doesn't take a genius to figure out that you like him. I mean... you do like him don't you?"

"Yes, I do! I like him a lot, Bokomon! It's just..." My expression has changed. I looked towards the ground feeling very depressed.

"What? What's wrong then?"

"It's just... I don't know whether or not he likes me the same way I do. And besides, why would he chose me when apparently there's someone better?"

"Who?"

"Who do you think? That two-face skank, Beautymon!"

"Zoe... why would you compare yourself to Beautymon?"

"Look at her, Bokomon! She's stronger than me, more attractive than me, more beautiful than me, and above else, she's better than me. I mean, I can see why Takuya's falling for her instead of me. She's everything I'm not! Why would Takuya like someone who constantly fights with him, yells at him and slaps him for the most trivial of reasons?"

Tears were forming in my eyes. I curled up into a ball and buried my head between my legs. Bokomon sighed as he scooted in closer. He tapped me on the knee, trying to get my attention. He noticed a few tears falling from my cheeks.

"Oh Zoe..."

"I can't compete with her, Bokomon. What am I supposed to do if Takuya's falling head over heels for her?"

"If that's the case, then there's only one thing you should do..." I slowly turned my head towards the mutant Digimon. Bokomon could see the desperate look my eyes. He knew he had my undivided attention. Bokomon smiled as he continued with his statement.

"... and that's to tell him exactly how you feel."

"Say what?"

"Don't sugarcoat it. Tell him the truth, Zoe. Whatever you're feeling inside your heart, that's exactly what you tell him."

"No... I can't do that..." I said hesitantly.

"Why not?" He asked me.

"Takuya's my best friend. Say I do tell him that I like him. What if he doesn't feel the same way? I could potentially destroy our friendship. Takuya will never look at me the same way again. We may never be friends again and..."

"That is preposterous. Just tell him, Zoe. He might like you back, he might not. But as of right now, he doesn't know how you feel about him... or how he feels about you. Unless you tell him, you will never know. Do you understand?"

Regardless how ridiculous Bokomon's suggestion was, he did bring up a point. My feelings towards Takuya continued to grow each day, yet not once have I actually told him the truth. I gave him subtle hints and all, but even that's not enough. He's too boneheaded to figure it out. I wanted to let him know that I like him a lot, but it's just so hard to tell him.

When he looks at me, I look away, and vice versa. Takuya's my best friend and that's wonderful, but a part of me wanted the two of us to be more than that. My heart can't take it anymore. I have to take a chance. I've let so many opportunities go by. Well, not this time. I'm going to tell Takuya the truth. And no one's going to stop me; not even Beautymon. I got up from my seat and smiled at Bokomon.

"Alright. I'll tell him. Thanks Bokomon." I beamed.

"It was my pleasure Zoe." He said. "Now, come on. Let's go. The others are waiting for us and..."

Suddenly, a tingling feeling at the base of my skull alerted me that there's danger nearby. Without alerting Bokomon, I scanned the entire beach, searching for something suspicious. I checked the rocks, the plants behind me and the warm sand, yet there was no sign of any danger.

But then I turned towards the ocean and that's when I saw it. Large bursts of water plumes shot out of the ocean. The blasts got bigger and higher as they drew closer and closer towards me and Bokomon. All of the sudden, one of the plumes flew out of the ocean and headed straight towards us like a missile.

"Bokomon, get down!" I cried as I tackled my friend to the ground. As we rolled on the sand, the water torpedo sailed above our heads and crashed into one of the rocks behind us. It shattered the small boulder into tiny pieces. Thankfully, that wasn't us. But even so, I had a pretty suspicious feeling who was attacking us.

"That's not a good thing!" Bokomon said.

"No... It doesn't..." I grumbled as I glared out towards the ocean.

A humanoid female Digimon was standing on one of the plumes. She had teal skin, with a bluish helmet and a cute one piece swim suit. She also had thick gloves that reach up to her elbows and circular disks surrounding her ankles. The creature waved towards me and Bokomon and gave us one of her 'signature' winks.

"Hi, y'all! Did ya miss me?" She giggled.

"It's... It's the Legendary Warrior of Water!" cried Bokomon.

"Ranamon!" I spoke. At last, we found the Legendary Warrior of Water. But something doesn't appear to be right. Why was she attacking us? And what's with that evil look on her face?

"Ranamon, is that you?"

"Why, hello there, Sugar! My, my! I never thought I see you and your puny little friend again!"

"Puny?" Bokomon repeated with irritation in his tone.

"Ranamon, thank goodness we found you!" I said, trying to see if I can convince her to join us. "Listen, the Digital World is in trouble! And evil Digimon is threatening to take over the entire world and we need your help!"

"I wish I could, honey! But saving the Digital World is not on my agenda! Now, destroying you kiddies? That's a different story!"

"Oh no! Don't tell me!" Bokomon said like he's got it all figure out.

"That's right! I work for Lord Malevomon now! Ooh, doesn't that sound wonderful?"

"Oh great! Just great!" I complained. I can't believe we were already too late. The enemy has gotten to the Spirits of Water before we did. This does not look good. "She must have a Chaos Sphere inside her!"

"That's right, Sugar!" She laughed. "Thanks to my master's new power, I feel like a brand new woman! I'm faster, stronger, and more powerful than ever! HAHAHAHA!"

"And meaner too..." I said unenthusiastically.

"Aw, aren't you jealous, Hon? Disappointed that you can never surpass my powers?"

"Don't get too full of yourself!" I glowered as I got back on my feet. "Haven't you forgotten? I've beaten you last time! I've done it before and I'll do it again!"

"Silly girl! I don't think you remembered how that last fight went down!"

"Are you kidding me? You weren't even around when fight was over!"

"How cute..." Ranamon huffed. "Such cockiness really makes me sick to my stomach!"

"It's not cockiness, it's confidence!"

"Whatever you say, Sugar. But never mind that. Now with the introductions out of the way, why don't we just skip to the part where I destroy you little kiddies for good? How does that sound?"

"Sounds stupid to me!" I growled. Just like old times, huh?

"But she's being controlled by the Chaos Sphere! Who knows how much powerful she is right now?" Bokomon pointed out.

"I'll handle her!" I said.

"Zoe, no!" Bokomon cried. "We have to get back to the others and..."

"Don't worry, Bokomon! I'll take care of her in no time!"

"Well, what are waiting for, Sugar? Let the fun... BEGIN!"

Ranamon threw her hands towards us. A water plume bursts out of the water and starts spinning and whirling. It continued to pick up speed, creating a small hurricane in the area. The wind was blowing and the water was sprinkling on my face. With each passing second, the storm started getting rougher. I dug my feet into the sand and held my D-Tector tight. There was no way Ranamon's going to intimidate me.

"She sure has a nasty temper!" I shouted.

"Zoe, you can't! It's too dangerous." warned Bokomon. "Don't you see you're in Ranamon's territory now? As long as she's around water, her fighting skills increase exponentially! And don't forget, she has a Chaos Sphere inside her! You don't stand a chance! The best thing for us to do is..."

"No..."

"But Zoe, you can't fight Ranamon alone!"

"Listen Bokomon! This something I have to do! I hope you understand! Now, hurry and find some cover! Okay?"

"Zoe..." Bokomon gasped. He was quiet for a few seconds before he nodded back at me. "Alright, be careful!"

He quickly ran out of the area and hid behind the rocks. Once I knew he was out of harm's way, I glared back towards Ranamon. She looked back me with those arrogant eye and cocky grin. She lifted up her hands, getting ready to launch another attack.

"LET'S DO THIS!" I shouted with my D-Tector in hand.

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

*Insert Song: With The Will*

A purplish sketch of the Human Spirit of Wind traced itself on the screen of Zoe's D-Tector. When the outline was finished, the screen on her device stated to glow. With her pink and purple device in one hand, she spun around once with her left arm on her hips. She stuck her other hand out in front when she completed the circle. A ring of Fractal Code surrounded the Zoe's hand. She bended and extended her arms a few times before bringing her D-Tector and the Fractal Code ring together. The scanner made contact with the data ring, making Zoe's device beep, and screech. The dark area surrounding the girl's body was engulfed by bright glimmering lights.

"EXECUTE…" Zoe cried, swiping the Fractal Code with her D-Tector. "… SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

A long line of data surrounded her body. Zoe's clothes digitized just as the Human Spirit of Wind started to awakened. She could feel her body being enveloped by strong amounts of energy. The power of the wind flowed throughout her, as she becoming one with the Spirit. Her hands, legs, and entire body slowly changed into the Warrior of Wind. It wasn't long before the transformation was complete. She spun around three times, creating strong, turbulent winds around her. Upon completing her last turn, she gave a huge sidekick before flipping lavender hair and striking a pose.

"KAZEMON!" The fairy said.

All of the sudden, Ranamon threw her arms up towards the sky. A column of water appeared out of the ocean. The Legendary Warrior used her powers to manipulate the column into an aquatic drill. Ranamon threw her hands at the Warrior of Wind, launching the water drill at her. Kazemon flapped her wings and flew above the ground, avoiding the attack by a couple of inches. The Warrior of Water then shot a couple more hydro torpedoes at the butterfly. Kazemon soared side to side, dodging every attack Ranamon delivered.

Finally, the barrage of water torpedoes have stopped. Another stare down broke out between the two female Legendary Warriors. Ranamon grinned at the butterfly, knowing well that she has more than enough power to tear Kazemon apart wing by wing. Kazemon observed the Warrior of Water, realizing how much stronger she's gotten since their last encounter. Her normal tactic wouldn't be enough. If she's going to win, then she has find a way to mount some offense by using her speed, quickness and the wind around her.

"Hahahaha!" chuckled Ranamon.

"What the heck's so funny?" Kazemon asked.

"Like old times, huh Honey?"

"Don't remind me..."

"Relax! I'm just remembering how our first fight went down. I couldn't believe how evenly matched we were back then. If it hadn't been for my arrogance to try my Beast Spirit on you, I would've sunk you at the bottom of the ocean!"

"Oh please! I would've defeated you, even with that ugly form of yours!" mocked Kazemon.

"We'll see about that!"

"Indeed we will! I'm a much better fighter now than I was a long time ago."

"So am I, Sugar! And not only that, but with a Chaos Sphere inside me, you don't stand a chance. Now, I suggest you give up now, unless you want your defeat to be extremely humiliating!"

"Spare me your threats. I've defeated all kinds of evil Digimon like you, even with a Chaos Sphere in their control."

"True, but don't forget, Hon! I'm a Legendary Warrior! I'm stronger than all of those pitiful creatures combined! Hahahaha!"

"Ugh, you disgust me..."

"Come now! You're all by yourself now! You can't win, not without your pathetic friends!"

"You have no idea what you're taking about." said Kazemon.

She knew she's all alone. Most of her friends are back in the Human World. The closest friend she has is Takuya. But he's on the other side of the island, probably still mad at her for that little incident earlier. Kazemon thought about going back and regrouping with rest. It's absurd taking on an evil Legendary Warrior all by herself. On the other hand, this was her chance to prove that she could hold her own without anyone's help, not even Takuya.

"Sugar, do you really think you can take me on alone?" asked the Warrior of Water.

"What are you? Stupid or something? Of course I can, Sugar!" Kazemon spoke in her own southern belle accent. Of course, that insulted Ranamon like you wouldn't believe.

"Honestly, why do you fools insist on mimicking me? Do you have any idea how rude that is?"

"Of course! Why do you think I'm doing it, Hon?"

"You little brat... STOP MOCKING ME!" An angry Ranamon demanded.

"Very well then. So how about... WE FIGHT INSTEAD?" shouted Kazemon as she flew towards the Warrior of Water.

She clenched her fists tight, ready to give her opponent a vicious punch. But Ranamon was ready. She grinned at the butterfly and snapped her fingers. Just before Kazemon could get any closer, a column of water appeared out of the water right in between the two female Digimon. The Legendary Warrior's frontal assault came to a sudden halt as the hydro shield stopped her from attacking. She tried going around Ranamon's defense, but no matter where she flies, she can't seem to get pass it. Kazemon regained herself and decided to try another approach. She stuck her hands out in front of her and swirling pink tornadoes erupted from her fingertips.

"Hurricane Wave!" She yelled, throwing the cyclones at the water shield.

The wind attack blew away the column of water in front of her. With Ranamon's line of defense gone, there was nothing stopping Kazemon from launching another attack. She dove feet first towards the Warrior of Water. However, Ranamon's grin remained on her face, unintimidated and unfazed by Kazemon's efforts. She snapped her fingers one more time as the butterfly closed the distance.

All of the sudden, four more columns appeared out of the water and swirled around the Warrior of Water, creating a shield in between the two warriors. Frustrated seeing the hydro defense in front of her, Kazemon decided to continue going on the offense. She delivered a barrage of kicks to one of the towers, hoping it enough to break through the water. However, no matter how many times Kazemon kicked the shield, it wouldn't falter or break apart. The Warrior of Wind then decided to retreat and come up with a new plan of attack. However, Ranamon would not allow the Warrior of Wind to get away so easily. The smirk on her face grew even bigger.

"Now, where do you think you're going Honey?" She asked.

She pointed towards Kazemon, commanding two of her four pillars of water to go after her. As the spiraling columns chased after Kazemon, they began to take shape. It wasn't long before the water towers transformed into a couple of water drills. Once the transformation was complete, the drilling waters gained a burst of speed, almost catching up to the butterfly. Kazemon looked behind her and noticed two aquatic attacks coming in fast. She looked back in front of her and picked up her speed. The Warrior of Wind moved left and right, dodging each water drill by a foot or so. One by one, the water drills fell back down into the water. For the moment, the Warrior of Wind had dodged a couple of bullets.

But it wasn't over yet. The spiraling waters reappeared out of the ocean and went after Kazemon again. The Warrior of Wind flew from side to side to avoid the second set of attacks. However, no matter how many times Kazemon avoids the attack, the drilling waters kept on coming out of the water. Time passed and the Warrior of Wind was getting tired. Her moves were getting slower and slower with each successful dodge. Not only that, but it was getting even harder for her to avoid the attacks. A couple of water drills barely grazed her wings, almost making her fall into the ocean. Kazemon quickly recovered and flew up in the air until she was at safe distance from the dangerous waters.

"I can't keep this up. If this continues, Water Woman would surely have the advantage." The Warrior of Wind thought. "I have to get these stupid torpedoes off of my tail, or else I'm done for."

Kazemon looked around the area and spotted a cliff nearby. An idea came into her head. It worked for her last time. So, why not again? The Warrior of Wind flew towards the cliff, with the water drills following behind her. She looked behind her again and noticed the aquatic attacks were still on her tail. A small grin appeared on her face as she got closer and closer to the cliff. Once the lavender haired butterfly reached her destination, she turned around to face the drilling waters. She patiently waited for the aquatic spirals to close the distance.

All of the sudden, Kazemon flew high into the sky, successfully avoiding the attacks once again. The water torpedoes, on the other hand, crashed hard into the cliff and broke apart. It momentarily caused the island to shake. With those attacks out of the way, Kazemon made her way back towards the Legendary Warrior of Water.

Bokomon reappeared out of his hiding placed and looked towards the ocean, where Kazemon and Ranamon having their little battle. He had been watching the whole fight, carefully critiquing the Warrior of Wind's abilities and strategies, as well as what new surprises the Warrior of Water had in store for her.

So far, it has been nothing but a stalemate. Kazemon was using brains instead of brawn to take control of the fight. Her attacks weren't as strong as the other Warriors, but they're enough to disperse Ranamon's water attacks and disrupt any momentum she had going. Not only that, but her speed and agility allows her to dodge any and every attack the Warrior of Water threw at her.

Ranamon, on the other hand, was having just as an easy time as Kazemon. Throughout the entire battle, she stayed in the same spot, not moving from her small platform of water. But because she is surrounded by the ocean, Ranamon felt right at home. She's able to keep her defenses up, while launching a barrage of attacks at the same time. With each passing minute, Bokomon started to worry, wondering if Zoe could defeat a Legendary Warrior all by herself.

"Come on, Zoe! You can do it!" Bokomon cheered.

Again, he saw Kazemon flying toward the Warrior of Water for another attack. But Ranamon was unfazed as she summoned another column of water to intercept the charging butterfly. The Rookie couldn't help but wonder. If this continues for too long, then it will only be a matter of time before the fight swings in Ranamon's favor. Bokomon prayed with all of his might for his friend's safety.

"Please be careful, my dear."

Meanwhile, back at the ocean, Ranamon threw her hands in front of her, sending the last two water towers towards the butterfly. Faster and faster the columns swirled until it became a pair of powerful water cyclones. Kazemon also got back on the offensive. More pinkish tornadoes appeared out of her fingertips. She threw them towards the aquatic attacks. The water and wind cyclones collided with each other and broke apart. Finally, the two female Digimon stared each other down. Both of them were surprised how evenly matched they were. After a few seconds of leering, both of them were able to crack a smile and stifle a laugh.

"Well now... you've gotten a lot stronger than before. I'll give you that, Sugar." The Warrior of Water commented.

"Aw geez, Ranamon, you're way too kind! Too bad I can't say the same for you!"

"Watch it..."

"I hate to admit it, but you're even sloppier than I remembered."

"Why you insolent child!"

"You're attack patterns are too obvious, you're one dimensional... Oh, and not to mention you're even afraid to face me head on! How sad... And to think _you_ happened to be a Legendary Warrior!"

"You little brat! It's time I clip your wings for good!"

Ranamon threw her arms up, creating more pillars of water surrounding Kazemon. The columns swirled around the floating butterfly. The Warrior of Wind looked around and realized she was trapped inside Ranamon's water barrier. While searching for a way out, she glared back at the Warrior of Water. Ranamon noticed the pathetic look on Kazemon's face. She couldn't help but smile back at her opponent. Ranamon then lifted her arms up once again. A couple more pillars of water rose out of the ocean and appeared by her sides.

"Well, this was pretty boring. Oh well. Time to finish this." said the Warrior of Water. She pulled her hands back, ready to launch another attack. But then, Ranamon noticed the Warrior of Wind grinning at her.

"Huh? What is she smiling about... WHAT THE?" All of the sudden, Kazemon flipped upside-down and spread her legs out wide.

"Tempest Twist!" She hollered.

With the strong legs, Kazemon created a powerful force of wind around her. She spun faster and faster, increasing the strength of the wind being generated. The butterfly blew the surrounding pillars of water away and dove towards Ranamon. The Warrior of Water countered by throwing her arms towards her opponent. The final two towers beside her transformed into water torpedoes. She shot them at the Warrior of Wind with incredible speed and precision. Kazemon put on the brakes when she noticed the projectiles coming her way. Once the torpedoes were in range, she gave each one a vicious kick, breaking each projectile apart.

With the last aquatic attack gone, nothing stood in Kazemon's way from going for another frontal assault. She clenched her fist and went for a punch at Ranamon's face. With little time to react, the Warrior of Water put her hands and blocked the Warrior of Wind's first strike in the nick of time. Kazemon followed up with more punches and kicks to her opponent. Ranamon kept her hands up, blocking every strike the Warrior of Wind delivered.

Finally, it was Ranamon's turn to attack. She too gave the butterfly a barrage of punch, elbows and kicks. Kazemon's quickness on offense easily transitioned to her defense as well. She was able to keep up with the watery Digimon, blocking every one of her attacks. As for the ones she wasn't able to block, she moved out of the way to dodge instead. Back and forth these two female Digimon went. One Legendary Warrior attacks while the other defends. A few seconds later, it was the other way around.

Suddenly, Kazemon went for another right hook at Ranamon's temple. The Warrior of Water grinned at her opponent as if she saw the attack coming from a mile away. Instead of blocking the attack or avoiding, she caught Kazemon's arm with her left hand. The Warrior of Wind tried breaking free, but Ranamon's grip was way too strong. She then went for a left jab to her opponent's face. Unfortunately, Ranamon caught Kazemon's second attack with her other hand. The Warrior of Wind was trapped. Again she tried to break loose or shake free. But it was no use. Ranamon grinned grew wider since she has the Warrior of Wind right where she wanted her.

"You're mine now, Sugar!" She laughed. Suddenly, the sound of thunder entered Kazemon's ear. She looked up at the sky and noticed a dark cloud appeared above her. The butterfly gritted her teeth together and glowered at her opponent. If she doesn't do something now, things could be very bad for her.

"Let's finish this! DRAINING..."

But before she could finish commanding her attack, Kazemon used Ranamon's grip on her wrists as leverage and performed a small back flip. However, during the rotation, the butterfly gave the Warrior of Water a fierce somersault kick to the chin. Kazemon successfully caught herself in midair, as she watched Ranamon fall back down into the ocean. The Warrior landed hard on the ocean, creating a huge splash.

Kazemon checked to see if she's won the fight. At first, the waters appeared to be still. But then, she noticed bubbles appearing on the surface. The Legendary Warrior got back in ready position and waited for Ranamon to attack. Suddenly, another pillar of water shot out of the ocean with the Warrior of Water on top of it. Not only that, she looked angrier than ever before.

"YOU LITTLE BRAT! TAKE THIS!" She growled.

Ranamon finally got in range and delivered a strong punch towards Kazemon's midsection. But the Legendary Warrior was ready. She caught Ranamon's arm and slipped out of the way. Kazemon then lifted her right leg as high as she could before dropping it on the back of Ranamon's head, executing the axe kick perfectly. The blow sent the Warrior of Water back down to the ocean. Her body struck the water horizontally, resulting in a painful belly flop. Slowly, Ranamon sank into the ocean.

"Well, that wasn't so hard." The butterfly thought to herself. She checked the ocean to see if the fight was over. She waited for a whole minute and still no sign of Warrior of Water. Finally, Kazemon sighed and decided to make her way back to land.

"I better get Bokomon and get back to the others before..."

All of the sudden, more and more bubbles appeared on the surface. Kazemon looked back at the spot where Ranamon had fallen. The bubbles were followed by a large number of ripples that increased in size with each passing seconds. When Kazemon got back in ready position, two columns of water came out of the ocean in front of her. A third pillar slowly rose up, and on top of it was none other than Ranamon. She stood on top of pillar rubbing her swollen cheek and fighting a mild headache. The Warrior of Wind kept her guard up, waiting for Ranamon to make her move.

"Not bad, Sugar!" complimented Ranamon. "You have gotten a lot stronger than before!"

"Oh Ranamon, that means so _little_ coming from you!"

"Cute..."

"Back for more I see?" giggled the butterfly.

"Hmph! Don't flatter yourself, Honey! You're still just a snot nose brat askin' for a heinie whoppin'!"

"Well if in that case, bring it on... Sugar!"

"Why you... WHIPPING WAVES!" Ranamon cried, firing two more water flumes at the butterfly.

"HURRICANE WAVE!" yelled Kazemon as she too fired a barrage of tornadoes at her opponent.

The two attacks met at a point between them and cancel each other out. It became a tug-of-war between the two female Digimon, with the balance point shifting back and forth between them. The standoff between Ranamon and Kazemon continued, with the Warrior of Water slowly gaining ground. With one final groaning effort, the Warrior of Wind pushed her attack as hard as she could. She regained the upper hand as her tornadoes started to overwhelm Ranamon's attacks. The water Digimon tried adding a little more energy to her moves. But it was no use. It was only a matter of time before Kazemon lands another hit on the Warrior of Water.

"I got her!" Kazemon grinned. The watery Digimon got down on one knee, struggling to hold her attack. It appeared as if she couldn't hold on much longer and victory was within Kazemon's grasps.

"Hehe... got ya!" The Warrior of Water suddenly smirked, catching the butterfly by surprised.

Ranamon got back on her feet and added even more energy to her hydro attack. And just like that, the standoff resumed. Kazemon had no idea where this power surge came from. But it wasn't long before Ranamon took control of the tug-of-war. The water flumes easily overpowered Kazemon's pink tornadoes. But before the aquatic attack could hit the Warrior of Wind, Kazemon flew out of the line of fire. She got back in a defensive position and glared back at her opponent.

"Yeah... much better." smirked Ranamon.

"Wha... What's going on here?" She wondered.

"Haven't you forgotten, Honey? It's all thanks to the Chaos Sphere!"

"Don't remind me!"

"Then, you are aware that once it gets inside the body of a Digimon, their powers and abilities increase exponentially."

"So what?"

"Well, Sugar... what do you suppose happens when you fuse a Chaos Sphere with one of the Spirits of the ten Legendary Warriors? Huh?"

"I really don't want to find out!" grumbled Kazemon.

"Oh you will, girly girl! As a matter of fact... why wait? Let me show you some of my new abilities!"

Ranamon snapped her fingers and a couple more columns of water appeared next to her. She then wiggled her fingers around, causing the two water towers to change shape. Kazemon watched as the pillars transformed into a pair of water hands. When the transformation was complete both of the Legendary Warriors gazed deep into each other's eyes. The watery Digimon smirked at the butterfly. Kazemon couldn't help but feel a little bit nervous.

"What do you think, Sugar? Aren't you impressed" Ranamon asked. Not a single word escaped from her opponent's mouth. This made the watery Digimon grin even wider. "I take it from your silence that you are."

"Shut up! I'll defeat you, even with a Chaos Sphere inside you! HURRICANE WAVE!" shouted the Warrior of Wind as she threw a bunch of pink tornadoes at the watery Digimon.

"Hehe, you never learn, Honey! Oh well! Time to get serious! WHIPPING WAVE!" cried Ranamon as she threw the waters hands at her opponent.

Once again, the two attacks collided with one another, thus canceling each other out. At that point, another tug-of-war had ensued between the two female Digimon. The balance point of the two attacks shifted from one Legendary Warrior to the other, and vice versa. However, unlike the last time, Kazemon was one who's struggling to keep her attacks up. On the other side, Ranamon was hardly breaking a sweat. The Warrior of Wind tried adding more energy and force to her attack, but nothing seemed to work.

The Warrior of Water grinned, knowing she has the upper hand in this fight. She snapped her fingers once more. A couple more pillars of water appeared next to Kazemon. The Warrior of Wind watched as the pillars transformed into more water hands. All of the sudden, the fists shot towards her like a missile. The two fist slammed into the female butterfly's side. Kazemon gasped in pain, feeling the air being squeezed out of her.

Ranamon noticed her opponent already weakening and seized the opportunity to strike. She created two more water fists in front and behind the Warrior of Wind. She threw her arms forward, and thus launching the fists at the butterfly. The hands collided with Kazemon's belly and backside, sandwiching her completely. She groaned in pain and gasped one more time before slipping unconscious. The butterfly started plummeting down to the ocean. However, Ranamon snapped her fingers and another hand formed in front of her. She commanded the hand to catch Kazemon by her wings.

"Such a pity..." said Ranamon. "You're so weak, I don't even have to use half my strength to beat you. How disappointing..."

She threw her arm to her left, which made the hand toss the butterfly back on the ocean. Kazemon bounced on the water, like a skipping stone. It wasn't long before the Warrior of Wind crashed hard into a nearby cliff. Pain-filled moans escaped the butterfly's mouth. She fell back down into the ocean, creating a huge splash in the water.

"Hehe, too easy." smirked Ranamon.

All of the sudden, a furious Kazemon flew out of the ocean and headed straight towards Ranamon. She clenched her fist tight, ready to deliver another punch to the Warrior of Water. Kazemon's attempt of another frontal assault didn't faze Ranamon at all. She threw her hands forward and a huge tidal wave appeared in between the two female Digimon. Kazemon realized the wave was four times her size, but she didn't care. She had to take out the Warrior of Water one way or another.

She immediately picked up speed and took a deep breath. She dove into the water and swam through the powerful currant. The current tossed and turned the poor butterfly. But a few seconds later, she came out from the other side of the tidal wave. She was only a few feet away from striking distance. Kazemon flew towards her opponent, coming in for another attack.

But Ranamon was ready. She stood on top of one of the water pillars, waiting for the butterfly to come close. She snapped her fingers and a dark cloud formed above.

"DRAINING RAIN!" She shouted, pointing at the butterfly.

Acid rain started pouring heavily on Kazemon, sapping away almost all of her strength and energy. She groaned in agony as the rain continued to fall on her, causing her to fall back down to the ocean. The lavender haired Warrior was weak and exhausted. But most of all, she was in a lot of pain. With little energy she had left, Kazemon tried to fight the powerful water raining down on her. She flapped her wings and managed to regain some ground.

Suddenly, the rain stopped falling and large amounts of jet stream water cascaded on the poor Kazemon's body. It was too much for the Warrior of Wind as she fell down and crashed hard into the ocean. She felt a lot of pain in her back the moment she made contact with the water below. With so much water pouring down on her, it made it difficult for the Legendary Warrior of Wind. Ranamon grin grew wider seeing her opponent struggling in the water.

"My turn, girly girl!" She laughed as she dove towards the female Digimon and tackled her into the water.

The two Warriors sank deeper and deeper. Kazemon quickly recovered and tried to fight underwater by throwing a couple of punches and kicks. But the water slowed down her attacks, making it easier for Ranamon to block them.

"Nice try, honey! But you're on my turf now! You don't stand a chance against me!"

It was Ranamon's turn to attack. She delivered a barrage of punches and kicks to the defenseless butterfly. Kazemon wasn't able to block most of the attacks since Ranamon was an expert in fighting in the ocean. The water didn't slow her attacks down at all. She continued with her assault, giving Kazemon brutal shots to the face and midsection.

Each blow to the butterfly's body was more painful than the last. Not only that, she was running low on oxygen. If she doesn't go up for air, she'll surely drown. After Ranamon gave her a kick to her belly, Kazemon turned and swam towards the surface. It was very difficult for her to move through the water since Ranamon did a lot of damage to her body. She fought through the pain as she got closer and closer to the surface.

"Almost... there!" Kazemon said to herself.

"Where do you think you're going, Sugar?" asked Ranamon.

She threw her arms at the retreating Legendary Warrior. Two hands formed in front of her and jetted towards their target. Both of the hands grabbed Kazemon's legs and stopped her from swimming any further. It was a shame too since Kazemon was only inches away from the surface.

Unfortunately, she felt something grabbing both of her legs and dragging her back down to the bottom. Ranamon created another hand made of water and shot it towards Kazemon; more specifically her neck region. The hand grabbed a hold of the warrior's neck and started choking the life out of her. Kazemon tried to break free from the precarious position she was in right now. But with two hands pulling her down by her legs and another wrapped around her throat, it seemed nearly impossible.

Seconds passed and Kazemon oxygen supply was almost gone. The more she struggled, the more disorientated she became. Up and down, left and right, was all a big blur to her. She tried pushing through the water with her arms, but she couldn't find any leverage or support.

Deeper and deeper she sank. Her lungs burned for more air, almost on the verge of collapsing. The chances of getting air back in her body were very slim and decreasing with each passing second. Cold water filled his lungs and blood pounded behind her eyes. The darkness engulfed her. Kazemon had no energy left to fight. There was no choice but to give into the darkness and let the water take her.

Suddenly, the two hands below released her legs while the hand on her neck started to lift the butterfly out of the ocean. Kazemon coughed heavily for air. Her hair and entire outfit were super drenched. She couldn't move a single muscle. And even she could, jolts of pain would surge throughout her entire body. The butterfly couldn't fight any more.

A couple seconds later, a pillar of water appeared in front of the Warrior of Wind with Ranamon standing on top. She made her way towards the beaten up female Digimon. Seeing Kazemon barely conscious, gasping for air and too weak to fight made her laugh like crazy.

Finally, she threw her arms to the side, commanding the hand to toss Kazemon aside. The Warrior of Wind skipped on the water and bounced on the beach. She crashed hard into a boulder, causing the large rock to split into two. Kazemon moaned as she rolled back on her stomach.

Fractal Code surrounded the beaten Kazemon's body as she transformed back to her human form. The pain inside the young woman was very intense. Tears were forming in her eyes. She felt a combination of defeat, and humiliation.

Elsewhere, Bokomon had witnessed the entire fight. His heart sank when he saw a barely conscious Zoe lying there. His eyes began to water as he ran towards her as fast as his legs could carry him.

"ZOE!" He called "ZOE? ZOE!" The teenage girl slowly turned her head and saw Bokomon approaching her. She noticed the tears in his eyes and the worried look on his face.

"B... Bokomon?" She gagged. With little strength she had left, Zoe reached her hand out towards the mutant Digimon. Bokomon could hear the human's cry for help and immediately picked up speed.

"HANG ON, ZOE! I'M COMIN..." The Rookie cried, hurrying as fast as he could toward his human friend. Just then, a blast of water hit Bokomon on his blindside. The powerful attack sent the creature flying into the trees. The helpless blonde could only watch as Bokomon disappeared from sight

"Bokomon... no..." Zoe cried, reaching her hand out towards the trees.

She started crawling on her stomach towards her Digimon friend. Zoe could feel the warm sand scrapping against her body all the way down to her bare legs. The further she crawled, the more the pain grew inside her body. Suddenly, the poor girl felt someone's foot stepping on her head. Zoe opened her eyes and looked up. She could see a malicious look on Ranamon's face.

"Honey, you're pathetic." She chuckled. "I expected a lot more from you, since you wield one of the Legendary Spirits. And yet nothing but useless... stupid... ugly... pitiful... lousy excuse of a Digimon!"

Ranamon stomped on the poor young woman with each insulting word coming out of her mouth. Zoe couldn't fight the pain anymore, especially since each word crushed her spirit and humiliated her. On the last insult, she soccer kicked Zoe straight in the gut, causing her to roll on the beach. She clutched her injured ribs and coughed for air. Ranamon grinned as she approached the human.

"Tell me, Sugar. Who's the prettiest and the strongest between the two of us? Huh?" Words cannot escape Zoe's mouth. The pain was too great and the humiliation almost too unbearable. Ranamon could see the tears falling in the human's eyes, confirming her fragility and weakness. She pointed her hands towards her, ready to deliver the finishing blow.

"You know something? Don't even answer that question. After all, we all know you can never defeat me, especially with this new power I have."

"Why you..." grumbled Zoe.

"Oh well. It's been fun, Sugar. But I got places to go, adoring fans to entertain and innocent Digimon to destroy. So, let's finish this. The quicker I destroy you, the faster I can deliver the Spirits to Lord Malevomon. Ooh, won't he be so happy once when he...

*BOOM*

There was a huge explosion from afar, creating a massive sonic  
>boom which interrupted the watery creature's thoughts. She looked toward source of the sound and notice dark clouds of smoke raising in that area. It was followed by a couple of pink beams and a few fireballs. Ranamon wondered who would be fighting on the other side of the island while this pathetic human all by herself on this side of the island. Suddenly, an idea came to her. She smirked at the teenage girl, for the Warrior of Water wanted to the beaten teenager to suffer more.<p>

"Hey, could that be your friends on the other side of the island?" She asked. The only answer she got from Zoe was fierce scowl on her face. Ranamon knew she was on the right track and proceeded with her interrogation.

"Is one of them your boyfriend? Huh?" She grinned when she saw Zoe's eye's widened. "I see... It appears he too has his Spirits as well. I wonder if... he would be more of a challenge than you."

"Takuya..." Zoe murmured. Unfortunately, Ranamon heard her spoke and grinned, knowing the name of the girl's 'boyfriend.'

"Hehe, don't get your hopes up girly. He'll be begging me to destroy him once I'm done with him."

"No! Leave him alone!" The woman begged. "Please, I'm begging you!"

"Why should I?"

"Because... this is between you and me!"

"Hahahaha! Honestly, girly. You're not even worth it. Destroying you would be too easy. I could finish you off anytime I like... but I have an even better idea."

"What?"

"Indeed! I'm not satisfied enough in just beating you up. I need you to feel the same pain and embarrassment you showed me a long time ago. And nothing's better than destroying your boyfriend in front of your own two eyes. HAHAHAHA!"

"NO! YOU CAN'T!" said Zoe with tears cascading down her face. The pain she is feeling right now would be nothing compared to seeing Takuya getting destroyed right in front of her. Her heart as well as her spirit would be crushed. She couldn't let that happen, but in her current condition, she was practically useless and helpless.

"I can and I will, Honey. And there's nothing you can do to stop me! But relax, won't you, Sugar? After I'm done with him, I'll make sure your demise would be just... as... PAINFUL!"

And with that, she gave Zoe one more ferocious kick to her exposed ribs, causing the girl to roll on the beach once again. She curled up in a fetal position and clutched her injured stomach. Zoe coughed hard for air and some saliva escaped her mouth. Ranamon ran towards the girl one last time and gave her a brutal punt to her temple. Zoe fell flat on the ground and immediately lost conscious. Ranamon whipped herself from any sand and dust that was still on her and looked at her beaten opponent. She couldn't help but laugh at herself, knowing that she had finally defeated her.

"Now that that's taken care of, time for some more fun. Ta-ta, kiddie pie!"

She said. Ranamon turned around and skipped merrily back towards the ocean. She walked on the shallow end and dove into the water head first. A few seconds later, a column of water appeared with her on top of the tower. She commanded the pillar to move through the ocean. Ranamon grinned as she slowly made her way towards the other side of the island, where Takuya and everyone else was.

Moments later, a drenched and tired Bokomon walked back on the beach. He rubbed his forehead, trying to fight back the mild dizziness he was feeling. After shaking it off, he looked around the area and noticed the giant mess. There were a bunch of rocks all over the sandy area. There were a lot of wet spots on the sand too. But overall, the Rookie was okay.

Bokomon then shifted his attention towards his right and noticed a blonde haired girl in a purple two piece bathing suit lying unconsciously on the ground. His eyes widened and heart grew cold the moment he recognized the human. He ran towards her, feeling worried and scared. He knelt beside the woman and tried to get her to open her eyes. But so far, nothing. The Bearer of Wind was out like a light.

"Zoe? Zoe, wake up!" said Bokomon. "Zoe? Zoe, can you hear me? ZOE? ZOE! ZOEEEEEEEEEE!"

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter seventeen. <strong>

**Poor Zoe stood a chance. Can she recover and save her best friend? Will Takuya be able to defeat the Warrior of Water, or will Malevomon's new servant destroy both of the humans? Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	18. Bayside Bout

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Zoe ran away from her friends with tears in her eyes after her best friend had yelled at her. Bokomon followed her and tried to console the young woman. Things were cooling down, until Ranamon showed up. Not only she was working for Malevomon, but the Warrior of Water was looking to settle the score with the girl who defeated her some time ago. A fierce battle between Legendary Warriors ensued. But thanks to the Chaos Sphere, Kazemon never stood a chance. With one human out of the way, Ranamon now seeks to do the very same thing to Takuya.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter eighteen!**

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><p><strong>Bayside Bout<strong>

**Takuya's POV**

"Takuya, I'm... I'm so sorry." said Zoe after she accidentally threw sand in my eyes.

I don't know if this was her idea of a joke, but it sure wasn't funny. It hurts like heck. Getting sand in your eyes is painful. It felt like it's scratching my eyes with each passing second. The pain hurts so much when I try opening them. On the other hand, when I tried closing my eyes again, the pain was just as bad.

"God! Thanks a lot, Zoe! I got sand in my eyes! Argh, I can't see!" I shouted while covering my sensitive pupils. I ran around like a chicken with his head cut off. My eyes were killing me, like it's drying up by the second. I felt like I've gone blind.

"Takuya, I..." Zoe tried to speak. I couldn't comprehend what she was trying to say. The only thing on my mind was the redness in my eyes.

"JUST GO AWAY!" I shouted. The pain was unbearable and increasing with each passing second.

But time stood still the moment I heard Zoe's feint gasp,

That could only mean one thing: my best friend was about to cry. She was definitely unhappy. I could tell just by that faint, heartbreaking sound. I couldn't see what was going on, but I could hear. And the sound of Zoe crying and running away entered my ears. I felt like an idiot for yelling at her. My heart was as hard as a stone. Although my eyes hurt, it was nothing compared to the pain in my chest.

"Zoe, wait!" Bokomon shouted as he chased after her.

"I hope she's okay." Neemon said.

"Why that puny little toad..." grumbled the female Digimon as she helped me to my feet. I guess she was probably talking about Zoe. But it was an accident. After all, I have myself to blame for overreacting. So it wasn't entirely Zoe's fault. Too bad I'm so much of an idiot not realizing that sooner.

"Come on, Cutie. Let's go wash that sand off your eyes."

"Thanks, Beautymon." I said.

My eyes were red and puffy. I couldn't see where I was going. But Beautymon grabbed my hand and I started to relax. I don't know why, but there's something about the tenderness of Beautymon's hands that makes me feel good. As we approached the ocean, another strange feeling erupted inside me. I couldn't describe it, but it has something to do with Beautymon.

And on some occasions... Zoe.

"GEEZ IT'S COLD!" I yelped when I stepped into the ocean. It totally caught me by surprise. The moment my feet entered the water, my sensory nerves went numb. My first instinct was to get out immediately.

"It's okay, Cutie! It's okay! I'm right here." said the female Digimon.

Her voice was smooth and calm. She pulled me closer towards her. Before I knew it, her arms were wrapped around me, snuggling me in a warm embrace. My cheeks rested against her chest. The sweet smell of flowers entered my nose the moment my skin made contact with hers. A huge blush appeared on my face. I had almost forgot that Beautymon was wearing nothing but her swimsuit, so I felt scared and embarrassed.

But the olive haired warrior placed a hand on my cheek, which made my blush disappear. I found myself melting in her arms. Her smooth touch, soft voice and beautiful scent were the makings of a relaxing environment. Seconds later, Beautymon slowly lowered me into the water. My legs entered the chilling ocean, then my arms, followed my entire body.

"Just leave everything to me, okay sweetie?" said Beautymon.

She took a couple steps back before holding a fist in front of my face. Beautymon then opened her hand and, just like magic, a variety of colorful flower petals appeared. She dropped the petals into the ocean and a couple on my eyes. I didn't know what to expect, but I trust her. These petals have unique abilities. I'm guessing that includes healing.

Beautymon placed one hand on my stomach and the other behind my head. I took a deep breath and gave her a small nod. She gently lowered me into the freezing water. I submerged a second later. And just like that, the pain was gone. I wiped the water off of my face and slowly opened my eyes. The first thing I saw was a pair of lavender eyes gazing deep into mine.

"Whoa, jeez!" I shrieked. I lost my balance and landed in the shallow ocean.

The water splashed all over my face and body. I sat there feeling drenched and embarrassed. But that's when I heard the sound of Beautymon giggling. I looked up and the sight of her laughing to herself not only made me smile, but gave me butterflies in my stomach. Her laughter is like bells tinkling, or the reminiscent of wind chimes. It's a noise my ears loved to hear.

"Poor Cutie. Did I scare you?" She asked with that adorable voice.

"Me? No, of course not!" I lied. "I wasn't scared. You just surprised me a little!"

"Uh-huh... Sure I did..." Beautymon stifled another giggle.

She then placed her hands behind her back and slowly made her way towards me. I watched as she shifted her weight from side to side. The female Digimon moved gracefully, yet seductively like a dancer with passion and feistiness. She stepped in front of me and continued with her solo performance. I was memorized how her body swayed from side to side, how her hair glowed with the sun, and how wonderful she looked. She ended the dance by striking a pose that made my body hungry for more. Beautymon gazed deep into my eyes, waiting for an applause. I, on the other hand, was too busy staring at the marvelous being before me.

"Yay! Do it again!" shouted Neemon from behind. Beautymon faced the rabbit and performed a little curtsey before turning back to me.

"What do you think, Cutie? Did you like it?" She asked.

Of course I loved it. I've never seen anyone with moves like that. But then another sly thought popped into my head. I looked at Beautymon with a smirk on my face.

"I sure did!" I smiled. I held my hand out towards her, trying to hold back my laughter. "Now, would you mind helping me up? The water's freezing!"

"Sure thing." said Beautymon. I waited until she grabbed my hand. Once she did, she tried lifting me out of the water, but I refused to budge. She looked at my kind of strangely, but I grinned back at her.

"GOT YA!" I laughed.

Before Beautymon could react, I pulled her into the ocean. She lets out a small squeal before falling into the chilled waters. I rolled on the ground with laughter as Beautymon submerged from the water moments later. Her hair was completely drenched and her body was soaking wet. I stopped laughing when I noticed the look on her face. She was shocked and a little humiliated after what I pulled off. Her teeth were chattering and her body was shivering. She coughed some of the salty water out of her mouth.

"Oh jeez! I'm sorry Beautymon! I didn't mean to hurt you! Honest!" I apologized.

She crawled towards me and raised her arm up as if she's about to slap me. I closed my eyes and braced myself. What I did was not only foolish, but cruel. I should never embarrass her like that. But then I felt a soft hand on my cheek. I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was Beautymon giggling at me.

She wasn't humiliated at all. In fact, she enjoyed the little surprise I had for her. For what seemed like minutes, the two of us played in the water. First, we would engage in a splashing war, followed by a contest to see which one of us could hold our breath the longest. After that, Beautymon and I made faces at each other while we were underwater.

The next thing I know, we were both laughing with each other. I never had this much fun in a long time. We laughed for a few minutes, enjoying each other's company. After a while, we got out of the ocean to dry ourselves off. As we wiped the salty water off of our bodies, face and hair, the two of us gazed at the beautiful horizon.

"Amazing, isn't it?" I asked.

"It sure is." Beautymon replied. I looked back at her and watched her olive hair dancing elegantly with the wind. She looked back and saw me looking at her.

"Do you like what you see?"

"I do..." I said to myself.

"Oh Cutie! You're such a charmer." Beautymon blushed when she caught me staring.

"Eh? What are you talking about?"

"Nothing. Teehee!"

"Beautymon?"

"Would you..."

"What? What is it?"

She paused and looked away from me. The female Digimon then curled up in a ball and covered her chest with her arms. I didn't know what she's thinking, but I got a strange feeling I'm about to find out. She slowly looked back at me and continued on with her question. She spoke in a soft, yet seductive whisper that made time froze.

"Would you like to see more?"

My eyes lit up the very instant those words came out of her mouth. Her hands made their way up to her shoulders toward the upper portions of her swimsuit. She looked at me in the eyes when she stopped at the strings of her bikini. I can see that seductive grin on her face. But before she could go any further...

"WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA... WHOA!" I shouted, trying to stop Beautymon from completely undressing herself. I shielded my eyes, so that I wouldn't see what I she wanted me to see.

"Huh? But Cutie, I thought you wanted play with my..."

"NO!" I screamed. I turned away with my cheeks as red as beets.

"That's enough Beautymon. Please... I don't want to... I don't want to, uh... you know..."

"What's wrong darling? Scared that your eyes might wander off in the wrong place?"

"Well, um... Sure, I guess you can say that. I don't know how things work here in the Digital World. But in our world, it's inappropriate for guys like me to stare at girls."

"Is that so?"

"Uh-huh. You see, take Zoe for example. She doesn't like it when I look at her... well... chest." I tried to explain. But I noticed that female Digimon groaning in frustration the moment I said my best friend's name.

"That's nonsense, Sweetie! Why would Blondie be offended for something like that?"

"Maybe that's why she was angry at me. She saw me looking at your breasts."

"Really? And what's wrong with a little 'staring' may I ask?"

"I guess Zoe thinks it's just rude. Then again, I can see where she's going. There are some things girls just don't want us guys to see."

"How preposterous!" argued Beautymon. "There's nothing wrong with that! Sometimes, we ladies want to show the boys exactly what we got. You know what I mean, Cutie? To me, it's an honor having all the boys gazing at my wondrous physique!"

"But Beautymon..." I objected. But she silenced me by placing a finger on my lips.

"Come now, Sweetie. Doesn't your body crave for these?" She asked, trying to get my attention on her chest area. I wanted to resist, but the urge was too great. She cupped her hand around my chin as we got closer to each other.

"You're a Legendary Warrior. You spent a long time fighting the bad guys and saving the Digital World. You deserve a little reward."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." I whispered.

"After a long day of saving lives, it's good to relax and..." She lets out a small gasp before gazing into my eyes one last time. "... appreciate _beauty_!"

I trembled upon hearing her statement. "You're very forward, Beautymon."

"Only for you, Cutie." She giggled as she gently stroke my cheeks.

"Beautymon..."

"Yes, Sweetie?"

I knew what she was trying to do, but I couldn't stop. My head was yelling at me to get away, yet my body wanted more of the female Digimon standing before me. It wasn't long before I noticed our lips were only inches apart from each other. I realized that this was getting a little out of hand. On the other hand, I was perfectly fine with it.

All of the sudden, Beautymon closed her eyes, as well as the distance between our lips. Words couldn't escape my mouth. Running was futile since she had a warm embrace. I slowly closed my eyes and tilted my head towards the side. As I inched closer toward the female Digimon, a thought occurred in my mind. Is Beautymon's taste sweeter than her smell? It looks like I'm about to find out. Our lips are almost on top of each other.

"MARCHING FISHES!" Someone shouted.

My eyes shot open at the sound of another Digimon calling out his attack. I looked towards the ocean and noticed a bunch of fish swimming towards us. There was an angry glare on each of their faces. Suddenly, the fishes leaped out of the water and headed straight for me and Beautymon. I could see their sharp teeth. Something told me they looked hungrier than a school of piranhas.

One by one, the fishes dove passed the two of us, nipping away anything they can get their teeth on. That includes body parts, hair, even our swimsuits. I shielded myself as the onslaught continued. There were just too many of them. I tried slapping away a few of the fishes, but they were too quick. Even Beautymon was having as much trouble as I was.

"AHHHHHH! GET AWAY FROM ME!" shouted Neemon. I watched as a bunch of fish chased him around the beach.

"Yeow! Get off me, you rotten fish!" shrieked the female Digimon as she smacked a couple of fish away.

"Beautymon, we got to get out of the water!" I said. She nodded and grabbed my hand. The female Digimon then pulled me in close and I held on tight. Beautymon leaped high in the air, carrying me out of the ocean. We landed smoothly on the warm sand nearby.

"MARCHING FISHES!" Another voice cried.

I checked the waters and saw even more fishes dove out of the ocean. I released myself from Beautymon's embrace and got ready for action. But the female Digimon stepped in front of me and aimed her hands at the oncoming colorful targets.

"Beautiful Beam!" she cried, firing a barrage of pink lasers at the fish.

Beautymon shot fish after fish like it was target practice. No matter how many aquatic creatures came her way, the olive haired warrior was ready to blast them back into the ocean. A few seconds later, the onslaught had stopped. Over a hundred fish flopped on the sand, already defeated.

"Get ready, Cutie! Here they come!" said Beautymon.

"What in the world is going on?" I wondered.

"Destroy them!" The same voice from earlier said.

I looked back at the ocean and my eyes widened once again. A bunch of seal-like Digimon crawled out of the waters like mindless zombies. They had the same malicious look like most of the other evil Digimon we faced. That could only mean one thing.

"Gomamon!" I cried. I was about to go over to them when Beautymon grabbed me by the hand.

"They're being controlled by Chaos Spheres, Cutie! They work for Malevomon now!"

"You got to be kidding me!" I growled.

"Destroy them! Destroy them all and claim the Spirits for Lord Malevomon!" ordered one of the Gomamon.

"MARCHING FISHES!"

More fishes came out of the water and headed straight for us. I moved from side to side to avoid the oncoming attack. These guys are relentless. No matter how many times I dodge, more and more keep coming. Some of them actually got a good shot at me. I felt a couple of nips on my arms and a few on my leg. With each successful bite, my movements slowed down little bit. The next thing I knew, I was being swarmed by a school of angry fish.

"Hey, you lousy creatures! Leave my Cutie alone!" An angry Beautymon shouted.

"BEAUTIFUL BEAM!"

She aimed her hands at the Gomamon and fired more laser at them. The Gomamon retaliated by summoning more fishes out of the water. Beautymon blasted every fish she could. One by one, she successfully hit her targets. The fish fell on the beach, gasping for air. However, the Gomamon continued with their attack. They unleashed powerful roars as more fish appeared out of the water.

The female Digimon noticed the ruthlessness in these evil creatures and the persistence in their fishy friends. She continued firing her beams at her targets. But each time she takes down a fish, three more appeared to take its place. Beautymon realize how the fishes were increasing in numbers by the second. Not only that, but she can only fire two beams at a time at a certain rate. To make things worse, the Gomamon had already figured it out.

"We got her now boys!" One of the grinned. "ATTACK, MARCHING FISHES!"

All of the sudden, hundreds of fish shot out of the water at the same time and dove for the female Digimon. They displayed their teeth and prepared to attack. A frustrated look appeared on Beautymon's face. However, that didn't stop her from attacking. She launched more projectiles at the fishes. She nailed her targets head on, but there were too many of them.

Realizing that she wasn't getting anywhere, Beautymon ceased firing and leaped out of the way before the fishes could sink their teeth into her. She landed to the side, only to be greeted by a few more fish. She avoided them again and again. While Beautymon continued dodging the charging creatures, she thought about ways she could somehow turn this fight around.

I watch helplessly as the Gomamon continued ganging up on Beautymon. Sure, she's a great fighter. But it's only a matter of time before her energy runs out and the numbers game would start to take effect. And yet here I am watching her fight while I stand here on the sidelines, afraid to fight my friends. I don't want to hurt the Gomamon. But if this keeps up, Beautymon won't last another minute.

This is exactly what happened back on Terra Hills Village. One of my Digimon friend was being controlled by the Chaos Sphere, but I was more concerned about their safety than mine. I was so afraid of hurting my friends, that Zoe got hurt during the fight against Liamon. She could've been destroyed by that evil Digimon if I had not been such a coward.

And now, the same thing is happening to Beautymon. She's fighting for her life, regardless of the opponent. Even if one of her comrades got capture by the Chaos Spheres, she wouldn't hesitate to destroy them. It's not easy, but it must be done.

"YEOW!" Beautymon cried.

My eyes widened as I looked to see what happen. The female Digimon was on one leg, holding her thigh. Another fish came from her blindside and bit her left. The fish worked together to get Beautymon on all fours. The numbers were too much for her. I knew Beautymon couldn't take them all alone, but I didn't expect it to be this bad. I turned and saw the Gomamon approaching their weakened victim.

"It's all over for you, Beautymon!" One of them proclaimed.

"You rotten little pest..." growled Beautymon. She tried to get back in the fight, but she was too weak to move.

"LET'S FINISH HER! MARCHING FISHES!" More fishes appeared out of the water and locked on to their target. Upon command, they dove towards Beautymon, ready to chew off ever part of her body like hungry piranhas.

"BEAUTYMON, NO!" I shouted as I ran towards her.

I dove towards Beautymon and tackled her out of harm's way. Embracing her as tight as I could, we rolled all over the beach. The friction scraped and burned my skin, but the soft touch and wonderful scent from Beautymon made most of the pain go away. After tumbling for some time, we came to stop. So far, I only suffered a few scrapes and a mild headache. But other than that, I was okay. I opened my eyes and realized I was on top of the female Digimon. Slowly, her consciousness returned.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Cutie... you saved me!" She smiled, which made me blush. Of course, now wasn't the time to act like this, but I couldn't help it. It's not my fault that I find Beautymon's smiles so attracting. She placed a hand on my cheek and gently stroked it down to my chin.

"Has those ugly Digimon harmed my little darling?"

"Um, no..." I said. As Beautymon's hand glided down my face, my cheeks grew redder. "I... I, um... uh..."

I tried to get back on my feet, but I lost my balance and fell back on to the female Digimon. My head landed on her stomach. A small, yet sensual moan escaped her mouth. I couldn't tell whether she was in pain or if she actually enjoyed it. I looked at Beautymon's eyes and noticed a cringing look on her face.

"Oh God, I'm sorry Beautymon!" I apologized. "I... I didn't mean to..."

"Oh..." Beautymon gasped for the second time. "Oh Sweetie... I..."

She gave me another seductive look. A small smile appeared on her face. I gazed at those memorizing lavender eyes as if I've fallen into dark devotion. Beautymon was staring at something, and from my guess, she must be extremely fascinated by it. I scanned her body, pondering what seemed to be the problem.

"WHAT THE..." I thought. I then realized one of my hands was on her chest area. My eyes widened in embarrassment. I expected the female Digimon to smack me, but it turns out that she loved it.

"Oh dear." She said with a hint of nervousness. "There does appeared to be a... little bit of a problem here." She placed her hand on top of mine and squeezed it hard. This made me tightened my grip on Beautymon's... 'you know what.'

"Beautymon, please!" I begged helplessly.

"Shhh..." She placed a finger on my lips. "Oh Cutie, I never knew you could be so impetuous." She cupped my face and brought me closer to her. I noticed her lips drawing towards me, but I couldn't stop. My instincts kicked in and told me to go with it.

"THERE THEY ARE! ATTACK!" Someone shouted, interrupting my train of thought.

I looked to the side and noticed a large army of Gomamon charging after us. I quickly stood back up and helped Beautymon to her feet. She winced in pain for a little bit, but she appeared to be okay. We both wiped the sand off our bodies and got ready to fight. I couldn't let Beautymon fight all by herself against this many Digimon. I had to do something and protect her, even if it means fighting my friends. I looked back to check on the yellow rabbit behind me.

"Neemon, find a safe place to hide!" I ordered.

"Gotcha!" He answered. He ran towards a couple of bushes and hid there. I took my D-Tector out of my pocket and leered at the charging Gomamon.

"You ready, Cutie?" Beautymon asked me. We both grinned at each other, knowing what we had to do.

"LET'S DO THIS!" I shouted.

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

*Insert Song: With The Will*

A bluish sketch of the Human Spirit of Flame traced itself on the screen of Takuya's D-Tector. When the outline was finished, the screen on his device started to glow. With her red and black device in one hand, he extended his left arm in front of him and opened up his hand. A ring of Fractal Code surrounded the Takuya's hand. He crossed his arms as well as swung them around a few times, before finally bringing his device and the Fractal Code ring together. The scanner made contact with the data ring, making Takuya's device beep, and screech. The dark area surrounding the boy's body was engulfed by bright glimmering lights.

"EXECUTE..." Takuya cried, swiping the Fractal Code with his D-Tector. "... SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

A long line of data surrounded his body. Takuya's clothes digitized as the Human Spirit of Flame started to awakened. He could feel his body being enveloped by strong amounts of energy. The heat from the raging hot flames flowed throughout him, as he becoming one with the Spirit. His arms, legs, and entire body slowly changed into the Warrior of Flame. It wasn't long before the transformation was complete. He uncrossed his arms, creating giant flames on both of his fists. He gave a hook with his left arm and another powerful punch with his right arm, sending the large fireballs flying like a cannonball.

"AGUNIMON!" The creature said.

The Warrior of Flame got in a defensive position with Beautymon by his side. They scanned the area, counting the number of Gomamon there are on the beach. There were plenty by the water, a few more waiting for them by the trees and near the cliffs. While the two warriors prepared themselves for battle, more Gomamon appeared out of the ocean and all over the island. They surrounded their opponents and dug their paw into the ground. Agunimon was frustrated since the Gomamon had them outnumbered. Approximately, there at least more than a hundred Gomamon on the island.

"There's so many of them!" said Agunimon.

"Don't be afraid, Cutie! We can beat these losers!" giggled Beautymon.

"Losers?" growled the Gomamon in unison. One of them stepped forward.

"Who are you calling losers, you pathetic swabs?" He shouted.

"Why... _you_, of course!" Beautymon stated while pointing at the Gomamon. This made the evil Digimon very angry.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS! YOU'RE ALL GOING TO PAY! WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU WILL NEVER WALK OUT OF HERE ALIVE!" One shouted.

"YEAH!" The rest of them agreed.

Suddenly, long streams of Fractal Code covered their bodies. Agunimon and Beautymon bunched closer together as the Gomamon transformed inside the cocoon of data.

"GOMAMON... DIGIVOLVE TO..." The monsters shouted in unison.

Before long, the transformation was complete. The Fractal Code disappeared and a bunch of Champion level Digimon stood before Agunimon and Beautymon. These creatures had features of a narwhal, a walrus, and a polar bear. They have thick white fur and large bodies, which made it easy for them to endure even the coldest temperature. These Digimon also have blue eyes and black paws with sharp red nails sticking out. Another prominent feature were their sharp long tusks, which are strong enough to crush boulders. Finally, each aquatic creature had a sharp black horn on the top of its head.

"IKKAKUMON!" They all cried.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Ikkakumon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Harpoon Torpedo; Heat Top**

**Description: Ikkakumons' huge bodies, combined with the thick fur all around them, ables them to withstand anything. Its sharp horn is made of mithril, an extremely rare metal only found in the Digital World. Their Harpoon Torpedo attacks launches their horns in the air. When it opens, dangerous missiles rains all over their opponents.**

The Ikkakumon unleashed a powerful roar, shaking the entire area. It was so deafening, it almost gave the two warriors a headache. Agunimon noticed their long tusks and the horns on their heads. Beautymon could see the terrifying scowls on their faces and was disgusted how ugly they looked. Both warriors took a step back to increase the distance between them and their opponents.

"Great..." grumbled Beautymon. "More ugly Digimon I have to destroy."

"What are they?" Agunimon asked.

"Gomamon has Digivolve to the Champion level: Ikkakumon! They're stronger now! And not only that, they have Chaos Spheres inside them!" Beautymon answered.

"No way!"

"Keep your guard up! They may be slow upstairs, but they sure know how to fight."

Beautymon raised both of her arms and aimed at a couple of Ikkakumon. Agunimon kept his hands up, ready to fight. A staring contest ensued between the two sides. The Ikkakumon dug their feet into the sand and watched their opponents carefully. They noticed a bead of sweat falling off of the Legendary Warrior's cheeks. They also noticed rapid blinks coming from Beautymon.

Each Digimon in the vicinity gritted their teeth together, waiting for someone to make the first move. The beach was filled with dead silence. The only sounds that could be heard was the wind blowing and the waves flowing. Finally, one of the Ikkakumon unleashed a heavy roar.

"DESTROY THEM!" He ordered.

Suddenly, the Ikkakumon ran as fast as they could towards Agunimon and Beautymon. They lowered their heads, aiming their horns at them. Even though they have large bodies, they're still able to run faster than a raging bull. Finally, they all shouted their attacks in unison.

"HEAT TOP!"

The two warriors leaped out of the way to avoid the stampede. Both of them landed smoothly on the sand. They got back in ready position and the first thing they noticed was the Ikkakumon coming back with another stampede. Agunimon punched both of his fists together, creating large fireballs on his hands. Beautymon pointed her hands at the group of Ikkakumon. Both fighters waited until the aquatic creatures got within range.

"Take em' out, Cutie!" ordered the female Digimon. "BEAUTIFUL BEAM!"

"You got it, Beautymon!" complied the Legendary Warrior. "PYRO PUNCH!"

The two warriors unleashed their attacks. Agunimon punched both of his arms forward, sending the fireballs at the Ikkakumon. Beautymon fired a couple of beams at the Champion level Digimon. Their attacks hit four to five Ikkakumon. The impact sent them flying into the ocean. But that still didn't stop the rest of them from charging.

Agunimon and Beautymon launched more of their attacks towards their opponents. The Ikkakumon took the hit and feel back down to the ground. Realizing an all-out blitz wasn't working, the Ikkakumon stopped their charge. Agunimon and Beautymon watched as they changed battle formations. The Ikkakumon growled before unleashing another attack.

"HARPOON TORPEDO! They shouted. They fire the horns towards the sky like rockets. Agunimon watched as the horns ascend higher. He smirked back at the Sea Animal Digimon.

"HA! Terrible aiming, buddy!" He laughed.

"Um... Cutie?"

"Missed us! Missed us! Now you're gonna..."

"CUTIE!"

"What?"

"Look..."

She pointed towards the sky, where the rocketing horns were. Agunimon looked and his eyes widened at what he saw next. The horns broke apart, revealing a large number of missiles. The torpedoes in the sky changed course and headed towards Agunimon and Beautymon. Gravity started to take effect as the missiles picked up speed.

The Warrior of Flame pounded his fists together, creating a couple more fireballs on his knuckles. He punched towards the sky, sending the fireballs towards the torpedoes. He managed to hit two of them, causing the missiles to explode in midair. Unfortunately, he could only fire two at a time. Not to mention there were still plenty more torpedoes coming their way. Beautymon decided to help out. She aimed her hands at the missiles and focused all of her energy on into her attack.

"BEAUTIFUL BEAM!" She cried.

Beautymon fires a couple more beams towards the torpedoes. Like Agunimon's fireballs, the beams collided with the missile and exploding on impact. In seconds, Agunimon and Beautymon took care of the first set of torpedoes. But just when they destroyed the last projectile, the Ikkakumon launched more of their torpedoes at them. The horns disassemble in midair and the missiles rain down towards Agunimon and Beautymon.

The two warriors continued launching their attacks to stop the torpedoes. But each time they destroy a missile, they grow more frustrated and impatient. Not only that, it was getting harder to keep it up. Agunimon and Beautymon can destroy the torpedoes with one shot. But as time passes, both of them started to become aware of the weakness in their strategy. Agunimon can only shoot two fireballs at a time, while Beautymon's firing rate is only semi-automatic. The number of missiles seem to increase with each set. Even though their strategy wasn't getting them anywhere, it was their only option.

It wasn't long before the numbers game started swinging towards the favor of Ikkakumon. The two warriors couldn't stop all of the missiles. Agunimon and Beautymon stopped their attacks and braced themselves for impact. One by one, the torpedoes crashed into the ground. The blast sent tiny shrapnel and heat energy all the area. Large clouds of smoke covered the spot where the two warriors once stood. The Ikkakumon grinned and march forward. Each step they took felt like an earthquake with a magnitude of five. The smoke clears, revealing Agunimon on one knee and Beautymon on all fours, coughing for air.

"Are you alright, Beautymon?" He asked, helping Beautymon back to her feet. She coughed once more before shifting her attention towards Agunimon's eyes.

"Thank you, Cutie!" She whispered. This surprised the Legendary Warrior. He was glad that she wasn't hurt, but the sound of her voice seemed so inviting. Agunimon felt himself drawing closer toward the female Digimon when...

"HARPOON TORPEDO!" shouted one of the Ikkakumon, thus snapping the Agunimon back to reality. He looked towards the Sea Animal Digimon and watched them launch their attacks at them.

"SCATTER!" Agunimon ordered.

He and Beautymon dispersed in two directions. The torpedo exploded on the spot, sending mild shock waves throughout the area. Agunimon and his partner landed on their feet and got back in position. The army of Ikkakumon roared one last time before splitting up into two groups. Half of them went after the Legendary Warrior while the other half went after the female Digimon.

The Ikkakumon continued with their charge on Agunimon like a juggernaut. When the aquatic Digimon got in range, the Legendary Warrior went on the offense. He ran towards them with two fireballs on both of his hands. He threw his hands forward, sending his attacks towards a couple of Ikkakumon. The fireballs nailed them straight in the face, knocking them down. Agunimon continued running towards the army of Digimon. The Ikkakumon fired a barrage of missiles, but the Legendary Warrior dodged them with ease.

He then ran towards the closest one and gave him a huge uppercut. The blow sent Ikkakumon flying backwards into another Digimon. Agunimon spun around and gave the Ikkakumon behind him a powerful kick to the jaw. While the aquatic monster fell down defeated, Agunimon leaped over his opponent with a couple more fireballs on his hands. He locked on to a couple of Ikkakumon and threw his attacks at them. The two walrus-like Digimon had no time to dodge the attack. The fireballs nailed them in the chest, knocking them out. Agunimon landed on his feet and scanned his environment and realized there were still plenty to defeat. He dug his feet to the ground and got ready to unleash another attack

"PYRO TORNADO!" He shouted.

Large fireballs appeared on his fist as his entire body was surrounded by the scorching heat. He extended his arms to his side and spun around. The faster he rotated, the bigger the fire grew. Soon, a fiery tornado engulfed the Warrior of Flame. Agunimon spun towards one Ikkakumon with the flames around the tornado growing with intense heat. The cyclone slammed hard into the Sea Animal Digimon, knocking him out of the fight. Like a pinball bouncing off a bumper, he ricocheted off of the beast and into another Ikkakumon. The walrus-like creature grunted in pain as his body fell to the ground.

Agunimon stopped his attack and slid his feet on the sand. He then ran towards another group of Ikkakumon who just fired a set of horns towards the sky. He looked up and noticed a few torpedoes quickly approaching him. He juked left and right, avoiding each missile. After dodging the last one, nothing stopped him from going with another frontal attack. He charged towards his opponent with fire at the end of each fists. He uppercutted the first Ikkakumon he came in contact with. Agunimon followed up with a spinning elbow to the second Ikkakumon's temple. Finally, he tackled the third Ikkakumon to the ground and got into a mount position. He gave him a couple of right hooks to the head, knocking him unconscious. Agunimon got back to his wiped the sand off of his body. He looked around the area and noticed there were a few more left.

"Here we go again." He grinned.

Meanwhile, Beautymon wasn't having any trouble holding her own against the Ikkakumon. The aquatic Digimon fires a barrage of torpedoes at the female Digimon. Beautymon spun around in circles like a ballerina to cleanly avoid the bombardment of missiles raining down on her. Upon completing the circle, she aimed her hand towards the first Ikkakumon she saw and fired a powerful beam at him. The attack collided into the Digimon and exploded on impact. The smoke cleared and the first Ikkakumon was obliterated.

After seeing one of their comrades destroyed by Beautymon, the other aquatic creatures took a step back. The female warrior struck a pose and winked at all of the other Ikkakumon. She stuck her hand out in front of her, demanding her opponents to 'Bring It!' Growing irate about being mocked, a couple of Ikkakumon charged toward her. Beautymon grinned, knowing that they've took the bait. She fired a couple more beams at her targets. The attacks nailed the Ikkakumon in the chest, deleting them in the process. Once that was taken care of, she struck a different pose and gazed back at the others. A small giggle escaped her mouth.

"Come on boys! Let's see what you got!" She teased.

"HARPOON TORPEDO!" The Ikkakumon shouted.

They fire their horns directly at her. Beautymon waited until the horns disassemble and the missiles came into sight. Once the torpedoes got close, everything moved in slow motion. She gracefully moved from side to side, elegantly avoiding the projectiles. Her moves can only be describe as poetry in motion. The way she danced around the missiles seem to flow together in time and space. Her movements were flawless and facile, yet very enjoyable and pleasing to the eye.

Beautymon finished twirling and noticed there was one more torpedo to avoid. She waited for the missile to approach her. She backflipped into the air and leaped over the missile. She floated in midair and took a long look at all of the Ikkakumon that remained. Each one of them gave her a scary look that would intimidate most Digimon. But Beautymon is not like most Digimon. Even the most terrifying scowls don't even faze her.

"How pathetic..." She snickered.

"You're going to pay for that! You'll never beat us!" cried one of the Ikkakumon

"How cute..." She giggled. But then the look on her face had changed. It went from the sweet and innocent, to serious and unkind. She brought her arms together and glared at her enemies. "... but I'm tired of playing with you losers! Time to get serious! PETAL DANCE!"

She opened her arms up and unleashed a barrage of flower petals. The Ikkakumon saw the female Digimon call forth one of her devastating attacks and immediately trembled in fear. They saw a variety of petals dancing with the wind and encircling them. A fascinating scent entered their noses. The strange smell caused the Sea Animal Digimon to become frozen on the spot. Neither one of them could move or declare another attack.

Beautymon observed the battleground and knew she already has the advantage. She landed on the ground and aimed her hands at the Ikkakumon. The aquatic Digimon noticed she was about to attack. They tried to get out of the way, but it was no use. Beautymon's previous move paralyzed them for good. The female Digimon smirked at her opponents.

"It's all over, you big ugly creeps. BEAUTIFUL BEAM!"

She took aim and fired her pink laser beams at the stunned Digimon like it was target practice. One by one, the beams hit their targets and one by one, the Ikkakumon fell to the ground and disappeared from sight. They tried to shake free from the side effects of Beautymon's attack, but to no avail. The only thing Ikkakumon could do was wait for Beautymon to destroy them.

And that's exactly what the female Digimon did.

Beautymon shot down every Ikkakumon that tried to annihilate her with no remorse. Just like that, almost the entire army of Ikkakumon was gone. They were all completely destroyed by Beautymon's powerful beam. She looked ahead and noticed there only one left. The olive haired Digimon saw the terrified look in his face and couldn't help but laugh to herself.

All of the sudden, the Sea Animal Digimon manage to break free from Beautymon's spell. He wasn't paralyzed anymore. This initially shocked the female Digimon, but immediately returned to her unfazed personality. Instead of fighting, the last Ikkakumon turned tail and ran for his life. He quickly made his way towards the ocean. Beautymon took aim and waited patiently for her chance to shoot. She finally has her shot and fires another pink laser beam at the creature. Ikkakumon was only a few feet away from the ocean, but before he could dive back in, the energy attack nailed his blindside, destroying him for good.

"Such a pity..." She spoke softly. She turned back towards the Warrior of Flame, who just finished knocking out a couple more Ikkakumon.

"Nice work, Cutie!"

"Thanks Beautymon." said Agunimon. "We're almost done. We still got one more to defeat."

Agunimon and Beautymon got in ready position once again and faced the last Ikkakumon standing. He was incredibly angry that his comrades were defeated so easily by these two warriors. He took a step back to increase the distance between him and them. Each step he took, the two warrior-like Digimon followed. It wasn't long before Ikkakumon's feet touched the ocean. He looked back nervously at the great blue waters before turning back towards his opponents.

"It's over, Ikkakumon." declared Agunimon. "Give up, while you still can."

"Never!" He replied.

"You're all by yourself, you hopeless creature. There's no way you can defeat the two of us."

"Oh yeah?" Ikkakumon grinned. Fractal Code surrounded his entire body. He jumped into the sky and splashed into the ocean. Agunimon and Beautymon kept their guard up, ready for whatever is about to come out of the water.

"Get ready, here he comes!" said Agunimon. Inside the cocoon of data, the Sea Animal Digimon began to transform.

"IKKAKUMON... DIGIVOLVE TO..." He shouted.

Before long, the transformation was complete. The Fractal Code disappeared and a fully evolved Digimon appeared out of the ocean. It was a large monster that resembles a walrus, but standing on two legs. It had bluish skin and orange hair on his paws, feet, tail and head. His shell had three spikes on it with a couple of metallic decorations. His tusks were thicker and sharper than Ikkakumon's. The horn on his head was longer than usual and had jagged edged on them. And for the piece of resistance, he had a large hammer made entirely out of steel.

"ZUDOMON!" He roared.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Zudomon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Vulcan's Hammer; Hammer Boomerang**

**Description: Zudomon is as tough as they come. The shell on his back is incredibly hard to break, making it the perfect defense. His greatest weapon is his large hammer, made out of Chrome Digizoid. His Vulcan's Hammer attack strikes the opponent with pounding forces produced by his massive weapon.**

Zudomon stomp towards his opponents, with vengeance in his eyes. He held his hammer up, ready to strike his enemies down. He may be slow, but each step he took almost knocked Agunimon and Beautymon off balance. They managed to stay on their feet and waited for Zudomon to make his move. A stare down occurred between these Digimon. The powerful Digimon lets out another roar before attacking his enemies.

"HAMMER BOOMERANG!" He shouted.

With all of his strength, the Ultimate level Digimon threw his weapon at the two warriors like a boomerang. The hammer spun toward Agunimon and Beautymon at an incredible speed. The female Digimon tried to stop it by firing one of her pink beams, but even that wasn't enough to slow the large weapon down. Just before the hammer could make contact, the two warriors jumped out of the line of fire. They landed on their feet and leered at the Sea Animal Digimon, who had already caught his hammer.

"This is unpleasant." said Beautymon in an unenthusiastic tone.

"I got this!" Agunimon said. Suddenly, a large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded the Legendary Warrior's body. Inside the long steams of data, Agunimon began to change forms.

"Slide… EVOLUTION!" Finally, the Fractal Code had vanished, and a new Digimon appeared before Zudomon. "BURNINGGREYMON!"

The fiery Digimon flew towards his opponent and aimed his blasters directly at the aquatic creature's chest. He rapidly fired a barrage of solar energy bullets from his cannons. Zudomon took the hit head on. Since Takuya was in his Beast Spirit form, his attacks had more energy and more power to it. In fact, it almost knocked Zudomon off his feet. But most of the bullets bounced off his shell. The Digimon regained his balance and growled at the dinosaur monster. He viciously swatted his paw at the Beast Warrior of Flame. The powerful blow sent BurningGreymon flying straight towards Beautymon. The two Digimon collided with each other and tumbled on the sand. Zudomon then lifted his hammer up, ready to launch another attack.

"VULCAN'S HAMMER!" He shouted.

Zudomon slammed his giant hammer into the ground, and produced a thunderbolt that headed straight toward his target. BurningGreymon and Beautymon regained their consciousness and sensed the oncoming attack. Both of them leaped out of the way, just before the thunderbolt hits its spot. The two Digimon quickly got to their feet and got in a defensive position. Zudomon laughed out loud as if he's already won the battle. BurningGreymon was ticked, while Beautymon was furious.

"Why you sick, ugly freak!" The female Digimon cried, flying towards her opponent.

"BEAUTYMON, NO!" BurningGreymon cried.

But his words fell on deaf ears. Beautymon flew around the giant Sea Animal Digimon, firing a barrage of laser beams at her target. The energy attack collided with Zudomon's body and shell, thus exploding on impact. After shooting so many beams, Zudomon's body was covered with thick clouds of smoke. Beautymon grinned, knowing that no one can survive that kind of assault.

It wasn't long before the smoke clears up. Beautymon couldn't believe her eyes. Zudomon stood there practically unscathed. He rubbed himself off a bit and raised his weapon again. This time, Beautymon didn't see it coming. Zudomon viciously brings down his hammer on the poor female Digimon. She fell flat on her face on the sand, barely unconscious. Zudomon lifted his hammer one more time, prepared to finish Beautymon off.

"BEAUTYMON!" BurningGreymon shouted. He flew as fast as he could towards his female partner. He carried her underneath his arms and dove out of the way, just before Zudomon came down with another powerful strike. Once he was at a safe enough distance, he checked on Beautymon to see if she's awake.

"You okay, Beautymon?"

"I'm fine... but how do I look?" She then asked, showing the fiery Digimon her gorgeous face. BurningGreymon check and noticed there wasn't any scratches, scrapes or any kind of superficial damage. On the other hand, he didn't know how to answer that question. He looked confused, but then got his head back into the fight. He took a long look at Zudomon, wondering if he has any weaknesses.

"This guy sure is tough!" He said. "He's probably one of the toughest Digimon we've ever face!"

"None of our attacks are working against him!" Beautymon added. "We'll never beat this guy!"

"We can't give up! There has to be a way."

"But how? I attacked him from every angle possible and there's not a scratch on that shell of his!"

"Beautymon..."

"None of our attacks have the power we need to stop him!"

"Not alone... but what about together?" BurningGreymon suggested as he placed a hand on Beautymon's shoulder. For the first time, the female Digimon couldn't help but blush.

"Cutie..."

"You and I are both pretty powerful Digimon! But we can only accomplish so much if we fight all by ourselves!" He continued. "However, if we combine our attacks together, I'm sure it'll be enough to stop him! What do you say?"

"Are you sure this work?"

"It has to!"

"Well..." She thought. "I guess we can give it a try. After all, what do we have to lose?"

"Alright then." BurningGreymon said. He and Beautymon then turned towards Zudomon. "LET'S GO!" The two of them flew towards the Sea Animal Digimon as fast as they could.

"Fools! No matter what you do, you will never defeat me!" declared Zudomon as he got ready to feet.

He was fascinated that the two warriors were still coming at him with the level of power they currently have. But he didn't care. He knew he was going to destroy them with his own two hands. Zudomon lifted up his weapon up and smashed his hammer on the ground, sending a couple of powerful thunderbolt towards the two targets. BurningGreymon and Beautymon quickly avoided he oncoming blast.

They then split off in two different directions to confuse the Ultimate level Digimon. BurningGreymon shot solar energy bullets at Zudomon's backside while Beautymon fired a barrage of pink laser beams at Zudomon's front. The aquatic Digimon took the hit like it was nothing. However, each successful hit exploded on impact, creating a huge cloud of smoke on the spot.

BurningGreymon and Beautymon regrouped with each other and looked towards their opponent, observing any kind of damage they've inflicted. Unfortunately, the smoke was too thick, making it hard to see. The fiery Digimon focused a little bit more and could see the shadowy figure that is Zudomon. He turned towards the female Digimon, who gave him a quick nod.

"NOW!" He ordered.

"Beautiful Beam!" Beautymon cried.

Upon command, she fired more and more beams at the enemy. Each attack was a direct hit. The beams nailed all over Zudomon's body. But the Ultimate level Digimon continued to endure the assault. Not one of Beautymon's attacks did any kind of damage to him. However, the more beams that hit him, the more he gets pushed back.

Beautymon added a little more energy to her attacks. This time, it was working. The laser beams were able to get the giant Digimon almost off balanced. Zudomon rolled her hands around, trying not to fall on his shell. All of the sudden, the barrage of beams stopped, which made it easier for the Ultimate level Digimon to regain his balance.

"Got him!" Someone looked from the corner of his eye and noticed BurningGreymon appearing out of nowhere. He was flying towards him at top speed and boy was he angry. The fiery Digimon clenched one of his fists and gave the stunned Zudomon a ferocious uppercut.

"Ugh!" grunted Zudomon as he dropped his hammer.

The powerful blow not only chipped of one of the monster's tusk, had enough force to knock to the large walrus-like Digimon on his shell. Like a turtle on its back, Zudomon tossed and turned, but couldn't get back to his feet. BurningGreymon and Beautymon regrouped with each other and watched as the aquatic Digimon struggled to get back into the fight. The two warriors looked at each other and smiled.

"Let's finish this!" said Beautymon.

"Right!" agreed the fiery Digimon. He unleashed a huge roar as raging hot flames engulfed his body.

"BEAUTIFUL BEAM!" The female Digimon shouted, firing a powerful beam at the defenseless Zudomon.

"WILDFIRE TSUNAMI!" roared BurningGreymon as he released his fiery attack.

The flames caught up to Beautymon's attack, surrounding the pink beam with its hot energies. The two attacks successfully combined themselves with each other, creating an ultra-powerful fiery projectile. Zudomon gasped in fear and braced himself for impact. The flaming beam collided with the large Digimon, creating another massive explosion. The area was filled with smoke and ash. Beautymon struck a pose while BurningGreymon kept his guard up.

Finally, the smoke and dust cleared up, revealing an unconscious Zudomon with a ring of data surrounding his body. The Beast Warrior of Flame knew the fight was over. Large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded his body. Inside, the cocoon of data, BurningGreymon began to transform.

"SLIDE... Evolution!" Finally, the Fractal Code had vanished, and the Warrior of Flame suddenly appeared.

"Agunimon!" He shouted. He took a step closer towards the defeated Zudomon.

"And now for some purification! This is what you get for ruining our little vacation." The scanner of the top of his device lit up and the symbol of Fire appeared on the screen.

"FRACTAL CODE… DIGITIZE!"

He swung his arm out, absorbing the Fractal Code around Zudomon's body. After all of the data has been absorbed, the evil creature digitized until there was nothing left. Fractal Code surrounded Agunimon's body, transforming him back to Takuya.

The goggle-head looked down and noticed a Chaos Sphere on the ground, still surging with energy. But since the host was beaten, the power in the orb dropped to zero. The evil energies finally depleted, and the Chaos Sphere broke into tiny pieces. Takuya took a deep breath and smiled back at Beautymon.

"We did it!" He shouted while jumping for joy.

"That was amazing!" Beautymon complimented. "Great job, Cutie! You were fan... fan... Oh!" But before she could finish her comment, the female Digimon slowly collapsed onto the beach, like she was fainting.

"Beautymon!" Takuya cried as he rushed towards her. "Are you alright, Beautymon?"

He got on his knees and placed a hand on the fallen warrior's cheek. Takuya examined Beautymon's gorgeous body for any kind of damages. There was a couple of dirt marks on her two piece swimsuit and her hair was a little bit scraggly. But other than that, she appeared to be okay; just a little exhausted. Then again, how could she not be? After a long hard fight against an army of Sea Animal Digimon, it's a miracle she hasn't passed out yet.

Takuya took a long look at the gorgeous Digimon in front of him. He couldn't help but feel attracted to her. And there it was again... the strange, yet wonderful feeling has returned to him. It always happens whenever he meets someone incredible beautiful. And wouldn't you know? Never in his entire life has he seen someone as beautiful as her. The only exception, however, was a blonde haired girl who's somewhere on the other side of the island. The female Digimon woke up and gazed into Takuya's eyes.

"Cutie..." She whispered.

"Beautymon..." He replied.

"Cutie..."

"Beautymon..."

"Cutie..."

"Beautymon..."

Each time the two of them spoke, the distance between them decreased. Without even realizing it, their bodies were practically touching each other. Takuya could feel Beautymon's chest rubbing against his. Her olive hair tickled his cheek and her lips were only inches away, like it's begging for some action. Sadly, Takuya's the only one that could fulfill this kind of desire. In the back of his mind, he wanted to resist. He knew that what he's doing is beyond wrong, but he couldn't help it. He was overcome with temptation. Takuya closed his eyes and waited for the magic to happen.

Suddenly, a tingling feeling alerted Takuya that there's danger nearby. Without alerting Beautymon, he scanned the beach, searching for something suspicious. He checked the rocks, the plants behind him and the warm sand, but there wasn't any signs of danger. Then he turned towards the ocean and that's when he saw it. Large bursts of water plumes shot out of the ocean. The blasts got bigger and higher as they drew closer and closer towards him and Beautymon. All of the sudden, one of the plumes flew out of the ocean and headed straight towards them like a rocket.

"Beautymon, look out!" He cried. Takuya embraced the female Digimon and rolled out of harm's way. The water missile sailed over their heads and crashed into one of the trees.

"What's going on?" Beautymon asked.

"More trouble..." Takuya grumbled as he glared out towards the ocean.

Another female Digimon was standing on one of the pillars. She had teal skin, with a bluish crown and a one piece bathing suit. She also had thick gloves that reach passed her arms and circular disks surrounding her ankles. The creature waved towards the two warrior and gave them one of her signature smiles.

"Hi, there, kiddie pie!" She spoke in a southern belle accent.

"Oh great..." Beautymon said with little to no enthusiasm. Takuya glared at the Legendary Warrior of Water.

"Ranamon!"

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter eighteen. <strong>

**Can Takuya defeat the new and improved Ranamon, or the Warrior of Water easily dispose of him like she did with Zoe? These questions will be answered in part one of this epic battle. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	19. Aquatic Attack

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**With Zoe away from the group, Beautymon seized the opportunity to get closer to Takuya. They were about to have a moment with each other, until an army of Gomamon showed up. These Digimon were being controlled by the Chaos Sphere. Once they Digivolved to Ikkakumon and Zudomon, a ferocious battle ensued on the beach. Thankfully, they were no match for the combined teamwork of Takuya and Beautymon. Finally, those two can pick up where they last left off, right? Tell that to Ranamon. She had just finished thrashing Zoe and is prepared to do the same thing to Takuya.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter nineteen!**

* * *

><p><strong>Aquatic Attack<strong>

**Takuya's** **POV:**

"Hi, there, kiddie pie!" The female Digimon spoke in a southern belle accent. She waved at me like a child getting picked up by her mother at school. Guess who's back again, folks?

"Oh great. Just what we needed..." Beautymon said with almost no enthusiasm.

"It's Ranamon!" I shouted.

I couldn't believe that the Legendary Warrior of Water has finally appeared before us. I guess you can say that this is good news for us. Our main mission was to search for the Spirits of Water before Malevomon and his army does. With Ranamon here, we don't have to look any further. But when I gazed into her eyes, I noticed there was something different about her.

There was strange, yet malicious look in her eyes. I sensed some kind of negative energy flowing throughout her body. She was giving off an unusual vibe that's similar to the other evil Digimon I faced. Is this the same Ranamon as before? Is she the one that has been purified from Cherubimon's evil or is there something missing? I got a bad feeling about this. And I had a suspicious that the worst may have come true.

"Hah!" The Warrior of Water shouted

She threw her hands at me and Beautymon. She used her abilities to summon up most of the water around her. A huge tidal wave appeared and headed straight for us. I was impressed how big the wave was. It was so huge, it could level an entire city. With waves that size, it made it impossible to avoid them. Luckily, Beautymon was there to help. She held onto me tight and took the skies.

I watched as the tsunami crashed onto the beach and washing away anything that got in its path. That included rocks, beach stuff, the Toucan Paradise hut and even a few unfortunate Gomamon and Ikkakumon that were unconscious in the area. A few seconds later, the waves subsided and Beautymon slowly lowered me back down on the wet sand.

The damage was beyond devastating. The Toucanmon hut was completely destroyed and all of the Sea Animal Digimon we faced earlier had been washed away, nowhere to be found. The aquatic Warrior's tidal wave has wiped out almost all forms of life on the beach. Not a single Digimon could've survived that. I looked back at Ranamon, feeling scared and a little bit angry.

"What is she doing?" I asked.

"This is not good. Not good at all." The olive haired beauty murmured.

"Huh? What do you mean, Beautymon?"

"She's evil, Cutie. Which could only mean one thing. Malevomon and his ugly goons have found the Spirits of Water before we did."

"You got to be kidding me! Don't tell me she's under Malevomon's control." I hollered. Beautymon, on the other hand, said nothing. She glared at the Warrior of Water. "Could it be that Ranamon is under the control of the Chaos Sphere?"

"But of course I am, Sugar!" The Legendary Warrior answered gleefully.

"Great... How can this get any worse?" I growled to myself.

"Well now..." Ranamon smirked. "What a pleasant surprise. I never thought I would see you again, especially after all of this time. My, my... Have you grown? You're much taller than I remembered."

"And just what are you doing here?" questioned Beautymon.

"I'm glad you asked, Hon. I'm here, on behalf of Lord Malevomon, to claim what's rightfully his. And that would be those wonderful Spirits you humans possess. Now, would be so kind to hand over your Spirits, like a good little boy? It would make my job so much easier. If you choose to cooperate with me..."

"In your dreams, lady!" I shouted.

"Now, now. Take it easy, Sugar. I'm not asking much. Just surrender and give up your Spirits. That way, I don't have to start getting... messy; if you know what I mean."

"You actually think I'm just going to give them to you? Well, you're wrong! There's no way you're getting your hands on my Spirits! If you want them, you have to go through me first!"

"HAHAHAHA! How foolish!" The Warrior of Water laughed. "Believe me, Honey, you weren't the first one who said that to me."

"Why you..."

"Such a pity too... I expected more of a fight from that pathetic friend of yours. But then again... nothing spells sweet revenge... like beating her to a pulp." Ranamon said, clearly emphasizing the word. My eyes went up when I heard her last statement.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" I asked. Ranamon looked back at me and her grin grew even larger. That made me even more mad. The only answer that came out of her mouth was just a mere giggle.

And that's when I knew.

"Zoe... What have you done with Zoe? ANSWER ME!" I demanded.

"Hmph..." Beautymon huffed.

I glowered into Ranamon's eyes wanting for an answer. Unfortunately, she didn't give me any. She laughed at me, which only confirmed my suspicion of what she did to Zoe. At that point, my body went completely stiff and my heart stopped beating for a little bit. I was afraid, but not of Ranamon. I was scared for Zoe. She's somewhere alone on the island, probably injured with no one protecting her. I never felt so horrible in my life. Zoe's in so much pain right now and it's all my fault. I was the one who yelled at her. I was the one who drove her away. I wasn't there when she needed me the most. I could feel a small tear cascading down my cheek.

"Zoe..." I croaked.

"This is your last warning, Sugar! Give me your Spirits now, or you can suffer the same fate as your other human friend." threatened the Warrior of Water.

"You... YOU... I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!" My feelings changed from guilt to rage. I was so angry, I felt like tearing her apart. She has insulted my best friend for the last time. Ranamon will never get away with this. Anyone who hurts Zoe in any way, has to answer to me.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO ZOE, RANAMON! YOU HEAR ME?"

"Now now, let's not get hasty. Just to make you feel better, young man, your friend is still alive." said Ranamon.

"What?"

"You see, she wasn't worth destroying. Not yet, anyway. I felt like ending her misery was just too... simple. No! I had to make her suffer even more after she embarrassed and humiliated me so long ago. And what better way to do that than destroying _you_ in front of her?"

"Oh, you did not just insult my Cutie! Did you?" growled Beautymon.

"I'll take care of you after I'm finished with him!" Ranamon winked at the third-in-command of the Digimon Battlefront.

"YOU'RE TOAST, LADY!" I howled.

"Thanks, but I'll pass. After all, having fun beating the pitiful life out of your pathetic friend was already my breakfast. And now, it's time to move on to the next meal. OH BOYS?!"

*snap*

All of the sudden, the Warrior of Water snapped her fingers. The sound echoed throughout the beach. A few seconds later, the ground began to shake. The violent upheaval almost knocked me and Beautymon to the ground. Luckily, we were able to hold our positions. Both of us scanned the area, searching for Ranamon's potential subordinates.

Suddenly, a huge number of Mollusk Digimon appeared out of the water with angry looks in their eyes. Their bodies resemble large octopuses with red bodies and tentacles, with black blades at the end of each. They also wore thick, brown helmets which covered their entire heads. However, a couple of horns stuck out, and their bloodshot eyes could be seen as well. They also wielded a couple of weapons. On one tentacle was a traditional pirate sword. On the other was a small ray gun.

"How may we serve you, dearest Ranamon?" One of them asked.

"Get rid of them, Octomon!" She ordered.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Octomon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Spurting Ink; Octopus Trap**

**Description: Octomon, water type Digimon who are a lot stronger than you think. Their helmets are tougher than iron and their tentacles could squeeze twice as hard as a boa constrictor. They could slice you into ribbons with their swords, or shoot acids out of their guns using their Spurting Ink attack.**

"As you wish, madam!" The Octomon bowed. "ATTACK!"

Upon command, the aquatic mollusks made their way towards me and Beautymon. I got my D-Tector out, ready for another fight. The Octomon lined up and aimed their guns at me and the olive haired warrior standing next to me. After one of them gave the signal, they unleashed a barrage of bullets filled with toxic ink. Beautymon and I scattered in different directions to avoid the attack.

The ink landed on the sand and melted everything away. I was shocked after seeing the results of their attacks. If they can do that to sand, think of what would happen if they got that on my skin. Ugh! Definitely not a pretty sight. I regained my ground and got ready for battle. I was about to Spirit Evolve, ready to make sushi out of these Digimon. But then, I noticed something strange.

The Octomon turned away from me and headed straight towards Beautymon, who was quite a bit of distance away. Now that's odd. I was well within their range, so they could've all aimed for me. If they had all shot their toxic spray at me, I wouldn't have been able to dodge them all in time. However, it seems as if they want to fight Beautymon instead of me. I wondered why.

But then I turned back towards the Warrior of Water and that's when I had it all figured out. The Octomon was only a distraction; a decoy to not only separate me and Beautymon, but to get me all alone with Ranamon. If she's going to fight me, she wanted it to just be me and her, with no one else helping her... or me. A traditional one-on-one battle, with the strongest Legendary Warrior coming out on top.

And you know something? That's perfectly fine with me. This slimy, dateless wonder has done terrible things to my best friend. It's about time someone gives her a taste of her own medicine. Ranamon has picked the wrong human to mess with, especially after what she did to Zoe. If she thinks she's going to walk all over me, then she is sorely mistaken.

"Well, now that she's out of the way, how about you and I get down to business, huh Sugar?" The Warrior of Water chuckled.

"Fine with me." I agreed. "I'll not only defeat you, but I'll make you pay for what you did to Zoe!"

"How cute... You humans care so much for one another. Unfortunately for you, _that_ would be your downfall."

"Grrrrrr... JUST SHUT UP AND FIGHT!"

"Very well then, Sugar. But don't say I didn't warn you! HAH!"

Ranamon threw her hands towards me and a water plume burst out of the water. It started spinning around and around. It continued to pick up speed, creating a small hurricane in the area. The wind was blowing and the water was sprinkling on my face. With each passing second, the storm started getting rougher. I dug my feet into the sand and held my D-Tector tight. There was no way I'm going to lose to her.

"Here we go!" I shouted.

* * *

><p><strong>Zoe's POV:<strong>

*Flashback*

_The date was Friday, June 17th, about two months ago; the last day of middle school for me, Takuya, and the twins. After the graduation ceremony, there was going to be a dance in the gym later that night. Koji and Koichi told me they were going to be performing on stage, so they won't be dancing with us. That just leaves me and Takuya. _

_Now, from what he told me, he said he was going to be at the dance. But so far, he hasn't asked me or anyone out yet. I felt both disappointed and worried. I was mad because I was growing impatient, but at the same time, I was worried because I was afraid I might see him with another girl. He did approach me a couple times, but only just to ask questions on what kind of clothes he should wear. _

_I've waited long enough until, finally, someone asked me to go with him to the dance. His name was Hiroki Kurata. He was the biggest jock in our school and believe me, I felt sick to my stomach when I said I would go with him. I never really liked him, plus he's one of the biggest jerks in school, especially to Takuya and his friends. I didn't want to say yes, but I was getting sick and tired of waiting for my best friend to ask me out. I rather go with him than to wait forever for Takuya to make his move._

l - l

_It was the night of the dance. I was wearing a lavender strapless dress that reached just above my knees and gold open sandal heels. I also wore my mother's amethyst necklace for beauty. My parents just dropped me off in front of the gym and told me to call them when I want to be picked up. After saying goodbye, they drove away. I waited until their car disappeared from sight._

_Moments later walked towards the gym, feeling a little bit nervous. I looked around, wondering if Takuya actually came or not. So far, I haven't seen him. I entered the gym and was amazed at the settings. The staff sure put in a lot of work into it. The room was dimly lit, overly decorated with a bunch of lanterns and colorful Christmas lights. A disco ball hanged above our heads and shined with beautiful flashing lights. _

_I saw Koji and Koichi onstage, performing in front of the entire school. The two of them strummed their guitars with the rest of the band playing behind them. The smiles on their faces told me they were having the time of their lives. And in the middle of the gym was the dance floor. I was surprised how packed the area was. Almost everyone was busting a move and breaking it down with their 'dates.' I searched the large building, looking for my best friend._

_"Takuya, where are you?" I said to myself. I keep telling myself that Hiroki was my date instead of him, but a part of me still hoped._

_"Hey, babe! I'm over here!" Someone said. I turned and noticed a tall guy with dark brown hair approaching me. _

_"Hi Hiroki!" I blinked. "I didn't see you there."_

_"Yeah?" He held out his arms. "And were you expecting someone else?"_

_"No..." I said, shaking my head quickly. I then noticed the suit he picked out for tonight. I stared at him awkwardly, wonder what the heck he was wearing. _

_"I uh... you look... nice."_

_"Thanks." He smirked. _

_Dressed in a pinstriped lime green suit, a feathered hat, a large gold medallion, and a cane in his hand, Hiroki smiled while tapping his cane into the ground. Not really the outfit I would wear at an informal event such as this. Just standing beside this wannabe pimp made me more embarrassed. And our colors contrast like crazy. _

_"I do look good, don't I?"_

_I paused for a moment. "Yes, you look…" I cringed at the thought of him looking like a pimp, but I ignored my thoughts. "... Fine. You look fine... I guess..." I waited for a second. _

_"What do you think of my dress? My mom and I went shopping last week and she picked this out from..."_

_"Taka and Yamato had to copy me, of course. Those idiots have no originality whatsoever" Hiroki went on._

_"Of course." I uttered. _

_I then glanced towards the front and something my caught my attention. In black fitted tuxedo with a red bow tie, Takuya Kanbara walked into the gym. My eyes were filled with joy and my heart started jumping. I just knew he would come to the dance. Even though he wasn't my date for tonight, I was so glad he was here. Who knows? Maybe I could sneak away from Hiroki and dance with my best friend._

_"Come on, babe, let's dance!" Hiroki shouted. _

_He grabbed my arm and dragged me towards the dance floor. I looked back at Takuya and watched him made his way towards one of the tables and sat down. He wasn't interacting with his friends or dancing with me and the rest of the students. Does he even have a date for tonight? Was she running late... or is it possible that he doesn't have a date at all? It made me sad thinking about the possibility that he might be only boy without a date. A part of me still wanted to dance with him, just so he won't feel left out. _

_But you snooze you lose. Sorry, Takuya._

_For hours, Hiroki and I danced nonstop. Well, to be more precise, Hiroki did most of the dancing. His movements were very erratic, all over the place with no clear purpose. I couldn't keep up with him. Don't get me wrong, I'm a pretty good dancer myself. I've took some dance classes, as well as performed in front of my family and friends. Don't believe me, ask Takuya and the others. They all say how I move like an angel. _

_But here's Hiroki, making a huge fool of himself. His dancing is so wild and crazy, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed that he's my date. While he wasn't looking, I stare back at Takuya, wondering how he was doing. He hasn't moved an inch since the party had started._

_After a long time of fast pace music, Koji and Koichi changed things up a bit and threw in a slow song. All of the boys embraced their female dates and moved with the music. Hiroki asked me if I wanted to dance with him, but I said I was tired. And for once, he was okay with it. The two of us walked off the dance floor to get some punch. I kept my eyes on Takuya. I wondered when his date's going to show up, or if he'll ever get up from his seat and dance with the others._

_"Hey, babe? Can we talk for a little bit?" Hiroki asked me._

_"Um... sure." I replied nervously._

_He grabbed my hand and the two of us walked out of the gym. I honestly have no idea what he wanted to talk to me about, let alone why he's taking me outside. It was freezing cold when we left the school. I wrapped my arms around my body to fight the chilly air. I stared back at Hiroki, hoping he would at least be a gentlemen and offer me his jacket. But he kept walking and said nothing; much to my dismay._

_Hiroki and I walked towards an area behind the gym, lit by a lamp post. We were so far away from the dance, I could barely even hear the music. Regardless of the cold, the night was beautiful. The moon was full, and the stars glimmered brightly. But other than that, it was just me and him, with no one around us. And my intuition was telling me that this was a situation I do not want to be in._

_"So, what do you want to talk about?" I asked him, looking a bit confused._

_"I want to tell you something" He spoke._

_"Yes? What is it?"_

_"I know I seem like a huge jerk on the outside, but on the inside, I'm a really nice guy. And it's all because of you, babe."_

_"Me?" I repeated._

_"Yes! You're the most wonderful girl I've ever met. And even though we've known each other for such a short time, I felt like there's a special connection between you and me. Do you feel it too?"_

_"Well..." I looked even more confused._

_"I love you." He finally said, which totally caught me by surprise._

_"Wha... What?"_

_"I love you so much, babe."_

_"I... uh..." I was speechless. "Well, I... uh... um... Hiroki, I..."_

_"Kiss me..." He whispered. I instantly froze._

_He wrapped his arms around my body and pulled me in close. "I love you..." He planted his lips on my check then started to trail down my neck. "Baby!" His hands came up to my shoulders, and as he kissed down her left side, he slid the hands down my right leg._

_"What are you doing?" I yelled, pushing him away from me. I backed a couple steps from him._

_"What?" He threw his hands up. "I thought you said you loved me!"_

_"Huh? I never said that!" I spat._

_"You don't love me?" He walked forward. "Why not?"_

_"Get back! Don't touch me, jerk!" I took another step back._

_He kept advancing with anger washed all over his face. "I gave you everything, babe! And this is how you treat me?"_

_"DON'T call me that ever again, you psychopath!"_

_His anger relented into a sweet and gentle tone, and he approached more slowly. "Baby, please! Let me show you that I love you! I got us a hotel! We can be all alone... just the two of us!" He kept walking forward, and I kept stepping back. Eventually, my back hit against the wall. _

_"Don't you love me, baby?"_

_"Hiroki, get away from me!" I started to run_

_Rage resurfaced as he charged forward, pressing his body against mine. With all of his strength, he shoved me back into the wall. He pressed as hard as he could, making me faintly cry out as he crushed me against the wall. _

_"You are mine now and you are coming with me!" He hissed, anger seething in his voice._

_"Never!" I tried to push him away, but he wouldn't budge. Hiroki was much too heavy._

_He then threw me to the ground. I tried crawling away from him, but he grabbed both of my legs and dragged me back towards him. He pinned my arms with one hand while tearing apart my dress with the other. I cried for help, screaming as loud as I could, but he placed a hand over my mouth. _

_"I will do you right here if I have to!" He stared me down, removed his green jacket, and tossed it to the side. _

_I was so scared, yet I couldn't defend myself. I cringed in fear, hoping someone would save me._

_"Takuya... help me..."_

_Suddenly, a hand went on Hiroki's shoulder. He spun around with a look of confusion, then a fist went into his face. He topped over and fell to the ground. I looked up and saw a boy standing between me and Hiroki._

_"What are you doing here, Kanbara? Nobody invited you, so get lost!" Hiroki demanded. I widened my eyes when I heard the name. I looked up and there was Takuya standing in the moonlight, protecting me, like he's always had._

_"Back off, Kurata! Leave her alone!" Takuya ordered. The two boys stared each other down for a long time. Hiroki grunted and rubbed his swollen jaw._

_"KANBARA!" Hiroki screamed, charging at Takuya. _

_He clenched his fists tight and delivered a solid right cross to Takuya's face. The Bearer of Flame ducked out of the way to avoid the first strike. Hiroki followed up with another strike to the temple. Takuya moved to the side and Hiroki's fist collided against the wall. He easily shook off the pain and ran towards Takuya. _

_Like a professional boxer, the bully gave him a barrage of quick, yet powerful jabs, crosses, hooks and uppercuts. Takuya blocked the first half of the attacks while dodging the second half. Hiroki wasn't getting anywhere and started to grow desperate. He faked a right hook, causing Takuya to duck. Hiroki grinned as he stomped on Takuya's foot and followed with a powerful right hook to the jaw. The blow knocked the young man to the ground._

_"TAKUYA!" I cried._

_"Now that he's out of the way, you're mine now, babe!" grinned Hiroki. He slowly approached me. He backed me into the wall and caressed my thighs. I shut my eyes, hoping this nightmare would end._

_"Hey buddy." Someone said, tapping Hiroki on the shoulder. _

_He turned around, while giving Takuya a backhanded fist to the skull. Takuya saw the attack coming and ducked out of the way. As he got back up, he gave the bully a huge uppercut, knocking him down to the ground. A couple of teeth flew out of his mouth. Hiroki wiped the blood off his jaw and glared at his rival. Takuya lowered his defenses, knowing that the fight was over._

_"I'll get you for this, you hear me Kanbara! You'll see! Both of you will pay!" _

_And just like that, Hiroki Kurata was gone. _

_Takuya turned towards me and held his hand out. Instead, I got up myself and hugged Takuya on instinct. Tears of pain and joy fell on my face._

_"Oh Takuya..." I cried._

_"It's okay, Zoe. Everything's going to be alright." He said. I immediately felt better after hearing those words. _

_We let go of each other and the first thing Takuya noticed was my dress. It was a ripped up a little bit and it was also kinda dirty. I turned away from him to hide my embarrassment. I felt like crying again, especially when Takuya saw me like this. Suddenly, I felt his hand on my shoulder. I turned and watched him take off his black jacket, He put it around me to hide my filthy dress._

_"Takuya, how'd you find me?" I gasped._

_"I knew something was wrong when you and that jerk left the building. I had to find out what's going on."_

_"So... you were worried about me?"_

_"NO! I wasn't worried about you..." He said in a defensive tone. "I just... I just thought that... well..."_

_"Thanks, Takuya." I smiled, holding his hand. I noticed his cheeks were turning red, but that was nothing compared to mine._

_"Attention folks!" Someone spoke. I heard Koji's voice on the microphone. "It's about 11:55. This will be our last song before we send you home. I want to thank you all for coming and I hope you all have a great summer. See you guys in high school. And now, the final song, 'Over The Mountains' by Bosson."_

_After a couple of measures from the piano, Koji started singing._

_"Anywhere in the world I'll go for you..._

_I've made up my mind,  
>I've packed my bags,<br>I'm not returning home,  
>Until someone will give me reason to;<em>

_I locked the door and take a breath,  
>I'm ready to let go,<br>I know you're somewhere out there too,  
>There's only one thing for me to do..."<em>

_Koji kept singing and the music continued playing. I shifted my body left and right in rhythm of the music. I looked towards Takuya, waiting for him to ask me to dance with him. But he had his eyes on the ground, like he's nervous about something._

_"Takuya, what's wrong? Don't you wanna dance?"_

_"No..."_

_"Why not?"_

_"I, um... well... I can't dance..."_

_"You can't dance?"_

_"I... I, uh... I don't know how to dance." He told me._

_"Silly boy. Everyone can dance! Even a newborn child can dance."_

_"But Z... I don't know anything about dancing. That's why... that's why..."_

_"Takuya?"_

_"That's why I couldn't ask you to the dance."_

_"Because you don't know how to dance?"_

_"I was afraid you would laugh at me."_

_"Oh Takuya. I would never laugh at you. Besides, I can teach you how dance."_

_"You can? How?"_

_"Easy! Just do what I do."_

_I grabbed his hand and took him to the middle of the spotlight. Next, I wrapped both of his arms around my waist while I slung my arms over his shoulders. As the music plays, we waddled slowly and rotated together, looking into each other's eyes. I beamed at my best friend, knowing that this is the first time ever dancing with him. Takuya, on the other hand, looked extremely uncomfortable like he doesn't know what he's doing. Not only that, but his cheeks were even redder than ever. _

_Running out of ideas, I decided to make my move. I held onto Takuya a little bit tighter, pulling my body closer to him and relaxing in his arms. I felt his heart beating next to my chest. At that moment, the atmosphere around us changed. Takuya started to enjoy the feeling of me being closer to him. His movements were more fluid and in sync with the music. It wasn't dancing anymore; it was a communication of our souls with a warmness deep within our bodies. It got even better when Koji entered a key change and started singing the final chorus._

_"Over the mountains and over the sea,  
>To find the heart that belongs to me,<br>Anywhere in the world I go,  
>Anywhere 'til I find you; <em>

_I run through the valleys, I run through the fields,  
>I'd do anything, I am hard to please,<br>Anywhere in the world I go,  
>Anywhere 'til I find you, my baby."<em>

_His scent filled my lungs. With every breath I took, more of it became a part of rhythm of our bodies, like a trance. The moist, intoxicating air around us emitted towards one another. As the song came to an end, I melted into his arms. For what seems like a long time, the two of us stayed this position. All we had was each other, and that was all we need. We gazed at the beautiful moonlight. Nothing can harm me with him by my side._

_"Oh Takuya... what a night. I hope it never ends."_

_"Zoe..." Takuya called. But I didn't answer. I was too relaxed in his warm embrace._

_"Zoe? Zoe? ZOE!"_

*End of Flashback*

"Zoe? Zoe? ZOE!" Another voice shouted, waking me from my wonderful dream.

My consciousness returned to me. I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was the blue sky above me. But then, Bokomon's head came into view. I noticed a worried look in his eyes.

"B... Bokomon!" I coughed.

I tried to sit up straight, but the second I moved, jolts of pain vibrated throughout my body. I felt like my body's been slammed through ten brick walls. I was having trouble breathing. A couple of ribs appeared to be broken. I even felt some pain lingering in my back. It was so unbearable, I fell back down on the sand.

"Good heavens you're alive." said Bokomon with tears in his eyes.

Even though my body was in a lot of pain, I couldn't help but smile. I tried getting up one more time and the agony intensified once again. My eyes cringed tight, knowing that my body has reached its limit. However, Bokomon was there to catch my fall.

"Thanks Bokomon..."

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. No need to worry..."

"No need to worry? You were beaten by Ranamon and you're telling me not to worry?" His voice grew louder with each question.

"I'm... I'm sorry... I didn't mean to scare you. I hope you're not mad at me." Tears started to fall down my cheeks.

"Of course, I'm not mad." He said. Those words healed some of the pain in my body, if not most of it.

"The most important thing is that you're safe. Everything's going to be alright now." But I knew that was further than the truth. I haven't forgotten what I just went through. In fact, everything was all coming clear to me.

"Takuya... Where's Takuya?" I wondered.

"He's still on the other side of the island. Why?"

"I... I have to find him..." I said, trying to get back on my two feet.

Takuya's life was in danger. And if I don't do something, Ranamon could destroy him. I have to hurry. Takuya doesn't stand a chance against a Legendary Warrior, especially if she has a Chaos Sphere inside her. She's a lot stronger than before. I fought Ranamon with all my strength, but I was no match for her. After I reverted back to my human form, I thought she was going to finish me for good.

But for some reason, she kept me alive because she wanted me to suffer even more. In fact, she even told me what her plan was before knocking me out. She was going to fight Takuya and defeat him in front of my own two eyes. I just couldn't let that happen. I have to help him... somehow.

It wasn't easy standing up, especially after what Ranamon did to me. I finally got on my feet and made my way back towards the others. Each step I took brought more pain inside me. Walking wounded is a lot tougher than it looks. After walking a few feet or so, I fell back down on my knees. I clutched my injured stomach and coughed up some air.

"Zoe!" Bokomon cried as he approached me. "Don't force yourself. You haven't fully recovered yet. You must rest."

"I can't..." I replied. "Takuya needs me. He and Ranamon are probably fighting right now. I have to help him or else she would do to him what he did to me."

"But Zoe, you can't."

"Please, Bokomon. I'm begging you. Please help me!" The mutant Digimon looked down on the ground and sighed.

"Alright then." He said. "I guess there's no point in arguing with you anyway. You'll still go, no matter what gets in your way."

"I guess so." I giggled a bit.

Again, Bokomon helped me to my feet. The pain was intense and it got worse every time I move my body. But I have no other choice. I have to fight it. Takuya's is in big trouble. I don't know if he has what it takes to defeat Ranamon all by herself. That's why I need to find him and help him before something terrible happens. I limped back towards the bushes and tree sections, ignoring the pain that surged within my body.

Occasionally, I would fall back on my knees in agony. But instead of arguing with me, Bokomon helped me back up and we continued our journey. I could hear explosions coming from the other side of the island. The battle has already begun. I just hope I'm not too late.

"Takuya. Hang in there. I'm on my way." I said to myself. "Wait for me."

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

A couple of Octomon swung their blades at the female warrior. However, Beautymon was too quick. She elegantly moved her body from side to side, dodging every slash with ease. Like a gorgeous ballerina, she gracefully danced out of danger and avoided every thrust and hack delivered by the octopus Digimon. Upon completing one of her twists, she aimed her hands at one of the Octomon.

"Goodbye, you putrid squids! Beautiful Beam!" She cried.

Beautymon fired a couple of pink beams at the first two Octomon she saw. The two lasers nailed a couple of Octomon in the chest, deleting them in the process. She got back in a defensive position. A few more Octomon approached her with their swords held high. One by one, the octopus Digimon rapidly thrust their blades at the olive haired Digimon. Beautymon moved her hips back and forward, side to side, barely avoiding the sharp swords by a couple of inches. The Octomon were very surprised that they're not even grazing the female Digimon.

"Hold still, you ugly creature!" One of the Octomon said.

"Ugly?" exclaimed Beautymon, looking dumbfounded at the horrid remark.

For a moment, she stood there aghast that the Octomon would have the nerve to say something like that. Unfortunately, that split second distraction was all the Octomon needed. Three of the octopus creatures swung their swords at the female Digimon. Beautymon focused back on the battle and sensed the oncoming attack. She ducked underneath the first attack, but saw the second Octomon swinging his sword at her legs. Beautymon sprang up and performed a back flip to avoid the second attack.

While she completing the landing, she took aim two of the three Octomon and fired couple of Beautiful Beams at them. With perfect precision, she nailed her attacks directly at their chests. The two octopuses grunted in pain before their bodies were obliterated. Beautymon leered at the next Octomon she had to destroy. Suddenly, her eyes widened when she noticed that the octopus had quickly closed the distance on her. To be more precise, Octomon was only a couple feet away from her with his tentacles up, ready to destroy the female warrior.

"Uh-oh..." Beautymon grumbled, cursing herself for not seeing the attack coming. She watched nervously as Octomon swung his sword vertically at her head. With little options left, Beautymon side stepped towards her right. With her quickness, agility and elegance, she barely dodging Octomon's attack.

But the octopus Digimon read her like a book. He adjusted the angle on his downward swing and managed to get a hit on the female creature's arm. Beautymon backed away and concealed her arm, covering what appeared to be a small cut or lesion. However, she double checked her injury and was glad she wasn't hurt or, at least, bleeding.

On the other hand, she was surprised that the octopus barely grazed her arm. No one's come this close to hurting her. She grinned at the Octomon.

"Wow, you pathetic Digimon are a lot better than I thought. I must compliment you for lasting this long." She said.

"Hmm... you're showing me respect at long last. But then again, I'm not that impressed." countered Octomon

"You're repulsive... you know that?"

"Oh really? How can I take that insult seriously when I came from someone with a BAD... HAIRCUT?" Octomon said, emphasizing the last two words.

All of the sudden, Beautymon's eyes shot wide open upon listening to Octomon's claim. The insult was like large thorns prickling at her side. She slowly looked over her right shoulder to see what the octopus Digimon had done to her hair. Her heart skipped a beat when noticed some of her gorgeous, long, olive hair had been cut off.

Beautymon became as pale as death when she saw her a few of her butchered hair laying on the ground. She started breathing heavily and rapidly. Even though she still had a full head of hair on her head, slicing off at least one of them is beyond devastating to her. A glare, nastier than ever before, appeared on Beautymon's face, scaring the Octomon. She unleashed a loud and powerful shriek that shook the entire beach.

"My hair! My beautiful hair! My long olive hair that makes every Digimon gasp with admiration… RUINED! YOU HAVE CROSSED THE LINE, THE UNGRATEFUL LITTLE BRAT! AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO PAY DEARLY! PETAL DANCE!" cried the female Digimon.

Letting out another mighty roar, Beautymon opened up both of her hands. Like last time, a barrage of flower petals appeared out of her palms and danced towards the octopus Digimon. However, the petals that Beautymon summoned were a lot different than before. The colors on the flowers were much darker and the smell wasn't sweet at all. The scent entered the nostrils of the Octomon.

At first, the aquatic Digimon was frozen on the spot, paralyzed by the powerful scent from Beautymon's attack. But then, all of the sudden, the Octomon started coughing profusely, like they've been poisoned. Beautymon observed every Digimon that became a victim to her devastating move. An evil, yet maniacal laugh escaped her lips as she mocked all of the octopus monsters that insulted her and ruined her beauty.

"That's what you boys get for calling me ugly!" She barked. She pointed her hands at the Octomon and took aim. Her laughter was replaced by an intimidating glare.

"Now, it's time for you to say goodbye. BEAUTIFUL BEAM!

An onslaught of pinkish beams shot out of her hands towards the Octomon. The aquatic creatures gasped in fear as Beautymon's attack came in for the kill. One by one, the laser collided with the Octomon. They cried in agony as the beams tear a hole within their bodies. Once the beams exited them, the Octomon were annihilated.

Beautymon, however, kept one of the Octomon alive. More specifically, the one attacked her and cut her hair. She ran as fast as she could towards the paralyzed Digimon and tackled him to the ground. The Octomon gasped and trembled in fear, wondering what Beautymon was going to do to him. The female Digimon took off the Octomon's shell-like helmet, revealing the rest of his body. She then started to viciously pounded his face with a barrage of punches and strikes.

Due to the effect of Beautymon's first attack, Octomon couldn't defend himself. He laid helplessly on the sand as Beautymon continued to beat the stuffing out of him, until he was barely conscious. Growing tired from the ground and pound, she aimed her hand at the beaten Octomon and fired one last beam at point blank range. She grinned as the attack obliterated the octopus, leaving nothing behind.

Beautymon got back to her feet and turned towards the ocean. She grew more frustrated as more and more Octomon marched out of the water. They aimed their guns at the female Digimon and shot their poisonous ink at her. Beautymon leaped and danced out of the way to avoid the blackish ooze. She was getting tired, but knew she had to persevere. The Octomon were really persistent and they would not stop attacking until they defeat their opponent. Beautymon sighed as she mentally prepares herself for another long battle.

But she couldn't help but wonder how the Legendary Warrior of Flame was doing. She gazed back shore line and saw Agunimon dodging water torpedoes delivered by the Warrior of Water. One of the missiles exploded at the feet of the fiery Digimon, but Agunimon rolled out of the way, just in the nick of time. He stayed on one knee, trying to catch his breath and waiting for another one of Ranamon's attacks.

"CUTIE!" Beautymon shouted. The Legendary Warrior heard her cried and looked back at her. He noticed Beautymon blasting away the Octomon so she could get to him.

"Beautymon, stay back!" Agunimon ordered. Upon commanded, the female Digimon stopped.

"But..." She argued.

"I got this! I can handle her myself!"

"Cutie..."

"Don't worry. Once when I'm done with her, I'll be there to help you out." Agunimon smiled.

"Oh Cutie..." Beautymon blushed.

With that, she got her head back in the battle and continued her fight with the Octomon. Once when she was out of sight, Agunimon focused his attention back to the Warrior of Water, who was not looking happy at the moment.

"Excuse me, honey! But do my ears deceive me? Did you say that you can handle me all by yourself?"

"That's right, lady!" grinned the Legendary Warrior. "And I mean it too!"

"Is that so? Well, since you're so determined, I would love to see you try!"

"With... PLEASURE! AAAAHHHHHHHH!" shouted Agunimon, as he summoned the power of fire to aid him in this battle.

"Such hopelessness..." muttered Ranamon. But then again, now wasn't the time for insults and foolish remarks.

Ranamon threw her arms up towards the sky. A column of water appeared out of the water. The Legendary Warrior used her powers to manipulate the column into an aquatic drill. Ranamon threw her hands at the Warrior of Flame, launching the water drill at him. Agunimon dove out of the way, avoiding the attack by a couple of inches. Ranamon shot a couple more hydro torpedoes at the Legendary Warrior.

Again, Agunimon juked side to side, dodging every attack the Warrior of Water delivered. Finally, the barrage of water torpedoes and drills have stopped. Agunimon and Ranamon looked into each other's eyes. Each one of them was waiting for their opponent to make his or her move. The Warrior of Water grinned at the Warrior of Flame and she lets out a subtle giggle.

"Not bad, Sugar... Not bad at all!" She complimented.

"Trust me, you haven't seen anything yet! I still have a few tricks up my sleeves!" Agunimon replied.

"Interesting! I guess there's no other choice then! The only way for me to beat you is if I use my full power! Isn't that right, Sugar?"

"Do what you like, lady! But I won't stop until I defeat you and restore the Digital World to it once was!"

"Hahahaha! You beat me? Now that's just silly, Hon!" laughed Ranamon. "Come to think of it, you little human friend said the same thing to me... before I took care of her!"

"Why you..." Agunimon pounded his fists together, creating a couple of fireballs at the end of his fists. He unleashed another mighty roar before unleashing his attack. "PYRO PUNCH!"

He threw both of his fists at the Warrior of Water, launching the fireballs at her. Ranamon saw the attack coming from a mile away. She lifted her hands up and a water column appeared before her. The two fireballs collided with the water shield and immediately disappeared, leaving behind a puff of steam.

Frustrated that his first attacks had no effect, Agunimon came up with a new strategy. He took off in running along the shoreline. The female Legendary Warrior looked keenly at her opponent, interested at what new surprises the Warrior of Fire has in store for her. All of the sudden, Agunimon launched a barrage of fireballs at Ranamon. The watery Digimon sighed and put up another water tower in front of her to block the first two attacks. But then Ranamon noticed there were a few more fireballs coming her away. Not only that, they were approaching at different angles and trajectories.

"Dirty little insect!" She pouted.

She swung her arm to the left, which made the water column slide to the left. The aquatic tower got in position just in time to block the last set of fireballs. She dropped her hands to the side and the water pillar fell back into the ocean. Ranamon turned her attention back towards her opponent, ready to give him more insults or arrogant remarks. But her thoughts were interrupted when she saw Agunimon leaping towards her at full speed.

"Take this!" Agunimon shouted as he pulled one of his fist back.

A fireball larger than the other ones appeared on his hand. As he got closer and close to Ranamon, the flame on his hand increased with heat, energy and intensity. The Warrior of Water gasped in fear. Agunimon's previous attack was only a distraction, just so he could get close in on her. Obviously, she had the advantage when it came to long range attacks. And with the salty waters around her, this battle would have definitely be hers.

But now with Agunimon closing the distance, most of her strategies and attacks have gone out the door. Ranamon put her hands up in front of her to shield herself. On instinct, a water tower appeared to intervene Agunimon's frontal attack. However, the Warrior of Flame burst through the pillar of water and delivered his fireball punch to the Warrior of Water. Ranamon leaped out of harm's way just in the nick of time.

"Got ya!" Agunimon grinned.

Instead of attacking his original target, he focused his attention on the water column that acted as Ranamon's platform. The moment his fiery fist made contact with the pillar of water, the aquatic tower was destroyed. With nothing to stand on, gravity grabbed a hold of the two Legendary Warriors. Both Agunimon and Ranamon plummeted into the ocean, creating a huge splash in the ocean.

It took a while for Ranamon to regain herself. She saw the Warrior of Flame trying to figure out what's upside down and right-side up. This gave her the perfect opportunity to strike. She waved her arms around and manipulated the water around her to create a pair of fists to use as weapons. Ranamon sent the two watery hands at Agunimon.

The Warrior of Flame managed to recover and open his eyes. The first thing he saw was a couple of aquatic fists coming after him. He put his hands up to protect himself. However, the fists snaked around Agunimon's defense and managed to get in range. One fist gave him a hook to the jaw, while the other ferociously punched his gut. The attack not only dazed the Warrior of Flame, but had a negative effect on his oxygen. He quickly swam to the surface to get some air. Unfortunately, Ranamon wouldn't have any of it.

"Where do you think you're going, Sugar?"

She grinned as she swam towards her opponent. Agunimon got to the surface, but only for half a second. Ranamon dragged him back down underwater. She adjusted her position until both of her hands were squeezing his neck. Agunimon tried to break free from Ranamon's grasps, but it was no use. The deeper they sank the hard she squeezed. And the weaker he got. He tried throwing in a couple of punches, but the water slowed his attacks down, making it easy for Ranamon to dodge with ease. It wasn't long before Agunimon's feet hit what appeared to be the bottom.

"It's all over, honey!" Ranamon grinned. But then, she noticed her opponent was smiling. Here she was, choking the life out of him, in the depths of the ocean. He only has a few seconds left before he drowns.

And yet... he's smirking at her.

"Huh? Hey! What are you...?"

But before Ranamon could ask, Agunimon dug his feet into the ocean floor and bended his legs. And then, with all of his might, he pushed off of the ground. Like an underwater rocket, the fiery Digimon jetted towards the surface. With such speed, Ranamon's grip around his neck loosened. Now, she was hanging on to him for dear life. It wasn't long before the two Legendary Warriors shot out of the water. They flew through the air and landed hard on the beach. A cloud of smoke filled the area upon impact. While Agunimon was coughing water out of his lungs, Ranamon struggled to breath, due to the dust and debris.

"Now's my chance!" Agunimon thought.

He immediately spotted a silhouette of the Warrior of Water. His hands were again covered with red hot raging flames. He took aim at the groggy Ranamon. The flames on Agunimon's fist started to grow. Scorching heat surrounded his body. He extended his arms to his side and started spinning around. He spun faster and faster, increasing the size and energy of the flames on his fist until…

"PYRO TORNADO!"

He screamed, creating a fiery tornado around his body. He spun towards the unsuspecting Ranamon. The blazing hot attack collided against the watery Digimon. Ranamon screamed in pain as she landed hard on her back. Agunimon finally stopped rotating and got in a mounted position on top of Ranamon. The Warrior of Water quickly regained her consciousness and saw Agunimon pulling his fists back.

The next thing she knew, the Warrior of Flame delivered a quick punch to her face. With little time to react, she got her hands up to block the attack. Agunimon kept on pounding Ranamon's defense, waiting for it to crumble. The watery Digimon knew she couldn't keep this up. From the corner of her eye, she saw a fireball appeared at the end of his fists. Agunimon continued with the assault, delivering punch after punch.

This time, Ranamon was ready. She rolled left and right to avoid getting hit. One of Agunimon's punches missed, which resulted with his fist getting caught in the sand. This was Ranamon's chance to escape. She brought her legs together and gave the Legendary Warring a double kick to the gut. Agunimon clutched his ribs and stood back up. Ranamon sprung herself back to her feet and got in ready position, just like her opponent. Another stare down occurred between the two Legendary Warriors.

"I'm surprised, Honey!" Ranamon laughed. "You were able to last this long! Very impressive!"

"Gee, are you trying to make me feel better or was that a pathetic attempt of being nice?" asked Agunimon.

"Neither! I'm just saying that fighting you is so much fun than thrashing your other friend!"

"Watch it..."

"Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end! I liked to have a little bit more fun with you, but orders are orders! We can't have everything, we like! Too bad, though! Now, I have to destroy you now and deliver your Spirits to Lord Malevomon! Isn't that delightful? What do you think?"

"I think you're way over your head!"

"Oh? Come now, Sugar! Disappointed that you can't beat me? Don't forget, with a Chaos Sphere inside me, my powers surpass those of a regular Legendary Warrior! You're in my house now, you little brat! I'M INVINCIBLE!"

"Meh... not quite!" grinned Agunimon.

"Huh? Now what makes you say that?"

"Think about it, Ranamon. You're attacks are powerful, but only if you're around water! However, look around you!" Ranamon observe the area and noticed the ocean was at least ninety feet away from her.

"You're on solid ground now. I'm not in your house, Ranamon... You're in mine! Without the ocean... you're nothing!"

"Really?" She asked with those unfathomed eyes.

"Yes! Time to end this fight!" Agunimon yelled as Fractal Code surrounded his body. Inside the long steams of data, he began to change forms.

"Slide… EVOLUTION!" Finally, the Fractal Code had vanished, and a new Digimon appeared before the Warrior of Water. "BURNINGGREYMON!"

He landed in between her and the ocean. The fiery dinosaur aimed his blasters at the Legendary Warrior, waiting for her to surrender. However, Ranamon showed no signs of fear or giving up. The first thing BurningGreymon noticed was the grin on her face growing bigger and bigger. Finally, a maniacal, yet psychotic laugh escaped her mouth. The Beast Warrior of Flame stood there, wondering why she was laughing.

"Honey, you thought that since I'm out of the water, you've limited my powers?" She asked. Her laughter was replaced with a serious leer. "Well, you're wrong! I don't need the might ocean to take you down! Oh no... I got all the power I need!"

"Huh? What do you mean?" questioned BurningGreymon.

"Here, let me show you!" answered Ranamon. Like before, large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded the Legendary Warrior's body. Inside the cocoon of data, Ranamon began to change forms.

"Slide… EVOLUTION!"

Finally, the Fractal Code had vanished, and a new Digimon appeared before the Beast Warrior of Flame. It was a gigantic, putrid squid with scraggly long purple hair. The large tail had a white base with red stripes on top and a bluish tip on the bottom. Around her body were eight small tentacles, and two big ones for power and mobility. She also had black stripes running along her ides and arms. She wore silver helmet, arm guards, shoulder pads and breast plates for armor, and two gold bracelets on both wrists for style. She also had a gold necklace and two red earring on each side. Unlike Ranamon, this Digimon was ugly and has a nasty temper.

"CALMARAMON!" She exclaimed. The two Beast Warrior Digimon glared at each other for quite a while. "Well, what do you have to say now, you little runt?" The squid asked.

"UGH!" All of the Octomon said in disgust when they finally got a look at her.

"OH MY GOODNESS, YOU'RE HIDEOUS!" complained Beautymon nearby. "WHAT THE HECK IS THAT THING? A DIGIMON OR A DISASTER?"

"WHAT?" Calmaramon growled.

"God, you reek! I just can't stand the smell of you!" BurningGreymon insulted.

"Hey, watch it, punk!" threatened Calmaramon.

"Ah! My eyes! It burns!" He continued, causing him to laugh at himself.

"WHY YOU LITTLE... ACID INK!" Calmaramon shouted.

She spewed out black acid from her mouth towards BurningGreymon. He flew out of the way and avoided the attack. However, the ink landed on a large boulder. BurningGreymon watched as the acid melted the rock to pile of scum. He glared back at the Beast Digimon of Water. If he's not careful, that could be him.

"No more playing around. You have had your fun for the last time! Time for me to finish what I've started." said Calmaramon

"I'm waiting. Come on, give me all you got!"

"You'll pay for insulting me like that, you dirtbag!" said Calmaramon. "By the time I'm done with you, you'll be begging me to take your Spirits."

"We shall see, Calmaramon!" grinned BurningGreymon as the two Beast Warriors stared each other down. "We shall see!"

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter nineteen.<strong>

**Now that the two of them are in their Beast Spirit, which one will come out on top? Can Zoe get to Takuya in time or will Calmaramon destroy our two heroes at the same time? These questions will be answered in part two of this epic battle. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	20. Aquatic Assault

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Zoe had regained consciousness after her being beaten by the Warrior of Water. Even though she's in no condition to fight, Zoe was determined to find and rescue Takuya before the Ranamon destroys him. Meanwhile, on the other side of the island, there were some more fights going on. With Beautymon busy taking care of the Octomon, Takuya had to face the Warrior of Water on his own. Surprisingly, he and Ranamon were evenly matched. But now, the battle has reached its climax. Now that both Warriors had transformed into their Beast Spirits, who's going to come out on top?**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter twenty!**

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><p><strong>Aquatic Assault<strong>

**Zoe's POV:**

It was a long, painful walk back to the other side of the island. I hobbled along the path for a little bit, before collapsing on one knee. I still haven't recovered from the beat down Ranamon gave me earlier. It's hard to move a muscle, without feeling some kind of pain in my body. I clutched my injured ribs and tried to ignore the agony inside. But nevertheless, this intense pain was slowing me down.

"Zoe! Good heavens! Are you alright?" said Bokomon. He hugged my arm and helped me stand up. Thanks to him, I able to get back on my two feet.

"Don't worry about me, Bokomon. I'm okay." I whispered as I continued limping back to the others.

"Maybe we should stop here and rest for a little bit. You're still hurt from your last fight. If you keep this up..."

"No." I replied. "Takuya is in trouble. I have to help him before Ranamon does something terrible to him."

"But Zoe! You can't help Takuya in your current condition!"

"I'll be fine, Bokomon. Don't worry." I smiled.

"Zoe..." Bokomon said.

"Please understand. This is something I have to do. I don't care if I'm hurt. I have to find Takuya and protect him, no matter what. He needs me."

I can tell from the look in his eyes that Bokomon still doesn't believe that it's a good idea. But I wasn't going to take 'No' for an answer. I guess that's just how stubborn I am. Bokomon can argue with me all he likes. But when my best friend's life is in danger, nothing's going to stop me from reaching him; not even a couple of broken ribs.

Moments later, the Rookie took a deep breath and sighed.

"Alright. Let's go."

With that, we resumed our walk. Occasionally, I would fall back down to the ground in pain. But Bokomon was there help me get back to a standing position. My body hurts a lot, only getting worse every time I move. But I had to fight through it for Takuya's sake. I don't know what I would do if Ranamon took my best friend away from me. I could never forgive myself if that ever happens.

The pain inside me is nothing compared to the ache of losing Takuya. Feared for his life, I picked up the pace in my hobbling. But the faster I went, the tighter my stomach grew. I can't remember the last time I was in this much pain. One the other hand, saving Takuya was my number one priority. It doesn't matter what injuries I had sustained in my fight against Ranamon. I have to find him.

All of the sudden, a group of earthquakes swarmed the area. The ground shook so violently, I lost my balanced and landed on my butt. Bokomon hugged a nearby tree and hung on for dear life. A few seconds passed until finally, the earthquakes subsided. Bokomon made his way towards me and helped back up once again. I looked out a little bit further and noticed a couple of explosions and dark clouds of smoke rising in the area.

"What is it?" asked Bokomon.

"There must be a huge battle going on right now!" I replied.

"That must be Takuya and the others. They're probably fighting Ranamon right now!" The Rookie guessed.

A light gasp exited my mouth.

"Takuya..." I placed my hands over my heart.

"We better hurry! There's no time to lose." said Bokomon.

"Right!" I agreed.

The two of us continued our walk back to the others. I fought through the pain as much as I could and pressed onward. In the back of my mind, I thought about Takuya. I prayed that he's still okay and hoped that he has more than enough power to defeat the Warrior of Water.

"Takuya. Please be safe..."

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

"Beautiful Beam!" shouted the female Digimon.

Beautymon aimed her hands at the army of octopus Digimon and shot a barrage of pinkish beams at her opponents. The Octomon screamed as the lasers collided with their bodies, obliterating them to pieces. The olive haired warrior was having so much fun annihilating the Octomon, she lost all sense of feeling. Each time she destroys one of the mollusk-type creatures, her smile grew. It wasn't long before an arrogant smirk appeared on her beautiful face. Minutes later, three octopus Digimon remained in the area. Each one of them was trembling in their tentacles. Beautymon struck a pose and faced the Octomon.

"Well, you freaks? I'm waiting." She said, teasingly. "Aren't you going to attack or just sit there with that... _pathetic_ look on your ugly faces?"

"Shut up, you witch!" growled one of the Octomon.

"Then again, you can always run away like weak, little guppies to save yourself from the embarrassment. I wouldn't blame you if you did"

"YOU LOUSY WENCH? HOW DARE YOU MOCK US! GET HER BOYS!" The angry Digimon growled.

"SPURTING INK!"

The Octomon took aim and fired their ray guns at the female warriors. Poisonous ink shot out of their weapons and zoomed towards Beautymon. The olive haired Digimon sighed as the toxic attack approached her. She moved her body from side to side, dodging the oncoming spray from Octomon. While she continued dancing and avoiding the projectiles, Beautymon slowly made her way towards her opponent.

The aquatic Digimon noticed the female warrior coming closer to them, but continued firing their weapons. Unfortunately, they can't seem to get a hit on Beautymon. The olive haired beauty's speed was too much for them to handle. It wasn't long before she was in range. She performed a straddle split aimed both her arms at two of the three Octomon.

"Tootles!" She giggled.

Without warning, a pink beam shot out of hands, annihilating the two octopus Digimon. She gazed into the eyes of the last Octomon and noticed the fear in his eyes. But then, Octomon gave the female Digimon a vicious scowl. He ferociously swung his sword at her, but Beautymon rolled out of the way and quickly stood back up. She got into a defensive position and waited for Octomon to make his next move.

"Stubborn little infinite..." grumbled Octomon. "It's time I finish you off for good!"

He aimed his ray gun towards the sky and pulled the trigger. Massive amounts of ink shot up above. Beautymon fascinatingly watched as gravity grabbed a hold of the black substance. A few seconds later, the octopus Digimon was covered in his own ink. He unleashed a loud roar as if the liquid was giving him power. Large streams of Fractal Code surrounded his body. Inside the cocoon of data, the aquatic Digimon began to transform.

"OCTOMON... DIGIVOLVE TO..." He shouted.

Before long, the transformation was complete. The Fractal Code disappeared and a fully evolved Digimon appeared in front of Beautymon. An evil god-like monster stood before her. It was incredibly big, with bluish, rubbery skin and devilish wings on his back. It had three spikes on his left shoulder, a rosary around his neck and rusty chains around his multiplying tentacles. But his main weapon is the trident on his back.

"DRAGOMON!" He roared.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Dragomon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Forbidden Trident; Tentacle Flapping**

**Description: Dragomon is a devilish Digimon who is nicknamed "The Underwater Priest of Destruction". His infinitely-increasing tentacles are tied together around him, giving him a huge edge when it comes to fighting. His special attack is "Forbidden Trident", which flings his three-pointed trident at the enemy with a dreadful amount of violent powers.**

Beautymon stared into the face of her new opponent. A faint whistle escaped her lips. An arrogant grin appeared on her face as she got in a defensive position and prepared herself for another fight.

"You just don't know when to quit, huh?" She asked.

Unfortunately, Dragomon was too angry to answer. The only thing he had on his destroying the female Digimon, and that's what he planned on doing. He made his way towards her with his tentacles waving high in the air. Beautymon waited until the devilish Digimon was in striking distance.

She thought of strategies she could use against this powerful beast. But before she could put one of them into action, Dragomon swung his arm down at the warrior-like Digimon. Beautymon dove out of the way, just in the nick of time. However, Dragomon's attack crashed hard into the sand, causing the whole area too shake. Beautymon was starting to get impatient. She aimed her hands at the aquatic Digimon and proceeded with her attack.

"Beautiful Beam!" She cried.

Beautymon fired beam after beam towards Dragomon. The devilish Digimon stood there waited for the attacks to make contact with his body. While some of the beams bounced off of his rubbery skin, the rest of them exploded upon impact, filling the vicinity with thick clouds of smoke. After firing her last beam, Beautymon checked if she had defeated Dragomon. The smoke was too thick, so it's hard for her see whether or not the Sea Animal Digimon was still alive.

Suddenly, the female warrior noticed a pair of red eyes glaring at her. The smoke finally cleared up, revealing the uninjured and unfazed Digimon. Dragomon rubbed his chest and unleashed a loud, powerful roar. He reached behind his back and took out his three-pronged spear.

"Forbidden Trident!"

With all of his might, Dragomon heaved his weapon at the female Digimon. The speed of the trident surprised Beautymon. She's never seen a spear coming at her that fast before. With little time to react, Beautymon leaped out of the way to avoid the spear. However, one of the prongs grazed the side of Beautymon's ankle. Even there was no superficial damage to her skin, she grimaced for a little bit. The speed of the weapon alone was enough to cause some minor pain in her leg. Dragomon jumped up and landed next to his weapon. He picked up his trident and gazed at the olive, haired Digimon. He licked his lips, and thought about what part of her body he should tear off first.

"You're mine now! There's no escape from me!" He growled.

"Such an ugly creature you are..." Beautymon said to herself. She look behind her and noticed BurningGreymon and Calmaramon resuming their fight.

"Hey Cutie! A little help here?"

BurningGreymon flew backwards to get some distance between him and Calmaramon. He aimed his large cannons at the squid and fired a barrage of solar heat-wave energy bullets. Calmaramon held up one of her tentacles and easily blocked the first set of projectiles. While the Beast Digimon of Water kept her guard up, BurningGreymon got to the putrid squid's backside and continued with his attacks.

Calmaramon rotated her body used her large front tentacles to protect herself from BurningGreymon's attacks. Figured that his first two tactics weren't working, he decided to try something else. He flew in circles around Calmaramon. The water Digimon gritted her teeth together, furious and frustrated how annoying her opponent was.

Then without warning, BurningGreymon sprayed massive amounts of heated bullets at the enemy. Calmaramon kept both of her tentacles up to block the rapid onslaught of bullets delivered by the Beast Digimon of Flame. Some of BurningGreymon's attacks did manage to get through the squid's defense and hit Calmaramon's face and body. However, she shook it off easily. The burn she felt was similar to a light pinch.

Realizing that he's applied enough pressure on Calmaramon, BurningGreymon flew towards her at top speeds. The squid lowered her tentacles and the first thing she saw was the fiery Digimon coming in for a frontal attack. She unleashed a violent roar before swinging both of her tentacles at the dinosaur Digimon. BurningGreymon slowed down his momentum and ducked underneath both tentacles.

However, Calmaramon came back around and brought one of her tentacles down for another counterattack. With all of his momentum gone, BurningGreymon had no choice but to retreat. He flew back to increase he space between him and the Beast of Water. Both Legendary Warriors stared each other down, glaring into each other's eyes.

"Not bad, you little runt!" Calmaramon grinned.

"I don't have time for your comments, you slimy dateless wonder!" dissed BurningGreymon.

"Why you little..."

"Cutie?" Beautymon cried. The Beast Digimon of Flame looked behind him and saw the female Digimon dodging left and right, avoiding Dragomon's sharp trident. "I could use some assistance right now!"

"I'm kind of busy, Beautymon!" He replied, as he got back to the fight.

"Fine, I'll beat him myself!" huffed Beautymon. She performed a back flip as she once again dodged Dragomon's spear.

BurningGreymon circled the gigantic squid, searching for weak spot. While he flew around her, Calmaramon kept her eyes on the dinosaur Digimon. She held her guard up and waited for the right moment to strike. All of the sudden, BurningGreymon charged in on her, trying to go for another frontal attack. But Calmaramon saw him coming from a mile away. She pulled her head back and got ready to unleash one of her devastating moves.

"Take this, you little twerp! ACID INK!" She cried.

Calmaramon spat out black poisonous ink from her mouth. BurningGreymon flew to his left to avoid the dark acid. However, he looked behind him to see where the ink was heading. Calmaramon's attack splashed all over a nearby boulder. The powerful acid melted the rock like butter. BurningGreymon glared back at the putrid squid.

Unfortunately, the first thing he saw was more of Calmaramon's acidic attack. He flew left and right, making sure none of his body parts touch the ink. The acid sailed passed the Beast Digimon of Flame and landed on some more rocks, plants, the sand and other parts of the beach. Neither one of them stood a chance as the ink melted and burned whatever it touched to the ground. Still, the watery monster continued spraying her Acid Ink attack and the fiery Digimon kept on dodging. However, a few drops of the ink landed on his wings. The burning sensation caused BurningGreymon to descend a little bit.

"I've got you now!" chuckled Calmaramon.

She wrapped one of her tentacles around the dinosaur's body and brought him towards her. Calmaramon started squeezing hard on the fiery creature's body. BurningGreymon felt the pressure being applied on his body. He screamed in pain as the squid squeezed harder and harder. The dinosaur Digimon could feel his ribs crushing and his oxygen running low. Still, the louder he screamed, the harder Calmaramon squeezed.

"Hahahahaha! It won't be long before your Spirits belong to me! Say goodbye, you little runt!" Calmaramon grabbed her opponent with the other tentacle, thus doubling the pressure on BurningGreymon. The Beast Digimon of Flame could feel the bones in his body were on the verge of snapping in half. If he doesn't get out of this current predicament, this could very well be the end of him.

"Hey, you ugly fish-head!" Someone shouted.

"What?! What did you say?" Calmaramon growled as she looked behind her.

But the first thing she saw was a pinkish laser beam coming right for her. She tilted her head to the right as the beam blasted right passed her, taking out a couple strands of hair in the process. Calmaramon then noticed a female Digimon with an angry look on her face.

"You heard me! Keep your rotten tentacles off of 'my Cutie!' BEAUTIFUL BEAM!"

Beautymon fired a barrage of laser beams at the squid-like Digimon. Calmaramon tried dodging as much as she could, but her body was way too big. The lasers nailed the watery Digimon in the face, body and tentacles. As the projectiles exploded on impact, Calmaramon groaned in pain. The grip on around BurningGreymon's body started to loosen. But thanks to Beautymon, that was just the opportunity the fiery Digimon needed to escape. He got out of the area and landed next to Beautymon.

"Oh Cutie, are you alright?" She asked with those cute eyes of hers.

"I'm okay. Don't worry about it." replied BurningGreymon.

"Thank goodness you're okay! I don't know what would have happen if I had lost you!" The fiery Digimon smiled at his female partner.

"Thanks Beautymon. I wouldn't have made it if it wasn't for you."

"Cutie..." said the female Digimon as her cheeks turned a slight red.

"Pardon me! I hate to interrupt such a sweet moment here..." A voice screeched. The two warriors faced forward and got in defensive position. Calmaramon marched ruthlessly towards her two opponents. Her hair was scraggly, there were dirt marks all over her body and the make up all over her face was a huge mess. "... BUT I'M GETTING SICK AND TIRED OF YOU BRATS RUINING EVERYTHING FOR ME!"

"Oh, God! What is that thing?" Beautymon gasped with a hint of sarcasm.

"Huh? Hey watch it, Missy! How dare you insult me like that? I'm the prettiest and the strongest creature in the sea! Anyone who thinks otherwise, must be punished!"

"She's the prettiest? And the strongest?" inquired the female warrior. "Ugh, you got to be kidding me. Her? Jeez, if I were to choose between her and a thousand Numamon... well... um... okay, I still go with the Numamon!"

"SHUT UP!"

"Sheesh... what's with the temper?"

"Beats me..." answered BurningGreymon. "Maybe she passed a mirror and saw what she looked like." The two of them rolled on the sand in laughter.

However, Calmaramon was not too impressed at the insult. She stomped angrily towards BurningGreymon and Beautymon and swung her tentacles at them. But the two warriors sensed the oncoming attack. They dove out of the way, just as the tentacle crashed into the ground. BurningGreymon and Beautymon got back to their feet and into a defensive position.

"You know, it's rude to attack an unready opponent." huffed Beautymon.

"Can it!" shouted the squid. "Do you think I care about stupid mannerisms? Of course I don't! The only thing I care about is destroying you annoying warts, absorbing your data and claim the Spirits for Lord Malevomon! And there's nothing you maggots can do to stop me!"

"Yeah... we get that a lot." BurningGreymon grinned.

"ENOUGH! I'm getting sick and tired of this! DRAGOMON!"

BurningGreymon and Beautymon watched as the gigantic demon-like sea animal made his way toward the Beast Digimon of Water. He took out his trident and held it out in front of him. He scowled at his two opponents as if he's gazing straight into their souls, searching for any kind of weakness. He could sense the fear in each of the two Digimon.

"What is your will, Miss Calmaramon?" The devilish creature obliged.

"Finish those two off, once and for all!" The watery beast ordered.

"Your wish is my command!"

At that point, he charged a fast as he could towards the two Digimon in front of him. He unleashed a powerful roar, as he closed the distance. Dragomon raised his spear high, like a salvage beast. He finally got within striking distance, and swung his trident down at his opponents. Beautymon dove out of the way while BurningGreymon blocked the weapon with one of his cannons. A test of strength ensued between the two monsters. Both BurningGreymon and Dragomon pushed with all their might, trying to get the other Digimon to fall on his knees.

But as time passed, the battle started shifting to Dragomon's favor. He was able to push the Beast Warrior of Fire backwards. Finally, he managed to get BurningGreymon on one knee. But the fiery Digimon refused to give up. He refused to go down on both knees. However, with such a strong Digimon like Dragomon pushing you back, it's hard to get any kind of leverage.

"Hey, you big brute! Leave Cutie alone!" shouted Beautymon as she dove in for the kill.

She fired a couple of laser beams at the aquatic monster to help give BurningGreymon a fighting chance. Unfortunately, none of her projectiles have any effect on him. Both beams bounced off his rubbery skin and flew in different directions. Beautymon was shocked that her attack didn't cause any damage.

Unfortunately, she failed to see Dragomon wrapping one of his many tentacles around her slender body. The female Digimon screamed at the top of her lungs as she's lifted up higher and higher in the air. Once she was high enough, Dragomon started squeezing harder on Beautymon's body. She felt the pressure being applied on her. The female Digimon screamed in pain as the Digimon squeezed harder.

"Let... go of me..." gagged Beautymon, but her words fell on deaf ears. She tried blasting one of her beams at the devilish Digimon. But the pressure being applied on her body was so great, she couldn't focus her energy on her attacks. Seconds passed and Beautymon was running low on oxygen.

"LET HER GO, FISH FACE!" ordered BurningGreymon. Regardless of being able to stand on one leg, he managed to aim his second cannon at Dragomon's face.

"PYRO BARRAGE!"

Rapid bursts of solar energy bullets rocketed out his cannon and towards the devilish creature. The barrage of heated attacks sprayed all over Dragomon's eyes, causing him to yelp in pain. The burning sensation caused him to lose focus in the fight. With the Ultimate level Digimon distracted, BurningGreymon managed to get back to his feet and turn the tide of this battle.

He summoned enough strength to parry Dragomon's trident to the side. With that out the way, he flapped his wings and flew towards a suffocating Beautymon. He fired a barrage of bullets at the tentacle holding the female Digimon. The bullets exploded on impact, causing Dragomon to release her from his clutches. BurningGreymon caught Beautymon in his arms and gently lowered her to safety. The two of them shifted their attention towards Dragomon, who still hasn't recovered from the attack on his eyes.

"Now's our chance!" said the fiery beast. "You ready, Beautymon?"

"I'm ready whenever you are, Cutie!" giggled Beautymon. The two warriors slowly looked back at their partners and gave each other a quick nod.

"Alright then, LET'S FINISH THIS!"

Upon command, Beautymon took the skies and flew slightly above the devilish Digimon. She wrapped her arms around her body, ready to unleash one of her attacks. She looked back at the Beast Warrior of Flame, waiting for him to give her the signal. At the same time, BurningGreymon pulled his arms closer to his body, gathering up as much heat energy as he possibly could. While he's doing that, he summoned the power of fire to give him more power and strength. All of the sudden, the dinosaur Digimon unleashed a huge roar as hot flames engulfed his body.

"NOW, BEAUTYMON!" BurningGreymon ordered.

"PETAL DANCE!" She cried.

She spun around in circles and threw her arms to the side. A variety of colorful flower petals magically escaped her hands and scattered all around the vicinity. A strange, yet fascinating fragrance entered Dragomon's nostrils. The powerful scent, all of the sudden, paralyzed his brain, causing him to be unable to move. He tried breaking free from the effect of Beautymon's attacks, but it was no use. The spell's too great and too strong. Beautymon landed gracefully beside the fiery Digimon and gave him a quick nod.

"TAKE HIM OUT, CUTIE!" She hollered.

"YOU GOT IT! WILDFIRE TSUNAMI!" BurningGreymon screamed.

He releasing the hot attack towards Dragomon. The aquatic Digimon watched helplessly as the fiery tornado approached him. His eyes widened, realizing that he couldn't evade the attack. The flames engulfed Dragomon's body, incinerating him until there was nothing left. The two warriors gazed at the spot where Dragomon once stood. They looked back at each other and smiled.

"Well, that takes care of that ugly creature!" Beautymon said.

"Yeah!" agreed the fiery Digimon. "Now with him out of the way, we can finally focus our attention on..."

But before he could finish his sentence, BurningGreymon saw something from the corner of his eyes. A giant, putrid squid spitting something out of her disgusting out of her mouth. Upon further inspection, he noticed thick, black, acidic ink coming their way. BurningGreymon's eyes widened as Calmaramon's ink attack drew closer and closer to them.

"Beautymon, look out!" He shouted, pushing the female Digimon out of the way.

Beautymon fell on her stomach and rolled on the warm sand. Cries of pain from BurningGreymon entered her ears. She looked back at the Beast Digimon of Flame. Her eyes went up and her heart dropped when she saw BurningGreymon covered in Calmaramon's toxic ink. The black acid started to burn through the fiery creature's armor and straight to his skin. BurningGreymon screams got louder and louder as he fell back on his knees.

"Cutie!" Beautymon cried.

"I told you already, you scumbag! You can never defeat me!" Calmaramon laughed.

She pulled one of her tentacles back and viciously slapped BurningGreymon to the side. The Beast Digimon of Flame bounced on the water, like a skipping stone. Finally, the dinosaur Digimon sank into the ocean. Beautymon sat there with her eyes tearing up and her mouth hung open.

"Hahahahaha!" chuckled the Beast Warrior of Water. "Like I said before, no one insults Calmaramon and gets away with it! That's what you get for opening your big mouth!"

Why...you..." growled Beautymon.

She had just enough of this fowl creature insulting her 'Cutie.' She clenched her fist tight, angry at all of the cruel things she said about him. With her mind filled with anger and rage, she flew towards the squid-like Digimon and fired a wild barrage of pink beams at her. Calmaramon held her tentacles up to block the onslaught of attacks.

However, some of the beams managed to slip through the squid's defense and hit their target. The lasers collided with Calmaramon's body and exploded on impact. Before long, the area was filled with dark clouds of smoke. Beautymon landed gently on the ground and gazed at the smoke cloud that concealed the Beast Warrior of Water. She flipped her long, olive hair; feeling confident that she won the battle.

"Well, that should do the trick!" Beautymon smiled.

But then, a silhouette of the squid-like beast appeared out of the smoke. Beautymon took a step back and gasped, shocked that her attacks did no damage to whatsoever. Calmaramon angrily marched towards the defenseless female Digimon, making a huge earthquake with each step she takes. Not one of her laser beams had any effect on her.

All of the sudden, Beautymon lost her balanced and fell to the ground. This gave Calmaramon the perfect opportunity to attack. She wrapped one of her tentacles around Beautymon's slender body and lifted off the ground. Once when she was high enough, she began to squeeze the life out of the olive haired Digimon. Beautymon could feel the air being crushed out of her body.

"Now that your friend's out of the way, it's time I finish you off for good!" grinned Calmaramon.

Beautymon tried to break loose, but Calmaramon's grip was just too tight. In fact, her grip was twice as hard as Dragomon's. She could feel her ribs were on the point of breaking. It won't be long before she runs out of air. Beautymon's face started turning colors and her breaths were getting shallower by the second.

Then out of the ocean, BurningGreymon shot out like a rocket and flew towards the two female Digimon at the speed of sound. The first thing he saw was Beautymon wrapped around Calmaramon's tentacles. That made him very angry. He unleashed another might roar that echoed across the island. Calmaramon saw the dinosaur Digimon coming at her with blazing speed, but that still didn't faze her.

"Let her go, Calmaramon!" BurningGreymon demanded.

"Make me, you fool!" mocked the Beast Digimon of Water.

Without hesitating, he flew in circles around the putrid squid, waiting for the right moment to attack. Calmaramon kept her guard up, while she continued to squeeze the air out of poor Beautymon. She waited patiently for the Beast Warrior of Flame to make his move.

All of the sudden, BurningGreymon blasted a barrage of solar energy bullets towards Calmaramon's backside. The attack sent stinging jolts of pain to the aquatic monster, but she easily rubbed it aside. BurningGreymon then sprayed a couple of bullets on Calmaramon's tentacles, trying to get her to release Beautymon. But so far, nothing seemed to be working. Calmaramon swung her other tentacle at the dinosaur Digimon, but BurningGreymon flew out of the way to evade the attack. He backed up a little bit to come up with another strategy.

"I can't rush in their blindly. I have to get Beautymon out of there first. Calmaramon's got the upper hand as of right now. Any one of my attacks could potentially put Beautymon in danger. Besides, Calmaramon's got her wrapped up tight and the longer I wait, the less chance Beautymon won't make it out alive. So that settles it. Saving Beautymon is your first priority. After that, then you can focus your attention on Calmaramon." He said to himself.

After carefully planning out his moves, BurningGreymon once again flew in on his opponent. Like last time, the Beast of Flame circled the squid. Calmaramon smirked at the fiery Digimon. Although she knew it was useless for him to try, it does amuse her to see how he plans on stopping her.

BurningGreymon held his cannons out front and aimed them towards the squid. But then, he moved them slightly downward and began firing. Instead of hitting Calmaramon, BurningGreymon shot the ground next to her. The bullets collided with the sand and exploded. The area was covered with heavy clouds of smoke. BurningGreymon waited a few seconds before flying into the cloud. He spotted an unconscious Beautymon and made his way towards her.

"Hang on, Beautymon! I'll get you out!" said BurningGreymon.

"I don't think so, pretty boy!" Someone shouted, catching the fiery Digimon by surprise.

He turned around and held his guard up, but it was too late. Calmaramon wrapped one of her tentacles around BurningGreymon's body and started squeezing the life out of his. Even with the strength of a Beast Spirit, the dinosaur Digimon couldn't break free from Calmaramon's grasp. The more he resisted, the tighter she squeezed. BurningGreymon could feel his energy running low. It wouldn't be long before he passes out in the clutches of Calmaramon.

"It's over, you little runt! I told you before, no one can defeat me!"

She lifted BurningGreymon up high and viciously slammed him to the ground. The dinosaur Digimon grunted as his body crashed into the ground. But the assault didn't stop there. Calmaramon lifted him back up and again smashed him to the ground. After four or five powerful slams, she loosened her tentacles and left BurningGreymon laying on the ground.

She chuckled out loud before shifting her attention towards the unconscious Beautymon. An evil smile appeared on her face. Finally, she threw the female Digimon to the side. Beautymon flew through the air and landed hard on the ocean. After maniacally laughing for a little bit, Calmaramon looked back at BurningGreymon with that malicious grin on her face.

"It's time I put out the fire for good!" She said. Calmaramon then used her tentacles to propel herself up in the air. Once when she high enough, she spread her tentacles out wide and twisted her large tail. All of the sudden, the squid spun around and rotated her body like a helicopter propeller.

"TITANIC TEMPEST!" She hollered.

Her body became a giant drill as she slowly brought it down towards the groggy Beast of Flame. BurningGreymon opened his eyes and saw the  
>oncoming attack. However, he was too weak to move or get out of the way. All he could do was brace himself for impact.<p>

The drill collided into the dinosaur's stomach. BurningGreymon gasped for air and grunted in pain as Calmaramon's continued to apply the pressure on him. Finally, the drilling had stopped and the squid got off of her opponent. BurningGreymon laid on the ground, unconscious and almost out of breath. Fractal Code surrounded his body as he transformed back to the Takuya. At the same time, long streams of data engulfed the Beast Warrior of Water. Inside the cocoon of Fractal Code, Calmaramon began to transform.

"SLIDE... Evolution!"

Finally, the Fractal Code had vanished, and Warrior of Water appeared. She made her way towards the motionless young man and smiled at him. She got on one knee and gently stroke Takuya's cheek. It wasn't long before the Bearer of Flame woke up. The first thing he saw was Ranamon's cute face.

"Hey, Sugar! How does it feel to be defeated by the Queen of the Seas?"

Takuya glared angrily at the Warrior of Water. She brushed his cheeks again, but the teenage boy followed up with a spit to her face. Ranamon wiped the saliva off of her face. The innocent look in her eyes changed into a terrifying glare.

"Stubborn little... BRAT!"

Ranamon got down on her knees and grabbed Takuya's neck with both of her hands, choking the life out of him. With a Chaos Sphere inside her body, Ranamon's grip doubled in power, making it extremely difficult for Takuya to breath. The teenage boy could feel his oxygen supply running low and his energy depleting. He started to lose the feeling in his muscles and his eyes were beginning to shut. The aquatic Digimon, however, began to laugh out loud. This was her chance to finally take out one of the humans once and for all. It won't be long before the boy runs out of air.

"RANAMON! RANAMON!" Someone shouted. The Warrior of Water looked behind her and noticed an imp-like Digimon flying towards her. A disappointed look appeared on her face.

"What is it, Sinistromon?" Ranamon asked.

"I have a message from Lord Malevomon. He demands that you return to his castle at once!"

"What?" She roared. "Why? I was on the verge of finishing this human off for good!"

"There's been a change of plan! The master believes the humans are more valuable to him alive! That's why..."

"Oh, come on! Please Sinistromon? Let me destroy this one human? Please?"

"RETURN NOW!" The devil-like Digimon ordered.

"Sheesh, why am I taking orders from a pipsqueak like him?" Ranamon lets out a huge, disappointing sigh.

She released Takuya's neck, got back to her feet and made her way towards Sinistromon. Meanwhile, Takuya got on his hands and knees, coughing profusely for oxygen. He looked up and saw the Warrior of Water walking towards Malevomon's faithful servant.

"Hey!" Takuya called out. The two evil Digimon watched as the teenage boy helplessly crawled towards them. Takuya used what little strength he had left to get back to his feet. However, his legs were wobbling and his stomach was still in pain. He scowled at the two Digimon in front of him. "Where do you think you're going? This fight isn't over! You hear me! We are not finished yet!"

"You should consider yourself lucky, Sugar. I was _this_ close to finishing you off. But, I'll let you live for now. After all, it's Lord Malevomon's orders." She looked back at Sinistromon. "Let's get out of here. This boy's making me sick." Ranamon started walking on the beach, with Sinistromon following behind her.

"Fine! Go on! RUN AWAY YOU COWARDS!" Takuya shouted, which stopped the two Digimon in their tracks. They glowered at the injured young boy. Sinistromon reached into his backpack and took out a couple of explosives. But Ranamon held her hand out in front of him, letting Sinistromon know that this was her battle.

"You want to finish what we've started, Honey? Very well then!" said the Warrior of Water.

She raised her right hand and snapped her fingers. Takuya got in a defensive stance and kept his guard up. He grabbed his D-Tector and prepared himself for another fight. The two Legendary Warriors stared each other down for half a minute. But neither one of them made a move.

Finally, Ranamon smirked as she pointed towards the ocean. Takuya slowly turned towards the water and his eyes shot up. He saw Beautymon floating inside a bubble filled with salty water. He noticed her trying to break free, but she was too weak to escape. Her consciousness was slowly escaping her. Seconds pass and Beautymon was running out of air, energy... and time. Takuya glared back at Ranamon.

"Ranamon! Let her go! RIGHT NOW!" He demanded. The Warrior of Water sighed before smiling back at Takuya.

"Very poor choice of words there, Sugar." She laughed. Ranamon snapped her fingers, and the bubble surrounding Beautymon disappeared. Gravity grabbed a hold of the female Digimon as she plummeted into the ocean. She sank deeper and deeper into the depths below.

"BEAUTYMON! NO!" Takuya cried. He leered at the watery Digimon and got ready to charge in on her. Suddenly, Ranamon held her hand out, signaling Takuya to stop where he was. Of course, the young boy obliged.

"It's up to you now, Hon! We can continue our little fight if you like!" She said. "However... I'm pretty sure your little friend down there won't be alive by the time we finish!"

"How dare you... THAT'S DIRTY!"

"The choice is yours, Sugar! HAHAHAHA!" She laughed.

While she was chuckling to herself, Sinistromon grabbed a couple of bombs and threw them at Ranamon's feet. The area was filled with large smokescreens. Ranamon and Sinistromon disappeared into the heavy clouds. Takuya immediately raced towards the two evil Digimon. But when the smoke subsided, Ranamon and Sinistromon were gone. He clenched his fist tight and roared out loud.

But then, he remembered that Beautymon was still in danger. He sprinted towards the water and dove into the ocean. The salty water entered his eyes, making it hard for him to see. But with Beautymon's life on the line, Takuya's eyes easily adjusted. He looked around the ocean, searching for the female Digimon. He searched left and right, but couldn't seem to find her.

But then he looked toward the bottom. Sure enough, there was Beautymon, sinking down to the depths below. He swam as fast as he could towards the female Digimon. He reached out in front of him, trying to get a hand on her. It took a while, but Takuya managed to grab one of Beautymon's hands. He pulled her closer to him and embraced her tight.

Running low on oxygen, Takuya changed directions and started swimming towards the surface. His energy was almost out and he couldn't hold his breath much longer. However, he looked at the unconscious Beautymon's face. He was determined to save her, even if it's the last thing he does. Finding the strength within him, Takuya reached the surface with a couple seconds to spare. He took a deep breath and swam back to shore. The teenage boy dragged Beautymon along the sand and rested her on the ground.

"Beautymon? Beautymon!" shouted Takuya. He got on his knees and started to shake her. "Come on, Beautymon! Wake up! BEAUTYMON!" But it was no use. Her eyes remained shut and no breath escaped her lips. Takuya scanned the area, searching for someone to assist him. He spotted Neemon still hiding in one of the bushes.

"Neemon!" He cried. The yellow rabbit got to his feet and rushed toward his human friend. "Go and get help! Hurry!"

"You got it!" obliged Neemon. He took off in running and started searching for anyone that can help.

When he was out of sight, Takuya got back to work on Beautymon. He placed two fingers on the side of her neck. So far, there was no pulse. He then started to panic. Millions of thoughts raced through his mind. He had no idea what to do in a situation like this.

All of the sudden, an idea came to his head. Back in middle school, he was taught how to perform CPR. Takuya thought now would be a good time to take what he's learned and put it into action. He looked at Beautymon's marvelous body and then he noticed her lips. He took a deep breath, as he was still feeling a little uncomfortable about the whole thing. However, the female Digimon doesn't have much time. It was either now or never.

Takuya placed the heel of one hand on the Beautymon's breastbone, with the second hand on top. He position his body directly over his hands, so that his arms were straight and rigid. Now that he was in position, Takuya proceeded with the chest compressions, counting out loud for each one. He counted all the way to thirty before stopping. He looked back at Beautymon and noticed she still wasn't moving. Takuya decided to try chest compressions again. He press down with both hands between her breasts for another thirty times.

Again, Beautymon still hasn't woken up yet. Takuya moved on to the next step: opening the airway. He place his hand on her forehead and two fingers on her chin. Then he tilt the head back to open the airway. And then he paused. He knew what the next step was; which was giving Beautymon a couple of rescue breaths. However, that means he would have to press her lips... with his own. The teenaged boy gulped and took a deep breath. It has to be done, regardless how uncomfortable the situation is.

After recomposing himself, Takuya positioned himself above Beautymon's mouth. He pinched her nose with one hand, while tilting her head back with the other. Takuya then closed his eyes and placed his lips over her mouth. Finally, he gave Beautymon two rescue breaths. He breathed out for a second, making sure her chest rose with each breath. After the second exhalation, he went back to the chest compressions.

From there, the cycle repeated. Takuya performed CPR on Beautymon for a good five minutes, but it seemed like he's been doing it for hours. As time passed, Takuya grew more nervous. He couldn't help but wonder if his efforts were actually working. Beautymon's eyes still hasn't opened and she still had no pulse. But he would never quit. Takuya was told not to panic and when performing CPR on others. He shook away his fears and continued with the chest compressions.

Suddenly, the female Digimon started showing signs of life. She coughed out some water in her lungs and her breathing returned to normal. Beautymon slowly opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was a worried look on Takuya's face.

"Cutie?" She whispered.

"Beautymon!" exclaimed Takuya. "Thank goodness you're alright!"

"Oh Cutie! You... You saved me." Beautymon spoke softly.

She placed a soft hand on his cheeks and gently brushed his face. Takuya gasped at the soft touch of Beautymon's hand. On instinct, the teenage boy placed his hand on top of hers. For a long time, the human boy and the female Digimon gazed into each other's eyes. The sweet smell of Beautymon entered Takuya's nose, making him fall into a mesmeric state. He used his other hand to stroke Beautymon's face and brush her long, olive hair. The two of them drew closer and closer together, ignoring the surroundings around them.

But before Takuya could do anything else, Beautymon quickly sat up and changed her positions, taking the teenage boy with her. It took Takuya a while to realize that he's on his back, while Beautymon rested her head on his stomach. She used her fingers to tickle and caress Takuya's chest. After that, she started crawling towards the boy like a sexy beast. Takuya gasped when he saw the female Digimon just a couple feet in front of him. Her hair glided against his cheeks and her eyes gazed deep into his soul.

"B... B... Beautymon? Wha... What are you..."

"Shhh..." shushed Beautymon. She placed a finger on Takuya's lips to prevent him from saying anything else.

"Come on, Sweetie. Don't you want me?"

"Beautymon, please..."

"How does it feel when I caress your body like this?"

The female Digimon gently brushed Takuya's cheek, as well as his chest and all the way down his legs. Every time Takuya feels the soft touch of Beautymon's hands, a light moan escaped his mouth. He knew what she was doing was wrong, and yet it felt so right. While Takuya enjoyed the treatment coming from Beautymon, the female Digimon continued to speak.

"Do you like it when I do... _this_?"

Another gasped exited out of Takuya's mouth. He shut his eyes and turned away from her. However, that was exactly what Beautymon wanted. Her lips were inches apart from Takuya's face. She loved the smell of this young boy. Beautymon smiled as she opened her mouth and stuck her tongue out. She gave Takuya a good lick on his right cheek. The reaction she got from him was perfect. The boy gasped, the moment his face made contact with Beautymon's tongue. He wanted to stop her from going too far, but his body kept on craving for more of her. Takuya looked back at her and gently grabbed both of her cheeks.

"Well?" She asked.

"Yes..." whispered Takuya.

"Good!" Beautymon smiled.

She held a fist out in front of Takuya's face. The teenage boy was curious at what she has in store for him. It wasn't long before Beautymon opened her hand up. A bunch of pink petals escaped her hand and danced around her and Takuya. The boy inhaled the scent of the flowers and immediately lost control of his senses. Beautymon grinned, as she tightly embraced the boy.

"You ready, handsome?" She asked.

The two closed their eyes as their lips drew closer to each other like magnets. Before any one of them could figure out what was going on, Takuya and Beautymon finally locked lips. The boy's hand snuck through the back of her head as he pulled her in closer for a deeper kiss.

They stayed in that position for what appeared to be an eternity. Takuya's heart was pounding rapidly. Soft, sensual moans escaped their mouths as their actions became more and more passionate. They didn't care about defeat earlier or the surrounding around them. Beautymon's heart was singing joyfully, and her mind felt so serene and calmed.

She went a little further and exploded his body with her tender hands. Takuya, on the other hand, felt something completely different. Even though he enjoyed the feeling of someone kissing him, it felt like something was missing. The kiss was passionate, and yet was empty at the same time. He didn't know why, but something just didn't feel right.

"TAKUYA!" Someone shouted.

The loud voice snapped Beautymon and Takuya back to reality. The female Digimon immediately got off of the Bearer of Flame and stood back on her feet. Takuya easily recognized that voice. He wiped the sand off of him and stood up. He turned and saw Bokomon and a teenage girl standing next to him. Takuya's felt himself jumping for joy the moment he recognized her.

"Zoe? ZOE!" Takuya called out. He ran towards her as fast as he could. He opened up his arms up as he got ready to give his best friend one of the biggest hugs he's ever given her.

*slap*

The teenage girl gave Takuya a hard smack to the face, knocking the boy down. Takuya fell on the ground hard and moaned as he rubbed his swollen cheek. As the boy recovered, Zoe was having an emotional breakdown. She felt like her world has collapsed in on her. Her heart was being ripped out of her chest, and she couldn't breathe. Her self-esteem has significantly dropped. All of her dreams for a future together with Takuya were hopeless and gone. There was no point in going on, after what Beautymon had did. Zoe just wanted to as far away as possible. She rather die than seeing her best friend cuddle with Beautymon.

"Ow! What was that for?"

Takuya looked back at Zoe, wondering why she'd slap him. Instead, the teenage girl gave him a terrifying growl that would send most people running to the hills. Even he was taken back from Zoe's threatening scowl.

"DON'T... TOUCH ME, YOU JERK!" She howled. Takuya was stunned. He was expecting Zoe to come into his arms like she usually does. However, this type of reaction appeared to be different.

"Sheesh, why'd you slap me? All I did was care!"

"Well, excuse me!" She glowered. "I never asked you to care."

"Alright, then! I won't!"

"Fine!"

"What the heck's wrong with you? Why the ugly attitude?"

"It's none of your business, you hopeless little infant!"

"Wow... Very mature of you!"

"Speak for yourself!"

"If you got a problem Zoe, go ahead and say it to my face!" threatened Takuya.

"My problem? MY PROBLEM?! My problem is _you_..." She then pointed at Beautymon. "... and that _thing_ over there! You two were... were..."

"Having so much fun with each other?" The female Digimon finished.

Zoe was so furious, her head was about to explode. After seeing what Beautymon did to Takuya, her normally calm and pleasant demeanor slowly changed. Her face contorted in an all-consuming anger. Her nostrils flared with fury and her eyes sparked with ferocity. She felt her temperature rising, and her blood boiling in her veins.

"AAAHHHHHHH!" Zoe shrieked as she sprinted as fast as she could towards the surprised female. She reached out and grabbed a fistful of Beautymon's hair. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! YOU HEAR ME? YOU'RE DEAD!"

The female Digimon screeched out loud, but also grabbed Zoe's golden hair in retaliation. The two females yanked each other all over the place, trying to get the other to submit. Bokomon and Takuya stood there and stared as the catfight got more and more vicious.

"Don't just stand there! Do something!" Bokomon ordered.

Takuya made his way towards the girls and stepped in, trying to break up the fight. He tried everything, from loosening the grips on each other's hair, to getting in between them. However, every time Takuya tried to stop them, he ends up getting knocked down to the ground and the two girls continued their brawl.

"Come on, Zoe! Let go!" ordered Takuya. But she wouldn't listen. "CUT IT OUT!" He said, with his voice raised. Again, Zoe continued to yank Beautymon's hair.

Takuya's patience was running thin. He stepped in angrily and managed to get in between the two girls. He grabbed Zoe's wrists, causing her to release Beautymon's hair. Next, he got in front of Zoe and pushed her back. The teenage girl, however refused to quit. She tried shoving Takuya out of the way, but the boy wouldn't budge.

"Out of my way, Takuya!"

"That's enough, Zoe!"

"I SAID, GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

"I SAID... THAT'S ENOUGH!"

He couldn't take it anymore. Takuya grabbed Zoe's shoulders and shoved him to the ground. She fell on her hands and knees on the sand. Zoe cringed in agony, since her previous injuries hadn't healed yet. She looked back at Takuya, hoping that he would help her back up like he usually does. Instead, she saw an angry look in his eyes.

"Takuya..." She tried to speak, but the glare remained on Takuya's face.

"What's going on here?" A valiant voice shouted.

The two humans turned and noticed Swiftmon approaching them. He was accompanied by Neemon and the rest of the Digimon Battlefront. Zoe quickly got to her feet, but kept her eyes on her best friend. An angry stare down broke out between the two humans.

"WELL?" Swiftmon shouted.

"Ask _him_!" grumbled Zoe as she pointed towards Takuya.

"Me?" The boy argued.

"Yeah! This is all your fault, Takuya!"

"My fault? You're the one who started all this!"

"Don't you dare put this on me, you sad child!"

"You know I'm right Zoe! Admit it!"

"Um... guys?" Bokomon interrupted.

"SHUT UP!" Takuya and Zoe yelled in unison. Bokomon was so frightened, he hid behind Beautymon's legs and watched helplessly as the two humans continued to argue.

"This is all your fault, Zoe!"

"You don't know what you're talking about, you idiot!"

"Oh yeah? Then how about this... You were the one who went off on your own instead of staying with the group!"

"So?"

"You were the first one to encounter the Spirits of Water! And you decided to fight her all by yourself... WITHOUT CALLING FOR HELP!"

"I didn't need your help, you moron!"

"Oh really?" Takuya said as his voice got louder. "You didn't need my help, huh? So I'm guessing what Ranamon said about her beating the crap out of you was just a big lie! Am I right?"

Zoe said nothing.

"Because of you, Zoe, Ranamon attacked us! I almost lost Beautymon during the fight! She would've drowned if..."

"Beautymon, Beautymon, BEAUTYMON! Why is everything always about _her_, huh? What is it about Beautymon that makes her so special? Why are you defending her, instead of me?

"Because she's not a psychotic, insane and immature woman... LIKE YOU!" argued Takuya. Those words hit her like a rock. Tears started to form in her eyes, but Zoe held them back. She had just about enough of her 'former' best friend putting her down.

"I can't take it anymore! I can't stand you anymore, Takuya!"

"GOOD! Because I can't stand you too, Zoe!"

"I hate everything about you! I regret the day I met you! I rather eat dirt, than become friends with a jerk like you!"

"And I hate everything about you too! I regret calling you my best friend! I never want to see your fat, ugly face again!"

"You... YOU..."

"What now, huh?"

"I... I... I HATE YOU!" Zoe turned and ran away from the group as she sobbed uncontrollably. Takuya shook his head and grunted.

He then realized that every Digimon in the area had his eyes on him. Most of them were speechless while others were confused. Swiftmon, on the other hand, was extremely disappointed. As much as he wanted to discipline this young boy, he had to wait. He turned to a couple of his troops.

"Find her and get her back to the Digiporter." He ordered.

"Yes, sir!" A couple of Digimon complied.

"Everyone else, back to the Digiporter!"

"Sir!"

The Digimon Battlefront lined up and marched out of the area with Bokomon and Neemon following behind them. Beautymon stayed behind with Takuya and Swiftmon. She approached the boy and placed a hand on his shoulders, hoping that would get his attention off of Zoe and back to her. But Takuya never made eye contact with her.

"You too, Beautymon!" said Swiftmon.

"But..."

"NOW!"

The outburst shocked and angered Beautymon. But instead of arguing, she decided to comply. Beautymon looked at Takuya one last time before catching up with the others. Once when she was out of sight, Takuya started to walk back to the Digiporter. However, he felt something grabbing his arm. He looked behind him and saw an intimidating look in Swiftmon's eyes.

"We'll talk about this later!" He threatened. "Get changed, grab your friend's clothes and get on the Digiporter. And that's an order!"

"Whatever..." Takuya huffed.

He made his way towards the destroyed Toucanmon Paradise hut. Wood, dishes, and beach stuff were scattered across the area. Even the Locker Rooms were completely annihilated. Fortunately, the basket holding Takuya's clothes were still there. He wiped the sand off of his attire and got changed. After placing the goggles back on his head, he found Zoe's basket of clothes on the ground. Her shoes and socks were filled with sand, while her other clothes were extremely dirty.

Takuya picked up her clothes and rushed back to the Digiporter, forgetting to wipe the sand off. He spotted a group of Digimon on top of a platform. As he approached them, he noticed a blonde hair girl looking down at her feet. A small tear fell from one of her eyes. However, his feelings towards Zoe still hasn't changed and he still hated her with a passion.

"Here are your clothes, Miss!" He said, tossing them light at the girl's feet. She noticed there were still sand in her clothes. She leered at her former best friend, but said nothing.

"Move it!" Takuya ordered, as he rudely pushed Zoe out of the way so he could get on the platform. Instead of starting another argument, the teenage girl made her way to the back of the Digiporter, trying to stay as far away from Takuya as possible.

"Takuya, you jerk..." She said to herself.

"Everyone here?" Swiftmon asked.

"Yes, sir!" The Digimon Battlefront replied.

"Good!" The swordsman nodded after doing a quick head count.

Moments later, a white light shot out from the bottom of the Digiporter, engulfing the Digimon and the two humans with its bright light. Seconds passed until finally, the light had subsided and the Digimon Battlefront had already vanished.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter twenty.<strong>

**With the bad guys on top with the Spirit count, what will Takuya and Zoe make of the situation? Can our two heroes make up before their next mission, or has their friendship officially come to an end? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	21. Friends No More

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**With Beautymon by his side, BurningGreymon had no problems dealing with the Octomon and Dragomon. That is, until Calmaramon came and ruined the party. Because of the Chaos Sphere inside her body, she easily overpowered BurningGreymon and Beautymon. But just when the putrid squid was about to finish Takuya off, Sinistromon intervened and the two left without a reason. Takuya managed to save Beautymon from drowning, which definitely earned him more than a thank you. Too bad Zoe didn't like what she saw. Things got out of hand between the humans until they finally decided they won't be friends anymore.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter twenty-one!**

* * *

><p><strong>Friends No More<strong>

**Normal POV:**

The drawbridge lowered itself down to the ground and the gigantic doors to Malevomon's castle opened up. Sinistromon and the Warrior of Water walked across the bridge and entered the fortress. They made their up to the top floor where the Throne Room was. As they walked down the long hallway, the two  
>evil Digimon continued to argue with each other.<p>

"I was _this_ close, Sinistromon... THIS CLOSE to destroying one of those pathetic humans!" Ranamon complained. She had her thumb and index fingers a few centimeters apart from each other, symbolizing how good of a position she was in to annihilate the Bearer of Flame once and for all. The Warrior of Water would have one less problem to deal with, if it hadn't been for Sinistromon's sudden interference.

"And you just had pop in uninvited, huh Sugar! Thanks a lot for nothing!" The aquatic Digimon kept on whining.

"Hey! Take it easy, Ranamon! It wasn't my idea! Believe me, I want to get rid of those pesky humans too! They've been a thorn on my side ever since they've arrived." argued Sinistromon.

"Then why do have to sneak your nose where it doesn't belong?"

"Because it's Lord Malevomon's orders!"

"Really? Why should we keep them alive, when we could take them out in a blink of an eye? Wouldn't taking over the Digital World be that much easier without those annoying brats?"

"I don't know! Why are you asking me?"

"Well, you're Lord Malevomon's right-hand 'mon' right? Should it be your job to know the master's motives? Surely you must have some knowledge as to why Lord Malevomon wanted me to spare those worthless humans. Or is your brain too small to hold that much info?"

"Hey! Watch who you're talking to, Ranamon! You will show me some respect, for I am Malevomon's most faithful servant!"

"Hmph. Yeah, whatever..."

"Besides, if you're so desperate to know, why don't you ask him, you walking chatterbox?"

"Excuse me?"

"Go ahead! Ask Lord Malevomon why he wanted to spare the humans! Or aren't you afraid?"

"Sinistromon, are you trying to pick a fight with me?"

"So what if I am... Toots?" He grinned as he grabbed a couple of miniaturized explosives from his backpack.

"You little insect! How dare you call me that? You'll be begging for mercy when I'm done with you!" threatened Ranamon as she got ready for a fight.

The two evil Digimon stared each other down, waiting for their opponent to make the first move. Ranamon could see a bead of sweat dropping from Sinistromon's face. However, the imp Digimon noticed the muscles on the watery Digimon were tightening up. After a half a minute of angry glares, Sinistromon grinned and placed his bombs back in his bag. He continued strolling down the halls, leaving a confused Ranamon behind.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going, Sugar? Come back here, you little twerp! We haven't even started yet!" The Warrior of Water objected.

"Be quiet, won't you? I'm not going to waste my time dealing with a Legendary Warrior. Now, hurry up!" He ordered.

Ranamon gave up and followed the devil-like Digimon to their destination. It wasn't long before they reached a pair of wooden doors with dimly lit torches hanging on the sides. The tall doors opened up, and the two of them entered the circular Throne Room. Ranamon observed the large room and was kind of surprised how... evil it looked. The atmosphere sent chills down her spine. But then again, she couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Wow, it's much better than the previous hideout when I used to work for Cherubimon!" complimented Ranamon. She looked to her right and noticed Sinistromon flapping his wings and flying towards one of the windows.

"Hey! Just where do you think you're going, Honey?" The Warrior of Water asked.

"I got to organize the troops for our next battle. I'll be right back. Wait here, until Lord Malevomon arrives. In the meantime, make yourselves comfortable... if you can." Sinistromon replied. And with that, he flew out the window, leaving Ranamon alone in the Throne Room.

"Well that's rude... leaving behind a gorgeous Digimon like me all by herself." She made her way towards Malevomon's throne and took a seat. She immediately felt powerful, dominant, and in charge.

"Oh, how simply divine! I'm the Queen of the Seas... but what if I became Queen of the Digital World? Ooh, that sounds lovely! Wonderful! Perfect even! It would be a dream come true! Teehee!"

"Thy must discourage those whose dreams are bigger than reality..." A cold voice murmured. Ranamon got up from her seat and faced the shadows. The sound of clattering footsteps entered her ear. She got in a defensive stance and kept her guard up, waiting for any potential attacks. Then out of the darkness stepped one of the Legendary Warriors.

"Isn't that right... my lady?" The metallic Digimon finished with an arrogant grin on his face.

In front of her was a tall Digimon dressed in a coat of green steel. He was completely protected from his head all the way down to his feet. He had two mirror shields around his arms, one mirror on his chest and another on his back. He also has a mirror for a face, which only revealed his mouth. He approached the Warrior of Water with his signature sly smirk, telling her that he's somewhat glad to see her.

"I don't believe it! Mercurymon, is that really you?" shouted Ranamon.

"Thou hast remembered me. I'm flattered." spoke the Warrior of Steel.

"What are you talking about? Of course I remember, you metal head! You think a girl like me could forget such a lifeless face like yours? Or was it ugly? I can never really tell! Teehee!"

"Enough of this foolishness, thy Queen of Puddles. Me thinks tis time thou hast meet thy brethren."

"Mercurymon, please speak in English. I have no idea what you're trying to say."

"He's saying that he's not the only one working for Lord Malevomon." Another voice spoke, this time with more energy. Ranamon again looked to the shadows and saw a second Legendary Warrior appeared before her eyes.

Another humanoid Digimon stepped out of the darkness to join his comrades. Overall, he looked like a large, walking insect. It has a horn on his head similar to a rhinoceros beetle. The horn is where he generates electricity for his attacks. He was covered in a blue and yellow armor-like exoskeleton. There were even a set of wings behind his back protectors. The armored plates just above his knees bear the Symbol of Thunder.

"No way! Beetlemon; the Legendary Warrior of Thunder!" exclaimed Ranamon.

"Nice to see you again, Ranamon. Did you miss me?" greeted the insect warrior.

"Wait just a minute, Mercurymon!" She complained as she turned back to the Warrior of Steel. "Are you telling me that he's on our side now?"

"Spot on, my lady." answered Mercurymon. "And he's not the only that's part of this cast of evil warriors. See for yourself."

"That's right. Don't forget about me!" A third voice shouted.

A third warrior-like Digimon appeared before them. His helmet is grey with white lines on the eye holes and a black nose. His scarf is light purple with darker stripes. His shoulder pads each have the Symbol of Light on them. The gauntlets are grey and purple; with a laser blaster on his forearm. His gloves are black with a tad of purple knuckles. His chest and abdominal armor is grey with four purple rectangles. He has a pair of white pants with two grey and purple knee pads and a belt wrapped around each upper thigh. His feet are wolf-shaped, with a black upper part with a purple diamond on each foot and two pieces of the armor covering his ankles. A square sheath is where his Kendo swords are placed.

"Why... It's the Warrior of Light, Lobomon!" said Ranamon.

"And me too..." A darker voice said.

Another Legendary Warrior appeared out of the shadows. His head  
>had gold hair similar to a lion and his face was covered with a black mask. Only his eyes could be seen. He was dressed in suit of black armor. There was a ruby sphere at the end of each shoulder pad. His gloves were black with a tad of gold decorated all around. His boots were also covered in dark armor with yellowish stripes. His feet are lion-sharped, with gold spikes on each toe. Speaking of which, there was a lion's head on the shoulder pads, knee pads and on the chest.<p>

"Lowemon!" Ranamon gasped. "The Legendary Warrior of Darkness."

"Well, that's everybody!" chuckled Beetlemon.

"Hold on! Does that mean that these guys are on our side too? And how am I supposed to know this isn't some kind of a trick?" asked the watery Digimon.

"Hmph! You worry too much, you murky-headed nit!" said Mercurymon.

"Hey, watch it, Sugar! Who do you think you are, talking to me like that?" shouted the female Digimon as she got a defensive stance. Mercurymon sighed before responding with the same suit.

"That's enough! All of you!" Someone ordered.

A portal opened up in the middle of the Throne Room. The five evil legendary Warriors stood before the mystical entrance way and bowed. A shadowy figure of the malicious emperor appeared. Malevomon slowly stepped out of the portal and stood in front of his servants. After giving them a small nod, he walked towards his throne and took a seat. The Legendary Warriors stood up and gathered around the Digimon emperor.

"My Lord. Your wickedness knows no bounds." said Lowemon.

"Indeed. Thou hast possess all thine power in this wretched world." Mercurymon agreed.

"No one can stand against you, Lord Malevomon. There is no other Digimon alive that can compare to your might." Beetlemon bowed.

"We will crush our enemies all in your name, master." declared Lobomon.

"Excellent!" Malevomon grinned. "With half of the Spirits of the Legendary Warriors in my possession, no one can stop me!"

"Um... excuse Lord Eldestmon?" asked Ranamon. "I don't mean to be bother, but something's been bugging me."

"Proceed..." said the evil emperor.

"Well, I was so close to destroying one of those annoying humans. But Sinistromon, your 'faithful' servant, told me that you think those pathetic creatures are more valuable to you alive. Why is that?"

"That's true, master. I don't get it. We each have a Chaos Sphere inside our bodies. That makes us twice as strong as those humans. Why can't we just take them out right now? It'll save us a lot of trouble in the future." argued Beetlemon. Malevomon looked into each Legendary Warriors' eyes. Each one of them wanted an answer from him. He took a deep breath and relaxed in his seat.

"Relax, my subordinates. You may not understand it now, but keeping them alive is all part of my plans." He replied.

"What plans? Please tell us, my Lord!" asked Ranamon

"Patience, child." Malevomon spoke. "I have way to get all twenty Legendary Spirits in our control AND take care of those humans at the same time."

"And that is?" wondered Lobomon. The wicked emperor grinned at all of his subordinates.

"... You'll just have to wait and see. Haha! Hahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

As the malicious sovereign laughed maniacally out loud, the other five evil Legendary Warriors joined in with their new master. Malevomon not only had the advantage in strength and fighting abilities, but also in the Spirit count. With half of the Legendary Warriors already working for him, the evil emperor knew he's one step closer for Digital World domination. And there's not a thing in the world that can stop him. Not even the forces of good, or a pair of teenage humans.

* * *

><p><strong>Takuya's POV:<strong>

My day surely wasn't getting any better. I was NOT in a good mood, especially after what happened in our last mission. That was a complete disaster; a huge failure. Everything that could've gone wrong, did. And I know just who to blame for all of this. My former best friend, the one person I can count on whenever I needed help. But thanks to her, she jeopardized the mission and ruined everything.

It's so simple. Find the Spirits of Water and bring them back here before Malevomon and his freakshows could. Unfortunately, they got to the Spirits way before we did. Once when they fused them with the Chaos Sphere, it was pretty much 'game over' for us. Now the Warriors of Water are a lot stronger than us. Great, just when you think things can't get any worse.

Because of that, we've almost lost Beautymon during the battle. She would've drowned if I hadn't been there. What happened after that was a huge blur. One moment I was trying to save her life, the next thing I knew she was right on top of me. I didn't remember much after that. But whenever she's around, I get this strange feeling in my stomach.

Now that's weird. The last time I've experienced this feeling was when I was with... _her_.

Zoe Orimoto: my ex-best friend. What the heck is wrong with this woman? I was so worried about her after what Ranamon told me. I even tried expressing my concern for her. And how did she repay me? She gave me a huge "SMACK!" right in the face. And what sucks is my cheeks were still swollen. But after that incident, I had just about enough of her.

She's blaming me for letting the Spirits of Water get away when it was CLEARLY her fault. Zoe was the first to encounter Ranamon, and yet she refused to call for help. I could've been there for her, but her stubbornness got the best of her. Guess how did that turn out? Not so good. Because of her stupidness, Ranamon got away and attacked me and Beautymon.

Okay, so my fight with the Spirits of Water wasn't any different than Zoe's. Still, this is her fault. And that's why she'll never be my friend again. I just hate Zoe Orimoto. She's crazy, stubborn, mean, shows no respect for others, and is just downright stupid. Until she asks me... no... _begs _me for my forgiveness, we are through! I won't look at her, talk to her, go near her, fight alongside her or do anything with her. From this moment on, our friendship is over.

I should've seen this coming. Why is it always like this? We started off as best friends. And from there, everything just fell apart. We've had our conflicts in the past, but definitely not like this. Her screams were loud and my rage was even more intense. Believe me, I was this close to hitting her, even though she's a girl. I tried hard to resist, but Zoe knows me like the back of her hand. She knows what pushes my buttons and what makes me snap. It's only a matter of time before she unleashes the beast inside. And yet, I have to control myself. The last thing I want was to start another fight with Zoe.

But then again, Swiftmon and Eldestmon told me that I must quickly make amends with her and find a way to get along. It's like I had to... no matter what.

*Flashback*

_The bright light faded away and the teleportation was complete. I looked around and realized we all made it back to the Digiporter Room. I was still disappointed that our last mission wasn't a success, but it's good to be back. My body was still a little sore from the last fight. I should definitely stop by the Hospital Wing and ask Blisseymon for help. One by one, the Digimon Battlefront warriors, plus me and Zoe, walked off the Digiporter and headed toward the exit. _

_From there, everyone else went their separate ways. Swiftmon, Beautymon, Zoe and I were the only ones left. I was about to head on over to the Hospital Wing, when I noticed something from the corner of my eye. I watched as Zoe hobbled towards me. It seemed as if her injuries hasn't healed yet either. However, the closer she got to me, the nastier her glare became. I countered by giving her an intimidating scowl of my own. For what seemed like hours, we leered deep into each other's eyes. But Zoe stood tall, refusing to move an inch. As expected, this girl's as stubborn as a mule._

_"Move!" She ordered._

_"Go around." I argued back._

_"I said 'move!'"_

_"No!"_

_"MOVE IT!"_

_"MAKE ME!" I saw her teeth gritting on each other. Her fists were clenched tight and her eyes were filled with rage and pain. I couldn't help but grin. It seems like I do know how to get on Zoe's nerves. I could tell she had just about enough of me. _

_All of the sudden, she pulled her arm back, ready to give me another slap to the face. But this time, I was ready. As quick as wink, I bend my body backwards to avoid the strike. Zoe's attack was a complete miss. But just when I was about to regain my balance, she took a step forward and placed her hands on my chest. With one small shove, Zoe pushed me straight to the ground._

_"MORON!" She yelled. _

_With that, she stomped away from the group. I sat there on the floor, shocked and defeated. Nothing's more humiliating than losing to a girl, especially Zoe. I got back to my feet and glowered back at my former best friend. However, she disappeared before I could argue with her. But my anger wasn't even close to subsiding. I was on the verge of reaching my breaking point. That girl needs to pay for embarrassing me like that._

_Then I felt a hand on my shoulder._

_"We need to talk. Right now." Swiftmon said._

_"Whatever."_

_"What's going on between you two?"_

_"It's none of your business..." I replied, as I began to make my way towards the Hospital Wing._

_But the swordsman Digimon unsheathed one of his blades and held it in front of me, immediately stopping me from moving forward. I glared back at Swiftmon. I wasn't really in the mood for arguing. But then I saw his eyes. He wanted answers and he won't budge until he gets one._

_"What's going on here?" Someone asked. I turned and noticed an elderly Digimon with a wooden cane approaching us._

_"Lord Eldestmon!" Swiftmon gasped, He put his sword away and saluted._

_"At ease." said Eldestmon. "Give me a report."_

_"Yes, sir." replied the swordsman. "Well, we did find the Spirits of Water. However, Malevomon's goons got to them first. They've inserted a Chaos Sphere inside the Spirits. Now, Malevomon has five Spirits under his control, while we only got three."_

_"Anything else?" grumbled Eldestmon._

_"Um..." said Swiftmon as he slowly shifted his attention towards me. "Yes. It seems as if something's going on between the humans." _

_As Eldestmon approached me, I saw his unfathomable eyes gazing deep into my soul. I felt like he's trying to connect with me, just to see what's going on._

_"The bond between you and your friend has been severed." He told me. I was surprised that Eldestmon managed to get all that by just looking at me_

_"Says you..." I murmured._

_"You can't stay angry at her forever, my boy. It blinds you from seeing what's actually ahead of you."_

_"You sure picked a wrong time to be a philosopher, huh Eldestmon?"_

_"Heed my warning, young man. The more you choose to ignore it, the harder it is for you two to become friends again."_

_"ZOE IS NOT... MY... FRIEND!" I shouted. My voice echoed throughout the hallways. If I were to guess, I assumed Zoe heard me screaming too._

_"Here we go again..." Swiftmon sighed._

_"This is unpleasant..." Beautymon whispered sarcastically._

_"Not a good time, Beautymon!" Her partner argued._

_"What? It breaks my heart seeing Cutie mad like this. That slimy little toad... How dare she insulted him like that? The next time I see her, I'll be sure to give her a..."_

_"SHUT UP, BEAUTYMON!" ordered Swiftmon before she could complete her statement. The female Digimon sighed and took a few steps back. Eldestmon looked back at me and tapped his cane on the ground._

_"Our world is in peril. We need your help in order to defeat Malevomon and restore peace in the Digital World. But in order to do that, we need you two to work together, not fight each other."_

_"Whatever." I said to myself. "I refuse to fight alongside my former best friend. She would only get in the way. I'm better off without her."_

_"Such a bold statement, young man. But hear this. You can accomplish so much when you work alone. But with a friend, possibilities are endless."_

_"Say what?"_

_"Talk to your friend. Apologize for whatever you done wrong and..."_

_"I'm not saying anything to her, unless SHE apologizes to ME!" I demanded._

_"Such stubbornness." Swiftmon mumbled._

_"I think it's cute!" Beautymon giggled, which made me blush. Swiftmon glared back at her, but said nothing. Eldestmon placed a hand on my shoulder._

_"It's up to you now, young man. The fate of the Digital World is in your hands now. Whether you want to get along or not... that's your choice. Be beware... your choice will impact us all."_

_After his informative speech, Eldestmon walked down the hallway and disappeared into the crowd of Digimon. That just leaves me with Swiftmon and Beautymon. I looked at the two Champion level Digimon, and waited for one of them to speak. So far, not one of us has said a word. I looked at Beautymon, who was trouble keeping eye contact with me. She's probably nervous about something, but I wasn't in the mood to find out. Swiftmon approached me, still with that intimidating look on his face. I could tell he was still mad at me after the way I talked back to him._

_"The Legendary Warriors must work together if we want to succeed. Your power comes from teamwork, unity... and friendship. If any of those elements are missing, then the strength of the Legendary Warriors will surely falter. It's all on you now, Bearer of Flame. Make the right choice, or we will all suffer the consequences." The swordsman Digimon told me. He then walked away from me and Beautymon._

_"Well, that was... reassuring." The female Digimon spoke. She placed a hand on my shoulder. _

_"Where are you off to, Cutie?"_

_"I'm heading over to the Hospital Wing to see if Blisseymon can heal my injuries. I'm kinda sore all over." I responded to her._

_"Oh you poor thing..." whispered Beautymon. Then, I felt her hands gliding back up to my cheek. My eyes widened with fear and a hint of exhilaration. I had no idea what she was planning, but who's complaining?_

_"B... Beautymon, what are you doing?"_

_"What does it look like, silly boy? I'm helping you get better. After all, it definitely beats hobbling all the way over there."_

_"But Beautymon, I..."_

_"Come on, Sweetie. Don't you trust me?"_

_"Why, yes. Of course."_

_"Good!" She smiled as she glided her hands across my chest. _

_She leaned closer to me until she was inches apart from my face. The female Digimon stuck a hand behind my head and closed the distance. Scared for my life, I closed my eye and turned away from her. A sweet fragrance entered my nose. I looked and noticed Beautymon's lavender eyes gazing deep into mine. She drew closer to me and licked my face. She trailed her sweet tongue around my cheeks and nipped my nose with her own. _

_There it is again. That same strange feeling appeared in my body. Yet for some reason, it has to do with Beautymon. What is it about her that makes her so... attracting? I'm okay with being friends with Digimon. But from what Beautymon's doing, she's taking friendship to a whole new level. I don't know why she's so nice to me, or why she likes to cling onto me every chance she gets. Regardless how awkward and weird Beautymon's gestures were, a part of me kept asking for more._

_"There we go. All better now, Cutie?" She said, wondering about my injuries. I did a few arm circles and body twist to see if there were any tightness on my body. I was shocked and amazed. Thanks to Beautymon, my body has never felt this good._

_"Much better!" I smiled. "Wow, thanks Beautymon!"_

_"Anything for you, Cutie." She giggled. "But if you like, we could go again... if you know what I mean."_

_"Um... no thanks." I replied. _

_"You sure? I can make it worth your while."_

_"I'm fine, Beautymon. But thanks for caring."_

_"Oh, okay..." She sighed. Beautymon looked kinda disappointed though, but she easily shrugged it off._

_"I'll see you later then, Sweetie." She gently stroke my cheek one last time before disappearing into the hallways._

*End of Flashback*

"Hey, kid! Move it!" Someone ordered me.

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked behind me. There were a lot of angry Digimon yelling at me about something. But when I turned around, I noticed there was a huge gap in the cafeteria line. It took me a while to figure out what was going on.

"NEXT!" One of the Digimon chefs cried.

I quickly got to the counter and grabbed a tray. I waited for the large creature in an apron to pile up grub on the plate. I was expecting some real food, like the ones back home. Then again, meatapples or one of Burgermon's delicious hamburgers doesn't sound too bad either. Instead, I got something else. The Digimon chef dumped some kind of porridge on the plate. It was whitish-gray and smelled like old gym socks. The porridge was still bubbling and was incredibly nasty.

I looked back at the chef, feeling disgusted and unhappy. I was about to demand him to give me something else, when I saw his eyes. With those monstrous pupils, it's like he's telling me to either take the food or take a hike. I wasn't about to start another fight. So I took the plate and stomped away.

I entered a room filled with a ton of tables and chairs. Unfortunately, each chair and table were occupied by other Digimon Battlefront members. There wasn't an open seat to be found. I looked to my right and left, but so far, no luck. Suddenly, a Digimon finished his food and got up from his seat. Now's my chance. I practically sprinted towards the open chair.

Just when I was about to take a seat, something blindsided me. Good thing I kept my balance, otherwise the porridge would have landed on someone else. I looked back at the chair and saw someone sitting on it. A blonde haired girl sat there quietly, eating the food on her plate. The worst part was, she was completely ignoring me. She didn't notice me or even apologized to me. I told myself I didn't want to talk to her anymore, but she was getting on my nerves. I was angry enough already. But after what she did, I'm on a whole new level now.

"That's my seat." I said in a threatening voice. I waited for Zoe to give me her attention, but she didn't. She kept on eating as if everything's normal. It's like I don't even exist to her anymore. I moved in a little closer, not wanting to give up my spot.

"I said, that's my seat."

"Oh, is it?" She asked. Zoe finally looked at me with those emerald eyes of hers. She's still mad at me for God knows what.

"I don't see on your name on it." She continued.

"I'm serious, Z! Move it!" I demanded.

"Sorry, little boy. This seat's already taken."

"ZOE!"

"You snooze, you lose. Now, scram!"

I slammed my tray on the table in anger. The entire cafeteria went silent. The chefs stopped serving food and the other Digimon stopped eating just to watch me and Zoe argue. Honestly, I didn't really pay much attention to them staring at me or what they were saying about us. All I can think about was how angry Zoe was making me. I wasn't going to leave until this girl gets out of my chair.

"Zoe, I'm only going to say this once. Get your butt off my seat, or else."

"Or else what, huh? What are you going to do, Takuya? Hit me? Huh? Think you're so tough picking on a girl?"

"It's tempting with that attitude of yours."

"Come on, you scaredy cat! Give it your best shot!" Zoe got up from her seat and leered into my eyes. She stuck her face out as if she's begging me to slap her.

"I'm not going hit you, Zoe. It's a waste of time and energy. I just want you to get out of my sight."

"Ooh! So, this is our fearless leader, huh? All talk, no action! You're truly pathetic! You know that, right Takuya?"

"Why you..."

"And to think... you were my best friend. Hmph! Some idiot I turned out to be! Who would want to be friends with a loser... like... you?"

With that, I had just about enough. This girl is going to continue running her mouth with no sense in stopping. I felt like I had to shut her up somehow. And what better way to do that than to humiliate her in front of all these Digimon.

I took my plate of gruel and poured it all on Zoe's head. Next, I grabbed her plate of porridge and dumped it on her. Zoe was drenched in all those disgusting foods. She smelled like puke and everything, from her skin to her clothes, was a mess. Zoe stood there with her mouth hung open.

But I wasn't done there. I grabbed a nearby tray filled with all kinds of food and garbage and dumped them all on my ex-best friend. While I was busy humiliating Zoe, I heard mixed reactions from the Digimon all around me. Some of them were laughing while others let out a few "Oohs!" and gasps. Seconds later, I backed up to admire my work.

Zoe was completely covered with filth. She took a stepped forward, but slipped on some leftover gruel. She landed hard on her butt, causing everyone else to laugh at her. The look on Zoe's face was priceless. Man, if only I had a camera to capture this proud moment of mine. Tears were forming in her eyes. It was only a matter of time before she snaps.

"Jeez, Z! I have no idea what's more rotten! You're attitude or... YOU overall!"

"You... You... I HATE YOU, TAKUYA KANBARA!" She screamed as she pushed me out of the way, but I didn't care. I had already got my revenge on her. A small smirk appeared on my face. I was too busy enjoying the win, I didn't notice Bokomon and Neemon entering the scene.

"What's going on here?" Bokomon asked me. Before I could answer, Zoe ran out of the cafeteria, crying like a baby. When she was gone, I got back to my feet and chuckled to myself.

"Hey, it's not my fault that Zoe's a terrible listener." I responded.

"Goodness, Takuya! What have you done?" He yelled at me. But before I could answer, he and Neemon took off and went after Zoe.

"Yeah, good riddance." I said. But then I noticed my seat was covered with garbage and my plate was already empty. I walked back towards the end of the line to get some more food.

But while I was waiting, I thought about what I'd done.

I said I was going to humiliate Zoe, and that's exactly what I did. I embarrassed her and made her cry in front of everybody. I'm supposed to feel satisfied and triumphant. But for some reason, I felt the opposite. Seeing Zoe run off like that made me feel stupid and guilty. It's like I've fallen down into an empty pit of darkness. Even though Zoe and I hate each other right now, a part of me still didn't like seeing her cry.

"Why? Why am I feeling this way? What is it about Zoe that makes her... I don't know... Zoe? Why does she stand out more than anyone else? What's so special about her? Why is it that every time she pushes me away, I always wind up coming back to her?"

Before long, my mind trailed off as I asked myself all these questions about me and Zoe. What I didn't realize was that there were a bunch of Digimon yelling at me for holding up the line again. They were awfully mad at me, but I didn't care. Until I figure out what these weird feelings are, nothing in this world really matters to me anymore.

Absolutely nothing.

* * *

><p><strong>Zoe's POV:<strong>

It's pretty easy to lose track of time when you're in the shower. What Takuya dumped on me was beyond gross. It was supposed to be some kind of porridge, but it looked strange and tasted funny. It was really disgusting and very sticky. There was a bunch of gruel stuck on my hair like chewing gum. Not only that, it had a weird smell. It was a combination of rotten eggs, moldy cheese and Tommy's sweat socks. Yuck.

"Stupid Takuya!" I said to myself as I went on to wash my hair. "Who would have thought that he's actually a big jerk in real life? And to think, I actually had a crush on him. Some fool I turned out to be." Once I finished showering, I grabbed a nearby towel and dried myself off. I went on to finish washing the rest of my clothes.

While I was doing that, I started having flashbacks of me and that half-witted goggle head. Memories of the day we first met, our first adventures in the Digital World, and the moment he confessed that he really liked me played back in my head. Other memories included celebrating Takuya's birthday at the park, returning to the Digital World, searching for the Legendary Spirits, and fighting the bad guys. Most of them were good, yet some of them were incredibly painful; physically and emotionally. Just like the time where Takuya and I lost to Malevomon. As a result, that creep stole my Beast Spirit.

But that was nothing compared to seeing Takuya getting too comfortable with that skank, Beautymon. Just thinking about her makes me want red with envy. Even the sound of her name makes me very cranky. I thought Takuya was just being nice to her because she was our comrade. But as time passed, those two grew incredibly close to each other. Not only that, but Takuya and I started to drift farther apart.

Okay, so I'm jealous of this witch for stealing my crush. I mean, a romantic relationship between a human and a Digimon is... it's just wrong! I felt like I had to try harder just to get Takuya's attention. I was planning on doing that back at Toucanmon's Paradise. It was supposed to be just me and him under the sun, enjoying our little time off. It was the perfect opportunity for me to confess how I felt about him.

And guess who decided to show up?

The rest of the story is just another bad memory. I got angry and accidentally got sand in Takuya's eyes. He got mad at me for acting like a child, which really hurt a lot. This was supposed to be a vacation, a chance for me and Takuya to take our relationship to the next level. But thanks to Beautymon, it turned out to be one gigantic disaster.

First, Ranamon showed up and beat me to a pulp. Then, I saw Takuya, MY Takuya, making out with that wretched whore! At that point, it was already over. Takuya and I had ended our friendship. I never want to see him again. I never want to speak to him again. I never want to fight alongside him again. I hate him with a passion. It's going to take a million years for me to forgive him.

*knock, knock, knock*

"Zoe, are you in there?" Bokomon asked from the other side.

"Just a minute!" I replied. I finished drying up my clothes and got changed. I opened the door and noticed Bokomon and Neemon standing in front of me.

"Hey guys." I said, trying to put on a smile.

"Are you feeling alright?" questioned Bokomon.

"Well... kinda..."

"What happened between you and Takuya?" Neemon asked. "We saw you two having an argument back at the cafeteria and we were wondering what's..."

"CAN IT, NEEMON! IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" I hollered. My voice bounced off the walls of the hallways. A few Digimon stopped and looked at me, wondering about my unusual outburst, but I didn't care. I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, even my former best friend.

"Calm down, Zoe. No need to get upset!" said Bokomon.

"Upset? Who's upset?" I barked back.

"My point exactly..." The room was quite. Bokomon waited for me to say something, but I was still pretty angry after what Takuya pulled off.

"I just don't want to talk about it, okay Bokomon? Now, please leave. I want to be left alone."

"But Zoe..."

"GO AWAY!"

Again, my voice echoed throughout the building. It was even louder than my last yell. In fact, the sound of me screaming scared a few Digimon nearby. Even Bokomon and Neemon were frightened at my temper tantrum. They turned and walked away, kindly and reluctantly respecting my wishes.

"Idiots." I said to myself.

"What's going on here?" Someone asked. I turned and noticed an elderly Digimon with a wooden cane approaching me.

"Eldestmon!"

"What's wrong, my child? Why is heart so dark with rage?"

"It's nothing..."

"One simply does not yell for no reason. I can tell that something's troubling you."

"Well... you see... it's just that... Takuya... he..."

"You got in a fight with your best friend?"

"'Ex' best friend! 'Ex!' Jeez, why can't anybody get that right?" Instead of flinching, Eldestmon sighed and look me straight in the eye. He placed a hand on my shoulder and began to speak.

"Listen to me, my child. Friendship is like a thread that keeps two people attached to each other. Regardless how great the distance, that thread will forever unite those two."

"If you don't mind, would you please get to the point Eldestmon? I'm not in the mood for parables."

"The bond between you and your friend has been severely damaged. Also, it seemed as if none of you are making an effort to fix it. Something appears to be in the way of making things right with one another."

"Everything's fine!" I argued. "It's all Takuya's fault! He's the one who started this mess."

"Is that so?"

"Absolutely! And yet, he has the nerves to demand me an apology? He's such a child! Unless he apologizes to me, I don't ever want to see him ever again! EVER!"

Eldestmon shook his head and sighed once again.

"Very well then. Have it your way. But heed my warning, my dear. Until you two find a way to repair your ties of friendship, you will never achieve full strength. The fate of the Digital World rests in your shoulders, whether you are aware of it or not."

After his closing statements, Eldestmon walked passed me and disappeared into the crowd of Digimon.

I shifted my attention back to my feet. My mind was filled with all of the cruel and horrible things Takuya has done to me recently. I can never forgive him, especially after what he pulled off. I hate him more than anything in the world. Can you believe that this loser used to be my best friend? I was such a fool. My feelings towards him blinded me the truth.

But after thinking about it, maybe Eldestmon does have a point. Malevomon would have control over the Digital World if it wasn't for me and Takuya. Regardless how many times we fought, our teamwork cannot be denied. Both of us are strong alone, but together we create an unstoppable force. Because of that, we managed to recover some of the Legendary Spirits, giving us a fighting chance against the dark forces.

Will Takuya and I have the same success if we went our separate ways? Do I need him more than he needs me? Or is it the other way around?

"Stupid Takuya..." I said to myself. "I hate you, and I can't stand you. But if we're going to restore peace to this world, we're going to need each other. You don't like me? Fine! You won't apologize to me? That's perfect! I don't care what happens to you! I just want to defeat Malevomon and get this lousy mission over with. That way, I can go home and..."

"Aww, poor Blondie! How does it feel to lose someone that was... oh so close to you?" Someone said.

That voice. The sound from the only Digimon I despise on this planet. I let out a loud, frustrated groan. Why did 'she' have to come all the way here to bother me?

"What do you want, Beautymon?" I growled. "Can't you just leave me alone? I'm not in the mood to talk to anyone... especially _you_!" I started walking away from her, trying to avoid any kind of confrontations. But then I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Come now, Blondie. I just want to have a nice conversation between us girls. Isn't that so wrong to ask?"

"Why should I talk to you? You never say anything nice to me. What's going to make today any different?"

"Well, Lord Eldestmon gave me a long lecture on how you and I should be working together instead of bickering about whose more beautiful than the other. Of course... we all know that's me." She gave me one of those winks, which was like icing on the cake for her.

"So far, Beautymon, you're not off to a good start." I said, still looking pretty angry.

"Oops! Sorry... Anyway, the point is we shouldn't be fighting each other. We should be helping each other if we want to save this world."

"Um... Yeah, you're right!" I said with my eyes wide open.

Although I'm kind of surprised it took Beautymon this long to realize this. Is she serious? Is she willing to forget the past and focus on the task on hand? Does that mean the word 'ugly' won't be coming out of her mouth anymore?

"So, how about it, Blondie? Truce?" She held a hand out in front of me. I looked at her and then back at her hand.

"Well... I don't know..." I said hesitantly.

Something doesn't feel right. I can't seem to trust Beautymon. It's rare for her to be this nice to me. Instead of waiting for me to initiate some kind of peace agreement, she went ahead and made the first move. This is definitely not like her. I knew something was up, but I can't seem to put a finger on it.

Then again, I could always turn down her offer right on the spot. On the other hand, that would make me even lower than dirt. I would become a much worse of a being than Beautymon. She's trying to make things right. Might as well accept it instead of spitting it back at her face.

"Please, Blondie?"

"Fine." I grumbled. I looked into Beautymon's eyes and shook her hand. That made the female Digimon smile. A soft giggle escaped her lips. That small laugh of hers was still annoying, but the point is we made up.

At least for now.

"Wonderful!" Beautymon exclaimed. She started dancing around the room and jumping for joy. "Thank you so much, Blondie!"

"It's Zoe..."

"Whatever... I'm so glad we're finally friends."

"Let's be clear on something, Beautymon. You and I are _not_ friends. We will _never_ be friends! I'm just putting our differences aside, so we can save the Digital World."

"Whatever you say, Blondie." She sighed.

"Zoe! Jeez, what are you? Deaf or something?" I said, growing impatient with every word that came out of her mouth.

"Come on. I'm trying to be nice to you for once. Isn't that so hard?"

"You have no idea..."

"Oh, by the way, I forgot to thank you back when we were at the island."

"Thank me? For what?"

"Because of you, Cutie and I have never been closer." My eyes widened upon hearing her statement.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, even though my heart wasn't prepared for what she's about to say.

"After the two of you fought, he came to me and asked me to... how would you say... make it all better."

"No..." I gasped. "You lie! Takuya would never say something like that!"

"Oh, but he did, Blondie! You have no idea how much I've longed to hear him say those words!"

"SHUT UP!" I hollered. This Digimon was getting on my last nerve.

"Aw, what's wrong? You jealous? Are you mad that your best friend is now _my_ boyfriend?"

I shifted my attention to the ground, feeling shocked and speechless. What Beautymon said made me sick to my stomach. The thought of humans and Digimon having that kind of relationship is just wrong. But Beautymon sure loves to relish the idea. In fact, she's going so far to shove it down my throat and make it unbearable for me.

Beautymon has no idea what I'm feeling right now. Of course I'm jealous of her! I'm jealous that she has Takuya all to herself. I'm jealous that Takuya's having more fun with her than with me. I'm jealous that... that... Beautymon was the one who gave him his first kiss. That should've been me. I could feel my eyes watering and my heart tearing up inside me.

"Takuya... how could you..." I thought to myself.

"Poor Blondie. If it wasn't for your ugly face, I would have the heart to feel sorry for you." said the female Digimon.

"THAT'S IT!" I shouted. I couldn't stand listening to this lousy wench speak.

Without hesitating, I sprang towards the female Digimon and tackled her to the ground like a wildcat.

"FIGHT!" Someone shouted. A minute later, Beautymon and I were surrounded by a large group of Digimon. However, I didn't care how many were watching us. All I can think about was getting revenge after the way Beautymon humiliated me.

I grabbed a fistful of her olive hair and yanked as hard as I could. Beautymon screamed in pain as I continued the assault. She managed to get a couple of scratches on my face, but so far I have the upper hand. After struggling for some time, Beautymon managed to loosen my grip on her hair. However, my eyes spotted another target. I grabbed her neck with both hands and tightened my grip. Feint coughs escaped Beautymon's lips.

"THAT'S ENOUGH, YOU TWO! BREAK IT UP!" Another valiant voice ordered.

Swiftmon grabbing me from under my shoulders and pulled as hard as he could, trying to get me and Beautymon to break up our little catfight. He lifted me up and managed to get me back to my feet. However, I was still kicking and screaming like an animal. I tried to break free from Swiftmon's grasps, but he was too strong.

"LET ME GO! LET ME AT HER!" I argued.

"THAT'S ENOUGH! CUT IT OUT!"

"NO! LET GO OF ME, SWIFTMON!"

But the swordsman Digimon refused. The more I struggle, the harder he gripped. Also, the longer this dragged out, the more tired I got. It wasn't long before I gave in. The moment Swiftmon sensed my anger had subsided, he finally released me. The rest of the Digimon began to disperse in different directions, leaving me behind with the second and third-in-command.

"Beautymon!" Someone cried.

I looked up and saw Takuya comforting the female Digimon. She looked back at him with tears in her eyes. All of the sudden, she fell into his arms and gave him a warm embrace. Beautymon let everything out as the tears fell uncontrollably.

"Oh, Cutie...!" She cried. But my intuition told me that she was faking it. Even though I did a pretty good number on her, she's a lot stronger than she looks.

"It's okay, Beautymon! Everything's going to be alright." He consoled her.

"Oh, come on! Give me a break! You're actually going to believe that?" An angry stare down occurred between me and Takuya. We glared at each other, gazing deep into each other's soul.

"What's your problem, Zoe? Attacking your own comrade? What were you thinking?"

"What? Are you saying that this is my fault?"

"Well, if I were to hazard a guess, I say it _is_ your fault!"

"Excuse me? Who do you think you are, pointing fingers like that? If you don't have any idea what happened, I suggest you keep your mouth shut!"

"Oh yeah? Then explain to me what made Beautymon cry? Huh? Couldn't control your anger... as usual?"

"You don't know what you're talking about, you immature boy!" I said with my voice getting louder with each word I spoke.

"Just keep telling yourself that, you big crybaby!"

"Why you..." It was getting hard to resist smacking the living daylights out of this jerk. "Listen, you loudmouth! I am _this_ close to kicking your sorry butt all the way to the next year!"

"I would love to see you try!" He said with a wide smirk on his face.

"OKAY, THAT'S IT, YOU JERK! YOU'VE ASKED FOR IT!"

I clenched my fist tight and was about to make my way towards him, when we heard beeping noises coming from the intercom above our heads. After a couple of squeaks, a voice came from the radio speakers.

"_Attention_" spoke the intercom. "_Would the humans, Swiftmon and Beautymon please report to the Digiporter Room immediately? I repeat. Would the humans, Swiftmon and Beautymon please report to the Digiporter Room immediately?_"

After the announcement, Beautymon got back to her feet and wrapped her arms around Takuya's. She rested her head on his shoulders and gazed into his eyes.

"Come on, Cutie! Our net mission awaits us!" She smiled.

The female Digimon pulled on his arm and the two of them walked down the hallway. When she passed me by, Beautymon stuck her tongue out at me, silently telling me that she has won. I tried not to avoid making eye contact with either her or Takuya. I still haven't forgiven him for all the things he said and did to me. After the two of them disappeared, Swiftmon placed a hand on my shoulders.

"Shall we?" He asked me.

I sighed and gave him a quick nod. Together, we walked side by side towards the Digiporter Room.

* * *

><p>Swiftmon courteously opened the door to the Digiporter for me. After kindly thanking him, and the two of us walked inside. I noticed Bokomon and Neemon standing on the platform. Gotsumon was sitting next to a computer, waiting to teleport us on command. Eldestmon was nearby, ready to give us our next assignment.<p>

But then I shifted my eyes a little to the left. I saw Beautymon cuddling with Takuya like she's obsessed with him or something. The moment our eyes met with each other, the atmosphere in the room has dropped. Just looking at the jerk makes me want to hurl. I wish he didn't have to come on the next mission. I can take care of Malevomon's cronies without his help.

"Took you long enough!" He grumbled. "I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever show up."

"Who asked you, you moron?" I argued.

"Hey! How dare you talk to my Cutie like that?" Beautymon interrupted.

"Butt out, you witch! I wasn't even talking to you!"

"YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO, YOU UGLY PIECE OF..."

"SHUT UP! ALL OF YOU!" shouted Swiftmon. The three of us turned towards the swordsman Digimon, who had an angry look on his face. It wasn't the most intimidating glares I've seen, but it was enough to cause all of us to zip our lips.

"Enough of this foolishness and settle down! Lord Eldestmon is about to brief us on our next mission!"

"Thank you, Swiftmon." said the wise old Digimon. He waited until every one of us gave him his undivided attention. Finally, he tapped his cane on the ground and began with his briefing.

"Listen up, all of you! Our scouters have found the location of another Legendary Spirit."

"Which one?" Bokomon asked.

"The Legendary Spirits of Earth." He replied.

"Location, sir?" questioned Swiftmon.

"It's somewhere hidden in the Forbidden Forest."

"The Forbidden Forest?" I repeated. "I've never heard of that place before."

"The Forbidden Forest..." Bokomon educated us. "... is a very dangerous area. It is filled with all kinds of evil Digimon that hide within the shadows of the trees. Even the sunlight above our heads couldn't penetrate though the dark parts of the forest."

"Okay, so how's this place different than any other area in the Digital World?" Takuya wondered.

"It's like a giant maze in the Forbidden Forest. One wrong turn, and you could be lost forever. Not only that, but the Digimon in that area are..."

"Okay, Bokomon. We get it." I interrupted. I looked at Eldestmon and saw noticed him nodding his head.

"He's right. We need to retrieve that Spirit before Malevomon and his henchmen do. They already have five of the ten Legendary Spirits. We cannot afford any more mistakes. Find the Spirits of Earth and hurry back here."

"Yes, sir!" Swiftmon complied.

"Excellent! Stay on guard, work together and protect each other at all times." said Eldestmon. After the leader of the Digimon Battlefront finished his speech, he walked out of the Digiporter Room without another word. Swiftmon walked onto the platform and faced forward.

"Gotsumon, turn on the Digiporter!" Swiftmon ordered.

"Yes, sir!" The rock monster saluted. He pushed a red button on the side of the wall. The room was then filled with buzzing noises and squeaky whistles. I looked at the platform below and noticed it starting to glow.

"Digiporter's at 25%, sir!"

"Listen to me, Legendary Warriors. I'm only going to say this once!" Swiftmon said, staring at me and Takuya.

"Digiporter's power at 50%, sir!" Gotsumon pointed out.

"I don't care what unsettled differences you guys have with each other. But I suggest you work out right now!"

"Digiporter's power at 75% sir!"

"The fate of the Digital World is at stake. I'm not going to let one little disagreement between you two be the reason why..."

"ALRIGHT, SWIFTMON! WE GET IT!" Takuya and I shouted in unison.

"Digiporter's power is at 100%!" Gotsumon confirmed. "Ready to teleport on your command, sir!"

"Take it away, Gotsumon!"

"Entering coordinates to the Forbidden Forest." Gotsumon said, typing the numbers on the computer.

"Coordinates are set, ready for teleportation. Teleporting in five, four…"

While he was counting down, Neemon scrunched in closer together towards Bokomon. However, he got a little too close, which made the mutant Digimon uncomfortable and annoyed. Bokomon slammed his green book on Neemon's head, causing the rabbit to drop to the ground.

"Three, two…"

I couldn't help but look back at Takuya and Beautymon. As I suspected, the olive haired wench was trying to make another move on my 'former' best friend. She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder and danced her fingers on his torso. Surprisingly, Takuya wasn't paying any attention to her. His eyes still were locked on to mine. It's like we could read each other's mine just by looking at each other.

"One…"

However, my anger towards him hasn't died down at all. In fact, just seeing him with 'her' made me furious. As long as he's anywhere near Beautymon, he and I... are through.

"Commence teleportation!" Gotsumon shouted.

The rock-type Digimon slammed his fist on a blue button. A white light shot out from the bottom of the Digiporter, engulfing every single one of us with its bright light. At that point, the entire room was covered with the blinding light. Before long, the entire room was covered with white, blinding light as I felt myself being teleported to the Forbidden Forest, where the Spirits of Earth were waiting for us.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter twenty-one. <strong>

**Can Takuya and Zoe put their differences aside and find the Spirits together? Or will this mission separate our two heroes even further? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	22. Wandering In The Woods

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**How do you like that? Best friends one moment, worst enemies the next. After failing to retrieve the Spirits of Water, things fell apart between Takuya and Zoe. From pushing and shoving, to dumping smelly porridge on each other. Beautymon made it worse when she bragged about her 'magical' moment she had with Takuya; something that Zoe didn't want to hear. The two got into a catfight, but Takuya and the others were there to break it up. And if things couldn't get any worse, now they had to work together to find the Spirits of Earth... if they can.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter twenty-two!**

* * *

><p><strong>Wandering In The Woods<strong>

**Normal POV:**

Bright white lights flashed on the canopies of the Forbidden Forest. The two Legendary Warriors, and the rest of the other Digimon found themselves in the middle of the woods once the teleportation was completed. Buzzing sounds of insects and wild Digimon echoed throughout the area. One by one, they walked off of the platform and scanned the area. Beautymon gracefully hopped off of the Digiporter and landed softly on her toes, striking a pose like gymnast at the end. Bokomon was the next to exit, followed by Neemon, who landed on his face because of his clumsiness.

Takuya looked up and noticed how many trees were covering the sky. Only a glimmer of sunlight penetrated from above their heads. Other than that, the shadows gave off a pretty malicious and dark vibe that strike fear of the unknown in their minds. Then again, the Digimon didn't call this place the Forbidden Forrest for nothing. This was only a sample of what was to be expected

The goggle-head was about to walk off the Digiporter, when the blonde haired girl behind him pushed him out of the way. Takuya lost his balance and fell on the grass. He skidded on the ground, causing him to scrape his knee. The Bearer of Flame scowled back at Zoe and waited for her to apologize for her rude behavior. Instead, she causally strolled passed him like he wasn't even there. His rage was building up and his anger was almost getting the best of him.

But before he could lay a finger on his former best friend, Swiftmon quickly stepped in between the two humans to prevent any type of confrontation. He stared deep into the boy's eyes with a hand on one of the hilts of his swords. He didn't want to hurt ant of the Chosen Children, but he will do whatever means necessary to stop them from fighting. Takuya gritted his teeth hard with anger. He didn't even get an apology from Zoe. But then he decided to let it go. He gave off a soft sigh and shifted his attention back to the scenery.

"Wow! So, this is the Forbidden Forest!" said Takuya.

"No wonder! This place sure gives me the creeps!" Neemon added.

"Keep your guard up, my friends! You never know what kind of evil Digimon might be lurking in the woods! I bet you that some of Malevomon's henchmen is in the area right now, also searching for the Spirits of Wood like we are!" suggested Swiftmon.

"Right!" Zoe agreed. She reached into her pocket and took out her purple D-Tector. The blonde beauty looked down and a small map appeared on the screen of her device. From there, she was able to get a layout of the Forbidden Forrest.

"Well, Zoe? Any luck locating the Spirits of Earth?" asked Bokomon.

"Yeah! I'm getting some kind of faint signal on my D-Tector! It's very weak, but it's a good start!" said the blonde haired girl.

All of the sudden, a brown dot appeared on the screen of Zoe's device. The Bearer of Wind rotated her body to the right until the indicator was perfectly aligned among the center.

"That must be where the Legendary Spirits of Wood are located!"

"Then, then what are we waiting for? Let's get a move on!" Neemon shouted with excitement as he pointed towards the direction in front of him.

"Slow down, you ridiculous rabbit!" Bokomon grabbed his partner by the pants to prevent him from rushing into the dangerous, unknown area.

"I'll take the lead!" exclaimed the blonde. But before she could move, she felt someone grabbing the back of her shirt. A small tug sent the Bearer of Wind falling to the ground. But the blonde knew who the culprit was. Her emerald eyes stared daggers at her former best friend. Then again, the teenage boy adjusted his hat and shook his head.

"Sorry, Z. But I'm taking the lead this time. You can make yourself useful and stay here. After all, we don't want you to jeopardizing this mission, like you did last time." Takuya taunted by setting off to find the Spirits of Earth.

"Wait for me, Cutie!" Beautymon hollered.

Upon passing the Bearer of Wind, she turned and winked at the blonde. Of course, it was just another way to add more fuel to the fire burning in her heart. Beautymon made it worse when she skipped toward Takuya and wrapped her arms around his. The way she leaned her head on his shoulder made the young woman as angry as a mule. But before she could start another fight, Swiftmon helped Zoe back to her feet.

"Enough. We're on a mission right now. If you two have a score to settle, do after we save the Digital World." The second-in-command reminded the young woman.

"Fine..." Zoe grumbled.

It took the others a while to catch up to Takuya and Beautymon. As they explored the Forbidden Forest, the apparent light around them started to fade. It created new silhouettes, black shadows, and dark patches in the area. To the right, glimmering eyes appeared in the tree hollows. The wind wailed between the disfigured and distorted trunks. On the left side, a sickly stench of wood rot entered their noses. Damp thorns on the prickly bushes did get a piece of Takuya's arm and Zoe's leg. Creepy crawly insects made their way from one branch to another, searching for food or other bugs to munch on. The trees stood utterly still, like statues in a living museum where no leaf dared to fall.

"This is definitely not like the woods back at home. It's much darker and creepier." Zoe pointed out.

"Indeed. Be on the lookout, everyone. Evil Digimon could show up anytime... anyplace!" complained Bokomon.

"Man, Bokomon! You're such a downer!" Neemon complimented.

"But of course I am, you idiot! Quit messing around and top acting foolish! We must stick together!"

"He's right!" Swiftmon agreed. "There are plenty of forks in the woods. If we went the wrong way, we could be going around in circles or lost in this wretched place forever."

"Or worse... we encounter a very large Digimon that will gobble us whole for dinner!" Neemon also suggested. Bokomon glared back at his partner and gave him a painful wedgie for his 'unnecessary' comment.

"How unpleasant..." sighed Beautymon. She turned back to Takuya, who was ahead of everyone else. "Well, Cutie? Are we getting closer to the Spirits?"

"I don't think so." The goggle headed boy replied. "The signal is still very weak. We're heading in the right direction. But based on my D-Tector's readings, we're not even close to the Spirits. If I were to guess, I say we should reach our destination in about... WHOA!"

Unfortunately, Takuya wasn't watching where he was going. His jeans got caught in some nearby briars. He lost his balance and fell face first into a pile of mud. The mucky dirt splattered in all different directions, landing on Neemon's pants, Bokomon's book and Swiftmon's sheathes. Beautymon elegantly moved out the way to dodge the oncoming mud. Zoe did get a little dirt on her white shoes, but she didn't care. The sight of seeing Takuya's face covered in mud made her smile grew bigger. She walked passed her former best friend, without saying a word.

"Cutie!" Beautymon shouted and rushed to his aid after the goggle-head fell down.

"Thanks Takuya. I'll be taking the lead now." grinned the blonde haired girl. She went on ahead, without even helping Takuya back to his feet.

"Why you ungrateful little hag!" growled Beautymon. She got down and took out a white handkerchief to remove the mud off Takuya's face. "Don't worry, Cutie. I'll find a way to get back her. I'll do it all for you. One way or another, Blondie's going to pay for making fun of you."

"Ugh... thanks Beautymon." Takuya said as he finished rubbing off the remaining dirt off his cheek. He quickly got to his feet and continued walking behind Zoe. He wasn't in the mood to argue or pick a fight with her this time. But that didn't mean he plans to get even with her in the near future.

The group continued strolling down the dark and desolate forest. Noises crept around every corner like evil spirits. The dark trees bent and stretched their branches on other trees like mysterious hands. The murky bushes and shrubbery made the area look like an abandoned graveyard. For minutes they've walked. And after all that time, not a spec of sunlight was able to penetrate through the dense forest.

Zoe would occasionally check at her D-Tector to see if they were getting closer towards their destination. She then would look back to see if the group was catching up to her. Her emerald eyes met Takuya's and another angry stare down between the two. The Bearer of Flame was still mad at Zoe for 'stealing' his job in leading the group to the Spirits. The blonde haired girl stuck her tongue out at Takuya and continued her role as the line leader.

"Are we there yet?" Neemon asked.

"No." Bokomon responded.

"How about now?" The yellow rabbit spoke again.

"I said no!" The grouped walked for a couple of yards before...

"Now?"

"NO, NO, NO and NO! Now, will you please stop asking?"

"Okay!" chuckled the rabbit.

"Don't worry, Neemon. We'll get there." said Zoe as she looked back at her Digimon friend. "The Spirits are probably at the end of the forest, or maybe they're hidden inside one of the trees. Who knows?"

"I sure hope you're right, Zoe." Bokomon said worryingly.

"Of course I'm right." She smiled. "Trust me, you guys. We'll find the Spirits of Wood before Malevomon and those creeps could... EEK!"

The moment Zoe shifted her attention back to the front, she was immediately greeted by a giant spider web. She couldn't react in time and her face was covered with the silky, yet sticky web. Zoe tried getting the sticky stuff off of her face. But unfortunately, she wasn't watching where she was going. All of the sudden, the Bearer of Wind lost her balance and tripped on one of the roots of a nearby tree.

"WHOA!" Zoe cried as she fell into another pool of mud.

Her clothes and skin were covered with wet, slimy and dirty muck. It was incredibly disgusting, especially since some of the filth got in her mouth and hair. Not only that, but the mud released a strange odor that made almost everyone in the group puke. The smell was beyond terrible. It's a combination of Tommy's soccer socks and J.P's old lunch bags.

"Oh dear! Zoe, are you alright?" Bokomon cried as he made his towards her.

"My goodness! You reek!" Neemon pointed out.

"Oh, be quiet, you nimrod! You're not helping!"

"Oops, sorry!" the rabbit apologized.

"Ugh! How nasty! Seriously, Blondie! I know you're ugly, unattractive and disgusting... but you didn't have to go that far to prove my point! Teehee!" Beautymon giggled, relishing the sight of the humiliated blonde.

"Shut up, Beautymon!" ordered Swiftmon.

He helped Zoe back to her feet and handed her a towel. While she was wiping the mud off of her, she snuck a glance back at the teenaged boy. Her eyes were filled with rage the moment she saw him snickering to himself. Although he had nothing to do with Zoe's clumsiness, that still didn't matter. Whether it was an accident or not, he got his revenge.

"What the heck are you laughing at, you immature brat?" She scowled.

"Hehe... nothing!" Takuya said, trying hard not laugh. "I guess it's not fun being on the receiving side of things, is it Zoe?"

"You jerk! How dare you..."

"You know what they say, 'What goes around, comes around!'"

"Takuya, YOU...!"

She scooped up a fistful of mud and chucked at Takuya. The teenage boy shifted his body to the side and easily avoided the oncoming dirt. He gave Zoe a cocky grin that easily ticked her off. Again, the young woman scooped up some more mud and threw it towards Takuya. But her efforts were futile. The goggle headed boy avoided Zoe's pathetic attacks without even breaking a sweat.

"THAT'S ENOUGH! ALL OF YOU!" Swiftmon screamed from the top of his lungs.

His voice echoed all the way to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. It captured both Takuya's and Zoe's attention and almost scared the living daylights out of them. For a brief moment, it was quiet. The only sounds that could be heard were the wind blowing and the leaves rustling. Up above, a few bird-like Digimon flew out of the forest, terrified at the swordsman's sudden outburst. A minute later, Swiftmon spoke again.

"I'm sick of you two bickering about such stupid things. Haven't you forgotten why you're here?"

"HE STARTED IT!" ||| "SHE STARTED IT!" Takuya and Zoe shouted in unison, while pointing at each other.

"I don't care!" The swordsman argued. "We didn't come here to fight each other! We must work together to find the Spirits of Wood! Do not get careless! Do you understand me?"

"Hmph!" huffed Zoe.

"Whatever..." Takuya murmured.

The two humans glared back at each other one last time. It was a pretty long stare down, especially since there were some more insults they want to throw at each other. But a while later, Takuya and Zoe gave each other the cold shoulder. They continued walking through the forest, without saying a single word to one another. If these two were to get along, it wouldn't be for a long time.

Bokomon and Neemon noticed the two Legendary Warrior ignoring each other. Both of them couldn't help but worry. Takuya and Zoe had been going after each other since the incident back on Toucanmon's Island. They used to be really close friends. And now, they couldn't stand each other. Is it possible for those to work together and get things back to the way they were? Or will they continue fighting like this forever?

As Bokomon and Neemon pondered, the entire group ventured into the deepest and darkest parts of the Forbidden Forest.

* * *

><p>Back at Malevomon's castle, the malicious emperor sat proudly on his throne. The Legendary Warriors of Light, Darkness, Thunder, Water and Steel all knelt before their master. They waited patiently for their Lord Malevomon to give them orders. All of the sudden, the doors to the room swung open! A small, imp-like creature flew into the room and landed near his master's side. The five evil Legendary Warriors shifted their attention towards Malevomon's faithful subordinate, who was still trying to catch his breath.<p>

"Well, Sinistromon? What's the word?" questioned Malevomon.

"My Lord! I bring you some excellent news! We've got the location of another Legendary Spirit!" said the devilish Digimon.

"Say what?" Beetlemon exclaimed.

"That's wonderful news, Sugar!" cheered Ranamon.

"Well, are you going to tell us where it is or just stand there like a lazy bum?" Lobomon threatened.

"Okay, okay! Sheesh!" Sinistromon glowered. He faced Malevomon confidently and was ready to give him the news. "Lord Malevomon, the Spirits of Wood are located somewhere in the Forbidden Forest!"

"The Forbidden Forest?" Lowemon repeated. "I've heard of that treacherous place before. There are many twists and turns, plus a lot of savage Digimon waiting for their next meal."

"Indeed. Tis amusing to see those foolish humans embarking on such a perilous journey to the great unknown. Thy enemy hast no idea what they're getting themselves into." Mercurymon grinned.

"Oh stop it, Mercurymon. You talk way too much." complained Ranamon. She then turned to the malicious Malevomon and bowed to him. "Please my Lord. Allow me to finish what I've started. Let me show those kiddies why they should never mess with you in the first place. I promise to get rid of those pathetic humans, once and for all."

"In your dreams, Ranamon!" argued Beetlemon. "Besides, you already had your chance to destroy those humans... and you failed! Miserably, I might add!"

"Oh hush up, Beetle Brat! That doesn't count! I had those kitties in the palm of my hand! If it wasn't for this LOSER, I would have been victorious!" Ranamon yelled as she pointed to a nearby Sinistromon.

"Hey! Don't you dare put this on me, Ranamon! I was just following orders!"

"Whatever..." The Warrior of Water grumbled. "Now if y'all excuse me, I got a couple of humans to destroy!" With that, she quietly made her way towards the exit.

"Hey, get in line!" ordered the Warrior of Light. He stepped in front of the Ranamon, stopping her from going any further. "If anyone's destroying those humans, I'm the one that's going to do it!"

"Oh no you don't!" Lowemon objected. He took out his lance and placed it in between Lobomon and the exit. "It's my turn to teach those kids a lesson!"

"Not a chance, guys!" Beetlemon argued. He flew towards the other three Legendary Warrior and landed in between everyone. "We all know I'm the only capable of taking out those pathetic humans, so I should be the one to go!"

"Hehe, such great words coming from a small insect like yourself!" Mercurymon grinned as he approached the Warrior of Thunder.

"What did you say, Mercurymon?" huffed Beetlemon.

"All you pitiful fools step aside! Tis I shall be the one who put the nail in thine enemies' coffins! As we all know, I am the strongest out of all ten Legendary Warriors! You fools can only dream to have the power I solely possess!"

"Is that so, metal head?" Beetlemon said angrily. "Then let's settle this right now and we'll see which one of us is the strongest!"

All of the sudden, the five evil Legendary Warriors started arguing with each other about who's the strongest and who should go to the Forbidden Forest and destroy the humans. Back and forth they went and their voices grew louder with each passing seconds. Every one of them presented their case as to why they should be the ones to destroy the Chosen Children. But so far, they were getting nowhere.

In a matter of moments, things started to get a little physical. After a couple of pushing and shoving, all five Legendary Warriors took a step back and got in a defensive position. Lobomon took out a couple of his Light Swords, holding one of them in a reverse grip. Lowemon spun his Shadow Lance a few times before pointing it at his opponents. Beetlemon pounded both of his fists together and the horn on his head surged with powerful jolts of electricity. Ranamon snapped her fingers and managed to create a few aquatic hands all around her. Mercurymon grinned as he held his Mirror Shields up, ready to absorb his opponents' attacks and deflecting them back.

The five Legendary Warriors glared into each other's eyes, waiting for someone to make the first move. They stood there in silence, as if time has stood still. Lobomon and Lowemon spun their weapons around to increase their range and distance between their opponents. Beetlemon cracked his knuckles and gave the Legendary Warriors an intimidating glare. Ranamon and Mercurymon kept their defenses up and watched as the other three took a few steps forward. A bead of sweat fell off of every single one of their face. All of the sudden, the five evil Legendary Warriors charged towards each other, ready to unleash their attack.

"THAT'S ENOUGH! ALL OF YOU!" Malevomon angrily ordered.

Lobomon, Lowemon, Beetlemon, Ranamon and Mercurymon ceased their frontal attacks and faced their master with fear in their eyes. They put away their weapons and dropped their defenses. The five then headed straight towards the Digimon emperor without objecting. All five Legendary Warriors got on one knee and bowed to Malevomon.

"My apologies, my Lord." said Lowemon.

"Forgive us for our foolish arguments, master." Lobomon begged.

"Silence!" commanded Malevomon.

"Yes, sir." The five evil Legendary Warriors obeyed.

Malevomon got up from his throne and paced across the floor. He placed a hand on his chin, pondering about how he is going to go about this situation. The malicious sovereign could send one of the Legendary Warriors to retrieve the Spirits or another one to take care of those meddlesome humans. Either that or send the entire group to destroy the Chosen Children.

After a minute of pondering, he turned his attention towards a nearby imp-like Digimon.

"Go, you fool! Get me the Spirits of Wood before those humans do!" Malevomon ordered.

"Yes, sir! Right away, sir!" obliged Sinistromon. Without being told twice, he flapped his wings and flew out of the castle. When he was gone, Ranamon quickly got to her feet and approached the malevolent emperor.

"Him, my Lord?" She asked.

"What can a little runt like him do to those humans?" Beetlemon questioned.

"Nothing... I'm just sending him to retrieve the Legendary Spirits, not to destroy those humans."

"But why?" said Lobomon.

"Those two children have been a pain in your side for way too long, master! I say we go out there and take them out right now!" Lowemon spoke in a shadowy voice

"Thou hast made a good point! Tis be ashamed to let those pathetic humans get this far!" Mercurymon suggested.

"Please, Lord Malevomon? The sooner we get rid of those kiddies, the better off we'll be!" Ranamon said

"Patience, Legendary Warriors. Trust me. Everything's going according to plan."

"And what plan is that?" wondered Ranamon. Malevomon looked at each Legendary Warriors eyes and smiled.

"You'll just have to wait and see!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile at the Forbidden Forest, the humans and Digimon walked along the path in the middle of the treacherous woods. Takuya took the lead, but Zoe wasn't far behind. Neither one of them would look at each other, nor speak to each other. Bokomon noticed the two of them silently arguing with each other. He couldn't help but sigh, wondering if it's possible these two could still save the Digital World when their friendship is such at a rocky state.<p>

"Bokomon?" Neemon called out to him.

"Yes?"

"I have a question for you."

"What is it?"

"Well... are we there yet?"

"NO!" Bokomon shouted.

He immediately grabbed his green book and slammed it hard on Neemon's skull. The yellow rabbit collapsed on the ground in a daze. Bokomon lets out a small 'Hmph!' and continued strolling along the path. However, he wasn't watching where he was going and he walked right into the back of Zoe's legs. He looked up at the two humans to see what was going on.

"Hey, you two! Why'd you stop? He asked.

"Look!" Zoe said, pointing in front of her. Bokomon shifted his attention to where the blonde haired girl was pointing at.

A fork in the road stopped the group from going any further. One road goes right and the other one goes left. On the right side, there were layers and layers of trees covering the sky. There were also a lot more spider webs and bugs crawling in and out of the branches. It's like the sunlight above couldn't penetrate through the canopy of leaves. However, the road that goes left is very different. There were less trees along the path, which meant more sunlight available. Also, the atmosphere seemed a little more inviting than the one on the right.

"Oh great! Now what?" Beautymon sighed.

"Well guys, which way do we go? Right or left?" Neemon asked.

"Hmm..." Takuya thought. He looked down at his D-Tector once more. Again, a brown dot appeared on the screen. Takuya's device indicated that the Spirits of Wood are just straight ahead. The goggle-head looked down both paths, trying to make his decision.

"Well, we could just ignore this little intersection and just go straight. However..." Upon further inspection, Takuya checked in front of him and discovered that ignoring the fork in the road was a bad idea. There were lots of trees wrapped in vines filled with sharp, prickly thorns. Takuya looked closer and noticed some kind of purplish liquid. "Take a closer look you guys. The trees in front of us are covered with some kind of deadly poison."

"He's right." confirmed Swiftmon. "The Forbidden Forest is covered with dangerous Digimon, as well toxic plants. This poison on these trees are very special. If even a single drop touches you, you're as good as gone."

"I guess we have no choice but to go down one of these paths." said Zoe.

"Okay! But which one?" asked Neemon.

"Hmm..." Takuya and Zoe thought in unison.

"Hang on guys! I believe I have a map of the Forbidden Forest somewhere in my book. Let me check it out." said Bokomon.

He reached inside his elastic waistband and took out his green book. The Rookie Digimon frantically searched for the page where the map of the Forbidden Forest was on. But while he was doing that, Takuya and Zoe finally made their decision on where they want to go.

"THIS way!" Takuya suggested, pointing to his right.

"THAT way!" opposed Zoe, pointing to her left.

The two of them noticed their ex-best friend pointing in the opposite direction. They glared into each other's eyes.

"You're wrong, Zoe!"

"No, you're wrong, Takuya!"

"You're direction is obviously not the right way!"

"Why? Just because I disagree with you?"

"Well, now that you mention it..."

"Give me a break, you jerk! Haven't you noticed every time we follow your directions, it always leads us into trouble?"

"At least I knew where I'm going! You, on the other hand, have no sense of direction! Why should we follow your lead anyway?"

"Uh-oh, here we go again." Bokomon complained.

As the two teenagers argued, the other four Digimon watched helplessly. Bokomon hated seeing them fight each other. To think, they were best friends not too long ago. Neemon, however, hid behind Swiftmon's leg, scared that the argument would escalate at any moment. Beautymon would smile every time Takuya makes his case, and groan whenever Zoe spoke. As for Swiftmon, he has had it with the Chosen Children bickering.

"Enough! Both of you, stop this fighting at once!" He ordered.

"STAY OUT OF THIS, SWIFTMON!" Takuya and Zoe shouted together. Swiftmon was shocked at the both humans' sudden outburst. But before he could get back in the argument, Takuya and Zoe leered back at each other again and continued with their disagreement.

"Anyways Takuya, we've been walking in the dark parts of the woods for a very long time! Don't you think that it makes sense to take the path where there's light?"

"The Spirits of Wood are hiding in the middle of the forest! And your path seems to be heading towards the edge of it! You obviously have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Of course I do, you morn! I know where I'm going because I'm right!"

"So you want to go 'right' now?"

"No, I'm going the way that makes sense!"

"That's the problem, Zoe! YOU'RE NOT!"

"WHAT ARE YOU, AN IDIOT? I mean... no, let me rephrase that. YOU ARE AN IDIOT!"

"Come on, you two! Can't we just agree on something?" suggested Neemon.

"SHUT UP!" The two Legendary Warriors yelled in unison. Neemon was so scared, he hid behind the second-in-command's leg once again.

"Let me make this clear, Takuya!" Zoe argued. "I refuse to take orders from a brainless jerk like you!"

"That's fine with me, Zoe!" Takuya complained. "I can't work with a crazy wackjob such as yourself!"

"WHY YOU..." Both of them cried. "FINE! YOU WANT TO GO YOUR OWN WAY? THEN SO BE IT! I DON'T NEED YOU! I'M BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU!"

Their voices echoed throughout the woods, causing any living creature to scatter within the forest. Bokomon, Neemon, Swiftmon and Beautymon watch hopelessly as another staring contest ensued between the two humans. Neither one of them was about to give in. All of the sudden, Takuya and Zoe gave each other the cold shoulder and went on their separate ways.

"GOOD..." Zoe started.

"... BYE!" Takuya finished.

With the conclusion of their argument, Takuya and Zoe went down their respective paths, without waiting for the other Digimon to follow them. Swiftmon smacked his head and unleashed a loud grunt. Things just got from bad to worst.

"Unbelievable!" He growled. "These humans are very stubborn. They seemed to care more about their pride than the actual mission. We cannot separate and divide our forces like this. We must stick together and fight as one. It's the only way to save the Digital World."

"Gotcha!" Neemon agreed.

"Alright, Beautymon I want you to..." Swiftmon never had a chance to give the third-in-command her orders.

"Wait for me, Cutie!" The female Digimon cried as she ran towards the path on the right, trying to catch up to Takuya.

"BEAUTYMON, WAIT!" But the swordsman's words fell on deaf ears. Takuya and the olive haired warrior disappeared into the deepest parts of the woods.

"Great. Just great. Just when things can't get any worse, they do!" Swiftmon grumbled.

He faced the path on the left and sprinted as fast as he could, trying to catch up to Zoe. Bokomon and Neemon were the only ones left at the intersection. The yellow rabbit turned towards his partner, who was still flipping through the pages of his book.

"Well Bokomon? Where are you going to go..."

"Shut up, you moron! I'm busy trying to find to find the map!" The mutant Digimon shouted. Bokomon continued flipping through the pages of his book, trying to find what he was looking for.

"Okay then!" Neemon sighed.

He stepped forward and looked in both directions. He placed a hand on his chin, pondering about which path to take. Should he go after Takuya and Beautymon, or Zoe and Swiftmon? Each choice was as good as the next. All of the sudden, the yellow rabbit snapped his fingers as if he thought of an idea. He closed his eyes and pointed down towards one path. He then started to sing a song, alternating paths with each word coming out of his mouth.

"_Eeny, meeny, miny, moe,_

_Catch a Chumon by the toe._

_If he hollers, let him go,_

_Eeny... meeny... miny... MOE!_"

When Neemon finished the song, he opened her eyes and looked where his hand was pointing. It turned out that he chose the direction where Zoe and Swiftmon were going. Satisfied with his decision, the yellow rabbit skipped happily down the path.

"Wait for me, Zoe!" He cried. In a matter of seconds, he disappeared into the woods, leaving Bokomon all by himself.

"Now, where is that blasted map? I swear, I just saw not too long ag... Ah! Here it is!" Bokomon cheered.

Somewhere near the end of the book was the map of the Forbidden Forest. It had everything, from large mazes, to the most dangerous spots in the area. Bokomon checked the map for his current position. It took him to discover where the coordinates to where Digiporter was supposedly located.

From there, he traced along the page until he finally managed to find the intersection his friends were supposedly stuck on. Bokomon studied both directions, not only looking at the many twist and turns, but also where the path was going. Suddenly, his eyes widened at what he discovered. He slammed his book shut and faced the path on the right hand side.

"Oh no! TAKUYA! TAKUYA WAIT FOR ME!" Bokomon cried.

He ran as fast as he could through the woods, hoping sooner or later he would catch up to the others. And just like that, the group of six was already divided in half. Both humans continued along their respective paths. Their goal was to get to the Spirits of Earth before the other one does. It's a race against time, which is what both Takuya and Zoe don't have much of.

* * *

><p><strong>Zoe's POV:<strong>

Swiftmon and I quietly walked down the path. As we moved along, the sunlight started to penetrate through the canopies. I could see the blue skies and a few white clouds above our heads. And right before our eyes, the path became as clear as day. I should be focused on the actual mission right now, instead of that annoying goggle-head.

But I couldn't.

Arguing with Takuya gave me such a huge headache. That idiot... I couldn't stand being around him anymore. I mean, really. Who does he think he is? I obviously picked the right direction, yet that immature boy decided to go the opposite way. I guess he really does hates me. Shouldn't surprise me though. He has always been a jerk for as long as I could remember.

"Wait for me, Zoe! Wait for me!" Someone cried. I turned around and saw Neemon sprinting as fast as he could towards me and Swiftmon. He finally approached us and was completely out of breath. His hands were on his knees as he tried to regain oxygen.

"Neemon? What are you doing here? Where's Bokomon?" I asked, shocked that he managed to find us. But what's even more surprising is that Bokomon's not with him. Those two were always together, no matter where they went. It's odd seeing one without the other.

"I don't know!" He answered. "He's probably with Takuya and Beautymon!"

My heart immediately turned into stone upon hearing those two names. It's bad enough that Takuya and I went our separate ways. But it's even more unbearable that those two are 'together' again. I clenched my fists tight, not wanting to imagine what those two could be doing right now. Without thinking, I unleashed a vicious backfist to a nearby tree.

It took me a second for the pain to kick in.

"OWWWWWW!" I cried. I grabbed my swollen hand and shook it a few times, hoping that would ease the pain a bit. I looked around and noticed both Swiftmon and Neemon staring at me awkwardly. A fake laugh escape my lips.

"Scary!" Neemon exclaimed.

"Oh, stop it." I huffed before continuing our journey to find the Spirits.

However, my mind drifted back to Takuya once again. I know I hate him and all, but for some reason, I can't stop thinking about him. He's been my best friend for as long as I could remember. Letting go of something like that is incredibly difficult, especially for me. He's done so much for me in my life. Together, we've created so many wonderful memories. It's so hard to let that go. I sighed softly, knowing how much of a fool I've been.

"You missed him, don't you?" Swiftmon asked me, like he just read my mind.

"Who, Takuya? Of course not! Are you crazy? Why would miss that idiot?" I answered defensively.

"There's no need to lie to me, Legendary Warrior. I can tell by the look in your eyes when you hear his name."

"Give me a break, Swiftmon. You don't know anything about me!"

"Very well then. If you insist..." The conversation ended there and we continued our journey.

But Swiftmon couldn't be further from the truth. Even though I consider myself to be an independent young woman, a part of me still wishes that goggle-headed boy to be by my side. The truth is... I actually do miss him, more than anyone could ever know.

"Are we there yet?" Neemon asked for the fifth time already, thus interrupting my thoughts.

"Zip it, Neemon!" I angrily replied.

*smack*

The yellow rabbit fell to the ground as I gave him a hard slap to his face. I used a lot of energy in that slap, so I was a little out of breath after impact.

"Someone's angry today." said the swordsman Digimon.

"SHUT UP, SWIFTMON!" I hollered.

My voice echoed throughout the woods, without me realizing it. Swiftmon quickly put a hand over my mouth to prevent me from making any more noise. With his other hand, he took out one of his swords and scanned he area. I looked around the forest, waiting for some kind of Digimon to come out and attack us.

"Shhhhh. Keep your voice down." Swiftmon told me. He took his hand off my mouth and placed his weapons back in their sheaths. "Try not to cause any unnecessary attention. We could give up our positions."

"I'm sorry." I apologized. I looked back towards Neemon, who was still dazed from me slapping him. He finally regained his consciousness and looked at me straight in the eyes.

"Sorry Neemon for hurting you." I said. "Can you ever forgive me?"

"No problemo!" He answered while giving me a thumbs up sign. He then pointed towards something in the air. "Hey everyone! Look at the pretty butterfly!"

I turned to where Neemon was pointing at, searching for whatever he was looking at. But I couldn't find the butterfly. I saw the clouds, the bright sun and the blue sky above. There were also a few birds soaring through the air. Sometimes, I wished I was just like them. Instead of fighting the bad guys, I would fly around the Digital World to get away from all the action, stress and everything else. Spreading my wings out, chasing the wind, touching the sky, it's one of the best feelings ever.

"Wait a minute! Of course! Why didn't I think of that before?"

"You thought of something, Zoe?" asked Swiftmon.

"I'm the Legendary Warrior of Wind, right? What am I doing on the ground? I should be up in the air searching for the Spirits!"

"Hmm..."

"That way, I could get a bird's-eye view of the entire forest. Also, I can get to the Spirits faster by air. What do you say?"

"Sounds like a plan!" Neemon smiled. I waited for Swiftmon's response. But the look in his eyes made me sort of uncomfortable.

"Swiftmon? What's wrong?"

"Wait here..." He told me.

In a flash, he sprang towards the sky and hopped from tree to tree like he's some kind of ninja from one of those TV shows. It wasn't long before he reached one of the treetops. He poked his head out of the canopy. Swiftmon took one of his swords out, just in case an enemy shows up. All I could do is watch and wait for him to give me some kind of signal. A few minutes later, the swordsman climbed down and landed smoothly on his feet.

"Well, Swiftmon? What's the word?" I asked him. But before I could react, Swiftmon place a hand over my mouth and tackled me to the ground.

"Get down!" He told me.

Both of us slid on the grass and underneath one of the trees. Shocked by his actions, I turned towards the sky, wondering what Swiftmon had saw. Before my eyes were a large number of Digimon flying in formation like a fleet of fighter jets. They appeared to be large dragons with light bluish bodies and red wings on their backs. They had some kind of fiery feathers around their necks and at the tip of their tails. Finally, their faces are covered with skull helmets.

"What are those things?" I wondered.

"Airdramon. And lots of them too." Swiftmon replied.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Airdramon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Air Spears; Wing Cutter**

**Description: Airdramon are fearsome Digimon that rule the skies above the Digital World. With incredible eyesight, they can spot even the tiniest insect on the ground. Their sound of their roar can break glass. But that's nothing compared to their Air Spears attack. They used the air pressure around them and uses his energy to transform them into deadly sharp weapons**

Just then, another Digimon appeared in the middle of the fleet of Airdramon. I glowered at the imp-like Digimon as he gave all kinds of orders to his troops.

"Listen up, you fools! Search every inch of the forest! The Spirits of Wood are here somewhere and I want you to find them! Tear this place apart if you have to! There's a reward for the one that finds me the Spirits! NOW MOVE!" Sinistromon commanded

"YES, SIR!" responded the Airdramon as they proceeded with their search. The three of us wait until the last dragon-like Digimon has left our sights.

"Wow! I've never seen so many Airdramon in one place before!" Neemon blurted out.

"Oh, please. That's nothing! I can take care of those guys!" I grinned as I got back to my feet. I took my D-Tector out and got ready for action.

"Wait!" The swordsman Digimon commanded as he grabbed a hold of my arm.

"Swiftmon, why?"

"Do not forgot your mission, Warrior of Wind. Our priority is to find the Spirits of Wood, not to start a fight with the enemy. Save your strength. We must avoid as much conflict as possible and fight only when necessary."

"But..."

"That is an order!"

"Fine..." I sighed.

He was right though. There were so many Airdramon, I don't think the two of us could take them all on. I placed my D-Tector back in pocket and continued walking along the path. Neemon, Swiftmon and I walked in silence as we continued our search. Now that Malevomon's cronies were in the area, it meant more pressure on us to find the Spirits before they do.

I looked behind me, wondering if the others were alright. Again, my thoughts returned to Takuya. I'm worried if he's having better luck than I am. Sure, I hate him... but that doesn't mean I stopped caring about him. As the path grew darker and darker, I began to doubt whether or not splitting ways with Takuya was a good idea.

* * *

><p><strong>Takuya's POV:<strong>

I stomped down the path, without looking back at my former best friend. I couldn't believe how stubborn Zoe has become ever since our last mission at Toucanmon's Island. I'm the leader of this group, so I get to make the decisions. Why does Zoe have to make things so complicated? I know exactly who to blame if we failed this mission.

"Wait for me, Cutie!" Beautymon cried from behind. I turned and waited for the female Digimon to catch up to me.

"Beautymon? What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like? I'm here to help you, Sweetie! I can't let you going into the woods all by yourself. It could be dangerous!

"Dangerous? Come on Beautymon! I'm a Legendary Warrior! I don't look for danger! Danger find me!"

"Oh Cutie! You're very brave..." giggled the olive haired warrior. "... and handsome too..."

Beautymon slowly closed the distance between us. Her hair smelled like sweet grass and ripe mangoes. I felt her hand brushing softly against my warm cheeks. And again, that strange feeling returned to me. It's like a million butterflies were dancing in my stomach, trying to find a way out. It always happens when Beautymon does this kind of stuff to me. My cheeks were burning up and I feared it'll only get worse if I don't do something.

"Um... Beautymon?"

"Yes, Sweetie?" She whispered as her lips approached mine.

"We, uh... we should get going." I replied as I released myself from her embrace. "After all, the Spirits aren't going to come to us, right?"

"Yeah... I guess..." The female Digimon sighed. I detected disappoint under her breath. On the other hand, we're one a mission to find the Spirits of Wood before Malevomon does. If he gets his hands on another Spirit, that's another Legendary Warrior working for the side of evil. We may never be able to save the Digital World with one more Legendary Warrior being controlled.

I took out my D-Tector and proceed onward, with Beautymon following behind me.

The forest grew darker and darker as Beautymon and ventured along the path. It's like we're walking into some kind of haunted woods. The trees around me had faces like the ones you see in scary movies. However, that stuff didn't frighten me. After spending so much time in the Digital World, you kind of get used to seeing all kinds of things.

*snap*

"EEK!" A terrified Beautymon shrieked after I accidently stepped on a twig.

She grabbed my arm and held tight. I almost lost my balance since she had most of her weight on my arm. But I held her back and caught Beautymon before one of us could fall.

"Are you okay, Beautymon?" I asked her. She looked at me with those mesmerizing eyes of hers.

"Oh, Sweetie! I was so frightened!" She told me as she tightened her embrace. She could feel my heartbeat pounding on her cheeks.

"It's okay, Beautymon. It's okay. I just stepped on a twig and... hold on." I waited until her eyes were on me again.

"You're not afraid, are you? I mean, come on. You're one of the Digimon Battlefront's best fighters. It's not like you to act like this."

"Oh..." She murmured. Beautymon looked down as if she's been insulted or something. Smooth move, Takuya. That's not how you talk to a pretty Digimon like... wait a minute. Did I say pretty? Where did that come from?

"Aw, Beautymon. I'm sorry." I apologized, snapping out of my ridiculous thoughts. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I thought you were..."

"Oh Cutie, you're so... naive." She giggled.

"Huh?"

"I wasn't really afraid, silly! I just wanted hold onto you, that's all!"

"I, uh... oh..."

She placed a finger over my lips to prevent me from making any more noise. Again, she leaned towards my face and stuck her tongue out. I closed my eyes and flinched. That's when I felt squishy wet tongue licking my face. I shuddered at the touch. But at the same time, it felt so good. I opened my eyes, just to see Beautymon only inches away from my face.

"Um... Beautymon? Maybe we should... uh..."

"Shhh... you talk too much Cutie."

"I, uh... Beautymon, I..." She traced her fingers across my chest. "Beautymon, we really shouldn't..."

"Hush now." The female warrior told me. "You're really stressed out, Sweetie. Your muscles are very tense. You need to relax... and ease your mind." She held my chin up and tilted her head to the side.

"And if you want... I can make it all better for you."

"Beautymon..."

I can feel her breath on my face. Her arms were tightly wrapped around my shoulders. She hung onto my chest, while I grasped her waists just so that she doesn't fall off. The two of us basking in each other's ambiance, creating a warm, yet sensational feeling. Both of us closed our eyes as if our minds are begging for each other. I tried to resist and pull away, but Beautymon's smell made it impossible to pull away from this kind of temptation.

"TAKUYA! TAKUYA!" A voice called. I snapped back into reality and shifted my attention towards the back. Bokomon was running as fast as he could towards us, waving his green book around like a maniac.

"Bokomon?" I called.

"TAKUYA! WAIT UP!" Bokomon shouted. He finally reached us, but we had to wait for a little bit for him to catch his breath.

"What's wrong, Bokomon? Where's Neemon and the others?"

"They're... with... They went with Zoe." He answered.

"Of course..." I muttered with a small hint of disappointment.

"How wonderful!" complimented Beautymon. "Now I get to have Cutie all to myself." Again, she hugged my arm and rubbed her face on one of my shoulders.

"Never mind that! Takuya, I got some bad news for you!"

"Oh great! Don't tell me I'm going the wrong way and we have to go back." I groveled.

"Actually, no it's the opposite!" I raised an eyebrow, wondering what Bokomon trying to say. "You're going the right way, Takuya! Zoe's the one that's went down the wrong path!"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Look at this!"

He opened up his book and I noticed a map of the Forbidden Forest. It was filled with layers and layer of trees, all the way down to the edge of the woods. Bokomon pointed towards a spot on the map. I looked and noticed a small intersection in the middle of the map. I figured that this was the fork where Zoe and I went our separate ways.

"Okay, so what am I supposed to be looking at?" I asked.

"Check it out!" Bokomon told me as he trailed a finger down the road Zoe took. "As you can see, Zoe's going down the Great Labyrinth!"

"The Great Labyrinth? Is that a bad thing? Is she walking right into a trap or a dead end or something?"

"No! But they're about to enter the longest maze in the woods. It's supposed to circle the Fungi Plantation six times before heading right back to the intersection."

"Aw... poor Blondie." said Beautymon with a small laugh underneath her breath.

"Well, I guess that means we're heading the right way then!" I smiled as I got back to my feet.

"Wait a minute, Takuya!" Bokomon stopped me from going any further.

"What is it now? I thought we were going the right way."

"Unfortunately my boy..." He gulped. "... we're entering enemy territory!"

"Huh? What does that supposed to mean?"

"Look over here?" He said, showing me the map again. "The road we're on is heading towards Chamelemon's Canopy."

"Is that where the Spirits are?"

"I don't know... but this is one of the most dangerous places in the Forbidden Forest. This area is filled with vicious creatures call Chamelemon!"

"What's a Chamelemon?"

"KYYAAAHHHH!"

The sound of Beautymon shouting entered my ear. Bokomon and I looked behind us and our eyes widened in fear. We watched helplessly as four pinkish tentacles appeared out of nowhere and grabbed a hold of both Beautymon's arms and legs. Suddenly, Bokomon and I were surrounded by a large number of reptilian Digimon. They appeared to be average size lizards with thick armor plating on the top part of their back. A pair of goggles and chinstraps were attached to their helmets. The crawls were sharp and a pattern of brown stripes glided along their tail. I could hear them hissing and snickering to themselves.

"Those, Takuya, are Chamelemon!" Bokomon answered me.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Chamelemon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Tongue Lashing; Wild Eyes**

**Description: The Chamelemon are sneaky creatures who specialize in stealth and deception with techniques that, for the most part, rely on subterfuge. They can easily blend in with their surroundings, which gives the edge when it comes to fighting. Watch out for their Tongue Lashing attacks. They can extended their tongues twice their length and use it to capture and attack their enemies.**

"YYEEEEOOOOOOWWWWWWWW! LET ME GO! LET ME GO... MMMMMMM!"

The female Digimon screamed in pain as the four Chamelemon tightened their grips around her arms and legs. At the same time, a couple more reptilian Digimon reappeared behind the olive haired warrior and stuck their tongues out. One chameleon snared Beautymon's body, while the second one wrapped his tongue around her mouth. She couldn't break free, use her attacks or cry for help. I've never seen her in such a helpless position before. With her captured, I'm all by myself.

"Beautymon!" I cried.

"This is not good!" Bokomon pointed out. Slowly, but surely, the Chamelemon closed the distance.

"Well, what do we have here boys?" One of them spoke.

"It's a human! I've heard about these strange creatures." Another reptilian Digimon answered.

"A human? What's a human doing in the Forbidden Forest?"

"Even better question, what's a human doing in our territory?"

The Chamelemon kept piling up on the questions. They seemed intrigued since the have never seen a human before. While they were busy conversing amongst themselves, I started counting how many reptile-like Digimon there were in the area. There were sure a lot of them. After all, according to Bokomon, this is the Chamelemon's Canopy. I finally finished counting the reptilian Digimon and I was not happy with the number I came up with.

"One hundred..." I said in a soft tone.

"Hmm?" Bokomon asked.

"I've counted a hundred Chamelemon in the vicinity, including the ones that got Beautymon."

"Oh dear... we're in big trouble." Bokomon and I let out a sigh of disappointment. But my thoughts were still on Beautymon. I had to save her. If I don't do something quick, who knows what might happen to her.

"Let her go, right now!" I ordered.

"What's this? The human's giving us commands!" Chamelemon chuckled. Suddenly, every single one of them started laughing hysterically. I was growing impatient. My head was boiling up and my fists were clinched tight.

"I mean it, Chamelemon! Release Beautymon or else!"

"Why should we?" One of them questioned.

"In fact, what is a human like you doing here anyway? Don't you know that we Chamelemon don't take kindly to trespassers? You and your friends are not welcome here! So leave now, or suffer the consequences!"

"Guys, listen! You don't understand!" I argued. "We were sent here by Eldestmon to find the Legendary Spirits of Wood. He said that the Spirits are located somewhere in this forest."

"Wait a minute! The Spirits of Wood? Are you saying the Spirits is somewhere in this forest?" asked a Chamelemon.

"We believe so." I replied.

"Well, in that case... BOYS?" All of the sudden, more than half of the Chamelemon leaped off of the branches and surrounded me and Bokomon. At the same time, a few others reptilian Digimon scattered throughout the forest.

"Hey, wait! What are you doing?" I asked, worryingly.

"That Spirit belongs to us, boy! We won't you or your pathetic friends get anywhere near it?"

"What are you guys talking about? We need those Spirits in order to..."

"SILENCE!" ordered their leader. "The Spirits of Wood are as good as ours! With them in our possession, we could gain more power than we could ever imagine. And we'll destroy anyone who dare stands in our way!"

"You don't understand!" Bokomon argued. "The Digital World is in peril right now! A malicious Digimon name Malevomon is terrorizing our world. He's also collecting the ten Spirits of the Legendary Warriors. If he gets his hands on another Spirits, then we're all doomed! So please, we need those Spirits to prevent the evil Malevomon from..."

"ENOUGH!" The Chamelemon shouted. "I have no time taking to you pathetic creatures. You've entered our territory, so therefore, you must be punished! GET THEM BOYS!"

"YES, SIR! TONGUE LASHING!" The army of Chamelemon shouted. They stuck out their tongues and a barrage of pink tongues came zipping towards me and Bokomon.

"LOOK OUT!" The Rookie level Digimon cried.

Without thinking twice, I wrapped my arms around Bokomon's waist and carried him around my arms. I juked right and left, avoiding as many tongues as I could. The grass was slippery and there were so many reptilian Digimon trying to capture me. It's like sprinting through an elastic jungle. One wrong step could be costly.

But it's a good thing those times playing soccer with Tommy came in handy. I easily kept my balance as I dodge their attacks. As a bonus, I did some damage on my own, by stepping on a few of their tongues. A minute later, I hid behind a nearby tree as I evaded the last tongue from Chamelemon. As I tried to catch my breath, I took my D-Tector out of my pocket and dropped Bokomon to the ground.

"Find a safe place to hide!" I told him.

"Be careful, Takuya." said Bokomon.

We gave each other a quick nod. The Rookie level Digimon dove into a couple of bushes and got low to the ground so he wouldn't be seen. I took a deep breath before coming out of my hiding place to face the huge army of Chamelemon. There were a lot of them, but I'm confident I can beat them all... even without Zoe's help.

"There he is boys! GET HIM!" commanded one of the reptile Digimon.

"TONGUE LASHING!" Everyone shouted. They open their mouths and threw their long and powerful tongues at me. I quickly shifted my attention towards Beautymon, whose arms and legs were still snared by the Chamelemon. Her eyes told me she was worried about me.

"Hang in there, Beautymon. I'll get you out of there." I said to myself.

I may be outnumbered, but this is nothing compared to other fights I've been in. I gave the female Digimon a quick smile, letting her know that everything's going to be alright. Finally, I looked back at the oncoming tongues, held my D-Tector tight and smirked. With a ring of Fractal Code around my hand, I was ready for some action.

"ALRIGHT, YOU SLIMY REPTILES! LET'S DO THIS!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter twenty-two.<strong>

**With both Takuya and Zoe going their separate ways, will one of them be able to find the Legendary Spirits of Wood first? Or will Malevomon add one more Spirit to his collection? These questions will be answered in the next action packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	23. Cherrymon's Wisdom

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**The gang searched high and low for the Legendary Spirits of Wood that is located somewhere in the Forbidden Forest. Takuya and Zoe were still mad at each other about what happened at the beach. So they decided to part ways. Meanwhile, Malevomon sent Sinistromon to retrieve the Spirits of Wood. Sounds like the evil emperor has big plans in store for the Chosen Children. Back at the woods, Takuya and Beautymon were about to have another moment with one another, when an army of Chamelemon attacked. With Beautymon captured, Takuya's has no choice but to fight on his own.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter twenty-three!**

* * *

><p><strong>Cherrymon's Wisdom<strong>

**Normal POV:**

A small platoon of Chamelemon scattered throughout the forest, searching for the Spirits of Wood. The Spirits hold an immense amount of power. So if they could get their hands on it, who knows what they can become capable of? With their minds already focused, the reptilian Digimon continued their search as the rest of their forces kept the teenage goggle-head distracted.

"Keep looking boys!" One of the Chamelemon commanded his troops. "The human said that the Spirits of Wood are somewhere in this forest! Search high and low! I don't care if you have to knock down every tree in the woods! Make sure no one gets their hands on those Spirits!"

"YES, SIR!" Everyone else replied.

They split off in different directions in order to cover more ground. The Forbidden Forest was such a huge place, so scattering in different directions seemed like a good idea. However, one of them stayed behind, just in case the Spirits of Wood were near his vicinity. While his comrades dispersed deep into the Forbidden Forest, the Chamelemon checked the central area.

He scanned his surroundings for almost half an hour, but the Spirits was nowhere to be found. Figured that he wasn't getting anywhere, Chamelemon tried something else. He climbed a tree and stuck his tongue towards one of the higher branches. He easily pulled himself towards the top and observed his surroundings. Maybe looking from a high platform will help him find the Spirits. As the reptilian Digimon continued his search, a huge and arrogant smirk appeared on his face.

"The boss will be most pleased if I find them before those losers do! I bet when I do locate the Spirits of Wood, those fools will demand that I share the credit with them! But not today! Hehe! I like this plan a lot!" Chamelemon said to himself. "Now... where could they be?"

"Where could what be?" Another voice asked out of nowhere.

"What else? The Spirits of Wood, you moron... Wait, who's there?"

His eyes widened the moment he figured someone was talking to him. Chamelemon sprang to his feet and searched the area. Even though the Forbidden Forest is such a large area, the reptilian Digimon knew that there a bunch of mysterious Digimon that inhabit the area. The strength levels of these creatures range from weak to ultimately strong. Chamelemon kept his guard up and waited for whoever spoke to come out.

"Where are you?" He shouted. "Show yourself!"

"Use your eyes, you idiot! I'm right here!" The voice spoke.

"Idiot! Why I oughta... COME ON OUT, YOU COWARD!"

"Very well then."

Suddenly, the tree branch he was standing on started to shake violently. It completely caught the reptilian Digimon off guard. Chamelemon tried to keep his balance, but it was no use. He lost his grip on the branch and plummeted to the ground. He landed hard on the grass, which sent mild shockwaves throughout his thorax. However, he quickly got back on his feet and crouched on all fours.

"What the...?" He gasped.

Suddenly, the tree that Chamelemon fell from started to move. It stretched its branches out and lifted its roots off the ground. The reptile was shocked to see the tree moving on its own. However, after further inspection, Chamelemon started to notice some features on the tree. The branches transform into a pair of arms, with a wooden cane in his right hand. Two glimmering, yellowish eyes and a mustache-like patch of leaves and grass appeared on the body of the tree. A couple vines hung on its head and a few cherries grew on top of this mysterious being. The tree stood tall, faced Chamelemon and smiled.

"Good day to you, my friend!" The tree-like monster spoke.

"Well, what do you know? It's Cherrymon!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Cherrymon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Cherry Blast; Illusion Mist**

**Description: Cherrymon, the lord of the forest. It's said that a part of his soul lies within every tree in the Digital World. His Cherry Blasts launches powerful mini bombs toward his opponents, blowing them to smithereens. However, his mind is his greatest and deadliest weapons. Once he gets inside his opponent's head, the battle is already his.**

"At your service!" The tree chuckled.

"And just what are you doing here, you old piece of redwood?"

Pipe down. There's no need to raise your voice like that. I'm just curious about why a bunch of obnoxious Digimon like you guys are scattered throughout the forest."

"None of your business! Hmph! I have no time conversing with someone like you! Now if you excuse me, I must be on my way!" The Chamelemon turned his tail and was about to leave the area. However, the tree-like Digimon extended his branch in front of the lizard, preventing him from leaving.

"Where do you think you're going, Chamelemon? You haven't even answered my question yet." said Cherrymon.

"What question?"

"You said that your boss would be pleased if you retrieve something. Now, what is exactly are you trying to find?"

"I have no reason to explain myself to you! Now, get out of my way before I turn you into toothpicks for me and my comrades!"

"Aw, don't be such a sad sack. Tell me. Who knows? Maybe I could help you find... whatever it is you're looking for. After all, my roots are connected to every tree in the forest. So if something is lost in the woods, I would know its precise location."

"I don't need your help, Cherrymon!"

"You might not... but I'm pretty sure your partners might."

"Huh? What does that supposed to mean?"

"I bet one of those other reptilian Digimon is desperate enough to ask me for help. So they get the glory... while you sit there with that sad look on your face, wondering why that should've been you instead..."

"Alright, already!" groaned Chamelemon after considering the possibility that one of his comrades will get all of the credit. "But you better not mention this to anyone else! Or else, I'm chopping you to bits! Are we clear?"

"You have my word." said Cherrymon.

"Fine..." The reptilian Digimon sighed. "Well, not too long ago, a human entered our territory! He said that he's come to look for the Spirits of Wood!"

"The Spirits of Wood, huh? Very interesting..."

"Yes! We all know how much power the Spirits possess! That's why the boss order us to find it before he does!"

"Indeed! What you say is true, Chamelemon." Cherrymon said as he rubbed his chin.

"Well, Cherrymon? I'm waiting for you to give me the Legendary Spirits' location?" The reptilian-like creature said like he's run out of patience.

"Of course, my friend. Give me a second." The tree-like Digimon answered.

He dug his roots into the ground and closed his eyes. While Cherrymon focused his energy searching for the Spirits, Chamelemon took a step back, giving the tree space for him to work. He looked behind him, wondering how the others were doing with the human boy. When he left, they had him outnumbered almost a hundred to one. In other words, victory should be within their grasp.

Chamelemon then shifted his attention back towards Cherrymon, who was still in the middle of concentrating. Although this giant tree was kind enough to help, there was a possibility that he could potentially break his promise. What if Cherrymon was lying? He could be sending him on a wild goose chase all across the forest so he could be the first one to the Spirits.

"This sap is probably waiting for me to leave, so he could have the Spirits all to himself! Maybe trusting him was a mistake!" Chamelemon said to himself with a malicious smirk on his face. "Right after he gives me the location of the Spirits, I'll take care of him. Hehehe..."

"Found it!" Cherrymon opened his eyes and smiled.

"Well?" Chamelemon asked. Cherrymon pointed his cane towards the right.

"If you go in that direction, you'll eventually come across a path. Head North until you reached the middle of the woods... where the Forbidden Fruit Tree is located."

"The Forbidden Fruit Tree, you say? Excellent!" The lizard Digimon smirked.

He stuck his tongue out and wrapped it around a nearby log. With all of his might, Chamelemon heaved the large piece of wood at the tree-like Digimon. The attack caught Cherrymon by surprise. However, he didn't have enough time to react. The log crashed into a couple of Cherrymon's roots and broke them off, causing him to stumble. He winced in pain before glaring at the reptile.

"You rotten snake! How dare you betray me!"

"Sorry Cherrymon! It's not that I don't trust you! It's just that... well, I don't trust you!"

"CHAMELEMON!" Cherrymon roared.

"Goodbye, you old sap! Tongue Lashing!"

He stuck his tongue out and wrapped it around Cherrymon's body. He pulled as hard as he could until he was able to get the tree to fall down to the ground. Cherrymon landed with a thud. He leered back at Chamelemon, who was coming in for the finishing blow. He stuck his tongue out one last time and closed in on his pray. Apparently, greed's a very powerful motivator for this Digimon.

"YOU'RE MINE, NOW!" He said to himself.

Unfortunately, he did not see the Cherrymon putting on a huge grin.

"Got ya!"

All of the sudden, the branches that Chamelemon took off earlier regrew back to its original form. The surprised chameleon went back on the attack and charged after the tree. But as he approached his opponent, he noticed Cherrymon getting back up to a vertical base. Once he was standing, he dug his roots into the ground. A second later, multiple roots shot up from the dirt. Each root grabbed a hold of Chamelemon's legs and body. The lizard Digimon tried to break free, but to no avail.

"Hey! What's going on here?" Chamelemon asked. But the more he struggled, the tighter the roots squeezed. He could feel the pain inside his thorax, yet he refused to show his opponent any kind of emotions.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk... How unfortunate, Chamelemon." He said. "I was only trying to help. I was kind enough to show you where the Spirits are. And this is how you repay me? By stabbing your friend in the back? Shame on you."

"We are not friends, you freak! Now release me, or else!"

"Hehe... I don't think so. You're in no position to give me orders, fool. I'm going have so much fun watching you scream in...

"TONGUE LASHING!" Chamelemon shouted.

With little strength he had left, the lizard stuck his tongue out towards Cherrymon, trying to land another desperate attack. But the tree-like Digimon saw it coming. He grabbed Chamelemon's tongue and squeezed it real hard. The reptilian Digimon squealed as Cherrymon took his opponent's tongue and tied it into a bunch of knots. It was agonizing and humiliating. His tongue went numb, which meant he couldn't unleash anymore attacks.

"Leh meh ga...! LEH MEH GA, CERYRMO!" Chamelemon ordered with his tongue all tied up. But his words fell on deaf ears. The only response he got from Cherrymon was a smirk that told him his fate was sealed.

"Good bye, Chamelemon!" The tree Digimon shouted. Cherrymon lowered his head until the cherries up top could be seen. "CHERRY BLASTS!"

A barrage of miniature bombs shot out of his head and towards the defenseless Chamelemon. The lizard closed his eyes and braced himself for impact. One by one, the bombs exploded all around the reptilian Digimon.

"KYYAAAHHHH!" He yelped in pain.

After the last cherry bomb exploded, Chamelemon digitized into a  
>bunch of tiny little pieces. Cherrymon grabbed his Fractal Code and absorbed it to make him stronger. The data also acted as nutrients, enabling the tree to grow more cherries on his branches. Once when the Digimon felt he's back at full power, he turned to his left. More specifically, he was looking at the direction where he believed one of the humans might be.<p>

"That's only just a sample of what I have in store for the human. Lord Malevomon would be most pleased. Hahaha... HAHAHAHA!"

His maniacal laughter echoed throughout the forest. Cherrymon lifted up his roots and quietly slipped into the wood. The human has already been hooked, and now it's his turn to spring the trap.

* * *

><p><span>*Insert Song: With the Will*<span>

A bluish sketch of the Human Spirit of Flame traced on the black screen of Takuya's D-Tector. When the outline was complete, the screen on the little device stated to glow in shining, white light. With his black and red D-Tector in his right hand, Takuya extended his left arm out and opened up his hand. A ring of Fractal Code surrounded the boy's hand. He crossed and swung his arms around a few times, before finally bringing his device and the Fractal Code ring together. When the Fractal Code scanner on the top of the D-Tector made contact with the ring of Fractal Code, Takuya's device started making loud and powerful sounds. The dark area that surrounded Takuya's body was completely engulfed by glimmering, bright light.

"EXECUTE..." Takuya screamed, swiping the Fractal Code ring with the scanner. "... SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

Upon command a long line of Fractal Code swirled and surrounded the boy's body. At the same time, Takuya's clothes began to disintegrate as the Human Spirit of Flame awakened. The boy felt a surge of energy completely taking over his body. He could feel himself becoming one with the Spirit. His arms, legs, head and his entire body were slowly changing into the Legendary Warrior of Flame. It wasn't long before the transformation was finally complete. He uncrossed his arms, creating giant flames on both of his fists. He gave a hook with his left arm and another powerful punch with his right arm, sending the large fireballs flying like a cannonball.

"AGUNIMON!"

Once the transformation was complete, he got in a defensive stance and was ready for action. He juked to his left to avoid the first few tongues, and rolled to his right to avoid the next. Some of the tongues went for Agunimon's head, but the Legendary Warrior saw it coming and ducked out of the way. The last set of tongues try to grab Agunimon's legs. The Legendary Warrior leaped in the air to evade the attacks. After a couple of backflips, he landed smoothly in front of large tree.

"You can't escape, boy! We will destroy you here and now!" One of the lizards spoke, backing the Legendary Warrior into the tree.

"I would love to see you try, you slimy wart bags!" said Agunimon.

"ATTACK!"

Three of the Chamelemon shot their tongues at the Warrior of Flame. Agunimon ducked to avoid the first tongue and swatted away the second one. He turned and spotted the third tongue coming his way. Instead of blocking or evading it, he stuck his arm out and caught Chamelemon's attack, grabbing it before it could reach him. He tugged as hard as he could and managed to pull the Chamelemon towards him.

"ROUND AND ROUND WE GO!" Agunimon shouted as he started to spinning around in circles.

The Chamelemon twirled helplessly like a hammer throw, crashing into a few of his comrades in the process. While the rest of the reptilian Digimon watched as one of their troops gets tossed around, Agunimon seized the opportunity and released his opponent's tongue. Chamelemon flew through the air and slammed into a couple more lizard-like creatures. The reptile Digimon gasped in fear, shocked at the Warrior's strength. They couldn't believe that a mere human could become a Digimon as strong as this. Agunimon gave them an arrogant smile before turning his thoughts back to the fight.

"I'm not done yet!" Agunimon proclaimed. He pounded his two fists together, making two large balls of fire at the end of his knuckles. He unleashed a loud roar and picked a couple targets to strike.

"PYRO PUNCH!" The Warrior of Flame screamed.

He hurled his fists towards two Chamelemon. The fireballs slammed into the reptiles' body and sent them flying into a tree. Agunimon then charged towards another small group of Chamelemon. Both of his fists were covered with scorching hot flames. He gave the first Chamelemon he saw a quick jab to the nose and a huge right hook to the second one in the face. Agunimon smoothly landed in between a pair of Chamelemon.

"Come get me boys." He grinned.

"You arrogant punk! TONGUE LASHING!" Both reptilian Digimon shouted.

They stuck their tongues out towards the Legendary Warrior. However, Agunimon was ready for them. He extended his arms to the side and grabbed both tongues. He pulled as hard as he could, tugging the two Chamelemon towards each other. The lizard Digimon closed their eyes and braced for impact. Both of their heads slammed hard into each other, knocking them out cold. Agunimon looked out in front and saw the rest of the Chamelemon retreating. They climbed up top a few trees to increase the distance between them and the Warrior of Flame.

"This kid is a lot stronger than we thought!" One of the Chamelemon spoke.

"We've underestimated him!" A second one added.

"It's the Spirits! They're giving him an enormous amount of power! The Spirits of Flame transform this pathetic human into one of the almighty Legendary Warriors!" Another one said.

Agunimon took a step forwards and saw almost all of the Digimon hiding up on the treetops. "Hey, you guys! Don't run! I'm just getting warmed up!" He grinned.

The rest of the Chamelemon looked at each other, wondering how they should respond. Agunimon kept his guard up, waiting for them to attack. Suddenly, the reptilian Digimon started laughing hysterically. The confused Legendary Warrior looked around, wondering what was so funny.

"You fool!" chuckled a Chamelemon. "Don't think you've won just yet! We still have a few tricks up our sleeves. There's absolutely no way you'll defeat us!"

"Is that so, buddy?"

"You have yet to see our true power! NOW, ENOUGH TALK! LET'S END THIS RIGHT NOW!"

"YES, SIR!" The rest of the reptile-like Digimon replied.

All of the sudden, the Chamelemon surrounding the forest started to turn invisible. Like a chameleon in the deepest parts of the woods, the reptilian Digimon used the power of camouflage to blend with their environment. Agunimon kept his guard up as he watched the Chamelemon disappear from sight. He grew extremely frustrated when the last lizard had disappeared.

The fiery Digimon took a couple steps back and scanned the entire area. However, the only Chamelemon he could spot were the five that were holding Beautymon captive. Their tongues were still wrapped tight around her arms, legs, body and mouth. Figured that they were the only ones visible, Agunimon decided to go after them first and rescue the female Digimon.

"Here's my chance!" He said to himself as he picked up speed Agunimon quickly closed the distance between him and the other Digimon.

Suddenly, his right foot tripped on something. The Warrior of Flame landed hard and slid on the ground. He sprang to his feet and searched for whatever he tripped on. However, there was nothing there. Either it was his imagination or the thing he tripped on was _invisible_. Agunimon stood back up and got in a defensive stance. He looked around the vicinity and searched for the invisible Chamelemon. But since these guys were the masters of camouflage, it was hard for the Legendary Warrior to find them. A small bead of sweat fell off of Agunimon's face.

"Where are you? Show yourselves!" He shouted.

"Hahahaha!" All of the reptilian Digimon laughed.

"What's wrong, boy?"

"Can't fight what you can't see?"

"We said it before, you have no chance in defeating us!"

The Warrior of Flame could hear voices from every direction. The insults entered his ear, temporarily distracting him from the fight. A frustrated Agunimon couldn't take it anymore. He decided to take action and attack, even though he couldn't see his opponent. He threw a couple punches, kicks, elbows and knees all around him. Unfortunately, the Legendary Warrior was hitting nothing but air. And to make matters worse, every unconnected strike would negatively affect his stamina. It wasn't long before fatigue started to kick in. Agunimon placed his hands on his knees and tried to catch his breath.

"Crud! How can fight someone who is invisible? It's not just not fair!" He said to himself.

The Legendary Warrior was vulnerable, which gave his invisible opponents an opportunity to attack. Suddenly, the unsuspecting Agunimon felt something struck his face. He winced in pain, but quickly got his hands up. However, he was greeted with a few more invisible strikes to the head. After that, one of the Chamelemon drilled his head into Agunimon's gut. The fiery Digimon fell to the ground, clutched his abdomen and coughed for air. He tried to recover from the number of shots he took, but then he felt something grab his neck. Even though he couldn't see it, he could feel something slimy choking the life out of him. While he struggled to fight for air, the Chamelemon used their tongues as whips and gave the defenseless Warrior of Flame a large number of lashes.

"AAAHHHHHH! GWWAAAHHHH! YEEOOOWWWW!" cried Agunimon as the whipping from the Chamelemon continued.

The Legendary Warrior tried getting back to a vertical base, but the lizards kept flogging him like a rented mule. Each whip from the Chamelemon sent sharp stinging pain throughout Agunimon's body. It made it harder for him to get back in the fight. He shot a quick glance up top to see how Beautymon's doing. Every lash Agunimon received would bring some kind of pain to her heart. It hurts seeing her 'Cutie' take a beating like that. All she could do was hope that it would come to an end soon. After a good minute of flogging, the army of Chamelemon stopped and observed their beaten opponent. Most of them were laughing while others piled up on the insults.

"Foolish boy! You can't defeat us!"

"Give it up! It's only a matter of time before we take away your Spirits!"

"It's useless to resist! Surrender now, you lousy excuse of a Legendary Warrior!"

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

Agunimon slowly rose to his feet. It wasn't easy, especially after all those lashes he took. Every time he moved his body, the pain intensified, dropping the Warrior of Flame back to the ground. He scanned the area once more. Agunimon kept one of his hands up while the other clutched his bruised midsection. The Legendary Warrior took a few steps back and searched for any sort of hint as to where the Chamelemon may be hiding. But since these guys were experts in invisibility, finding any trace of them proved to be very difficult.

"Jeez! How am I supposed to fight them, when I have no clue where they are?" He said to himself.

The Warrior of Flame was right. The army of Chamelemon could be on his left or right side, directly above or even right behind him. They could be anywhere. Then again, standing in the same spot was not an option. If Agunimon doesn't do something, this fight would surely be over. He pounded his fists together and a couple of fireballs appeared at the end of each hand.

"TAKE THIS! PYRO PUNCH!"

He threw both of his fireballs at two random directions. He hoped that he would hit something along the way. Unfortunately, the fireballs continued to sail across the woods and disappear into the trees. The missed shots frustrated the Legendary Warrior. However, he decided to keep going, hoping that he would get lucky eventually. He created a few more fireballs and launched them in all different directions.

While most fireballs traveled deeper into the woods, some of them hit a few trees in the area. They exploded on impact and the tree fell to the ground, gently shaking the battlefield for a little bit. However, no matter how many times Agunimon attack, none of his fireballs appeared to be hitting its target. Soon, the Warrior of Flame stopped his barrage of the fireballs and got down on one knee. He was almost out of breath from all those attacks. The sounds of the Chamelemon mocking him entered his ears.

"This sucks! Nothing's working!" Agunimon thought.

He looked back to where Beautymon was. She was still there, along with the five other Chamelemon holding her captive. The Legendary Warrior took a long look and thought about a new strategy. Regardless how strong and tough he is, there's no way he could win this fight alone. He needed Beautymon's help, so the first thing he has to do is rescue her.

"I have to try. If this doesn't work, nothing will." He created a couple more fireballs at the end of his knuckles. He stood there and waited patiently for the Chamelemon to launch an attack. Agunimon need to know their positions in order for his plan to work.

All of the sudden, he felt something struck his backside. The Legendary Warrior cringed for a little bit, but turned around and shot a fireball in that direction. But as expected, the fireball flew past whatever it was supposed to hit and exploded in front of a tree. Agunimon got back in position and braced himself for another attack. Just like he predicted, another Chamelemon attacked his blindside. After grimacing in pain, he turned and fired his second attack. Once again, he missed.

"What an idiot!" One Chamelemon commented. "Does this boy know we've already figured out his strategy?"

"He's too obvious, even for a Legendary Warrior! All he does is wait until he gets hit! When he does, he throws his attack at where he believes we were attack from!" said another lizard.

"How impudent! This kid is making this fight way too easy!"

Beautymon couldn't help but wonder what Agunimon was planning. If this was his plan, then it doesn't appear to be working. "What's he up to now?" She said to herself.

She noticed Agunimon backing up into a tree. He turned until his eyes met hers. Beautymon studied the Legendary Warrior in front of her, trying to understand where he was coming from. She then noticed a small grin on his face. And just like that, Beautymon knew exactly what he was thinking of. The message has been received and she knew what he had to do. It was up to Agunimon to do his part. Both warriors exchanged nods.

"Hang on, Beautymon. I'll get you out."

"Go get em' Cutie!"

The Legendary Warrior pounded his fists together and created a couple more fireballs. He got into his stance and waited for another Chamelemon to attack him. As he stood his ground, the camouflaged Digimon got in position and searched for an opportunity to strike. All of the sudden, one Chamelemon shot his tongues out at the fiery Digimon and gave him a few good whips on the back. Agunimon writhed in agony for only a second.

But in a flash, he turned around and threw one of his fireballs toward where the invisible Chamelemon originally was. He didn't see the reptilian Digimon leaped out of the way to avoid the attack. Seconds later, a Chamelemon landed behind the Warrior of Flame. A small grin appeared on his face, since he was in the Legendary Warrior's blind spot.

"Tongue Lashing!" He yelled, sticking his tongue out towards his opponent. The lizard gave Agunimon one of the hardest whips he's ever received. The pain was more intense than usual for the Warrior of Flame. He grimaced for a good five seconds, giving Chamelemon plenty of time to dodge Agunimon's potential retaliation.

As expected, the Legendary Warrior turned with his arm back, ready to launch his fireball. Chamelemon dug his feet into the ground, waiting for Agunimon to throw his attack at him. Once he dodged his last fireball, he and the rest of the troops will gang up on the Legendary Warrior and beat him to a pulp until there's nothing left.

"PYRO PUNCH!" Agunimon shouted as he threw his arm out in front.

"Too easy!" Chamelemon said to himself. He bended his legs and was prepared to evade the oncoming fireball. But all of the sudden, Agunimon changed his trajectory of the attack. This time, instead of coming right towards the lizard-like Digimon, the fireball sailed over the Chamelemon's head.

"Stupid human!" He snickered to himself. "I'm right here! He missed his target like a fool! I mean, really? What was he aiming at?"

But when Chamelemon turned to see where the fireball was going, he got his answer.

The lizard was so focused on figuring out Agunimon's supposed strategy, he wasn't aware of his position on the battlefield. When he launched his Tongue Lashing attack, he was standing in between the Legendary Warrior... and the female Digimon hanging from above. Agunimon wasn't aiming at him. He had his sights on the Chamelemon on the tree behind him. Agunimon had only one thing in mind: rescue Beautymon.

The fireball nailed one of the Chamelemon in the back. The attack not only caused him to yelp in pain, but to loosen his grip on Beautymon's right arm. The female Digimon shook off the incapacitated lizard Digimon and aimed her hand at the Chamelemon holding her left arm. Without hesitating, she fired a powerful energy beam, blowing the reptile to bits.

With both of her arms free, she smiled at the two Chamelemon grasping both of her legs. Both chameleon Digimon saw how strong this female warrior was and how much destructive power her attacks possess. The smart thing to do was to release her and run for cover. However, Beautymon was not in very good mood. It's one thing being attacked. But having their slimy tongues around her gorgeous and perfect body?

That's nothing short of a sin.

Beautymon charged up her attack and blasted the two Chamelemon to dust before they could escape. With four reptilian Digimon easily destroyed, that leaves just one left. He still had his tongue around Beautymon's mouth, but after seeing his comrades obliterated by her hands, he released her from his clutches. She landed on her feet like a cat and glowered at Chamelemon. She could see the fear lurking in his eyes. Without thinking twice, he turned tail and fled deeper into the woods. Beautymon raised one of her arms up and aimed at the fleeing reptile.

"You sick ugly freak! You're not getting away from me." She said softly. "3... 2... 1... BEAUTIFUL BEAM!"

Another energy attack shot out of her hand and zipped through the forest. Beautymon turned around and walked away from the area. The sound of an explosion and someone yelling in agony entered her ear. A sly grin appeared on her face like a crazy psychotic. But she quickly changed facial expressions when she saw Agunimon on one knee, trying to recover from the whipping the army of Chamelemon gave him.

"Cutie!" Beautymon cried as she made her way towards his side. She helped him to his feet and gently stroke a few spots on his back. "Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm fine, Beautymon..." He answered. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"Oh Cutie..." gasped the female Digimon. She closed her eyes and inched forward, trying to place her lips on his.

"TONGUE LASHING!" Someone shouted.

Agunimon's sixth sense kicked in and immediately knew where the attack was coming from. He wrapped his arms around Beautymon's slender body and tackled her to the ground. Both Digimon barely avoided the lashing tongue by a couple of inches. They quickly stood back up and got in their defensive stance. Only ten more Chamelemon remained in the vicinity.

"Annoying little pests..." The female Digimon grumbled.

"You're telling me! It gets even worse when they turn invisible!" Agunimon added.

"That's it! No more playing around! It's time we end this fight once and for all! GET 'EM BOYS!" One Chamelemon commanded.

"YES, SIR!" They reptilian Digimon turned invisible and scattered themselves throughout the area. The two fighters stood back-to-back with each other, searching for any potential spots where the Chamelemon could be hiding.

"Hey Beautymon!"

"Yes? What is it, Cutie?"

"I hate to admit it, but I can't defeat these guys alone. I sure could use your help, if you don't mind."

"Oh, Sweetie. Anything for you." She jumped as high as she could and levitated off the ground. She spread her arms out wide and started to spinning around in circles.

"Petal Dance!" She said, calling forth another one of her devastating moves.

A wide variety of flower petals danced out of her sleeves and disperse throughout the area. At the same time, Beautymon released a strange yet lovely scent that entered every lizards' noses. The invisible Chamelemon stopped their movement upon inhaling the scent.

"What's going on?"

"I can't move my body!"

Beautymon smiled as she gently lowered herself back to the ground. "Alright boys! Don't be shy! Come on out and fight!" She commanded.

One by one, the reptilian Digimon became visible against their will. At the same time, they lost control of their bodies. They couldn't move or declare an attack, leaving themselves completely helpless. Beautymon ceased her flower attack and landed gracefully next to the Warrior of Flame. She looked into his eyes and gave him a cute wink.

"They're all yours, Sweetie!" She giggled.

"You got it!" Agunimon grinned. His hands were again covered with red hot fireballs. The flames on Agunimon's fist started to grow until the scorching heat surrounded his body. He extended his arms to his side and spinning around. He spun faster and faster, increasing the size and energy of the flames on his fist until...

"PYRO TORNADO!"

Soon, a fiery cyclone engulfed the Warrior of Flame. The blazing hot attack collided against a nearby Chamelemon. Agunimon ricocheted off of the lizard and into another Chamelemon. The reptile beast grunted in pain as his body fell to the ground. Like a pinball in a machine, Agunimon bounced off Chamelemon after Chamelemon. He was able to knock all of the down like dominoes. The reptilian Digimon never stood a chance.

Finally, Agunimon gave a huge roundhouse kick to the last Chamelemon standing, knocking him down to the ground. And just like that, all of the reptilian Digimon have been defeated. A few of them were unconscious while the rest were lying on the ground, cringing in pain from Agunimon's fiery attack. A cocoon of Fractal Code surrounded the Legendary Warrior's body, transforming him back to Takuya.

"Impossible! How could we lose to a human?" One of them grumbled in defeat.

Takuya took a step forward, catching the attention of every Chamelemon. Judging by the look on his eyes, he was not in a good mood. If he wanted to, he could destroy them on the spot without any remorse. Instead, Takuya placed his D-Tector back in his pocket and turned away.

"Leave us... NOW!" He ordered.

The Chamelemon didn't have to be told twice. After Takuya gave them the command, the reptilian Digimon quickly got to their feet and dispersed across the forest. Once the Chamelemon was out of sight, Bokomon crawled out of the bushes and sprinted towards his human friend.

"You did it, Takuya! Great job!" He cheered.

"My hero!" Beautymon sighed as she wrapped her arms around the boy's shoulders.

"Come on, we better keep moving. We still haven't found the Spirits of Wood yet." He said, pushing Beautymon's arms off of his shoulders. He made his way back to the trail and continued his journey.

"Takuya, my boy! Look how much you've grown!" Bokomon smiled. He could feel his eyes watering up, but wiped away his tears before they could fall.

"Cutie..." Beautymon sighed with disappointed.

Even though they're on a missions to retrieve the Spirits of Wood, she still wanted alone time with Takuya. But even so, she'll get her opportunity, especially since there is still tension between him and Blondie. After all, what's to stop her from making the goggle-head boy 'hers?' The two Digimon followed Takuya down the path and the search for the Spirits of Wood resumed.

* * *

><p><strong>Takuya's POV:<strong>

The last battle sure took a lot out of me. I didn't know how many times the Chamelemon attacked me, but my body still hasn't recovered from the fight. My back's a little sore and I couldn't seem to walk without feeling some kind of pain in my body. But I have to persevere. The Spirits of Wood were somewhere hidden in the Forbidden Forest. It's a race against time. I have to find it before Malevomon and his goons does. And lest we forget, Zoe and I are still not on equal terms yet. I still haven't forgotten how she...

"Cutie? Cutie?" Beautymon called me.

"What is it now?"

"Carry me please?" She asked me. Again, she wrapped her arms around me shoulders and collapsed on my back.

"B... Beautymon? What are you doing?"

"I'm tired. I can't move anymore..."

"What are you talking about, Beautymon? We've been walking for only ten minutes." Bokomon corrected.

"Cutie, please?" She whined like a five year old.

"Not now!" I replied. Again, I shoved Beautymon's arms to the side. She then collapse to the ground like she was drained or something. I'll admit, she does look kind of tired. Then again, we didn't have time to play around.

"We have to keep moving. If we slow down, we'll never get those Spirits."

"I agree. Those Spirits sure aren't going to come to us. We must proceed and carry out our mission. The fate of the Digital World depends on it."

"Fine..." Beautymon groaned with a puffy face. She slowly got back to her feet. Her legs were wobbling like spaghetti, but she's Beautymon. I'm sure she'll come around eventually. We passed through a couple of disfigured trees and continued along the path. The map on my D-Tector said we're going in the right direction. So, it's only a matter of time before we get to the Spirits.

"Anything yet, Cutie?" Beautymon asked.

"Nope. Not yet."

"Where could they be? The Forbidden Forest is huge! They could be anywhere." Bokomon complained.

"Keep looking!" I told him. "They should be around here somewhere. Just keep your eyes open. We'll find them eventually."

"Find... what?" A mysterious voice asked me.

Beautymon, Bokomon and I froze on the spot. We scanned the area and searched for whoever spoke to us. Beautymon held her hands up, ready to blast any Digimon she saw. I had my D-Tector out and got ready to Spirit Evolve if I need to. As for the Rookie, he hid behind Beautymon's legs.

"Who's there?" Bokomon called out, but there was no answer.

"Now, now. Just relax, my friends. I'm not going to hurt you. All I want to do is talk." The voice said again. I looked to my left and to my right. But so far, Bokomon, Beautymon and I appeared to be the only ones in this area.

"Ah jeez... enough of this hiding already and show yourself!" Beautymon moaned.

"Yeah! Come on out here!" I demanded.

"As you wish..." He replied.

For a brief moment, the forest was quiet. I tightened my grip on my D-Tector and got in a defensive stance. I had no idea who spoke to us, but I'm pretty certain it was a Digimon. I waited for some creature to pounce out of the bushes or dive from the skies. So far, no one's showed up. It was just me, Beautymon and Bokomon. Moments later, a strange noise entered my ear. It was the sound of tree branches snapping and leaves rustling in the wind. I looked around the woods, but all I could see were bushes and a lot of trees.

Suddenly, I noticed one of the trees was moving towards us. It made my eyes widened in amusement. Since when do trees move on their own? But upon further inspection, this tree appears to be different from the others. It had eyes, a mouth, a mustache made of leaves, and a couple of arms with a cane in one hand. There were also a few vines dangling on his head and a bunch of cherries growing on top.

"Greetings, my friends." The tree said.

"Uh... guys? Since when... do trees... um... talk?" I asked.

"Since forever, young man. The problem is you creatures don't take the time to listen." He replied.

"Uh... yeah, sure." I said. "Can someone please tell me who is this guy?"

"Oh, my apologies. How rude of me. I forgotten to introduce myself." said the tree. "I go by many names. The Whispering Willow, The Tree of Terror, The Fervorous Force in the Forest. But you can call me... Cherrymon."

"Cherrymon?" I repeated.

"Cherrymon..." Bokomon mumbled. But when I looked back at the Rookie level Digimon, I noticed the look of terror in his eyes. "I've heard about you!"

"Why, thank you. I feel honored."

"Don't be, nothing I heard was good."

"Well that's a shame. You shouldn't believe everything you hear." Cherrymon laughed.

"What are you doing here, you ugly sap?" interrogated Beautymon.

"Are you a friend or an enemy?" I wondered.

"I am a friend to all... and yet a friend to none. I am helpful to only those who need me and..."

"Oh, enough with the riddles already!" complained Bokomon.

"Cherrymon?" I said. My patience was running low. One more wisecrack from this guy and I'll tear him up branch by branch.

"Okay, okay." The tree apologized. "Look. I couldn't help but noticed you three were wandering around in circles. I was just wondering if I could help."

"Thanks, but no thanks! We must be on our way! Come on, Takuya! Let's get out of here!" Bokomon said, trying to push away from the tree.

"Um... right." I agreed. "Uh... It was... nice meeting you Cherrymon, but we better get going now. Come on guys." We made our way back to the path and was about to continued our journey when...

"You must be looking for something, huh?" Cherrymon's words made me froze for a split second. I looked back at the tree with a slight hint of curiosity. Cherrymon grinned and continued to speak.

"Well you are searching for something, right? Something... valuable?" My eyes lit up just a little bit, but he immediately picked up on it. "You and your friends have been walking for a couple of hours, exploring the different areas of the Forbidden Forest..."

"Alright, I get it!" I complained.

"So... what is it that you're looking for?" The tree asked?"

"Well... we're searching for..."

"It's none of your business!" Bokomon interrupted me.

"Come on, I'm only trying to help. That's what friends are for, right?"

"We are not friends! Why would anyone want be friends with a mischievous, maniacal..."

"Shut up, Bokomon!" I ordered. He looked at me feeling somewhat confused.

"Takuya..." He spoke softly. But I ignored him and continued the conversation with Cherrymon.

"As I was saying, we're searching for the Spirits of Wood. We were sent here by the Digimon Battlefront to find the Spirits before Malevomon does."

"The Spirits of Wood you say? Ah, I see." Cherrymon smiled.

"So, can you help us or not?" I asked.

"Sir, you came to the right Digimon. I know the whereabouts of everything in this forest, including the Spirits of Wood you seek."

"Really?"

"Yes. My roots are connected to almost every tree in the woods. If they say trees have eyes, then there's nothing in this place I can't see. I know where everything and everyone is."

"Is that so? Well Cherrymon, where are the Spirits of Wood?"

"Give me one second." Cherrymon told me. He dug his roots in to the ground and closed his eye. Inaudible hums came out of his nose. I took a step back to give him room to focus. Ten seconds later, he opened his eyes and smiled back at me. "Found them!"

"Where are they?" I asked him.

He gave me a small nod, tapped his cane on the ground and pointed towards my right. All of the sudden, the trees on my right started to move either to the right or left. I was amazed as the trees danced and shifted, creating a small path for us to walk on.

"Takuya, what are you doing?" Bokomon asked me.

"He said he know where the Spirits are." I replied.

"Are you crazy? You're asking him for hel..."

"Shhhhhh!" I said, not wanting to start another conflict.

"I don't know Takuya. Something just doesn't seem right about him. I'm not sure if we could trust him."

"Listen, Bokomon. As of right now, we're not getting anywhere and we're running out of options. A little help is better than no help at all." I argued. I glanced back at Cherrymon, who gave me sly grin. "To be honest, I don't trust him either, but he's the only lead we have. We could either take it or get lost forever."

"Takuya..." Bokomon said with a pinch of hesitation in his voice. But before he could speak, the trees had already stopped moving.

"Well, there you go. All you have to do is follow this path. You'll soon come across The Forbidden Fruit Tree. That is where the Spirits of Wood are." The tree-like Digimon said.

"You better be right, Cherrymon." I leered back at him. "Because if not, you're going to regret it and..."

"Relax kid. You can trust me!"

"Whatever... Come on guys. Let's get out of here." I ordered.

"Wait for me, Cutie!" Beautymon said, following right behind me.

The path Cherrymon showed us was pretty much straight throughout. I guess that's good news for us. And if what this guy said is true, then the Spirits of Wood were as good as ours. Let's just hope that Malevomon or any of his cronies hasn't found them yet. It's a possibility, so that's why we have to hurry just in case.

"Oh wait! I forgot to mention one thing to you, my friend." Cherrymon called out from behind us.

"Thanks, but no thanks." I replied. "You've done enough to help us already. Now let us be."

"Oh really?" He asked, but I kept on walking, not listening what he has to say.

"What if I said told you it has something to do with... your human friend."

I instantly froze on the spot. At that point, I knew exactly who he was talking about, my ex-best friend... Zoe Orimoto!

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

"What about Zoe?" Takuya asked, walking away from his destination and back towards Cherrymon.

"Zoe... what a lovely name. It's too bad though. I've seen you two fought and argue a lot ever since you arrived. I got to say, I've never seen humans fight like that. It's very amusin..."

"CHERRYMON?" Takuya yelled. The tree Digimon chucked a little to himself.

"I'm just saying. There seems to be some kind of tension between you guys. An ongoing battle where only one of you could win."

"So what?" Takuya growled. His tone of voice was a little on the defensive side.

"I know exactly how you feel my boy. It's bad when you know you're right and yet your friends still doubt you. You give them orders, but they never want to listen to you. It's frustrating... especially since you're supposed to be the leader of the group."

Takuya looked down at his shoes and thought about what Cherrymon told him. Everything he said was right on the button. It's true that there is some kind of conflict going on between him and his former best friend. Not only that, but he still remembered all of the things she said to him... and they weren't pretty. His face twisted in anger.

"Look, if she wants to act like a selfless drama queen, then by all means go ahead. Like I care about what happens to her."

"Poor kid." Cherrymon said. He then gently placed a twig on Takuya's. He waited until he had the human's undivided attention. "What if I tell you there's a solution to all your problems?"

"There is?" The boy gasped.

"Yes. It's very simple. If you want to take back the control, you must first take care of the problem."

"You mean, Zoe? That' fine, I guess I can talking to her and try to get her to understand where I'm..."

"Maybe I'm not making myself clear. If she's going to keep opposing you like this, you have no choice... but to get rid of her." simplified Cherrymon.

"WHAT? Are you crazy? I can't do that! Zoe's my friend!"

"_Was_ your friend, kid. But not anymore. If you ask me, if they're not for you, they're against you. And I despise I anybody who is against me."

"What are you... THAT'S RIDICULOUS! Me fight with Zoe? Come on! I mean... we've had our share of arguments in the past, but... even so..."

"I've seen it before. Bond of friendships shattering, best friends becoming worst enemies in one fell swoop, it's inevitable, young man. In times like this, you can't trust anyone. Believe me kid, I've seen the look in her eyes and she's thinking the same thing. You need to destroy her... before she destroys you."

"No... I can't... Zoe, she... she's... I CAN'T!"

"Look kid, you can deny all you like, but you're only deluding yourself. I'm just speaking the truth. I know it hurts, but that's reality. In this cruel world, there are no friends, no partner, and no allies. When all's said and done, the only person you can rely on is yourself."

"Okay, that's it!" Bokomon growled, stepping in between Takuya and the tree. "I've just heard enough from you, Cherrymon! How dare you insult Takuya and his friends like that! Now GET LOST! Come on, Takuya. Let's go!"

He tugged as hard as he could on the boy's jean. It took him a few seconds to snap out of his thoughts. He gave the tree-like Digimon one last look before turning back to the path. And just like that, Takuya, Beautymon and Bokomon continued their journey to the Spirits of Wood. But in the back of Takuya's mind, Cherrymon's advice stuck on him like glue. He faced the ground, feeling confused and hesitant. Once when the three of them were out of side, Cherrymon turned around and chuckled to himself.

"Haha! That was almost too easy. The seed has been planted. Now, all I have to do is wait. And now it's time for the other human to get the same treatment. Malevomon would be so pleased once I get the Chosen Children to turn on each other!"

He quietly slipped through the forest, knowing that his plan has already been set into motion.

* * *

><p>The path that Cherrymon showed them earlier was pretty much straightforward. There weren't that many trees or other evil Digimon interrupting their journey. However, the entire walk has been quiet. Ever since that conversation with that tree, Takuya hasn't spoken a word. Beautymon tried getting his attention by sweet talking him or giving him small hugs. Unfortunately, his mind was so focus on Cherrymon's supposed 'words of wisdom' he wasn't paying attention to who was talking or where he was going.<p>

"Takuya? Takuya are you alright?" Bokomon asked. But there was no answer. His eyes remained focused on the ground.

"Cutie? Baby, please talk to me." begged Beautymon. Again, her words fell on deaf ears. Takuya was lost in thought, pondering about the advice Cherrymon gave him.

"Destroy Zoe? Me... destroy her?" He said to himself. "I can't do that to her... I just can't! She... she's my... friend... _Was_... my friend..."

"Takuya?" Bokomon called.

"But what if Cherrymon's right? What if Zoe's so mad at me, apologizing wouldn't even work? Who knows? Maybe she's thinking about annihilating me as well..."

"Takuya?"

"What should I do? I can't do something like that to Zoe... but then again, maybe I don't have a choice..."

"TAKUYA!" Bokomon shouted.

"WHAT?" Takuya yelled back.

"Look!" He said with his finger pointed out in front.

Takuya shifted his attention to the front to see what Bokomon was looking at. A large tree stood in the middle of the woods. It was about fifteen feet tall and had large branches sticking out. The leaves were luscious green with a small pinch of yellow on the edges. Also, there were a bunch of reddish apples and other fruits growing at the end of each branch. Takuya, Bokomon and Beautymon stared up at the marvelous tree before them.

"The Forbidden Fruit Tree." Takuya gasped.

"So beautiful... Well, not compared to me of course!" Beautymon arrogantly spoke.

"Takuya! Look over there!" Bokomon cried, point towards the right side of the tree.

On one of the branches appeared a couple of relic-like figures. Both of them appeared to be glowing in shining brown light. The relic on the right was shaped like a wooden puppet in a kneeling position. The one on the right had a large flower on it with a brown center, green vines on the bottom and eight red petals on the edge.

Without a doubt, these were the Legendary Spirits of Wood.

"There it is guys! We did it! We found the Spirit of Wood!" Takuya exclaimed.

"Great! Let's just get the Spirits and get out of here! I can't stand one more minute in this lousy forest!" Beautymon complained.

"Lousy? Come on! I actually like this place!" Another voice laughed. Takuya took out his D-Tector the moment he recognized the voice. He and Beautymon got in a defensive stance and scanned the entire vicinity, searching for Malevomon's faithful servant.

"Show yourself, Sinistromon!" Takuya ordered. Up on one of the branches of the Forbidden Fruit Tree, an imp-like Digimon appeared out of his hiding space.

"You know, you could have said 'please.'" teased Sinistromon.

"What are you doing here, you ungrateful little oaf? Shouldn't you be kissing your master's feet or polishing his nails?" Beautymon giggled.

"Haha! That was so funny, I forgot to laugh!" Sinistromon replied. "But if you must know, I came here for one thing! And that's for the Spirits of Wood! They belong to Lord Malevomon!"

He flapped his wings and flew quickly next to the two relics to his right. He reached into his backpack and took out a black sphere filled with an immense amount of evil energy.

"Oh no!" Bokomon gasped with his eyes widened. "Takuya! That's a Chaos Sphere! He's going to fuse it with the Spirits of Wood!"

"We gotta stop him!" Takuya ordered.

He rushed as fast as he could towards the imp-like Digimon and the two Legendary Spirits. Sinistromon grinned and waited for the human to get at least somewhat close to him. Finally, he placed the Chaos Sphere in between the Human and Beast Spirits. He slowly raised his arms and focused all of his energy on the two Spirits. While Sinistromon was doing this, the Spirits of Wood started to glow. The more he concentrated, the more energy the Spirits released.

"Legendary Spirits of Wood, AWAKEN!" Sinistromon demanded. Suddenly, the light engulfed the entire forest, blinding both every Digimon and human in the area. An invisible force caught Takuya off guard and shoved him backwards towards Beautymon and Bokomon. A few seconds passed and light faded away.

Standing in front of Takuya was the Legendary Warrior of Wood, Arbormon. He was a tall android Digimon whose body is entirely made out of wood; from the armor on his head to the boots on his feet. There were brown gears under his armpits, in between his arms, under his legs and one on his stomach. A pair of whitish eyes could be seen underneath his wood-like helmet.

"Ah, yeah! It's good to be back, right?" The android spoke.

"Arbormon... the Legendary Warrior of Wood!" Sinistromon yelled.

"The one and only!"

"Oh no, this is bad!" Takuya gasped.

"It's worse than that! It's horrible! Sinistromon's got a Chaos Sphere inside him!" Bokomon said.

"Great! Now what do we do?" asked Beautymon.

"Excellent! Lord Malevomon would be most pleased!" snickered Sinistromon.

"Indeed! I just can't wait to meet the master face to face, right? But until then, how may I serve the Lord Malevomon, Sinistromon?" Arbormon asked.

"Let's see... I got it! Arbormon, you see those pitiful creatures over there? DESTROY THEM!" asked the imp, pointing at Takuya and his friends.

The Warrior of Wood slowly turned towards his potential opponents. He had his eyes specifically set on Takuya. He laughed hysterically for a few seconds before finally getting serious. "Hahaha! You punks are going down... AND GOING DOWN HARD!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter twenty-three. <strong>

**Can Takuya defeat the Warriors of Wood or will Malevomon's newly acquired Spirit easily crush Takuya? How will Takuya respond after Cherrymon's words of wisdom? These questions will be answered in the next action packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	24. Going In Alone

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Once Takuya rescued Beautymon, the two of them became an unstoppable fighting force against the pack of Chamelemon. After winning the fight the group ran into Cherrymon, a devious Digimon who's also a master of deception. While he did show Takuya and the others where the Spirits of Wood were located, Cherrymon relayed some bad advice to Takuya, telling him that he needs to destroy Zoe in order to be strong. Things got worse when Sinistromon found the Spirits of Wood first. He inserted a Chaos Sphere, and commanded the newest servant of Malevomon to annihilate Takuya and his friends.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter twenty-four!**

* * *

><p><strong>Going In Alone<strong>

**Zoe's POV:**

I trudged along the soft, damp moss of the forest path. The trees whispered against the gentle wind, like a soft lullaby my mom used to sing when I was just a little girl. It was calm, soothing and very warm. It's such a wonderful, marvelous feeling. It made me wonder why this place was called the Forbidden Forest. I mean, a part of this place had its beauty and glorious wonder.

That's when I walked a little further and everything had changed before my eyes.

My light, smooth footsteps turned into rough, ridged stomps on the path filled with twigs and rocks. I could no longer hear the trees swaying with the gentle breeze. Instead, they were replaced with the snapping sound of branches being crushed by my tennis shoes. The sound of leaves crunching and twigs breaking gave me goosebumps. This place gave me the willies. Almost half an hour has gone by. And every minute that passed, the forest grew more and more creepy.

Still, it's good to have friends by your side in a dark, desolate place like this. The second-in-command of the Digimon Battlefront had a hand on one of his blades. He was also on a constant lookout for any evil creature. And of course, there's Neemon tripping on a tree root every few minutes. Even though Swiftmon and Neemon were right behind me, my sense of security was somewhat missing. I know I can take care of myself. But something just didn't feel right.

"Are we there yet?" Neemon asked me.

"I... I think so..." I stammered.

"We've been walking for over an hour." The Rookie complained.

"I know, Neemon. Just hang in there. We'll be there soon." I reassured him.

Are you sure we're going the right way?"

"Don't worry, Neemon! We're almost there!"

I turned and gave him a fake smile. The best thing to do in this situation was to stay positive. You know, fake it to make it. After the yellow rabbit nodded his head. We continued our walk in silence. Neemon passed the time by singing some songs to pass the time. I smiled at my Digimon friend before shifting my attention back to the front.

With nobody watching me, my smile was replaced with a sad frown.

Honestly, I have no idea where I'm going or if the Spirits of Wood were even on this path. Well to be fair, I had this feeling ever since Takuya and I were separated. But I didn't want to tell the others that we were lost. Yeah, smart decision Zoe. What a great time to show off your arrogance. I let my pride get the best of me, and at the worst possible time too. My intuition told me I was going the right way.

And yet, my heart said that I should've followed Takuya. Jeez, why does my heart always have to be right? I bet Takuya's probably laughing at me right now. He'll probably get to the Spirits first and then spend the next few hours rubbing it in my face. But if he does, I'll be sure to give him a good butt whopping. I won't feel ashamed if I send him to the Digimon Battlefront's Medical Wing.

"Okay, that's it! I need to rest!" Neemon complained. I looked back and saw the Rookie level Digimon collapse on a pile of leaves. "I can't walk anymore. I'm tired. I'm hungry. I need to use the bathroom."

"Come on, Neemon! We can't stop now! We have to keep moving!" I tried to encourage him.

"Five more... minute of..." His eyes slowly closed and his body slowly relaxed.

All of the sudden...

"Zzzzzzzzzz!"

One minute he was full of energy. The next thing you know, he's out like a light.

"Neemon! Come on, Neemon get up!" I ordered. I shook him a few times and gave him a couple of slaps on the cheek. But it was no use. Once Neemon goes to sleep, it takes a while for him to get up. And when I say 'a while,' I mean minutes or even hours.

"Unbelievable..." I groaned.

I looked back at Swiftmon, who was a few feet ahead of us. I was about to start a conversation with him, when I noticed a serious look in his eyes. Before I could ask him what's wrong, the second-in-command slowly took out one of his swords and got in a defensive stance.

That could only mean one thing... trouble.

"Swiftmon? What's wrong?"

"Something's not right..." Swiftmon mumbled. "We've been here before."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" I asked as I approached his side.

"We've been going around in circles."

"No way! How can you be certain?"

"Why don't you see for yourself?" The swordsman replied.

He held his weapon up to his face. His eyes locked onto a specific target. Swiftmon then pointed his blade to a certain spot. I looked to see what he was looking at. Then again, there was nothing but rows of trees ahead of us. Some of the trees had no leaves on them while a few had branches shaped like a multi-armed creature. But still, I had no idea what the second-in-command was referring to.

Suddenly, Swiftmon brought his arm back and threw his bladed weapon into the woods. I watched as the sword tumbled and sailed across the forest. The way it twisted and turned looked like a buzz saw in midair. It wasn't long before Swiftmon's weapon pierced through one of the trees in front of us. My guess is that there was something strange about this tree.

"Look." He said, pointing in that direction.

I gulped mildly before making my way towards his weapon. Slowly, I approached the tree, looking for anything special about it. I was only ten feet away when I finally saw what Swiftmon was looking at. His sword was stuck in between a large 'X' that was carved on the tree.

Did you carve that?" I wondered.

"Yes. Remember back at the intersection when you and your friend were arguing about which path to take?" He asked.

"Yeah. So, what's your point?" I answered with mild annoyance.

"Before I chased after you, I carved an 'X' on this tree to mark our trail. I happen to noticed we crossed this..."

"Get to the point, Swiftmon." I demanded. The swordsman sighed and told me his revelation.

"We're right back to where we started."

"Oh, this is just great!"

I let out a huge groan of frustration. We've spent a whole hour walking through the dark woods, not knowing we had been going around in circles this whole time. I tugged on my hair and kicked a few twigs off the ground. The warrior-like Digimon remained silent as I continued to vent.

"Are you kidding me? That's impossible, Swiftmon!" I argued, even though his evidence was concrete. Swiftmon pulled his sword out of the tree and gazed into my eyes.

"It's true." He said softly. "Don't believe me? Check this out."

He turned toward his right and threw his sword in that direction. I watched his weapon tumbled through the woods and waited for it to pierce through another tree. A few seconds later, I heard a "CHHHH" kind of sound. Swiftmon gave me a quick nod and pointed towards the direction where he threw he sword, as if he wanted me to find it.

I probably wasn't going to like what I'd find, but I didn't want to argue with Swiftmon.

I ventured through the forest and searched for the swordsman's weapon. It took a while, but my eyes finally caught something shiny just ahead. I saw Swiftmon's sword not only stuck in the ground, also back on the path as well. I went to retrieve it, when something suspicious caught my eye. The path I was on divided up into two different paths.

And then it hit me like a ton of bricks.

This was the same fork in the road where Takuya and I went our separated way. The same place where I've said some bad things to him. The same place where I called him all of those terrible names. Those nasty words played back in my mind. It made me sick to my stomach. It brought my heart a tremendous amount of pain, thinking about all those things I've said to Takuya.

In the beginning, I meant every word I said about him. But now, I felt nothing but stupidity and guilt. Because of my stubbornness and foolish remarks, I lost of sight of the mission... and the one person that meant so much to me. What is wrong with me?

"No... I can' believe it! We ARE back to where we started!" I gasped.

"I guess your friend did go the right way."

I saw Swiftmon approaching me with Neemon tucked around his arms. He gently lowered the yellow rabbit to the ground and picked up his weapon. Swiftmon spun it a few before returning it back to its original position.

"Shut up, Swiftmon!" I said angrily. "Stupid Takuya... UUGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

My head was filled with uncontrollable emotions. I just had to let it all out. I kicked a rock beside my feet and watched it fly into a nearby tree. The rock bounced off the wood and landed softly on the dirt.

"Ow! Hey, that hurts!" Someone cried.

The sound of the mysterious voice completely surprised me. I hustled back towards Swiftmon and took out my D-Tector. The swordsman unsheathed one of his blades and held it out in front, ready to slice any potential enemies. If I were to hazard a guess, it was probably a Digimon who had just spoke.

"Who's there?" I shouted. I searched the entire vicinity, but there was no one around us. "Hello? Anybody there? Answer me!"

"Relax." The voice said again. A light gasp escaped my mouth. "Don't be afraid, my child. I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to talk."

"Hold on a minute. I know that voice..." Swiftmon muttered as he slowly took out his second sword.

"Didn't you hear me? I specifically said I didn't want to fight you guys. Are you pitiful creatures that deaf, or do you find it enjoyable to bring pain upon others?" He spoke again.

"Just show yourself!" I demanded.

"Very well then." He replied.

For a brief moment, the forest was quiet. I tightened my grip on my D-Tector and dropped in a defensive position. I did not recognized the voice, but I knew certain it wasn't Takuya. I waited for some creature to pounce out of the bushes or dive from the skies. The sounds of branches snapping and leaves dancing with the wind entered my ear. I looked around the woods, but all I saw were bushes and a lot of trees.

Suddenly, one of the trees started to move towards us. My eyes widened in amusement and fear. This tree was alive. It could possibly a Digimon. But as the tree approached us, I began to notice some fascinating features on it. Two glimmering, yellowish eyes and a mustache-like patch of leaves and grass were on his body. The tree had a couple of arms with a cane in one hand. A few vines dangled on his head and a bunch of cherries decorated the top.

"Good day to you, my friends." The tree said.

"Cherrymon." glowered Swiftmon.

"Cherrymon?" I repeated.

"A wise Digimon who's too smart for his own good. Keep your guard up." Swiftmon told me. The tree's grin grew wider. I took a couple steps back to increase the distance between us. A look of confusion appeared on his face. But that quickly disappeared the moment he chuckled to himself.

"Relax, my dear. I mean you no harm." He said. "Trust me! My bark is worse than my bite... HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

His hysterical laugh bounced off the trees around us. Unfortunately, he was the only one making noise. Swiftmon and I stood there, looking somewhat dumbfounded. To be honest, Cherrymon's joke wasn't funny at all. It was more disturbing to say the least. A minute later, his laughter subsided. He wiped away a tear off his cheeks and looked back at me.

"What's wrong? Bad joke? Figures... you humans have a lousy sense of humor."

"We don't have time for your wisecracks, Cherrymon. Now let us be. We're not in the mood to talk... especially to you." Swiftmon ordered.

"Come on, Swiftmon. That's no way to treat your elders. You, of all Digimon, should know that, right?" I looked into the swordsman's eyes and sensed disdain and irritation. Apparently, Swiftmon did not like this guy.

"What do you want from us, Cherrymon?" I asked, just out of curiosity.

"Me? Nothing. I'm just your average cherry tree giving help to those who need it." He replied.

"We don't need your help." argued Swiftmon. "Now get lost before I..."

"Sheesh... someone must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed." Cherrymon laughed, pointing his cane at the swordsman. But Swiftmon countered by slashing through the bottom part of his cane. The tree-like Digimon was shocked at his reaction, but showed little emotion afterwards. He threw away his cane and looked back at me.

"I know why you're here my child. You came to the Forbidden Forest to search for something. More specifically, something of the utmost importance?"

Obviously this Digimon was on the right track, but I still wasn't impressed. I tried to keep a straight face because any subconscious movement could reveal him the truth. If he's as wise they say he is, Cherrymon should be able to figure it out on his own.

"Could it be that you're searching for... hold on a second... it's on the tip of my tongue... Ah, yes... The Legendary Spirits of Wood?"

My eyes instantly shot up and a light gasp exited my lips. Unfortunately, Cherrymon easily picked up my tell. The smirk on his face grew.

"So, was I right or... was I right?" He snickered.

"Lucky guess..." I replied.

"Luck had nothing to do with, my dear. But to be honest, I actually knew that from the very beginning."

"Oh yeah? How?"

"Simple. The other human told me. And being the kind Digimon I am, I showed him the way."

"Takuya..." I grumbled. "Wait, how do you know where the Spirits are?"

"Hello? Who do you think you're talking to? I'm Cherrymon! My roots are connected to every tree in the forest. There's nothing in this woods I can't see. Your friend asked me for help and I told him where to go."

"He what? Takuya, how could you..." I growled. I couldn't believe this boy got help from a tree.

"And that's not all..." Cherrymon said. "... before he left, there was something else he told me..."

"LEAVE ME ALONE, CHERRYMON!" I shouted. This Digimon was getting on my last nerve and I had just about enough of listening to his voice. I walked pasted the talkative tree and trotted towards the path Takuya originally took with frustration in my eyes.

"Besides... I can care less about that jerk anyway." I said to myself.

"Listen to me, my dear! It's very important!" Cherrymon called out to me, but I kept on walking, not stopping to hear what he has to say.

"YOUR LIFE'S IN DANGER! IT'S YOUR FRIEND! HE'S COMNIG FOR YOU!

My heart was completely unprepared for Cherrymon's warning. I froze instantly on the spot. Those words felt like a strong punch to my gut. Honestly, I had no idea how to react to such a ludicrous statement. It's outrageous. What does he mean my life is in danger and Takuya's coming for me? I knew our last argument really threw him off the edge, but I didn't expect him to react like this. Is he really that mad at me? Mad enough to turn against me?

No... It can't be. That's not the Takuya I know. He's the kind of person who uses his head instead of his fists. He only fights if there's no other choice. Sure, we don't get along all the time, but who does? That's what you expect from friends like us. Arguments come a dime a dozen. But even so... he would never turn on his friends. No matter how heated the argument, Takuya would never resort to violence. Not just because I'm a girl, but because I'm his best friend.

Or, so I was...

I looked back at the tree-like Digimon, hoping for him to clarify. I just hope that what he was about to tell me wasn't true at all.

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

"Why would Takuya say something like that?" asked Zoe.

"Takuya, huh?" Cherrymon repeated. "Hmm... interesting name. Can't believe it took me this long to figure it out. Then again, Beautymon kept calling him 'Cutie' and I was thinking what kind of name is..."

"CHERRYMON!" Zoe shouted impatiently. The plant-like Digimon gave her a sly grin and chuckled.

"Sorry about that." He apologized. "Anyway, when I told him where the Spirits of Wood were located, I noticed the look in his eyes. He told me about the Digimon Battlefront and the mission he was on to retrieve the Spirits. But his eyes told me a different story. And I recognized those eyes anywhere. It's a look... of vengeance."

"Vengeance? I don't understand..." Zoe said, with her voice slowly trailing off.

"I was just as confused as you are. So, I asked him. Frankly, he was kind enough to take the time to answer."

"Well, what did he say?"

"Are you sure you want to know? I bet you're not going to like it."

"Takuya's my friend! I care about him!" She answered boldly.

"Oh, I'm sure you do." And then Cherrymon's sighed. "Too bad he doesn't feel the same about you anymore."

"He what?" Zoe gasped. "What do you mean?"

"He told me about the fights you two had. He also mentioned the way you treated him. And through those words, I detected anger, frustration, impatience... and rage."

"You're kidding me! Takuya would never..."

"He said he was getting sick and tired of you treating him like dirt; that he's put up with your insults and abuse long enough."

"ABUSE?" Zoe repeated.

"Yes. I tried to tell them fighting is a part of friendship and that he should give you another chance. But anger clouded his judgment, he wouldn't even consider forgiving you."

"Takuya..."

"Anyway, before he left, he told me that the next time he sees you would be the last. He's had enough of his best friend stabbing him in the back. Your friend said that as long as you're alive, he can _never _reach his full potential."

"No... That's... That's a lie! Takuya... He would never..." whispered the young woman.

Inside, she was breaking down. It was her worst nightmare come to life. Her best friend not only hates her, but was going to destroy her the next time their paths cross. Tears fell uncontrollably. Zoe collapsed on her knees and wrapped her hands around her head.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" She sobbed.

"Hehe... this is way too easy!" Cherrymon said to himself.

"Takuya... how... how could... why..."

"I'm sorry, my child. But it's the truth."

"It can't be... Takuya... he and I... I didn't mean to..."

"But fear not, for there is a way out of this situation." The tree-like Digimon announced.

"Huh?" Zoe wondered as she wiped away her tears.

"Yes. You may not like it, but it's the only way. You have to protect yourself. He's a threat to your life. There is no choice... but to eliminate him!"

"What? Are you saying I should..."

"Yes."

"No. That's ridiculous! I can't do that to him! He's my best friend!"

"Is he really? Or are you just saying that to make yourself feel better?" asked Cherrymon.

Zoe opened her mouth, but couldn't come up with the proper answer. She had no idea what the truth is anymore. Not a single sound escaped her lips. Cherrymon noticed the girl hesitating and crumbling inside.

"I... I don't know. That's the truth, okay? I really don't know!"

"You don't, but I do. Your friend even told me."

"Eh?" Zoe gasped, anxiously waiting for Cherrymon's explanation.

"He said that you two are not friends anymore. You are his mortal enemy and he'll annihilate you no matter what it takes."

"No... Takuya..."

"You have to fight back, my dear. You have to destroy him before he destroys you. Reasoning with him won't work. Words will never reach his head. You have to fight fire with fire!"

"I CAN'T!" The girl fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around her head. Tears were forming in her eyes.

"You MUST!"

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Haha! I'm sorry, young lady, but this is the result of friendship, trust and loyalty. Once when that bond is broken, it's impossible to fix! From there, all the good times and memories are thrown out the window! It's the harsh, unforgiving, yet fateful truth. There is no such thing as friendship. Take it from me, sweetheart, the only person you can rely on is yoursel... UUGGGGHHHHHH!"

The sound of Cherrymon gasping made Zoe's head shot up. Her eyes slowly moved towards the tree's body. A sharp blade of a sword pierced straight through Cherrymon's thick wood. The plant-like Digimon slowly glanced behind him and noticed a swordsman pulling his weapon out of his body. Both Digimon exchanged horrific glares at each other. However, while Swiftmon's leer spoke justice, Cherrymon's was mixture of anger and pain.

"Why you little... CHERRY BLAS..."

"DIAMOND CUTTER!" shouted the swordsman Digimon.

He took his second sword out and quickly disappeared. Suddenly, everything moved in slow motion. The warrior danced around the tree swinging and flailing his swords around. A second later, he reappeared in between Cherrymon and a broken Zoe. He spun his weapons a couple times before placing them back in his sheathes.

The forest was silent for a few seconds, even though it felt like an eternity for everyone in the vicinity. Convinced that nothing was done, Cherrymon lifted up his roots and drew closer towards the swordsman and the young woman.

"You incompetent fools! Now I'm going to destroy yo... what the..."

He looked to his right side and noticed his arm had been sliced off, crashing to the ground with a thud. A sudden gasped left his mouth as he shifted his attention to his other side. He lost all feeling in his second arm. And before he knew it, his left arm fell off and landed hard on the grass. Both of Cherrymon's arms disintegrated and disappeared before his eyes. He gave Swiftmon a surprised look and an angry glower at the Bearer of Wind.

"CURSE YOU LEGENDARY WARRIORS! AAAAHHHHH!" He screamed as the rest of his body digitized into tiny pieces. His Fractal Code floated in the area and away from the group. Swiftmon lets out a quick sigh and turned his attention towards Zoe. He held his hand out and helped her back to her feet.

"Are you okay?" Swiftmon asked.

"I... I guess so..." replied the young woman. She slowly turned to the spot where Cherrymon once stood. "Swiftmon you... you just... why did..."

"I had no choice. That guy was getting on my nerves." The swordsman responded. "And besides... that guy was another one of Malevomon's servants."

"He was?"

"Look over there."

Again he pointed to where Cherrymon originally was. Zoe looked towards the area try to find what Swiftmon was talking about. Her eyes slowly moved towards the ground, where she spotted something that almost knocked her off of her feet. A dark black sphere laid on the ground, surging with evil energy.

"A Chaos Sphere?" She gasped.

As she suspected, it was another one of Malevomon's malicious inventions. Zoe watched as the black orb flowed with its dark power. However, because Cherrymon was deleted, the power inside the Chaos Sphere had dropped all the way down to zero. When all of the evil energy had depleted, the Chaos Sphere shattered into bits and pieces. Seconds later, Neemon woke up after missing all of the action.

"Hey, what happened here?" He randomly asked. But Swiftmon and Zoe ignored his question as they faced the path that Takuya and everyone else originally took.

"Well, we better get going. Everyone else is probably waiting for us." suggested Swiftmon.

"Yeah... right." Zoe quietly agreed. She took the lead and walked in silence with Neemon and the swordsman Digimon following her.

But while they continued their journey, a thought remained inside the blonde's mind. It was the idea that Cherrymon had initially planted in her brain before he was deleted. She tried to let it go, but the thought remained. What if the tree's right? What if Takuya's so mad at her, forgiveness will never be an option? Is he really going to destroy her? Even if she apologized sincerely?

"What should I do? What should I do?" She muttered to herself. "I've said so many terrible things to Takuya. I had no idea how much those words could impact our friendship."

"Um, Zoe?" Neemon called.

"I can't fight Takuya. He's my best friend... I mean... he's more than that. Takuya means so much to me. I can't let one silly little argument destroy our friendship."

"Zoe?" Neemon spoke again.

"But what if Cherrymon says is true? What if Takuya's really does want to hurt me? Maybe Takuya really does hate me. If he really intends on destroying me, then I... then I... *gulp*... I don't know! Takuya... I... I..."

"HEY, ZOE!"

"WHAT? WHAT IS IT NEEMON?" The blond haired girl yelled.

"Look, over there!" The rabbit Digimon said, pointing his finger out in front.

Zoe turned to where Neemon was looking at. A confused look appeared on the young woman's face. There was nothing but rows and rows of trees in front of them. There were also a few insects crawling on the branches, cobwebs dangling overhead and a few green and golden leaves gently falling to the ground. For a few moments, there was nothing. Zoe began to wonder if Neemon actually saw anything.

However, before she could speak, something caught her eye. A white light appeared from behind the trees. It started off as small, but began to grow with each passing second. Zoe's eyes widened with fear and astonishment. The light provided such radiant brilliance that gave the young woman a warm feeling in her heart. Suddenly, the light shined brighter than usual, engulfing the entire forest and blinding both Digimon and human in the area. Zoe shielded her eyes and waited for the light to subside.

"Pretty!" Neemon complimented.

"What was that?" The blonde asked. She looked towards the swordsman Digimon and noticed a serious look on his face.

"I have a bad feeling about this..." He muttered.

"Swiftmon, what is it? What's going on? Is it Takuya and the others?"

"Yes... they must have found the Spirits of Wood."

"Oh, that's good!" Zoe sighed.

She was a little disappointed that Takuya got to the Spirits before she did, but at least they've completed their mission. That's another means they're one step closer to defeating Malevomon and restoring peace to the Digital World. Zoe was about to overjoy, when she noticed the look in Swiftmon's eyes hasn't change.

"Swiftmon, what's wrong?"

"Trouble..."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I've seen that light before. This could only mean one thing. Sinistromon has gotten control of the Legendary Spirits."

"He what? No! Are you saying he's fused them with a Chaos Sphere?"

"I'm afraid so my child. I recognized that light in my previous battles against the dark forces. That's how we lost the Spirits of Thunder, Light and Darkness. The incredible power form the Spirits, together with the massive energy of the Chaos Sphere makes a deadly combination, possibly too great for any of us to overcome."

"It can't be!" Zoe gasped.

"We got to do something, before it's too late!" said Swiftmon. He took out both of his swords and pointed them towards the front.

"LET'S MOVE!"

"RIGHT!" The young woman agree with a determined look on her face.

And with that Swiftmon took the lead with Zoe and Neemon following behind. As they rushed through the woods, the swordsman Digimon cleared a path by chopping down any tree that got in his way. The blonde haired girl could feel the adrenaline flowing through her entire body. Beads of sweat from fell from her forehead. She reached into her pocket and took out her D-Tector.

Inside her mind, she began to think about what dangers await them. She has already faced a Legendary Warrior who had been fused with the Chaos Sphere: Ranamon. Saying that she lost to the Warrior of Water is only an understatement. She humiliated her and brutalized her without even breaking a sweat. Thinking back to that last battle made Zoe's heart accelerated. But that was just one of her problems. As she continued racing through the forest, her thoughts returned to one boy.

Her best friend and/or (possibly) her worst enemy, waiting for on the other side of the woods.

* * *

><p>Arbormon slowly stomped towards Takuya and Beautymon, cracking his knuckles and other parts of his body with each step he took. The Bearer of Flame grabbed his D-Tector out of his pocket while Beautymon held her arms out in front of her, ready to unleash her signature beams. Another tough battle awaits them. However, this one is against one a Legendary Warrior.<p>

"Be careful, Cutie. This guy sure knows how to fight!" Beautymon said.

"I know! I've already faced him before!" Takuya remembered.

Back then, he was one of five Legendary Warriors under the control of the evil Cherubimon. Even though he was just one of his subordinates, he was one of the strongest Digimon he has ever faced. Arbormon may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he sure can give someone a beating. He has incredible range and a tremendous amount of power.

But the worst part is that Sinistromon has fused the Spirits of Wood with a Chaos Sphere. Not only he's become evil again, but his speed and strength has increased by several levels. A bead of sweat dropped from Takuya's face.

"Hey, what's this? You's weaklings aren't afraid of me, right? That's pathetic! But you know what they say, 'Fear is the true opiate of combat,' right?" said Arbormon.

"Afraid? Who's afraid you overgrown puppet?" Beautymon spoke with an intimidating glare on her face.

"Ooh, pretty girl's got some spunk! I like it! You must be one tough fighter, right?"

"The best there is!" She grinned arrogantly.

"Hmm... I see! But I don't have to time to be messing with spunky girls like you!" The Warrior of Wood shifted his attention from the female Digimon to the teenage boy.

"Right now, I have one task! And that's to destroy the human and claim his Spirits! Lord Malevomon would be most please, right?"

"Not a chance!" Takuya exclaimed. He clinched his D-Tector tight. "You'll never defeat the two of us! We got you outnumbered, Arbormon!"

"Ooh, I'm shaking in my boots! Hahahaha! Two against one? I'll still win no matter how many of you's there are."

"Oh yeah? You and what army?" Beautymon huffed.

"Boys?" Arbormon called out.

Suddenly, the Warrior of Wood snapped her fingers. The sound echoed throughout the forest. A few seconds later, the ground began to shake. The violent upheaval almost knocked Takuya and Beautymon to the ground. Luckily, they were able to keep their balance and their defenses up. The two of them scanned the area, searching for Arbormon's subordinates.

Moments, large plant-like Digimon appeared from underneath the ground. Their bodies resemble large weakened tree with two thick arms on top and smaller ones towards the side. They had a few roots sticking out of the ground and their eyes were filled with rage and frustration. There were a couple of spikes on their shoulders, plus a few prickly thorns on their back.

"It's about time, Woodmon!" Arbormon ordered.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Woodmon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Branch Bash; Wood Drill**

**Description: Woodmon, plant-like Digimon who are known to disguise as trees to absorb the energy from other unsuspecting Digimon. Their bark is like armor, capable of withstanding almost anything. With their Branch Bash, they can their opponent's energy dry until they're as dry as a bone.**

""How may we serve you, Arbormon sir?" One of the tree-like creatures said.

"DESTROY THOSE SAPS, RIGHT?"

"YES, SIR!" All of the Woodmon replied.

Upon command, the plant creatures heavily marched their way towards Takuya and Beautymon. The teenage boy got in his stance and was ready to fight. The Woodmon raised their arms up as they closed the distance. After one of them gave the signal, they brought their heavy branches down towards the two warriors. Beautymon and Takuya dove out of the way in order avoid the attack.

The tree-like creatures' strikes not only created a massive crater on the ground, but is also caused the whole forest to shake. Takuya's eyes widened when he noticed the results of their attacks. If he hadn't dodged that, Woodmon would have easily flattened him like a pancake. The Bearer of Flame got back to his feet and face the army of plant-type Digimon.

"Alright, buddy! Come on! Let's dance!" Takuya said confidently.

"ATTACK!" One of the Woodmon commanded.

Arbormon's servants turned and angrily marched towards the teenage goggle-head. He was about to Spirit Evolve into Agunimon when something caught his eyes. The army of Woodmon stomped right past him like he didn't even exist. Takuya stood there stunned and confused.

"That's strange. Why are they ignoring me? They could've had me surrounded. If they had attacked me at the same time, I probably wouldn't have a chance." Takuya said to himself. He looked back to see where the Woodmon where heading off to.

"If I'm not their target... then who is... OH NO!"

He has finally figured out their plan.

Takuya watched as the Woodmon stomped their way towards the female warrior. Beautymon held her arms up and got in a defensive position. Each step the trees took forced Beautymon to take a step back. She retaliated by firing two pinkish beams to a couple of Woodmon. Unfortunately, both of her targets tilted their heads to the side to completely evade the attack. While Beautymon was surprised to see her opponents easily dodged her beams, that didn't stop her from grinning.

"Ooh, I'm going to have so much fun with you ugly saps. Come on, boys! Follow me!" She said, pulling her index finger at the Woodmon. The plant-like Digimon obliged as Beautymon lead them out of the area and into the depths of the forest.

"Beautymon!" Takuya called out. But then he glowered back at the Warrior of Wood, who was walking slowly towards him

"It looks like it's just you and me now, right?" Arbormon chuckled.

"That's why you summoned those guys! You want to face me, and me alone!"

"You're pretty smart for a human, if you know what I'm talking about!"

"Well, if it's a fight you want Arbormon, then it's a fight you got!" growled Takuya.

"Finally, we're on the same page, right? Let's get this over with so I can crush you and deliver your Spirits to my master, Lord Malevomon!"

"In your dreams! There's no way I'm going to lose to you!"

"Hehe, you've got guts, kid! I like that! But you're going to need more than that to defeat... Wait a minute, what am I saying? You'll never defeat me! HAHAHAHA!"

"Grrrrrr... KNOCK IT OFF!" Takuya shouted as he held his D-Tector out in front of him.

*Insert Song: With The Will*

A bluish sketch of the Human Spirit of Flame traced itself on the screen of Takuya's D-Tector. When the outline was finished, the screen on his device stated to glow. With her red and black device in one hand, he extended his left arm in front of him and opened up his hand. A ring of Fractal Code surrounded the Takuya's hand. He crossed his arms as well as swung them around a few times, before finally bringing his device and the Fractal Code ring together. The scanner made contact with the data ring, making Takuya's device beep, and screech.

"EXECUTE..." Takuya cried, swiping the Fractal Code with his D-Tector. "... SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

A long line of data surrounded his body. Takuya's clothes digitized just as the Human Spirit of Flame started to awakened. He could feel his body being enveloped by strong amounts of energy. The heat from the raging hot flames flowed throughout him, as he becoming one with the Spirit. It wasn't long before the transformation was complete. He uncrossed his arms, creating giant flames on both of his fists. He gave a hook with his left arm and another powerful punch with his right arm, sending the large fireballs flying like a cannonball.

"AGUNIMON!" The creature said.

The Warrior of Flame pounded his fists together, creating two fireballs at the end of both hands. He unleashed a loud roar which echoed throughout the forest.

"PYRO PUNCH!" shouted Agunimon. He threw both of his fists forward, launching the two fireballs at the Warrior of Wood.

"Ooh, I'm scared... NOT!" Arbormon laughed. He took a couple steps to the right and the fireballs sailed right past him. They collided against a nearby tree and it exploded on impact.

"Not bad, kid! Not bad at all!"

"You haven't seen anything yet, Arbormon! I'm just getting warmed up!"

"Now that's the spirit! I like it when you Warriors fight me at one hundred percent! It makes the battle so much fun and the victory that much sweeter, right?"

"Oh yeah? We'll see who's having fun when this is all over!"

A fierce staring contest ensued between the two Legendary Warriors. They could hear the leaves rustling in the wind. It was extremely quiet on the battlefield. However, both Warriors silently planned their strategies against each other, taking in every critical factor as well as their strengths and weaknesses.

Agunimon punched his fists together, creating a couple more fireballs on his knuckles. Arbormon countered by detaching both of his arms. Long cables appeared out of the sockets, giving the Legendary Warrior even greater range. Finally, the two of them dug their feet into ground and got in their defensive stance.

"TAKE THIS, YOU OVERSIZE PUPPET! PYRO PUNCH!" The fiery Digimon shouted.

He launched two more fireballs at the Warrior of Wood. Arbormon countered by swinging both of his long, cable-like arms at Agunimon's attacks, cutting them perfectly in half. As he started to retract his arms back to the original position, the Warrior of Flame shot a couple more fireballs at him.

This time, instead of swatting the attacks, Arbormon dove out of the way as the fireballs collided into a tree, causing it to explode. The Warrior of Wood wiped the dirt off of his body. He looked back at his opponent and couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.

"Ah, very impressive! You're a much stronger fighter than last time, right?"

"Thanks for the comment! But I don't need you, of all Digimon, to state the obvious!" smiled Agunimon.

"You little brat!" growled the android Digimon. "Your cockiness is what makes you goody two-shoes such an annoyance! You know what they say, 'Overconfidence will get you killed faster than a bullet any day,' right?"

"And you know what I say, 'Everything I do, is in confidence!' Confidence is all I need to take you down!"

"You sure are stubborn! No matter, keep on talking! Your words will mean nothing once when I beat you to a pulp! And after I destroy you, I'll deliver your Spirits to Lord Malevomon and he shall award me dearly, right?"

"Hmph! That's never gonna happen, Arbormon!"

"Well, let's find out, shall we?" The Warrior of Wood. He leaped towards the sky and detached both of his arms.

"ROUNDHOUSE PUNCH!"

He threw his right arm towards the Warrior of Flame. He clenched his right hand and went for straight hook to his opponent's jaw. But then again, Agunimon had plenty of time to react. Just before the attack could reach him, he ducked of the way to cleanly avoid the punch. Arbormon then launched his left arm at the Legendary Warrior, going for a straight punch to his face. Agunimon leaned towards the side and watched Arbormon's hand sail right past him.

The Warrior of Wood pulled back his arm, trying to go for a second attack. However, the fiery Digimon saw it coming. He rolled out of the way, barely avoiding the second oncoming punch. Arbormon retracted both of his arms and stalked the Warrior of Flame like a hungry animal. But the moment he turned to his opponent, the wood-like android got set up for another attack.

"Good moves there! Now it's time to 'kick' things up! ROUNDHOUSE KICK!"

This time, Arbormon detached one of his legs and viciously swung it forward. The tension on the cable accelerated the attack, making it twice as fast and four times as powerful. The Warrior of Flame performed a matrix move and waited for the detached leg to swing over his body. Unfortunately, he didn't see the smug smile on Arbormon's face. The look in his eyes meant that he has Agunimon right where he wants him. He proceeded with his roundhouse kick. Arbormon's leg missed the fiery Digimon by just a few inches.

But just when Agunimon was about to get back into the fight, Arbormon brought his leg back around and hovered his foot over his opponent's head. He straighten his leg and descended on Agunimon's skull like giant hammer. The Warrior of Flame saw the oncoming axe kick, but had no time to react. Arbormon's foot slammed hard on the top of Agunimon's skull and dug his head into the ground. The Legendary Warrior laid motionlessly with his face flat on the dirt. Moments later, he regained consciousness. Agunimon shook off the blow from his opponent and quickly got back to his feet.

"Such power!" Agunimon said to himself as he glared back at the Warrior of Wood. "This guy is much faster and stronger than last time! Man, if it wasn't for the stupid Chaos Sphere, this fight would've been fair to say the least!"

"What's wrong, kid? Don't tell me you're getting tired already! This battle has just begun, right?"

"Don't worry about me!" The Warrior of Flame declared as his stood up and got in a defensive position. "I'm not done with you yet! Trust me! I've still got plenty of fight left in me! There's no way I'm going to lose to a Legendary Warrior with a Chaos Sphere inside him!"

"Meh! Whatever you say, you lousy human!" said Arbormon. "Just so you know, I'm not even breaking a sweat! I can fight only using twenty percent of my current power and that'll be more than enough to defeat you and..."

"Pyro Darts!" shouted Agunimon.

Small bits of fire appeared out of his gauntlets. One by one, the fiery Digimon threw the fiery darts at his opponent. But Arbormon lets out a sigh of disappointment. He just stood there in place, allowing himself to get hit by Agunimon's attacks. The darts nailed Arbormon's head, body, arms and legs. Unfortunately, neither one of the blazing missiles inflict any significant damage on the Warrior of Wood. The darts either fanned out on impact, or bounced off his body like rubber balls.

"Mmm, that one felt pretty good, right?" snickered the Warrior of Wood. Arbormon then sneered back at his opponent. "Is that the best you can do, half pint?"

"Why I oughta..." Agunimon growled. He took a step back, to rethink his strategy.

"This sucks! I'm not getting anywhere with this guy! Every one of my attacks is either getting swatted away or has absolutely no effect on him! I need to come up with a different approach! Attacking from a distance doesn't seem to be working!"

"Here I come! Ready or not!" Arbormon laughed as he casually marched towards Agunimon. The Warrior of Flame dug his feet into the ground and put his hands out in front.

"I can't beat him with range! He's just too quick and my attacks are way too slow! In that case, I'll take the fight to him instead!"

He punched his hands together and created two more fireballs at the end of each knuckle. He then ran at full speed towards the Warrior of Wood. Arbormon dropped into his stance and watched patiently as the fiery Digimon came charging at him like an angry rhino. After a couple of spin steps, Agunimon crouched down and threw his right arm forward.

Arbormon saw the punch coming and immediately tilted his head to the side to avoid the hit. Agunimon went for a second punch to his opponent's body. But like last time, the evil Warrior easily evaded the hit. The wooden android retaliated by detaching one of his arms and swinging it forward at Agunimon's head. The Digimon of Flame retreated a couple steps and leaned his head back, barely avoiding the attack by a few centimeters. Arbormon's fists crashed into a nearby tree on the follow through.

"Now's my chance!" Agunimon said to himself. He dug his feet into the ground and twisted his body to the left. Large fireballs reappeared on his fists. The more he focused his energy, the more intense the heat was.

"PYRO TORNADO!" He shouted as extended his arms to his side and spun around in circles. All of the sudden, his body was surrounded by raging hot flames. The faster he rotated, the bigger the flames grew. Soon, a fiery tornado engulfed the Warrior of Flame.

Agunimon spun towards the Warrior of Wood and delivered a barrage of vicious backfists to the head and midsection. At the same time, Arbormon found himself trapped inside Agunimon's fiery cyclone. But the unfathomed look in his eyes remained. He stood in the exact same spot, taking every single one of Agunimon's shots like a punching bag. A fake yawn escaped his mouth.

"Sheesh, this is getting boring! Gotta at least make this throwdown exciting, right?" chuckled the wooden Digimon.

He held his arm out in front and waited for the right opportunity. With precise timing, Arbormon managed to grab one of Agunimon's arms. The flaming tornado around them had suddenly disappeared, revealing the two Legendary Warriors locked in a test of strength. Arbormon's got a firm grip on Agunimon's wrist, while the Warrior of Flame is doing whatever he can to get loose. With his free hand, Agunimon went for another fiery punch to Arbormon's body. But the Warrior of Wood used his other hand to catch Agunimon's attacking fist.

"Let go! Let me go, you overgrown Pinocchio!" The Warrior of Flame demanded.

"I'm afraid I can't do that! The ride has just begun, right?" Arbormon grinned.

With a strong grip on both of Agunimon's wrist, the wooden android pushed his feet off the ground and leaped over the Warrior of Flame, executing a front flip whilst in midair. But just when he's about to land, Arbormon used the rest of his momentum to throw the helpless Agunimon over his head and driving his opponent horizontally belly first into the ground. The Legendary Warrior felt like he was slammed into a concrete wall. His stomach muscles tightened up. He could've cracked a rib if Arbormon had slammed him any harder.

Unfortunately, Arbormon was still on the attack. He flipped Agunimon on his back and grabbed both of his legs. He then pivots his body, rotating around to lift his opponent off the ground. The Warrior of Wood spun Agunimon faster in a circle like he's a giant hammer throw. The fiery Digimon kept his eyes close to fight the dizziness, but the velocity of the rotation made him sick to his stomach. Finally, Arbormon released Agunimon's legs, sending him flying through the forest. The Warrior of Flame crashed hard into a large tree, nearly breaking it in half. His body goes limp as he slumped to the ground.

Bokomon reappeared out of his one of the bushes and looked towards the area where Agunimon and Arbormon were fighting. So far, this battle has been in Arbormon's favor from the very beginning. Every attack Agunimon has thrown seems to have no effect on the wooden android. But then again, Arbormon has a Chaos Sphere inside his body. His speed, power, defense and other intangibles have increased, making him stronger than the average Legendary Warrior. The sight of seeing Agunimon slumping against the tree made him anxious and very nervous.

"Agunimon!" He called out. "Are you alright? Please speak to me!"

"I'm... I'm fine, Bokomon." The Warrior of Flame grunted. It took the fiery Digimon almost all of his energy to get back to his feet.

"Stay where you are! It's dangerous here!"

"Okay! Be careful, my boy!" Bokomon replied before returning to his hiding spot.

Agunimon stood back up and faced the Warrior of Wood. Again Arbormon detached both of his arms and slowly walked towards his opponent. The fiery Digimon dropped into his stance with both of his hands covered with hot flames. But instead of launching another 'Pyro Punch' he stood his ground and waited for Arbormon to close the distance. As Agunimon quickly went over his strategy, beads of sweat fell off of his heated face. He quickly glanced to the tree just behind Arbormon's left side. There was large hole on one of the sides, indicating where the Warrior of Wood initially attacked.

"It's risky, but I'm gonna have to take a chance." Agunimon thought as he visualized the plan being put into action.

"First, I'll stay on the defensive end, dodging as much attacks as I can! Once when Arbormon gets comfortable, I'll surprise him by getting one of his arms stuck in a tree! That's when he'll be open..."

"Take this! ROUNDHOUSE PUNCH!" said the Warrior of Wood.

He dug is feet into the ground and watched as Arbormon pulled his arms back. Without any warning, the wooden android threw his right hand towards Agunimon. Arbormon's punch came towards the fiery Digimon at an incredible velocity. Agunimon sidestepped out of the way and focused his attention on his opponent's other arm.

This time, when Arbormon launched his left hand at the Legendary Warrior, he added a little rotation to it, turning a straight punch into a left hook. But Agunimon timed it perfectly as he was able to duck underneath the strike with ease. For half a minute, Arbormon delivered the attacks and Agunimon evaded each one of them successfully. The Warrior of Flame slid his feet on the ground and got behind the Forbidden Fruit Tree.

"You won't get away from me this time! ROUNDHOUSE PUNCH!" Arbormon launched both of his hands at the fiery warrior. Agunimon watched as the two wooden fists closed the distance.

"NOW!" Agunimon said to himself.

He waited until Arbormon's hands were only inches away from his face. Suddenly, he dove out of the way and the android's fists crashed into the Forbidden Fruit Tree. Unfortunately, since he put a lot of force into that strike, his hands were buried deep into the tree's body.

"You little punk!" growled the Warrior of Wood.

"Gotcha!" Agunimon proclaimed.

Agunimon punched both of his fists together and a couple of fireballs appeared at the end of each knuckle. He then sprinted towards the vulnerable wooden android Digimon. Arbormon tried to pull his arms out of the Forbidden Fruit Tree, but it was no use. He looked back towards Agunimon, who was quickly approaching him. The fiery warrior pulled one of his arms back, prepared to deliver another attack.

"AAAAHHHHHHHH! TAKE THIS ARBORMON!" shouted the Warrior of Fire.

With nothing holding him back, Agunimon swung his arm forward. A tiny smile appeared on his face. He's finally got him. If he connected this hit, not only would defeat the Legendary Warrior with a Chaos Sphere inside him, but he could also retrieve the Spirits as well. Agunimon's punch was only a few feet from his target... inches away... barely making contact...

"HURRICANE WAVE!" Someone shouted.

Agunimon recognized that voice. He immediately stopped his attack and looked to his right. His eyes widened when noticed a bunch of pink swirling tornadoes coming his way. Agunimon dove to the side to avoid the attack. The cyclones speed past the Warrior of Flame and into the wooden android, sending Arbormon flying out of the woods.

Agunimon quickly got to his feet and looked around the area. At first, it was so quiet, the only sounds that could be heard were the leaves rustling in the wind. But then, the sound of giant wings flapping entered his ear. Agunimon looked behind and sure enough, there she was, the Legendary Warrior of Wind.

"Zoe..." The fiery Digimon whispered.

The female Digimon gracefully landed in front of Agunimon with her lavender hair slightly tickling his cheeks. The Warrior of Flame couldn't help but let out a smile. Oh how he missed the smell of her hair, the sound of her voice and the gracefulness she carried with her. Overall, he missed his best friend.

"It's Zoe! She's found us!" Bokomon cheered from his hiding place.

"Zoe, I..." stuttered the Legendary Warrior.

"Hmph! You're welcome!" spoke Kazemon in an arrogant voice, completely catching Agunimon off guard. Apparently, he wasn't too happy with her response.

"Um, excuse me? What was that for?

"I just saved your life, you ungrateful little man!"

"Saved my life? Are you kidding me? You didn't save my life! You ruined my plan! That's what you did, you dumb girl!"

"Don't you dare give me that, you immature brat!"

"I had him right where I wanted him! The Spirits would have been mine if you hadn't interfered!"

"Oh, so it's my fault now?"

"So what if it is?"

"Uh, you guys? Please! Stop fighting!" Bokomon begged. But instead, he received intimating glare from both Legendary Warriors.

"SHUT UP!" Agunimon and Kazemon ordered. Bokomon was so frightened, he dove back into the bushes in fear. With him out of the way, the two of them continued with their argument.

"This is all your fault, Zoe!"

"My fault? This is all your fault, Takuya!"

"Oh really? Who was the one that found the Spirits of Wood first?"

"So what?" Kazemon grumbled, although Takuya did make a valid point. "If you're so smart, tell me what's taking you so long in capturing the Spirits?"

"I would have if my ex-best friend hadn't got in the way!"

"Yeah right! Face it, Takuya! You need me more than..."

"I don't need you! I was doing just fine without you, thank you very much!"

"Fine without me? You got your butt kicked by..."

"BLOCKADE SEED!" An angry voice cried.

Agunimon and Kazemon looked to the side and noticed a couple of seed-like bombs approaching them. Both of them leaped out of the way and watched as the grenades exploded on the spot where they once stood. Agunimon rolled back to his feet with Kazemon gently floating next to him. They faced forward and noticed Arbormon angrily marching towards them.

"Ooh, what do we have here? Reinforcements?" grinned the Warrior of Wood. "Hehe, things have gotten a lot more interest, right?"

"Takuya, don't tell me that that this guy has a Chaos Sphere inside him." Kazemon gulped.

"Okay, I won't tell you!" answered he fiery Digimon. "Be careful, Zoe! He's a lot more powerful than last time!"

"I know, I know! You don't have to tell me!"

Both Legendary Warriors dropped in their defensive stance and waited for their opponent to strike. Arbormon scanned both of his opponents and began to chuckle out loud. Agunimon and Kazemon looked at each other, confused about what was so funny. But before they could ask, Arbormon spoke once again.

"Two to one? Hehe, I like them odds! You know what they say, 'Two Legendary Scumbags are better than one!' This is perfect! Now I can deliver both of your Spirits to Lord Malevomon! My master will be so pleased!"

"We'll see about that!" Agunimon roared.

"You'll never get away with this!" said Kazemon.

"Foolish children!" grinned the Warrior of Wood. "Haven't you learned? You pathetic creeps can never, _ever _defeat me! Once when I take you's down, the reign of Lord Malevomon... will soon begin! Hahaha... Hahahahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter twenty-four. <strong>

**Can Agunimon and Kazemon coexist and defeat the Legendary Warrior of Wood? Or will Arbormon destroy both of our two heroes at the same time? These questions will be answered in the next action packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	25. Forbidden Forest Fight

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Zoe wasn't happy when she realized she was going in the wrong direction. However, she did meet up with Cherrymon. That creep convinced the young woman that Takuya was her enemy instead of her friend. And if she doesn't destroy him, he will destroy her first. Thankfully, Swiftmon chopped down the fibbing tree with the mighty swing of his sword. Elsewhere, Agunimon was having trouble holding his own against Arbormon. He would've been squashed like a pancake, if Kazemon hadn't show up. But even though the two are back together again, can they cooperate and defeat the evil Legendary Warrior?**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter twenty-five!**

* * *

><p><strong>Forbidden Forest Fight<strong>

**Normal POV:**

An intense staring contest occurred between the three Legendary Warriors. Agunimon clenched his fists tight and dug his feet into the ground. A tiny bead of sweat dripped from his forehead and down his chin, landing smoothly on the grass. Kazemon held her hands up and dropped in her defensive position. Her lavender hair danced with the gentle breeze swaying in the area.

Arbormon faced the two Warriors with vast interest. He carefully scanned both Digimon standing before him. Without a doubt, they were both after him. Two Legendary Warriors against one definitely seem like unfavorable odds to him. On the other hand, the wooden android looked as if he wasn't in a rush to get the fight underway. Instead of dropping in his stance, he casually crossed his arms and pretended to relax against the tree.

"So... two more unintelligent weaklings waiting for me crush them, right?" He chuckled. "Now, which one of you's would like to be destroyed first? Come now, no need to be shy, right? Of course, both of you's will be defeated by yours truly! But I just have to ask, if you's know what I'm talking about?"

The humanoid butterfly felt brave enough to accept Arbormon's challenge. She has defeated another Legendary Warrior once before. Even though there's a Chaos Sphere inside the evil creature's body, Kazemon believed she has what it takes to win. But the moment she took a step forward, she felt someone grab her by the arm. The Warrior of Wind turned and saw Agunimon holding her back and shaking his head. The lavender haired Digimon glowered back at the fiery Warrior. The two stared each other down, trying to force the other into submission.

"Let me go!" Kazemon ordered in a soft, yet demanding voice.

"No!" Agunimon replied with a murmur.

"Didn't you hear me, you big jerk? I said let go of me." The Warrior of Wind spoke once again. This time, she was much louder than last time.

"Back off, Zoe. This guy's mine." The fiery Digimon countered with the same, loud tone as his partner.

"No, he's mine!"

"Mine!"

"You can't even scratch this guy, Takuya! You already had your chance and you failed; miserably I might add! It's my turn to face him! Now for the last time, release me!"

"Sorry, but I can't do that! He's my opponent and I won't let you interfere. Now do all of us a favor and get out of my way!"

"Takuya, knock it off..." grumbled Kazemon, with anger building up inside her.

"I'm only going to say this once. Back away right now, and no one gets hurt!"

"Is that so? Alright then... TAKE THIS!"

*slap*

Kazemon brought her hand back gave the Warrior of Flame a huge slap to his face, producing a loud sound that echoed throughout the forest. Her powerful smack caused Agunimon to fall to the ground, thus releasing her arm in the process. While the Warrior of Flame rubbed his somewhat swollen cheek, Kazemon placed her hands on hips and turned her face away from him. A small 'Hmph' that signified annoyance and frustration escaped her lips.

Meanwhile, Arbormon was amused at what he saw. The wooden android recalled how the humans he fought a long time ago were so close to each other. In fact, the reason why he lost to those meddling kids was because of their unity and teamwork. But now, here were the two humans again. Only this time, they're teamwork appeared to be somewhat diminished. He lets out a small whistle and grinned at the two Warriors with keen interest.

"Ooh! What's this now, eh? Since when did the two of you's have trouble getting along? Hehe, this should be very interesting indeed, right?" He said to himself. As he pondered about their little conflict, he continued to listen on their heated argument.

"Ow! God, Zoe! What did you do that for?" roared Agunimon as he got back to his feet and leered at the female Digimon.

"That's what you get for not keeping your filthy hands to yourself, you sick little boy! And I swear, if you touch me one more time, I'll smack you all the way to next year! Do you understand me?" Kazemon barked.

"Hahahaha! Come on, Z! Is that supposed to scare me or are your threats as empty as you head?" laughed the Warrior of Flame.

He reached for a little bit of Kazemon's hair and gave it a light tug. It did hurt her a little bit, but the fact that her this guy was touching her was really making her as hot as a volcano. The humanoid butterfly flew back a few feet from her best friend. Even so, the smirk on the fiery Warrior's face remained.

"Takuya... you... YOU... UNGRATEFUL LITTLE...

"You guys, please stop fighting!" Bokomon shouted as he ran towards the two Legendary Warriors. He grabbed a hold of one of Kazemon's legs and shook it as rough as he could, trying to get her attention. But it seemed as if they were more focused on each other instead of him.

"Please, I'm begging you!" The Rookie cried. "This isn't the time for fighting! Haven't you two forgotten that we're on a mission? You have to work together in order to defeat Arbor... WHOA!"

An angry Agunimon and Kazemon each grabbed Bokomon by his pink waistband and lifted him off the ground. The Rookie level Digimon saw the angry looks in their eyes and became terrified in an instance.

"You've got a lot of nerve..." said Agunimon.

"...sticking your nose where it doesn't belong!" Kazemon finished.

"But... But, Takuya... Zoe... Please! If you two continue to fight like this..." pleaded the frightened creature.

"SHUT UP, BOKOMON!" The two of them screamed.

Together, they tossed Bokomon back into the bushes. He crashed hard on the ground. His body all covered with leaves and twigs. But besides a mild headache and some minor bruises on his body, the Rookie was fine. Then again, the sight of his two friends arguing with each other didn't make his injuries any better.

"Ugh... Oh boy. We're doomed. If this keeps, there's no way they can save the Digital World. It's so sad, is it not? How can two best friends turn on each other like this? Oh dear. It's hopeless." The Digimon wearing the pink waistband muttered to himself.

"Bokomon?" Another voice called out.

The Rookie's eyes shot open as he shifted his attention towards his right. Just a few feet in front of him was a yellow rabbit dressed in red trousers running as fast as he can towards his partner.

"Neemon?" Bokomon called out. He quickly sprung to his feet and sprinted towards his best friend.

"Bokomon! Yay! We found you! We finally found you... WHOA!"

Suddenly, Neemon tripped on one of the tree's roots. His body rolled down the hill and on the ground like a large yellow bowling ball. Bokomon skidded to a halt when he saw his partner tumbling towards him. On the other hand, he couldn't react in time. Moments later, the two Rookie level Digimon crashed hard into each other and rolled on the grass. It took them a few seconds for their bodies to come to a halt.

"You moron! Watch where you're going!" Bokomon said as he rubbed his aching head.

"Hehe, it's good to see you too!" giggled the rabbit. "By the way, what did I missed? Where's Takuya and Zoe?"

Bokomon opened his mouth, but not a single sound came out. He looked back down toward the ground, almost too afraid to answer. Neemon gave his partner an extremely puzzled look. He may not have a clue as to what's going on, but he could sense something was wrong. Finally, Bokomon looked to his right until his eyes found the two Legendary Warriors.

"They're over there fighting." That was all Bokomon could say.

"Who? The Spirits of Wood?" Neemon wondered.

"Well... not exactly." His partner answered.

Neemon checked and sure enough, they were there. The Legendary of Warriors of Flame and Wind were locked in a battle against the Warrior of Wood. But upon further inspection, something didn't appear to be right. Instead of fighting the bad guy, Agunimon and Kazemon were bickering with each other, raising their voices with each argument.

"Scary!" He commented.

"It's been like this ever since the fight has started! What could we do?" asked Bokomon.

"There's nothing we can do." A valiant voice spoke. The two Rookie level Digimon looked behind them and saw a swordsman slowly approaching them.

"Swiftmon!" shouted Neemon.

"What are you talking about, Swiftmon? There has to be something we can do! If Takuya and Zoe don't stop fighting, Arbormon would easily destroy them! You have to get in there and..."

"No... I can't..." spoke the second-in-command while shaking his head.

"But why?" asked the rabbit.

"Swiftmon, what are you saying? Why won't you help our friends?" An anxious Bokomon questioned.

"Even if I do intervene, that still won't stop them from fighting. They've been acting like children since the beginning of this mission. And because of that, our strength has been heavily divided. Those two believe that they can do fine on their own and that they don't need each other to win. And that, Bokomon, could cost them their lives. Unless they put their differences aside and find a way to work together as a team, this fight will be there undoing. And you know what that means? The Legendary Spirits and entire Digital World will belong to the enemy." answered Swiftmon.

"So what? We just sit here and watch?" Neemon wondered.

"Yes. This is a test for the Legendary Warriors. Let's hope they figure it out before it's too late."

Again, Bokomon thought about Swiftmon's arguments. The fight hasn't even started, and yet Agunimon and Kazemon were still going at each other's throats. And it didn't look like the two of them wouldn't be getting along any time soon. This would give Arbormon a huge advantage. Without the numbers game, he could watch those two annihilate each other and have whatever's left over.

On the other hand, Swiftmon did bring up a critical point. Takuya and Zoe had been arguing with each other ever since they had arrived at the Forbidden Forest. Not only they had been continuously bickering, but they even went their own separate ways to find the Spirits. They had grown weaker without even realizing it. He looked down at the ground and sighed. Bokomon has no choice but to follow Swiftmon's orders.

"Alright... but I do not like this." He muttered underneath his breath.

Back at the fight, Arbormon was getting kind of bored watching the Warriors of Flame and Wind getting on each other's nerves. As entertaining as they were, it was about time he got into the fight. He detached both of his arms and pulled them back, getting ready to strike his two opponents. It made him chuckle a bit when he noticed that none of them were paying attention to him.

"ROUNDHOUSE PUNCH!" He cried as he sent his elongated arms towards Agunimon and Kazemon.

The two Legendary Warriors heard the enemy calling out his attack. They quickly turned their attention back to the battlefield and saw two fists coming their way. Agunimon dove to the side while Kazemon flew out of the way. Both of them successfully dodged Arbormon's first attack. However, the Warrior of Wood had other ideas. Instead of retracting his arms, he sent each one of his arms after his opponents.

Kazemon looked behind her and noticed Arbormon's left hand was quickly approaching her. She maneuvered left and right, trying to get the hand off of her tail. Arbormon's got his target locked on like a homing missile. No matter what flight pattern Kazemon took, his arm easily followed her. The humanoid butterfly had to do something quickly, or she would be shot down.

Figuring that running away wasn't getting her anywhere, she decided to take action. Kazemon turned one hundred and eighty degrees until she was completely facing the oncoming attack. Just when Arbormon's hand was about to make its move, the Warrior of Wind pulled her leg back and gave the hand a huge round kick, sending the hand flying in another direction.

Meanwhile, Arbormon had focus on another target. He manipulated his right arm to attack the Warrior of Flame. Agunimon slid on the gravel and faced the oncoming missile-like hand. He shifted his boy to the right and watched as the hand sailed past his head. But like a heat seeker, the hand quickly locked back on to his target and went after Agunimon.

It closed its fist and went for a punch to the Warrior's face. Agunimon blocked it with his forearm and shoved the hand out of the way. Again, the hand came back for a second round. Once again, the Warrior of Flame defended himself. He quickly noticed that the Warrior of Wood was temporally vulnerable. He quickly sprinted towards Arbormon with both fists clenched tight.

Unfortunately, the wooden android was fully prepared for Agunimon's frontal assault. He regained control of his right arm and shot it towards the fiery Warrior's blindside. Agunimon pulled his arm back, ready to punch Arbormon right in the midsection. All of the sudden, the hand grabbed the Warrior of Flame behind the neck, instantly stopping his attack. Agunimon gagged for air as he tried to break free from the hold. But Arbormon was too strong. And with one simple tug, he dragged his opponent along the dirt while choking him.

Slowly, he retracted his arm back its original position and held Agunimon in the air, squeezing the softest parts of his neck. The Warrior of Flame could barely struggle to breathe. He did manage to get a quick glance at Kazemon. Unfortunately for him, she was so busy dodging Arbormon's other hand, she didn't even noticed Agunimon was in trouble.

"Hey! Look over here, you little missy!" The wooden cyborg hollered, immediately catching the butterfly's attention.

Her eyes widened the moment she saw Agunimon in Arbormon's clutches. Her Legendary Warrior instincts kicked in and she dove towards the two Digimon. Arbormon waited until she was finally in range. Then, with all of his might, he threw the helpless Legendary Warrior at the female Digimon. Kazemon tried to put on the brakes, but it was too late. The two bodies crashed into each other, sending both Warriors tumbled on the ground. It wasn't long before the two of them slammed hard into a tree behind them. The force cause the tree to fall onto the ground.

Agunimon and Kazemon slowly and painfully got back to their feet. The fiery Digimon rubbed his aching head while the humanoid butterfly clutched her swollen midsection. Both of them were also breathing heavily. After taking a minute to recover, the Legendary Warriors glowered at the wooden android. Meanwhile, Arbormon retracted his two arms and stomped towards his two conscious opponents.

"That was a pretty good appetizer, right? What else you's got on the menu?" He laughed to himself.

"Why you..." growled the female warrior.

She stood back up and got in her stance. But before she could advance, someone grabbed her shoulders and threw her back to the dirt. Kazemon landed hard on her back and elbows. The impact made the female Warrior hiss in mildly in agony. After coughing up some dust and dirt in her lungs, she glowered at the fiery Digimon shadowing above her.

"Hey! What did you do that for?" She howled.

"Where were you? Arbormon could have crushed my neck if you hadn't been paying attention!" argued the Warrior of Flame.

"I was paying attention, you jerk! But you said it yourself! You don't need my help! If you got seriously injured, you have no one to blame but yourself!"

"Oh, how heroic of you! Abandoning your comrades in their time of need is so like you! Right Zoe?"

"Don't you dare point fingers at me! Go and save yourself, you selfish, arrogant moron!"

*slap*

Again, she smacked Agunimon's other cheek. The slap was a little bit harder than the first one. Agunimon leered at the female Digimon, clenched his fist and pulled his arm back. Kazemon stood there with a cocky grin on her face, daring him to proceed with his attack. She waited for the Warrior of Flame to strike her. Agunimon gritted his teeth while deliberating whether he should punch his former best friend in the face or not.

"What's wrong, little man? Afraid to hit a girl?" She giggled.

"No..."

But then, Kazemon noticed Agunimon grinning. Even a few chuckles were detected under his throat. But before the humanoid butterfly could react, the fiery Digimon quickly got behind the Warrior of Wind and grabbed her shoulders. She tried to shake free, but found herself unable to. Kazemon leered into Agunimon's eyes, wondering what he has planned for her.

"... BUT THIS GUY DOES!" The fiery Digimon finished his sentence.

Kazemon gasped as Agunimon shoved her back to the battlefield. It took her half a second to realize she was running right towards Arbormon, who was also charging at her at full speed. With little time to react or put up some kind of defense, she closed her eyes and braced for impact. The Warrior of Wood gave Kazemon a devastating high-impact clothesline. Her body folded in half the moment she landed on the ground.

Arbormon the grabbed her lengthy lavender hair and lifted her off the ground. He gave Kazemon a vicious strike to her exposed belly, knocking the wind out of her. The female Digimon gasped for air as her body started to give in. Finally, Arbormon released Kazemon's hair and the dazed Warrior of Wind fell to the ground. But before her feet touched the earth, Arbormon topped it off by giving Kazemon one last punch to the gut, sending her flying into a tree. The wooden Digimon glanced at the fallen Warrior before grinning back at Agunimon.

"Interesting! You's put your friend in harm's way with no remorse, right?"

"I had to get her out of the way so it's just the two of us!" Agunimon grinned without even looking at the barely conscious Kazemon.

"Hey, now! Watch it, kid! I don't think you'll put up more of a fight than your little friend over there!"

"Trust me! I can't do worse than her!"

"Fine! But you're gonna regret it, punk!"

Arbormon sprinted towards the Warrior of Flame and extended his arm to the side, trying to go for another clothesline. However, the same move wouldn't work twice, especially on Agunimon. He ducked out of the way and went for a high sidekick to Arbormon's head. The cyborg easily blocked the kick and went for another straight punch. Agunimon rolled out of the way as Arbormon's fist crashed into the ground, creating a small crater upon impact. Agunimon slid into position and created two fireballs on his hands.

"Pyro Punch!" He cried, launching both fireballs at the Warrior of Wood.

Arbormon pulled his arm out of the circular depression and faced the oncoming attack. But instead of dodging or striking the fireballs, he dropped his hands and allowed the fireballs to hit him. As he expected, the fireballs bounced off his body and into a couple of trees, causing them two explode and burst into flames. After wiping himself off, he stomped at the Warrior of Flame. His evil laughter grew louder with each step he took.

"Not enough heat if you ask me, right?" He smirked. "You got anything better than that? Or should I just finish you's now?"

"Great. Now what do I do?" muttered Agunimon. He took a step back to rethink his strategy.

Suddenly...

"TAKE THIS, ARBORMON!" A voice shouted from behind the wooden android.

Arbormon looked behind him and saw Kazemon not only back in the fight, but on the attack as well. She dove towards the Warrior of Wood with her legs out in front. Arbormon was kind of surprised at the speed this young woman was going, like she was shot out of a cannon. Kazemon unleashed a huge yell as she went for a diving kick to Arbormon's head. Unfortunately, the look on his eye remained the same. All it took was a few steps to his left, and he completely avoided Kazemon's attack.

"Agunimon, look out!" Bokomon shouted from his hiding place.

The Warrior of Flame looked to his side and saw Kazemon closing the distance with her legs still out in front. But for some reason, she wasn't slowing down. Agunimon quickly put his arms up and managed to block Kazemon's kick just in time. With one good shove, he got the Warrior of Wind off of his arms. She landed smoothly on her feet and the two of Legendary Warriors engaged in another staring contest. Or a glaring contest to be more precise.

"What are you crazy? You could have taken my head off!" complained Agunimon.

"That's what I was trying to do, you idiot! But it's a shame! I missed!" Kazemon spoke.

"So you are trying to hurt me, are you? I knew it!"

"Hey! You're the one who started this whole mess!"

"Yeah? Well, I'll make sure I finish it!"

"Oh please! Don't get me started! After all, this is your fault!"

"Oh, so it's my fault now? Why is everything my fault, Zoe?"

"Well, let me think about that... BECAUSE IT IS YOUR FAULT, YOU MORON!"

"Would you guys just stop arguing?" Bokomon shouted, trying to stop them from fighting.

"SHUT UP!" hollered Kazemon and Agunimon. They glowered at the rookie level Digimon for just a split second before turning back to each other.

"I was doing fine on my own! I had this guy right where I wanted him, until you showed up!" argued the Warrior of Flame.

"Oh, and you think getting tossed around like a rag doll is 'doing fine on your own?' Seriously, Takuya! Wake up! Open your eyes! You can't defeat this guy!"

"I can and I will! And I don't need someone like you to help me, you noisy little girl!"

"That's fine! Like I was going to help you, you pitiful, self-centered annoying..."

"BLOCKADE SEED!" shouted Arbormon, opening up his compartment and shooting a few projectiles at his opponents.

The two Warriors turned and saw a couple of seed-like bombs coming their way. They immediately stopped their argument and leaped out of the crossfire. The bombs exploded on the spot where Agunimon and Kazemon once stood. Moments later, the two Legendary Warriors landed back on their feet. Both of them got in their defensive stance and faced the Warrior of Wood.

"I just hate it when I'm ignored, right?" He grumbled. "Seriously, folks. If you're going to argue with each other, at least do it when you're fighting me! That way, I kick your butts while I'm not bored!"

"Excuse me?" Kazemon huffed.

"You little..." Agunimon muttered.

"Well... come at me, right?"

"KYYYAAAAAHHHHHHH!" The two Warriors screamed as they charged at the wooden cyborg.

Kazemon's wings gave her a boost of speed. She able to get to the Warrior of Wood before Agunimon could. The lavender haired Digimon jumped and went for a tornado kick at Arbormon's body with a back kick as a follow up, But Arbormon easily blocked the two kicks and took a few steps to the side. Kazemon retaliated by delivering a spinning heel kick to his head. But after Arbormon easily dodged in attack, he gave Kazemon a powerful elbow to her face, knocking her to the ground.

Agunimon leaped over the collapsed butterfly and delivered a diving punch to Arbormon's body. The android jumped out of the way and dropped in his defensive stance. Agunimon then went for a couple of hooks to his opponent's head. Arbormon blocked both punches and gave Arbormon a huge punch to the nose. He fell to the ground like a rock.

Arbormon then turned and saw Kazemon back on her feet, going for another frontal assault. Her first attack was a roundkick to the head, then a sidekick to the chest, and a spinning roundkick to the temple. But Arbormon read her like a book. He blocked all three kicks without having to move. Kazemon then went for a punch to his midsection, but the wooden Digimon swatted her hand out of the way.

The Warrior of Wind realized she was too close to her opponent, but it was too late. Arbormon reached his hand out and grabbed Kazemon by the neck. He lifted her off the ground and squeezed tighter on her throat. Kazemon tried to kick and wiggle loose, but Arbormon's grip was too tight. He squeezed hard, blocking Kazemon's airway. Her coughs were weak and shallow. Her muscles started to loosen up and her consciousness was slowly slipping away.

"ARBORMON!" Agunimon shouted.

He came from the Warrior's blindside. With both of his hands covered in flames, the fiery Digimon went for a punch to Arbormon's back. Unfortunately, the wooden android caught the Warrior of Flame from the corner of his eye. With Kazemon still in his grasp, he turned around and causal stepped to the side. While doing so, he gave Agunimon a brutal knee to his gut. The Warrior of Flame bent over, leaving him exposed for another attack. Arbormon followed up by striking the back of his neck, knocking him face flat on the ground. The Warrior of Wood continued his assault by viciously stomping on Agunimon's back.

After the tenth stomp, he got off the fiery Digimon and shifted his attention towards the gagging Kazemon. He lifted her up as high as he could and slammed her down on top of Agunimon. Both Legendary Warriors grimaced in pain when their bodies collided like with each other. Arbormon grinned at his fallen opponents and took a few big steps back.

"Blockade Seed!" He said softly.

A seed-like grenade shot out of his mouth and rolled towards the two fallen Legendary Warriors. But when it stopped, the bomb exploded. As a result, the shockwaves sent Agunimon and Kazemon fling through the air. But gravity quickly got a hold of them just when they reach the apex. Kazemon's back slammed hard into a nearby, unforgiving tree, while Agunimon landed back on the ground, creating a huge crater on impact.

"Agunimon! Kazemon!" Bokomon cried. "Oh dear, this is not good!"

"He's way too strong!" Neemon blurted out.

"I can see that you imbecile! Stop pointing out the obvious!" Bokomon shouted toward his partner, before giving him another wedgie. He then turned towards the swordsman Digimon. He too had witnessed Agunimon and Kazemon getting thrashed by the Warrior of Wood. But his eyes didn't show any hint of worry or concern.

"Swiftmon, now would be a good time for you to do something!"

"No. This is their fight. The outcome of the Digital World will be determined by who wins this battle. We must not interfere." He replied.

"Well... alright." Bokomon sighed and turned back towards the battlefield.

Regardless how much pain he was in, Agunimon managed to get back on all fours. It was a struggle, especially since a couple of his ribs were cracked and his back felt a little stiff. He got to his feet and held his arms up. Agunimon shot a quick glance at the Warrior of Wind, who was still down on her hands and knees. She had one hand clenching her midsection and she was coughing profusely. Agunimon did feel a sense of guilt seeing her in pain like that, but that wasn't his priority. He turned back towards the wooden android with anger in his eyes.

"Ah! Back for more, right?" snickered the Warrior of Wood.

Agunimon pounded his fist together and created two fireballs at the end of his knuckles. He sprinted towards Arbormon with both of his hands on fire. Rapidly and relentlessly, he delivered punch after punch to his opponent. His speed picked up a bit, making his attacks a little bit harder to dodge. Arbormon was fast, but even he wasn't able to dodge all of Agunimon's punches. Then again, it's not like he needed to. The damage to his body was less than minimal. To Arbormon, it was nothing more than a playful tap.

A couple of minutes later, Agunimon movements started to slow down. The flames on his hands were subsiding and his energy was running low. This gave Arbormon another chance to strike. He held his arm out and wrapped his hand around Agunimon's head. With the strength of ten Ogremon, he easily lifted the Warrior of Flame off of the ground. Arbormon held Agunimon in that position for a few seconds before throwing back down on the dirt. The fiery Digimon laid unconsciously on his back. Arbormon lifted up his foot and hovered it above Agunimon's head.

"Say goodbye, twerp!" He chuckled.

But before he could bring his foot down, he caught something on the corner of his eye. He looked to his right and noticed Kazemon flying towards him. She quickly wrapped her arms around the wooden Digimon and drilled her shoulders into Arbormon's body, trying to tackle him to the ground. But the Warrior of Wood refused to go down. Regardless how hard Kazemon tackled him, Arbormon easily stood his ground. He rotated his body a little bit and trapped the Warrior of Wind in a side headlock. He snickered at the helpless butterfly and clinched his free hand into a fist.

"One for the money..." He viciously punched Kazemon straight in the face.

"Two for the show..." Again, he punched the female Warrior's jaw, almost knocking a couple of her teeth out.

"Three to get ready..." This time, he gave the Warrior of Wind a huge knee to her gut.

"OOOOFFFFFF!" huffed Kazemon, feeling as if she's had the wind knocked out of her. But then Arbormon lifts her up over his head with arms fully extended. He turned towards the unconscious Agunimon.

"And here you... GO!"

He threw the defenseless Kazemon over his shoulder and towards the Warrior of Flame. Both of their bodies collided with each other. The two of them rolled helplessly on the ground. Arbormon detached both of his arms and shot them towards both Warriors. He grabbed both of their necks and dragged the two bodies back towards him. As he retracted both of his arms, he noticed Agunimon and Kazemon kicking their legs and twisting their bodies like fish out of water. It brought him great joy seeing his two opponents struggling and suffering at his hands. Arbormon lifted both Legendary Warriors off the ground and tightened his grip. His eyes shift from left to right like he's curious to see who would pass out first.

"You kiddies are making this way too easy, right?" He laughed. Arbormon brought his two opponents together and watched Agunimon's head crashes into Kazemon's. After that he tossed them both to the side. They rolled on the dirt until they slammed hard into another tree.

The Warriors of Flame and Wind laid on the ground, gasping for air. Not only they were tired, but Arbormon has done a good amount of damage on both of them. Agunimon felt like he had a concussion. His back was felt stiff after taking all of those shots from Arbormon. Kazemon, on the other hand, curled into a ball and clutched her injured midsection. She coughed heavily for air.

Elsewhere, Swiftmon had seen the thrashing Arbormon has given those two Warriors. He sighed and shook his head in disappointment. Bokomon and Neemon's reactions were more different. The rabbit had his eyes covered while Bokomon was hiding his face behind his book. He quickly checked the battlefield and his heart stopped when he noticed his two friends lying on the ground, beaten, battered and bruised.

"Takuya! Zoe!" Bokomon called out. "Are you guys alright? Say something."

Slowly, Agunimon and Kazemon got back on all fours. The pain in their bodies was intense, but their willpower enabled them to power through it. It took half a minute, but the Warriors of Flame and Wind were back on their feet. The two of them got back in their stance and were ready to resume the fight. Of course, this only made the Arbormon laugh.

"How is this guy beating us so easily? He's not even breaking a sweat!" grimaced the fiery Digimon.

"You're telling me. He withstood all our attacks like it was nothing." muttered the humanoid butterfly.

"What should we do?" Agunimon eyed the Warrior next to him.

"Um... I'm open for suggestions." Kazemon shrugged.

"Man, this is boring!" yawned the Warrior of Wood. "You two aren't even worth destroying, right? I should just leave and save my appetite for some stronger opponent! Oh well, Lord Malevomon's orders!"

"Malevomon!" Both Agunimon and Kazemon muttered to themselves.

Slowly, the Legendary Warriors gazed into each other's eyes. At that exact moment, both of them were thinking the same thing. This battle wasn't about retrieving some Legendary Spirits. It's about saving the Digital World from Malevomon's evil. He has caused a great deal of harm to many innocent Digimon in this world. So many had fallen trying to stop the evil emperor. Now, they're the only ones that could stop him.

"Come on, you guys! You can do it! Send that evil puppet back to the wood chipper!" cheered Bokomon. The two Legendary Warriors nodded back at their friends before turning back to the battlefield.

"Um... Zoe?"

"Hmm?"

"Look, I know the two of us have gotten off to a bad start and such... but, uh... I, um..."

"Just get to the point! And stop stuttering! It's driving me crazy!"

"Okay, already!" complained the Warrior of Flame. But he shook off Kazemon's remarks and focused on what he wanted to say.

"Listen, if we're gonna defeat Arbormon, then you and I... we're gonna have to work together!"

"So now you want my help? About time, Takuya! Didn't I say you couldn't do this without..."

"ENOUGH!" Agunimon roared, causing the female Digimon to step back. "I didn't say I need your help! But if you haven't noticed, none of us were able to stand up to him alone!"

"Well... I guess you do have a point! But that still doesn't change that fact that you're still a jerk! And I'm not gonna..."

"Listen, Zoe! You hate me? Fine! You want finish our fight when this is over? I'm okay with that! Let's just take care of business and defeat Arbormon! Then you can beat me all you want... if you can!"

"Fine, whatever!" Kazemon sighed.

The two Legendary Warriors dropped in their stance and waited for Arbormon to make his move. They noticed the cables attached to his arms swinging around with the wind. He walked a few feet towards Agunimon and Kazemon before coming to a complete stop. Arbormon pulled his arms back and launched straight at the two Warriors. He clenched both of his hands into a fists and shot them towards his opponents like a couple of missiles.

Agunimon and Kazemon focused on the hands and waited for them to within striking distance. The Warrior of Flame gave the first oncoming attack a vicious left hook, sending it flying to a nearby tree. The butterfly executed a spinning roundkick, knocking the second hand towards another tree. Both fists pierce through the wood and buried itself in the tree's body.

"Get him!" Agunimon ordered. Kazemon nodded and the two Legendary Warriors charged towards the wooden Digimon.

A couple of fireballs appeared at the end of Agunimon's fists while Kazemon flapped her wings and took the skies. Once they were a couple of meters from their opponent, the Warriors of Flame and Wind scattered in different directions. They both landed near Arbormon's side and made their approach from there. Agunimon was the first to make his move.

"Pyro Punch!" He shouted

Agunimon launched both of his fireballs at the wooden android. As the fireballs drew nearer, Arbormon quickly pulled his fists out of the tree and back towards him. His hands snapped back into place, and the Warrior of Wood swatted away both of Agunimon's attack.

"I told you that won't work anymore, right?" declared Arbormon as he pulled his leg back. "Roundhouse Pun..."

"Hurricane Wave!" cried Kazemon.

She flung her hands forward, shooting a bunch of pink cyclones from her fingertips. Unfortunately, Arbormon saw the attack coming from behind him. He used his Roundhouse Punt to fan away Kazemon's tornadoes. He turned around and brought his arms back ready to punch Kazemon's lights out.

"Now!" muttered the Warrior of Flame.

With Arbormon focused on Kazemon, he left himself wide open for an attack. Agunimon quickly closed the distance and crouched below the wooden Digimon. Arbormon sensed the attack coming and immediately turned towards the Warrior behind him. But it was already too late. Agunimon dug his feet into the ground and gave Arbormon a vicious uppercut to his chin.

The blow was powerful enough to knock the Warrior of Wood off of his feet and straight towards Kazemon. But the butterfly Digimon was ready. She lifted her right leg up high and waited for Arbormon to get within striking distance. Finally, she brought leg down, striking Arbormon's head with the bottom part of her heel. The axe kick sent Arbormon plummeting and crashing hard into the ground, creating a huge hole and clouds of dust upon impact. The two Legendary Warriors regrouped and looked at the spot where their opponent has fallen.

"Alright!" Bokomon cheered, swinging Neemon around in circles. "They did it! They've defeated Arbormon!"

"Not quite." Swiftmon skeptically muttered, causing the two Rookie Digimon stop dancing.

"Huh? What do are you talking about, Swiftmon? I thought we won already!" said Neemon.

"And besides, you say Takuya and Zoe needed to work together to defeat him. I don't know about you, but that is what I call teamwork!" Bokomon pointed out.

But before he could argue some more, the Warrior of Wood sat up straight and got back to his feet. He wiped the dirt off of him and glowered at the two Legendary Warriors that knocked him down. Everyone but Swiftmon was in shock.

"It's not enough." criticized the swordsman. "Arbormon's too strong. He won't go down that easily. If they're going to defeat him, then they're gonna have to do more than that."

"I don't understand, what are they supposed to do?" Bokomon asked.

"That's something they have to find out for themselves."

Arbormon stomped towards Agunimon and Kazemon with anger and frustration in his eyes. Even though his body was still intact, there were a few scratches on some of his armor. A few patches of dirt was smeared on his body and his boots caked with the wet mud. He cracked both of his knuckles and chuckled to himself.

"Hmm... not bad! It seems like two losers have finally decided to get serious, right? Excellent! I was getting bored facing both of you twerps one at a time! Now things are going to get more interesting!"

"Jeez, does this guy ever shut up?" complained the Warrior of Wind.

"Keep your guard up, Zoe! This fight is just getting started!" Agunimon pointed out.

"I know that! I didn't ask you to remind..."

Kazemon fell silent the moment her eyes met Agunimon's. The look on his face told her that now wasn't the time for arguing with each other. And if there's anything she wanted to say, she should wait until the fight was over. She sighed and gave Agunimon a quick nod.

"Alright. Just be careful out there." She finished.

Arbormon detached both of his hand and got ready for his next attack. He stretched his arms out horizontally and clenches his fists. Next, he spun around as fast as he could towards his two opponents. Agunimon and Kazemon was amazed how Arbormon has increased his range by at least five meters. And it seemed like it was increasing with each passing second.

The fiery Digimon launched a couple of fireballs at the wooden android, only to have the swatted away by Arbormon's arms. The flames collided against a couple more trees, causing them to explode. Kazemon tried throwing a few of her pink tornadoes, but none of her attacks could reach her opponent. It disappeared right on contact.

Kazemon then thought about trying another frontal attack. She flapped her wings and was about to approach the wooden android, when Agunimon grabbed one of her arm. She looked back at him, more confused than angry. But the Warrior of Flame gently pulled her back to him instead of jerking her to the ground.

"Takuya?" She wondered.

"Listen, I have an idea. But I'm gonna need you to trust me." He murmured. At first, the female Digimon was a hesitant, but she gave her partner a nod in confirmation.

"Alright, what's the plan?" She quietly asked.

But before Agunimon could say anything else, he noticed the spinning Warrior of Wood was coming at them fast. Without thinking, the fiery Digimon grabbed Kazemon's hand and the two of them dove out of danger. They skid on the ground and turned back towards their opponent. Arbormon noticed the two Warriors changing their position and immediately slowed his momentum down. But not without destroying a few trees in the vicinity. One by one, they fell to the ground like dominoes. He changed direction and spun towards Agunimon and Kazemon like a top.

Meanwhile, Agunimon was already whispering to his partner what his plan of attack was. Quietly, the Warrior of Wind nodded her head as she took mental notes of the plan. Once when he was finished, the only response he got from her was an awkward stare that told him that this was not going to work. Agunimon just shrugged due to the fact that he couldn't come up with anything else.

"Well?" He finally spoke.

"You're kidding me right?" Kazemon asked. "That's your plan?"

"It's all I got!"

"Come on, Takuya! You don't really think this could work, right?"

"It has to! If everything goes right, we can turn this thing around!"

"And if it doesn't work? Then what?"

"I, uh... um... well... then, I'm out of ideas!"

"Oh, great! That's just what I wanted to hear!" groaned the Warrior of Wind with a mild amount of sarcasm.

"Look Zoe! So far, it's the only plan we have! We can either try it out or keep up the hit and run strategy tactic! Your choice!" demanded Agunimon.

Kazemon took a deep breath and sighed. Although Agunimon's idea sounded like a plan, it was very risky and could backfire on them easily. But then again, they weren't going anywhere with just shooting their attacks from a distance. She looked into Agunimon's eyes and nodded. Clearly, it was either now or never.

"Okay!" She gulped. "Let's do it!"

"Alright!" nodded the Warrior of Flame. "Step One: Stop Arbormon's Attack!"

Kazemon grabbed Agunimon's forearms and used her strength to carry him off the ground. For the moment, they were out of Arbormon's range. They watched as the wooden Digimon swirling his arms around blindly, knocking down anything and everything in his path. Meanwhile, the other Warriors waited for the right opportunity to strike.

Finally, Agunimon gave Kazemon a nod. The butterfly spun the Warrior of Flame around in circles and released him like a hammer throw. With perfect timing, she managed to heave her partner at the Warrior of Wood. Agunimon dove towards Arbormon with his arms open like a bullet out of a nozzle. Finally, he wrapped his arms around the wooden android's body and tackled him to the ground. Kazemon watched as the two Warriors rolled on the dirt.

"Okay..." She sighed. "Step Two: Set Takuya Up."

As she landed gently on the ground, Agunimon and his opponent were already back on their feet in another hand-to-hand combat. This time, it Arbormon was more aggressive in his attacks. He's throwing in more punches and kicks at the Warrior of Flame with incredible speed and power. Agunimon dodged left and right, avoiding as many strikes as he could. But while he was playing defense, he carefully studied Arbormon's moves and waited for a chance to make his move. He shot a quick glance and Kazemon and noticed she was in position.

"Now!" He said to himself.

Arbormon then went for a right cross to Agunimon's face. The Warrior of Flame timed the punch accordingly. With one quick step to his left, he easily evaded the strike. But then, he quickly got behind the Warrior of Wood and locked him in a full nelson hold. His hands extended upwards underneath Arbormon's armpits, holding the neck with his fingers locking with each other.

"Zoe, do it!" He commanded.

"Right!" She quickly flew in towards the two Warriors.

"You twerps are really starting to bug me, right?" grumbled Arbormon. "I'm getting tired of playing this game! It's time to finish you punks off once and for all!"

He reached behind him and placed his hands on top of Agunimon's. In his mind, he planned to undo the hold and throw the Warrior of Flame into his partner. And then with one last attack, he'll take their Spirits, absorb their Fractal Code and deliver the good news to Lord Malevo...

"Not this time!" grinned Agunimon.

He gave Arbormon a sharp knee to the back. He then released the hold and left the Warrior of Wood on his knees. Arbormon tried to get back to his feet. However, he didn't see Kazemon closing the distance in less than a blink of an eye. She drilled both of her legs into Arbormon's midsection. For the first time, Arbormon showed signs of agony.

"Ugh!" He grunted, feeling as if he's got the wind knocked out of him.

"I'm not done yet!" declared Kazemon. "TEMPEST TWIST!"

She got on her hands and spread her legs out wide. The butterfly spun around in circles, rapidly kicking Arbormon in the face and stomach. The Warrior of Wood tried to defend himself, but Kazemon's kicks were way too fast. The female Digimon wasn't giving him any time to react.

Suddenly, she sprung her hands on the ground, causing her to ascend up in the air. After a full turn, she dove toward Arbormon's head with her legs out front. Like a speeding arrow, Kazemon executed a diving sidekick to her opponent's head. The attack was strong enough to get the Warrior of Wood wobbling on his feet. Finally, Kazemon grabbed her opponent by the arm and launches him into the air with one huge kick.

"Takuya!" She cried.

"I'm on it!" said Agunimon.

He leaped into the air towards the tumbling Warrior of Wood with both of his fists covered in raging hot flames. The fiery Digimon was finally in striking distance and gave the airborne Arbormon a huge punch to the middle of his back. The attack caused the Warrior of Wood to tumble through the air and land hard on the dirt below. Agunimon landed beside the Warrior of Wind and gave her one last nod.

"Step Three: Turn Up The Heat!" The two of them said in unison.

Arbormon got on one knee and glowered at the Legendary Warriors. There were more scratches all over his wooden armor and a few parts of his body were in pain. Being in this situation against those two was nothing short of humiliating. He clenched his fists tight and pounded it on the ground.

"That does it, you twerps! It's time I finish you's off for... Uh-oh!"

"PYRO TORNADO!" Agunimon shouted.

The first thing Arbormon saw was Agunimon running towards him. Large fireballs appeared on his fists. He rotated his body a little bit and started to spin around in circles. Agunimon spun closer and closer towards his opponent. All of the sudden, Arbormon's body was covered in a large fiery tornado. He got to his feet and remained in his stance.

"Oh please, not this move again!" He said. "I told you's already this will never work, right? Sorry kid, but your flames aren't even hot enough to burn my armor! You're only wasting your..."

"ZOE, NOW!" Agunimon shouted.

"TEMPEST TWIST!" The butterfly shouted.

Once again, the Warrior of Wind got on down on her hands, spread her legs out wide and spun very quickly, creating a powerful tornado, She combined her cyclone with the fiery tornado around the Warrior of Wood. The cyclone grew larger and heat waves around the area increased as well.

"What the... What's going on? AAAHHHHHH!" yelped Arbormon.

Inside the tornado, the wooden android could feel the effects of his opponents' combined attacks. Thanks to Kazemon, the heat of Agunimon's Pyro Tornado escalated. The energy caused significant burns all over Arbormon's body. The pain was intense. The Warrior of Wood dropped to one knee as he struggled to fight off the pain he was in. All of the sudden, the fiery cyclone disappeared. Even though that attack did a good amount of damage to his body, Arbormon was still intact. He tilted his head up and leered at his two opponents.

"STUBBORN LITTLE BRATS!" He growled.

"Finish him!" ordered Agunimon.

"Right!" Kazemon agreed.

The two of them ran towards the defenseless Warrior of Wood as fast as they could. Arbormon retaliated by detaching his right arm and viciously swinging it at his two opponents. Agunimon ducked underneath the strike while Kazemon easily flew over it. As they continued their approach, the Warrior of Flame punched both of his fists together, creating large fireballs at the end of each hand. With one last yell, Agunimon gave the wooden Digimon a ferocious uppercut to the chin.

Arbormon grunted in pain as the attack sent him up in the air. But while Arbormon was airborne, Kazemon swooped in and gave her opponent a rotating heel drop, knocking him back down. He fell into Agunimon's striking range and the Warrior of Flame finished off the combo by giving Arbormon a huge punch to the back. The blow sent the Warrior of Wood tumbling on the dirt and crashing into a tree.

"They did it!" cheered Bokomon.

"Nice work guys!" complimented Neemon.

Swiftmon just nodded his head, impressed with the teamwork the two Legendary Warriors had just displayed. But he kept his emotionless face. He knew that the fight's not over just yet.

"Alright! Great job, Takuya!" Kazemon giggled as she landed beside her partner.

"Yeah! You were awesome too, Zoe." He complimented.

Overjoyed with excitement, the Warrior of Wind wrapped her arms around her Agunimon and gave him a huge embrace. The Warrior of Flame subconsciously responded by giving her a hug as well. For a few moments, the two of them cradled in each other's arms as the gentle breeze rustled the colorful leaves on the trees, relaxing the atmosphere around them.

Finally, the two of them parted ways and stared into each other's eyes. Their smiles were bigger and brighter than before. They hadn't laugh like this in a long time. The forest was quiet and a little bit in ruins after their intense battle with Arbormon, but that didn't bother them at all. They had won the fight and both of them were safe and sound.

"Ehem!" Bokomon coughed, snapping the two Legendary Warriors back to reality. Agunimon and Kazemon immediately released each other and turned away, both hiding their flushing red cheeks.

"Hehe... my bad." stuttered Agunimon.

"No... It's fine." She whispered.

"Um... Zoe, I, uh... good job back there."

"Yeah... you too, Takuya. I guess, um... your plan did work."

"Oh, thanks."

"You're welcome."

Again, the forest was covered in awkward silence.

"So, uh... does that mean you..." The fiery Digimon spoke.

"Let's not talk about that right now." The butterfly said.

"Fine..." He sighed. "Come on, we can't leave a mission half finished."

Kazemon agreed and the two walked towards the spot where Arbormon had crashed. They spotted the Warrior of Wood slumped against the tree who appeared to be unconscious. Slowly, the Legendary Warriors approached their beaten opponent with extreme caution. His eyes were closed and he didn't appear to be moving.

"Be careful, Takuya."

"I know, Zoe."

But before the two of them could get any closer, Arbormon's eyes shot open, catching Agunimon and Kazemon by surprise.

"BLOCKADE SEED!"

The Warrior of Wood fired a seed-like bomb at the Warrior of Wind at point blank range. Agunimon tackled Kazemon to the ground and the two of them rolled out of the way just as the bomb exploded. Both Legendary Warriors sprang back to their feet and faced the Arbormon, who was on one knee chuckling to himself.

"Man, I never thought that you pathetic punks could put up such a fight, right? I have to admit, I'm very impressed! Hehe!"

"Oh Arbormon, that means so little coming from you!" smirked Kazemon.

"Give it up, Arbormon! It's over! There's no way you can defeat the two us when we work together!" declared Agunimon. However, that bold statement did not stop the Warrior of Wood from laughing.

"You two are more foolish than I thought, right? You're even dumber than a brainless Sukamon! You know what they say, human stupidity is such pain in the neck, right?"

"Why I oughta..." huffed the female Digimon.

"You're can't win, Arbormon! Even the dark powers of the Chaos Sphere won't be enough to save you!" Agunimon growled.

"HAHAHAHAHA!" laughed the wooden cyborg. "Idiots! You haven't even seen my true power yet! The first fight was just the appetizer! But now, it's time for the main course! You can talk about this dumb concept of teamwork all you's like! But when it's all said and done, I'll be the one who will walk away with both of your Spirits and your lives as well! Now, you's kiddies excuse me while I change into something more... comfortable!"

Suddenly, large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded the Legendary Warrior's body. Inside the cocoon of data, he began to change forms.

"Arbormon, slide… EVOLUTION!"

Finally, the large body of Fractal Code had vanished, and a new Digimon appeared before Kazemon and Agunimon. It was a gigantic lizard with his body covered in green leaves, with brownish leaves for feet. It had two thick wooden branches for his tails. He also had four other wooden stakes sticking out of his back, He had a bud-like head with brown leaves covering it like it was a flower. His ivy tongue licked his lips, showing his humongous appetite. His blackish eyes glowered at the two Legendary Warriors who appeared to be next on the menu.

Agunimon and Kazemon gasped in fear as they slowly backed into a nearby tree. Both of them were shocked at the incredible size of their newest opponent. The Beast Digimon of Wood unleashed a powerful roar that echoed throughout the Forbidden Forest. Meanwhile, the threatening sound caused Bokomon and Neemon to dive back in the bushes.

"PETALDRAMON!" He cried.

The lizard-like Digimon extended his long tongue towards the two Legendary Warriors. Agunimon and Kazemon quickly moved out of the way as Petaldramon's tongue wraps around a couple of tree. He pulled his tongue back, taking the trees along with him. Petaldramon easily munched on the large pieces of wood like steamed broccoli. All of the sudden, the Beast Digimon of Wood began to grow until he was four times his original size. Not only that, all of his injuries has already been healed.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Petaldramon laughed. "Now that's is what I call power surge, baby!"

"Oh man, this guy's huge!" panted Kazemon. "This... could present a problem."

"Be ready, Zoe. Otherwise, we could be his next meal." said Agunimon.

The two Legendary Warriors dropped in their defense stance and prepared themselves for another grueling battle. The fight against Arbormon took a lot out of them. Agunimon's head was still shaking after being tossed around like a rag doll. Plus, since he has been fighting this guy from the beginning, his energy was kind of low. He could still fight, but not for very long. Kazemon, on the other hand, wasn't any better. Her stomach was still in pain after taking a couple of shots in the ribs. And to make things worse, she has only one half of the Spirits of Wind.

Unfortunately for those two Warriors, Petaldramon was four times bigger than his original size and has already rejuvenated all of his minor burns and injuries. And not only that, but the battlefield is still taking place in the Forbidden Forest, giving Petaldramon a huge advantage in this fight. With so many trees at his disposal, the Beast Digimon of Wood has the edge in terms of home field advantage, and regeneration supply. He stood on his hind legs and leered at his two opponents. Of course to him, they appeared to be very tasty. He gave Agunimon and Kazemon a huge smirk before making his move.

"IT'S DINNER TIME! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter twenty-five.<strong>

**Can our two heroes defeat Petaldramon once and for all? Or will this giant lizard have two more Legendary Warriors for dinner? These questions will be answered in the next action packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	26. Forbidden Forest Finale

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**With our heroes reunited, one would think that defeating Arbormon would be a piece of cake. But that wasn't the case. Instead of fighting the Digimon being controlled by the Chaos Sphere, Agunimon and Kazemon were busy fighting each other. Arbormon used their lack of teamwork to his advantage, kicking both of his opponents' butts easily. Thankfully, the Warriors of Flame and Wind were able to put their differences aside. With them working together as a team, they regained the upper hand and took down Arbormon. Let's see they can do it again after Digimon of Wood transformed into Petaldramon.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter twenty-six!**

* * *

><p><strong>Forbidden Forest Finale<strong>

**Normal POV:**

The gigantic and beastly Petaldramon glowered at the Legendary Warriors in front of him. He was fresh and ready to go for round two of this fight. The Beast Warrior of Wood licked his lips as he gaze at both of his opponents, who seemed to be very tasty at the moment. While this Digimon loved to consume hamburgers, he couldn't wait to sink his teeth into the Warrior of Flame or Wind.

On the other side, Agunimon and Kazemon were their knees, panting for air. The two of them were still in pain from the last fight. The fiery Digimon shot a quick glance at the humanoid butterfly. Underneath her silver visor, the Warrior of Flame could see a fierce look of determination in her eyes. That alone told him that she could still fight. If she's willing to go on, then so will he.

"IT'S DINNER TIME! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" laughed the Beast of Wood.

He started off by sticking his tongue out towards both of his opponents. Agunimon and Kazemon lined up next to each other and got in their defensive stance. The Warrior of Flame had his hands up while the Warrior of Wind squatted down on her knees. The two of them gave each other a quick nod and waited for Petaldramon's tongue to approach them.

With incredible reflexes, Agunimon caught Petaldramon's ivy-like tongue and pulled it as hard as he could. But no matter how hard he tugged, the Beast of Wood wouldn't budge. A light chuckle escaped the lizard's lips before he slowly pulled his tongue back into his mouth. Due to his massive size and strength, he was able to regain the upper hand in their little tug-of-war. Agunimon dug his feet into the ground for leverage, but even that wasn't working. He could feel his soles drag along the dirt beneath him.

Suddenly, Kazemon reappeared from the side and dove feet first towards the two fighting Digimon. She lifted one of her legs and focused on her target: Petaldramon's tongue. She brought her leg down with tremendous speed, perfectly cutting the ivy-like feature in half. Agunimon regained his balance and threw away his broken half of the tongue.

Kazemon landed next to her partner and the two Legendary Warriors made a beeline towards the Beast of Wood. Agunimon struck first by giving Petaldramon a huge punch to the abdomen, forcing him to double over. While the large lizard grimaced in pain, the lavender haired Digimon flew towards the plant-type creature like a fighter jet. When she was a few feet away from Petaldramon's face, she performed a small back flip. But during the rotation, the butterfly gave the Warrior of Wood a fierce somersault kick to the nose.

"YEEOOOOWWWWWWWW!" cried Petaldramon.

He stood on his hind legs while using his two front paws to massage his swollen nose. Kazemon slowly lowered herself next Agunimon and grabbed a hold of his forearms and lifted him off the ground. The butterfly spun the Warrior of Flame around and around. With perfect timing, the humanoid butterfly released him toward the groggy Petaldramon.

Like being shot out of the cannon, he dove at his opponent with one of his hands covered in scorching hot flames. Once he was in range, the fiery Digimon gave Petaldramon a vicious uppercut to the chin. The powerful strike knocked the Beast Warrior backwards. Agunimon flipped a couple of times before landing beside his best friend.

"Well, that should do it!" Kazemon smiled.

"And you know what they say when a tree is about to fall... 'TIMBER!'" shouted Agunimon.

The two Legendary Warriors watched as Petaldramon's massive body slowly fell to the ground. They waited for him to crash on the dirt with a huge thud. Closer and closer his body approached the canvas. Unfortunately, his back was only a couple inches above the grass before it came to a sudden halt.

"Sorry, fooled ya!" chuckled the Beast of Wood.

"No way!" Kazemon spoke with a frightened gasp escaping her throat.

"That... That's impossible!" shouted a frustrated Agunimon.

Petaldramon elevated his body back to a standing position and smirked at the two Warriors in front of him.

"Do you think you's can defeat the likes of me with a silly move like that? You pathetic piece of trash are more foolish than I thought, right?" smirked the leafy lizard.

"How can this be? Our last attack had no effect on him!" growled Agunimon.

"Great! What are we supposed to do now?" Kazemon wondered.

"There's nothing you's Legendary Wimps _can_ do!" declared Petaldramon. "You's can never defeat me! I'm bigger, stronger, better, and much better looking than ever before, right?"

"Not to mention meaner." mumbled the fiery Digimon.

"And uglier." The lavender haired butterfly added.

"What was that?" The Beast of Wood roared as he got back on all fours. "Try saying that to my face, you's pathetic humans! TAKE THIS!"

Again, he opened his mouth and a fresh new tongue made of ivy shot towards the Warriors of Wind and Flame. The two of them dove out of the way to avoid getting snared by the vine-like tongue. But that didn't frustrate Petaldramon at all. Instead of going after one of his opponents, he elongated his tongue a little bit towards a couple of trees in front of him. He wraps his tongue around the large piece of timber and pulled them back towards his mouth.

Meanwhile, Agunimon and Kazemon saw what Petaldramon was going for. Both of them had worried looks on their faces. If Petaldramon consumed anymore trees, he'll grow bigger and stronger. That would make the fight nearly impossible to win. They had to do something before it's too late.

"Zoe!" Agunimon cried.

"I'm on it!" obliged the Warrior of Wind.

She dove towards midpoint between Petaldramon's body and the trees his tongue was wrapped around. She delivered a sharp axe kick to the ivy-like feature, completely slicing it in half. While the Beast Digimon of Wood hollered in pain, Agunimon darted towards his opponent with fireballs at the end of each of his knuckles. He threw both of his fists at the large lizard, sending his fiery attacks at Petaldramon's face. But the leafy creature smirked. The fireballs bounced off of Petaldramon's face like it had no effect.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" laughed the Beast Warrior of Wood.

"What's so funny, you lousy creep?" Agunimon snarled.

"Is that the best you's can do? You's think a couple of ember shots and swirling tornadoes can do some damage to me? Think again, foolish children! All of your attacks are useless against me! I'll show you's right now the _real _differences in our power!"

Petaldramon turned his large body until he was facing the Legendary Warrior of Flame.

"Now... GET OVER HERE!" yelled the lizard covered in leaves.

He opened his mouth and shot another ivy-like tongue at the Warrior of Flame. The vine was coming at Agunimon so fast, he had very little time to react. In less than half a second, Petaldramon's tongue has completely wrapped around the fiery Warrior's midriff. The Digimon of Flame tried break, but it was no use. The lizard had Agunimon's body all tied up like a Christmas present. He gave a little tug and the Warrior of Flame stumbled to the ground.

"Time to eat up! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" snickered Petaldramon as he slowly pulled his tongue back into his mouth, dragging the helpless Warrior of Flame along.

"TAKUYA!" cried Kazemon as she dove feet first towards the two Digimon.

She landed hard on the ground, stomping both of her feet on Petaldramon's tongue. The plant-type Digimon shrieked in pain upon impact. That attack was enough to get Agunimon out of the hold he was in. He broke through the vine-like feature and quickly regrouped with the lavender haired Digimon. The two Legendary Warriors backed off into the bushes and crouched down to conceal their positions.

"Are you okay, Takuya?" Kazemon asked with a good amount of concern.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Thanks Zoe." He replied by smiling at his partner. Kazemon's face flushed a little bit, but quickly revert back to normal when the fiery Digimon continued to speak.

"But we got to find a way to take down this guy. The longer this fight drags out, the more likely he's going to win. We can't let that happen. We have to end this now."

"I know. But I'm all out of ideas. Do you have a way to stop him?"

"Yeah. Remember that plan I had when we fought against Arbormon?"

"Oh yeah. You mean the one that nearly got both of us killed?" Kazemon spoke with a dash of sarcasm.

"No, the one we used to defeat him! Come on, Zoe! That was a great plan! You even said it yourself!" Agunimon argued.

"Yes, I did..." spoke the lavender haired Digimon with a slight hint of hesitation. "... but even so, how can you be sure this will work again?"

"We won't know until we try. What do you say?" asked the Warrior of Flame.

"Well..."

"ARRGGGHHHH! WHERE ARE YOU, YA LITTLE RUNTS!" A fully recovered Petaldramon roared.

He scanned the entire forest but there was no Legendary Warrior in sight. He then closed his eyes and used his nose to sniff out their whereabouts. Petaldramon was able to pick up Kazemon's lovely scent from her hair and Agunimon's smell from his armpits. He shifted towards his left and spotted a couple of bushes. Petaldramon licked his lips after discovering his opponents' hiding place.

"Come on out and fight, you cowards!" He stood up on his hind legs and took aim at the shrubbery. The brown leaves around his head started to spin around like a gigantic fan.

"LEAF CYCLONE!"

Petaldramon released a tornado of leaves from his nostrils. The leafy twister hastily approached the bushes where the two Legendary Warriors were hidden. Agunimon and Kazemon leaped out of the crossfire just in time. However, the bushes and everything in the cyclone's path were already blown out of the Forbidden Forest. Both Warriors regrouped and glowered at the Digimon of Wood.

"Are you ready?" asked Kazemon.

"Yeah! Let's take this guy down!" said Agunimon.

They darted towards Petaldramon at full speed. The leafy lizard spotted his enemies and took aim at them, ready to launch another Leaf Cyclone attack. But before he could declare his move, the Warriors of Flame and Wind scattered in different directions, catching the Beast of Wood off guard. However, he kept his eye on the fiery Digimon. It didn't matter how fast Agunimon was running. Petaldramon's got him locked in his sight.

"KYAH!" A voice shouted from behind him.

The plant-type Digimon turned around, only to be greeted by a devastating round kick delivered by Kazemon. The attack twisted him around, but wasn't enough to knock the lizard to the ground. Petaldramon opened his eyes, but the first thing he saw was the Warrior of Flame leaping towards him with his right hand covered in flames.

As the Legendary Warrior prepared his attack, a roar of determination exited his mouth. When he was finally in range, the fiery creature gave Petaldramon a merciless right hook to his face. He then followed up with a left hook. The leafy lizard grimaced in agony as he collapsed to the ground.

Agunimon landed smoothly on his feet, with the lavender haired beauty standing next to him. The two Legendary Warriors gave each other a quick nod, signaling each other to continue with their attacks. Agunimon pounded his fists together, creating a couple more fireballs at the end of each knuckle. Kazemon performed a handstand and spread her legs out wide.

"PYRO TORNADO!"

"TEMPEST TWIST!"

Upon command, the two Legendary Warriors spun around as fast as they could. A huge, fiery tornado engulfed Agunimon's body. The faster he rotated, the bigger the twister grew. Meanwhile, Kazemon's attack created a strong force of wind around the vicinity. She combined her tempest with Agunimon's tornado. The result was a large cyclone made of flames. It was about the same size as Petaldramon's body. The fiery twister made its way towards the dazed Beast Warrior of Wood.

The lizard woke and saw the attack coming his way. But Petaldramon had no time to react. He writhed in pain as the tempest of fire consumed his entire body. The heat was so intense, it managed to burn some of Petaldramon's features. A couple of wooden stakes on his back caught on fire and some of the leaves around his body were also incinerated.

A few seconds later, the tornado had subsided. Agunimon and Kazemon saw their opponent wobbling on his feet. There were a lot of burn marks all over his face and body. His eyes were still closed, due to the intense pain he was in.

"Alright!" cheered Agunimon.

"Well, that should take care of him!" Kazemon smiled.

"Yeah! Great job, Zoe!"

"You too, Takuya!" The two Legendary Warriors gave each other a high five and exchanged smiles.

"Grrrr..." Someone growled.

The sound made both Agunimon and Kazemon froze. They turned back towards the Beast Warrior of Wood and were shocked at what they saw. The burnt pieces of wood on his back fell off, but were replaced by new ones that were even sharper than before. The incinerated marks on his body healed just as quickly. Also, the burnt patches of leaves were replaced by newer and revitalized ones, covering all of Petaldramon's injuries.

Five seconds had passed and the rejuvenated Beast Warrior of Wood was back in the fight.

"No way! How's that possible?" gasped Kazemon.

"Why won't this guy go down?" gritted Agunimon.

"How quickly did we forget? Haven't you's twerps learn anything? Huh?" Petaldramon snarled at his opponents.

"Stand your ground, Zoe! We can beat this guy!" said the Warrior of Flame.

"Not a chance, twerps! I got a Chaos Sphere inside me, baby! With the power I have, not a single Digimon alive can stop me, right? You's pathetic saps better give up now and hand me your Spirits!"

"Never!" Kazemon declared. "If you want our Spirits so bad, then you're gonna have to take them from us!"

"Whatever you say!"

He stuck his tongue towards the Warrior of Wind. Kazemon gasped in fear as Petaldramon's tongue quickly closed the distance. Without thinking, Agunimon shoved the butterfly Digimon out of the way. The good news was that  
>the lavender haired beauty was safe.<p>

Unfortunately for him, the fiery Warrior wasn't able to escape Petaldramon's incredibly strong grip.

He wrapped his tongue around Agunimon's midsection and lifted him off the ground. Like a catapult, the Beast Digimon of Wood hurled Agunimon over his body and out of the area. Kazemon watched helplessly as the Warrior of Flame tumbled in midair until he finally disappeared in the trees almost a mile away.

"Takuya, no!" She cried.

Tears were forming in her eyes, but she held them back. Now wasn't the time for crying. She has to find Takuya and make sure he wasn't hurt. Kazemon was about to leave when the sound of Petaldramon's evil laughter entered her ear. The Warrior of Wind leered into the lizard's eyes.

"Hahahaha! That fool got what he deserved for going up against me, right?" smirked Petaldramon.

Kazemon clenched her fists tight as she stood back on her feet. No one insults her friends and gets away with it. On the other hand, the Beast of Wood saw the lavender haired Warrior's angry face. He couldn't help but grin.

"Ooh, goodie! Something sweet!" smirked Petaldramon. His tongue licked all over his large mouth.

"You... YOU... YOU'LL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO TAKUYA!" yelled Kazemon.

Instead of searching for her best friend, the Warrior of Wind went after her opponent.

She took the skies and flew towards Petaldramon's face. The plant-like monster smirked at the Warrior of Wind as he carefully studied her movements. He lowered his defense a little bit, allowing his opponent to attack with everything she's got. Kazemon proceeded with her frontal assault and began by giving Petaldramon a barrage of rapid kicks all over his face using both of her strong legs.

The leafy Digimon stood there casually, taking hit after hit. A light chuckle escaped his mouth as if Kazemon's kicks were nothing more than a mere tickle. The female butterfly followed up by delivering a powerful somersault kick to Petaldramon's chin. The blow knocked his head backwards. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to cause any hurt the enemy.

On the other hand, Kazemon wasn't finished yet. She flew a little bit higher until she was above Petaldramon's head. She extended her hands out in front and a bunch of pink spiral tornado erupted from her hands.

"HURRICANE WAVE!" She screamed from the top of her lungs.

She threw her tornadoes at the Beast Warrior of Wood. The force of wind knocked Petaldramon back a little further. Although her attack didn't cause significant damage, Kazemon did manage to get her opponent off balance. She finished off her combo by giving Petaldramon one heck of a diving sidekick across his face.

The lizard grunted in pain as his entire body landed hard on the forest floor with a thud. Kazemon gracefully lowered herself to the ground and observed her unconscious opponent. Petaldramon was as motionless as a rock. His mouth hung open with almost no sound coming out. His eyes remained closed, as if he was asleep.

"I did it! I can't believe! I actually defeated Petaldramon!" She said happily. Kazemon was about to cheer and jump for joy when...

"I don't think so!" A familiar voice interrupted her celebration.

Kazemon's eyes widened as she watched Petaldramon got back on all fours. His eyes were filled with anger, rage and frustration. He had just about enough of playing around with this Legendary Warrior. Playtime was officially over. Now it's time to get serious and destroy her for good.

With absolutely no mercy or remorse on his mind, Petaldramon unleashed a loud roar that blew away a lot of leaves, twigs, branches and other things out of the vicinity. Kazemon stood there, frozen like a statue. But the Beast of Wood was already back on the attack. He stood on his front legs, with his long wooden tail hanging in the air.

"THORN JAB, BABY!" He howled.

Petaldramon then stabbed his wooden tail into the ground, causing the entire Forbidden Forest to shake. Kazemon lost her balance and fell on her bottom. Suddenly, a bunch of vines shot up from the ground, entangling the lavender haired Warrior's arms, legs and body. She tried to break loose, but it was hopeless.

Petaldramon has not only captured her, but sealed all of her movements. His vines has pinned Kazemon's limbs to the ground. Even her butterfly wings were ensnared by Petaldramon's ivies. Slowly, the vines lifted the helpless Warrior of Wind off of the canvas until she was at the exact level as Petaldramon's head.

"There's no escape! It's all over for you, baby! HAHAHAHAHA" Petaldramon maliciously chuckled.

He stuck his tongue out towards the female Digimon and wrapped it around Kazemon's exposed neck. The Warrior of Wind coughed and gagged for air. And it only got worse as Petaldramon tightened the grip around her throat. Even the vines that were wrapped around her body, arms and legs tightened up. At any point, her limbs would be crushed. But her situation only got worse when Petaldramon's powerful tongue applied more pressure to her throat.

Never before has she been so humiliated or in so much pain. With her immobilized, the lavender haired beauty could not defend herself. She was caught in not one, but six different vices. No matter how hard the Legendary Warrior struggled, she unable to break free. Even as the pain intensified, there wasn't much Kazemon could do.

Her feet dangled helplessly several feet above the ground. There was very little space between her toes and the canvas. But even such a little distance felt like such a long way for the Warrior of Wind. She shifted her body left and right, trying to loosen the grip from the incredibly tight vines. But with each passing second, her efforts grew weaker.

Petaldramon squeezed harshly, which made Kazemon shuddered a defeated gasp as her helpless frame jolted up and down, side to side. Her hair stayed in rhythm with the punishment, with her head swaying back and forth. The Beast Warrior of Wood gave her a cocky grin, displaying his power over the helpless heroine. Again he constricted his vice-like grip a little more with each moment.

"YOU DONE NOW, RIGHT?" The Beast of Wood chuckled.

Kazemon's slender legs swayed little circles above the ground in a lifeless manner. She has lost all sensation in both lower limbs. But Petaldramon couldn't be happier. Nothing was more enjoying than hearing the helpless moans from the Warrior of Wind. The satisfaction of squeezing every last drop of will from that girl's body could be compared to munching a double patty cheeseburger.

Even the humanoid butterfly's arms flailed limply to her side. The lavender haired Digimon slumped her head backwards. Her mouth hung open. Not a breath of air was going in. Not a cry for help was coming out. The Digimon of Wind could feel Petaldramon's intent to brutally crush her. The Beast Warrior would not stop until Kazemon's body has become nothing more than an empty shell.

The lavender haired beauty no longer responded to the tight squeezing from Petaldramon. Her slender limbs dangled helplessly without life. Her back felt crippled beneath the pressure. Kazemon was at her limits. Slowly, her consciousness slipped away. Her strength was gone and so was her will to fight.

"HAHAHAHAHA! DINNER'S READY!" Petaldramon grinned.

The vines entangled around Kazemon's limbs and body loosened up. The Warrior of Wind dropped back into the ground, landing on the smooth grass. However, Petaldramon kept his tongue around Kazemon's throat. He pulled the barely lifeless body close to his mouth. He couldn't wait to sink his teeth into his opponent. Perhaps it would be even tastier than a cheesebur...

"ZOE!" A deeper voice cried. Petaldramon shifted his eyes to the right and saw a large winged dinosaur-like monster flying towards him at top speed.

"Ta... Takuya..." The lavender clad Digimon faintly gasped the moment she saw the Beast Warrior of Flame coming for her rescue.

BurningGreymon unleashed a vicious chop to Petaldramon's tongue, snapping it in half. By doing so, the Beast Warrior released the subconscious Legendary Warrior. Kazemon tumbled helplessly towards the solid ground below. Thankfully, BurningGreymon was there to catch her before she crashed into the canvas.

The lavender clad butterfly started to come around with a barely audible moan. Her vision cleared up moments later. The first thing she saw was the crimson armor on the dinosaur's chest. BurningGreymon landed with Kazemon under his arms. He gently rested the injured humanoid butterfly against a nearby tree.

"Zoe, are you hurt?" asked the Beast of Flame. He noticed his partner smiling and moving her head from side to side.

"I'm... I'm alright." Kazemon painfully spoke. Her face cringed a little bit, but she kept her eyes on the fiery Digimon.

"What has this guy to you?" BurningGreymon asked. This time, his voice was filled with anger and concern. The look on her face told him how hurt she was. She didn't want him to see her cry, but the agony in her body made hard to do so.

"I'm sorry Takuya. I thought that I could take him on all by myself. I guess I was wrong. I'm so powerless without my Beast Spirit. I feel so useless right now..."

Sensing her depression, the BurningGreymon had to do something before she completely loses it.

"That's enough, Zoe! You got to stop getting down on yourself just because things aren't going your way! You did the best you could, and that's all anyone can ask for! You fought well, Zoe! Even against a Beast Warrior, you never gave up." He put his hand on her shoulder as a supportive gesture.

"And besides, remember what I said about you? You're one of the strongest people I know."

"You really think so?" beamed Kazemon.

"Of course! You are a tough girl who is not afraid to show her true power, even against someone as mean as Petaldramon! And I'm not going to let one stupid defeat change what I think of you! You're strong Zoe, and that's a fact!"

"Thanks Takuya." Despite the agony, she mustered enough strength to crack a smile. But the pain in her body came back to her. She clutched her stomach and grimaced.

"Stay here and rest, Z! I'll take care of Mr. Gruesome!" declared BurningGreymon.

"Alright... Be careful, Takuya." nodded the Warrior of Wind.

The fiery Digimon flapped his wings and got back into the fight. He found Petaldramon waiting in the middle of the field and the two Beast Warriors leered into each other's eyes.

"Ooh, what's this? More food for me to eat, right? Hahahaha!" laughed the lizard.

"Petaldramon! What you did to my friend is unforgivable! And for that, I'm going to show you no mercy!"

"Same speech as usual, right? Go ahead and try, you fool! She was just a side dish! You's, on the other hand, will be my main course! Mmmm, I can taste it right now: extra crispy with a nice kick in the end! HAHAHAHA!"

"Not a chance!"

"And after I'm finished with dinner, I'll go back to your little friend there for desser..."

"ENOUGH! ARRGGGHHHH!" He flew straight towards Petaldramon with vengeance in his eyes. He tucked his arms to his side and aimed his cannons at the leafy Digimon. His basters locked on to its target and began to charge in energy.

"TAKE THIS! PYRO BARRAGE!" BurningGreymon cried.

Solar heat-wave energy bullets shot out of his cannons like a machine gun. The bullets sprayed all over Petaldramon's head and body. They exploded the moment they made contact with his face, covering his head with a thick cloud of smoke. At the same time, the attack burned off a few patches of leaves on Petaldramon's backside. BurningGreymon's flew backwards and let out a small grin.

"Well, that should do it!" He said to himself.

But when the smoke cleared, BurningGreymon knew his assumption wasn't even close to correct. Petaldramon's face remained unscathed and the burnt patches of leaves were replaced with fresh new ones. In a matter of seconds, he was completely healed, much to the fiery Warrior's dismay.

"You got to be kidding me!" growled BurningGreymon.

"I told you's already! All of your attacks are useless against me! There's nothing you's can do to stop me, right? Now... GET OVER HERE!" ordered Petaldramon.

He took aim at the Beast Digimon of Flame and opened his mouth wide. Another ivy-like tongue shot out from his jaw and toward the surprised Legendary Warrior. BurningGreymon didn't have enough time to react. In a matter of moments, Petaldramon had ensnared his opponent's torso with his vine-like feature.

Like he did with Kazemon, the leafy lizard squeezed as hard as he could, trying to break every single rib in BurningGreymon's body. The fiery Warrior shrieked in pain as the vine wrapped around his waist tightened. And to make matters worse, both of his arms were immobilized, which left the Beast of Flame defenseless.

"YEEOOOWWWW!" BurningGreymon hollered from the top of his lungs. His cries bounced off all the way to the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

"Takuya, no!" Kazemon reached toward her friend.

"It's all over! Now... IT'S TIME TO EAT!" snickered Petaldramon.

With his opponent unable to fight back, the Beast of Wood pulled his captured victim back towards him. He opened up his mouth, ready to devour the Beast of Flame for dinner. BurningGreymon quickly regained consciousness. The first thing he saw was the blackness in Petaldramon's mouth growing wider.

"It's not over yet, you creep! KYYAAAHHHH!"

He turned his body around and spread his arms and legs out wide. Just when he was about to be eaten, BurningGreymon used his hands and feet to grab onto the edge of Petaldramon's lips. Although the leafy Digimon still had tongue wrapped around his body, that was as far as he could pull him. BurningGreymon hung on to the outer part of Petaldramon's mouth like his life depended on it.

"Hey Petaldramon! You like you're food hot and spicy, huh?" asked BurningGreymon. "Well, get ready! Because I've your order right here! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

The roar from the fiery dinosaur was as loud as thunder. Even though Petaldramon still had the upper hand, he felt himself shaking in his skin. He then could feel his lips were getting hotter by the second. Regardless of the precarious position he was in, BurningGreymon concentrated his all of his energy into his body. He lets out one last terrifying roar before turning up the heat.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! WILDFIRE TSUNAMI!" howled the fiery monster. His entire body was surrounded by scorching hot flames. The Beast of Flame released his attack along Petaldramon's outsides, covering the lizard with intense heat.

"YEEOOOWWWW!" The leafy lizard cried in pain.

Inside the large wall of fire, the Beast of Wood could feel the effects of the flames. The heat energy escalated, causing significant burns all over Petaldramon's body. The pain intensified with each passing second. Petaldramon felt his tongue being incinerated. A few patches of leaves on his back burned off. The Beast of Wood fell on his back an immediately lost consciousness.

Once the lizard collapsed on the canvas, the fiery cyclone disappeared. Petaldramon's tongue loosened up, allowing an exhausted BurningGreymon to escape. He walked out of the Beast Warrior's mouth and collapsed on all fours. He crawled on his hands and knees away from Petaldramon for a few feet, before he fell on his stomach.

Meanwhile, Swiftmon had seen the fight between the Legendary Warriors. His unfathomed look in his eyes remained. He had a feeling that this fight wasn't over yet, even though Petaldramon was unconscious.

On the other hand, Bokomon's and Neemon's reactions were more different. Both Rookies were worried about their friends. Every now and then, the two Digimon peaked their heads over their hiding place to see if either BurningGreymon or Kazemon were alright.

So far, all three Legendary Warriors were down. They were either incredibly exhausted, or still recovering from their injuries. Despite the teamwork or the individual strength the Digimon of Flame and Wind displayed, it's probably going to take a lot more than that to defeat Petaldramon.

"Hey Bokomon? Did we winning already?" Neemon asked.

"I'm afraid I can't say!" His partner answered.

"What does that supposed to mean?" The rabbit questioned.

"There were moments where I thought victory was ours. But then again, there were times where Petaldramon cleaned both of our friends' clocks!" answered Bokomon.

"Clocks? What clocks? I didn't know Takuya and Zoe carried clocks!"

*bam*

"OW!"

Neemon slumped back to the ground after his friend bashed his head with his book. After letting out a groan filled with annoyance, Bokomon turned his head towards the second-in-command of the Digimon Battlefront.

"Come on, Swiftmon! They need your help! Takuya and Zoe don't stand a chance against Petaldramon all by themselves!" But the swordsman shook his head.

"Have faith in them, my friend." spoke the warrior-like Digimon in a casual manner.

"How can you be so calm in a time like this? If our friends can't beat that oversized reptile, then the whole Digital World is doomed!"

"Fear not. Your friends are a lot stronger than you think. Never underestimate their abilities, their hearts... and their will to fight."

Bokomon nodded upon listening to Swiftmon's argument. Without saying another word, he refocused his attention back to the battlefield.

The first thing he saw was BurningGreymon on all fours. He was crawling slowly toward his partner, who was resting next to a nearby tree. Kazemon saw the fiery Digimon crawling towards her with a grimaced look on his face. Even though there were a few bruises all over his body, she was relieved to see BurningGreymon in one piece.

"Takuya." She murmured.

"Zoe." spoke the Beast of Flame.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. How are you feeling? Are you still hurt?"

"I'm okay. Don't worry about me. Come on, we gotta finish what we started." She shook her head, while keeping the smile on her face.

The lavender haired beauty tried to get back to her feet. But she never got back to a vertical base. The pain soon returned, causing the Warrior of Wind to stumble back on one knee. Moving alone would send huge jolts of agony throughout her body. Still, Kazemon fought through it and hobbled towards BurningGreymon.

"Don't push yourself, Zoe. If you can't go on, then that's alright. I won't force you."

"You don't understand. I have to Takuya."

"But..."

"You said it yourself, right? You need me." Her eyes shifted to the ground with her face flushing in bright colors of red.

"Zoe..." said BurningGreymon, feeling touched hearing her words.

He sensed her determination and willingness to help. It was a good thing Kazemon's attention was on the ground instead of him. She would have noticed a small hue of red slightly polished on his cheeks. Finally, the fiery Digimon sighed and gave the female Digimon a nod. She's willing to fight alongside of him, regardless of what dangers await them.

"Alright. Here's what we're going to do."

While BurningGreymon and Kazemon were going over their plan of attack, Petaldramon somehow managed to regain his consciousness. He rolled on his stomach and stood back on all fours. The large reptile shook off the dizziness in his head and scanned the forest to locate his enemies. He found the Warriors of Flame and Wind conversing with each other, working on some kind of strategy to take him down.

After letting out a thunderous roar, he stomped towards his opponents. BurningGreymon and Kazemon saw the Beast of Wood coming at them from their peripheral vision. Both Legendary Warriors leaped out of the way just in time. As for Petaldramon, he smashed his body into a couple of trees. Once again he shook of the mild headache. The humongous reptile leered at the two flying Digimon for being so annoying.

"You's punks have been a thorn on my side for the last time, right? It's time I finish you Legendary Whimps once and for all!" The Beast of Wood declared.

Before launching another frontal attack, Petaldramon gauged the condition of his two opponents. BurningGreymon looked like he's still capable of fighting. Kazemon, on the other hand, was a different story. One of her arms clutched around her bruised ribs while her legs somewhat dangled in midair as if there's no energy in them.

This made Petaldramon snickered to himself.

"Perfect! I'll focus on the cute one for now! She's obviously the weakest link out of the two! Her attacks pose no threat to me! Plus, the other guy will have a couple things on his mind: defeating me _and_ protecting his friend at the same time! Hehe, this will be like swallowing the tiniest Burgermon in one gulp!"

BurningGreymon and Kazemon shot each other a quick glance. The fiery Digimon could sense some hesitation inside the humanoid butterfly. He couldn't help but wonder if she still wanted to fight. But before he could ask her to back out, he saw her giving him a smile. The expression alone told him that she was ready.

"Zoe?" He said softly.

"I'll be alright. This won't work unless we work together, right?" She asked.

"I'm just worried about you."

"Save the worrying for later. Right now, we got an evil Digimon to defeat."

"Right." BurningGreymon nodded.

"And Takuya?" Kazemon waited until she had her partner's attention. "... Thanks."

After exchanging smiles, both Legendary Warriors dropped in their fighting stance and waited for Petaldramon to make his move.

The Beast Digimon of Wood shot another ivy-like tongue at the lavender clad female. Both Warriors dispersed in different directions, but the tongue stayed on course with his target. Kazemon flew all over the area, trying to shake Petaldramon's tongue off of her tail. She maneuvered left and right, up and down, and all around. Unfortunately, she could not shake away the incoming vine.

Kazemon would stop for half a second just so Petaldramon's tongue could come close. Once it did, she burst into another direction. But Petaldramon got his target locked on like a homing missile. No matter where Kazemon flew, his tongue continued to track her down, refusing to rest until she is captured.

The Warrior of Wind changed tactics and went on the offensive. She unleashed a brutal axe kick to chop off Petaldramon's tongue, causing the rest of it to fall on the ground. However, the Beast of Wood came back at her with another fresh tongue and the chase continued.

Meanwhile, BurningGreymon set his part of the plan in motion. While Petaldramon was busy focusing on the Warrior of Wind, the fiery Digimon launched a barrage of solar energy bullets from his heated cannons. The bullets sprayed all over Petaldramon's body, burning anything it touches.

Too bad his attacks had no effect on him. The leaves quickly regenerated, leaving behind no trace of damage. Strangely, Petaldramon kept his attention on Kazemon. Despite the fact that BurningGreymon's the one attacking him, the lizard remained focused on the butterfly. Occasionally, the Warrior of Flame would check to see how his partner was doing.

So far, she was doing a good job holding her own.

However, as time passed, her movements began to decelerate. The pain in her body returned, causing her to slow down. Moments later, she found herself cornered between a tall tree and a massive lizard. She backed up against the tree. She nowhere to go. All of her escape routes had been cut off. Petaldramon chuckled out loud and stood on his hind legs.

"It's all over! There's no escape from me now, baby!" He laughed.

The lavender haired beauty clenched her fist tight, trying to think of a plan. Meanwhile, the brown leaves around the reptile's head spun around like a gigantic fan. Petaldramon was about unleash his mouth powerful attack at point blank range.

"SAY GOOD BYE, LEGENDARY WIMP! LEAF CYCLO... WHOA!"

Suddenly, Petaldramon felt something grabbing him from underneath. He turned his head and noticed BurningGreymon has his arms wrapped around his body. With every ounce of strength inside him, the Beast Digimon of Flame lifted Petaldramon off the ground.

BurningGreymon bridged his body upwards and released his opponent in mid arch. Petaldramon's head crashed on the ground below. While the suplex didn't knock him out, it sure sent him on a loop. The impact left the lizard dazed and confused. But the throw took a lot out of BurningGreymon. He had his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

"Takuya!" Kazemon cried as she approached him. She placed a hand on his shoulder to show her support.

"I'm fine! Hurry, we don't have much time left!"

The butterfly gave him a quick nod and the two proceeded with their plan.

Around the area were a bunch of vines scattered across the canvas. They were originally part of Petaldramon's tongue that Kazemon has chopped off during the first part of the attack. They each grabbed one end of the vines and flew towards the groggy Petaldramon. BurningGreymon and Kazemon worked together to up all four of their opponent's legs together like a helpless calf. After a good tug from both Legendary Warriors, they took the skies once more.

By then, Petaldramon had already regained his consciousness.

"Huh? What's going on here?" He asked. It took him a while to realize he has no control of his legs. No matter how hard he pull, he couldn't break free.

"What the... What did you punks do to me?"

"Zoe!" BurningGreymon growled. Kazemon quickly regrouped with his partner. They lined up side by side and were prepared to execute the last step of their plan.

"You ready?" Kazemon asked.

"Let's do it! ARRGGGHHHH!" shouted BurningGreymon.

His entire body was covered with raging red hot flames. At the same time, Kazemon turned upside-down and spread her legs.

"No! Wait a minute!" A nervous Petaldramon begged.

"WILDFIRE TSUNAMI!" ||| "TEMPEST TWIST!"

The flames around BurningGreymon's body reached its peak. He then released a powerful, fiery tornado towards Petaldramon. At the same time, Kazemon spun very quickly, creating a massive twister. She combined her cyclone with BurningGreymon's tornado.

With the aid of Kazemon's generated wind, BurningGreymon's fiery attacks were twice as bigger with twice the intensity in the heat. The wave of fire sailed toward the helpless Beast Digimon of Wood.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

In a matter of seconds, the leafy lizard was engulfed in wall of fire. The vines wrapped around Petaldramon's legs were completely incinerated. But that was nothing compared to everything else. The leaves around his head caught on fire and the ones all over his body burned off. His cries in agony echoed across the forest. Unfortunately, not a single Digimon was around to come to his aid.

Finally, the wall of fire had subsided. The Beast of Wood laid lifelessly on the ground. A ring of Fractal Code surrounded the lizard's body as her entire body turned into black. On the Fractal Code, the Beast Spirit of Wood revealed itself to BurningGreymon. The fiery dinosaur quickly captured the Beast Spirit of Wood. With his Spirit gone, a silhouette of the Warrior of Wood reappeared.

BurningGreymon landed on the ground as large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded his body. Inside the cocoon of data, the Beast Digimon of Flame began to transform.

"SLIDE... Evolution!" Finally, the Fractal Code had vanished, and the Warrior of Flame appeared.

"Agunimon!" He shouted. The fiery Digimon took a step closer towards the defeated opponent.

"Evil Legendary Warrior, be purified by my flame!" Agunimon said, pulling out his D-Tector. "You know what they say, Arbormon. Good always triumphs over evil, right?" The scanner of the top of his device lit up and the symbol of Flame appeared on the screen.

"FRACTAL CODE… DIGITIZE!"

He swung his arm out, absorbing the Fractal Code around Arbormon's body. When all of the data had been absorbed, the body of the Legendary Warrior digitized to bits. And just like that, Agunimon has recaptured the Spirits of Wood in his D-Tector.

With the conclusion of the epic battle, Fractal Code surrounded the Warrior's body, transforming him back to the teenaged boy. Takuya collapsed on one knee due to the pain in his body. Of course, he was also incredibly exhausted. Battling an evil Legendary Warrior took a toll on his stamina.

The goggle-head looked above him and noticed a cocoon of Fractal Code surrounding Kazemon's body, transforming the Warrior of Wind back to Zoe. With her energy completely depleted, she moaned weakly before collapsing back down to the ground. She would've had a hard landing if Takuya wasn't there to catch her.

He held her underneath his arms until her eyes opened.

"Takuya?" She spoke.

"Hey, Zoe." The boy responded by giving her a goofy smile. She couldn't help but stifle a giggle.

"How are you feeling?" He asked her.

"Just a little tired. But I'm alright." She replied by nodding.

The two teenagers refocused their attention to the spot where Arbormon had fallen. They noticed a black sphere on the ground, still radiating energy. But since it's host had been defeated, the power in the evil orb decreased. The evil energies finally reached zero, which resulted in the Chaos Sphere shattering into pieces.

Finally, both humans looked at each other and smiled. The two of them gazed at each other as the gentle breeze calmed the atmosphere. The forest was quiet, but that didn't matter to them. It only made the moment even more relaxing.

"Um, Takuya? You can put me down now." spoke the blonde.

"Oh... Sorry about that." apologized the goggle-headed boy.

He gently set Zoe down on the soft grass. Afterwards, the two of them looked away from each other, trying to hide the blushes on their face. Both waited patiently for the other to speak. Takuya glanced back at Zoe, only to have her look away. Then again, the same thing happened when she tried to look at him.

"Hey, Zoe?" Takuya said. He finally got the girl to make eye contact with him.

"Yes, Takuya?" She replied softly.

"I, uh... I just wanted to say, um..." He took a deep breath. "Thank you... for coming back."

"Oh..." The Bearer of Wind gulped when she those words. For the first time in a while, she detected sincerity in his voice. She looked towards her shoes, hoping to conceal the redness on her face. A soft laugh escaped her lips.

"D... Don't mention it. And, um... Thank you for, uh... for saving me earlier." She replied.

"N... No problem." Takuya smiled. It was his turn to blush. He had his hands behind his head, constantly shifting his weight from side to side.

Again, the woods was filled with uncomfortable silence. Both teenagers were still having trouble thinking about what else to say. Their eyes wandered off without even meeting each other. Takuya rocked his weight back and forth while Zoe twiddled her fingers with embarrassment.

Finally, the Bearer of Flame took a deep breath and placed his hand on Zoe's shoulders. This almost made the teenage girl jump right out of her shoes. But she instantly calmed down when she noticed the wide smile on his face.

It was the very same smile she always received back when they were best friends.

"That's it. I'm saying it first." laughed the boy.

"Eh?"

"Zoe, I'm really sorry for acting like a jerk. And all those times where I hurt and humiliated you? I'm sorry for that too."

"Takuya..." She placed a hand over heart.

"Can you ever forgive me?" He asked, with even more sincerity.

At first, Zoe was speechless. It caught her by surprised when Takuya beat her to the punch in asking for forgiveness. She could feel her eyes watering him, but she rubbed the tears away and grabbed both of his hands.

"Of course, I forgive you." She smiled while nodding.

"Thanks, Zoe!" He said after letting out a huge sigh of relief.

It wasn't until Takuya noticed that Zoe still had her hands wrapped around his.

"And, Takuya? I want to apologize for everything I did wrong. I'm sorry for hurting you, for not listening to you, and... well... for not acting like a good friend. Can... Can you... *sniff*..."

Instead of finishing her apology, she gazed back at the ground. This time, she couldn't keep her tears back. After thinking about all of the cruel things she said and did to him, how could he find it in his heart to forgive her?

But then, Takuya placed a hand on her chin and lifted it up to make sure he could see her gorgeous eyes.

"Of course I do." He smiled, whipping away her tears with his thumb.

"Oh Takuya!"

She jumped into his arms with utter happiness. The Chosen Children basket in each other's embrace. It's like that fighting and arguing never happened. After all the events that transpired, both of them were glad that things were back to the way they were. And they couldn't be happier.

Elsewhere, Swiftmon, Bokomon and Neemon had seen the whole thing. Swiftmon finally cracked a smile and nodded his head in satisfaction. At last, the Legendary Warriors were a team once again. Meanwhile, Bokomon was dancing for joy. He had Neemon's hands in his grasps and swung him around and around.

"WE DID IT! WE GOT THE SPIRITS OF WOOD!" Bokomon cheered.

"DIZZY! I'M DIZZY!" Neemon shouted.

Swiftmon stood back on his feet. He was glad to see the two of them working together again. The mission was still far from over. But at least the humans weren't fighting anymore.

"Come!" He ordered. "We must return to Lord Eldestmon to tell him the good new..."

"Cutie?" A choric voice called. "Where are you? Cutie?"

The sound grew louder with each passing second. Swiftmon, Bokomon and Neemon looked behind to see who was approaching them. Out of the woods appeared an olive haired Digimon dressed in a long white dress. She had a pink flower in the palm of her right hand

"Beautymon?" Bokomon called out. The female Digimon saw her comrades staring at her blankly, but she replied with a cute, little wave.

"Hey, boys!" She giggled. She pulled her hair back and placed the pink camellia over her right ear. "

How do I look? Beautiful? Lovely? Gorgeous? All of the above?" She asked, giving the others a wink that would seduce most men.

"Where have you been?" grumbled Swiftmon.

"I was busy burning some firewood. Besides, I'm pretty sure my 'Cutie' can take on the ugly puppet all by himself. By the way, where is Cutie?"

Beautymon looked to where the swordsman was pointing and her bubbly smile flipped upside-down.

Her eyes beheld a certain blonde giving the teenage boy a huge hug. And what's worst, her 'Cutie' was enjoying it. Beautymon could feel her head steaming up with rage. Her teeth clenched as tight, almost on the verge of breaking. Her lavender eyes would have seared holes through the Bearer of Wind if it were possible. Beautymon couldn't stand the sight of this young woman taking her 'Cutie' away from her. Just seeing the girl's smile made her sick to her stomach.

But before she could take action, Swiftmon stepped in front of her.

"We're about to leave. Get the Digiporter ready." He commanded. However, the female Digimon stayed on the same spot, glaring at Zoe with eyes like daggers.

"BEAUTYMON!" Swiftmon yelled, finally getting her attention.

"What?" She huffed.

"Did you hear what I said? Get the Digiporter ready! We're returning to base!" ordered Swiftmon. Beautymon was about to object when he noticed the look on Swiftmon's face. His eyes told her that if she refused to listen, there will be consequences.

Finally, Beautymon gave up

"Fine..." She turned back and began to walk away. She opened her sleeve and flower petals danced out. She leered at the Bearer of Wind one last time.

"This isn't over, Blondie! Nobody steals my Cutie away from me... NOBODY!"

Finally, the female Digimon was completely covered with flower petals. The petals fell to the ground, and Beautymon was already gone.

Once Beautymon left the premises, Swiftmon turned back to the Rookie level Digimon.

"When those two are done, tell them to meet us back at the Digiporter. Understand?"

"Yes, sir!" saluted Bokomon. Swiftmon nodded before disappearing from sight. Bokomon and Neemon quickly made their way to the embracing couple. They stood there waiting for the two humans to notice their presence.

"Ehem!" Neemon coughed.

"Bokomon! Neemon!" Zoe smiled at the Rookies.

"What's up you guys? Where are the others?" Takuya asked.

"They're waiting for us back at the Digiporter. We better get going. Our mission is done here. It's time we head back so we can get ready for our next mission." Bokomon said.

"Alright. We'll be right there." answered Takuya.

The Rookies nodded and headed back towards the forest. Once they were gone, Takuya and Zoe released each other. They did share a few moments of soft laughing and giggling. Finally, Takuya placed another hand on Zoe's shoulder.

"Shall we?" He asked.

Zoe smiled and gave Takuya another nod. The Bearer of Flame then took the lead and was about to head back into the woods when he felt something grabbing his arm. Takuya looked back and gazed into the emerald eyes of the blonde haired girl.

"Takuya?" She spoke. Her sparkling face mesmerized him in a way in which cannot be explained.

"Yeah, what's up Z?" He asked. Zoe giggled again. It's been a long time since Takuya had called her that name. Just hearing it sent tingles down her spine.

"Does that mean we're friends again?" She nervously asked. At first, the boy laughed at the ridiculous question she had asked, causing the young woman's face to turn red with embarrassment. Sure it was a silly question. But needed to know so she could have some peace of mind.

"No." He answered.

Zoe was taken aback by Takuya's abrupt response. Her heart immediately felt as cold as ice. She looked back down to the ground with tears slowly forming in her eyes. After pouring her heart out in apologizing, how could they still not be friends? Does that mean their friendship's over? Just thinking about it shook the poor girl to the core.

But she felt a warm hand on her chin. She looked back at the boy and noticed that signature smile of his.

"Haven't you forgotten, Zoe? We're not just friends. You and I are _best_ friends." He strongly emphasized the word.

"You mean it?" She gasped with joy and happiness.

"You bet. Besides, you said it yourself. You and I make a great team." Takuya finished. With that, he walked toward the direction Bokomon and Neemon went. He took a few steps forward before stopping and turning back to his once again best friend.

"Scratch that. You and I? We're a little more than a great team!"

After giving her a small wink, he headed towards the forest, leaving a speechless Zoe behind.

For a few seconds, the girl stood there with her mouth agape. Just hearing him say those words made her heart melt like butter. Millions of butterflies danced in her stomach. Zoe's mind went blank for several moments. Her body temperature was about to go through the roof. And of course, her feelings towards him has reached a new level. But that only made her widen her smile.

Whether or not he felt the same way was still a mystery to her. On the other hand, that didn't seem matter to her. Takuya's last statement has given her new hope of the possibility of them sharing something special. Only time will tell. But so far, everything appeared to be going in the direction she wanted.

After sighing one more time, Zoe made her way back towards the woods. It took a while for her to catch up to Takuya. The two humans walk side by side through the Forbidden Forest, enjoying each other's company. In the beginning, this place would give the Chosen Children the creeps. But after making up, even the darkest parts of the woods seemed brighter than before. It took them a few minutes to reach the Digiporter

They saw Bokomon and Neemon waiting for them with smiles on their faces. However, Swiftmon and Beautymon were nowhere to be found. Bokomon informed them that they had already teleported themselves back to the home base, and they're just waiting for them to get back.

Like a gentlemen, Takuya allowed Zoe to get on the platform first. She thanked him casually and waited for him and the other two Digimon to hop on. Once everyone's onboard, a white light shot out from the bottom of the Digiporter, engulfing the Digimon and humans with its bright light. When the light subsided, the four of them had vanished.

"CURSE THOSE HUMANS!"

Meanwhile, Sinistromon had witnessed everything, from when he fused the Spirits of Wood with a Chaos Sphere, to when the humans teleported themselves out of the area. The imp-like Digimon was beyond frustrated at this point. The humans had another Legendary Spirit in their possession, while he had no choice but to return to Malevomon's castle empty-handed.

The furious Rookie reached into his bag and grabbed a handful of miniature bombs. One by one, he chucked them all around the forest, unleashing his anger with each throws. The bombs exploded and destroyed every tree within its blast radius. After the last explosion, Sinistromon gazed at the damaged he caused. But even the sheer destruction didn't brightened his mood at all.

"How dare they interfere? They will be sorry! I'll show them not to mess with me!" growled Sinistromon.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much the faithful servant of the evil emperor could do. Going after the Chosen Children would be considered suicide. He needed return to the castle to call forth more Digimon to help him destroy those kids, as well as the Digimon Battlefront. Of course, that also meant he had to relay the bad news to his malicious master.

"Lord Malevomon's not going to be happy about this." Sinistromon gulped nervously.

With his mission done, he flapped his wings and flew out of the area. But he traveled slowly, afraid of what punishment the evil sovereign would bring on him for his failure.

With him gone, the Forbidden Forest has once again returned to the desolate and dangerous woods that it once was.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's the end of chapter twenty-six. <strong>

**After a fierce battle, Takuya and Zoe finally have the Spirits of Wood in their possession. The Spirit count is now five to four, with one more Spirit left to go. What's next for our two heroes? These questions will be answered in next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	27. Young And Innocent

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**When Petaldramon arrived, he was quite a challenge for the Legendary Warriors. Every time he consumed a bunch of trees, his size and strength grew. Even BurningGreymon's and Kazemon's attacks weren't inflicting any serious damage. It took a lot of teamwork, and a little bit of luck to defeat the evil Beast Warrior of Wood. After the battle, Takuya and Zoe had some quality time to thank and apologize to each other. Their reconciliation made them that much closer. Everyone was happy... minus Beautymon. With the Spirits of Wood in their possession, the group finally left the treacherous Forbidden Forest.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter twenty-seven!**

* * *

><p><strong> Young And Innocent<strong>

**Normal POV:**

Takuya opened his eyes and realized he and his friends had returned to the Digiporter Room safe and sound. They had only been gone for several hours, but the group of four was glad to be back in the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters. One by one, they walked off of the platform and headed towards the exit with their stomachs empty. A successful mission deserved a well-earned meal.

"Well, it's about time you humans showed up! Where were you?" Someone spoke from their right. It didn't take long for the humans to notice Gotsumon was still in the room, typing some stuff on his computer.

"It's nice to see you again too." Bokomon replied, unimpressed with the warm welcome the rock Digimon provided.

"Sorry we kept you waiting." Takuya said, scratching the back of his head before staring at his best friend. The room was dark enough so that she couldn't see his face turning a slight hue of red.

"We, uh... um..." The goggle-head stammered.

"We were having a moment with each other." Zoe finished laughing to herself. Her quick answer made Takuya's cheeks as red as a tomato. It was a good thing Zoe's attention was on Gotsumon and not on him.

"So, did you get the Legendary Spirits of Wood? Or did you come back empty handed?" asked Gotsumon, slightly more impatient.

"Relax, buddy. We've returned with the Spirits, as instructed!" Takuya gave the Digimon the thumbs up gesture and his cheeky grin.

"Takuya, you're such a dork when you do stuff like that." Zoe stifled a giggle.

"I see. I guess that means a 'congrats' is in order." The rock-type creature finally nodded and grinned.

"Thanks, Gotsumon. We're about to tell Eldestmon the news right now." said the goggle-head.

"In that case, get your butts moving and let me work in peace!" Gotsumon spoke, much louder than intended. But the group got the message and rushed out of the Digiporter Room as fast as they could.

"Talk about rude!" Neemon leered back at Gotsumon with his cheeks puffed up.

"Then again, what else is new?" Bokomon nodded with his arms crossed.

"Come on, you guys. Give Gotsumon a break. He's working just as hard as us." The Bearer of Wind spoke.

"Still, it wouldn't hurt to show a little more courtesy. Don't you agree, Z?"

Of course... ngh!" Before she could answer, the blonde fell on her knees and grimaced in pain.

"Zoe! Oh God! Are you alright?" Takuya helped his best friend to her feet.

But even so, he still felt the effects of their last battle. The two of them took quite a pounding against the Warriors of Wood back in the Forbidden Forest. Their bodies are sore in more places than one. Arbormon tossed the two of them around like rag dolls, while Petaldramon almost gobbled them up for dinner. Despite the fact that they had defeated one of the toughest Legendary Warriors of all, it sure wasn't easy.

Takuya's muscles were a little tight, cramping up in a few spots. His head was spinning like a top. Zoe, on the other hand, wasn't feeling any better. She couldn't move without feeling some kind of pain in her body. Her midsection was terribly sore. Then again, that's what happens when the Warrior of Wood tenderized her belly like a steak.

Despite the injuries Takuya and Zoe had suffered, they both realize that the battles were only going to get harder from here on out. With one more Spirit left to find, none of them couldn't afford to stop.

"I'm fine, Takuya. Really, I am." The blonde ignored the pain by putting a smile on her face.

"Still, I recommend you visit the Medical Wing before you deliver your report to Lord Eldestmon." A familiar voice caught the group's attention. The four turned around and saw the Digimon Battlefront's second-in-command approaching them.

"Swiftmon!" Zoe was the first to speak.

"Congratulations, Legendary Warriors! Thanks to your efforts, we've recovered another Spirit before Malevomon could claim it." Swiftmon bowed, making Takuya grin and Zoe twiddle her fingers.

"All in a day's work!" Takuya added.

"Hey! I helped too!" Neemon jumped up and down, waiting for Swiftmon to give him some attention.

"Yes... by running away from danger. We couldn't have done it without you." Bokomon smacked his head upon hearing his partner's comments.

"Nonetheless, I shall report to Lord Eldestmon about your success. Once again, excellent job and keep up the good work!" The  
>swordsman said. He disappeared from sight, leaving the four of them alone in the hallway.<p>

"What do we do now?" Zoe asked.

"You two go to the Medical Wing to get checked out. We need you to be at full strength when our next mission starts." Bokomon suggested. He then made his way down the hallway.

"Come on, Neemon."

"Where are we going?" asked the rabbit as he followed behind his friend. "Can we stop by the cafeteria? I'm really famished."

"Stop complaining you nincompoop? I'm begging to wonder if you've eaten your brain."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Your stomach's thinking, as always. Can you go on one hour without mentioning some kind of food..."

Moments later, Bokomon and Neemon were out of sight.

Finally relieved that they're gone, Takuya turned back towards Zoe with a huge smile on his face. He was expecting Zoe to reply with the same suit. But instead of seeing her cheerful, contagious smile, he noticed his best friend was grimacing like she was in pain. Takuya placed a hand on her shoulder, which caused her to moan softly. He couldn't tell if he surprised her or if he touched a sore spot on her shoulder.

"Zoe, are you okay?" Takuya asked.

"Yeah... I'm alright. D... Don't worry about me, Takuya." She nodded, despite the soreness all over her torso spoke otherwise.

"Zoe..."

"Come on, we better get moving before... NGH!"

Suddenly, she lost her balance and fell backwards. Without hesitating, Takuya caught Zoe before she hit the ground. She grimaced in agony before gazing into his eyes. The two of them stood in silence for a few moments, completely ignoring everything else around them. Zoe's eyes were shining even brighter than ever, giving Takuya a warm feeling inside his body he cannot describe. He can feel his cheeks warming up.

"What is this? What is this strange feeling inside me? Why do I get so nervous all of the sudden when Zoe's this close to me? Is it the way her hair dances with the wind? The way her eyes sparkle at night? Or is it the way her skin makes contact with mine? I can't really explain it, but it feels so... so... _good_." Takuya said to himself.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Zoe finally broke the ice.

"Thanks, Takuya. But you can let go of me now." She smiled softly at her best friend. He gently released her and Zoe managed to stand on her own power. However, the look on her face remained the same. She was still hurt from the last fight.

"You sure you're okay?" Takuya asked once again. She sighed until finally she shrugged.

"Well, just a little."

"Come on. Let's get checked out at the Medical Wing." He suggested. "Both of us took some heavy shots against Arbormon a while ago. We can't go on another mission in this condition."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Zoe nodded. "Then, let's get going."

But before she could take another step, Takuya placed one arm around her back and the other under her legs. He lifted her up and carried her in his arms.

"Oh no, you don't. I'm carrying you over to the Medical Wing."

"Hey! Takuya! Quit it! Put me down!" She demanded, trying to wiggle her body so she could get down.

"Stop struggling already, will you? And besides, it's much faster this way." The Bearer of Flame grinned.

"Takuya..." Zoe blushed, averting her gaze away from her best friend.

"The sooner we get to the Medical Wing, the sooner we can get back to... I don't know... us?" Takuya subconsciously responded.

It took him a while to realize the words that came out of his mouth. Again, his cheeks flushed with a deeper shape of red. Beads of sweat trickled down his face and his heart beat accelerated. But then Takuya noticed the same thing was happening to Zoe. Her face was as red as his. It's like she's about to faint real soon.

"Takuya, you idiot! Why did I have to say something so cheesy to her? Now she's going think I'm the biggest dork in the world! Way to go, you nutcase! You messed up big time!" The boy criticized myself.

"Thanks Takuya." Zoe said, interrupting his thoughts. "That's very sweet of you."

"Huh? You really think so?"

"Hehe! _Certo che ci credo, ragazzo sciocco._" She giggled.

"Um... thanks." He grinned, again not having a clue what she just said. "Come on, we better head on over to the Medical Wing."

With Zoe under his arms, Takuya carried his best friend down the lobby and towards the healing center. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her head in his chest, enjoying the ride with a smile on her face. Meanwhile, Takuya was glad she wasn't looking at him. She would've seen his face turning red as beets. He can feel Zoe's blonde hair tickle his left cheek. She smelled like freshly picked violets. It was a relaxing, yet pleasing scent that eased his troubled mine.

"I can definitely get used to his." Takuya said to himself, laughing softly as he adjusted Zoe into a more comfortable position.

A minute later, they arrived at their destination. The doors to the Medical Wing opened up and Takuya walked inside. There were a couple of injured Digimon resting on the hospital beds with a Blisseymon by their sides healing the injuries of her patients. The goggle-head looked around and walked towards the first empty bed he could find. He gently set Zoe down and sat on another empty bed next to her.

Moments later a couple of Blisseymon showed up to take care of the humans.

One Blisseymon looked at Takuya with a look of concern on her face. The goggle-headed boy patted the side of his right arm and the upper portion of his chest. After carefully making her assessments, Blisseymon grabbed his sore arm with one hand and placed her other hand on top. Takuya watched as her hands started to glow, causing the pain in his arm to heal. The soreness was gone in a matter of seconds. Blisseymon then proceeded to heal Takuya's chest. The teenage boy rested on the hospital bed and watched as the healing Digimon work her magic. He can feel the effects of her powers kicking in. The pain inside his chest quickly disappeared. Soon, he was back to normal.

"Thanks, Blisseymon!" He said happily. Blisseymon replied with a small curtsey and merrily skipped toward another bed with an injured Digimon on it. Takuya returned to his feet and shot a quick glance at Zoe.

The Blisseymon taking care gently glided her hands across the girl's tummy. Takuya watched as Zoe closed her eyes and moaned softly as Blisseymon's hands started glowing. Again, he sweated like crazy. Just hearing that sound coming out of her mouth sent chills down his spine. He hated to see Zoe in pain. Takuya approached the blonde and grabbed one of her hands. Her eyes shot open and gazed into his.

"It's okay, Zoe. I'm here." He told her with his cheeks were as red as hers. However, the smile on her face calmed the atmosphere.

"Takuya?" She gasped at the warmth of his hand. A couple of moments later, Blisseymon had just finished healing Zoe's injured midsection. A soft giggle escaped the young woman's lips, which was music to Takuya's ears.

"Feeling better now, Z?"

"Almost." She replied before gazing at the nurse. "Blisseymon?"

The small creature turned with a smile as big as her patient. Zoe then rose her left leg off the bed and motioned Blisseymon to treat it. The nurse moved to the end of the table, held Zoe's leg up and used her powers to heal the girl's lower extremity.

Takuya kept his eyes on Zoe relaxed smile. But occasionally, he would glance down towards the end of the table and stare at Zoe's bare legs. The lights above bounced off her creamy skin. It seemed as the beauty of her legs continue to linger from her waist to the tip of her toes. She's got some muscle in those legs too. But that's what you expect from being the Legendary Warrior of Wind.

"Is it just me, or does Zoe have some of the best legs I've ever seen?" He said to himself.

"Takuya?" Zoe called out. He quickly shifted his attention from her legs back to her eyes. If Zoe ever found out he was staring at her legs, he'd be walking out of this room with both of his own legs broken.

"Yeah, what is it Zoe?"

"We can leave now." She sat up straight and got off the hospital bed. She turned towards Blisseymon and the two of them beamed happily at each other.

"Thank you, Blisseymon!" beamed Zoe. Blisseymon gave the girl a small curtsey and skipped out of the room.

The two made their way towards the exit and stepped out of the Medical Wing. They continued walking down the hallway of the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters to pass the time. As they strolled through the lobbies, they passed by a large number of Digimon. A few of them said 'Hi!' while others congratulated them on another successful mission.

After a while, they came across the Training Room. The two of them watched a lot of Digimon sparring with one another, testing each other's abilities and exposing any weaknesses they have. The Digimon on their side appeared to be growing stronger each day. Then again, they're going to need all the help they could get if they want to defeat Malevomon and his cronies.

After witnessing a few good sparing matches, Takuya and Zoe walked away from the Training Room.

"Man, that was exciting!" The young man complimented on a couple of fights he saw.

"Yes, it sure was!" agreed his friend.

"I couldn't believe that they keep coming back for more after taking shots like those!"

"Me neither. For some, those kinds of hits would knock some Digimon out instantly."

"I know right? But even so, it's fun seeing those guys going all out on each other, even though it's just sparing!"

"We sure got a lot of strong Digimon here."

"And that's all because of you." An elderly voice spoke. Zoe and Takuya turned towards the front and noticed a wise old Digimon standing before them.

"Eldestmon!" They both cried as they approached the Digimon Battlefront leader.

"I see you two have finally come to terms with each other." Eldestmon gave the two teenagers a slow nod.

Takuya and Zoe looked at each other and their eyes locked. Both of them remembered the events that took place before the end of our last mission. Takuya recalled all the cruel and horrible things he had done and said to Zoe. He could only assume she was thinking the same thing. But after successfully capturing the Spirits of Wood, they realized something. Their strength comes from their teamwork. None of them would be alive if they hadn't worked together.

"Yeah, well..." Takuya stammered.

"Sorry for worrying you Eldestmon." Zoe apologized.

"Nonsense. I'm just glad everything's back to normal." The wise Digimon replied.

"I'll say." The Bearer of Flame snickered.

"Anyway, Swiftmon just reported to me about the success of your last mission. And I must say I am extremely proud of you children." said the leader.

"Gee, thanks Eldestmon." grinned Takuya. "We're happy to help."

"Speaking of which, have you guys found the next Legendary Spirit yet?" Zoe asked.

"Not yet." Eldestmon shook his head. "But once when our scouters return with a potential location, we will notify you immediately. But for now, get some rest. You two have certainly deserved it."

"Yes, sir!" The two teens replied. Eldestmon nodded one last time before walking into another room.

Again Takuya and Zoe strolled through the lobbies, enjoying each other's company. The first few moments were quiet. They checked room after room, seeing what else they could learn about the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters. So far, it was nothing too exciting. One of the rooms was a storage closet for the essentials and necessary equipment. Some of the rooms were filed with bunk beds where other Digimon can crash in when they're tired. They also checked out the Armory Room, where they noticed hard working Digimon were making all kinds of weapons and battle armor for their comrades.

"This place sure is busy." Zoe said.

"It's a shame, though."

"Huh? What do you mean, Takuya?"

"Even though you and I are doing most of the fighting and the hard work, it seemed as if none of these guys get enough credit."

"That's right. Everyone's playing an important role. If one of them were missing, we probably be losing right now."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

The two of them sighed as they approached the doors to the cafeteria. They stopped for a second and looked inside. It was less crowded than before. Plus the chef was still serving some food. Before Zoe could go on, Takuya's tummy started rumbling. The Bearer of Wind looked at the boy strangely. After hearing the sound of his grumbling stomach, she placed a hand on her forehead.

"Do you ever think of anything else besides food, Takuya?"

"Not unless I have to." He chuckled, while scratching the back of his head. Zoe smiled and gave him a quick punch on the arm.

"Ow! What?" Takuya said, while trying to hold his laugh.

"You're such a child. You know that?"

"Come on. I can't go into battle on an empty stomach. I need food to replenish my energy. And so do you."

"Oh, please."

"Say, why don't we get something to eat?"

"No thanks. You can go ahead. I'm not that hungry anyway." The blonde refused.

"Oh, come on, Zoe. It's no fun eating all by myself."

"Well, too bad. I'm sure you'll find Bokomon and Neemon there, if you hurry." She huffed with a mild amount of sarcasm.

Takuya's glad that Zoe's back to her usual, headstrong self. Then again, that also meant more childish arguing and bickering from the both of them. But he missed that stubborn, hard-hitting personality of hers. Takuya enjoyed the number of times they argued constantly about the smallest things. It's how they bonded. They say if two people fight, they must really care for each other.

In their case, that statement couldn't be more accurate.

"Please Zoe? I heard that food tastes better when you have company!" Takuya gave her a quick wink. But she still refused to budge.

"I think I'll pass, thank you very much."

"Aw, don't be such a grumpy face! Come on!" He grabbed one of her wrists and gave it a little tug.

"Hey, stop!" She objected. "I already said I'm not going!"

"Oh, I get it. You don't feel like walking, huh? Okay then. How about I carry you instead?"

"Wh... What?"

"How would you like it? Piggyback or bridal style?"

"Br... Bri... Huh?"

"Okay, then! If you insist!" Takuya pulled Zoe close and got down to pick her off her feet.

"Hey! LET GO!"

She hollered the moment his other hand made contact with her legs. She pulled her wrist back and shoved Takuya to the ground. He fell to the ground with his head ricocheting hard off the canvas. The impact made the poor goggle-head very dizzy. Once his vision became clear again, the first thing I saw was Zoe with both of her hands over her mouth. A few other Digimon even stopped by to check out the scene. Some were conversing with another about how silly the two humans looked.

"Um... Takuya?" She called.

"Ow..." The teenage boy grumbled, massaging the sore spot. "God, Zoe! You're so... so..."

"Eh?"

"Strong!" He finished. Takuya got back to my feet and wiped himself off.

"Takuya, I..." Her eye widened upon hearing my compliment. He could tell she liked what she heard, even though her expression said otherwise. She crossed her arms and turned away with her eyes shut. After clearing her throat, she said, "Yeah, well... Maybe you're the one's who's gotten weak. Hmph! How sad, I wasn't even using my full strength."

"Uh... right. Whatever you say." Takuya sighed.

He looked around and watched as the rest of the Digimon filed out of the area. Many were glad that the humans weren't fighting again, although there were a few that wanted to see some more action. Takuya waited until the last Digimon was out of sight. He looked back at Zoe, not very happy about her haughty attitude.

"Yeah, what?" She asked, opening one eye. "You have something else stupid to say to me?"

"Zoe?" Takuya grumbled.

"I'm sorry, am I hurting your feelings Takuya?" She complained again.

"Come on, let's go eat." He quickly made up his mind. This time, instead of her wrist, he grabbed his best friend's hand.

"Hold on a min... Hey!" She said, very shock about the bold move the google-head had made. She tried to break free, but Takuya wouldn't let go. "Give it rest, won't you?"

"Shut up and let's go." He spoke as if it was an order.

He turned and entered the cafeteria with Zoe following behind him. Takuya held on to her tight, just in case she wanted to get away. He know it's pretty stupid of him forcing her to do something like this. But for some reason, he felt that this was the right thing to do. Hopefully Zoe would realize it too.

* * *

><p><strong>Zoe's POV:<strong>

As Takuya pulled me into the cafeteria, my eyes shifted from the back of his head to his hand holding mine. I felt as if electricity was going through my entire body. My heart was pounding like a drum. But it didn't sound like rough. Instead, it was a steady and dull hum. My heart felt like it's inside a pressure cooker; locked up, and boiling quick. His hand was so warm, I felt like I was going to melt.

Holding Takuya's hand, in my opinion, is the best feeling ever. It beats even my first time becoming a Legendary Warrior by a long shot. If it were not for the other Digimon in the cafeteria, I would've pulled Takuya into warm embrace. But even so, I'm not sure how he'll react if I attempt such a desperate move. I wanted to let Takuya how I feel about him, but I need the two of us to be alone. Until then, I'll wait for the right moment.

"Hey Zoe?" He asked.

"What is it now?" I responded with my usual tone so he wouldn't suspect me fantasizing about the two of us.

"Sheesh? What's with the attitude?" He questioned with his voice turned down a bit.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm always like this."

"Sure, whatever." Takuya grumbled. "Listen, you didn't have to get so upset like that. I was just trying to look after you, you know."

"Yeah? Who asked you to do that anyway?"

"Even if someone asked me, I would normally do that. I did it because it's you, Zoe."

"Why are you... What does that supposed to mean?" I stuttered. Again, I felt my cheeks becoming as red as Agunimon's flames.

Takuya gazed into my eyes as he answered my question.

"Look, I owe you a lot for saving me back at the Forbidden Forest; and for all the times I've hurt and humiliated you. Besides, we're a team. And we're best friends too. At least let me make it up to you, please."

"Well..." I also sighed like he did. I shifted my eyes towards the ground. "I guess it's alright..."

What's wrong with me? All he did was care, and I spat it back in his face. Sometimes, I curse myself for acting this way towards Takuya. I have no reason to be afraid of him. So why do I always slap him away when he tries to be nice to me?

"Here you go, Zoe." Takuya said, handing me a tray.

"Oh... thanks." I accepted the tray with my cheeks slightly flushed. The two of us got in line to order our food.

The line moved pretty quickly, so Takuya and I were the next ones to be served. I just hope that gruel's not on the menu, like last time. I think I still had some of that disgusting porridge stuck in my hair. Believe me, that thing smelled worse than Tommy's gym bag or J.P's lunch last week.

But if I recall correctly, I was the one who made Takuya dump all that nasty stuff on me. I was being rude and inconsiderate by stealing his seat. Instead of apologizing, I got what I deserved. That was one of the worst days of my life and it all could have been avoided if I hadn't been so stubborn.

"Mmm! Looks delicious!" Takuya's voice interrupted my thoughts.

I looked at his plate and saw a couple of burgers, curry with rice and a few meatapples. The exquisite smell of the delicious food made my mouth water. Seconds later, the Digimon chef handed me my plate of food and it had the same tasty stuff on it.

"Yep, sure does." I agreed. "So, where do you want to sit, Takuya?"

"Follow me." He said casually.

We walked towards the eastern part of the room, where there was a table seated for two. We both took our seats and ate our food in silence. The burgers tasted like the ones we made back at the Hamburger Village. Simple, yet such an amazing flavor. The curry with rice is such a great combination. I could taste the coconut milk mixed with red bell peppers, mushrooms and cilantro. It's like heaven melting in my mouth. The meatapples were full of surprises. One minute, I was eating steak, the next I was eating fried chicken.

"No more for me, thanks. I'm full." said Takuya who was relaxing back in his chair with his tummy stuffed.

"Me too." I agreed, putting my fork down on my plate, even though there's still some food left.

"I'll be right back. I gotta use the restroom." My best friend rose out of his seat.

"Oh okay. Don't take too long."

"Hehe. Don't worry, I won't." He saluted towards me before exiting the cafeteria.

"DON'T FORGET TO WASH YOUR HANDS!" I giggled.

I took the liberty of throwing Takuya's leftovers into the trash. After dumping my garbage into the bin, I stacked our two trays on top of the others. I then got back to our table and took a seat. I folded my arms and started thinking about my best friend.

That boy. He's always full of surprises. First, he carried me to the Medical Wing, and after that he asked me to have dinner with him. I could feel my cheeks scorching with embarrassment as my mind started to gingerly wander off again.

Takuya and I had dinner together. We haven't done that since... well... our little picnic back at the Human World. We were having so much fun together until Bokomon and Neemon showed up. Why is it that every time I get closer to Takuya, someone or something happens to get in our way? Sometimes, I wish I could just forget about this who adventure and go back to the Human World and spend the rest of my summer with Takuya without having to worry about saving the Digital World...

*sigh*

Who am I kidding? How can I be selfish at a time like this? There are things more important than confessing my feelings to Takuya. The Digital World is in trouble and Malevomon's still on the loose. There are plenty of Digimon counting on us. If Takuya and I don't stop that evil creature, we may never get another opportunity to spend more time with each other. I can't let that happen. I won't...

"Aw! What's wrong, Blonde? Lost in you train of thought?"

That voice. I recognized who it was. Talk about perfect timing. I let out a loud, frustrated groan. I turned and glowered at the olive haired skank, the one responsible for getting me and Takuya in a lot of trouble.

"Hello, Blonde! Did you miss me?" Beautymon asked me, widening her grin at the end of her question. She walked around the table and sat in Takuya's chair.

"Excuse me! That seat's taken!" I growled.

"You're right... So, get lost!" The female Digimon demanded, waving a hand at my face like a total diva.

"Leave me alone! I don't even want to see you right now!"

"Relax, Blondie. I just want to talk. You know... a nice conversation between us girls. Isn't that so wrong to ask?"

"You have no idea..." I mumbled underneath my breath.

"I heard that." She told me, but I didn't care. Every conversation I had with her always turned out bad. I don't see what going to make this one any different.

"Just say what you need to say and get out of my face."

"Fine." She took a deep breath before continuing.

Only this time, her unfathomable eye were replace with an intimidating glare. She grabbed me by the collar and pulled me in towards her.

"I'm only going to say this once, Blondie! Stay away from _my_ Cutie!"

"What in heaven's name are you talking about?"

"You heard me! How dare you touch Cutie with your filthy hands?"

"He has a name you know! It's not 'Cutie,' it's Takuya!"

"I don't care! I saw you embracing him at the Forbidden Forest. I saw you staring at him in the Medical Wing. And I even saw the way you were looking at him when you two were eating! I'm warning you! Stay away from Cutie, or else!" She then pushed me back to my seat in anger.

Are my ears deceiving me? Is that jealousy I hear in Beautymon's voice? I couldn't believe it. I made this ungrateful scoundrel jealous of me. And I _love_ it. Listening to her make empty threats toward me is music to my ears. It's about time someone gave this witch a taste of her own medicine.

"Aw, what's wrong Beautymon? You mad that Takuya's spending more time with _me_ than _you_?" I grinned slyly.

"Why you..." Her fist tightened and her teeth gritted against each other.

"Couldn't stand the loneliness, so you had to take out on me instead, huh? You jealous that Takuya likes me more than you now?"

"Jealous? Hmph! You must have gotten hit in the head one too many times, Blondie! I _never_ get jealous!"

"Oh really? Then how come you're always angry when he looks at me instead of you? How come you're keep pushing me aside so you can make yourself look good in front of Takuya?"

"Shut up!"

"Face it, Beautymon! You're jealous of me! You just can't accept the fact that Takuya and I are friends again! Oh dear, that must have hurt your fragile little heart, doesn't it? Can't handle the competition?"

"Oh Blondie, you're even dumber than you look! Me competing against you? Please! You must be joking! Going against you is a waste of time! And besides, if anything, you're the jealous one around here."

"Is that a fact?"

"Of course! There's a legitimate reason why you're acting so snobbish right now! And that's because you're jealous of what I did..." She stood from her seat and leaned closer to my ear. In a soft, yet arrogant whisper, she muttered, "... back at the beach."

My eyes widened when I realized what she was talking about. My mind replayed that memory like I was reliving a terrible nightmare. I glowered at the female Digimon for mentioning that treacherous event once again.

"Oh! You remember, Blondie? Come now, surely you must have. After all, you were there when I gave Cutie a small, little, sweet, tender, passionate..." Her voice grew softer which each word that came out of her mouth. And each adjective only seemed to add more fuel to this fire raging inside me.

"SHUT UP!" I sprang to my feet, slammed the table with my hands and yelled. The entire cafeteria went silent. Every Digimon in the room turned their attention towards the center, where the two of us were.

"So you _do_ remember! Good! For a moment there, I thought that ugly little girls like you don't have the capability to remember things!"

"Beautymon..." I growled, clenching my fists.

"Face it, Blondie! You know I'm right! You can deny it all you want! But the fact that I was Cutie's 'first' will never change! I will forever shall be his first, and you will always remain a second-rate girl! I will always be there for my Cutie when he needs, while you'll spend the rest of your miserable days in tears, wondering why you can't have such a gorgeous body and beautiful face like mine!"

"Ugh, I wish I don't." I said to myself.

But instead of backing down, I gave Beautymon a look of determination. I refuse to let her get the best of me, not in front of everybody. Not anymore.

"It's funny! You say that you'll always be there for Takuya when he needs you, right?"

"But of course, Blondie!"

"Okay, then! So, where were you when Takuya was fighting for his life at the Forbidden Forest?" She placed a sleeve over her mouth and looked away from me. But she remained silent, which only confirmed my suspicion.

"I was busy dealing with someone else." She mumbled.

"Oh please!" I spoke in disgust. "You abandoned him in a crucial fight for one of the Legendary Spirits! If it wasn't for me, he wouldn't be here right now! And we both know that, do we?"

"Shut your mouth, your ugly little beast!" demanded Beautymon. But I was far from finished.

"No, you shut your mouth! Don't you dare give me all this garbage you care about Takuya! I'm his best friend and I care about him more than you! I know him better than anyone! You're just some complete stranger who came into his life and all of the sudden started sweet talking him to the point where he starts..."

*slap*

Beautymon threw her hand forward as hard as she could, whipping it across my face. The crack of skin contacting skin echoed off the walls. Vibrations of pain spread across my face. I placed a hand over my swollen cheek to massage the mild irritation. I glowered back at her with my eyes filled with hatred and rage.

"This is your last warning, Blondie! Shut... your... mouth! One more word out of you, and you'll be walking out of the Medical Wing in a full body cast!" She warned me.

However, her threats didn't scare me. I know exactly what buttons to push when dealing with this skank.

"Hit a nerve, did I? Good! It's about time someone gave you a taste of your own medicine! Oh, and by the way Beautymon? I don't know if anyone's told you, but you're very unattractive when you're angry like that! But then again, I think it suits you well, since your hideous looks matches that grotesque attitude of yours...

*slap*

Again, Beautymon struck my face with absolutely no remorse. This time, she put a little more force into her strike, causing me to fall hard on the floor.

"Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhh!" Almost every Digimon in the area kept shouting.

As I rubbed my face, I slowly got back to my feet and scowled at the female Digimon. She waved her hands at me like arrogant supermodel and casually walked away. I clinched my fists even tight, trying to compose myself. However, Beautymon looked at me one last time and gave me one of the nastiest smirks I have ever seen.

That was the last straw.

"Alright... MY TURN!" I shouted. Without hesitating, I sprang towards the female Digimon and tackled her to the ground.

"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" Everyone around us cheered.

At first, the catfight started out neutral. The two of us were pulling each other's hair and rolling on the ground. I got in a mount position over Beautymon's body and rapidly pounded her head on the canvas. But after the sixth drop, she tugged on my hair and rolled on top of me. She grabbed my neck with one hand, and scratched my face with the other. I gagged for air as I felt Beautymon's sharp nails scraping my cheeks.

It took every ounce of strength I had to regain control of this fight. I grabbed Beautymon's hair and pulled as hard as I could. She fell beside me, thus releasing my neck in the process. I sprung back on all fours and crawled toward a dazed Beautymon. I was moments away from regaining control of the fight, when she used both of her feet to push me away. My back collided into a nearby chair. I quickly got to my feet and back in a defensive position. Beautymon slowly rose up and flicked her hair. I noticed the smug grin on her face she always wore when I'm challenging her.

"Is that the best you can do, Blondie?"

"Not even close! I can beat you without breaking a sweat!"

"Is that so?"

"_Oh, si 'diavolo_!" I grinned.

"Very well then, come at me you ugly bit..."

"HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?" The sound of Takuya's voice interrupted us.

I looked around, trying to find my best friend in the crowd. But when I turned towards Beautymon, I noticed the grin on her face has grown wider. I bet she has something planned to try to get Takuya on her side and turn my best friend against me. Suddenly, she darted towards me like a speeding bullet. I placed my hands up and was prepared to dodge any attack she threw at me. She came at me with a right hook, but I easily ducked out of the way.

But for some reason, Beautymon didn't stop her momentum after her first strike had failed. She flailed her hands in the air and walked like she was unbalanced. At first I had no idea what she was up to. That is, until she intentionally crashed into a pile of trays, knocking almost every one of them to the floor. She moaned in pain and massaged her head.

"What in the world?" I asked myself with a confused look on my face.

"Ow! My head! Ugh! I can't move!" cried Beautymon. She reached her hand out in front of her.

"Cutie, help me!"

That was her plan? An intentional crash and burn, and then a fake cry for help? Please, tell me this is a joke. Like Takuya would be stupid enough to fall for something like that. I looked behind me and saw Takuya standing in front of the group of Digimon. His eyes were shot up and his mouth hung open. He was staring at me.

And then his attention averted toward _her_.

"Beautymon, are you alright?" He spoke.

I knew it. I felt my heart explode, tearing itself into shreds, disintegrating into nothingness. My breathing became ragged and wild. Unchecked tears began pouring down my face. After all of this time Takuya and I spent together, I will always be number two. I will forever be second best, right behind that conniving witch.

"Cutie, help me! I can't move!" Beautymon called.

I leered at her when I noticed she threw a few flower petals at my best friend. The petals danced around the boy as he inhaled Beautymon's powerful and intoxicating scent. My absolute worst nightmare was coming back to haunt me again. I felt my eyes tearing up. I know exactly what's going to happen.

There's no point in me staying when Takuya's going to help her instead of me. Without looking into his eyes, I ran out of the cafeteria with tears falling uncontrollably down my cheek. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me. I heard Takuya mutter something as I turned the corner. But I didn't care. Nothing seemed to matter anymore. I just want to be in a place where no one, not even Takuya, could find me.

* * *

><p><strong>Takuya's POV:<strong>

"Cutie, help me! I can't move!" Beautymon called to me.

She threw a few flower petals in my direction. They swirled around my head like a bunch of flies. A sweet, yet intoxicating scent entered my nose. For a brief moment, I lost all control of my body. I felt myself moving towards Beautymon, who appeared to be injured. As I approached her, I shot a glance at Zoe and I noticed a few tears streaming down her face. She covered her face with her hands and ran out of the door.

For some reason, I couldn't help but think of Zoe. Why was she crying? Was it because of Beautymon? Was it me or something I did? It took me a while to notice the mess in the cafeteria. I'm guessing something went down between the two of them, though I couldn't really say what. Beautymon reached out toward me, pleading for me to assist her.

But I was more worried about Zoe.

I turned towards the cafeteria exit, where Zoe ran out of. I could still hear Beautymon crying for my help. But when I saw the sad look on Zoe's face, I knew something was terribly wrong. I had never seen her hurt like that. Could it be that she thought I was going after Beautymon instead of her? Did she thought I was ignoring her? I'm not sure, but I have to find her. I pains me to see my best friend crying like that.

I have no idea where Zoe could be. The Digimon Battlefront Headquarters is a really huge place. She could be anywhere. I searched room after room, but still no sign of Zoe. I even asked a few Digimon if they had seen her, but they all gave me the same answer: They haven't seen her. I checked the entire place, but my best friend was nowhere to be found. A few minutes later, I stopped to catch my breath. I had been sprinting for a while and my sides were killing me.

"Oh man, where is she? Why did she even run off like that?" I asked myself.

I looked around the lobbies again, wondering other parts of the facility I could sear. I had a feeling her running away was my fault. I made a promise that I would never hurt Zoe ever again, and look what happened. I was the one who caused her pain and brought her tears. Some best friend I turned out to be.

Just then, I saw my two Rookie level Digimon friends ahead of me.

"Bokomon! Neemon!" I shouted as I rushed towards them.

"Takuya?" Bokomon spoke.

"Hey, what's the rush?" asked the yellow rabbit.

"Guys, have you seen Zoe? I've been looking all over for her!"

"Yeah, I saw her entering the playground a few minutes ago." answered Neemon.

Of course, she's at the playground. That's where Zoe would be whenever she's having a bad day. I better head on over there quickly before she leaves.

"Takuya, did something happen between you and Zoe?" questioned Bokomon.

"I'll explain later! Thanks guys!" I said before dashing down the hallways again.

It's a good thing I remembered how to get to the playground. It was about a couple of days ago when I first stepped on the playground. Coincidentally, I was also looking for Zoe at the time. Anyway, I found her playing Tickle Tag with a few In-Training Digimon. It was cute to see Zoe playing with the kids. They're too young and scared to fight. So they just stayed there and have fun in the playground while Zoe and I do all of the hard work.

Moments later, I came across a large door that lead to the playground outside the headquarters. I opened the door and walked outside. The sun had already finished its tour for the day, and had now been replaced by numerous stars, which dotted the inky canopy. A low, waning gibbous moon hovered tenuously in the night sky, shining a very dim light upon the playground.

It was a cool and windy night. I could hear the sound of trees swaying and leaves rustling, though I couldn't see them. There were a few lights around the area that shined brightly on the structure. I checked the jungle gym, the see-saws, the monkey bars and the slide. Still, Zoe was nowhere to be found. I'm starting to wonder if my best friend was actually here.

But when I was about to pass by the swings, I spotted a blonde haired girl staring down at her shoes. Her folded hands rested on her lap.

"Zoe?"

A faint gasp escaped the young woman's mouth. But instead of turning towards me, she kept her attention on the ground. I quietly made my way towards Zoe and sat on the swing next to her. Her cheeks had a few wet spots. And the frown on her face indicated she was upset and unhappy.

"Hey, Z."

"What do you want?"

"Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay to you?" She glared at me.

"Um... no?" I replied softly, not wanting to start another argument.

"Look, I just want to know if you're feeling alright." I tried again.

"I'm feeling just peachy." She said even more bluntly.

"Oh. Uh... that's good."

"What are you doing here anyway?"

"I was looking all over for you. You suddenly ran away when I came back to the cafeteria."

"Is that so?" She finally looked at me. But instead of seeing her sweet pupils, she shot angry daggers at me. As menacing as her glare was, I stood my ground.

"You know, I was so worried about you."

"Oh, please!" She spoke with a hint sarcasm underneath her breath.

"I'm serious. You're my best friend, Zoe." This time, I gave her huge smile that usually makes anyone happy, including her.

But the grumpy, pouty look remained on her face.

"Hmph! Whatever..." She grumbled. She got up from the swing and started to walk away from me. I stood back on my feet and grabbed one of Zoe's arms. She tried to break free, but I held firmly. I would not let go until this conflict is resolved.

"Zoe?" I grumbled.

"Let me go!" She ordered.

"Not unless you tell me what's wrong!"

"What's wrong? You're holding my arm! That's what's wrong!"

"I mean it, Zoe!"

"Let go of me, you dork!"

"Don't lie to me! I know something's wrong with you! I can tell by your sound of your voice, the rudeness and the tears on your face! You can fool others with that act, but not me!" I snapped at her. Her eyes widened at my outburst.

"It's none of your business." She gazed back at the ground timidly.

"Well, since you're my best friend, I'm guessing it is my business!

"Just forget about it, okay?"

"No!"

"Takuya?"

"Come on, Zoe! How many times do we have to go through this? If there's a problem, I need to know! I want to help you! I want to support you. But I can't do any of that unless you tell me what's going on!"

"Nothing's going on, you jerk! Now, let me go!"

"I'm just trying to..."

"I said, LET GO OF ME!"

She pulled her arm away from me as hard as she could, causing me to release her. I saw the scowl on her face was even darker than before.

"Now get lost, before I really get angry!" She growled.

"Jeez! Cut it out, will ya? I just want to be with you! What's wrong with that?"

"Liar! You don't want to be with me! You would rather be with that two-faced tramp, Beautymon, than me! And you know it's true! Isn't that right, Takuya?"

"Stop it, Zoe."

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! I HATE YOU, TAKUYA! I HATE YOU! BEING BEST FRIENDS WITH YOU IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST!"

*slap*

I struck Zoe's face as hard as I could. I watched her collapsed on all fours. She rubbed her swollen cheek with tears forming in her eyes. I know it was wrong of me to slap her like that. I never wanted to do it. But hearing her say those words was more so unbearable, I couldn't take it. My tears started to fall at the same time Zoe's did.

"Stop it..." I sniffed, whipping my eyes. "... Please... just stop it."

"Takuya..."

"That makes me sick to hear you say that! Do you even know how I feel? How can you say something like that Zoe? How can you say such terrible things? How can you say that you hate me? How can our friendship doesn't mean anything to you?"

"I didn't mean it like that. I just..." She sniffed also.

"So, what? Everything we did was a big fat lie? All of those happy memories were all an illusion? All of those fun times we shared in the Digital World and Human World mean nothing to you?"

"Takuya, please..."

"Because they mean a whole lot to me!" I declared.

"Eh?"

"Two year ago when we first met, I watched you grow from a hot-headed, lonely girl to a strong, confident young woman who's not afraid to stand up for herself and what she believes in!"

"You really think so?"

"Without a doubt! There were plenty of times where I watched you shined! There was that time where you helped the Gomamon cross the dangerous ocean so they could reunite with their friends and family! Oh, and you were amazing when you fought Calmaramon with your newly acquired Beast Spirits when the boys and I didn't have our D-Tectors!"

"Yeah, well..."

"Also, do you remember that time when we were at Ophanimon's castle?"

"How can I forget?" Zoe answered, mildly blushing.

"Remember what we talked about that night? We were discussing how much our first adventure in the Digital World changed us! You told me that the old you was long gone and the person I was standing in front isn't afraid to show her true colors or make friends with others! Now that I think about it, I really like the new you a lot better than the old one!"

"Yeah, I guess so..."

"And it didn't stop there! Even when we got back home and things returned to normal, you and I still hang out of each other! In fact, I believe I hang out with you more than Koji, Koichi, Tommy and J.P. combined!"

"Really?" This time she was able to crack a smile.

"Absolutely! Sure we had lots of disagreements about where we should go, what we should eat, what we want to do and such! But you know something? That's what I enjoy about you, Zoe! Every day I spent with you is like an adventure!"

"Oh Takuya! Now you're making me embarrassed!"

"Then let me continue!" I went on, more enthusiastic than before. "You remember that time when you sang in front of the whole school with Koji and the others? I mean, that took a lot of guts! But you blew me away with that performance! My God, you sounded like an angel!"

"Takuya..." She turned away from me so I couldn't see her cheeks turning red.

"Oh and there was that time at the school dance! You taught me how to dance... for the FIRST TIME!"

"Oh, Takuya..." Now her face was really red. She shifted her weight from side to side.

"And of course, there was that little picnic we had before we came back to the Digital World! You were the only one available to celebrate my birthday and you gave such awesome gifts! You made me feel really special Zoe! I'm glad I have you as my best friend!"

"Thanks, Takuya. That really means a lot to me." Zoe finally giggled.

"I'm always here for you, Z! And I'll always will be!"

"Stop it! You're just saying that to make me feel better!"

She turned her head away from me. But I reached out and held her chin. I waited until her eyes met mine once again.

"Zoe, I will say a million things about you just to make you feel better! And everything I say, I mean it, from the bottom of my heart! I can't go one day knowing that I'm the one who caused you so much pain!"

"Really?"

"I'm serious, Zoe." I stood up and helped Zoe to her feet. "Being friends with you is one of... no... _the_ greatest thing that's ever happened to me."

"Oh Takuya..." She gasped.

She then gave me a great big hug. It caught me by surprise at first. But after a while, I gingerly reached my arms around my best friend and hugged her back. The scent of her hair was wonderful. Her skin was as soft as silk and her voice was pleasing to my ears. Though it only lasted a few seconds, it felt like an eternity. It felt so right to be there in her arms. I would've been as happy as can be if I stayed like this forever. We then parted moments later with blushes on our faces.

"Here, come with me." I said to her

Instantly, I grabbed her hand and rushed towards the playground. We climbed all the way up to the tallest tower. There was a giant slide that would send us down to base level. Zoe was about to slide down, when I placed a hand over her shoulder. She gave me a confused look, but I shook my head and smiled. Zoe stood up and joined me on one of the edges. Together, the two of us gazed the night sky.

"It's beautiful." She said softly.

"It sure is." I replied, looking at her instead of the sky.

She wrapped her arms around one of mine and rested her head on my shoulder. I felt my palms were sweating like crazy. It took everything I had not to faint on the spot. I quickly turned my head away, to hide my embarrassed look from Zoe.

And there it is again; the strange, tingling feeling in my chest.

Come to think of it, this always happens when I'm around Zoe. For the longest time, she has always been by my side. And yet, I've never realized how gorgeous she was. Her long, golden hair danced with the wind like butterflies. Her shining, emerald eyes were always mesmerizing to look at. I've noticed her strength and agility when I watch her fight the bad guys.

All of the times we spent together in the Digital World and in the Human World had drawn me closer to this amazing young woman. I think about her laughter, her kind heart, her strong spirit, her will to fight. But most of all, I think about her smile. The smile that reminds me of a shooting star, fleeting yet so beautiful.

And now I understand why I'm feeling this way. I know why I'm always happy when she's with me. I know why I get goosebumps whenever I hear Zoe laugh or giggle. I know why I get so angry whenever she's in pain, when she's crying or if someone is trying to hurt her. I now know why we both make such a good team. I feel like our chemistry has reached a new level. I understand why I'm always so attracted to her. It's beginning to make sense now.

For the longest time, I thought those feelings were just a fluke. I thought that we were nothing more than best friends. But I was wrong. We're more than best friends. And I think, no... I _know_ I like Zoe. I really, _REALLY_ like her... scratch that... I lov...!"

"Takuya, are you alright?" Zoe spoke, interrupting my thoughts.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine..." I answered. I then faced Zoe and stared into those sparkling emerald orbs.

"What is it?" Zoe asked. I took a deep breath and sighed before speaking again.

"Zoe... there's something I want to tell you..."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's the end of chapter twenty-seven. <strong>

**What could Takuya possibly want to tell Zoe? Has he finally realize his feelings towards her? How would Zoe respond? These questions will be answered in next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	28. Confessions

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Ever since their last, successful mission, Takuya has been experiencing some weird feelings whenever he's around Zoe. Whether it's in the Medical Wing or in the cafeteria, something about his best friend really stood out to him. Too bad Beautymon had to ruin everything. Zoe was so upset, she ran away with tears in her eyes. Takuya found Zoe in the playground and the two of them shared another intimate moment with one another. After spending so much time with his best friend, Takuya had finally understand what his feelings for Zoe really meant. Now, comes the moment of truth.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter twenty-eight!**

* * *

><p><strong>Confessions<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"Zoe... there's something I want to tell you..." said the Bearer of Flame.

"Yes, Takuya? What is it?" The blonde haired girl asked. She stared deep into Takuya's eyes, eagerly waiting for him to speak.

The blonde beauty was as calm as the gentle breeze. Her straight posture, slow breathing and eye contacted showed the teenage goggle-head how relaxed she was. The look on Zoe's face told Takuya that he has her undivided attention. It's like she couldn't wait to hear what her best friend has to say.

However, she did show some signs of nervousness. Her hands were shaking like crazy. Even her palms were sweating. Zoe's heart was accelerating at speeds unimaginable and pounding like a drum. Also, her mouth was moving, even though not a single sound came out of it. She also shifted her weight from side to side. The suspense made her knees weak.

Meanwhile, Takuya tried to maintain his composure as he mentally prepare himself to say what he wants to say. His moved his shoulders up and down and wiggled his arms a bit to relax his muscles in his body. His eyes locked in on hers, without twitching from side to side. Since he fought of lot of scary monsters throughout his time in the Digital World, one might believe that talking to a girl would be a piece of cake.

On the other hand, the goggle-head also showed signs of anxiety, just like his best friend. His foot was tapping the top of the slide, which produced a cracked bell-like noise in the area. Also, even though his eye contact was good, he was blinking a lot more than usual. It made him look silly, which made the young woman stifle a giggle.

Still, he kept his eyes on Zoe and opened his mouth.

"Zoe, I... I, um... I lo... lo... Hang on it a second." Takuya stuttered. He followed up with a couple of slaps to his own face and a couple of relaxed breathing. Zoe watched curiously as the goggle-headed boy tried to regain himself.

"Takuya, are you alright?" She asked. "You're acting kind of strange, even for you."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just trying to relax, that's all. Don't worry about me, Zoe."

"Oh. Okay, whatever you say." The Bearer of Wind sighed.

"So, um... Anyway, I wanted to say that I... that I, uh..." Again anxiety started to get the best of him. He turned away from Zoe for the second time to hide his cherry-like face.

"Man, this is a lot harder that I thought. I mean, I know what I want to say, but the words are... well... getting in the way."

"It sounds like you're stalling for something." A frustrated Zoe grumbled. She crossed her arms and also turned from her best friend.

"I'm not stalling, Zoe. I swear. It's just that I..."

"Then, say what you need to say already. Please. You're driving me crazy."

"I'm trying to. Please, be patient with me." The goggle-head pleaded.

"Fine." Zoe sighed.

She waited a couple of minute for Takuya to get his confidence back. She watched him hop in place like a boxer getting set for his next fight. He followed up with a couple of stretches in his arms and his legs. After several moments of rolling his hands, he stood in front of Zoe again and gazed into her eyes. The blonde beauty took a deep breath and waited anxiously for Takuya to speak.

"Zoe?"

"Go on, Takuya. I'm listening."

"Right. Well, first of all, I need to ask you something."

"And that is?"

"How long have we've known each other? About two or three years, give or take?"

"Two and a half years. But, hey. Who's counting?"

"Okay. Two and a half years." Takuya nodded before continuing. "And throughout those two and a half years, you and I have shared quite a few memorable adventures, and wonderful memories, right?"

"Of course." Zoe answered.

She closed her eyes for a second and said to herself, "You have no idea how much those times I've spent with you mean to me."

"Anyway..." The goggle-head proceeded. "... Whether we're in the Digital World, or back at school, or in the park or..."

"Again with the stalling, Takuya?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry. I'm just trying to... you know... sell the intro?"

"We've passed the intro already. Now, stop stuttering and tell me what you want to say to me." Zoe ordered more bluntly.

"Alright, already. Jeez, no need to blow a gasket."

"I'm not trying to, Takuya. But all of this stammering and constant pausing is making me lose my patience. I rather get ready for our next mission than have you waste my time."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry." He sighed, acting like a fool with his constant spasms.

"That's okay. Just hurry up and speak. And please, no more _stuttering_."

"Yes, ma'am." He took a deep breath and faced his best friend once again.

"Zoe... what I've been trying to say is that I really, really..." He paused.

"... really... really..."

"Oh God!" groaned the Bearer of Wind as she threw her hands up in the air.

She has had enough with her best friend's stammering. Zoe walked past the goggle-head, slightly slamming her shoulder into his. The blonde was about to get on the slide when she felt her crush grabbing her wrist. It was firm grip, even though Zoe could break free if she wanted to. But she didn't. The young woman kept her eyes away from Takuya, unsure if she should stay or leave.

Then Takuya murmured something that made her heart stop.

"Please... don't go."

The sound of his soft, desperate plea entered her ear and sent chills all the way down her spine. She sighed once more before facing Takuya again. And there was that goofy grin of his. Zoe sighed, knowing that she couldn't resist that smile of his. It was one of the things she admired about her best friend. All it takes is a single smile, laugh or touch and all of her troubles would disappear.

"Alright, go on." She politely offered.

"Thanks, Zoe. You're the best."

"But this is your last chance, Takuya. Either you speak now, or I'm out of here."

"Wait, what?"

"You heard me. Just hurry up and say what you need to say or else I'm gone. _Sono stato chiaro_?"

"So no huh?"

"_Sono stato chiaro_. 'Are we clear?'"

"Oh. Alright, I got it."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Takuya performed a little 'cross my heart' gesture in front of Zoe. Although she thought it was cute, she had every intention on keeping her word. One more stutter from him and she's gone. The blonde beauty stood quietly and waited for Takuya to speak up.

"Okay, here goes." The goggle-head spoke once again. He gazed into his best friend's mesmerizing emerald eyes and took a deep breath.

"Zoe?"

"Takuya?" She responded with a slight hint of frustration.

"I just want to say... I really, really... li... like yo... yo..."

"Yes?"

"I... *gulp*... I really like your hair!" Takuya finally finished. Still, he mentally cursed himself for being such a coward.

"My hair? Really?" Zoe asked.

Subconsciously, the blonde beauty started to play with her golden locks. A light gasp escaped her lips, yet she was still a little upset. Even though her best friend had just gave her a comment, it wasn't really the words she wanted to hear. But then again, it made the teenage girl blush every time Takuya complimented her.

"Yeah. I like how it shines in the sunlight. I like how it's really long, and... and, uh..."

"Is that what you wanted to say?" She interrupted him.

"Um, no, not really. There's more actually."

"Then please, do go on."

"Okay. I also, uh... well, I really like the way you... _smell_." Takuya added.

"Is that so? And how do I exactly smell like to you?"

"Hmm, you smell like, um..."

"Let me guess... your other best friend?" Zoe spoke abruptly.

"Other best friend? Who's that?" The goggle-head tilted his head with confusion.

"Oh, don't act like you don't know, little boy. I'm talking about that two-face tramp who can't keep her hands off of you."

"Huh? You mean, Beautymon?"

"Bingo!"

Takuya could detect large amounts of frustration at the mere mention of the third-in-command's name. The Bearer of Flame had realized that she and Zoe hadn't really gotten along ever since their mission when they had to retrieve the Spirits of Wind. Not only that, but he has seen these two fought, tearing each other's hair out and creating havoc in the facility. Takuya could understand why his best friend has a grudge against the olive haired Digimon.

But he laughed it off and shook his head.

"No, even better." He answered, causing Zoe to let out a heavier gasp.

"You mean it?"

"Absolutely. Her scent so strong, I thought I was going to pass out. It's like she overloaded herself on the perfume or something. I swear, there were times where I was _this_ close to puking on her dress."

"Oh Takuya..." The young woman giggled.

"You, on the other hand, are different. What I like about your smell Zoe is that I get something different every day. Last time, you smelled like a field of wildflowers that spread from one side of the world to the other."

"My, aren't you the poet? And what about today?"

"Today, you smell like..." The Bearer of Flame paused, before giving Zoe a sly smirk.

"Hmm, hang on a second..."

Takuya pulled his best friend closer to her and took a small whiff. The scent not only relaxed his mind, but also sent him on a trip to paradise. Zoe couldn't help but smile the moment she saw Takuya was enjoying the way she smelled. Still, being this close to her crush made her as red as a tomato.

"Like a bunch of sun warmed ripened fruit, resting in a bowl and watching the sun set behind the ocean."

"Takuya..."

"Whenever I'm around you Zoe, I feel... I feel, hmm... how should I describe it?"

"Don't be afraid. Tell me." The young woman beamed.

"Let's see. Well, I'm always in a good mood whenever you're around. I like listening to you laugh or giggle. I want to use my body as a shield to protect you from any evil Digimon or anyone else that wants to hurt you. For some reason, you and I make a good pair. Maybe it's because of our teamwork, or our chemistry. But it's like I said before, you and I make a great team."

Each word has made the blonde's heart perform backflips. Hearing Takuya talk about how perfect they are together made her felt like she's on top of the world. It took everything she had in her to not faint after listening to all of his wonderful compliments. Still, his last comment stuck out in her mind.

"That's funny. A while ago, you said we were a little more than a great team." Zoe casually objected.

"And that we are." agreed Takuya. "In fact... it might be more than that. You and I might be more than..."

Takuya paused when he noticed his best friend stifling another giggle. She had her hands behind her back and shifted her weight from side to side. Zoe kept her eyes on Takuya and eagerly waited for him to continue. So far, she's loving everything that came out of Takuya's mouth. It was only a matter of time before the moment of truth arrives. She couldn't wait any longer.

"Hey, what's so funny?" Takuya asked.

"Oh nothing." She snickered. A few seconds later, she looked back at the goggle-headed boy. "Um, Takuya? Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"How do you feel about me?" questioned the young woman with her cheeks.

"Wha... What do you mean, Zoe?" An embarrassed Takuya asked.

"Tell me how you feel. You know... about me."

"I thought I just did."

"That, young man, is what we call 'sugar coating.' I want you to be honest. When you look at me, what are you feeling?" She leaned in closer with curiosity. Since there was nowhere to run or hide, Takuya had no choice but to answer her. After all, it's only fair, since she has been patient enough to listen to him talk.

"Well, okay. When I look at you Zoe, I... I, uh..."

"Yes?"

"I feel like... like... OH, LOOK! A SOCCER BALL!" Takuya shouted in an impromptu fashion.

"Eh?"

"Yeah, look!" He pointed towards the ground.

Zoe looked and saw a soccer ball laying in the middle of the field. She gazed at Takuya with a confused look on her face. Before long, the teenage boy rode the slide all the way down to base level. He motioned his best friend to come down and join him. Zoe sigh. Again, Takuya found a way to escape the personal question.

"There must be a way..." She said to herself. As she thought about some ideas on how to get a confession out of Takuya, she slid back down to the ground. She found her best friend juggling the soccer ball on his knees.

"Want to play?" Takuya asked.

"Takuya, you didn't answer my question."

"I will, Zoe. I promise. But I want to play a little bit. It helps me relax."

"You're such a child."

"Oh, come on. Let's play."

Takuya dropped the ball and lightly kicked it towards Zoe. The soccer ball stopped at Zoe's feet. The girl stared at the ball for a while before glancing at Takuya. After seeing that signature grin on his face, Zoe gave up and sighed.

"Fine." She answered.

"Sweet! Wait right here. I'll go get us a net."

He took off towards the edge of the playground where the soccer goals were. As Takuya retrieved and set up the nets, a brilliant, yet devious plan formed in Zoe Orimoto's brain.

"Okay, Zoe. It's done!" Takuya exclaimed. He positioned himself in front of the goal and got in a traditional goalie stance. "Show me what you got!"

"Very well then." Zoe took a few steps back and was ready to kick. She was about to strike the ball when she held her hand up. "But I know how we can make this game a little more _interesting_."

"Say what?"

"I'm adding one stipulation. Think you're man enough to try it?"

"Are you kidding me? I never back down from a challenge." Takuya boldly stated.

"Good. So here's what we're going to do. We are going to play Truth of Dare."

"Seriously? Truth or Dare? With soccer?"

"Yes. One of us will be the kicker and the other will be the goalie. Each of us will alternate penalty kicks. If the kicker makes a goal, then he/she gets to ask the goalie Truth or Dare. However, if the goalie blocks the kick, then vice versa. Understand?"

"I hate to spoil your fun, but isn't Truth or Dare supposed to be for kids?"

"Of course not. Now, do you accept my challenge or not?"

Instead of a simple 'yes' or 'no', Takuya gave his best friend a sly smirk.

"You're challenging me to a soccer game? Oh, Zoe. You know I'm the best when..."

Zoe smiled to herself, knowing that she caught him monologuing. She viciously kicked the ball toward one of the corners of the goal. Takuya immediately woke up from his distraction and dove towards the ball. But he was too late. Zoe scored the first goal without breaking a sweat.

"Alright!" cheered Zoe as she jumped up and down the field.

"Hey, no fair! I wasn't ready!" complained Takuya.

"You snooze, you lose!" grinned Zoe. "Now, Truth or Dare?"

"Come on Zoe! That's not fair! I was distracted!"

"Don't worry, since this is your first one, I'll start off easy."

"Fine. _Truth_." grumbled the Bearer of Flame.

"Okay then. How long have you've been playing soccer?" She asked. Takuya was surprised how simple her first question was. This should be a piece of cake; and perhaps a chance for Takuya to share a little bit more about himself.

"I started since I was five. My dad and I used to play on the streets every day. He taught me the basics of dribbling, scoring and defense. But as I grew older, I began teaching my younger brother how to play. Even though my dad's mostly busy with work, he still finds time to play soccer with the two of us."

"Interesting." Zoe smiled, knowing a little bit more about her best friend. "Well, it's your turn, Takuya."

"You sure you want to do this?"

"Don't worry. I'm sure your offense can't be as bad as your defense."

"Oh, we'll see."

The two humans switched places. Zoe's now the goalie while Takuya's the kicker. The goggle-head took a few steps back and picked his target. He watched the blonde hopping in place like he did.

"You're quick, Zoe. But let's see how you handle _THIS_!" Takuya declared.

He kicked it as hard as he could. The ball headed straight toward Zoe's face, completely catching her off-guard. Instead of trying to catch the ball, she shielded her face and ducked out of the way. The ball sailed over her head and into the net.

"GOOAAALLLL!" cheered Takuya. He showboated in front of his best friend by performing weird dance moves.

"What are you trying to do, kill me?" Zoe objected.

"Oh, revenge is sweet! Now, Truth or Dare?"

"Um... _Truth_."

"Alright. I'll also start off easy, since I feel sorry for you." Zoe playfully stuck her tongue out towards Takuya. "What do you want to be when you graduate high school?"

"Me? Hmm... To be honest, I never really thought about it yet. I mean, when I was young, I wanted to become an artist. Back in Italy, my mom would give me crayons, paint and all markers in all of the colors of the rainbow. I would paint everything in the house, from the walls, to the ceiling. But one time, my dad got mad at me for painting his brand new car. I guess my passion for art just disappeared when I moved back to Japan. So now... I guess I want to be a dancer."

"A dancer, huh? Well, that's great, Z! I'm sure you'll grow up to be a fine dancer one day. And I'll be your biggest fan."

"You already are in my book." She said to herself.

"Alright, your turn."

Again, the two switched spots and the game resumed. This time, Zoe targeted the left side of the box. She kicked the ball hard and it sailed straight towards her target. This time Takuya was ready. He dove towards his right and extended his hand out. But the ball was just out of his reach. Takuya landed on his side as the ball flew into the goal untouched.

"Ha! Take that, Takuya!"

"Lucky shot. Nothing you can do about luck."

"Whatever, sore loser. Now, Truth or..."

"_Dare_ me." Takuya loudly proclaimed, brimming with confidence.

"Ooh! Okay. I got just the thing for you. I dare you to..." She paused for dramatic effect. Takuya could've sworn he heard lightning strike from a distance.

Takuya leaned in closer, feeling kind of anxious what he has to do. He hoped it isn't something too extreme or something that could get him killed.

"I _dare _you to... tell Beautymon that she's fat!"

"What? No way! I can't do that to..."

"Rules are rules, Takuya. You cannot back down from a dare."

"But I can't tell that to her! She'll..."

"Takuya?" Zoe grumbled with her arms crossed and foot tapping.

"Fine, I'll do it." Takuya sighed in defeat.

"Excellent!" The girl said with her smug grin on her face.

The humans reentered the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters and searched for the female warrior. While Zoe couldn't wait to see the look on Beautymon's face, Takuya cursed himself for making probably the worst decision of his life. It's cruel to tell a woman she's fat. But this is Beautymon. Telling her that she's ugly, fat or anything among those lines would be considered suicide. And on top of all that, she has been so kind to him.

"CUTIE!" A familiar voice spoke.

Zoe and Takuya turned towards the halls to see who was shouting.

"Ah, here she comes now." The blonde smirked.

"Hey, Beautymon." Takuya gulped nervously.

"CUTIE, CUTIE, CUTIE!" She shouted.

Beautymon dove into Takuya's chest wrapped her arms around his waist. The Bearer of Flame fell to the ground with the female Digimon on top of his chest. Beautymon squeezed the teenage boy tight, burying her face in his chest. Takuya shot a quick glance at Zoe. For the first time, she didn't show any signs of jealousy. She gave her best friend a cocky grin, wordlessly ordering him to follow up on the dare. The boy took a deep breath and sighed.

"Um, Beautymon?"

"Yes, Cutie?"

"I... I, uh... *gulp*... I have something to tell you."

"Oh, really? What is it?" She gasped. Beautymon e helped Takuya back to his feet, 'casually' shoving Zoe out of the way in the process.

"I just want to say that you... you are..."

"I'm what? Tell me Cutie? Beautiful? Gorgeous? Marvelous? Lovely? All of the above?"

"You're... You are... *gulp*... Beautymon?"

"Cutie?"

"You...*sigh*... YOU'RE FAT!"

A split second later, Takuya dashed down the hallway with his face as pale as a ghost. Beautymon stood there with her mouth hung open. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. A look with a combination of shocked and disgust appeared on her face. She glowered at Zoe, who was laughing really hard. She tried to hold back such a savory moment, but it was too much.

"What's so funny, Blondie? Care to say it to my face?" roared the female Digimon.

"I'm so sorry!" Zoe hiccupped. She finally stopped laughing to catch her breath. But a second later, she went back to busting her gut.

"Wait a minute! What in the world am I apologizing for? Takuya just called you 'fat!' Haha! Where's my camera? HAHAHA! I GOTTA TAKE A PICTURE OF THIS PRICELESS MOMENT! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Zoe followed up by sticking her tongue out towards the female Digimon. Beautymon clenched her fist in anger in rage. She unleashed a loud roar that echoed across the lobby. But before she could fire a Beautiful Beam at Zoe, the Bearer of Wind dashed out of the area, still bursting in laughter.

She finally reached the playground, almost out of breath. She had sprinted all the way back, while laughing her heart out. Her chest felt a little tight when she returned. Zoe looked around the area and saw Takuya nervously pacing back and forward down the field. Nevertheless, he looked like a nervous wreck.

"Wow! For a moment there, I thought you were going to chicken out!" She giggled.

"Are you crazy, Zoe? How can you make me do that to Beautymon? She could've killed me if I stayed any longer!"

"What's wrong, fearless leader? Have no guts to pull off a _simple_ dare?"

"You call that simple? I call that suicide!"

"Oh stop being such a baby! It's your turn anyway!"

"Good! Because I got something just for you!" growled an annoyed Takuya.

"We'll see. You got to make the shot first!"

The two humans resumed their little Truth or Dare Soccer Game. Takuya got behind the ball and picked a spot where he wanted to kick. Finally, he rushed towards the spherical object and kicked it with a lot of force. Like last time, the ball zoomed towards Zoe's face. However, the blonde haired girl was ready. She dug her feet into the ground and waited for the ball to come to her.

Suddenly, the ball began to curve to her right. Takuya added so much spin to the ball to change the trajectory in midair. He caught her flatfooted. The ball curved away from the goalie and sailed into the net.

"Got ya!" He grinned. "I told you to keep your eye on the ball!"

"Whatever, good shot." She groaned.

"Thanks. Now, Truth or Dare?"

"Um... _Dare_?"

"Hehe! Alright, wait right here!"

Takuya headed back inside the facility, leaving Zoe alone on the playground. It started to get a little chilly outside. Too bad she didn't bring a jacket to keep her warm. She took a seat on one of the swings and waited patiently for Takuya's return.

From the look on his eyes, the goggle-head seemed determined to get back at her for attempting such a crazy dare. But she smiled to herself and shook her head. There's no way Takuya could come up with something as ridiculous as calling Beautymon fat.

"I'm back!" A familiar voice shouted from behind her.

"It's about time, Takuya!"

Zoe watched as her crush approached her with two large buckets of water. They appeared to be really heavy, since Takuya was having a tough time carrying both at the same time. He placed the pails on the grass and grinned at his blonde.

"Okay, Zoe. I _dare_ you to dump one of these buckets of water on your head."

"That's it? Well that's easy. C'mon Takuya, is that the best you got?" She reached for one of the buckets to check the temperature of the water. But before she could touch it, Takuya slapped her hand out of the way.

"Sorry! No cheating!"

"Cheating? I just wanted to know if..."

"One of these buckets is filled with warm water, while the other is filled with freezing, ice cold water."

"So, no matter what, I'm going to get soaked."

"Exactly! Whether you picked the warm water or the freezing water is up to you."

"Fine. I'll pick the one on the right." She reached for the bucket on her right side. That's when Takuya pulled the pail of water away from her.

"Uh-uh! I'll do it!" He objected.

"Really?"

"Just stand over there Oh, make sure your eyes are closed." Takuya pointed towards the see-saw.

"Fine."

Zoe did what she was told and stood behind the see-saw. She took a deep breath before shutting her eyes. Now, she was even more nervous. The suspense was killing whether or not she picked the right bucket.

"You ready, Z?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Are you sure?" Takuya asked, playing on Zoe's suspense.

"Would you hurry up?" She complained.

"Alright, you asked for it!"

Takuya picked up the bucket and stood behind the blonde haired girl. He waited for a whole minute to tease her. Finally, he lifted the bucket of water over her his head and dumped the 'cold' water all over Zoe. The blonde beauty's mouth hung open, her chest heaving for air. Her hair and clothes were completely soaked. She wrapped her arms around her body and shivered like crazy. The chilly wind only made it worse.

"You freezing?"

"OH, YOU THINK?" She howled at Takuya. "Where's the bucket of warm water?"

"It's over there." He pointed to a pail by the soccer ball.

Zoe fought through the chills and rushed towards the second bucket. She poured it all over herself without even checking the liquid's temperature. Unfortunately, that pail also had freezing cold water in it. Now she was shivering a lot more than last time. Her teeth chattered like castanets. The blonde glowered at Takuya for pulling such a cruel prank.

"HAHAHAHA!" laughed the boy. "You're so predictable Zoe! You should've seen the look on your face! It's so rich!"

"R... Rich? I'm fr... fr... freezing my butt here! Y... You said that one bu... bucket had wa... warm water in it."

"Yeah, well... I _lied_."

"Takuya..." She clenched her fist tight and stomped towards the boy.

"Relax. It's just a dare. Besides, I got a towel for you."

He tossed a plain white towel towards his drenched friend. She grabbed it out of the air and wiped herself clean. Her purple shirt and shorts still had water in them, but there was not much she could do about it. She finished drying off her hair and chucked the towel back at Takuya. The frightening scowl still remained on her face. But that only made him chuckle.

"There, now we're even!"

"Whatever..."

"Alright, it's your turn Z!" He smiled as if nothing happened.

Zoe walked back on the field, still drenched in water and a little mad at Takuya. She shivered mildly before making her way back to her position. Takuya saw her freezing in the cold, so he took off his jacket and gave it to her. Zoe looked at the jacket then back at her best friend. She shook her head casually, but her crush refused to take 'no' for an answer.

"Please, I insist. I don't want you to catch a cold."

"Oh, now you don't want me to get sick?" She hissed. Takuya was taken aback by her sudden outburst. But then, Zoe relaxed and took the jacket from him.

"Still, thank you, Takuya."

She put on the large sized jacket as Takuya got back to the goalie position. The coat was a little too big on her, but it provided her warmth.

Zoe got behind the ball and the game resumed. She picked her spot and kicked the ball towards one of the lower corners. Takuya took one stepped to the side, but stopped when he got half way. He grinned when he saw the soccer ball bounced off the post and back towards Zoe's feet. The blonde sighed in defeat.

"Oops, bad shot." He laughed in a cocky fashion. "Alright, Zoe. Truth or Dare?"

"_Dare_, whatever. I don't care anymore." She grumbled.

"Another dare? Hmm... Let's see." Zoe kept her arms crossed. Her crush had already embarrassed and humiliated her again. It's not like another dare's going to make her feel better anyway.

"Okay, Zoe. I got it."

"What is it?"

"Remember that song you sang back in middle school?"

"Um, yeah?"

"Good, because I _dare_ you to sing that song again!"

"Why would you want me to do something stupid like that?"

"Because I really like the way you sing. So if you don't mind?"

"I don't know. I think I need Koji and the others to play and..."

"Please?" Takuya asked more sincerely. Zoe didn't really want to, but it was a dare after all.

"Oh, alright."

She stood in front of Takuya. Zoe tapped her foot to get a certain tempo. She hummed the first musical part of the song. A few measures later, she gazed deep into Takuya's eyes and began to sing.

_"Whoever said that love is easy, must has never been in love;  
>Sometimes it's a land mine, one wrong step and it blows up;<br>A word... a look... lights a hidden fuse."_

She moved her body from side to side with the music in her head. Takuya watched deeply as his best friend transformed from a sweet, young woman to a beautiful angel before his eyes.

_"It's hard to see just what you have, when you're seeing red;  
>And it's easy to do something that you know you we'll both regret;<br>Better stop, think, count to ten before I leave."_

Her voice grew louder as she prepared to sing the chorus. Takuya lost all train of thought, mesmerized by not only what he heard, but what he saw. In fact, it only confirmed his suspicion on how he feels about her. He closed his eyes and imagined himself dancing with Zoe underneath the moonlight.

_"One, I still wanna hate you;  
>Two, Three, I still wanna leave;<br>Four, searching for that door;  
>Five, then I look into your eyes;<em>

_Six, take a deep breathe;  
>Seven, take a step back;<br>Eight, nine, I don't know why,  
>We even started this fight;<em>

_By the time I get to Ten,  
>I'm right back in your arms again."<em>

She finished the song off by whistling the last part of tune. She swayed her body back and forward, pouring out every emotion in her singing. Once she finished, she saw the look on Takuya's face. She could tell he was blown away by the performance. His mouth hung open and his eyes wouldn't leave hers.

"Well, how was I?" She asked.

"You were... amazing." complimented Takuya. "You sounded even better than last time."

"You really think so?"

"Absolutely. You have a wonderful voice, Zoe. Don't let it go to waste."

"Takuya..." Her cheeks flushed in a dark shade of pink. Too bad Takuya was busy getting set up for his next shot, he didn't even notice.

"My turn, Zoe."

"Huh? Oh right."

The blonde beauty made her way back to the goal and got in ready position. She kept her eyes on the soccer ball, as well as Takuya. He picked his next target and dashed towards the ball. Zoe took a couple of small steps to her left, anticipating where the ball's going to go.

She was correct. Takuya kicked the ball towards her upper left corner. Zoe dove and reached as high as she could. She managed to get three fingers on the ball, which was enough to knock it off course. The ball traveled over the goal and towards the playplace.

"Ooh... so close." She giggled.

"Man, you got me Zoe. I thought I had you."

"You underestimate me. Don't forget, I've played a little bit with you guys too."

"Yeah, whatever. And by the way, I choose _Truth_."

"Truth? Alright then. Tell me how you feel..." Takuya gulped and braced himself for Zoe's potential personal question. "... about Ayaka Miyoshi."

"Ayaka Miyoshi? You mean the most popular girl in our middle school?"

"Yes, did you have a crush on her one time?"

"Um... well, to be honest, not really."

"Go on..." Zoe replied, raising her right eyebrow.

"I mean, sure she's smart, pretty and popular around the guys. Still, I never really liked her. She did try to 'hit on me' a few times at school. Ayaka even asked me out on a few occasions."

"So, why did you say 'no?'"

"It's because I didn't like her. She's very obsessive. Once we became friends, she wouldn't stop calling me. Everywhere I go, she always following me. I had no idea that the most popular girl in our school turned out to be a huge stalker. Man, I couldn't sleep because I thought she might burst through the window."

"Oh, you poor thing."

"Anyway, it's your turn, Z."

"Oh, okay."

Zoe and Takuya switched positions once more. Zoe watched as Takuya hopped on his toes. She sensed that he's about to get serious, so scoring goals on him won't be easy. But that's only made the game so much more fun. She kicked the ball towards the bottom right corner. However, Takuya had anticipated the shot. He dove towards the ball, knocking it away. He sprang to his feet and pounded his chest hard.

"Oh yeah! Ha! What now? Can't score on me, Zoe!" He grinned arrogantly. However, he noticed Zoe's smirk was even wider than hers.

"I wouldn't get cocky, if I were you! Have a look, Takuya!" She snickered.

Zoe pointed towards the goal. Takuya looked behind him and noticed the ball was still moving. When he blocked the shot, he unintentionally added a lot of spin to the shot. He watched helplessly as the ball rolled into the net with no resistance.

"Oh, come on!"

"Ha! What was that about when you saying, 'I can't score on you?' Care to change your mind?"

"Lucky shot. That's all I'm going to say."

"Whatever. Now, you know drill."

"Yeah, yeah. _Dare_."

"Very well then. I dare you to..."

"I bet it has to do something with Beautymon, doesn't it?"

"You'll see!"

She made her way towards Takuya and hopped into his arms. Zoe wrapped her arms around Takuya's neck and held on tight. Takuya had one of his hands on Zoe' back and the other holding her bare legs.

"I _dare_ you to carry me around the hallways bridal style!"

"Jeez, what is it with you and all of these crazy dares?"

"Hey! You said 'dare,' so this is what you get! Now, start moving!"

"Yes ma'am." Takuya groaned.

He reentered the facility with Zoe underneath his arms. He did as he was told and walked around the hallways. A lot of Digimon noticed the two humans acting strangely together. They even saw how happy Zoe was in Takuya's arms. Some even got the impression that there's something going on between those two.

Zoe relished in the attention she and her crush were receiving. She rested her head against Takuya's. At first, the goggle-head felt like he was going to pass out. But after a while, he began to relax and enjoy Zoe's company. Ten minutes later, Takuya had finished his full circle around the headquarters. He headed back towards the playground and gently set the young woman down.

"Thanks for the ride!" She winked.

"Don't mention it!" His smile was as big as hers. "So, um... do you want to continue playing or do you want to stop here for a little bit?"

"I can go for a few more round. Is that's okay with you?"

"Sure, I don't mind. Who's turn is it, anyway?"

"I believe it's your turn!" smiled Zoe. She casually made her way towards the front of the goal and got in position.

Their little Truth or Dare game continued. Takuya again picked his spot and watched Zoe hopped on her toes. He dashed toward the ball and brought his leg forward. Zoe dove to her right, where she anticipated the ball will be coming. But right after she left her feet, her eyes widened. Takuya's foot sailed past the ball. She cursed himself for falling for one of his fakes. Zoe watched helplessly as Takuya kicked the ball towards the open goal.

"Like I said, you're just too predictable."

"Oh, zip it."

"Now, Truth or Dare?"

"Truth!" She answered.

"Okay, I got something. Remember that song you sang a while ago?"

"Yeah? Want me to sing it again?"

"Well, as much as I love to hear you sing..." Zoe gasped upon hearing the compliment. "... I have another question for you."

"Oh? What is it?"

"Well, before you sang in front of the school a few months ago, you said that you dedicated that song to a very special friend of yours."

"I, um... *gulp*... yeah?"

"So, who was that 'special friend' you were talking about?"

Zoe's face went from pink to crimson in half a second. Sweat rained all the way down to her chin. Her heartbeat accelerated to a point she never thought possible. She cringed her body and turned slightly away from Takuya, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Um... well, I..." She gulped. "I sang that song for... uh..."

"Come on, Zoe. Tell me." begged Takuya. "Let me guess, you had a boyfriend or something?"

The thought of Zoe having a boyfriend or in a relationship made Takuya sick to his stomach. It sounded silly, but there's the possibility that she could've dedicated the song to either one of the twins, or another guy he didn't know. However, Zoe saw the look of jealous on his face. She playfully punched his arm, which loosened the tension a bit.

"Of course not, silly. I don't have a boyfriend. Just because I dedicated my song to someone special, that doesn't mean I have a boyfriend."

"Then who was that song for?"

She giggled before answering his question.

"It's you, Takuya."

"M... Me? Really?"

"Yes. You've been a true friend to me since our first adventure in the Digital World. Every day I spend with you is like an adventure. There were fun times and not-so fun times. And I cannot begin to count how many times we've fought over the stupidest things. However, regardless how much we've argued over the years, you and I shared so many wonderful memories. I wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for you."

"You're kidding."

"That's why I always kept my eyes on you when I performed in front of the school. That song I sang described you and how great of a person you are to me."

"Wow. Zoe, I..."

"And all this time, I wanted to tell you that I lov..."

"Well, I'm just glad I could help anyway I can!" Takuya grinned, interrupting Zoe's confession. "I guess, it's your turn now!"

"Oh, okay." She sighed disappointingly.

As Takuya went back to the goal, she walked back towards the soccer ball near the middle of the field. A look of determination reappeared on her face.

"That's does it. If I make this goal, I'm going to ask Takuya how he feels about me."

She stood behind the ball and faced the goal. She decided to go for the upper right corner of the goal since Takuya has a hard time defending that spot. Zoe took careful aim and glanced back at the goalie. The blonde lets out a soft sigh before giving the ball a huge kick. She made contact with the bottom left side of the ball to make the ball bend.

"Oh no! Too much!" She thought.

Takuya watched as the ball sailed towards his left. But he remained still, knowing that Zoe's shot was going to be wide. Sure enough, the ball shot towards the goal post. It bounce off the pole and headed straight towards Takuya's face. Unfortunately, he had no time to react. The ball nailed him square in the nose, knocking him down to the ground.

Meanwhile, Zoe had just saw the entire thing. Watching Takuya getting hit in the face made her heart froze.

"TAKUYA!" She cried.

Zoe ran as fast as she could towards the semiconscious boy. She got on one knee and checked to see if Takuya was okay. His eyes were closed, but she did hear a few audible moans. He placed both hands in front of his face, covering the spot that got hit.

"Takuya? Takuya, are you alright?" She wondered.

"Ow, my nose!" groaned Takuya.

"Wait right here. I'm going to get some ice."

But before Zoe could get to her feet, Takuya reached towards her and grabbed her arm. A light gasp escaped her mouth before she turned back toward her crush. Takuya ignored the pain in his face and sat up straight. Zoe knelt beside him and placed a soft hand behind his head.

"Takuya?"

"Don't go, Zoe." He quietly spoke.

"Huh?"

"Please, don't go. Stay here with me."

"But your face."

"It's no big deal. And besides, whenever you're around, I... well, I... I don't feel any pain."

"Takuya..."

The goggle-headed got back to his feet and courteously helped Zoe up as well. After wiping the grass off the back of his shirt, he gave her a huge smile to let her know everything's aright now.

"I'm okay, Z. Don't worry."

"Well, if you insist." She said softly, unsure whether or not she should take his word for it.

"Anyway, were you suppose to ask me something?"

"What do you mean?"

Takuya pointed towards his side. Zoe looked and noticed the soccer ball was touching the net. She couldn't believe that she had scored. The ball must've rolled into the net after it crashed into Takuya's face. While she stared blankly at her supposed lucky shot, Takuya scratch the back of his head with another one of his goofy grin.

"I can't do anything about luck, can I?" He chuckled.

"No, I guess not." giggled Zoe. "That's okay Takuya. That shot doesn't count. I'll just redo it and..."

But before she could finish, Takuya placed a finger over her lips and shook his head.

"You made the shot Zoe. You earned it. Now, please ask me."

"Takuya?" She gasped.

For the longest time, Takuya was nervous about what questions she was going to ask him or what dares she had planned for him. But this time, he seemed really anxious to answer her next question. She smiled brightly at him.

"Alright, you ready?"

"I was born ready."

"Okay, here goes." She held her breath.

"Truth or Dare?"

It was quiet for a several moments. Takuya placed a hand on his chin and closed his eyes. The waiting only made Zoe even more nervous. She twiddled with her fingers and faced the ground. Finally, Takuya opened his eyes and gave her his answer.

"_Truth!_"

"Truth? Alright then. My question is..." She exhaled one last time before staring deep into Takuya's eyes.

"How do you feel about me, Takuya? What are your feelings towards me?"

Once she finished asking, her face went red with embarrassment. Zoe been wanting to ask him that for a really long time. But now, she had no react. The blonde has prepared herself for this moment, but she didn't expected to be this hard. What if it's possible that he doesn't feel the same way she does? What is she supposed to do if he says no to her? Just thinking about it devastated her.

"Hmm... well then. I knew you were going to ask me that sooner or later." Takuya responded. "In that case, it was only a matter of time before I told you."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You really want to know how I feel about you, Zoe? After all this time, you want really want to know?"

"Yes, please tell me!" begged Zoe. She grabbed both of Takuya's hands and leaned in closer.

"Alright, Zoe. You asked for it. And now you're gonna get it. _This_ is exactly how I feel... about you."

*Insert Song: My Only Love*

She looked confused, but Takuya's wasn't, not anymore. He sighed once again before gazing into Zoe's sparkling emerald eyes. He gave her his signature smile before making his move. His left hand moved, wrapping around her body. He placed his fingers into the wonderfully familiar small part of her back, and pulled her gently towards him. His right hand guided her lips to his.

The blonde couldn't believe. Takuya Kanbara, her best friend, was kissing her. Zoe's eyes widened at what was occurring in that very moment. Her mind was sending so many crazy signals, she couldn't seem to comprehend what was happening. But after a while, she gave in and shut her eyes along with his. And in that instant, she was all he knew.

Takuya felt his best friend put her arms around him, pulling them together even tighter. She pressed her slender body towards him, crushing her breasts against his chest. He could smell her skin and hair, and marveled at the gentle plumpness of her lips against his. Takuya moved his hand slightly up her back, and she shuddered in pleasure. He shifted his face, changing the angle of his attack, so not an inch of her lovely mouth went unattended or untouched.

Both of them smiled blissfully in their kissing. It felt like a huge burden has been lifted off of Takuya. As for Zoe, she thought she was dreaming. Any moment now, her alarm clock would go off and it would be another crazy fantasy she had in her sleep. But the sweetness of Takuya's lips and the softness of his touch told Zoe otherwise.

Finally, either twenty seconds or twenty years later, the need to breathe overtook the two teenagers. They reluctantly broke apart. The couple rested on each other's foreheads, enjoying the smell of each other's breath and taste. Zoe was the first to open her eyes, but Takuya was the first to speak.

"I love you, Zoe" Takuya said earnestly and passionately. "That's _exactly_ how I feel about you. I love you... so much."

He never thought that saying those three words to her can feel so good, and yet, so right. As for Zoe Orimoto, she could not speak. The blonde wasn't sure she would still be standing, had she not been holding him. Can this be for real? Did those magical words came out of his mouth?

Yes it did.

"Oh, Takuya!" She shouted joyously. She wrapped her arms around Takuya's neck and the two of them fell on the grassy area. She planted more kisses on his lips, face, and neck. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to say that."

"And how about you? How do you feel about me?"

"Silly boy, don't you know?"

"Please tell me."

"Very well then. Takuya?"

"Yes, Zoe..." He gave her a quick kiss to loosen the tension.

"_Ti amo!_"

"Ti amo?"

"Yes. That means 'I love you' in Italian."

"Oh! Well, _Ti amo_ to you too, Zoe." He pulled her towards him again and gave her a long kiss on the lips. Zoe relished in the moment as she lost herself in Takuya's affection.

"I love you, Zoe." He kissed her on her forehead.

"Oh, Takuya... say it again."

"I love you!" He gave her a soft peck on her nose.

"Again..."

"I love you, so much!" Takuya kissed her right cheek.

"Again... please..."

"I love you with everything in me!" This time the left cheek.

"Again!" Takuya flipped Zoe on her back and targeted her neck.

"I love you!" *kiss* "I love you!" *kiss* "I love you so much, Zoe!" *kiss*

"Oh, Takuya! Don't stop!"

Takuya barraged his beloved with more passionate kisses. The blonde beauty shuttered at the touch of his lips. A light moan escaped her mouth every time her lips made contact with her. Their legs touched, almost entwining with each other. Both of them clung onto the other's hand. Takuya's left hand reached up to Zoe's chin, lifting her face for what appeared to be their fiftieth kiss, and she responded enthusiastically. Moments later, they broke apart again.

"Was it worth the wait?" Takuya wondered.

"Absolutely!"

The two of them melted in each other's arms, not wanting to ever leave this position or spot. It took a long time, but they finally have each other. No one can break them apart. Not Eldestmon, Swiftmon, Beautymon, Bokomon and Neemon, not even Malevomon. The whole Digital World could freeze over, and they wouldn't care. This was beyond what any of them had dreamed of.

Finally, the couple stood on their feet, still in each other's arms.

"Takuya?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"Maybe we should probably go back. It's getting dark and everyone's probably wondering where we're at right now."

"Well, that's too bad," Takuya smirked, "Those guys should understand that I want to spend time with my new girlfriend."

"Gi... Girlfriend?" That word hit Zoe like Gotsumon's Rock Fist attack. She was Takuya's best friend. She was kissing Takuya. And now... she was Takuya's girlfriend? His _official _girlfriend? How can it get any better than this?

Zoe's eyes glazed over and she started to collapse backwards onto the grassy area. Takuya caught her with a look of dismay.

"Come on, Zoe," He pleaded, "It's not like you to faint like that."

"I know. I'm sorry. But I've been waiting so long for this moment. And now that we're together, I don't... I don't know how..."

He kissed her gently to stop her stammering. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. But for now, I have you. And you have me. That's all that matters."

"Indeed."

"I love you, Zoe."

"And I love you too, Takuya."

"So much."

"Yes, more than life itself."

"Yes and more."

He cupped her chin and placed a couple of soft kisses on her forehead and nose. Zoe happily received both kisses. She never realized how cute Takuya looked this closer. The same goes for Takuya. Her beautiful features were even more appealing up close.

She leaned closer towards her boyfriend, potentially going for another kiss. Takuya shut his eyes and waited for his lips to make contact with his. Zoe was only inches from kissing Takuya, when she wrapped both of her arms around his neck, pulling herself in for a hug instead. Takuya was left confused of what's happening.

Before he could speak, Zoe began to sway her hips, rocking her body from side to side. Quietly but elegantly, she hummed the melody of the song she sang for Takuya. The teenage boy recognized the tune and he too lost himself in the music. His body matched every one of Zoe's movements. Just like that, they were perfectly in sync with each other.

"I see you remembered how to dance." She whispered before continuing her humming.

"Well, I did learn from the best. But you ain't seen nothing yet, Zoe." Takuya replied.

He pulled her closer towards him and held her tightly. Slowly, he raised his right hand from her waist to her upper-middle back. Zoe gasped at the soft touch, but instinctively knew what he was going for. Takuya applied gentle pressure on her back for extra support. He checked to make sure nothing was in their way.

Finally, he widened his stance so his feet were hip-width apart. He brought his right foot forward to support both himself and his girlfriend. Gently, he lowered Zoe backwards, keeping his spine straight and back upright for counterbalance. He supported her with the strength of his arm as she raises herself up with her abdominals. Their faced were again inches apart from each other, begging to taste those sweet lips once more. After a while, he rose her back to her feet.

Zoe stood there flabbergasted that Takuya had just dipped her. And to think a couple of months ago, this boy didn't even know how to dance.

"Takuya... I... I don't... How did you..."

"A simple 'I love you' would suffice."

"I love you, so much... my Takuya." She murmured softly to his ear. He saw tenderness and love in those emerald orbs of hers.

"I love you too... my Zoe."

The two of them could embraced each other again and pulled in for another kiss. But before their lips made contact, they heard a noise coming from the intercom above their heads.

"_Attention!_" spoke the intercom. "_Would the humans please report to the Digiporter Room immediately? I repeat. Would the humans please report to the Digiporter Room immediately?_"

After the announcement, Takuya and Zoe sighed before looking at each other.

"Well, we better get going. Duty calls..." said the Bearer of Wind, feeling sad that their time together has to be cut short.

She turned towards the doors and slowly dragged her feet along the grass. Suddenly, she felt some grabbing her arm and pulling her backwards. Zoe fell on Takuya's chest and melted in his embrace.

"Takuya?"

"One more. Please?"

The blonde giggled before compiling with Takuya's request. She placed both hands on his cheeks while Takuya reached around behind her head. The two of them gave each other a nice, warm, long kiss. Long, as in they stayed in that position for several minutes. They smiled happily as they made sure every part of their lips enjoyed the savory sweetness. Finally, after fighting the urge not to, they parted ways.

"Thanks, Zoe. You have no idea how good that makes me feel right now."

"Likewise." She replied with a giggle. "Well, I guess we better go now. They're probably waiting for us to start the next mission. Maybe they found the last Legendary Spirit, or something. Who knows?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Can I ask you one last thing first?"

"Sure, Takuya. Go ahead."

"After we complete our next mission, you want do this again? Same time, same place?"

She gave him a quick peck on both of his cheeks and then a longer kiss on his lips.

"I thought you'd never ask."

"You serious? I mean... just like that?"

"Of course. I'll be waiting right here for you, and maybe... we can play a little more Truth or Dare."

"I would like that."

"Okay. Come on, let's go."

"Right."

Takuya held his arm out for his new girlfriend. Zoe kindly accepted the offer and wrapped her arms around his. The two of them quietly left the playground and made their way towards the Digiporter Room while basketing in each other's embrace.

Who could ask for anything more? Takuya told Zoe that he loves her. Zoe told Takuya that she loves him. They held hands, they hugged, they kissed, and they're now boyfriend/girlfriend. Both of them have each other's respect, trust and now... each other's undying affection. No one can take that away from them. No one can separate such a strong, passionate bond. Nobody can, nobody will. Nothing can make this day anymore perfect. Nothing.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's the end of chapter twenty-eight. <strong>

**At last, Takuya and Zoe finally confessed their feelings toward each other. It may have took a long time, but good things come to those who wait. Will this newly formed relationship hold our heroes back? Or will it make them stronger than ever before? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	29. Snowdown

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**Take soccer with Truth and Dare. What do you get? An intricate game that turned two best friends into something more. From answering personal questions to performing embarrassing Dares, each task brought Takuya and Zoe closer to each other than ever. On the last shot, Zoe asked the goggle-head how he felt about her. And, what do you know? He responded by kissing her on the lips and saying that he loves her. Those three words were what Zoe wanted to hear. After reciprocate each other's feelings, the couple returned to their mission with a bond stronger than no other.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter twenty-nine!**

* * *

><p><strong>Snowdown <strong>

**Normal POV:**

Elsewhere in the Dark Kingdom, bright colors of light could be seen from the windows of Malevomon's castle. A few explosions, energy shots, and debris blasted out of the walls of the castle. Inside the Throne Room, an energy beam sent Sinistromon crashing into the stone walls. His body went limp as he slumped back to the ground. Malevomon stomped toward the beaten Sinistromon with anger in his eyes.

"Get up, you moronic imbicle!" ordered Malevomon.

He wrapped one of his hands around Sinistromon's head and tossed him back to the center of the room. His face skidded on the floor and came a stop at the base of the throne. He slowly looked up with cuts all over his face. The first thing he saw was the horrific glare on Malevomon's face. It made the pathetic imp froze, too afraid to make a move. His eyes pleasing for mercy. Unfortunately, Malevomon was not about to show him any of it.

"Don't look at me like that, you pitiful createn!" ordered the malicious emperor. "You've brought this upon yourself when you failed your last mission!"

"But my Lord, my plan was foolproof! I had the Spirits and the humans' lives in the palm of my hand! If it wasn't for..."

"SILENCE!" Malevomon yelled. He gave his subordinate a backhanded fist to the temple, sending Sinistromon flying into another wall.

"You've been nothing but a huge disappointment, Sinistromon! And for that, you must be punished!" Malevomon snapped his fingers, which summoned all five of the evil Legendary Warrior that were under his control.

"You called, my Lord?" Lobomon bowed.

"You see that little runt over there?" He said, pointing towards the bruised Sinistromon.

"What shall we do with him?" asked Lowemon.

"Does thou want us to quickly dispose of this nave?" Mercurymon suggested.

"Yes please, my Lord! I'm in the mood for a little trouncing on the little shrimp!" chuckled Beetlemon.

"M... Master, please! I beg of you!" pleaded Sinistromon, who was on all fours. He didn't see the Warrior of Water sneaking up behind and stalking her prey. Ranamon grabbed Sinistromon's head and lifted him off the ground.

"Orders, my Lord?" She asked the wicked ruler.

Malevomon made his way toward his throne made of brimstone and obsidian. He quietly took a seat and rested his head on one of his hands. "I have no use for such failures. Do what you wish."

"Goody, goody! I get to have fun with the little twerp! I'm so going to enjoy this!" laughed Ranamon.

She tossed the Rookie level Digimon back to the center of the room. All five evil Warriors surrounded the imp, giving him no chance of escaping. As Sinistromon struggled to get to his feet, Ranamon began to make her move.

"Draining Rain! The aquatic Digimon.

She lifted her arms up and formed a small rain cloud above the devil's head. Gallons of water poured all over Sinistromon's body, causing him to fall on his hands and knee. The imp struggled to catch a breath.

"Thunder Fist!" Beetlemon hollered with his hand raised.

He gathered lightning in his fists and pound his hand on the wet ground, sending the large jolts towards Sinistromon. The Rookie Digimon screamed in agony. His muscles felt like they were cramping up.

"Allow me to worsen thy headache!" Mercurymon stepped in front of the weakened Rookie and smirked

The Warrior of Steel gave Sinistromon a huge uppercut, sending him crashing into the ceiling with his face cringed in agony. A split second after gravity kicked in. The Rookie began to plummet back to the ground.

"Howling Laser!" ||| "Shadow Meteor!" Lobomon and Lowemon cried.

The Warrior of Light gathered energy in his blaster, while the Warrior of Darkness gathered energy in the jaws on his chest. Lobomon and Lowemon unleashed their attacks on the barely conscious Sinistromon. The creature's body slammed hard on the floor. Once both Warriors land, Lobomon took out one of his light swords out and Lowemon pulled out his dark lance. The Warriors of Light and Darkness pointed their weapons at Sinistromon's neck, ready to finish off Malevomon's faithful servant.

"Any last words?" Lowemon grunted. However, Sinistromon was too hurt to speak or even move body. Only muffled groans of agony escaped his lips.

"Very well then!" grinned Lobomon. He and his partner raised their weapons up and took aim. "Say 'farewell' Sinistro..."

"LORD MALEVOMON! LORD MALEVOMON!" Someone called, stopping Lobomon and Lowemon from destroying Sinistromon.

All of the Digimon in the room turned towards the front door as it opened up. A ghost Digimon with black eyes and sharp jaws entered the room. The white sheet over his body was torn along the edges, but that didn't make his appearance any less terrifying.

"Hey! What the big idea interrupting us, Sugar?" The Warrior of Water.

"Just get on with it, Bakemon!" demanded the wicked Malevomon.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Bakemon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Zombie Claw; Evil Charm**

**Description: Bakemon is a terrifying creature who resides in dark shadowy graveyards in the Digital World. He may serve a Malevomon's henchman, but that doesn't make him less dangerous. His Evil Charm casts a spell of darkness that sap away the souls of innocent Digimon.**

"My Lord!" The ghostly creature bowed. "We have the location of the last Legendary Spirit!"

"Is that so?" Lobomon raised one of his eyebrows.

"The Spirits of Ice?" asked Lowemon

"Where are they?" Beetlemon questioned

"They're located somewhere in the Icicle Mountains!" said the ghost.

"Excellent, Bakemon! Now... GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" ordered Malevomon, pounding his fist on his throne.

"Yes, sir!" The frightened Bakemon cried as he quickly left the room before the evil sovereign could do something terrible to him.

Malevomon got up from his seat and paced back and forward with a hand on his chin. Despite losing a couple of Spirits to those pesky kids, this has proven to be quite amusing to him. He expected the humans to put up a good fight. But he never suspected them getting this far. It surprised him that they're still alive after fighting some of his strongest Digimon; not to mention a couple of mind controlled Legendary Warriors.

He has underestimated their strengths, abilities, and their unbreakable spirit. It's no secret that these kids were known as the Chosen Children. Malevomon couldn't help but praise the humans for their progress since they arrived in the Digital World. He was even more curious how much stronger they can become as this war rages on.

Finally, Malevomon gazed out a nearby window. The night sky was covered in pitch black. The castle grounds were dimly lit by a few torches. Plus, there were plenty of his mind slaved Digimon guarding the entrance.

"Those kids are very intriguing. Not only they're able to last this long, but they even managed to retrieve a few Legendary Spirits on this little adventure of theirs. It seemed that every time they found themselves in a hole, they somehow manage to crawl out of it and become stronger than ever before. Interesting. These humans are such fascinating creatures." He laughed.

"My Lord, if I may?" spoke Lobomon as stood up. "The humans have four Legendary Spirits in their possession with one more left to find!"

"Yes! The Spirits of Ice are hidden somewhere on the Icicle Mountains! Sir, those mountains are among tallest in the Digital World!" added Lowemon.

"If we can get our hands on those Spirits, then that would give us a huge advantage!" Beetlemon said.

"Those little darlings will never have a chance in defeating you, my Lord!" smiled Ranamon.

"Indeed..." The wicked emperor nodded.

"Well my Lord? What is thy will?" asked Mercurymon.

The malicious emperor looked at the Legendary Warriors before him. He closed his eyes and crossed his arms. He paced from one side of the room to the other, planning out his next move. The evil Warriors waited patiently for their master's orders. Finally. Malevomon stopped in mid-stride and faced his faithful servants.

"Lobomon! Lowemon!"

"My Lord!" The Digimon of Light and Darkness answered in unison.

"Send every scouter we have to the Icicle Mountains! Tell them to search every inch of those mountains and do not return to the castle until they find it! Understood?" commanded the wicked ruler.

"YES, SIR!" Lobomon and Lowemon complied.

Both Warriors sprang to their feet and dashed out of the Throne Room with their new orders. Once they were gone, Malevomon turned to a couple more Legendary Warriors.

"Mercurymon! Beetlemon!"

"Sir!" The Digimon of Steel and Lightning responded together.

"Assemble every Digimon we have in our army!" ordered Malevomon.

"You want us to advance the troops, your excellency?" Beetlemon asked.

"Not yet! When the time comes, I will give you the signal!"

"Understood, my Lord! We come to fulfill thy request! We fear nothing but our own failure!" replied Mercurymon

"Yeah... what he said." shrugged the humanoid insect.

Like the first two Warriors, the Digimon of Thunder and Steel returned to their feet and marched out of the Throne Room. Sinistromon and the Warrior of Water were the only ones left in the room with the malicious emperor of the Digital World. Ranamon waited patiently for Malevomon to give her commands. However, he had his attention on the imp-like creature. Miraculously, he was still alive.

"Well, Sinistromon! Today's your lucky day! It appears I do have some use for you after all!"

"Oh, thank you! Thank you, my Lord! I promise you'll never regret this decision! I'll make it up to you by finding the location of the Spirits of Ice." Sinistromon smiled. He was about to leave the room when Malevomon cleared his throat.

"Not so fast, you little runt!" He commanded, stopping his subordinate from exiting the Throne Room. Again, Sinistromon got on one knee and bowed to the almighty Digimon before him.

"But sir! I thought you wanted me to..."

"Silence! The last few times I sent you to retrieve the Spirits, you come back with nothing! I cannot afford you to fail me again!"

"Please consider, my Lord" The Rookie argued. "I was the one got the Spirits of Water! And I promise you that I will..."

"Did you not hear me? I said, SILENCE!"

"Ye... Yes, sir."

Malevomon walked passed his subordinate and sat on his throne. He stared at the pathetic creature for several moments. The malicious ruler rubbed his chin as he thought about ways how Sinistromon can serve him without the possibility of failing.

"I have the perfect mission for you!" spoke the emperor.

"Sure, Lord Malevomon! Anything! Name and it shall be done!"

"Very well then!" He snapped his fingers and a large bag filled with Chaos Spheres appeared at his feet. "Go to the Icicle Mountains and acquire more Digimon for my army! Those pesky humans have taken out way too many of my loyal minions! I want the numbers in my army to increase tenfold! Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes! Absolutely, my Lord! Clear as crystal!" complied Sinistromon "I'm on it! I promise I will not fail you again!"

"For your, I hope you're right!" Malevomon sneered.

"And what about me, Lord Malevomon? What are your orders for me?" Ranamon asked.

"Patience. When the time is right, you and I will pay little visit to those lousy humans!"

"What?" cried Sinistromon.

"How wonderful! Just what I've always wanted" Ranamon cheered.

"But sir! Since when did _she_ became your favorite? I thought it was my job to take care of those..."

"ENOUGH!" ordered Malevomon, silencing his subordinate. "I'm tired of hearing your excuses! Now get going, before I find a _permanent_ replacement for you!"

"Yes, my Lord! As you wish!" obeyed the imp.

He and Ranamon gave their master a respectful bow. Malevomon smirked before turning back towards his seat. He snapped his fingers again and a portal opened up just in front of the throne. Malevomon walked into the mystical portal and disappeared into another dimension, leaving Ranamon and Sinistromon alone in the Throne Room. When his master was gone, the imp unleashed a vicious roar!

"Ugh! I can't believe it! Why did Lord Malevomon have to demote me? I've been serving him all my life! And now, he treats me like dirt? What's up with that?" grumbled Sinistromon.

"Face it, Hon! Lord Malevomon doesn't like working with pathetic little pipsqueak like yourself! How do you think the master feels having you as his right-hand mon who's as useless as dehydrated water?" snickered Ranamon.

"Hey! You got something to say to me, toots? Then say it to my face!" growled Sinistromon

"Can it, you nit! You're lucky that Lord Malevomon spared you! Otherwise, your head would be his next mounted trophy!"

"Why I oughta..."

"Well, you better get going! You've got a lot of innocent Digimon to capture, while I got a couple good little kiddies to destroy!"

"Grr! Why does everybody hate me?" Sinistromon grumbled to himself.

He picked up the bag of Chaos Spheres and strolled out of the Throne Room. He climbed down the spiral staircase and walked out of the castle. There were a bunch of Digimon guarding the front gate. Sinistromon lets out a quick sigh before exiting the area and heading towards the Icicle Mountains. If he's going to impress Malevomon once again, then failure's not an option.

* * *

><p>Good things come to those who wait. Children have been stuck inside classrooms for three quarters of the year. But when the bell rings for the beginning of summer, the kids can't wait to dash out of their classrooms and head on home so they can get their vacation started. Even the decades of waiting to taste championship gold in sports are worth the wait when one individual or team brings home the trophy.<p>

Some people don't like waiting. They want success right away. Sometimes they do get it. But for most, it winds up being short-term. There are benefits for delayed gratification. During the journey, people can discover something new about themselves. Waiting can build a person's strength and inner discipline. Even pleasure, happiness and love can come to those who wait.

And for Takuya and Zoe, it was well worth it.

The couple strolled hand in hand through the lobbies of the Digimon Battlefront Headquarter. They had huge smiles on their faces after the events that transpired on the playground. One moment they were two best friends trying to get on each other's nerves. And in the next, they're boyfriend/girlfriend.

Zoe couldn't be any happier. After a couple of years, Takuya finally told her his true feelings. He said those three magical words that every woman loves to hear. To top it all off, he kissed her; on the lips and then some. This was something she wanted. After he kissed her, Zoe thought that it was all just a dream. Thankfully, a couple more kisses proved her wrong.

As for Takuya, he was just as happy as Zoe. Never in his wildest dreams he believed that the two of them would come together. He had his feelings locked inside his heart for the longest time. And when he finally shared those feelings with her, he everything seemed so much better. It's like achieving a new kind of strength, which only can be accomplished by the two of them being together.

It wasn't long before Takuya and Zoe reached the Digiporter Room. At first, both teenagers were nervous about what their next mission has in store for them. But now that they're a couple, their confidence grew exponentially. No on fights harder when love is involved.

"Are you ready?" Takuya asked the blonde beauty.

"Born ready." replied Zoe.

"Good." He chuckled. Takuya pulled her towards him until they were only inches apart. Their foreheads were practically touching with their lips reaching for each other, begging for contact.

"Kiss for luck?" He asked. The Bearer of Wind gave her boyfriend a soft smile that showed caring and affection.

"Who needs luck when I got you?"

The two shared another long passionate kiss. Takuya wrapped a hand around Zoe's head and pulled her in to deepen the kiss. With his other hand, he explored all over her back. Zoe trembled at Takuya's touch, but she enjoyed every moment of it. Who knew that this hot-headed boy can be so good with his hands?

The blonde then felt her lips were being licked by her boyfriend's tongue. At first, she loved the treatment her lips were getting. Later, she realized that Takuya requesting permission to explore her mouth. She quickly obliged and opened her mouth slightly so he could get to work on her. He snaked his tongue deep into her mouth.

Zoe stuck her tongue out too, which only intensified the kiss. The struggle for dominance continued until finally, Takuya regained the upper hand. Zoe gave in and melted into the passionate kiss. A light, yet shuttering moan escaped her throat. Oh, how she wish she could be in this position forev...

"Ehem!" A voice shouted, interrupting Takuya's and Zoe's little make out session. They turned and saw Gotsumon standing in front of them with his arms crossed. "You two done yet?"

"Hehe... Sorry." apologized the teenage boy.

"Then, get your butts in the Digiporter Room right now! Everyone's waiting for you!"

"Jeez, you could at least said _please_." Zoe complained.

Gotsumon sighed frustratingly before reentering the Digiporter Room.

"Come on. Let's go." Takuya said, slightly disappointed that their time with each other has to be cut short. When he reached for Zoe's hand, she pulled it away from him. There was a strange look in her eyes that spoke volumes of sadness and nervousness.

"Z? You okay? You look a little down."

"I'm fine. Look, Takuya. I love you so much. Really, I do. And I'm so overjoyed that you feel the same way."

"Then, what's the problem?"

"There's no problem. I love that we're spending so much time together. But... you and I... we can't keep doing this. You and I need to... um... Maybe we should..."

"You're breaking up with me?" He asked with a hollow voice. "Oh... Zoe, I..."

The blonde beauty's eyes widened. Tears were threatening to come out when she realized how he interpreted her poor choice of words. She quickly closed the distance between them and held him tight like a teddy bear during a thunderstorm.

"No!" She shook her head. "No, no, no! I would never!" Her response made Takuya crack a smile. He warmly embrace his beloved in return.

"I'm sorry, Takuya. That's not what I meant at all." She reassured him fiercely. "I love you, so much. I can't imagine ever wanting to break up with you."

He lifted her chin gently and went for another kiss. But Zoe placed a finger on his lips.

"But, you and I can't be making out with each other religiously. Don't forget why we're here. It's our duty to save the Digital World from Malevomon. After we're done, then we can spend all the time we have together."

"Oh, alright. I understand. No prob, Z."

"Thanks, Takky. For now, would you mind easing off on the kissing and such? I don't want the fact that we're a couple be a distraction to the whole group."

"Sure. Sorry about earlier. I got a little carried away."

"Oh Takuya..." Zoe poked her boyfriend in the side. "You're such a clown."

"Says you." He snickered. "Anyway, we better go now."

"Right."

Takuya reached for one of the handles and courtesy opened the door. The humans quietly entered the Digiporter Room.

When they got inside, the first thing they noticed was the awkward stares coming from every single Digimon in the room. Even Bokomon and Neemon were looking at them strangely. It was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. The blank staring made Takuya and Zoe uncomfortable. But neither human said a word.

"It's about time you two showed up!" Gotsumon complained.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Zoe apologized.

"Well, if you two don't mind, get your butts on the Digiporter! RIGHT NOW!" ordered Gotsumon.

"Okay, okay." Takuya groaned. He and Zoe walked toward Digiporter. The platform had almost every Digimon fighter in the Battlefront. But somehow, they managed to find room among the crowded space.

"Where have you two been?" A familiar voice asked. The Chosen Children turned and saw Bokomon gazing at them.

"Us? Um... We were, uh..." Takuya stammered.

"We were playing some soccer." Zoe quickly answered before Takuya can give anything away.

"Oh? So I'm guessing Takuya carrying you in his arms, and running around like a bunch of lunatics is part of soccer too, huh?" questioned Bokomon.

"Y... Yeah! It's a... new rule we added. We're just trying to make the game more... interesting? Hehe!" stammered Takuya.

"O... kay..." sighed Bokomon.

He knew those two were up to something, but now wasn't the time to find out. The door to the Digiporter Room suddenly opened. Eldestmon, along with Swiftmon and Beautymon, walked in. Their presence captured the attention of everyone in the room.

"Thank you all for coming." The leader spoke. "I knew that these past few times have been extremely difficult on you all. Many of you lost friends, family and comrades during this treacherous war. Some have been left with a permanent battle scar on you bodies or minds, indicating what hardships you all had faced."

"You can say that again." Takuya muttered to himself.

"But with each trip you make into the darkness, you come back out into the light stronger than before! I'm proud of every single one of you who has fought for us! Your efforts will not be in vain! Together, we will stop Malevomon once and for all, and restore peace to this world!" Eldestmon concluded, which gave his troops hope.

"YEAH!" The large group shouted. Even the Takuya and Zoe were pumped up for their next mission.

"Excellent! Best of luck to all of you... and especially to you two." Eldestmon finished his speech by turning his attention towards the humans. Zoe nodded her head and Takuya gave him the thumbs up.

Once his speech was over, Eldestmon quietly left the room.

"Alright, Beautymon! Take it away!" Swiftmon commanded.

The group of Digimon shifted their attention back to the female Digimon. They waited patiently for her to speak. However, the look on Beautymon's face indicated that she didn't want to be in this room at all. Her arms were crossed and her eyes shot millions of daggers to one specific human in the room.

Zoe noticed Beautymon stalking her like a hungry lioness. But she wasn't the least bit intimidated. To add insult to injury, she leaned a little closer towards Takuya and wrapped her arms around one of his. She made sure Beautymon paid close attention, using her fingers to glide down Takuya's shoulders. It was about time someone gave this skank a taste of her own medicine.

On the outside, the female Digimon showed absolutely no emotions. But on the inside, the olive haired warrior was screaming like her head was about to exploded.

"Beautymon? BEAUTYMON!" Swiftmon shouted.

"WHAT? WHAT DO YOU WANT?" She howled at her partner. Swiftmon was briefly taken aback by Beautymon's sudden outbursts. Unfortunately for her, he refused to be intimated.

"Are you going to give them the run-down on our next mission or are you just going to stand there?"

Beautymon clinched her fist tight and gritted her teeth. She even heard a few Digimon muttering to themselves about her nasty attitude. The female warrior glanced back at Takuya with her eyes seemingly watering up. Beautymon was about to cry for his help when...

"Standing there like an upstart knockoff doesn't sound like a bad idea!" Zoe shouted out of nowhere.

"Oooooohhhhhhhhhh!" Almost all of the Digimon cried.

"Up... Upstart knockoff? How dare you..." Beautymon growled, enraged by the young woman' compliment. She extended one of her hands towards Zoe, ready to fire one of her Beautiful Beams at her rival.

"Beautymon!" Swiftmon yelled once again. He grabbed her wrist, preventing her from doing anything rash. Beautymon struggled to break free from Swiftmon's grip, but the swordsman wouldn't let go. "If you're not going to cooperate, then either get on the Digiporter or get out of this room! Your choice!"

After a few moments of pointless struggling, Beautymon unleashed a soft, yet disappointing sigh. She yanked her arm away from Swiftmon, causing the swordsman to release her. The olive haired beauty grumbled a semi-silent "Hmph!" before making her way towards the Digiporter. She rudely shoved any Digimon in her way and stood in the center of the platform with a sour look on her face.

"Alright everybody, listen up! Our scouters had just found the location of the last Legendary Spirit!"

"You don't mean..." Bokomon gulped.

"Yes! The Legendary Spirits of Ice!" replied the swordsman Digimon.

"Where is it, Eldestmon?" Zoe asked.

"It is located somewhere near the Icicle Mountains!"

"The Icicle Mountains? I've never heard of that place before!" said Takuya.

"You remember the Autumn Leaf Fair?" Bokomon asked.

"You mean that one marketplace in the Land of Ice? The one with the large furnace in the middle? Yeah, I remember that place!" answered the Bearer of Flame.

"Well, just a few miles north of the Autumn Leaf Fair are the arguably the largest mountains in all the Digital World: The Icicle Mountains." Bokomon elaborated.

"He's right! That's where we believe the Spirits of Ice are!" said the warrior-like Digimon.

"What about Malevomon and his army?" Zoe pointed out.

"So far, we haven't received word that any of Malevomon's cronies is in the area! However, we can't take any chances! Our mission is to find the Spirits of Ice before he does! If Malevomon gets his hands on those Spirits, it would be almost impossible to defeat him!"

"Don't worry, Swiftmon! We'll get those Spirits back! _Prometto_!" declared Zoe.

"Yeah! And even if we do run into that creep Malevomon, Zoe and I will take care of him!" grinned Takuya.

"First things first! Our mission is to get the Spirits back, not cause a fight with Malevomon! But stay on guard and protect yourselves at all times!" Swiftmon concluded.

"YES SIR!" Every Digimon in the room shouted, raising their weapons high.

"Can we go now?" complained the female Digimon in the middle of the platform.

"Quit your whining, you old hag!" shouted Zoe.

"What'd you say?" growled Beautymon.

"You heard me! I said 'old hag!' And by the way, do you even know what's worse than hearing you complain? It's listening to the sound of your voice! So, please! Do us all a favor and shut up, okay?"

"Ooooohhhhhhhhhh!" All of the other Digimon gasped. Even Takuya giggled a little bit.

"You little brat! I'll show you what happens when you mess with..."

"That's enough, Beautymon!" Swiftmon ordered, silencing the female Digimon for the time being. However, she kept her eyes on Zoe like she's the next person on her hit list. The swordsman Digimon turned towards the side where Gotsumon was awaiting orders.

"Gotsumon, turn on the Digiporter!" Swiftmon ordered.

"Yes, sir!" The rock monster saluted. He pushed a red button on the wall. The room was then filled with buzzing noises. I looked at the platform below and noticed it starting to glow.

"Digiporter's at 25%, sir!"

"Listen up!" said Swiftmon "The Icicle Mountains is six thousand feet tall and three thousand feet wide! It is one of the largest, steepest and most dangerous mountains in the Digital World!"

"Digiporter's power at 50%!" Gotsumon interrupted.

"With the numbers we have right now, we can only cover so much ground at once! And be aware that Malevomon and his army is also looking for the Spirits too! In other words, we're searching one half of the mountains while Malevomon's searching the other half! It's a race against time! We must get to those Spirits first!"

"YES, SIR!" The Digimon cheered.

"Good! Stay focused and stay alive! The fate of the Digital World is in our hands!" Swiftmon concluded as he made his way towards the platform.

"Digiporter's power at 75%!" said Gotsumon.

The rest of their Digimon placed their weapons back in their original positions and waited for the Digiporter to activate.

Zoe stared at her D-Tector for what seemed to be a long time. Just like the last mission, and the previous missions before, she was a little nervous about what danger lies ahead of them. The Digimon they faced seemed to get faster, stronger and meaner with each mission.

"Hey.' Takuya whispered, placing his hand on her shoulder. The blonde beauty trembled at his touched, but immediately relaxed the moment she felt the warmth and tenderness in his hand.

"Hi."

"You nervous?"

"Just a little." She answered, looking back at him. "I know I shouldn't be, since we've done this so many times. But even so... with one more Spirit left to find, you can't help but feel the pressure. I mean, if we fail, then the whole Digital World is doomed."

"Of course I do. I understand how you feel, Zoe. I'm nervous too. I have no idea what dangers may await us in the Icicle Mountains."

"Digiporter's power is at 100%!" Gotsumon confirmed. "Ready to teleport on command, sir!"

"Excellent job, Gotsumon. Take it away!" ordered Swiftmon.

"Entering coordinates to the Icicle Mountains." Gotsumon said, typing the numbers on the computer.

"Coordinates are set, ready for teleportation. Teleporting in five, four…"

The swordsman Digimon spun one of his blades around before placing it back in its sheaths. Bokomon flipped through the pages of his green book, trying to do some last minute cramming about the Icicle Mountains. Neemon, however, just shifted his weight from side to side, having no clue what's going on.

"Three, two..."

Beautymon shot another quick glance at Takuya. She noticed he and Zoe were having a quiet conversation with each other. Just the sight of those two together filled her face with darkest rage. But as much as she wanted to go up to Zoe and beat her face to the point beyond recognition, there were just too many other Digimon in her way. Instead she grabbed one of her comrade's swords and easily snapped the blade in two.

"One..."

"But one thing will never change, Zoe." Takuya continued. "You'll never face those dangers alone. You have the entire Digimon Battlefront... and you have me."

"Oh Takuya..."

"And I promise you..." He held her hand tight and made sure his eyes never left hers. "I will always be there for you. No matter what happens, I will protect you. Okay?"

Zoe smiled and responded with a nod. The goggle headed boy wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer towards him. The two of them closed their eyes and enjoyed each other's presence.

"Commence teleportation!" Gotsumon shouted, slamming his fist on a blue button.

A white light shot out from the bottom of the Digiporter, engulfing the group with its bright light. Before long, the entire room was covered with white, blinding light. In a matter of moments, the Digimon Battlefront teleported to their destination.

* * *

><p>Bright lights flashed somewhere at the pass of the Icicle Mountains. The entire group reappeared after teleporting themselves from the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters. One by one, all of the Digimon walked off of the platform. Takuya and Zoe were the last ones off of the Digiporter. Their feet made contact with the ice cold snow. They gazed at the winter wonderland before their eyes.<p>

A broad forest surrounded the extremely tall mountain. The area was a cold and wearisome place. There were plenty of trees along the pass of the mountain. All of them were bare. The wind whistling through the branches. However, a number of evergreens stood tall like naked Christmas trees waiting to be decorated.

The Chosen Children looked up and can see the grey clouds covering the sky with the watery sun just peeping through the semi-foggy atmosphere. Every surface of every tree, rock, leaf or needle was covered in a frosty coating. Tiny snowflakes with a variety of different shapes fell from the sky and landed on the teenagers' noses. However, the chilly wind danced in the air, making Takuya and Zoe shiver in their shoes.

"M... Man, it sure is cold out here." The blonde chattered.

Takuya saw his girlfriend wrapping her arms around herself, doing everything she could to keep out the chills. He also noticed that she wasn't wearing any jacket. And it seemed if as time goes on, it'll only get colder.

"Zoe?" He spoke, catching the young woman's attention. Takuya unzipped his jacket and looked into his eyes "Here, take it."

"No, Takuya. Pl... Please..."

"Go on, Z. It'll get freezing soon. I don't want you to catch a cold.

"Thanks, Takky. But are you sure?"

"It's alright. I'll be fine. Be... Besides, this is n... nothing. I'll be fine." He told her, giving Zoe the thumbs-up sign.

"Oh, Takuya..."

She couldn't help but smile at his kind gesture. Zoe gave Takuya and quick nod before taking the jacket from him. It turned out to be a perfect fit. Although it wasn't as thick as a coat for the winter, it kept her warm. Not only that, but the smell of Takuya was all over the jacket. Not that she doesn't enjoy it already.

However, she gazed at her boyfriend who was wearing nothing but a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. He was shaking like an understudy performing on opening night. Seeing him shiver made Zoe felt guilty for taking his jacket. She was about to give him back his jacket when she saw Swiftmon approaching him. The swordsman Digimon handed him a thick dark jacket fit for a normal size human like him.

"Thanks Swiftmon." said Takuya as he took the jacket.

"Make sure you stay warm, Legendary Warriors. The Icicle Mountains' temperature can drop below freezing on occasions." He announced.

"Got it." Zoe agreed with her beloved nodding behind her.

"Good! Now that that's taken care of, it's time to get what we came here for!" Swiftmon continued. He took a step back and face his troops.

"Listen up, everyone! Our mission is to retrieve the last Legendary Spirits! As you all know, we are in the Icicle Mountains! Keep your eyes open! The Spirits could be anywhere! And keep in mind that Malevomon and his army are also searching for the Spirits as well! We cannot afford to lose another Spirit to the forces of evil! Protect yourselves and do whatever means necessary to get those Spirits!"

"YES, SIR!" Everyone exclaimed.

"Whatever..." The female Digimon huffed.

"Alright! Split up and find the Spirits!" commanded Swiftmon.

Quick as a wink, the entire group dispersed in all different directions.

Half of the battlefront searched the forest, cutting down tree after tree to see if the Spirits of Ice were located inside. A few Digimon dug underneath the snow, checking to see if the Spirits were buried underground. The rest of the troops climbed the tall mountains and search every inch of the landform.

Bokomon found a map of the Icicle Mountains and checked off all of the places that the Digimon Battlefront had already searched. Neemon, in the meantime, looked underneath small rocks. Like the others, he had no luck so far.

"Anything, Takuya?" asked the blonde haired girl when she spotted her boyfriend checking his handheld device.

"Yeah! I'm getting some kind of faint signal on my D-Tector!" said Takuya. As the goggle-head said, a whitish dot appeared on the screen of Takuya's D-Tector.

"And?" Zoe wondered.

"The Spirits of Ice are located somewhere in..." The teenage boy turned his body forty-five degrees to his right before coming to a stop. He pointed in towards a small pathway in front of him leading up to the tallest mountain in the area. "... that direction."

"You don't think that the Spirits are on the top of that mountain, do you?" Zoe wondered.

"It's possible. Swiftmon said we have to check everywhere."

"Then, what are we waiting for? Let's get a move on..."

"ZOE, LOOK OUT!" Takuya shouted.

The blonde turned and noticed a giant snowball the size of a boulder falling from above towards her. Zoe placed her hands above her head and braced herself for impact. Instinctively, Takuya ran as fast as he could towards the young woman and tackled her out of harm's way. The large snowball crashed on the ground, breaking apart upon impact. Takuya and Zoe rolled on the ice surface and slumped against a nearby tree.

"Are you okay?" Takuya asked.

"I'm fine. Thanks." Zoe answered.

The two of them got back to their feet and scanned the area for any potential enemies. Both took out their D-Tectors just in case another fight was about to start. It wasn't long before the whole ground shake. Takuya and Zoe lined up side by side and looked around the entire vicinity. Again, there was another small earthquake, which made Zoe fell on one knee. Just ahead of the two teenagers, were a bunch of trees falling one by one. With each passing second, the earthquakes turned into giant footsteps.

Moments later, five evil Digimon raised their weapons high and unleashed a loud roar. They looked like giant ogres coated in dark blue skin with white hair on its head. Their muscles were really thick, easily blocking away the chilly air around them. Sharp icicles stuck out of their shoulders. Their weapons were giant clubs made entirely out of ice.

"What are those things?" asked Zoe.

"We are Hyogamon! And it is our duty to annihilate those who oppose Lord Malevomon!" said the ogres.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Hyogamon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Icy Club; Throwing Ice**

**Description: Hyogamon are fearsome creatures who rule the icy regions. They are extremely territorial and would use brutal and hostile means to drive away trespassers. They can potentially freeze anything they touch and their Throwing Ice attacks makes an average snowball fight look like a joke.**

"So, you guys work for that creep Malevomon now, huh?" sneered Takuya.

"That's right, you puny human! And now... it's time for us... TO CRUSH YOU! READY BOYS?"

All five Hyogamon pulled their arms back. Small amounts of ice began to take form at the end of their knuckles. The ice ball harden until it was shaped like a cannonball. Finally, the Hyogamon spread their feet apart and took aim at the two humans.

"THROWING ICE!" cried the squad of ice Digimon.

Simultaneously, they threw their arms forward, launching the ball of ice towards the two humans. The snowball shot through the chilly air and towards their' feet. Takuya and Zoe immediately dove out of the line of fire. The ogres' attacks exploded when they made crashed into the ground. The Chosen Children landed smoothly on the snow, with their D-Tectors in their hands. The Hyogamon unleashed one last roar before charging at their opponents.

Takuya and Zoe stood their ground and stood side by side. They gave each other a quick smile and nod, letting them know they're ready for battle. Their confidence in themselves and in each other grew. As a team, there's nothing they can't accomplish.

"Shall we?" Takuya grinned.

"Indeed we shall!" Zoe giggled.

*Insert Song: With the Will*

Sketches of Human Spirits of Flame and Wind were traced respectively on Takuya's and Zoe's D-Tectors. When the outlines were finished, the screens stated to glow. With their D-Tectors in one hand, they extended their free hand out and a ring of Fractal Code appeared. After a couple of arm swings, Takuya and Zoe brought the ring of data with the scanner of their devices.

"EXECUTE…" They cried, swiping the Fractal Code ring with their D-Tectors. "… SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

Upon command, a long line of Fractal Code swirled around their bodies as the Spirits of Wind and Fire awakened. The humans could feel a surge of energy taking over their bodies. While Takuya was transforming, raging hot flames surrounded him, giving him a lot of energy and strength. As for Zoe, she felt the wind's power flowing as she became one with the Spirit. It wasn't long before the transformation was complete. Two Legendary Warriors suddenly appeared onto the battlefield.

"AGUNIMON!" The Warrior of Flame roared.

"KAZEMON!" The Warrior of Wind screamed.

Once the transformation was complete, Agunimon and Kazemon staggered in different directions. Both of them landed gracefully on the frozen landscaped and got in their defensive stance. The squad of Hyogamon regrouped and faced the two Legendary Warriors in front of them.

"Well don't just stand there! Take them out!" The leader command. Two of the frozen Digimon sprinted towards Agunimon while another two went after Kazemon.

Agunimon pounded both of his fists together, creating two fireballs at the end of his hands. He punched both fists at the two Hyogamon, launching a barrage of fireballs at his opponents. The fireballs collided against the ogres' bodies, yet it did not cause any significant damage, nor slow down their frontal attack.

The pair of Hyogamon raised their clubs made of ice and brought it down with a lot of force. Agunimon dove out of the way to avoid the first strike. He then gave the Hyogamon a vicious uppercut to the chin. The blow knocked the ogre into a nearby tree, breaking it in two upon impact.

Agunimon quickly got to his feet when he noticed the second Hyogamon going for the next strike. The icy ogre-like Digimon brought his club down on Agunimon's head. With little time to react, the Warrior of Flame caught the club with both hands. The Warrior of Flame pushed with all of his might, trying to gain leverage.

"For an ugly guy, you sure are strong!" chuckled Agunimon. However, the compliment only made the Hyogamon angrier.

He applied more pressure on his club, finally getting the Warrior of Flame to his knees. Agunimon tried to retaliate, but Hyogamon seemed to have the upper hand. The ogre Digimon pulled his arm back and another icy ball formed on his hand.

"Take this, boy! Throwing Ice!" snickered the ogre.

But before he could heave his attack at the Warrior of Flame, Agunimon pushed the club off of his shoulders, got on all fours and swept Hyogamon off his feet. He collapsed on the ground and landed on his back with a thud. However, the force downward caused the iced ball on his hand to shoot towards a knocked out Hyogamon slumped against a tree. The ice exploded on impact, deleting the first Hyogamon in the process.

Agunimon wiped the snow off of his body and created a couple more fireballs on his hand.

"PYRO TORNADO!" The fiery Digimon screamed.

He extended his arms to his side and spun around. The faster he rotated, the bigger the flames grew. Soon, a fiery cyclone engulfed the Warrior of Flame. Agunimon spun towards Hyogamon with the flames around the tornado growing with intense heat.

"That little punk... Throwing Ice!" Hyogamon yelled.

He fired a barrage of solid iced snowballs at the flaming hot twister. Unfortunately, the attack would melt before even coming into contact with the tornado. The cyclone slammed hard into the ogre-like Digimon, causing Hyogamon scream in pain. Inside the flaming tornado, Hyogamon's body steamed up, making him lose more energy by the second. With his defenses dropped, Agunimon went in for the finishing blow. He gave Hyogamon a punishing punch to the jaw. He fell on the snow unconscious.

"Too easy!" The Warrior of Flame grinned.

Meanwhile, Kazemon wasn't having any trouble holding her own against her pair of Hyogamon.

The icy Digimon fired a barrage of snowballs at the female Digimon. Kazemon took the skies and spun around in circles like a fighter jet avoiding missiles on its tail. The more she dodged, the more frustrated the Hyogamon got. But no matter how many iced balls they threw at her, Kazemon avoided them with ease. She flew towards a tree in front of her. The Warrior of Wind landed smoothly on the trunk and sprung towards the closest Hyogamon.

"Let's kick start this fight! KYAH!" exclaimed Kazemon.

The frozen creatures' eyes widened when he noticed the Legendary Warrior coming towards him like a speeding rocket. In a split second, Kazemon turned her feet towards her opponent gave her opponent a ferocious double stomp to his face. The impact folded Hyogamon in half, knocking him to the ground unconscious. Kazemon landed smoothly on her feet and dropped in her stance again. She turned and faced the second Hyogamon with a smug grin on her face.

"Come get me, big guy!" She teased while using her hand to signal Hyogamon to bring it.

"Take this you arrogant brat! Throwing Ice!" The ogre Digimon shouted.

He dropped his club and rapidly punched his fists at the female Digimon. Another barrage of iced snowballs shot towards the Warrior of Wind at rapid speeds. Kazemon dropped in her defensive stance as the projectile snowballs approached her. She spun her body around, completely avoiding a few oncoming iced attacks.

Hyogamon continued firing his attack at the dancing Legendary Warrior. But Kazemon graciously and elegantly moved her body out of the way. She stopped twirling and got back on defense, tracking how many snowballs remained. More of them were coming in bunches, so dodging them would be a lot tougher.

But that didn't stop Kazemon from smiling. She rapidly kicked all the oncoming snowballs. Her legs shattered the frozen attacks into tiny bits upon impact. Although the icy material around the snowball was tough, Kazemon's kicks were even tougher. After the barrage had stopped, the Warrior of Wind got back in her stance. Her eyes widened when she noticed Hyogamon charging at her again with, not one, but two icicle clubs in his hands.

"I got you now! Icy Club!" shouted Hyogamon.

He spun both of his clubs around until finally swinging them at Kazemon. The female Warrior arced her body backwards to avoid the horizontal swings by the ogre-like Digimon. She performed a small back flip to return to a vertical base. But during the rotation, the butterfly gave the Warrior of Water a fierce somersault kick to the chin of Hyogamon.

The attack not only made the icy Digimon drop both of his weapons, but it sent him straight up in the air. Kazemon waited until gravity grabbed a hold of her opponent. The semiconscious Hyogamon finally fell to the ground. Just when he was a few feet above the canvas, Kazemon delivered a brutal sidekick to his spine, knocking him out of the area.

"Alright! I did it!" cheered Kazemon, celebrating another victory for her.

Too bad she didn't see another Hyogamon slowly approaching her blindside.

"THROWING ICE!"

The butterfly turned around and saw the final frozen Digimon lifting a gigantic snowball over his head. The ogre Digimon locked on to the Warrior of Wind and heaved the large ball of ice at his opponent. Kazemon got in her stance and waited for the snowball to come within striking distance. She lifted her leg up and was about to kick the ginormous icicle attack when...

"Pyro Punch!" Agunimon shouted.

He leaped over the Warrior of Wind with a large fireball on his right hand. He gave the snowball a vicious punch, shattering the attack into tiny pieces of broken ice. The Warrior of Flame landed next to his partner and gave her a wink.

"Hey!" He laughed.

"Thanks for interrupting, Takuya! I had it!" Kazemon grumbled with a puffy face.

"What? A simple 'thank you' would suffice!"

"Fine! _Thank you_! Now, can you please get out of my way so I can defeat this guy?" She ordered while trying to hide her laugh.

"Hey, how come you get hog all the fun? I want in on the action too!" Agunimon snickered.

"Wait your turn, you silly little boy!"

"Oh, come on! How long are you going to keep calling me that?"

"Until you learn to grow up, Takuya!" Kazemon playfully stuck her tongue out. Agunimon went along with her little act and slyly grinned.

"And what is this 'growing up' you speak of?"

"Something you will never under..."

"THROWING ICE!"

The two Legendary Warriors turned and saw the icy ogre-like Digimon letting out a huge roar with a gigantic snowball over his head. He chucked it towards Agunimon and Kazemon, who didn't seemed fazed at all. The Legendary Warriors looked at each other one more time and smiled.

A medium sized fireball appeared on Agunimon's knuckle. Meanwhile, Kazemon brought on leg back and was ready to throw another one of her powerful kicks. Just when the large snowball was in striking range, the couple unleashed their attack.

The fiery punch and the powerful sidekick broke apart the humungous ball of ice into puny snowflakes. Both Warriors' combined attacks intimidated Hyogamon. He stood there with his feet soaked in the snow and with his mouth hung open.

"Say, how about you and I defeat this guy together? Is that alright with you, Z?" Agunimon asked.

"Sounds good to me!" giggled the Warrior of Wind. The two Digimon gave each other a high five before heading back on the battlefield.

They immediately rushed toward the last Hyogamon at top speed. The iced ogre retaliated by launching another rapid barrage of snowballs at his opponent. Kazemon flew left and right, successfully evading every one of Hyogamon's attacks. Agunimon also juked from side to side to avoid the barrage. He then continued his advance on his opponent. Hyogamon realized not only he wasn't hitting his targets, but the Legendary Warriors were quickly closing the distance. Soon, the frozen creature would have to resort to close quarters combat.

Hyogamon finally ceased his onslaught of iced attacks. He grabbed the icicles on both of his shoulders and pulled them out of his skin. He waved the icicles around like a couple of clubs. He turned and faced the two Legendary Warriors with a malicious scowl on his face. Hyogamon got in his stance and waited for his opponents to come at him.

Kazemon struck first by delivering a series of rapid kicks to Hyogamon's body. The iced ogre blocked each kick successfully with one club. He swung his second weapon at the butterfly Digimon. Kazemon flew out of the way, which allowed Agunimon to take her place. He blocked Hyogamon's strike with the gauntlet. The evil beast went for another downward strike on the fiery Warrior's head.

But just when the club was only inches from Agunimon's skull, Kazemon came from behind her partner and roundhouse kicked the club out of Hyogamon's hand. Agunimon then pulled the second iced weapon out of his second hand and threw it into the deepest parts of the forest, leaving Hyogamon completely unarmed.

"Let's finish this!" Agunimon and Kazemon spoke together.

The Warrior of Flame gave Hyogamon a brutal elbow to the gut. The wind was forced out of his body, making the groggy Digimon instinctively doubled over. Agunimon leaped up and back flipped over his partner. Kazemon flew in towards her opponent and delivered a huge flash kick, sending Hyogamon straight in the air. He grunted in pain until his velocity upward came to a halt.

The cold Digimon opened his eyes, only to see Kazemon on the same level as he is. The butterfly Digimon lifted her right leg up and viciously brought it down, striking Hyogamon's head with the bottom part of her heel. The axe kick sent the ogre plummeting down to the snowy canvas, towards the Warrior of Flame. Agunimon brought his fiery hands back and waited for his semiconscious opponent to get in range.

"TAKE THIS! AAAHHHHHH!"

He unleashed a powerful punch to the face of Hyogamon. The attack sent the ogre crashing into a tree. Hyogamon slumped to the ground and immediately lost consciousness. Kazemon landed smoothly next to her partner and gave him a high five.

"Nice work!" She complimented.

"Thanks! Couldn't have done it without you!" Agunimon laughed.

They turned towards the last Hyogamon and saw a ring of Fractal Code surrounding the creature's body. Agunimon smiled at Kazemon. He then gave her a little nod, signaling her to finish the job.

"Time for some purification!" Kazemon said. She did a little twist before pulling out her D-Tector. "It's been fun, Frosty! But snowtime's over! Hehehe!" The scanner lit up and the Symbol of Wind appeared on the screen. She did one more spin before finishing off her opponent.

"FRACTAL CODE... DIGITIZE!"

She swung her arm out, absorbing the data around Hyogamon's body. When all of the Fractal Code was absorbed, the cold creature digitized until there was nothing left.

Fractal Code surrounded Kazemon's and Agunimon's body, transforming them back to their human form. The two teenagers looked down and noticed a black sphere on the ground, still flowing with energy. But since its host was defeated, the power in the Chaos Sphere decreased until there was nothing left. And with that, the Chaos Sphere shattered into bits.

"Well, that was easy." giggled Zoe.

"A little too easy, I might." Takuya said with a hint of disappointment.

"That's true. But with you and I together Takuya, no one can beat us."

"Don't get too cocky, Z. The battle has just begun. There are plenty of evil Digimon out there waiting for their chance to destroy us. We cannot let our guard down."

"Alright. I gotcha." She smiled once more, which in turn made Takuya smile as well. The two exchange a loving kiss which lasted for no more than a minute. Afterwards, they embraced each other tightly, never wanting to let go.

"I love you, Takuya." She said softly.

"I love you too, Zoe." He replied. He released the blonde haired girl, but still had his eyes on hers. "Come on, we have to find the others and continue our search for the Spirits."

"Right." Zoe agreed.

Takuya held his arm out for the young woman. Zoe kindly accepted the offer and wrapped her arms around his. The two of them quietly left the area. They made their way towards the original path they were on while basketing in each other's embrace.

* * *

><p>"Curse those blasted humans!" complained Sinistromon.<p>

He reappeared from his hiding place after witnessing the fight between the Legendary Warriors and the small squad of Hyogamon. He pounded his fist against a tree, causing all of the snow to fall on his small body, making him look like a tiny snowman. The Rookie dispersed the fallen snow off of him in an angry rage.

"Those pathetic twerps always ruin everything! I swear the next time we meet, they will be sorry! By the time I'm done with them..."

"Aw, what's wrong precious? Those puny little humans getting on your last nerve?" A cold voice of an evil female Digimon spoke.

The dark sound even gave Sinistromon the chills. He turned to his right and saw a tall and slender fallen angel Digimon hanging upside down.

She wore a white mask, covering all but her eye and mouth. Her silver bat-like wings shined in the forest. The female creature's outfit was also quite unique. She had a tattered white dress with a skull design over the right breast. Also, a long rusty chain wrapped around her right arm. Her left hand had sharp crimson nails, like claws from a beast. Her skin was as white as snow, yet cold as ice.

"Poor Sinistromon. Doing everything he can to please Lord Malevomon, and yet here he is moping around like a sad stick in a mud. Such a pity."

"Shut up! I never asked for your opinion!"

"Too bad, you're getting it anyway." snickered the dark devil.

"Listen to me, you ungrateful witch! If you have no business being here, then I suggest you get your butt moving and search for the..."

"Legendary Spirits of Ice? Hehe, what if I told you I've already found them!"

"You did?" spoke a shocked Sinistromon. "Excellent! We must bring them to Lord Malevomon at once! Tell me where it is!"

"Uh-uh! Forget about it! I'm not telling you anything! You're just going to tell the master you found the Spirits of Ice all by yourself and steal all the glory!" spoke the fallen angel, which made Sinistromon very angry.

"However..." She continued. "... I have an even better idea! I will stay by the Legendary Spirits and wait for those pesky humans to show up! Once when I destroy them, I'll take all of their Spirits and bring them to Lord Malevomon! Now, how does that sound?"

"Fine! But those humans better be out of the way when this is all over! Lord Malevomon will not be pleased if he lose another Spirit to those children!"

"Trust me! Tonight, I'll be having Human Popsicles for dessert by the time I'm done with them! Hahaha! HAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHA!"

The devil-like woman laughed maniacally and faded from sight. Even when she completely disappeared, Sinistromon still had the chills. Either because of the coldness she brings or the dark power she possessed. Who's to say?

"That woman has no idea who she's messing with! But then again, neither do those pathetic humans!"

Sinistromon flapped his wings and continued with his mission with a cocky smirk on his face, almost positive that this will surely be the end of the humans.

Best of luck, IceLadyDevimon!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter twenty-nine.<strong>

**What kind of danger awaits our two heroes? Can they retrieve the last Legendary Spirits and survive? Or will IceLadyDevimon dark powers prove too much for them? Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	30. Winter Wonderland

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**Malevomon was not happy about Sinistromon's recent failure. So, he sent him to the Icicle Mountains to find the Spirits of Ice. Back in the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters, Takuya and Zoe were as happy as can be. Then again, that's what happens when two people fall in love with each other. They got their next mission and headed to the Icicle Mountains to recover the last Spirit. A large group of Hyogamon had to crash the party. But it's nothing Takuya and Zoe can't handle as a team. Although, things might be different as they venture deep within the mountains.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter thirty!**

* * *

><p><strong>Winter Wonderland<strong>

**Zoe's POV**

Every Digimon in the area was working really hard, searching for the Legendary Spirits of Ice. Most of them climbed the mountains, trying to test their luck in finding it on one of the peaks. Meanwhile, the rest of us checked the base of the mountains, as well as the vast woods surrounding it. The forest may be huge, but we'll search every inch of this place if we have to.

Bokomon had a map of the entire Icicle Mountains in his hands. I guess he's the one in charge of keeping track of the areas we have and haven't checked yet. Whenever someone has already thoroughly searched a certain spot and came up empty, Bokomon would put an 'X' on the map. The last time I checked, almost the entire page was covered with X's and scribbly lines, a sure sign of him getting impatient.

"Any luck, Takuya?" I asked my boyfriend when he had returned.

"Nope. A big fat 'nothing' on my side." He complained.

"Oh, I see..." I sighed.

Moments later, Bokomon and Neemon approaching the two of us.

"How are things on your end, you guys?" Takuya questioned the two Rookie Digimon as the search for the Spirit of Ice continued.

"Not good." Bokomon complained. He wore a pair of earmuffs, warm mittens and a scarf that matched his waistband.

"Burr! It's freezing!" Neemon chattered, wrapping his arms around his body. Apparently, the only piece of clothing he wore was his red trousers; nothing to protect himself from the cold temperature.

"Then why don't you... PUT A JACKET ON, YOU NUMBSKULL!" The mutant Digimon argued, slamming his green book on Neemon's head.

The goggle-head kicked up some snow in frustration. He took a seat on a nearby log. The second-in-command entered the scene and noticed that the humans looked extremely exhausted.

"Everything alright?" He asked.

"Not really." Zoe shook her head.

"Can we take a break, Swiftmon?" Takuya asked the swordsman. "We've been searching for three hours already. We're tired. We're hungry. We're thirsty. We're..."

"Poor cutie!" Beautymon came out of nowhere and threw her arms around his neck.

Seeing her embracing my beloved really made me angry. I swear, who does this wench think she is? Does she find humor in annoying me? The olive haired Digimon saw the look on my face. However, she only responded by sticking her tongue at me. That two-timing witch is getting on my last nerve. Why must she be cute and cuddly with Takuya, and a total hag in front of my face?

"Um... Beautymon?" He asked.

"H... Hold me, Cutie. It's so... c... cold." She chattered.

"Beautymon, I... I, uh..." stammered Takuya.

She trailed her fingers along his chest and placed a hand behind his head. I could see her breath floating onto Takuya's cheek. But I had no idea if he's dying for more or asking for help. It wasn't until that disgusting female started to close the distance. With her lips puckered up, I knew exactly what coming.

"Oh no you don't!"

I got down and scooped up a handful of snow. I chucked the snowball as hard as I could towards the Digimon whose dirty hands were around my man. Good thing she had her attention on Takuya and not on me. The snowball nailed Beautymon right in the temple. I guess I didn't know my own strength. The impact caused her to fall in a pile of snow. I saw Takuya looking at with eyes as wide as his mouth.

"Who threw that?" Beautymon angrily growled. She stood up with drenching snow running down her dress.

"Was it you blonde?" She stomped toward me with malicious intent.

"Who, me?" I gave the olive haired Digimon a sly smirk.

As the third-in-command marched toward me, I stood my ground. There's no way I'm going to let this skank get the best of me. All of the sudden, Beautymon raised one of her arms up and aimed a hand at my face, ready to fire one of her signature attacks at me.

"Go on! Do it! I DARE YOU!" I grinned when I noticed the anger in her eyes.

"Why I oughta... COME HERE, YOU UGLY PIECE OF SH..."

"Shut up, Beautymon!" Swiftmon ordered. He grabbed Beautymon's wrist and separated the two of us. The female Digimon tried to break free, but her partner was just too strong.

"LET ME GO SWIFTMON! RELEASE ME RIGHT NO!"

"Enough!" He yelled. "What has gotten into you?"

"Cutie was trying to keep me warm and Blondie attacked me!" She complained with fake tears falling down her eyes. Most Digimon would give in to Beautymon's supposed cried for help. But not me. And definitely not Swiftmon.

"Woman! Stop this foolishness now! Do not forget why we're here! We must find the Spirits of Ice before Malevomon does! Do you want him to take over the Digital World and destroy the lives of many innocent Digimon?"

"It's sure better than having Blondie steal my Cutie from me!" She mumbled.

"Ooooohhhhhhhhhh!" Neemon gasped.

"Alright! That does it! Beautymon, you're gone!" Swiftmon shouted.

"Excuse me?" objected the female Digimon.

"I said get out of here! We don't need your services anymore!"

"What are you saying?"

"If you're going to be blinded by jealousy, then I suggest you head on back to the headquarters!"

"NO!" She cried.

"YES!" I cheered. Everyone looked at me strangely, wondering where my sudden outburst came from. It was about time someone put Beautymon in her place. Too bad it wasn't me though.

"SHUT UP, BLONDIE!" She snapped.

"MAKE ME, YOU OLD HAD!" I grinned.

With that, Beautymon marched aggressively towards me. She wanted to start a fight with me. And you know something? I thought that was a splendid idea. I would like nothing more than to settle this little dispute once and for all. But before our fight could get underway, Swiftmon pushed Beautymon back, while Takuya held my arm to prevent me from advancing.

"Alright, that's it Beautymon!" ordered Swiftmon. She waved her arms around and scratched Swiftmon's face. But the swordsman wrapped his arms around Beautymon's body and hoisted her on his shoulders.

"What do you think you're doing? Put me down this instant!" The olive haired skank complained.

"Let's go! I'm reporting to Lord Eldestmon about your selfish behavior!" said Swiftmon. He quickly turned towards Takuya.

"You're in charge until I get back! Got it?"

The goggle-head responded with a nod. Swiftmon then walked out of the vicinity, carrying the female Digimon on his shoulders.

"LET ME GO, SWIFTMON! THAT'S AN ORDER! GET YOUR FILTHY PAWS OFF OF MY BEAUTIFUL DRESS!" shouted Beautymon.

The sound of her screaming was music to my ears. Nobody likes a third wheel, especially her. However, Takuya stood there helplessly. I could tell he wanted to help Beautymon out. Still, it was Swiftmon's orders. The two of us watched as the swordsman and his partner disappeared from sight.

"See ya later!" I giggled, waving goodbye to the two Champions.

"Um... What was that all about?" Bokomon asked me.

"You wouldn't understand." I argued.

"Hmm, I see..." said Bokomon awkwardly. "Well, come on you two, we better continue our search."

"But where do we look now, Bokomon? We've searched everywhere and..."

"I know that, you moron! Stop reminding me!" He tugged on Neemon's pants, giving another painful wedgie. "Now come on! The Spirits aren't going to come to us you know. We will search every inch of the Icicle Mountains if we have to..."

Moments later, Bokomon and Neemon were finally out of sight.

With them going one path, Takuya and I strolled down another. I had my D-Tector in one hand, and Takuya's hand in the other. It was chilly. But I feel so warm with him next to me. I assume Takuya feels the same way too. I noticed the goofy smile on his face he's usually known for. I can definitely get used to that smile.

The wind picked up, making the place colder than what it was earlier. I was already shivering inside, even with Takuya's jacket around me. All of the trees were blanketed in thick white snow. Fog started to build up, which made it harder for us to see. I rubbed my hands together to keep myself warm.

"How are you h... hanging in there?" I asked.

"It's so c... cold!" complained the teenaged boy. I also noticed he was slowing down a little bit. Icicles were forming on his goggles.

"Hey, Zoe! Can we stop for a little bit?"

"Takuya, we have no time for stopping. We have to keep searching or the Spirits. Swiftmon said..."

"I know." He groaned. "But we've been looking for more than three hours already. I'm exhausted."

"Oh Takuya." I rolled my eyes.

"So, is that alright Z? Can we rest for bit?"

"Um..."

"Please? I promise we'll get right back to the searching. What do you say?"

"Oh, alright. We'll take a break, since it's the only way to shut you up."

"ALRIGHT!" Takuya cheered, jumping up and down like a child on his birthday.

That was, until he heard my last comment.

"Hey! I resent that!"

I just giggled before sticking my tongue at him playfully. This boy sure knows how to make me laugh.

"So, what do you want to do now?"

"First things first. We need to make a fire so we can keep ourselves warm." suggest the goggle-headed boy.

"Sounds like a plan." I smiled.

"Great. You get some firewood, I'll search for some food and water."

"Alright. Let's meet back in this same spot, okay?"

"You got it." Takuya smiled, while scratching the back of his head.

"Please stay safe." I said one more time, this time with more sincerity.

"I will." He gave me the thumbs off before heading off into the woods.

"That boy..." I sighed before venturing deep into the woods.

I found a pile of sticks and some branches resting at the base of a leafless tree. I had to be sure that the branches were dried out and ideal for burning. A good way to test this is to see the insides of the wood. I broke in half each branch and stick I could find. While most of them were dry inside, there were a few branches that had moisture in them. A few minutes later, I grabbed my large pile of wood and began to make my way back.

The walk was about ten minutes. I had to stop once or twice since the woods were kinda heavy. But after a while, I continued my journey back until I reached the campsite. I looked around to see if Takuya has returned yet. So far, he was nowhere to be found. I placed the firewood down in the center of the area and waited.

"Maybe he's still looking for some food." I said to myself, thinking about why he hasn't returned. "I mean, food in this place could be scarce. Then again, maybe he has found something and is on his way back. Yeah. Maybe that's it. I'll just go get some more wood."

I walked back into the forest and collected some more sticks and branches. This time, I didn't wander off too far. I stayed at least two yards away from the camping spot, just so I can be on the lookout for Takuya. A couple of moments later, I returned with more branches and sticks. However, there was still no sign of Takuya.

"Okay, now I'm worried." I thought.

Takuya's been gone for a while now. I felt my heartbeat accelerating. I know Takuya can take care of himself, but a part of me still feared for the worst. What if he was attacked by an evil Digimon? What if he's severely hurt... or worse? I tried not to think about it. But the longer I waited, the colder it got and the more worried I became.

"TAKUYA!" I shouted. My voice bounced off the trees. "TAKUYA! WHERE ARE YOU? TAKUYA, ANSWER ME!"

I waited for another sound. But the only thing I heard was my shallow and rapid breathing. I took a few steps back and looked around the area, waiting for someone to appear out of the woods. It was very quiet, which made me even more nervous.

"Takuya? Can you hear me?" I called one more time.

Suddenly, I felt something cold hit the back of my head. I immediately turned and searched for the person... or Digimon who threw the snowball at me. But when I looked around, there was nothing but a few bushes and rows of trees as far as the eye can see.

"What was that?" I shouted.

It wasn't when I noticed something moving in one of the bushes. Feeling a little bit scared, I took out my D-Tector and slowly approach the shrubs covered with snow. The closer I got, the faster my heart thumped.

"Hello? Is someone in there?" I called out.

"**Hahahahaha!**" A deep voice laughed. I froze in my tracks the moment I heard that dark sound.

"Come on out of there!" I ordered.

Finally, the bushes stopped moving. There was nothing but complete stillness and silence that lasted for a whole minute. But I was too afraid to move. I have no idea if whoever was underneath that bush was an ally or an enemy.

Suddenly...

"ATTACK!"

"EEK!"

A teenage boy with goggles on his head leaped from his hiding place with a couple of snowballs in his hand. He chucked them towards me with all of his might. All I could do was put my arms up to protect myself. I was totally unprepared for his sneak attacks. Takuya's barrage of snowballs plastered me on the head and all over my body.

"Takuya!" I cried, but the onslaught of snowballs continued. He even got me in the face, which almost made me bit my lip.

"Takuya, *cough*, stop!"

But my boyfriend kept on plastering me with every snowball he has in his arsenal. The barrage made me drop to my knees. My legs made contact with the icy cold snow. I clenched my fist, feeling nothing but annoyance and anger. I stood back on my feet and glowered into Takuya's eye's.

"FOR PETE'S SAKE, TAKUYA! DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME? I SAID STOP IT!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, as I have already reach my breaking point.

His threw his last snowball at me at point black range. The spherical ice nailed me in the face, knocking down me on all fours.

"HAHAHAHA! I GOT YOU, ZOE!" cracked Takuya! "OH MAN, YOU SHOULD'VE SEEN THAT PRICELESS LOOK ON YOUR FACE!"

Dry salty tears ran down my face. I couldn't figure out why I was hurting so much. Maybe it was probably the last snowball that Takuya hit me with a lot force. That one was as hard as a rock, and it almost knocked me unconscious. Then again, it could be the fact that Takuya didn't listen to me. I told him to stop, yet he kept on going.

"Um, Zoe? You alright?" Takuya asked me.

*sniff*

"Zoe? Hey, are you crying?" I looked back in his eyes so he could see the wet streams on my cheeks.

"No, of course not! I just have something in my eye, you idiot!" I snapped before turning away from him.

"Oh come on, Z. It was just a joke. I was having a little fun and..."

"FUN? YOU THINK I WAS HAVING FUN WORRYING ABOUT YOU?"" I barked, leering at him for the second time.

"Zoe, I didn't mean to worry you..."

"I was so scared, Takuya! I thought you were lost in the woods or something! I thought... *sniff*... I thought that you were in trouble, hurt, injured... or worse! And you decided to pull off this?"

"Zoe, I'm sorry." He apologized. Takuya stepped forward with his arms wide open. But I held a hand up in front just to stop him from advancing.

"Don't you dare come near me!" I snarled before crossing my arms and turning away from him.

"Come on, Z. Don't be like that." He begged. "Look, I didn't mean to worry you."

"Hmph!"

"I just... I thought that the two of us were working so hard today, that we deserve a little break. Just some time to relax and play in the snow, you know what I'm saying?"

I still kept my arms cross and my attention away from him. Although playing in the snow does seem like a good idea.

"Alright. I'm sorry, okay?" He finally said. But I wasn't convinced with his apology.

Then I heard Takuya sighed deeply.

"I'm really sorry, Zoe. I'm sorry for making you worry and not stopping when you told me to." This time, I detected a great amount of sincerity and guilt in his voice. I wiped the tears off my face and listened for what else Takuya had to say.

"Can you... Can you ever forgive me?" He asked me.

Before I could answer, I felt his arms wrap around my body. He pulled me in tight and I felt his tenderness and warmth. Curse me and my forgiveness, especially towards this boy. Even though he did a lot of things that upset me, I can never stay angry at him. I finally smiled, knowing that he still cared about me.

"Stupid goggle-head. Of course I forgive you." I giggled.

"Well, can you at least turn around and say it to my face?" He requested. Takuya released me to give me an opportunity to comply with his request.

"Sure." I sighed. I turned and face Takuya, so happy to see a huge smile on his face. He had his hands behind his back like a loveable dork. "I forgive you Taku..."

All of the sudden, Takuya threw his right hand forward and chucked another snowball at my chest. The ball of ice collided against my body and shattered upon impact. The surprised look in my eyes reverted back to the same angry glare I had before.

"Gotcha again! Man, you're so predictable! HAHAHA!"

The corners of Takuya's lips curled, involuntarily. He fought back hard as his cheeks swelled momentarily with the pressure, but it was no use. His laughter erupted, echoing throughout the woods as he bent over, slapping his knee repeatedly. He'd hit his own funny bone before, but this was beyond usual. Takuya lost his balance and rolled on the snow laughing.

I clenched my fist again. I was more annoyed than angry. But just watching him laugh at my expense was unacceptable. I refused to let this one slide. I shot a quick glance at Takuya, who was still lost in his laughter.

That does it. Time for some payback.

I scooped up a handful of snow and rolled up into a ball. I looked back at Takuya, who was pounding his fists on the ground as his chuckling continued. This was the perfect opportunity to strike. I threw it as hard as I could towards the teenage boy. The snowball smacked Takuya squared in the face. I pumped my fist and snickered to myself. Nailing that dorky, goggle-headed dork right in the kisser sure felt good.

"Bullseye!" I screamed from the top of my lugs. And just like that, Takuya's laughing had ceased. He gave me an odd look, stunned of my actions. He wiped the snow off his face and stood back on his feet.

"Zoe? Did you just hit me?"

"That's what you get for lying to me!" I argued.

"Okay, fine! I deserve that! But even so, I said I was sor..." But before Takuya could finish his apology, I threw another snowball at the goggle headed fool. The ball of ice smashed into his chest, which caused my best friend to stumble backwards.

"And that's what you get for not paying attention!" I finished. Takuya wiped the snow off of his jacket and gave me a smirk as huge as mine.

"Alright! You asked for it Zoe" He told me, trying hard not to laugh.

"Bring it on, Takuya!" I stifled a giggle. I know where this was going. All it took was two words and the war was on.

"SNOWBALL FIGHT!"

We were like a bunch of children playing in the snow in the neighborhood. Takuya and I staggered across the area. The battle has begun.

The two of us started off by building our own little snow forts. We spent at least half an hour gathering up large piles of snow and using them to construct some trenches. The fort I created had fenced walls and a couple of small windows on both sides of the structure. Takuya's, however, looked like he was trapped in a large cereal bowl made of snow. After I finished building the fort, I proceeded on to the snowballs.

"This is your last warning, Zoe!" Takuya shouted. "Surrender, or else?"

"Or else what, General Kanbara?"

"Or else I shall use brute force!"

"In your dreams!"

"Alright, you asked for it! FIRE ONE!"

I peeped over the fort and saw the first shots fired. A few snowballs leaped out of Takuya's fort and arced over towards mine. One snowball missed by several feet. The second slammed against the fenced walls. The third, however, made it inside the fort and barely nicked me.

"Ha! You missed!" I yelled.

"Then take this! FIRE TWO!" Takuya cried.

This time, he launched six snowballs all at once. Only one of the snowballs crashed into the fort. All of the others made it inside the trench. In fact, I got hit by at least one of them. After wiping the ice off my clothes, I began my retaliation.

"COUNTERATTACK!" I shouted.

One by one, I grabbed a snowball and heaved it towards Takuya and his pitiful fort. My snowballs hit the top portion of the walls, chipping the ice a bit. Afterwards, I grabbed four more snowballs and threw them in the same direction. The snowballs performed a beautiful arc over the area before dropping inside Takuya's fort.

"The enemy has finally shown signs of aggression, men! Do not hold back!" announced Takuya as if he's actually commanding his own imaginary troops.

"How cute..." I said to myself. Then again, Takuya seemed like he's having the time of his life. Might as well join in on the fun and make things a little more interesting.

"Keep firing, ladies! It's only a matter of time before their defenses crumble!" I giggled.

Back and forth Takuya and I went. The two of us continued with our snowball assault, waiting for the other to surrender. I've nailed Takuya a couple times on his chest and damaged the front portion of his fort. But I've suffered quite a few hits tool. His snowballs hit my legs a couple of times. He also managed to get one head shot. But our fun continued and we kept chucking snowballs at one another like there's no tomorrow.

Five minutes later, I was exhausted. Not only that, but my ammo was also running low. I ceased firing and stocked up on the snowballs. But with my aggressiveness coming to a halt, that gave Takuya the opportunity to strike.

"Alright men, this is our chance! Hit them with everything you got! FIRE!"

It rained snowballs inside my fort. I slumped against the trenches just to make sure I didn't get plastered. At the same time, I continued making snowballs and waited patiently for my chance to attack. As I piled on the snowballs, I began to map out a strategy.

"Here's what I'm going to do!" I said to myself. "I'll wait until Takuya runs out of snowballs! That's when I'll take these piles of snowballs and launch a devastating barrage on him! Victory shall be mine!"

A minute passed, and yet Takuya's still chucking balls of ice in my direction. After a while, less snowballs exited his side until finally the onslaught had stopped. I peeped through my window and checked to see if Takuya's still on the attack. But after ten seconds of non-firing, I knew this was my chance. I then grabbed the large pile of snowballs I made and carried it underneath my arms.

"Let's finish this." I said as I stepped out of the fort.

I slowly closed the distance, while staying on the defensive. I finally reached Takuya's banged up fort, feeling as nervous as ever. Sure it's all fun and games. But Takuya's very competitive and so am I. None of us like to lose, even in stupid games such as this.

"ATTACK!" I shouted.

I ran towards the front of Takuya's fort and threw every snowball I had inside the bowl. Once the last snowball was released, I checked to see if I had buried Takuya in a pile of snow. But when I looked inside, the teenage goggle-head wasn't in there.

"Huh? Takuya? Where are you?" I wondered.

"**Hehehe!**" A voice echoed in the woods. I immediately recognize that laugh. I created one more snowball and dropped in a defensive stance.

"Takuya! Come out, come out, wherever you are!" I sang.

Looking around the vicinity, I saw nothing but trees and bushes covered in snow, plus the snow forts Takuya and I built. And there... just in front of me, I saw one of the bushes shaking. A fiendish grin appeared on my face as I slowly advance on Takuya's potential position.

"Nowhere to run, Takuya. I got you now!" I laughed.

Once when I got close enough. I threw the snowball at the bush. The ball of ice cracked to pieces upon impact. However, it wasn't Takuya that exited the shrubs. A couple of In-Training Digimon hopped out of the bush like scared little animals.

"Huh? He's not in there?" I thought. "Where could he be?"

"GOTCHA!" Takuya's voice shouted, catching me by surprise.

I turned and saw Takuya diving towards me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and tackled me to the ground. The two of us tumbled down the hill with each other in our arms. I was getting dizzier with each passing second. We rolled faster and faster until we finally came to a stop. My head was spinning, like the world was turning on its own.

Moments later, we came to a stop. When I opened my eyes, I found myself on top of Takuya's chest. He look into my eyes and smiled happily at me. I replied with the same suit and climbed a little high on his chest.

"No, I got _you_." I said, emphasizing heavily on the last word.

"Yes, you did." nodded the teenage boy. He opened his arms out wide, silently inviting me to come in. Takuya lifted his head up and whispered in my ear, "And now... I'm all yours."

I let out a soft, yet shuddering gasp. I felt my body shivering. But it wasn't because of the chilly weather. Hearing Takuya speak so lovingly to me was enough to make me tremble. It wasn't long until I was completely on top of him. I felt myself crushing my chest on his. Our eyes locked in on each other. My lips would have touched his, if it wasn't for our noses getting in the way. He placed a cold hand on my cheek, causing me to shudder at the touch.

"Cold?" He asked.

"When I'm with you? Never." I whispered.

His smile widened upon hearing my voice. The chilliness feeling in his hand slowly disappeared, replaced with warmth and love. He moved a little bit of my hair back behind my ears to see my entire face.

"I love you." The goggle-head softly murmured.

"I love you too, Takuya... so much..." I whispered gently in his ear. "Stay with me... forever."

"Forever is not enough. I'll be with you, forever... and beyond" We leaned closer towards each other.

"Oh Takuya..."

I felt the adrenaline rushing through my heart when he said those words. I was safe and secure in his presence. In that moment, I had forgotten where we were or what we were doing. The wind settled into a gentle breeze, with snowflakes dancing in the air around us.

I couldn't stop the blush on my face. The sound of my heart pounding in my chest. In the beginning, this boy used to annoy the living daylights out of me. And now, I was falling head over heels for him. He was my soul, and I was his mate. We were perfect for each other.

He spoke every word with affection. Every time he said my name, my hands would go numb. Every 'You're my...' would set my heart on fire. And who could forget those three magical words. They have more meaning than anything in the world. I don't care if it's once or a million times. Every time Takuya tells me 'I love you,' my soul would melt. It was the message of silver, sparkling bells that chimed and rang with abundant joy.

Takuya looked into my eyes, our heads were the same level. His eyes were the color of a rich milk chocolate. From the gentleness of his hands, I could tell he was as relaxed as I was. I could smell the minty scent coming from his breath. Then again, I had that scent locked in my mind, like I memorized every line of his face.

His lips reached my jaw, tracing the lines of my ear to my collarbone. They were so warm against my skin that reminded me of my soft, fluffy pillows. I couldn't stop my heart from pounding in my chest. My blood flowed rapidly in my cheeks, making my face as red as ever.

He slithered his arms around the back of my neck and pulled me in tighter to deepen the kiss. I felt his dark brown hair brushing against my cheeks. Takuya used his hands to explore every inch of my back. I was his, and he was mine. How can this get any more perfect?

After several wonderful moment of kissing and embracing, I helped Takuya back to his feet. His warm hand was a perfect fit for mine. He stood up and glided his other hand from my cheek down to my waist. He closed his eyes and pulled me in for another kiss.

I was about to oblige when something else caught my eye.

"Takuya, look!" I cried.

* * *

><p><strong>Takuya's POV:<strong>

Zoe pointed toward her left, I looked to where she was looking at, since it instantly drew my curiosity. Just behind a few row of bare thin trees was a large frozen pond. The winter ice that blanketed the water glistened in the sunlight. A gasp filled with excitement escaped Zoe's mouth. She released my hand and began to stroll toward the frozen lake.

"Come on, Takuya!" She said, gazing back in my eyes.

"Zoe, wait up!" I called out to her. Her stubbornness can be a blessing and a curse at the same time. Once when this girl has her mind set on something, no one can stop her.

I finally gave up and followed Zoe to her destination.

We finally reached the frozen pond, and I must say it looks even better up close. A light wind rustled in the area. The surrounding leafless trees made this spot look like a winter wonderland. This reminds me of the snow days back in Shibuya. I missed sledding down the hill or having snowball fights with my little brother.

"It's beautiful, isn't it Takuya?" asked the blonde beauty. She wrapped her arm around mine and rested her head on my shoulder.

"It sure is." I agreed. I could be in this position forever and watch the scenery go by. Nothing would make me happier with Zoe by my side.

"I love the snow! It's so calm and relaxing, yet so wonderful in its own way."

"Do you get snow in Italy?"

"Uh-huh. Sometimes we get light powder snow such as right now, and other times it's a blizzard."

"Ah, I see."

"Yeah. I remember the making snowmen in the front yard, and even drinking hot chocolate with my mom and dad."

"Sounds like you had a lot of memorable winters back when you were young."

"I did. But what I miss the most was ice skating."

"Really? You know how to ice skate?"

"Of course." Zoe nodded. "My mom signed me up for ice skating lessons when I was young and I fell in love with it for a couple of years."

"So, you know how to do all those spins and tricks like in Winter Olympics?"

"A little bit of it. But I'm not _that_ good, Takuya. Besides, it's been ages since I last put on ice skates." She sighed once again.

"What's wrong, Z?"

"Now I feel like ice skating."

"Eh?"

"I know it sounds silly, but I really want do it again."

"Um... I don't think we can, Z. I mean, we don't even have ice skates."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"As fun as ice skating may seem, we don't have the time or the equipment to do it."

"That's true. Alright, Takuya. Let's head on back to the... HEY, CHECK IT OUT!" Zoe exclaimed.

She pointed her finger a little bit to the side. I turned and checked to see what she saw. Just up ahead was a small booth off the edge of the pond. Zoe and I took approached the little stall to get a closer look. Small amounts of snow piled up on the roof, with a sign hanging from the rafter.

*Icicle Mountain Rental Shop*

"What is this?" I wondered.

"It's a rental shack!" Zoe answered in a surprised manner. "We can probably get ice skates and other things here! Let's go!"

She opened the door and casually walked in like she was an actual customer.

"Zoe! Wait up!" I cried. I entered the store shortly after.

Something didn't feel right. What were the chances that Zoe and I would run into a rental store located in the middle of the Icicle Mountains? And why here out of all places? Despite the welcoming appearance, my mind was waving all kinds of red flags at me. While I tried to figure out what's going on, Zoe roamed around the place like a kid in a candy store.

For a small shack, this place sure has a lot of winter gear, clothing and equipment. There were shelves upon shelves of skis, snowboards, helmets, and of course, ice skates. Each one of them came with their own unique color, shapes and sizes fit for various personalities.

On the other side were rows of all kinds of winter attire ranging from snow caps to winter boots. They also had jackets with a variety of size and thickness, gloves with almost every color on the spectrum, as well as scarves with different lengths and texture. Basically, anything we want in a winter store could be found here.

"Oh my! Amazing! This place has everything!" gasped the gorgeous young woman. She grabbed a purple beanie from one of the racks and placed it on her head. Next, she wrapped a white scarf around her neck and struck a pose.

"How do I look, Takuya?"

"Cute." I spoke with less enthusiasm than usual.

"Let's see. Where should I begin?" asked Zoe as she ventured deeper into the shop.

"Here we go again." I moaned to myself. It's like another one of our trips to the mall. She'll spend three hours looking and picking out stuff before deciding what she wants.

"Um, Z?" I called out when I reached a sudden realization. "I like how you're super excited and all, but uh... How are we going to..."

"Welcome, customers, to the Icicle Mountain Rental Shop, your one-stop shop for all your winter needs, including snow gear and equipment, adventure and action sporting, as well as other services!" A voice called from the back.

Behind the counter was a large abominable snowman Digimon with a pair of black eyes and no mouth. Red buttons were on his chest and a piece of coal seemed to be a perfect fit for his nose.

"Huh? What do we have here? Humans in my store? Interesting. This is the first time I've seen you strange creatures."

"Who are you?" Zoe asked.

"The name's Frigimon! If it's snowboarding or skiing you want, have I got a deal for you!" He spoke in a business type demeanor.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Frigimon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Subzero Ice Punch; Chilly Bomb**

**Description: Frigimon may look like an abominable snowman, but he's actually one of the kindest Digimon who tends to avoid confrontation. Underneath all of that frost lies a warm heart that enables him to show compassion towards others. But if threatened, his Subzero Ice Punch can freeze anything he touches.**

"It's very nice to meet you, Frigimon! My name is Zoe! And this is my boyfriend, Takuya!"

"The pleasure is all mine! Is this your first time here?"

"Why, yes it is!" said Zoe.

"Splendid! Now, what can I do for you fine humans?"

"We're just looking around." I replied. I grabbed Zoe's hand and gave her a little tug, reminding her that we couldn't stay for very long. "Come on, Z. We better get going before..."

"Hang on a minute, Takuya." She told me, before pulling her arm away. She politely approach the counter with a smile on her face.

"Yes? May I help you, young lady?" asked the abominable store clerk.

"Frigimon? I was wondering if you have any ice skates."

"Zoe!" I groaned.

"Why yes, my dear! Let me show you what I've got!"

Frigimon reached under counter and pulled out all kinds of ice skates. Most of them were white with all kinds of designs on them like stripes, dots and other kinds of patterns. Zoe took a long look at every skate Frigimon had to offer her. I noticed a look of awkwardness in her eyes. But it wasn't because she didn't like any one of them. Some of them looked really awesome.

The problem was that all of these skates were way too big for Zoe's small feet.

"Well, which one would you like?" asked Frigimon.

"I, uh... They're all really nice, but..." She spoke hesitantly. Zoe brought her leg up and showed Frigimon how small her foot really was.

"Do you have anything this size? Your skates seemed way too big for me!"

"Hmm, let me look in the back!"

Frigimon made his way toward the back room to check other skates he had in supply. While Zoe waited patiently for his returned, I approached the young woman and tapped her shoulder.

"Zoe, what are you doing?"

"I wanna go ice skating, Takuya."

"Come on, Z! We have to go now. The Digimon Battlefront is waiting for us! We have to get back to our search for the Spirits of Ice."

"But you had your fun with the snowball fight! I want to have my fun ice skating! It's only fair!"

"Fair? If Malevomon gets his hand on that Spirit, there won't be any more ice skating, or snowball fights, or..."

"Don't remind me! I know what the consequences are if Malevomon finds the Spirits before we do!"

"That's why we need to get back! Besides Zoe, you and I don't have any..."

"I'm back!" Frigimon announced.

In his hand were two pairs of ice skates. One of them was as white as snow, with purple streaks gliding down from the top of the boots all the way down to the blades on the bottom. The purple laces all match the color of the designs as well. It also had pinkish swirl marks and a couple of stickers on them for decoration. Strange enough, they looked to be around Zoe's size.

The second pair was also white, but had black and red lines wrapping around itself. The crimson laces brought out the boldness of the skates. Plus, the blades on the bottom were really shiny as well. But when I looked at the skates, it seemed a little too big for Zoe, but a good fit for me.

"_Perfectto_! I love it!" The Italian exclaimed as she held the white and purple skates.

"Excellent." grinned Frigimon. He then handed the second pair of skates to me. "Here you go, young man!"

I took the bladed boots and looked pessimistically at them. Even though these were really cool skates, I didn't seemed to be in the mood for ice skating. But when I glance back at Zoe, she had already put her skates on. Based on her expression, I'm guessing she really likes them. It's like a child getting what she wants on Christmas.

"Those are some skates, Takuya! Go ahead, try it on!" She encouraged me.

"Um, that's alright. I'll pass, thank you very much." I muttered.

"No please, young man. I insist! Try it, you'll like it!" begged Frigimon "Afterwards, you children can even skate by Icicle Pond for an hour or two."

Zoe's eyes went up. Mine, on the other hand, remained the same.

"We can? Oh, wow! Thank you Mr. Frigimon! You hear that Takuya? We can finally ice skate and..."

"BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY!"

Zoe stood there with her jaw dropped, surprised by my sudden outburst. Frigimon had his eyes shot open in shocked for me yelling at my friend. I sighed frustratingly before turning away from the two. My heartbeat picked up a bit for embarrassing Zoe and myself in front of Frigimon. From the awkward silence, I can tell my best friend was really upset.

Until...

"HAHAHAHA!" The snowman Digimon laughed.

"Frigimon?" Zoe tilted her head in confusion.

"No money? Hehe! My boy, that is of least of my concern." The snowman Digimon spoke, but with more amusement than frustration.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"It's one of my best offers! First time shoppers get their first purchases and rentals _free_!"

"_Dio mio_!" Zoe exclaimed with excitement. "Are you serious?"

"Absolutely! Since you two want to have fun on the Icicle Pond, then by all means, skate to your heart's desire!"

"You hear that, Takuya? We can skate for as long as we want!" She beamed.

But I still haven't forgotten about our duties.

"I'm sorry Zoe, but we have to get going now! We still have our mission! The Spirits of Ice isn't going to come to us! We need to find them before Malevomon does!"

"Malevomon? Spirits of Ice?" Frigimon gasped. "Wait a minute? Are you humans fighting with the Digimon Battlefront?"

"Yes, that's correct!" answered the girl.

"I knew it! I've heard stories about you two retrieving Legendary Spirits and fighting that evil Malevomon's most fearsome fighters! You guys are heroes!"

"Heroes? Well, if you want to put it that way." I rubbed the back of my head and snickered.

"Haha! Not only brave, but he's humble too! I like it! Come here you!"

Frigimon wrapped his arm around my neck and pulled me in a side headlock. He used his other hand to give me a noogie like the ones I usually give to Shinya. This guy's strong for his size. His touch was cold to the touch. I felt my entire right cheek becoming numb.

"Le... Let me go! It's freezing!" I hollered.

"Oops, my bad!" chuckled Frigimon as he released me from the headlock.

"Anyway, you two have been working very hard! What you need is some rest, relaxation and, a little bit of fun!"

"Thanks Frigimon. We really appreciate it and all, but..." I sighed once again. "... it's like I said before. We don't have time to be messing around in the snow!"

"Oh?" Frigimon's grumbled.

"Let's go, Zoe! We got a lot of work to do!" I grabbed Zoe's wrist and the two of us made our way toward the exit.

"Come now, young man! Don't be such a party pooper!" The icy Digimon ordered, using his whole body to block the doorway. "Your girlfriend obviously wants to have a good time with you! Is that too much to ask? Don't embarrass her like that!"

He politely handed us the ice skates he offered us earlier.

"Go on! Skate! Have fun out there! I insist!"

"What do you say, Takuya? Please?" Zoe asked.

"Well, I don't know..."

Suddenly, Frigimon leaned closer toward my face. He then glowered heavily into my eyes with domination and desperation. His face was scarier than ever. Zoe cringed her eyes shut while I placed my hands up to shield myself from Frigimon's potential fury.

"I said, 'I INSIST!'" He growled.

"Okay, okay! You win!" I submitted. I quickly grabbed the ice skates and handed Zoe her pair.

"Fine! We'll go ice skating together! Are you happy now?"

"Yes! Thank you!" Frigimon laughed. His look of dominance was replaced by a happy smile. He kindly moved out of our way, thus clearing a path for the exit. "You two have fun together! Feel free to come back whenever you are finished, okay?"

"Thanks, Frigimon!" Zoe bowed. "Well, what are we waiting for Takuya? Let's go!"

Without letting me say another word, she grabbed my hand and the two of us dashed out of the store with a pair of ice skates in our hands. I quickly looked back just to give Frigimon a quick thank you. Unfortunately, I never got a chance to say anything to him. The last thing I saw before Zoe and I arrived at the frozen pond was Frigimon closing the front door with a strange look on his face. I smelled trouble, but it wasn't enough to spark my curiosity.

* * *

><p>We sat on a log nearby and put our ice skates on. Mine actually fit perfectly. I looked back at Zoe and her skates were just the right size. After kicking her feet a couple of times, she stood up and glided along the ice.<p>

She skated in a couple loops before making a figure eight. I watched as her hair flowed with the rustling wind around us. Her eyes were shut like she was lost in the music. Her smiled showed me she was happy to be back on the ice. After a completing her last figure eight, she skidded to a stop and faced me once again.

"Come on, Takuya! What are you waiting for?" She giggled.

"Well, alright." I replied hesitantly.

I started off by placing both my feet on the ice. The blades made contact, but the slippery surface almost made me lose my balance. Soon, I pushed myself away from the log and slid toward the graceful blonde. I felt my legs were shaking nervously.

This was my very first time figure skating. I have no clue how to stay balanced, how to move or how to stop. I tried stiffening my legs, but that still didn't slow me down. Suddenly, I lost control of my legs. This caused me to fall to the side like I slipped on a banana peel. I landed hard on my hip. Mild jolts of pain vibrated throughout my sore pelvis.

"Ouch! Okay, maybe this isn't easy!" I moaned, massage my hip.

"You okay?" Zoe called. She skated towards me at a good speed.

But as she approached me, Zoe turned both her skates ninety degrees to the side. While she skidded along the ice, she lowered her position slightly away from my direction, causing the edges of the skates to press into the ice. The beautifully executed hockey stop sent a couple of crushed ice into my face.

"You didn't break anything, did you?" She asked.

"Nah, I'm fine!" I grinned. "I'm just trying to get used to these skates!"

"Right..." She looked at me like I was hiding something. "You sure you know what you're doing?"

"Trust me! How hard can this be?" I argued.

I finally got back to my feet and attempted to regain my balance once again. Like last time, my legs were shaking. It's like walking on a slippery floor. One bad step and down you go. After a couple of moments, my legs stopped shaking and I stood tall on the ice.

"Ha! See? I got this!"

And then...

"Whoa, Whoa, WHOA!"

Again, I lost my balance and fell backwards on the ice. I landed on my back. My head whiplash against the surface. I placed both hands on my head, trying to fight the massive headache.

"Takuya, do you even know how to skate?" Zoe asked me.

"What? Of course I do! I..." She placed her hand on her hips and her eyes caught me in my lie. I sighed in defeat.

"Fine, I have no clue what I'm doing."

"Aw, you poor boy." She giggled. Zoe held her hand out for me and smiled.

"Here, let me teach a few basics about ice skating." She kindly offered.

I took Zoe's hand and she helped me back to my feet. I felt the blades on my skates losing its friction on the ice. I would have fallen again, if Zoe hasn't caught me in her arms.

"Sorry about that." I laughed for my clumsiness.

"That's okay. Here, first thing's first. You need the appropriate posture."

"Okay. Say the word."

"Very well then." She nodded. "For starters, make sure you relaxed your body. Then stand in your skates, with an upright upper body. After that, bend your knees. The reason why you're falling a lot is because you're standing on straight legs. Keep them bent so it will be easier for you to control your balance."

"Got it." I did exactly what she told me. Relax my body, and stand in an upright position with my knees bent. Just like that, I was perfectly balanced.

"Good!" complimented Zoe. "Now, let's move on to marching."

"Marching? Like a band 'marching?'"

"Not really. It goes like this. Lift one knee and put that foot back down flat in the same place. Do not try to step ahead heel and toe as if you were walking on land. Once you manage to transfer your weight from one foot to the other and find your balance, try to do proper striding. Push against the ice with it to propel yourself forwards."

"That's... a lot of information. But here goes nothing."

I replayed Zoe's instructions in the back of my head. I lifted my right knee up and placed it flat back on the ice. Next, I propelled myself forward and repeated the same process with my other leg. After a few strides, I tried to do a few turns. First I shifted my body to the right, causing me to go right. Then I turned left and zoomed past Zoe. I then skated circles around my girlfriend, who was delighted to see my improvement.

"Look at me, Z! I'm skating!"

"Way to go, Takuya!" She grinned before joining me.

"Alright! Yeah!" I exclaimed.

I increased the pace on my strides, which made me go even faster. It's like I was riding a shooting star. The scenery became blurry as adrenaline took control of my body. I was having the time of my life.

It wasn't until I found myself skating toward a tree, with showing no signs of stopping. I placed my hand in front of my body as I braced myself for another crash.

"OH NOT AGAIN! YEOW!"

I slammed into the tree and fell backwards. As I massaged my aching head and chest, Zoe glided towards me and came to a sudden halt.

"Oops, I forgot to tell you there's a much easier and safer way to stop." She giggled.

"Haha, very funny."

"Here, let me show you. You turn your skates at an angle like this and sink your body down low. Lean a little bit backwards so the edge of the blades can press against the ice." Zoe demonstrated one time to be sure I understood.

"Oh okay. Let me try."

I did a few strides to gain some speed. I skated to the edge of the pond before turning around. I made my way towards Zoe and repeated her instructions on stopping. Once I was close enough, I turned my skates sideways and dung the blade into the ice. I came to a quick stop, just a few feet in front of Zoe.

"How's that?"

"Excellent! You know the basics of ice skating!"

"Alright, sweet! Thanks Zoe! You're a great teacher!" I kissed her on the lips to show my appreciation.

"My pleasure! Now, let's have some fun!"

We skated around the pond for what seemed like hours. I stuck to easy stuff like turning and stopping. But I loved skating at fast speeds. I felt like I'm on a roller coaster, zigzagging throughout the ice in a controlled frenzy manner. Every once in a while, I would lose my balance and fall down. But it never seemed to hurt anymore. A few minutes later, I sat down for a little bit to catch my breath.

And then I saw poetry in motion that is known as Zoe.

Her skating could be described as the essence of beauty. The way she twirled and moved her arms around was nothing short of beautiful. Her style was very fluid, graceful and gentle looking, like a ballerina on ice. She executed a few spins and jumps like it was nothing, with a perfect landing to top it all off. It's as if I was watching her perform one of her best routines in a national competition. Zoe topped off her performance with a gorgeous pose that deserved a standing ovation. A perfect score would've been icing on the cake.

I made my way toward the blonde beauty and placed a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes gazed deep into mine.

"Well, how was I?"

"Showoff." I joked.

"Hey, watch it!" She argued, punching me in the arm.

"I'm just kidding, Z! You were amazing!"

"Really? You mean it?"

"Of course I do! I never thought my girlfriend was a tremendous skater! Not to mention beautiful as well!"

"Oh Takuya..."

I placed my hands on her cheeks and kissed her once more right on the lips.

"Mmmm." murmured Zoe as she melted into the kiss.

"Mmmm." I moaned.

She opened her mouth again like she was begging for me to go deeper. I obliged by sticking my tongue inside and explored the contents in her mouth. Then I tried something new. I baited her tongue to come in so I could suck on it lightly. A soft mewl of pleasure came from the back of her throat. I just love the sound of that.

Several minutes later, we parted for air. But we still embraced each other, never wanting to let go.

"I love you, Takuya."

"I love you too, Zoe."

"You want to head back now?"

"Are you sure? I'm willing to stay if you want."

"I'm sure. I've already had my fun. We might as well get back to the others."

"Alright, we will. Just one more thing first."

"And what's that." She asked me before giving me a soft Eskimo kiss.

"Follow me."

I took Zoe to the edge of the pond and have her face the other side. We could see Frigimon's shop in front of us. I noticed Zoe smirking at me, as if she knew what I was about to ask her.

"You and I will race to see which one of us is the fastest. How's that?"

"You're challenging me Takuya? Oh, please! I would have a tougher time racing Neemon in my sleep!"

"What are you chicken? You scared that the student can beat the teacher?" Her smile disappeared.

"Who said I was scared? I was waiting for you to back out! I believe you've had enough humiliation for one day!"

"Those are some tough word coming from you, baby! But talk is cheap! Race me and we'll see who gets all the bragging rights!" I got in position and waited for Zoe's reply.

"Alright! You asked for it! But remember young man, you asked for it!" She also got in position and lined up next to me.

"Ready to lose?" I smirked.

"You wish!" Zoe chuckled.

"Go ahead, Z. Your call!"

"Alright, on my mark!" We bended out knees lower so we can get off on a good push.

"Ready... set..."

"See ya!" I snickered, jumping the gun.

"Hey!" Zoe cried from behind me.

I surrendered myself to the sound of the blades scratching the ice. My arms pumped from side to side to increase my speed. I never felt so alive. Instead of skating, I was flying, free from my worries and my fears. A few seconds later, I was the first to reach the other side of the pond. After panting for air, I raised my arms in victory.

"YES! I WIN!" I roared. I danced on the spot and got ready to rub it in Zoe's face.

"How do you like me now, Z? Huh? Who's the best? I AM! COME ON, LET'S HEAR IT!"

But my victory was short-lived. The moment I turned to look for my girlfriend, she was gone.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter thirty.<strong>

**What has happened to Zoe? Did she just vanish into thin air? Or has something terrible happened to her? These questions will be answered in the next action packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	31. Zero Below

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**While the rest of the Digimon Battlefront continued to search for the Spirits of Ice, Takuya and Zoe settled down to catch a break. They started off with an intense snowball fight. Later on, the couple cuddled in each other's arms. The Chosen Children then found a rental shop and met Frigimon, an icy Digimon who seemed very persuasive to get the humans to ice skate on the Icicle Pond. The couple agreed and had a wonderful time skating on the frozen pond. Takuya beat Zoe in a simple race. But before he could celebrate, his girlfriend had suddenly disappeared.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter thirty-one!**

* * *

><p><strong>Zero Below<strong>

**Normal POV:**

After the Chosen Children had left the rental shop, Frigimon waved good bye to the young costumers. The frozen Digimon watched the Bearers of Flame and Wind set off to the Icicle Pond. Once they were out of sight, he quickly shut the front door and locked it. The Icy Digimon turned off all of the light in the store and exited out the back door as quiet as a mouse. After locking the rear entrance, the abdominal snowman tiptoed into the dense forest of the Icicle Mountains.

As he ventured deep into the woods, the sunlight started to become less visible. It wasn't long before the treetops covered the forest with its thick branches and canopies. Frigimon walked through the chilly and desolate area with a nasty smirk on his face that wasn't there when he met the humans. Concealed underneath his cuddly feature was some kind of evil aurora that could only be associated with the Malevolent One.

The icy Digimon came to a halt once he reached his destination. He looked around the isolated woods, seemingly searching for another Digimon in the area. A few moments later, Frigimon sensed a powerful and evil presence lurking nearby. The abominable snowman got on one knee as the aurora grow stronger. When Frigimon finally sensed the cold and wicked presence was at its strongest, he showed his respect to the unknown Digimon by bowing.

"IceLadyDevimon! I've returned with some wonderful news!" declared the frozen creature.

For several moments, nothing happened. The wind swirled and picked up, creating a vast chilliness in the vicinity. The trees waved their branches around and shook off almost all of the snow that was on them. Regardless how frosty Frigimon was, the freezing sensation started to catch on to him. He soon detected the presence of a Digimon whose coldness and evilness has no bounds. And it wasn't even the infamous, malignant ruler.

"Excellent work, my loyal servant." The sound of a female Digimon whispered.

Out of nowhere, an evil creature appeared before Frigimon. She could be described as a ladylike devil covered in ice with temperatures way below freezing. Every step she took would leave behind solid blocks of ice in her footprints. She spread her broken, white wings out wide, which created a soft yet chilly wind in the area. Everything the breeze touched immediately turned into solid ice on the spot. Almost every leafless tree was trapped in its own icy prison.

"Well Frigimon? You have been given plenty of time to make all of these preparations! Now, give me a report!" ordered the fallen angel.

"Yes, my lady!" nodded the snowman. "It took almost every trick up my sleeve, and a little bit of persuasion! But I finally managed to get those rotten kids to take the bait! They're out skating in the Icicle Pond right now! Hehe! Those fools aren't even aware of the surprise I have in store for them!"

"Did you set the trap?" asked the dark female.

"As you ordered! Just before those Legendary Warriors arrives, I sprinkled the Icicle Pond with loads of Digi-Salt! It won't be long before the ice gives in and the children fall into the freezing cold waters below! Regardless how tough those kids are, no has ever survived once they had fallen through the ice! Hahaha!"

"Perfect! Once when they're out of the way, I'll take all of their Spirits and deliver them to Lord Malevomon! And you shall be handsomely rewarded for your generous contribution, Frigimon!"

"All in your name, my lady! And all for the glory of Lord Malevomon!"

"Excellent!" She chuckled. "Now, go back and check to see if those kids have become human popsicles! And if they're still alive... well, you know what to do!"

"Yes ma'am!" Frigimon bowed. The frozen subordinate returned to a standing position and hustled back into the woods, toward the rental shop.

"This is way too easy!" grinned the icy devil once Frigimon was out of sight. "That fool better not underestimate those kids, for he has no idea who he's messing with! But it matters not! Regardless who wins the fight between the Legendary Warriors and Frigimon I will have one less problem to deal with! Now, it's time for me to get set up for my grand performance!"

The female creature's laughter echoed throughout the forest. Every living creature that heard that treacherous sound either cringed in fear or ran off toward the closest hiding place available. Thankfully, their lives would be spared for the time being, since IceLadyDevimon has already had her targets in mind. Finally, she wrapped her icy wings around her sender body and faded out of sight.

* * *

><p>"Zoe? Zoe, where are you? Zoe? Zoe! ZOE!" Takuya shouted.<p>

He scanned the entire pond from left to right, searching for his beloved. But the teenage goggle-head couldn't seem to locate the blond haired Bearer of Wind anywhere. Takuya's heart rate accelerated to a point he thought was unreachable. His muscles tightened up and some of his hairs stood on end. The young man's breaths were rapid and shallow. His lips quivered unconsciously on its own.

"Come on, Zoe! This isn't funny! Where are you?" The Bearer of Flame called out again. He waited and listened for any kind of sound. But just like the first time, there was no answer.

"Zoe? Answer me! Where are you? Zoe, can you heard me? Hey Zoe!"

"TAKUYA!" The voice of his girlfriend screaming entered.

The teenage boy's head shot up. He turned toward the center of the pond. He first focused on the spot where the two of them started the race and traced a line back to where he was standing. And when Takuya's eyes reached the halfway point, he noticed something that made his heart turn to stone.

There was a huge hole in the middle of the frozen pond. The pitch black water contrasted itself with the white ice on the surface. Takuya squinted his eyes to get a closer look. He prayed with all of his might that his girlfriend hasn't fallen below the thin ice. But as he drew closer, the horrific possibility seemed more and more true.

Suddenly, his worst nightmare came to life. Out of the brisk water, a pair of arms waved around wildly and desperately. A teenage girl's head emerged from the surface with her drenched blonde hair covering her beautiful face.

"TAKUYA! HELP, MMMM!" She cried before sinking back into the chilly waters.

"ZOE!" Takuya cried fearfully. "HOLD ON, Z! I'M COMING!"

He skated as fast as he could toward the dark hole. Adrenaline sped his heartbeat up past abnormal levels. Sweat fell from his head uncontrollably. But because no one's around to help, it was up to him to save his girlfriend.

"TAKU..." shouted from the top of her lungs. The blonde struggled to keep her head afloat. "TAKUYA!"

She took a deep breath before sinking back down. Due to the below freezing temperatures of the water, her strength slowly depleted. She felt herself being dragged down toward the bottom because of the heavy ice skates that were still on her feet. Zoe could only keep her head out of the water for no more than a second. Her cries were faint and growing softer by the second. Her body temperature was dropping and fatigue has almost claimed victory.

"HANG ON, ZOE!" Takuya cried as he approached the hole.

Instead of executing a hockey stop, he got down on all fours and slid towards toward frigid waters. He came to a stop when he reached edge of the hole. Takuya could see his girlfriend struggling for air.

"GRAB MY HAND ZOE! GRAB MY HAND! HURRY!" The Bearer of Flame yelled to his beloved.

The teenage girl splashed above the pond again and saw the goggle-headed boy coming to rescue her. She could barely see her lover's extended arm reaching out towards her. However, only the front part of Zoe's face could be seen. Takuya stretched as far as he could, despite his own body protesting that his limb could only go so far. He was careful not to fall into the waters, which would be disastrous to the both of them.

Half a second later, the Bearer of Wind weakly inhaled one last breath of air before sinking below the dark depths. Only her right arm remained out of the water. Takuya reached with everything he had in him, trying to grab at least one of Zoe's fingers if he could. But no matter how far he stretched his arm out, his girlfriend was just out of his reach.

The gargling blonde swam to the top once again. However, Takuya could see that her eyes were almost shut. Her body was about to give in sooner or later. Takuya leaned forward and reached toward his beloved, this time out of desperation. The edge of his sleeve barely made contact with the crisp cold water. The pond may be freezing, but the Bearer of Flame had to fight through it if he wanted to save his best friend.

"I GOT YOU, ZOE! I GOT YOU!" The brunette hollered.

He managing to get his hand around Zoe's index finger. Takuya leaned a little bit more and quickly shifted his grip from her finger to her hand. But he couldn't seem to pull her back to the surface. Pulling in a prone position was extremely difficult. He had no leverage. With nothing supporting his weight, Takuya couldn't use his entire strength to pull Zoe out of the water.

"HANG ON, Z! JUST HANG ON! I'LL GET YOU OUT!" The goggle-head told his best friend.

"Taku... ya..." Those were the last words that came out of the girl's mouth.

Her eyes closed and her body gave in. The young woman had been in the water for at least a minute. All of her energy was already gone. She had lost sensation in both of her arms and legs. Her heart stopped beating, which made the blonde pass out.

It wasn't long before Takuya lost his grip on Zoe's hand. He tried reaching for her again, but he was too late. The goggle-head watched helplessly as his semiconscious girlfriend sank down into the dark, cold water. A few air bubbles appeared back on the surface, but that was pretty much it.

"ZOE, NO!" shouted Takuya.

He reached his arm in the hole and into the shivering water. He dug as far as he could, trying to fish for one of Zoe's arms or anything he could get his hands on. A sudden chill jolted through his limb. He lost all sensation in his arm a few seconds later. With frostbite coming on, Takuya had no choice but to pull his arm out of the water and tend to his semi-frozen limb. If his limb had been in the chilly pond for another second, it would've turned into ice.

Below the surface, Zoe had already lost consciousness. Her slender body sunk deeper toward the dark depths of the pond.

"ZOE! ZOE! ZOOOEEEEEEE!"

*Insert Song: With The Will*

A bluish sketch of the Human Spirit of Flame traced on the black screen of Takuya's D-Tector. When the outline was complete, the screen on the little device emitted a blinding, white light. With his black and red D-Tector in his right hand, Takuya extended his left arm out in front of him and opened up his hand. A ring of Fractal Code surrounded the boy's hand. He crossed his arms as well as swung them around a few times, before finally bringing his device and the ring of data together.

When the scanner on the top of the D-Tector made contact with the ring of Fractal Code, Takuya's device started making loud and powerful sounds. The dark area that surrounded Takuya's body was completely engulfed by glimmering, bright light.

"EXECUTE..." The goggle-head screamed out loud, swiping the Fractal Code ring with the D-Tector's scanner. "... SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

Upon command a long line of Fractal Code swirled and surrounded the boy's body. At the same time, Takuya's clothes began to disintegrate as the Human Spirit of Flame awakened. The boy felt a surge of energy completely taking over his body. He could feel himself becoming one with the Spirit. His arms, legs, head and his entire body were slowly changing into the Legendary Warrior of Fire.

It wasn't long before the transformation was finally complete. He uncrossed his arms, creating giant flames on both of his fists. He gave a hook with his left arm and another powerful punch with his right arm, sending the large fireballs flying like a cannonball.

"AGUNIMON!" The creature said.

The Legendary Warrior raised his arm up and viciously punched the icy top of the pond. The solid surface cracked all the way to the edge of the miniature lake. A few moments later the ice gave in, causing the frozen pond to become a small body of chilling water.

Agunimon took a deep breath and dove head first into the lake. It took a little while for his body to get use to the below freezing temperatures of the water. He looked left and right to search for a young woman. Agunimon finally looked down and saw Zoe Orimoto descending to the bottom of the pond. He turned his body toward the unconscious girl and swam as fast as he could.

Even though he was the Warrior of Flame, Agunimon started to feel the effects of the freezing cold waters. His body temperature was slowly dropping. The fiery Digimon could feel his body parts going numb. His vision grew more blurry with each passing second and his head spun like a top, making him very dizzy.

But with Zoe's life at risk, Agunimon refused to give in. He reached his arm out and finally grabbed the blonde's right hand. The Warrior of Flame pulled her back towards him and wrapped the girl's body around his arms. Agunimon then quickly changed course and swam back to the top.

The fiery Digimon broke the surface of the water and took a huge breath. After coughing up some water in his lungs, Agunimon swam toward the edge of the pond. He used the remainder of his energy to keep Zoe's head above the water. Her eyes remained shut and her skin was colder than ice

Half a minute later, Agunimon made back on land and carried Zoe underneath his arms.

"Hang on, Zoe! I got ya!" declared the Warrior Digimon.

Agunimon used one of his hand to melt a small area of snow on the ground. The icy substance evaporated until there was a spot of lukewarm dry land. He got on one knee and gently set the teenage girl down on the earth. While still keeping his eyes on Zoe, Agunimon ventured to the edge of the forest and returned with some firewood. He gathered the bundles of sticks and twigs into one pile. With a small fireball on one fist, he gently touch the firewood, creating a small flame next to Zoe. The Warrior of Flame pushed the young woman a little closer to the fire, making sure she receives the most warmth possible without getting burned.

Fractal Code surrounded the Legendary Warrior's body, transforming him back to the teenaged goggle-head. From there, Takuya observed the lifeless body in front of him. Her drenched hair rested on the ground. Everything from her purple beanie to her white tennis shoes were soaked in cold water. But her white ice skates were still tied to her feet. Takuya quickly took them off and tossed them to the side. Next, he took off his jacket and wrapped it around the upper part of her body.

The young man placed a hand on Zoe's cheek. He then felt a sudden coldness at the touch of her face. As he glided his hand down from her head to her arms and legs, the shivering feeling still remained. His eyes widened in fear.

"Oh no! She has hypothermia! I have to do something! Otherwise... *gulp*... Otherwise, she'll never make it!" The goggle-head gulped, thinking about the terrifying possibility.

"Zoe? Zoe, wake up." He said. Takuya grabbed on to her shoulders and started to shake her. "Come on, Zoe. Wake up! Zoe, please! Zoe!"

But it was no use. Her eyes remained shut. Not a single breath came out of her lips. Takuya could feel his eyes watering up. He placed two fingers on the side of Zoe's neck to check for a pulse. A few seconds passed, and yet he couldn't feel even the slightest of beats. Takuya then placed his face inches away from her mouth. But he couldn't feel any air coming out. As he continued to shake his girlfriend, he looked around his surroundings, searching for someone who can assist him.

"SOMEBODY! HELP!" He screamed with his voice echoing throughout the forest. Unfortunately, not a single Digimon was near the vicinity to hear his cries. Takuya glanced at the unconscious young woman, pondering about what he could do to save her.

"Come on, Takuya! Do not panic!" The boy mentally slapped himself. "Think! If your friend is unconscious, with no pulse and no breathing, what should you do to keep her alive?"

Moments later, an imaginary light bulb turned on above the teen's head.

"That's it! CPR!"

Takuya knelt by Zoe's side, next to her chest. He removed the thick jacket covering her body. The goggle-head then placed the heel of one hand on her sternum with the second hand on top. Afterwards, he locked his fingers tight and straightened his arms above the body. Now that he was in position, Takuya proceeded with the chest compressions.

"One, two, three, four..." He counted while pressing down on Zoe's chest all the way up to thirty.

Sadly, Zoe still wasn't moving. Takuya went back to chest compressions again. He pushed down with both hands between her breasts.

"... twenty-eight, twenty-nine, _thirty_!" Again, Zoe still hasn't shown any signs of life. Takuya then proceed to the next step of the phase.

He placed his hand on Zoe's forehead with his index and middle fingers on her chin. Takuya then tilted the head back to open the airway. The teenage boy took a deep breath and positioned himself above the girl's mouth. He pinched her nose with one hand, while keeping her head back with the other. Takuya placed his lips over the young woman's mouth and gave her two rescue breaths. As he continued to provide air for her, he would check to make sure her chest rose with each breath. After the second exhalation, he went back to the chest compressions.

From there, the cycle repeated as the teenage boy alternated from rescue breaths to chest compressions. Five minutes passed and Zoe still hasn't awoken yet. Takuya was starting to feel more apprehensive. Was he doing something wrong? Or was there something terribly wrong with Zoe?

Occasionally, he would glance back at his girlfriend, wondering if he'll ever get another chance to see those beautiful eyes; to see that lovely smile on her face again; to kiss those sweet lips again.

"Don't think that, Takuya! Zoe will make! She's strong! Believe in her!" Takuya said to himself before continuing with CPR on his best friend.

He has faith that Zoe will wake up very soon as long as he keeps doing what he's doing. The Bearer of Flame refused to let this girl die; not after he confessed his feelings for her. They had been through so much already, and he would not let it end here.

Suddenly...

*cough, cough*

Few sputters of water shot out of the gagging girl's mouth like a geyser.

Takuya got off Zoe's sternum and rested her head on his lap. He placed his warm hands on the girl's cheeks and noticed it was still cold. Still, he was happy to see her chest rise and fall, which meant that air was going in and out of her body. Takuya glanced at Zoe's eyes, anxiously waiting to see those emerald orbs of hers. He wanted to be the first thing she sees when she awakes.

Zoe's eyes finally opened and quickly locked on to another pair of brown pupils.

"Ta... Takuya?" She spoke while shivering.

"Zoe!" Takuya gasped. He got his girlfriend in a sitting position and wrapped his arms around her. Zoe could feel his warm cheek press against hers. She lets out a soft sigh of subjection.

"Oh Zoe! I'm so glad you're alright! I thought I lost you again!" The boy said, fighting back the potential tears in his eyes.

"Oh Takuya..." She trembled at his words.

She turned her body so she was facing her brave rescuer. Regardless how cold both of her arms were, that didn't stop Zoe from placing her own hand on his cheek. It warmed her heart when she saw Takuya's signature smile. With one hand around Zoe's body, Takuya put the other hand on top of hers.

"Zoe?" He leaned forward a little bit. His voice was nothing more than a mere whisper

"Yes?" She drew closer towards the Bearer of Flame with her voice as soft as his.

"How are you feeling right now?" Takuya's lips were only inches apart from hers.

"A little c... cold." She shivered.

"In that case..." The sweet smell of Zoe's breath made him fall into dark devotion. With a seductive smile to match hers, Takuya closed the distance. "... want me to warm you up a bit?"

"Do as you like with me!" She demanded with a hint of lust.

While Takuya's been a good boy and staying within the boundaries of their newly formed relationship, the way he asked that question made her cheeks flushed. The boy wrapped his arms around his girlfriend and planted his lips on top of hers. A soft moan escaped Zoe's mouth as she sunk into the passionate kiss.

Takuya gently lowered the Bearer of Wind to the ground with a hand resting on her back. It was just like back at the playground in the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters all over again. Zoe could feel something wet licking her lips. She smiled gently as she opened her mouth, granting Takuya's tongue entrance to paradise.

However, she wasn't going to let him win that easily. Zoe playfully fought back with her own tongue. The two wrestled each other for dominance, which only made Takuya grinned. For the first time, Zoe's actually was resisting him. And he loved it. He dug his tongue deeper into her mouth, until he finally gain control of their little struggle. Zoe sighed in defeat and allowed herself to be at his mercy.

As the teenage boy deepened the kiss, Takuya snaked his hand underneath Zoe's shirt and made contact with the lower part of her back. Just like her face, her backside was also cold, due to the amount of time she was in the chilling waters. The blonde's eyes widened at the touch. This was very bold on Takuya's part. But instead of objecting, the kissing eased her mind and the warm feeling of his hand gave her an incredible sensation.

This may be Takuya's first time making contact with her bear back, but he had her complete trust.

The boy used his free hand to explore Zoe's back, making sure every cold spots didn't go untouched. His fingers would gently graze the bottom portion of Zoe's bra. However, the blonde never went as far as sudden gasp. She would open one of her eyes and look at Takuya as a silent reminder to remember his limits. Once the young man felt Zoe's body has regained its proper temperature, he slithered his hand out of her shirt.

"I love you, Zoe." He said, quickly parting for some air, before getting back on top of her lips.

"Mmm... I love you too, Takuya..." Zoe smiled in response.

Next, Takuya lowered his mouth from her lips to her neck. Takuya barraged Zoe's collar region with loving and passionate kisses. The coldness on her skin transfer to Takuya's lips. Zoe quivered mildly, due to warmth and tenderness his lips provided. A light moan echoed into Takuya's ear.

"Oh Takuya! Please! Don't stop!" The girl begged.

As Zoe enjoyed the pampering her neck was getting, Takuya lowered his hand to the young woman's right thigh. Just like other parts of her body, they were freezing as well. Zoe's eyes widened and her moans increased in volume. That sound of her submitting to him was music to Takuya's ears.

"God, I miss that." He smirked.

The teenage boy lowered his hand from her thigh to her calf. He removed his lips off of Zoe's neck and placed them back on her own, silencing any moan or cry left unheard. Takuya then gave her the same treatment on her other leg.

"Takuya! Ooh, Takuya! Yes!" Zoe shuttered at his touch.

The wind picked up, making the atmosphere a bit more chilly than usual. But that didn't bother any one of them. They had each other in their arms, with no Digimon around to interrupt this wonderful moment.

"EHEM!" Someone grunted. The noise awoke Takuya and Zoe from their little fantasy world.

They turned to the side and noticed a pair of Rookie level Digimon standing before them. One of them was a yellow rabbit with his hands over his mouth. The other Digimon not only had a pink band around his waist, but he also had his arms crossed. The Chosen Children staggered to their feet and quickly parted from each other. Their faces were as red as tomatoes.

"Bokomon! Neemon!" Zoe gasped.

"Takuya. Zoe." Bokomon huffed.

"How long... How did... When were..." stammered Takuya. He finally regained his composure and managed to as his question. "What are you guys doing here?"

"You tell me, Takuya! You're the one who called for help, remember?" argued Bokomon

"I did?" The boy looked at the mutant Digimon oddly. However, it took him a split second to remember what happened. Takuya recalled screaming for help before performing CPR on Zoe.

"Oh yeah. I did." Takuya scratched the back of his head in a goofy fashion. "Look Bokomon. It's not what you think." The Bearer of Flame spoke with beads of sweat falling on his face. "Zoe and I... We were just... and then Zoe... I was only trying to..."

"EWW! GROSS!" Neemon interjected. Steam appeared to be coming out of the humans' ears "OH MY GOSH! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! YOU TWO WERE... AH, YUCK! MY EYES! THEY'RE BURN..."

Bokomon slammed Neemon's skull with his large green book to shut him up. The blow knocked Neemon to the ground the yellow rabbit slipped into unconsciousness.

"What an idiot!" grumbled an annoyed Bokomon. Instead of tending to his partner's injuries, he turned to the humans with his arms crossed.

"Alright you two, tell me what happened."

Takuya was about to speak, when Zoe stepped forward. She had her arms wrapped around herself. The blonde approached the Rookie without making any eye contact. Bokomon noticed a look of guilt and embarrassment all over her face.

"It's my fault, Bokomon." She murmured.

"What are you talking about, Zoe?"

"After searching for the Spirits of Ice for hours, we both decided to take a break."

"A break?" growled the Rookie. Zoe, on the other hand, kept her eyes down to the ground, feeling ashamed of herself.

"The fate of the Digital World's at stake!" Bokomon continued. "And here I find you two playing around in the sno..."

"Let her finish, Bokomon!" Takuya defended his girlfriend. The Rookie sighed and reluctantly agree. Still, he wasn't ready to let the two of them off the hook yet.

"Go on..." He said.

"Well, we were playing in the snow. Then all of the sudden, we ended up here at the Icicle Pond. That's when I decided I wanted to go ice skating. We were having fun, until a part of the ice gave in and I fell under."

Takuya placed a hand on Zoe's shoulders. He gave her a quick nod, wordlessly letting her know that he'll take it from here.

"I had to Spirit Evolve to get Zoe out of the freezing pond. Her body temperature was below normal." said the goggle-head. "Do you know what hypothermia is, Bokomon?"

"Hypothermia? I've never heard of that disease before." pondered the Rookie.

"It's not a disease. It's a condition in which a person's body loses a lot of heat, and their temperature drops. Zoe had already lost consciousness and wasn't breathing. I had to do something, Bokomon. Otherwise, she would've died."

"Takuya..." gasped Zoe.

"If what you're saying is true, then would you mind telling me... WHAT THE HECK WERE YOU DOING TO HER JUST NOW?" Bokomon heavily emphasized the last part of his question.

"Oh... You mean the... the, um..." ||| "We were... actually we, uh... huh?" The humans stuttered.

"Come on, you two! Neemon and I saw you both when we came down the hill! Just what in heaven's name are you trying to pull?"

"Like I said before, Bokomon! I was trying to save Zoe's life!" argued the Bearer of Flame.

"Saving her life? So, all that caressing you did to her back and legs was saving her life?"

"Yes! Zoe had hypothermia! Every part of her body was freezing cold! I had to share my body heat with her! Otherwise, her heart could've failed! Her breathing could've stopped! She could've died if I hadn't done anything..."

"Okay, I get it!" Bokomon sighed in defeat. With his first argument out the window, the Rookie went to the next one.

"But Neemon and I saw you two... well... you know... mouth-to-mouth?"

"Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. It's part of CPR."

"CPR?" Bokomon asked.

"It's something you do if someone's unconscious or not breathing. One of the required steps for CPR is rescue breathing."

Bokomon tilted his head sideways, still not understanding the concept. Takuya sighed and continued his explanation.

"Alright, it's like this. When someone stops breathing, brain damage can set in within a matter minutes, as the body suffers from lack of oxygen. By giving Zoe rescue breaths, I increase Zoe's chance of recovering. It might look weird at first, but it had to be done. Zoe's life was on the line and I couldn't afford to lose her."

"Where'd you learn CPR? From the Internet?" The blonde wondered.

"Lucky guess." Takuya grinned.

"Well..." murmured the Rookie Digimon with almost all of his discouragement gone. They key word being 'almost.'

"I don't know what to say! You two are Legendary Warriors! It is your duty as Legendary Warriors to save the Digital World from destruction! And based on what I've seen so far, I am _very_ disappointed in the both of you!"

"We know." Both humans replied.

"I can only think of two things to say to you! First of all, Zoe..." He turned toward the teenage girl.

"Yes, Bokomon?"

"It's one thing to take a break when we're in the middle of a mission, but what you did was inexcusable! You should've set a limit of how long your breaks can be before getting back to the search! Every Digimon out here is working hard to find the Spirits of Ice, and here you are doing figure eights on that pond! Unacceptable! Do you understand me?"

Zoe nodded with each point Bokomon has made. She could feel her eyes water up, but held back her tears since she didn't want Takuya see her embarrassed like that.

"Secondly, Takuya..." He faced the young man.

"Go on."

"In case you've forgotten, Swiftmon has put you in charge! You have a huge responsibility in making sure everyone's on task! What is the Battlefront going to do if they find out their leader's messing around in the snow? For a guy in charge, you've been nothing but a huge disappointment! What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I'm sorry for being irresponsible." grumbled Takuya.

"Honestly, I can't believe you two!" Bokomon exhaled.

"Is there anything else you would like to say to us?" Zoe asked, unsure if she could take anymore criticism.

"Yes. Please, Bokomon! Lay it out on us! We totally deserved to be yelled at!" huffed Takuya.

Bokomon was a little annoyed when he detected a hint of sarcasm, but decided to let it slide.

"Well, I could spend the whole day lecturing about the stupid decisions you two have made, but we don't have time for that! Right now, we must get back on our mission! The Spirits of Ice is still somewhere in these mountains! We have to find them before Malevomon does! I'm sure you two are aware of what will happen if that evil Digimon gets his hands on the Legendary Spirits! It will be then end of the Digital World!"

"I know, Bokomon. And I'm sorry." Zoe uttered.

"We both are." Takuya continued, feeling just as guilty. "We should've known better. We're sorry for getting off task. Can you forgive us?"

Bokomon looked into Takuya's and Zoe's eyes. He could detect the honesty, sincerity and a tad of hurt in their voices. Finally, he sighed before speaking again in a calming tone.

"Listen, my friends. I do not want you two to be the reason why Malevomon gets his hands on another Spirit. You two are our only hope in defeating this monster. Everyone is counting on you. So please, do not let _them_ down. Do not let _me_ down."

Takuya and Zoe nodded in reply. Bokomon responded with the same suit. It took a while, but they finally smiled at each other, letting them know all is forgiven.

"Alright. Now that that's settled, let's get out of here." Takuya suggested.

"That's sounds like a good idea." Bokomon agreed. The three turned toward the hill, ready to make their leave.

However, they were missing someone.

"Wait, Bokomon! We forgot about Neemon!" Zoe realized.

"Neemon? Oh yeah, Neemon." The Rookie level Digimon said.

He remembered knocking his partner out cold with his book. Takuya, Zoe and Bokomon turned and saw a yellow rabbit sitting on the ground, putting on Zoe's ice skates she had been given earlier. He bent over and tied the laces on the bladed boots.

"Neemon, what are you doing?" Bokomon asked his partner.

"Oh, hi guys!" Neemon waved.

He stood on his feet, with the skates attached to his feet. They may be a perfect fit for Zoe, but the skates were way too big for him. Neemon waved his arms around as he struggled to keep his balance. He tried walking toward his friends, but the skate were as heavy as rocks. Neemon felt he was treading in deep mud.

"Well, how do I look?" He happily grinned.

"Like an idiot." Bokomon said.

"You're such a meanie!" Neemon groaned. He then turned to Takuya and Zoe. "What about you guys? Do I look good, or do I look good?"

"You, uh... You look good, I guess." Takuya replied, while trying to hold his laugh.

"You really think so?" beamed the retarded rabbit.

"Oh Neemon..." Zoe sighed. "You're so silly. Those skates are way too big for you."

"Come on, you moron! We're done playing games! We have to get back to the others and search for the last Legendary Spirit!"

"But Bokomon, I want to go ice skating!"

"Neemon!"

"Pretty please with a cherry on top?" begged the rabbit.

"NO!" Again, Bokomon approached his Digimon partner and tugged on his pants, giving him another painful wedgie. Neemon fell to the ground while rubbing his sore bottom.

"Oh yeah, that's right!" Takuya exclaimed, catching Zoe's attention.

"What is it, Takuya?" She asked.

"Before we leave, we have to return those skates back to the shop."

"Shop? What shop?" Bokomon's curiosity was struck by Takuya's last statement.

"Oh yeah, that's right. I forgot to tell you." Takuya scratched the back of his head. "Zoe and I actually got our skates from that little store over there. See?"

The Bearer of Flame pointed his finger a little towards his right for Bokomon to see. The Rookie Digimon shifted his eyes until they came across a small booth just a few yards from the pond. Bokomon studied the shop, from the large piles of snow on the roof, to the sign above

*Icicle Mountain Rental Shop*

As Takuya fetched for his skates and Zoe took her skates off of Neemon, Bokomon continued to ponder. Something didn't seem right about that shop, but he couldn't seem to put his finger on it. Bokomon crossed his arms and tapped his foot on the snow.

"Hmm..."

"What's wrong, Bokomon?" Zoe asked as she approached him.

"It's that store you guys are talking about." He answered. "I've never heard of the Icicle Mountain Rental Shop before. In fact, I don't even know why that shop's here in the first place?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?" The blonde wondered. "Isn't the Icicle Mountains a place where other Digimon can ski, board, skate and have fun in the snow?"

"Unfortunately Zoe, I'm afraid not." Bokomon answered. "Nobody skies or snowboard in the Icicle Mountains because it was deemed too dangerous. Not even a single Digimon would even ice skate in these ponds or ski down the mountains. In other words, it's really bad business for having a store in a place like this."

"I don't understand. Frigimon told us we can use those skates on the Icicle Pond. In fact, he even said it was free!" argued the Bearer of Wind.

"Frigimon gave you those skates? For free?"

"No fair! I want a pair of free skates!" Neemon complained.

"Oh, will you just be quiet you imbecile?" ordered Bokomon. Neemon re-zipped his lips with a corky smile.

"Anyway, Frigimon gave us those skates and let us used them as long as we like." confirmed Zoe.

"It's true. However, he was very... _persuasive_." Takuya remembered.

"Persuasive? How so?" Bokomon asked the other human.

"Well, I guess persuasive is not really the correct word. He was more along the lines of _desperate_. It's like he was actually trying to get us on that pond."

"Hmm, I see..." Bokomon rubbed his chin, still lost in his train of thought.

"Now that I think about it, why was Frigimon so determined to get us to skate on the Icicle Pond? Should he at least know that the ice wasn't thick enough to skate on?" Takuya questioned, now more curious than before.

"Well, maybe he forgot to tell us?" suggested Zoe.

"Possibly." Takuya spoke while he shook his head. "Or maybe..."

"Maybe what?" The blonde asked him.

"Maybe it was a trap all along. Perhaps Frigimon may be a part of Malevomon's evil army Digimon. He probably knew the ice was too thin for skating the whole time. All he had to do was get us on that pond. And what do you know? It almost worked."

"You're kidding me." gasped Zoe. "Not Frigimon."

"He's probably right, Zoe." Bokomon confirmed. "If my suspicions are correct, this was just another attempt to get rid of you Legendary Warriors so he can deliver your Spirits to Malevomon. I mean... it's not a bad plan."

"Bokomon!" huffed Takuya and Zoe.

"Sorry!" The mutant Digimon apologized.

"Takuya, you don't think Frigimon's evil, do you?" Zoe asked, even though she had a feeling she knew what the answer is.

"I don't know. It's hard to trust other Digimon in times like this. We can't take any chances. You and I have to keep our guard up at all times." answered her boyfriend.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Alright, now come on!" Takuya ordered everyone else. "We gotta get out of here before Frosty the Snowmon gets back! If he finds out we're still alive, he'll probably..."

*rumble*

Suddenly, a large yet quick earthquake struck the area, knocking every Digimon and human on all fours. The ground shook again and a loud thump echoed across the woods. With each passing second, the earthquakes turned into giant footsteps. Each step grew louder and more vicious than the last.

"What's that?" Bokomon inhaled greatly.

"Whatever it is, it's big and it's mean!" Neemon stated the obvious.

"Takuya?" Zoe said nervously, waiting for his orders.

"Quick, we gotta hide!" The Bearer of Flame commanded.

Takuya grabbed Zoe by the wrist and the two humans rushed toward the near some bushes nearby. With Bokomon and Neemon following behind, the Bearers of Flame and Wind dove behind the icy shrubs and waited. Takuya and Zoe then took out their D-Tectors, just in case something bad happens. Bokomon and Neemon stuck their heads out of the bushes and looked around for whatever evil creature was approaching the area.

"Everyone be quiet. Do not make a sound." Takuya ordered, with a tad more volume than a whisper. Zoe and Bokomon nodded at their leader and covered their mouths with both hands.

"Hey! I thought we were supposed to be quiet!"

*snap*

"Ow!"

Bokomon grabbed the edge of Neemon's pants and gave it a little tug, before letting go. The elastic of his pants gave the yellow rabbit a stinging sensation underneath his waist, which produced a sharp snapping sound. However, the noise was moderate, so it was hardly noticeable.

Takuya and Zoe waited with their D-Tectors in hand. They stayed on the lookout for another evil Digimon to appear. The earthshakes and footsteps were more violent than before. Just ahead of the two teenagers, were a bunch of trees falling one by one. When the last tree had dropped to the ground, a large abominable snowman Digimon marched out of the woods and toward the Icicle Pond.

"It's Frigimon!" Zoe gasped. But Takuya quickly covered her mouth so no other noise could be heard.

"Shh. Keep your voice down." He whispered.

"I wonder what Frigimon's up to..." murmured Bokomon.

"Let's find out and see." answered Takuya

The four of them watched as the Icy Digimon stomped toward the edge of the small body of water. After giving a good look, a loud evil chuckle escaped his mouth. The sound of his wicked laugh would send chills down Takuya's spine and turn Zoe's hand in to ice.

"Hahahaha! It was so easy to deceive them!" smirked the snow creature. "Even the 'so-called' Legendary Warriors have appeared to have simple, childish minds!"

"Those pathetic children had no idea the trap I had set for them. Nothing like a dash of Digi-Salt to send those Legendary Warriors to down the dark depths of the Icicle Pond. All I had to do was to lure them on to that ice. And once they fell for it... CRACK! Lord Malevomon will be most pleased once I deliver him the news that I had drowned those puny humans! HAHAHAHA!"

Takuya and Zoe stared at the abominable snow Digimon with their eyes wide open in shock. The blond gasped in fear while Takuya clenched his fist tight in anger.

"No." inhaled the young woman.

"Why that lying, cheating skunk." growled the teenage boy. "So, he really is evil."

"I can't believe. All this time, he... he was..." gulped Zoe.

"Shhhhhh..." Takuya hushed with an index finger over his mouth and another on Zoe's lips. "Now's our chance. Let's get out of here."

"Good idea!" Neemon spoke a little too loudly.

"SHHH! You moron! He said quietly! You want the evil Frigimon to see us?" snapped Bokomon, trying hard to keep his voice down.

"Oops, sorry." Neemon apologized, rubbing the back of his head and smiling.

"SHHHHHHH! BE QUIET!" hushed Takuya, Zoe and Bokomon.

The four of them slowly rose to their feet while keeping their eyes on Frigimon, who was currently lost with his monologuing and supposed tremendous efforts in destroying the Legendary Warriors. As quiet as a mouse, the two humans and Rookie Digimon tiptoed out of their hiding place, behind the distracted Frigimon and into the woods.

Meanwhile, Frigimon had just finished his maniacal laugh. His look of amusement was replaced by a serious glare. He inched closer to the pond until the water was only a few inches from his feet. Frigimon clenched his fists tight and raised his arms above his head.

"Now for the finishing touch. SUBZERO ICE PUNCH!" He shouted.

With that, he brought both hands together and viciously hammered the chilly waters. The moment his fists made contact, the pond instantly turned into solid ice. Frigimon placed his hands on his hips and observed the icy surface of the small lake.

"Hehe! That should do it, just in case someone wants to steal my catch!" The icy Digimon snickered. "Now, I shall report to Lord Malevomon about how I defeated those pathetic humans... Huh?"

Frigimon turned from the pond and was about to make his way toward the edge of the Icicle Mountain when something shiny caught his attention. The abominable snowman glanced to his right and his eyes widened at what he saw. On the snowy canvas laid a pair of white ice skates with purple laces. Frigimon took a couple steps toward the bladed boots, only to see a second pair of black skates resting by a bunch of firewood that had already been burnt out.

"What the... NO!" cried a frustrated Frigimon. "THIS CAN' BE! THE HUMANS! THEY HAVE ESCAPED!"

He slammed his fist on the canvas in anger. After kicking bits of snow from the ground, Frigimon grabbed the both pairs of ice skates and chucked them as hard as he could toward a couple of trees nearby. Surprisingly, his throws were dead-on accurate. With tremendous power, Frigimon buried the blades in the thick slice evergreen trees like it was nothing. Afterwards, he walked toward a nearest tree and clenched his fist tight. He gave the evergreen a huge backfist, turning the tree into a large ice sculpture.

"UNBELIEVABLE! I HAD THOSE PESKY HUMANS RIGHT WHERE I WANTED THEM!" growled the Icy Digimon.

He approached another tree. Just like the last one, turned it into solid ice. The base of the evergreen gave in and fell to the ground. The tree broke into pieces and the ice shattered upon landing. But even taking out a couple trees wasn't enough to vent his anger. Frigimon was about to freeze another tree when his eyes shifted downwards toward the ground.

"Huh? What's this?" He said to himself. The frosty Digimon bent down and saw rough footprints left on the snow, trailing all the way into the woods. Frigimon unleashed a loud roar which echoed throughout the area.

"Those humans think they're so clever! Well, I'll show them! They won't get away that easily! And when I find them, I'm gonna rip their hearts out of their bodies, turn it into ice and crush them in the palm of my hands! Those lousy kids will never see the light of day again! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Frigimon followed the footprints and dashed into the woods. With him gone, the Icicle Pond returned to the cold and deserted spot that it once was.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, the two humans and Rookie level Digimon continued to race through the woods to get away from the evil Frigimon. Recently, they'd just heard him roar loudly like a hungry lion. They also felt the earth shaking violently, sending both teenagers and Digimon to the ground. The earthquake lasted for a couple seconds and the four got back to their feet and made for their escape.<p>

"Boy, he sure is mad!" Neemon exclaimed.

"Well, of course he is!" Takuya agreed. "He had a trap set for me and Zoe and we got away! Believe me, I'd be angry too if I were him!"

"I can't believe Frigimon would try to drown us! I never thought that he would be one of the bad guys!" Zoe gulped.

"In times like these, my dear, it is very hard to know who's innocent and who works for Malevomon! If I was there with you guys, I would have assumed Frigimon was a good Digimon, like they've always been! It's ashamed he was after your Legendary Spirits this whole time!" said Bokomon.

"We know! But that's why we have to keep moving!" ordered the teenage boy. "He's probably already found out that we had escape and is hunting us down right now! We have to get back and regroup with the others before Frigimon could...

"SUBZERO ICE PUNCH!" A voice screamed from behind.

Takuya, Zoe and the two Rookie Digimon turned around and saw a ball of ice rocketing towards them. With little time to react, the four dove to the ground and the frozen projectile sailed over their heads, missing them by mere inches. The snowball crashed into a tree and instantly turned the evergreen into solid ice.

Takuya and Zoe turned around and noticed a giant snowman marching angrily toward his prey. The once warm and cozy look on his face was replaced by cold, sheer eyes of terror.

"Where do you think you're going, you fools?" The evil beast growled.

"Frigimon!" The humans gasped.

"HOLY MOLY! THAT'S SO COOL!" Neemon cried as he observed the frozen tree in front of him

"Frigimon has just attacked us! How in the world is that cool?" Bokomon asked, annoyed by his partners idiotic remark.

"I don't know!" snickered Neemon.

The group of four quickly got to their feet and wiped the snow off of their bodies. But Frigimon continued to close the distance. With both fists clenched, he was more than just angry. Frigimon pulled his right hand back and took aim at his opponents.

"SUBZERO ICE PUNCH!" He cried, heaving his arm at the humans and Rookies, throwing another ball of ice at the group.

"Watch out!" Takuya yelled.

Neemon covered his head with his hands and curled into a ball. Bokomon, on the other hand, dove toward his partner and tackled him to the ground. The two creatures rolled on the ice and into a couple of small bushes.

Once the snowball got close enough, Takuya and Zoe leaped out of the crossfire and dropped in their defensive stance. With both D-Tectors in their hands, the Chosen Children leered at the abominable snow Digimon. Frigimon stopped a couple of yards away from his opponents and faced the teenage warriors in front of them.

"You kiddies aren't going anywhere!" He laughed. "You still owe me for letting you ice skate on the Icicle Pond!"

"Is that so, you big ugly creep?" growled the Bearer of Flame.

"Absolutely! Now, how are you going to pay? I'll either take your Legendary Spirits, or your lives! Or, if you're really generous, I'll take them both and leave your lifeless bodies buried in the deepest parts of the mountains!"

"We owe you nothing! You tried to get us to fall underneath the Icicle Pond!" Takuya roared.

"You jerk! I was having a wonderful time ice skating with Takuya! And because of your stinking trap, I almost drowned!" hollered a frustrated Zoe.

"Well, of course! That's the whole point, you pathetic children! It was Malevomon's orders to get rid of you annoying little flies, once and for all." chuckled the frosty creature. "And my plan would've worked, if you had just been good little kiddies and..."

"That's enough!" shouted the teenage girl.

Frigimon stopped in mid-sentence and caped it off with a small "Hmph..."

"Frigimon! This is your last warning! Turn around and walk away, before anyone gets hurt!" commanded the leader of the group.

"Hehe, how cute! This puny human is giving me orders!" Frigimon laughed. "Hahaha! You can't be serious! You think I'm gonna let you kids boss me around? You think I'm going to walk away on an opportunity like this? Hmph, you're even more foolish than I thought!"

"Why I oughta..." Zoe clenched her D-Tector tight as adrenaline rushed through her entire body.

"Don't you kids know? Thanks to Lord Malevomon's generosity, he has given more power than I could ever imagine! And as a token for his gratitude, I will have the pleasure in taking your Spirits as well as your lives! My master would be most pleased!"

"Never! If you think we're gonna let you take our Spirits without a fight, then you're sadly mistaken! There's no way you can defeat us, even if you have a Chaos Sphere inside you!" defended Zoe.

"Shut your mouth, little girl!" roared the Icy Digimon. "SUBZERO ICE PUNCH!"

He launched another freezing projectile at the young woman, but Zoe stood her ground. The Bearer of Wind tilted her head to the side and the snowball sailed past her cranium and crashed into another tree, instantly freezing it on impact.

All of the sudden, Frigimon became amused at this particular human. He didn't need her to explain how angry she was. The look in her eyes told the whole story. Takuya stepped in front of his girlfriend to defend her from Frigimon's next attacks.

"Hey, buddy! No one does that to my friend and gets away with it!" said an angry Takuya.

Frigimon lets out a soft sigh and shook his head in disbelief. Afterwards, he cracked both of his knuckles and refocused on his opponents.

"You humans really know how to irritate me! Oh well, it matters not! It may sound strange, but I'm actually glad you humans didn't fall into the Icicle Pond! A part of me actually wanted to destroy you myself! It's much more fun than my original plan. Hahahaha!"

Frigimon got in a fully upright stance, similar to a boxer. He hopped on his feet like he's itching for a fight. An audible, yet cocky snicker entered the humans' ears. Even though he was outnumbered, Frigimon was more than confident in his abilities.

"Put 'em up! Come on, you pathetic humans! Let's see what you got!" spoke the arrogant Digimon.

"Guess we have no choice then!" Takuya sighed. He shifted his eyes toward Zoe. "Ready, babe?" He asked quietly so only she could hear.

"When I'm with you, always." Zoe replied with a smile that Takuya loves so much.

Finally, the two humans held their D-Tectors high and prepared themselves for another battle against the enemy.

*Insert Song: With The Will*

The Human Spirit of Flame outlined itself on Takuya's D-Tector, while the Human Spirit of Wind traced on the screen of Zoe's D-Tectors. When the outlines of the Spirits were complete, the screens on their devices stated to glow. With their D-Tectors in one hand, Takuya and Zoe extend their free hands out. A ring of Fractal Code appeared around their hands. After a couple of arm swings and twirls, the Chosen Children brought the data ring together with the scanners on their D-Tectors.

"EXECUTE..." They cried, swiping the Fractal Code ring with their scanners. "... SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

Upon command, a long stream of Fractal Code spiraled around their bodies as the Spirits of Flame and Wind came to life. The teenage humans could feel a strong surge of energy awakening inside them. During the transforming, red scorching flames engulfed Takuya's body, providing him plenty of energy and strength. As for Zoe, she felt the wind's power flowing through her as she became one with the Spirit. It wasn't long before the transformation was complete. Two Legendary Warriors suddenly appeared on the frosty battlefield.

"AGUNIMON!" The Warrior of Flame roared. After a couple of punches, the fiery tornado surrounding him disappeared.

"KAZEMON!" The Warrior of Wind hollered. She gave the air a strong sidekick, which scattered the pinkish cyclone around her.

The two Legendary Warriors dropped in their fighting stance and faced the abominable snowman Digimon in front of them. Frigimon was thrilled to see the humans transform before his eye. He kept his hands up as felt his body being pumped up with adrenaline and ecstasy.

"Two against one, eh? Heh, it doesn't matter! With a Chaos Sphere inside my body, none of you Legendary Wimps stand a chance against me!"

"We'll see about, Frigimon! You'll never defeat the two of us together!" Kazemon contended.

"She's right! You may have the power of evil, but Zoe and I have the Legendary Spirits and each other on our side! As long as we have that, we can't lose!" Agunimon declared.

"Hmm, I see! So you're putting all your faith in the power of friendship! Is that right? Hahaha! How naïve!" chortled Frigimon. "Very well then! Suit yourself! Lord Malevomon will be thrilled when I present to him a couple of human ice sculptures he could use to decorate his castle! Prepare yourselves, Legendary Freaks!"

Agunimon and Kazemon in their defensive position and were ready for battle. The Warrior of Flame kept his legs bent, ready to charge at his opponent or dodge any oncoming attacks. The butterfly Digimon slowly ascended to the air and waited patiently for the frosty creature to make his move.

"KYYAAAHHHH!" Frigimon cried as he ran towards the Legendary Warriors.

"Get ready! Here he comes!" Agunimon said to his partner.

"Gotcha!" Kazemon complied.

They watched as Frigimon quickly closed the distance with his right fist pulled back.

"SUBZERO ICE PUNCH!

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter thirty-one.<strong>

**Can our heroes defeat Frigimon? Or will this cold and cunning Digimon turn Agunimon and Kazemon into ice cubes? These questions will be answered in the next action packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	32. Mountain Mash

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**Who would've thought that Frigimon was actually working for Malevomon? Because of him, Zoe fell into the Icicle Pond and almost drowned. Takuya Spirit Evolved into Agunimon and rescued his girlfriend just in time. Thanks to the goggle-head's ability in CPR, he was able to save Zoe's life. Bokomon and Neemon then showed up, almost interrupting another a magical moment. By the time the group had escaped, Frigimon had already discovered that the humans were still alive. The Legendary Warriors may have gotten lucky the last time, but who know what other tricks that evil Digimon has up his sleeves? **

**So, without further ado, here's chapter thirty-two!**

* * *

><p><strong>Mountain Mash<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"SUBZERO ICE PUNCH!" Frigimon yelled as he rushed toward the Legendary Warriors with his hand drawn back.

Once in range, the frosty Digimon threw a cold fist at his opponents. Agunimon dove out of harm's way to avoid Frigimon's first attack. He rolled on the snow, before springing back to a vertical base and dropping in his stance. Again, the icy Champion released another one of his Subzero Ice Punch toward the Warrior of Flame. Agunimon hated playing defensively, but the last thing he wanted was to turn into a popsicle.

Kazemon, however, took the skies and flew over the snowman. Frigimon tried landing one of his fists at the butterfly above him. Thankfully, there was a good amount of distance between Kazemon's body and Frigimon's hand. Once when the Warrior of Wind was behind her opponent, she drilled both of her feet on to the back of the Champion's head. The chilling Digimon took the hit and fell face first on to the canvas.

The lavender haired butterfly landed next to her partner and gave him a quick smile.

"Nice work, Z!" Agunimon chuckled.

"Save your comments for later, Takky! We're not done yet!" said Kazemon.

An angry Frigimon pounded his fist on the snow before springing back to his feet. He glowered fiercely at the Legendary Warriors. The responses he got was an arrogant smirk from Agunimon and a tongue from Kazemon.

"Hey, Frigimon! Bet you can't hit us!" Kazemon stifled a giggle as she waved toward her opponent.

The frosty Champion hated being mocked, especially on the field of battle. Frigimon made another fist and charge at the Warriors once again, determined to freeze their entire bodies, and them break them into bits.

"SUBZERO ICE PUNCH!" The Icy Digimon hollered, throwing his hand at his opponents once again.

"Uh-oh!" gasped the Warrior of Wind. She fluttered to her right while Agunimon tumbled to his left.

Instead of hitting air, Frigimon's fist crashed into a tree. The evergreen froze upon impact from the base to the top. The trunk gave in, causing it to fall to the ground and shatter upon impact.

Agunimon and Kazemon saw the effects Frigimon's attack. Despite the fact that had been successful in avoiding every one of their opponent's strikes so far, they both knew that letting down their guard could prove costly. The Warriors of Flame and Wind quickly regroup with each other and faced the frosty Digimon, more serious than before.

"That was a close one!" said Kazemon.

"Be careful, Zoe! This guy's a lot tougher than he looks!" ordered Agunimon. "He may be clumsy, but he still has a Chaos Sphere inside him! We cannot get cocky at a time like this! One wrong move, and it could be the end for both of us!"

"Got it!" The female Digimon nodded.

The Legendary Warriors got in their battle stance and waited for Frigimon to launch another attack. The icy Champion kept his hands up and leered at the fiery and butterfly Digimon. He unleashed a violent roar, which almost shook the entire Icicle Mountains. A bunch of snow that were on the treetops fell on the canvas. However, it wasn't enough to knock Agunimon, nor Kazemon off balance.

Suddenly, the frost Digimon dove toward the ground and dug underneath the snow. In a flash, Frigimon disappeared before the Warriors' eyes. They stood back-to-back and looked around the woods, waiting for their opponent to appear. A drop of sweat fell from their cheeks. While they knew Frigimon was going to reappear sometime soon, it was only a matter of where and when.

Moments later, another earthquake shook the battlefield. Agunimon and Kazemon dug their feet into the ground and kept their defenses up.

"Takuya?" The humanoid butterfly glanced back at the Warrior of Flame.

"Just keep your eyes open! He'll pop out eventually!" Agunimon gritted his teeth.

"I know, but when? He could be anywhere!"

"Even right here!" A voice murmured from below.

Out of ground, an abominable snowman appeared behind the Legendary Warriors with a giant snowball over his head.

"Move!" Agunimon commanded.

The two of them dispersed into different directions, trying to get away from Frigimon. However, the icy creature kept his eyes on one of the Legendary Warriors; more specifically, the Digimon of Wind. He watched the lavender haired butterfly roll on snowy canvas before springing back to her battle stance.

"I got you now, girly!" The evil Digimon smirked at his opponent. "CHILLY BOMB!"

He flung the giant snowball toward the Warrior of Wind. Kazemon spread her legs out wide and waited for the large ball of ice to get within striking distance. Once when Frigimon's attack was close enough, the lavender haired Digimon brought her right knee up and gave the snowball a vicious roundkick. The iced sphere broke into pieces. But on the follow through, the Warrior of Wind lost her balance and fell on all fours.

"You're mine now!" chuckled Frigimon. He drew his arm back, ready to finish his defenseless opponent.

"SUBZERO ICE PUN...!"

"PYRO PUNCH!"

Agunimon came from behind and launched two fireballs in the unsuspecting snowman's direction. The first one exploded on the drawn hand of Frigimon, neutralizing his attack. But the second fireball nailed the back of his opponent's head. Frigimon grunted softly and almost fell forward. Thankfully, he regained his footing and glared back at the Warrior of Flame.

"You annoying, little pest! How dare you get in my way?"

"Leave her alone!" commanded Agunimon.

To prove he wasn't playing around, the fiery Digimon created a couple more fireballs at the end of his knuckles. He got back in his stance, wordlessly daring Frigimon to try to hurt his beloved. But that didn't intimidate the snowman one single bit. Balls of ice also formed on his fists, just like his opponent. The cold Champion also dropped in a fighting position and gave him a sly grin.

"Make me, you fool!" threatened Frigimon.

"Alright, you asked for it!" growled the Warrior of Fire.

"PYRO PUNCH!" ||| "SUBZERO ICE PUNCH!"

The two Digimon unleashed their attacks at the same time. Agunimon launch a barrage of fireballs at the abominable snowman. Frigimon countered by heaving his own onslaught of snowballs toward the fiery Warrior. The balls of fire and ice collided against each other. The two elements instantly evaporated upon impact, leaving behind a puff of steam.

Both Digimon were relentless in their attacks. Neither one of them gave each other an inch. Even with the barrage of fireballs and iceballs coming their way, the two kept attacking. The look in their eyes showed their opponent that they're not afraid of getting hit.

As the barrage went on, Frigimon started to gain the upper hand. He picked up the pace and doubled the speed of his firing rate. As for Agunimon, he was having trouble keeping up. His arms were getting tired and his speed was dropping with each passing second. There were times where he had to stop firing so he could avoid getting hit by one of Frigimon's snowballs. If this were to keep up, it wouldn't be long before his opponent scores a lucky hit.

"Haha! You can't defeat me! I'm more powerful than you! KYAAAAAAAAAAH!" cried the evil Digimon as the firing rate became similar to a machine gun.

Regardless how well Agunimon was holding up, Frigimon's power was too overwhelming. The snowman finally saw an opening and launched a ball of ice toward Agunimon's chest. The Warrior of Flame sensed the attack coming his way, but it was too late. In less than a second, the snowball entered Agunimon's no-dodge zone. The fiery Digimon held his arm out so his entire body doesn't freeze upon impact.

The good news was his body was still intact. Unfortunately, Agunimon's right forearm was now covered with solid ice. He tried to shake off the frozen crystals on his arm, but it was stuck on him like a leech. With his attention solely on his disabled limb, Frigimon seized the opportunity to apply more pressure on his opponent. He threw another 'Subzero Ice Punch' at the Warrior's other hand. The attack touched Agunimon's left hand, instantly turning it to ice.

"I'm not done yet!" The icy Digimon declared.

With Agunimon defenseless, Frigimon threw a couple more snowballs at his opponent's legs. One ball of ice crashed on to Agunimon's right foot, while the second one nailed his left foot shortly after. Blocks of ice formed on both of Agunimon's feet. With both of his arms disabled, he couldn't launch any attacks, nor defend himself from Frigimon's wrath. Plus, with him immobilized, there was nowhere for him to run or hide.

"Great! Now what?" Agunimon grumbled, silently cursing himself for getting into this predicament.

"Hahaha! I told you can't beat me! Your puny little flames is no match for my SUBZERO ICE PUNCH!"

Frigimon ran toward the defenseless Warrior of Flame with his arm pulled back. Agunimon glowered at the Icy Digimon as he quickly closed the distance. He was practically helpless. He couldn't do anything in his current condition. With no way to protect himself, the Warrior of Flame closed his eyes and braced himself for the end.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" A voice shouted from behind.

Frigimon stopped in his tracks and turned toward the source of the noise. The first thing he saw was the Warrior of Wind flying towards him at tremendous speeds. Instead of finishing off Agunimon, Frigimon changed his target and launched another barrage of snowballs toward the lavender haired Digimon.

But Kazemon was much faster and nimbler than her partner. She dodged left and right, successfully avoiding every snowball with ease. When she was finally in range, Kazemon turned her legs toward her opponent.

"TAKE THIS!"

Kazemon drilled both of her feet on top of Frigimon's forehead. The snowman grunted as he dropped the ground like a tree falling in the woods. Kazemon sprung her feet off of her opponent's temple and hurried toward the Warrior of Flame.

"Takuya, are you alright?" She asked.

"Never better!" Agunimon replied.

He shot a quick glance at the semi-conscious snowman lying on the ground. His eyes widened when he noticed Kazemon's footprints were planted on Frigimon's head. Agunimon looked back at the butterfly and gave her a goofy smile, causing her to giggle.

"Great job Zoe!" He complimented her before getting back to business. "Now, can you do me a favor and get this ice off of me?"

"Silly boy. I didn't hear the magic word!" She snickered.

"ZOE!" Agunimon argued, holding back his laugh.

"Oh, so sorry." Kazemon spoke in the best game show host voice she could muster. "The correct answer is,_ please_!'"

After she had her fun, Kazemon round kicked the ice on Agunimon's left hand. The frozen material shattered upon impact, instantly freeing the Legendary Warrior's hand. That was all the help Agunimon needed. He created a fireball on his left hand and gave the other frozen limb a hard punch. The ice broke apart and dropped onto the snow. With both hands back in use, Agunimon freed his feet by hammering his fists on the solid ice.

Now that he was free, the two Legendary Warriors smiled back at each other. Agunimon was about to speak, but Kazemon broke the ice first.

"I would've also accepted..." She inched closer towards him, decreasing her volume with each word. The last phrase she said to him was nothing more than a soft, chilling, yet adoring whisper.

"_I love you_."

"Fine... I love you, Zoe." Agunimon murmured so only she could hear him.

The two Legendary Warriors drew toward each other, going for another passionate kiss when...

"Hahaha!" A cold voice laughed, interrupting their sweet moment. Agunimon and Kazemon turned and saw the frosty Digimon back on his feet and ready for some more action.

"Guess who's back, Legendary Wimps?"

"Frigimon!" The Warriors of Fire and Wind gasped.

"That's correct!" Frigimon joked. Like Kazemon, he too spoke in an enthusiastic game show host demeanor.

"Congratulation, you two! You've answered the million Digi-Dollar question! And, here's the grand prize! A lifetime supply of..."

All of the sudden, Frigimon charge at the Legendary Warriors like a raging animal. He pulled his arm back and yelled at the top of his lungs.

"... SUBZERO ICE PUNCH!"

In a matter of seconds, he closed the distance and got within striking range. He gave his opponents a vicious right hook. Agunimon dove out of the way while Kazemon leaped over the Icy Digimon. Frigimon's fist hit a nearby tree on the follow through, which immediately turned into solid ice. The Warriors of Wind and Flame quickly regrouped with each other.

"Man, does this guy ever know when to quit?" complained Agunimon.

Frigimon turned back toward his opponents with both fists tight and a fearsome glare on his face.

"Apparently not!" Kazemon answered.

The icy Digimon charged at the Legendary Warriors with his arms drawn back. Once he was in range, Agunimon and Kazemon dove to the side and rolled on the snowy ground. Frigimon's fists crashed into another tree. Just like last time, the punch caused the evergreen to turn into ice. The frozen tree collapse and fell on top of another tree, which fell on top of another. The three Digimon watched the row of trees toppling on each other like dominoes.

Agunimon soon reunited with his partner. Kazemon was about to take a step back, when she felt her partner softly elbowing her arm. Once he had her attention, Agunimon quickly nudged his pupils upward. The Warrior of Wind shifted her eyes toward whatever was above Frigimon's head. She saw a couple of evergreens blanketed with white snow. Kazemon then gave her beloved a quick nod, letting him know that she understood the plan.

"Which one of you fool would like to go first?" Frigimon arrogantly asked.

"NOW!" Agunimon ordered.

"HURRICANE WAVE!" She yelled, throwing a bunch of swirling pink cyclones above the evil creature's head.

"PYRO PUNCH!" The Warrior of Flame cried, launching a couple of fireballs toward his targets.

Frigimon got in a defensive position. But when he saw Kazemon's tornadoes sailing above his head and Agunimon's fireballs rocketing past him, he lowered his guard and smirked.

"You fools have terrible accuracy! Just where were you two aiming at? Hahahaha! How sad! You can't even hit the base of a mountain!" He laughed.

"Oh yeah?" Agunimon grinned.

"Hey Frigimon!" Kazemon snickered. "HEADS UP!"

The snowman looked up and saw Kazemon's tornadoes blowing all of the snow off of the trees above his head. A huge pile of snow fell and covered Frigimon's entire body. Meanwhile, Agunimon's fireballs nailed the base of a couple evergreens. Both trees gave in and collapsed on top of the snow where Frigimon was originally buried in.

"Alright! We did it!" cheered Kazemon. But she felt a lukewarm hand on her shoulder. Agunimon gave her a look that says the fight's not over yet.

"Now's our chance, Z! We're going to hit Frigimon with everything we've got!"

"You got it! Just tell me what to do, Takuya!" She complied.

Agunimon quietly whispered his plan to the Warrior of Wind. Kazemon nodded with each instruction given to her. As they discussed their strategy, a fully conscious Frigimon burst from the pile of snow and trees on top of him. He got back to a vertical base and saw the Legendary Warriors whispering to one another. However, he was more interested in finishing off his opponents, rather than finding out what their plan is.

"That's it! It's time I end this battle once and for all!" He said to himself. Frigimon clenched his fist tight and waited for the Warriors of Flame and Wind to break their huddle.

"You ready, Zoe?"

"This better work Takuya."

"Trust me! I know it will!"

"Well, if you say so!"

Kazemon and Agunimon got back in their stance and faced the frost Digimon with a look of determination in their eyes.

"Get ready, Frigimon! We're coming for you!" declared the Warrior of Flame.

"Hahaha! How naive! You wimps have no chance in defeating me! No matter what plan is, it won't be enough to defeat..."

"Pyro Punch!" Agunimon hollered, shooting a couple of fireballs toward the monolouging Digimon.

Frigimon easily blocked the first fireball with his forearm. He followed up by launching a snowball at the second fireball. The two attacks collided and vanished into thin air. But not after leaving behind a small puff of smoke. The fiery and icy Digimon stared each other down.

"Zoe, go!" The fiery Digimon ordered.

"_Bene_!" She complied. Kazemon flapped her wings and flew toward the evil monster.

"Nice try, girly! But I got you now!" Frigimon pulled both of his arm back.

"SUBZERO ICE PUNCH!"

He launched a couple more balls of ice at the Warrior of Wind. Kazemon quickly put on the brakes and sailed toward the skies. Frigimon locked on to the flying Digimon, and drew his arm back, ready to throw another snowball at her.

"Haha! There's no escape from me, you little..."

"KYYAAAHHHH!" A voice interrupted his thoughts.

From his peripheral vision, Frigimon saw Agunimon going for a frontal attack. The frosty Digimon instantly put up his guard up as the Warrior of Flame connected with a huge punch to his forearms. Agunimon followed up with a combination of punches, hooks, uppercuts, knees and kicks toward his opponent. Frigimon tried to get on the offensive, but his opponent's speed prevented him to do so. The Legendary Warrior managed to land a couple of strikes on Frigimon's huge body, making him grunt in pain.

"Take this!" Agunimon yelled as he went for another shot to the nose.

"Oh no, you don't!" Frigimon intervened. He stuck his hand out and, with perfect timing, caught Agunimon's attacking hand. The Warrior of Flame tried to shake loose from Frigimon's grip, but he was too strong.

"Hahaha! Now I'm going to turn you into my own personal frozen trophy!" The Icy Digimon laugh. He pulled his arm back and took aim at his opponent's head.

"Frigimon!" A voice of a female warrior shouted from his blindside. Frigimon looked behind and saw a lavender clad Digimon diving towards him with one leg out.

"Hmph! It's useless!" grumbled the snowman.

He tossed Agunimon to the ground. The Warrior of Flame landed hard on his back, even with the pile of now cushioning his fall. Frigimon turned and faced his oncoming humanoid butterfly. He lifted his left forearm above his head and easily blocked Kazemon's diving sidekick. Unfazed by her first failed strike, the Warrior of Wind rotated her body and delivered a spinning heel kick to the temple. Frigimon raised his other arm and effortlessly defended Kazemon's next strike.

The Warrior of Wind landed smoothly on her feet and waited for another opening. The moment she saw Frigimon lowering his defenses, she jumped up and kicked the Icy Digimon with the soles of both feet. The force of the dropkick knocked her opponent backwards, but not enough to get him off balance. Kazemon backflipped a couple of times until her feet landed on a base of a nearby tree. She regained momentum and sprung off the tree, turning her legs toward her opponent in the process.

"KYYAAAHHHH!" She hollered as she went for another diving sidekick.

"I don't think so!" Frigimon smirked. He took a step back and opened his arms wide like a mad grizzly. The Icy Digimon was ready capture his opponent in a giant bear hug. But Kazemon showed no signs of stopping.

"Hahaha! That's it, little girl! Come to papa! Get over... HEY! WHAT THE..." cried Frigimon.

He didn't see Agunimon approaching his backside and locking him in a full nelson hold. The Warrior of Flame extended his hands extended upwards under Frigimon's armpits, holding his neck with interlacing fingers. With his opponent trapped, Agunimon looked over Frigimon's shoulder toward the oncoming Legendary Warrior.

"Zoe, now!" He ordered!

"KYYAAAHHHH!" shouted the lavender haired Digimon.

Using every strength she had, Kazemon viciously sidekicked the frosty creature squared in the chin. Agunimon then used the thrust of Kazemon's kick to aid him in executing a powerful bridging back suplex. The force of the throw cause Frigimon to land hard on the back of his neck. Agunimon quickly released the hold and regrouped with Kazemon. The Legendary Warriors nodded toward each other and proceeded with the next phase of their plan.

"Let's finish this!" ordered Agunimon. He punched his fists together and created two more fireballs on the edge of his knuckles.

"I'm right behind you!" Kazemon said. She performed a handstand and spread her legs out wide.

On the other side, Frigimon was still trying to recover from his opponents' last combo attack. He was on one knee while rubbing the side of his head. After his dizziness cleared, Frigimon got back to his feet with anger and frustration in his eyes.

"NOW!" Agunimon commanded.

"PYRO TORNADO!" He spun around in circles, producing a fiery tornado around his body.

"TEMPEST TWIST!" Kazemon screamed in response to her partner. She rotated her body and spun very quickly to create a strong force of wind.

By combining her attack with Agunimon's, the Legendary Warriors were able to create a massive fiery tornado. The surging energy of the raging cyclone acted as a giant heater, melting away all of the snow in a quarter mile radius.

Frigimon felt the effects of the blazing cyclone before him. He started sweating profusely like a snowman in a sauna. He felt his strength weakening due to the fact that the area has increased in temperature. But with little regard of his current condition, Frigimon stayed with his plan of attack and charged at his two opponents for another frontal attack. It was all or nothing from here on out.

"I REFUSED TO LET A COUPLE OF PUNY HUMANS DEFEAT ME! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He roared as he entered the fiery tornado.

That was his last mistake he made. The deeper he ventured into the tornado, the more intense the heat had become. At the same time, his movements has gotten slower until he fell on one knee. Even more sweat fell from his face, arms and entire body. The heat was too much as he collapsed on all fours.

"IMPOSSIBLE! NOOOOOOOOOO!" cried the defeated Frigimon.

The heat inside the tornado sapped away all of the Icy creature's energy. No matter how strong he was or how cold his body was, Frigimon couldn't withstand the heat any longer. His knees gave in and it wasn't long before he fell face first on the snowy canvas. With all of his energy gone, Frigimon slipped into unconsciousness.

Finally the fiery tornado subsided, and the two Legendary Warriors observed the somewhat lifeless body on the ground. Agunimon placed a hand gently on the female Warrior's shoulder. He gave her a nod of praise and approval. Kazemon replied in the best way she can think of: a warm, yet delicate smile.

Suddenly, a ring of Fractal Code surrounded the knocked out Frigimon's body. Kazemon stepped forward to finish her opponent off.

"Frigimon, you've been nothing but bully to me and my friends!" She said. Kazemon did a little twist before pulling out her D-Tector. "And now, it's time for you to _chill_!" The scanner lit up and the Symbol of Wind appeared on the screen. She did one more spin before closing it out.

"FRACTAL CODE... DIGITIZE!"

With a quick swipe of the arm, she absorbing the data around Frigimon's body. Finally, the frosty Digimon digitized into nothingness, leaving behind a Chaos Sphere, still surging with energy. But because Frigimon was no longer there, the power inside the dark orb dropped to zero. The Chaos Sphere then shattered into bits.

The enemy was gone, and Kazemon lets out a small sigh of fatigue. Battling Frigimon sure took a lot out of her. She placed her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath for just a little bit. If it wasn't for the warm touch on Agunimon's hand on her back, she would've collapsed on the spot.

"Hey." He smiled.

"Hey yourself." She beamed.

"You alright?"

"I'm fine. Thanks. We just had to work a little bit harder than usual to defeat him."

"Hang in there, Z. We're not out of the woods yet... literally. We still got to find the others."

"Don't worry. I still got a lot of energy in me!" Kazemon flexed her biceps to prove to Agunimon she's got plenty left in the tank. The Warrior of Flame chuckled at Kazemon's supposed attempt to amuse him.

"Takuya! Zoe!" A voice called out to them. The Legendary Warriors turned and saw two Rookie level Digimon coming toward them with their arms wide open and warm smiles on their faces.

"Bokomon! Neemon!" The two of them happily spoke.

They were about to rush toward their Digimon friends, when a tingling feeling struck their sixth sense. The Warriors turned their heads slightly to their left and saw something sparkling approaching from out of the trees. Half a second later, the faint image became clear. A couple of miniature bombs fell from the sky and plowed itself into the snowy ground right in between the four friends.

"GUYS, LOOK OUT!" Agunimon cried.

He rushed toward the Rookie Digimon as fast as he could. The Warrior of Flame leaped over the explosives and wrapped Bokomon and Neemon in his arms. The three of them fell on the snow and rolled out of harm's way until they crashed into a tree.

"Takuya! Bokomon! Neemon!" Kazemon gasped. She fluttered toward her friends and checked to see if any either one of them had suffered any kind of damage.

"Are you guys okay?" She asked.

"Yes, we're fine!" Bokomon replied.

"Listen, you guys! Find a safe place to hide! We're not done here yet!" The fiery Digimon ordered. Bokomon and Neemon confirmed with a quick nod. They dove back into another set of bushes to get out of sight.

Agunimon finally stood up and wiped the snow off of his armor. He quickly regrouped with the other Legendary Warrior. The two of them dropped back in their stance and scanned the area. They knew weren't alone. Danger's lurking nearby and it almost caught them by surprise.

"Who's there?" roared Kazemon. Her voice echoed throughout the woods. A few seconds passed and still no response.

"Show yourselves! We know you're there!" But like last time, there wasn't a sound to be heard. Agunimon commanded.

The fiery Digimon shot a glance at the spot where the two miniature bombs exploded. Even though those small grenades were no bigger than tennis balls, the explosive power still match that of a pound of dynamite. He didn't have to think twice to know what kind of Digimon attacks with weapons such as these. The potent shockwave and terrible accuracy of the throw were all the clues he needed.

"There's no need to hide anymore! We're right here!" He declared before stepping forward.

"Come on out and fight, _Sinistromon_!"

Kazemon's eyebrows rose in surprise. She looked around the area to search for the faithful servant of the malicious ruler. The Warrior of Wind shifted her eyes upward and noticed a shadow on one of the trees. And then out of the darkness, an imp-like Digimon appeared out of his hiding space.

"Wow! I am aghast! You two were able to defeat Frigimon! Most impressive! I must applaud your valiant efforts!" teased Sinistromon. But his claps were unenthusiastic and lacked any sense of appraisal.

"What are you doing here, Sinistromon?" growled the butterfly.

"What does it look like I'm doing, you fools? I'm here under Lord Malevomon's orders to destroy you pathetic humans!"

"You destroy us?" Kazemon asked, but in a sarcastic manner. She placed a hand over her heart and gasped in trembling fear. Still trying to hide her laugh, she hide behind Agunimon's shoulder. "Oh Takuya! Help! Save me! Sinistromon is going to hurt me!"

The Warrior of Flame quickly caught Kazemon's act and decided to play along with her. But that still didn't prevent him from letting out a soft, yet audible chuckle.

"He what? How dare he would say something like that! Have no fear, Zoe! (Teehee!) I'll protect you!"

He got in his stance and smirked at the devilish Digimon, with his female partner giggling from behind. Unfortunately for Sinistromon, nothing's more humiliating than being insulted by a couple of kids. He clenched his fist so tight, even a couple of his nails managed to dig into the outer layer of his skin.

"ENOUGH, YOU INSOLENT BRATS!" He hollered.

"TAKE THIS! MINI BOOMER!"

Sinistromon reached into his backpack and took out two more miniature bombs. He chucked them at the Legendary Warriors with all of his might. Agunimon and Kazemon detected the oncoming explosives, but stood their ground with resiliency.

With a small tilt of the head, the grenades sailed past the Warriors' cranium and crashed into the canvas. It exploded a few seconds later, and releasing shrapnel and shockwaves throughout the vicinity. Thankfully, the Legendary Warriors were a few meters out of range, which meant that they weren't in any kind of danger.

"I really wish you hadn't done that!" threatened Agunimon. His smug grin was replaced by a pair of angry eyes.

"Shut your mouth! I can take you Legendary Warriors all by myself!" glowered the imp-like Digimon. He jumped off of the tree and landed in front of the Human Warriors of Flame and Wind.

"Seriously, Sinistromon? You think you can defeat the two of us together? Oh please! You must be joking!" laughed Kazemon.

"You're just a Rookie! You honestly think you have a chance?" Agunimon asked.

"Can it! I don't care if you kids have the power of the Spirits! YOU'RE GOING DOWN!" The evil Digimon roared.

"DOUBLE GANGER!"

Sinistromon's body outlined itself in gray and started glowing in bright white lights, temporarily blinding both Legendary Warriors. Once Agunimon and Kazemon regained their vision, they immediately noticed that they were surrounded by eight Sinistromon clones. As the Warriors of Flame and Wind dropped in their stance, the replicas split into separate groups. Half of the clones went up against Agunimon while the other half took on Kazemon.

"Seriously? Four of you guys?" The female Digimon asked, or more so complained.

A subtle chuckle escaped Sinistromon's' lips as he executed his replication technique once more. The clone count doubled its original number, creating sixteen copies of the imp creature.

"Eight of you guys?" Agunimon sighed with frustration as the numbers game shifted toward Sinistromon's favor.

Each clone reached into their respective backpacks and pulled out their own miniature explosive. They tossed it up and down while eying their opponents.

"This is your last warning, you pathetic fools! Surrender now and hand me your Spirits or else!" One of them ordered.

"Or else what, you big loser?" Agunimon smirked. Kazemon couldn't help but giggle at her partner's pathetic attempt of a comeback.

"Very well then! You asked for it!" The little devil gritted his teeth. As Sinistromon and his troops prepared for their assault, Kazemon shot a quick glance at the Warrior of Flame.

"Hey Takuya, let's play a little game." She whispered so only he could hear.

"I'm listening." His eyebrows raised in amusement.

"Whoever takes out the real Sinistromon will get to ask the loser to do whatever he or she wants. How does that sound?" She asked cheerfully.

"Seriously, Z? Right now?"

"Of course. Just because we're fighting, doesn't mean we can't make a little fun. Right?"

"Well..."

"READY, BOYS?" The real Sinistromon screamed.

"READY!" The clones replied.

"ATTACK, NOW!"

"MINI BOOMERS!"

"Fine, you're on!" Agunimon agreed to Kazemon's challenge.

All sixteen clones chucked their bombs at the Legendary Warriors. Agunimon clenched his fist and struck as many explosives as he could. He was able to knock away almost all of the oncoming grenades, sending most of them toward the deepest parts of the forest. However, he wasn't fast enough to take out the rest. The bombs landed few inches away from his feet. With little time left, Agunimon backflipped out of the harm's way just before the bombs exploded.

"Pyro Punch!" Agunimon shouted, throwing a couple of blazing fireballs at a couple of the oncoming Sinistromon clones.

One by one, the balls of fire nailed the first two imps in the chest. The replicas' painful cries lasted for about a second before they disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Agunimon then ran towards his group of clones he was assigned to defeat. One Sinistromon rushed toward the Warrior of Flame with another miniature bomb in one of his hands. The clone jumped toward the sky and heaved his explosive at the Legendary Warrior.

But instead of avoiding the grenade, Agunimon easily caught the bomb like a baseball. He gave the charging devil a vicious knee to the face, knocking him to the ground. The unconscious Sinistromon vanished like his previous defeated partners. With him out of the way, Agunimon chucked the grenade at the group of evil Rookie Digimon. Four of the Sinistromon got out of the way. But one of them wasn't so lucky.

Meanwhile, Kazemon had an easier time defending herself. While could easily fly out of the encirclement and get to a safer distance, the Warrior of Wind had other ideas. She got on her hands, spread her legs out wide and spun around in circles. Kazemon executed her Tempest Twist attack beautifully. The wind easily blew away all of the grenades, sending them flying toward the trees. Kazemon sprung back to her feet and smiled at all of the replicas of Sinistromon.

"Hurricane Wave!" Kazemon cried, shooting pink tornadoes from her finger tips toward her opponents.

The cyclones blew away two more of those nasty replicas coming her way. The Sinistromon counterfeits slammed into the base of a couple evergreens. The imp-like creatures landed hard on the canvas before disappearing. Kazemon then turned and, from the corner of her eye, saw another clone coming her way with his fist drawn back.

The Warrior of Wind executed a perfect backflip and gave the oncoming Sinistromon a vicious somersault kick to the chin. The force of the kick sent the replica in the air and back to the ground. But just before he was about to crash, the Warrior of Wind delivered a huge sidekick to Sinistromon's back, rocketing him toward another oncoming clone. The two counterfeits rolled on the snow and disappeared in a puff of smoke before they could crash into a tree.

Agunimon and Kazemon regrouped and faced the remaining eight replicas of Sinistromon before them.

"Not bad, Z!" complimented Agunimon.

"I wish I can say the same thing about you, Takuya!" chuckled his partner.

"Hey, watch it!" The fiery Digimon smirked, trying to hold back his laughter.

"Enough of this! ATTACK!" One of the devils commanded.

The eight clones unleashed a fearsome battle cry and rushed toward the Legendary Warriors. They split into two equal groups and went after their opponents.

The first Sinistromon threw a solid punch at Agunimon's face. But the Warrior of Flame caught the imp's first and tossed him high in the air. He spun around and connected a devastating backhanded strike to the temple of the second Sinistromon. As the Rookie disappeared, Agunimon saw another Sinistromon coming at him from his peripheral vision.

The imp-like creature unleashed a barrage of punches and knees strikes to the Legendary Warrior's cranium. Agunimon kept his hands up and blocked every single one of Sinistromon's strikes. The Rookie then went for a diving tackle, but the fiery Digimon was ready. With a small rotation of his body, he caught the devil by the arms and threw him toward the last clone. Both Digimon smashed into each other and vanished before Agunimon's eyes.

Kazemon dodged her first set of strikes and followed up with a spinning back kick to closest Sinistromon. The powerful attack sent her opponent flying toward another Sinistromon. The two imps crashed into a tree and disappeared like their other defeated partners.

The Warrior of Wind turned and faced the last two Sinistromon, who was more than hesitant in attacking. She gave them the 'Bring It On' hand signal before dropping in her stance. Unfortunately, that only ticked off her opponents. They charged at her while chucking a barrage of bombs like crazy. Kazemon dove out of the way to avoid the explosives. Once when her opponents are in range, she delivered a double split kick to both Sinistromons' chins. They collapsed on the snow and vanished in a pile of smoke.

"Well, that appears to be all of them!" said the Warrior of Flame.

"Almost all of them..." grinned the female Digimon. She had her eyes focused on something in the sky.

Suddenly, Kazemon ran toward her partner at full speed.

"Takuya, duck!"

The Warrior of Flame did as he was told and got in a crouching position. But Kazemon showed no signs of stopping. She hops off of Agunimon's back and took the skies. After completing a full circle, she delivered a powerful roundkick to a Sinistromon falling from the sky. The force of the strike sent the small devil straight into a tree, almost knocking it over.

But this time, he didn't burst into a cloud of smoke. Kazemon had successfully took down the real Sinistromon. With her victorious in her challenge, she landed smoothly on the ground and jumped for joy like a small child. Seeing the smile on her face somewhat annoyed the Warrior of Flame, but in a good way.

"Yay! I win!" Kazemon cheered.

"Alright, alright." Agunimon sighed in defeat. "You beat me. I'll follow up on our deal once we get back to headquarters. Okay?"

"Sounds good to me!" She beamed.

As Sinistromon regained his consciousness, he failed to notice the two Legendary Warriors approaching him. The devil creature placed a hand on the side of his temple and massaged his aching head. But when he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw the fiery and butterfly Digimon towering above him.

"Uh-oh." He gulped. Sinistromon tried to get back on his feet, but Agunimon beat him to the punch. The Warrior of Flame lifted the Rookie by the collar until he was at eye level.

"Talk! What is one of Malevomon's lackeys doing here?" questioned the fiery Digimon.

"I'll never talk!" Sinistromon viciously barked.

"You better! Or else you'll end up just like your friend, Frigimon!" Agunimon growled.

But his threat only went unprovoked. The Rookie Digimon spat at Agunimon's face and gave the Warrior of Flame another one of his cocky smirks.

"Go ahead! I DARE YA!"

An angry Agunimon wiped the saliva off of his face and shoved Sinistromon into the nearest tree. Some of the snow fell from the branches upon impact, but the Legendary Warrior kept a hold on his grip on his opponent.

"Takuya..." Kazemon gasped.

She never expect her partner so willing or determined to flat out destroy a Digimon just like that. Despite the fact that Sinistromon usually possesses no threat to them whatsoever, completely obliterating him just wasn't worth it.

"Fine!" huffed the Warrior of Flame. He tightened his grip on imp's collar and gazed into his eyes.

"Any last words, Sinistromon?"

"Just _one_." The evil Digimon replied. Sinistromon took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

And then...

"MAMMOTHMON!"

Suddenly, there was a loud thump that shook the entire area. A couple of seconds later, another thump brought the Legendary Warriors to the ground. Agunimon and Kazemon shifted their eyes toward the north where the potential threat was coming from. However, with the fiery Digimon completely distracted, Sinistromon seized the opportunity and escaped from Agunimon's clutches. He flew safely to a nearby tree and took a seat to enjoy the show.

The footsteps grew louder as time passed. The Warriors of Flame and Wind again dropped in their stance and waited for the enemy to appear. Soon, the thumping noise was accompanied by the sound of blaring trumpets. A few trees were knocked to the ground like dominoes. Sweat fell from Agunimon's face, while Kazemon's heart pounded faster than normal.

Finally, a large woolly mammoth Digimon stepped out of the woods. His entire body was covered in thick fur, with the underside as cold as ice. He wore an engraved mask that covered his entire face, with an eye-shaped structure in the front. His big ears allowed him to hear sounds from the other side of the Icicle Mountains. He raised his metallic trunk up and unleashed a thunderous roar.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Mammothmon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Tusk Crusher; Tundra Breath**

**Description: There is no Digimon more ruthless than Mammothmon. An Ultimate level pachyderm who has the unstoppable power of a stampede of a thousand elephants. His Tusk Crusher launches missiles from his tusks, and his Tundra Breath is ultra-chilling.**

"Takuya?" Kazemon glanced back at her partner

"Oh boy." groaned the fiery Digimon. The Warriors took a couple steps back to get some distance between them and the ferocious beast.

"Legendary Freaks, meet Mammothmon! He may have the brain the size of the peanut, but his destructive capabilities are beyond massive!"

"Mammothmon?" Kazemon and Agunimon gulped.

"That's right! He'll stomp you kids into pancakes, grind your bones into powder and... Wait a minute! Why am I telling all of this?" He then faced the giant pachyderm, with malicious intent in his eyes.

"Mammothmon! I command you to get rid of these snot-nosed kids, once and for all!"

The mammoth Digimon unleashed another trumpeting sound as a sign of receiving his order. He ran at full speed toward the Legendary Warriors before him. The Digimon of Flame and Wind dropped in their stances. Fireballs formed on the Agunimon's fists, while swirling pink tornadoes erupted from Kazemon's fingertips.

"PYRO PUNCH!" ||| "HURRICANE WAVE!"

The Legendary Warriors launched their attacks at the charging Mammothmon. Unfortunately, none of them seemed to have an effect on the beast. Agunimon's fireballs bounced off his fur and exploded on a nearby tree. Kazemon's tried using her tornadoes to push Mammothmon back, but she wasn't strong enough. The large Digimon kept on with his charge like it was nothing.

"MOVE!" Agunimon ordered.

The humanoid butterfly fluttered out of the way, leaving her partner in the no-dodge zone. Agunimon dug his feet into the ground and caught Mammothmon by his tusks. He bent his body low to gain some more leverage. For a few seconds, the test of strength was at a standstill.

Unfortunately, Mammothmon was an Ultimate level Digimon. Not only that, the evil Digimon he wasn't going to let a mere Legendary Warrior overpower him. The ancient beast took one step forward easily pushing back the struggling Digimon of Flame. Agunimon could feel his feet being dragged on the snow. He collapsed on one knee, trying to hold off the beast. But Mammothmon continued to apply the pressure. He gave away a smug grin, knowing that victory was well within his gasped.

"Takuya, hang on!"

The Warrior of Wind dove in with her legs out in front. She gave Mammothmon a huge double stomp to his back. After that, she sprung back to a vertical base in the air and delivered a bunch of rapid kicks all over his body. But to Mammothmon, each kick from the female Digimon felt nothing more than a light tap.

After shoving Agunimon out of the way, he quickly turned his head around and wrapped his trunk around the lavender haired butterfly's waist. Kazemon tried to break the hold, but Mammothmon wasn't able to. He then flung his opponent toward the side, sending the Warrior of Wind flying across the battlefield.

"AAAHHHHHH!" Her back slammed into the base of the tree, almost contorting it to the breaking point. As she continued to massage her aching back, Mammothmon was already back on the attack.

"Tusk Crusher!" The pachyderm cried. Organic missiles shot from his front incisors and toward the defenseless Warrior of Wind.

Kazemon gasped as the rocketing projectiles quickly closed the distance. She sprung back to her feet and took the skies to get some distance. But the missiles stayed on Kazemon's tail and easily tracked her movement like a homing rocket. No matter what flight pattern the butterfly executed, she could not shake off the oncoming attack.

She glanced behind her and saw the missiles were almost on top of her. A light, yet frightening gasp escaped her mouth. With nowhere else to go, Kazemon closed her eyes and braced for impact.

"ZOE, NO!" Agunimon shouted.

But it was too late. In a flash, the tusk-like missiles exploded the moment it made contact with one of her wings. A large cloud of dark smoke filled the area.

"ZOE!" The fiery Digimon cried.

The smoke was so dark and thick, he couldn't see anything. But he felt like he had lost all sensation the moment he saw the missiles exploded by Kazemon. He clenched his fist tight and prayed that she was still alive. Then out of the smoke, a young teenage girl fell towards the ground. Her body landed on a pile of snow just a couple meters away from Mammothmon's feet.

"Oh my God! Zoe!" Agunimon yelled as he slowly got back to his feet.

"Hahaha! That's it, Mammothmon! Now, CRUSH HER!" ordered Sinistromon.

The woolly mammoth stomped viciously toward the unconscious young woman. Each step he took would leave a huge and deep footprint behind in his tracks. Mammothmon slowly approached the Bearer of Wind until his was only inches away from her head. Mammothmon lifted up one of his front foot and hovered it above Zoe's cranium.

"Don't just stand there, Mammothmon! FINISH HER!" Sinistromon commanded. Mammothmon complied with a thunderous trumpet-like roar.

"ZOE!" Agunimon hollered as Fractal Code surrounded his body. Inside the long steams of data, he began to change forms.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!" Finally, the Fractal Code had vanished, and the Beast Warrior of Flame reappeared.

"BURNINGGREYMON!"

In a flash, he flew toward Mammothmon and shoulder tackled him away from Zoe, just before he could crush her skull. The pachyderm's feet slid on the canvas, but he was able to keep his balance. BurningGreymon position himself between Zoe and his opponent.

"Nobody touches her! NOBODY! AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" All of the sudden, BurningGreymon's entire body was covered with raging, red hot flames.

"WILDFIRE TSUNAMI!" The fiery dinosaur screamed. The flames around his body has reached his peak. He then released a powerful, fiery tornado towards the furry beast.

"TUNDRA BREATH!" Mammothmon countered. With his large trunk out in front, he spewed chilly airwaves toward the blazing cyclone.

The two attacks collided and canceled each other out. Mammothmon's breath extinguished a lot of his opponent's raging flames. However, BurningGreymon's flames turned the freezing breath into a puff of steam. The two powerful Digimon stood their ground and pressed on with their attacks, trying to get the other one to submit.

It wasn't long before Mammothmon's ice attack started to get the edge. The midpoint shifted closer to the Beast Warrior of Flame. BurningGreymon added a little more energy in his attacks. But that only slowed the chilling airwaves down, not stop them.

"I'm not done yet!" The dinosaur declared.

In a split second, he ceased his attacks and disappeared out of the crossfire. Mammothmon checked to see where his opponent had ran off to. He looked to his right and found BurningGreymon diving toward the woolly mammoth. The Beast of Flame shoved Mammothmon's giant body into a nearby tree. It wasn't enough to cause significant damage, but it did temporarily knocked the wind out of him. With Mammothmon still dazed, BurningGreymon grabbed his trunk and took toward the skies.

"Round and round we go!" laughed the fiery Digimon. He swung Mammothmon around like a giant hammer throw. Upon completion of the last rotation, BurningGreymon released the woolly mammoth and watched him fly over the any rows and rows of trees in the wintery wasteland.

"Bye-bye, Mammothmon!" The Beast of Flame groused.

When his opponent was completely out of sight, BurningGreymon lowered himself back to the ground, just in front of Zoe. The blonde beauty had a hand on her head to shake off the small migraine she had suffered from Mammothmon's last attack.

"Zoe, are you alright?" asked BurningGreymon.

"I'm fine." She replied. "But where's Mammothmon?"

"He's gone." BurningGreymon answered. He extended his hand out towards her. "Come on. We better get out of here before he comes back."

"Right."

She grabbed BurningGreymon's hand and allowed him to help her back to her feet. But before either one of them could exit the battleground, Sinistromon hopped out of his hiding place and approached the Warriors. Strange as it seems, he was applauding unenthusiastically at their efforts in defeating the ancient beast Digimon.

"Well done, you two! You managed to take out _one_ Mammothmon! Most impressive!" He stopped his clapping when he was reached and the smug grin on his face grew even wider.

"Now then... Let's see you two take on THE ENTIRE PACK!"

Again, more violent earthquakes shook the area. But unlike the first few ones, these were more massive with a magnitudes at seven or above. In fact, it was enough to knock both BurningGreymon and Zoe to the ground. Just ahead of them, large numbers of evergreens collapsed. It was like a giant tsunami had struck the earth.

But it turns out it wasn't a tsunami. A huge pack of Mammothmon marched onto the battlefield and raised their trunks up like their hungry for action.

"Great!" grumbled the Beast Warrior.

"More Mammothmon?" Zoe sighed with frustration.

"DESTROY THEM ALL!" commanded Sinistromon.

"TUSK CRUSHER!" Every single pachyderm cried. Together, they shot a barrage of missiles from their tusks at their opponents.

"Oh no!" gasped the blonde beauty as the projectiles drew closer.

"ZOE, HOP ON!" ordered BurningGreymon. He got on one knee, which allowed the young woman climbed on top of the fiery Warrior's back.

With a quick flap of his wings, the Beast of Flame flew out of the crossfire and watched as the missiles on the spot converged and explode on the spot he once stood. BurningGreymon quickly made his way toward a set of bushes where Bokomon and Neemon were hiding.

"Come on, you guys! We got to get out of here!"

"You got it!" Bokomon replied as he dragged his partner toward the Legendary Warrior. BurningGreymon bent down and waited for the two Rookie Digimon to climb aboard.

"ATTACK!" Sinistromon ordered once again.

"TUSK CRUSHER!" The pack of Mammothmon yelled, firing their missiles at their targets.

With all of his friends on his back, BurningGreymon flew up toward the sky. Once they were above the canopy of trees, he jetted out of the area. Zoe and the Rookie hung on tight as BurningGreymon picked up speed to get away from the bad guys. The teenage girl could feel the wind blowing against her face, causing her hair to tickle Bokomon's face, who was sitting behind her.

"Goodness, Zoe! Ever consider getting a haircut any time soon?" complained Bokomon.

"Sorry, Bokomon." Zoe apologized as she looked over her shoulder. "You're just gonna have to deal with for now..."

"INCOMING!" Neemon cried with her eyes jumping out of her sockets.

BurningGreymon turned his head around and saw a large number of missiles coming their way. They were the same projectiles the Mammothmon had fired. This time, they had BurningGreymon locked on like a bunch of heat seekers.

"Hang on, guys!" The fiery beast told the passengers.

Like a fighter jet, BurningGreymon twirled and whirled in the air. He performed a couple of somersault patterns and a couple of barrel rolls, trying to shake the oncoming missiles off of his tail. The speeding projectile exploded one by one, simply because of the fact that they couldn't keep up.

"WHOA! WHOA! WHOOOOOOOA!" cried Bokomon. He had his eyes closed the entire ride. He felt so queasy, he almost threw-up on one of BurningGreymon's wings.

"WEEEEEEE!" cheered Neemon like he was on a fast roller coaster. He had his hands up in the air and allowed the speed to shove his body backwards. However, he had his legs wrapped tight around BurningGreymon's body so he wouldn't fall off.

Zoe felt a little sick and extreme at the same time. Although Agunimon's rough turns and sudden drops were giving her a major headache, it was just as thrilling to say the least. Occasionally, she would look back to see if there were any more missiles chasing after them. But sure enough, the number of projectiles increased. When one of them exploded, two more would take its place.

"There's just no end to them! It's like these things are really attached to you Takuya!" She complained.

BurningGreymon changed directions and headed straight for the Icicle Mountains. But he continued to avoid the oncoming projectiles. Now, he's just barely able to evade them by several inches. Zoe noticed the fiery Digimon was panting like he's exhausted.

"I'm running low on stamina!" huffed the Beast Warrior of Flame. He realized his movements were getting slower and a couple of the explosive blasts from the missiles were just grazing his feet and tail

"I can't keep this up! We got to find some cover, and fast!"

Zoe looked left and right, trying to find a place for them to hide. Once BurningGreymon arrived at the mountains, they found nothing but snow and sharp rocks as far as the eye could see. As they got more toward high ground, the Bearer of Wind's eyes finally caught something that was located on one of the slopes on the tallest mountain.

"Takuya, look! A cave!" Zoe shouted, pointing her finger towards a little bit to her right.

"Huh? Where?" asked the fiery Digimon.

"Two o'clock!" She answered.

It wasn't long before his eyes finally caught the mouth of a cave nearby. Although it wasn't the best of shelters, it was the only option he had. After all, the number of missiles were increasing. It won't be long before one of them gets a hit. Even though BurningGreymon could take a few of those missiles, he didn't want to put Zoe, Bokomon or Neemon in danger.

"Alright! Fasten your seat belts! We're about to..."

"TAKUYA!" Zoe screamed from the top of her lungs.

BurningGreymon looked over his shoulder to see what she was looking at. But it was too late. Apparently, one of the missiles has entered his no-dodge zone. He knew he was in trouble. So with little time to react, the fiery dinosaur turned his body to shield his friends from the attack.

The mini rocket nailed BurningGreymon in the chest and exploded on impact. The blast not only knocked the Digimon backward, but also threw his friends off of his back. Fractal Code surrounded BurningGreymon's entire body, transforming back into Takuya. The two Rookie Digimon and humans were sent tumbling in midair.

Miraculously, all four of them dropped inside the entrance of the cave. They landed hard on the rocky canvas, sending massive and painful vibrations across their spine. Thankfully, their backs weren't broken after the fall. As the boys laid on the ground while massaging their backs, Zoe turned on her stomach and gazed toward the cave's entrance.

The first thing she saw was huge barrage of missiles crashing into the mountain, causing the whole area to shake. Following the earthquake was a thunderous rumbling sound. As the humans struggle to get back to their feet, the noise grew louder and louder.

"What's that?" Neemon asked nervously.

"Avalanche!" cried Bokomon

"We have to get out of here! NOW!" Takuya ordered.

The four of them rushed as fast as they could toward the mouth of the cave, but it was too late. The entrance was blocked by an enormous pile of snow. At the same time, the lighting inside the cave had diminished into a pool of darkness.

"Oh no! We're trapped!" Zoe gasped in terror.

"Come on! We got to find a way out!" Takuya commanded.

He took out his D-Tector and a ring of Fractal Code surrounded his hand, as he prepared to Spirit Evolve once again. Zoe was about to follow Takuya's orders, when a strange beeping sound entered her ear. Seconds later, her D-Tector was going off like crazy. Loud noises and vibrations came out of her device. Even that was enough to get Takuya's attention. Zoe gave her D-Tector a long look until she finally figured it out.

"Takuya!" She cried.

"Zoe, what is it?" He asked.

"The Spirits of Ice! They're nearby!"

Takuya's eyes widened at Zoe's potential discovery. Bokomon and Neemon were also super excited about this incredible news. They gathered around the teenage girl and checked out her D-Tector.

Meanwhile, another dark creature lurked within the shadows. She locked on to her next victims and studied everything about them. The fallen angel observed the surprised looks on their faces and licked her lips as if she's spotted her next meal. As she slipped back into the darkness, a soft yet malicious giggle escaped her mouth.

"Excellent! Those kids are finally here. Now, let the fun begin! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter thirty-two.<strong>

**Who is this dark Digimon? Can Takuya and Zoe get to the Spirits of Ice first? Or will this cave become their grave? These questions will be answered in the next action packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	33. The IceLadyDevimon Cometh

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Frigimon launched a vicious attack on the Legendary Warriors after he failed to capture them. But Takuya and Zoe worked together to defeat the evil abominable snowman. Later on, Sinistromon appeared and challenged the Legendary Warriors. It's safe to say that Malevomon's servant fared just as well as Frigimon. Just when the Chosen Children were about to claim victory, a hoard of Mammothmon blindsided them. After struggling to stay alive, the Legendary Warriors took the skies and flew out of harm's way. While the landing was rough, they managed to escape from danger. Well, at least for now that is.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter thirty-three!**

* * *

><p><strong>The IceLadyDevimon Cometh<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"It's the Spirits of Ice! They're nearby!" Zoe announced.

"Are you sure?" asked Bokomon.

"Positive!" The blonde replied confidently. "Come over here and take a look!"

Takuya approached from behind and looked over Zoe's shoulder. A small map appeared on her purple and pink D-Tector. Takuya observed the map carefully. It wasn't long before he noticed a white dot on the edge of the device. He then nodded in confirmation.

"You're right, Z! According to the D-Tector, the Spirits of Ice are somewhere in this cave!"

"You mean... *gulp*... We're gonna have to explore this dark cave? A cave that's filled with no light and... m... monsters?" Neemon stammered.

"Stop your whining, you nimrod! We have to! It is our duty to find the Spirits of Ice... wherever they are!" Bokomon objected. Then again, even he too was a little bit scared of the darkness.

"The map says that they're really close by!" Zoe added.

"So, where to Zoe?" The goggle-head faced his girlfriend.

"Well, according to my D-Tector, the Spirits of Ice should be in..." The blonde beauty turned ninety degrees to her left. Once when the white dot on the map moved hit top portion of her D-Tector, the Bearer of Wind came to a stop.

"... in that direction!"

"Great! Now that we know where to go, how about some light? I can't even see the backside of my hand!" complained Takuya.

He was right. With the entrance of the cave blocked by the avalanche, all they could see was pitch black. The group of four were afraid to move, since visibility was zero. As a response, Zoe grabbed the closest thing to her. And that happened to be her boyfriend's arm. This caught Takuya by surprise for a little bit. But the teenage boy held on to her tight and wrapped his girlfriend in a warm embrace. Too bad none of the other Digimon can see them.

"Hey! I got an idea!" Neemon beamed.

*clap, clap*

A few minutes had past and still nothing.

"Hmm... I wonder if our D-Tectors can help shed some light in this area." The Bearer of Flame suggested.

"Good idea, Takuya." His beloved agreed.

And so, the two humans held their devices high, hoping for some kind of miracle.

All of the sudden, Takuya's and Zoe's D-Tector started to glow with bright white lights. It was so bright, it temporary blinded everyone in the area. Large amounts of Fractal Code released itself from Takuya's and Zoe's device and surrounded the entire cave. Moments later, the Humans and Digimon opened their eyes watched as the data worked its magic, illuminating the darkness with their radiant light.

The Bearers of Flame and Wind released each other and observed the magnificent scenery before them. The dark, ghostly subterranean transformed into a marvelous cavern filled with rocks and ice crystals carved into many shapes and sizes. The sparkles on the ice twinkled like stars in the night sky. Atop were a bunch of sharp icicles that stood strong, like they're ready to impale anything that gets in their way.

"It's so beautiful." Zoe gasped.

She approached one of the crystals and gave lightly touched it. Instead of a chilling sensation, the texture of the diamond-like substance was smooth with a dash of warmness beneath the surface.

"Bokomon, where are we?" Takuya questioned.

"Hmm, let me see." The mutant Digimon replied while flipping through the pages of his book.

"HEY, EVERYONE! LOOK AT ME!"

Takuya and Zoe found their Digimon friend amusing himself. He would get behind one of the crystals and would make a funny face. Each shape of the crystal is different, which resulted in an even wacky face from the other side. Sometimes he would squish his face together or stick his tongue out to mix things up. Zoe responded by stifling a giggle and Takuya shaking his head in amusement.

"Oh, Neemon. You're so funny!" The Bearer of Wind laughed while the yellow rabbit continue to make funny faces, like a child lost in a house of mirrors.

"Hey, everyone! I think found something!" Bokomon shouted after finally reaching a page in the middle of his book. The rest of the group gathered around their friend to see what he has discovered.

"What's up, Bokomon?" Takuya asked.

"I knew it. We're actually inside the Crystal Caves." The Digimon wearing the pink elastic waistband said.

"The Crystal Caves? Never heard of it." said Zoe.

"According to the book, it is a secret cavern located on the tallest mountain in the area. It is filled with all kinds of stalactites, stalagmites and all kinds of crystals and gemstones." Bokomon read from his book.

"I see." Takuya responded as he observed his surroundings for a second time. "Well, Eldestmon said that the Spirits of Ice are located in the Icicle Mountains. Guess that means we're on the right track."

"Do you really think the Spirits are hidden in the Crystal Caves?" Bokomon asked after he put his book away.

"We've searched the entire forest surrounding the mountain, and weren't able to find it. If the Spirits aren't in these caverns, then there is no other place to look." said blonde beauty.

"Let's get going guys." Takuya ordered as he turned toward the depths of the Crystal Caves. "The Spirits are probably in here somewhere."

"Right!" Everyone else agreed.

The group of four walked in silence as they entered the deepest parts of the cave. Sounds of water droplets falling from the icicles to the ground entered their ears. However, the undeniable brilliance of the crystals surrounding the caverns remained. As they continued their adventure through the caves, more and more twinkles escaped the cold cut diamonds.

Takuya and Zoe would occasionally look back at their D-Tectors to see if they're heading in the right direction. Their devices vibrated rigorously. Not only that, the beeping noises from their D-Tectors grew louder, signaling to the humans that they're getting closer to the Legendary Spirits.

"Are we there yet?" Neemon complained. He was the only one in the group falling behind. The rabbit dragged his feet along the canvas with his hands dropped to his sides.

"Quit complaining, you idiot. Your voice is driving me crazy." Bokomon countered.

"But I'm so tired!"

Zoe looked behind and saw her two Digimon friends engaged in another silly argument. Leave it to Bokomon and Neemon to make their adventures interesting.

"Oh you guys."

"I swear, if those guys hadn't come along, we would be bored out of... WHAT THE..." The boy exclaimed.

"Takuya, what is it?" asked the teenage beauty when she saw an aghast look in her boyfriend's eyes.

"Check it out!" He replied. Zoe took a peak.

Sure enough...

"_MIO DIO!_"

Before the Chosen Children was a large chamber covered in ice. It was a cold, forsaken realm that had a chilling, yet terrifying vibe to anyone that entered. Only rocks, ice and majestic crystals could be found in this room. On the side, were a few dimly lit torches that hung on the sides of the walls. However, the flames on the torches were blue, instead of red.

As the four entered the room, more features in the chamber began to reveal itself. Stalagmites big and small surrounded the center of the room. This wide circle could be the place where magic rituals and ceremonies were practiced. Up ahead was a large throne also made of ice. Icicle formations decorated around the base the chair.

"Where are we?" Zoe asked.

"Anything Bokomon?" Takuya glanced back at his Digimon friend.

"I'm looking." He replied. Bokomon flipped the pages hectically. Finally, after a full minute of searching, the Digimon shook his head.

"Sorry, Takuya. I've checked, but there's nothing in my book about this place."

"Is this a part of the Crystal Caves?" wondered Zoe.

"I don't know. There's nothing about a large chamber in the Crystal Caves. It's just supposed to be a large cavern filled with rocks and ice. I don't see anything about a Throne Room."

"Welcome, my children!" A cold voice softly murmured.

The noise entered Takuya's and Zoe's ear, instantly sending chills up their spine. Suddenly, a thick cloud of white smoke covered the rocky canvas. The entire temperature of the room has dropped. Blocks of ice started to form on the cavern walls.

"Bokomon, Neemon! Hide!" ordered Takuya.

Bokomon quickly grabbed his partner by the pants and dragged him behind a couple of rock formations. Once the humans felt that their friends were out of danger, they dropped in their stance and scanned the entire cavern. Both of them sensed the presence of an evil Digimon nearby. But they couldn't figure out who it is, or where the voice came from.

"Hahahaha!" The same voice laughed. This time, the noise came from behind. But when the teenagers turned around, there was nothing but rocks and ice.

"Who's there?" Takuya shouted. He and Zoe held their D-Tectors tight and waited for another evil Digimon to appear.

"My, my! I've waited so long for you humans to enter my kingdom!" The voice spoke.

"Show yourself!" Zoe cried.

"As you wish, my child."

Suddenly, a cold breeze entered the chamber. Zoe wrapped her arms around herself, while Takuya pulled his jacket on tight. He also wrapped his arms around his girlfriend to keep her warm. But after all that, there was nobody there.

"I'm up here, fools!"

Takuya and Zoe the look up above. There were a bunch of icicles and shadows on the ceiling. Then, out of the darkness, an evil Digimon began to reveal herself. A slender female Digimon appeared out of the ceiling, hanging upside-down. She gracefully floated back down and when her feet touched the ground, it instantly turned into solid ice.

"Greetings, my kiddies!" said the fallen angel Digimon. She slowly approached the Chosen Children, which caused Takuya and Zoe to retreat.

"Don't be frightened. I'm not going to hurt you..." spoke the fallen angel Digimon, leaving behind a pool of ice to cover her footsteps. She then stopped about ten yards away from the humans and snickered.

"... _yet_! HAHAHAHA!"

Takuya and Zoe observed the new Digimon standing before them. She wore a white mask, with everything but her eyes and mouth covered. The silver wings on her back resembled that of a bat. Even her outfit was unique. She had a tattered white dress with a skull design over the right breast. A rusty chain wrapped around her right arm. However, her left hand had sharp crimson nails, like claws from a beast. Her skin was as white as snow, yet the texture of it was as cold as ice.

"Who are you?" Zoe asked.

"And what do you want from us?" Takuya growled.

"I am the Empress of Ice, the Arctic Angel, and the Snowy Sovereign! But you can call me..." She breathed softly and a ball of ice formed in front of her. The sphere fell in the palm of her hands. But shortly after catching it, the female Digimon crushed the ball of ice into tiny bits.

"IceLadyDevimon!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: IceLadyDevimon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Winter's Wing; Frozen Spell**

**Description: Do not expect any mercy from the cold-hearted IceLadyDevimon. This fallen angel Digimon has a never ending hunger for power. She has the power to freeze anything at will, and turn innocent Digimon to ice sculptures. Her Winter's Wing allows her to summon ice-like bats to do her bidding.**

"IceLadyDevimon?" Takuya whispered.

"Ah, you must be those pesky kids everyone's been talking about!" The cold creature replied. But then, she groaned with disappointment. "Such a pity! I still don't understand how some of the master's most powerful Digimon can be defeated by..."

"ENOUGH!" roared the Bearer of Flame. "What do you want from us?"

"Well, I'm here for two reason; to retrieve your Spirits for Lord Malevomon AND to destroy you kiddies, once and for all."

"So, you work for Malevomon, huh?" Zoe grouched.

"Of course! But enough about me!"

IceLadyDevimon turned around and made her way toward the throne. She took a seat and gazed back at the humans. She snapped her fingers and an icy piece of the floor rose from the ground. IceLadyDevimon waved of her hand slightly, making the block of ice transform into a small footrest.

"I know why you're here!" continued the fallen angel. "You're looking for a couple of Legendary Spirits, aren't you?"

"So what if we are? Why do you care?" Takuya growled at the witch.

"Relax, young man! Hehehe!" giggled IceLadyDevimon. But then again, the humans find her laughter rather annoying.

"It just so happens that I know the whereabouts of the Spirits of Ice?

"Say what?" Zoe's eyes widened.

"Where are they?" Takuya asked as he took a step forward.

"Hahaha! They're right here!"

Again, the female Digimon snapped her fingers. On cue, a panel from the right side of the floor opened up. A platform appeared out of the hole with a small container made of ice on top of it. The frozen jar wasn't that spectacular, besides being an ordinary cylinder with ice covering it from top to bottom. However, it was what's inside the jar that captured the humans' attention.

A couple of relics floated in midair inside the frozen container. Both of them appeared to be glowing in shining white light. The relic on the right was shaped like a snowman. It had a green headband with a bear image smacked in the center, a green vest on its chest with a bazooka on its back. There was a shoulder pad on its left arm, and a blocker on its right. The other relic was a white ball. However, it had small horns on the front, and braided arrowhead wrapping around its sides.

Without a doubt, these were the Legendary Spirits of Ice.

"I can't believe it!" gasped Zoe.

"Give it to us, IceLadyDevimon!" Takuya demanded.

"Or else what?" The frozen wench chuckled.

"Or else..." The two humans held their D-Tectors up. "... we'll take them from you by force!"

"How cute! Honestly, I thought you kids would pose some kind of threat to me!" The devil then took a deep breath and sighed. She rested her head on her hands and gazed back at the humans.

"However, it seems like you're underestimating me! Your power is insignificant compared to mine! It'd be my pleasure delivering your Spirits _and_ a pair of human ice sculptures to the Almighty One! Hahaha! You kids don't stand a chance!"

"Really?" barked Zoe.

"Of course, my child! No matter how strong you are, it won't be enough to defeat me! I'll crush every single one of you, just like I did with other pathetic Digimon that were dumb enough to challenge me!"

"Huh?" Takuya pondered. "What do you mean 'other' Digimon?"

IceLadyDevimon snickered as she pointed towards the ceiling.

Both humans looked up and were shocked at what they discovered. Above their heads were a bunch of Digimon trapped in an imprisonment of ice. They hung up there like a frozen collection of trophies. The creatures inside weren't moving. Their eyes were as lifeless as their own bodies. Zoe covered her eyes and buried her face in Takuya's chest. As the frightful tears fell from her cheeks, Takuya glowered heavily at IceLadyDevimon.

"How cruel!" sobbed Zoe.

"What have you done to them?" roared the young man.

"Behold, the ultimate power I possess! Many Digimon have dared to enter my chambers! And all of them has suffered the same fate! Now, they're all my _personal trophies_!"

"No!" Zoe inhaled

"Why you..." growled Takuya.

"Quite a collection, is it not?" mocked IceLadyDevimon.

"Why? Why would you do such a terrible thing?" She clenched her fist again in anger. Zoe took a step forward to confront the evil Digimon, but her boyfriend held by the arm.

"Why? Because I can! When you are as powerful me, not a single Digimon alive can stop you! Those poor fools you see is living proof of my superior dominance!"

After completing her explanation, the frozen witch got up from her sear and slowly approached the angered humans.

"And now, you two are next!"

"NOT A CHANCE, LADY!" declared Takuya.

He looked back at his girlfriend and both of them exchanged nods. The fear in their eyes were quickly replaced with looks of undying determination, and strong wills to win.

*Insert Song: With The Will*

Sketches of Human Spirits of Wind and Flame traced itself on Zoe's and Takuya's D-Tectors. When the outlines were finished, the screens stated to glow. With their devices in one hand, the humans extended their free hand out and a ring of Fractal Code appeared. After a couple of arm swings, the Chosen Children brought the data ring together with the scanner of their D-Tectors.

"EXECUTE..." Both humans then swiped the ring of Fractal Code with their devices as they finished their command. "... SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

A long line of Fractal Code spiraled around their bodies as the Spirits of Wind and Flame awakened. The humans could feel a surge of energy taking over their bodies. Zoe could feel a strong force of wind building up in her body as she became one with her Spirit. As for Takuya, scorching hot flames blazed around his body, providing him more energy and strength for battle.

It wasn't long before the transformation was complete. Two Legendary Warriors suddenly appeared on the battlefield.

"AGUNIMON!" The Warrior of Flame roared, punching twice to send a couple of fireballs in two different directions.

"KAZEMON!" The Warrior of Wind screamed, spinning a few times before striking a pose to subside the wind around her.

IceLadyDevimon arrogantly grinned at her new opponents. She stuck her tongue out and licked every inch of her lip. Her eyes locked on to her prey, like a hungry tigress. Her fingers twitched uncontrollably. The frozen witch couldn't wait to destroy her opponents and deliver their Spirits to her master.

"How foolish!" She snickered. But the Legendary Warriors dropped in their stance and faced their opponent, showing no fear or signs of backing down.

"You ready, Z?" Agunimon asked.

"Ready!" replied the Warrior of Wind.

"Well, in that case..." Agunimon took a deep breath and locked on to IceLadyDevimon.

The fiery Digimon then screamed from the top of his lungs.

"ATTACK!"

The two Legendary Warriors ran at full speed toward the frosty female. IceLadyDevimon was unfazed by her opponents' attempt at a frontal attack. She stood her ground and waited for Agunimon and Kazemon to make their moves. As they closed the distance, a look of ultimate satisfaction appeared on her face.

"Excellent! Which one of you pathetic kiddies would like to go first? Or should I destroy you both at the same time?" She asked while giggling slightly.

Her laughs had a tad of wickedness in them. Agunimon and Kazemon glowered at the malicious Digimon as she continued to speak.

"Either way, your demise will be certain _and_ unpleasant! It's best of you give up now! That way, I won't have to clean up once things get mess..."

"Never!" Kazemon interrupted. "Talk all you want, but we will never give in!"

"Silly child! Do you honestly think that you and your pathetic boyfriend can beat me? Hahaha! Don't make me laugh!"

"We'll see about that!" snarled Agunimon.

"Very well then! Come get me, kiddies!" snickered IceLadyDevimon. She then brought her hand up, wordlessly telling the Legendary Warriors to give it their best shot.

The fiery Digimon unleashed a violent roar. He pounded both of his fist together to create two fireballs on each hands. The Legendary Warrior lunged forward and heaved both fireballs at IceLadyDevimon. But the devil-like Digimon closed her eyes and blew a small puff of air towards the flames. The chilling wind extinguished the fireballs like candles on a cake. With his first strike resulting in a failure, Agunimon backed out.

As partner retreated, it was Kazemon's turn to strike. She started off by flying up toward the ceiling. As she continued with her ascending, a large number of cyclones shot out of her fingertips. The Warrior of Wind flicked her hands forward, sending the tornadoes toward IceLadyDevimon. But the cold creature wasn't worried at all. She allowed the wind-filled attacks to hit her. The tornadoes faded away upon contact.

"Such a nice breeze!" teased the devil. "Is that all you got?"

Without thinking, the Warrior of Flame charged toward his opponent with his fists clenched tight. Agunimon finally got in range and lead off with a couple of punches to IceLadyDevimon's head. The wicked Digimon tilted her head left and right, successfully avoiding the first two strikes. But instead of counterattacking, she stayed on defense, intrigued to see what other surprises the fiery Digimon has for her.

After failing to connect punch after punch, Agunimon continued his assault by throwing another fist toward the witch's head. However, by tilting her head to the side, she avoided easily like the rest. Agunimon then rotated his body and followed up with spinning back fist to IceLadyDevimon's temple. This time, she leaned backwards to evade the attack.

But as she continued to fall backwards, IceLadyDevimon lifted her right leg up and delivered a high kick straight to Agunimon's chin. The force of the kick sent the Warrior of Flame flying all the way to the other side of the cavern. He crashed hard into the walls and slumped back down.

"Takuya!" Kazemon cried.

"Your turn, girly!" challenged IceLadyDevimon.

The furious Legendary Warrior went for a round kick towards IceLadyDevimon's head. But she saw Kazemon's attack coming from a mile away. She bent her knees slightly, but that was enough to successfully duck underneath the kick. Kazemon continued her rotation and followed up a spinning jump heel kick.

IceLadyDevimon rose back to a standing position. With perfect timing, caught Kazemon's kicking leg. The butterfly Digimon hoped on one foot to stay balanced. She noticed IceLadyDevimon's arrogant smile, which gave her a small opening. Kazemon sprung her other leg up and went for another round kick to the back of the head.

"Oops, sorry girly!" IceLadyDevimon grinned. She held her free hand out and caught Kazemon's kicking leg with her other arm.

In a split second, the Warrior of Wind was off balance, allowing IceLadyDevimon to cash in on Kazemon's vulnerability. She held on to Kazemon's legs under her arms, and pivots while spinning her opponent around to lift her off the canvas. Faster and faster she spun until Kazemon was dizzy.

As IceLadyDevimon completed her final rotation, her eyes targeted the Warrior of Flame, who was still lost in a daze. Finally, she released Kazemon's legs and sent her flying toward the fiery Digimon.

Agunimon immediately regained consciousness and saw Kazemon being thrown towards him. He got in position to catch her, but the speed was too great. The two Legendary Warriors crashed into each other and tumbled on the ground. Both Digimon slammed back first into the cavern walls. They fell on all fours, along with a few bits of rock behind them. IceLadyDevimon smirked at the two Warriors and flicked her white hair off of her shoulders.

"I'm sorry, kiddies! Are you two fight for real yet? Please let me know when you're ready! Hahaha!" She laughed.

It took a while for both Agunimon and Kazemon to get back to their feet. Besides a couple of scratches and bruises, both Warriors were okay. Their backs were a little sore but nothing appeared to be broken. They returned to their fighting stance and leered back at IceLadyDevimon who was still lost in her maniacal laughter.

"I'm really getting sick of that laugh!" bickered Kazemon.

"I'm with you! Someone has to shut that mouth of hers! And who better to do it than us?" Agunimon nodded.

Again the two Legendary Warriors nodded at each other.

"Aww, what's wrong little darlings? You two had enough punishment? Or do you want some more?"

"You witch!" The fiery Digimon growled. "We're not through with you yet!"

"We're just getting started!" Kazemon said.

"Excellent! Then come get me!"

Agunimon and Kazemon gladly took the invitation and charged at IceLadyDevimon at full speed. The cold creature was first greeted by a fiery first from the Warrior of Flame. IceLadyDevimon twirled her body like a ballerina, causing Agunimon to miss his target.

As she spun past the fiery Digimon, her eyes were then confronted by another sidekick. Kazemon's foot managed to get within inches from the bridge of IceLadyDevimon's nose. But when she was about to score her first hit, the devil Digimon got on her knees and bent over backwards into a bridging position. As Kazemon's leg sailed over IceLadyDevimon's head, the chilling Digimon used her knees to slide along the icy surface.

Once when she felt like she was at a safe distance, she stood back up and faced the Legendary Warriors. The first thing she noticed was both Agunimon and Kazemon coming back at her for a second time. The fiery Digimon threw a couple more fireballs at his target. IceLadyDevimon got back to her original position and was ready to counter Agunimon's flames.

Suddenly, her sixth sense kicked in, telling her that there was another attack coming from her blindside. IceLadyDevimon looked to her right and saw Kazemon throwing a number of tornadoes at her. Both Warriors' attacks were approaching at the exact same speed, and was on course to collide with her at the exact same time.

IceLadyDevimon finally decided that playtime was over. She first swatted away Kazemon's tornadoes. The cyclones changed course and collided into a few stalagmites, breaking them in the process. However, that left her out of position to counter Agunimon's fireballs. IceLadyDevimon let instincts take over her body. She stomped her foot on the ground to create a small wall of ice between her and the fireballs.

Agunimon's attacks crashed into the iced wall and easily shattered it like a glass mirror. Sharp bits of ice flew into IceLadyDevimon's direction. The female devil retreated, but not after a small piece of ice scratched a little bit of her face. Although no significant damage was done, the Legendary Warriors did manage to score their first hit on her. And that really annoyed IceLadyDevimon.

"I've underestimated these kids." The cold Digimon said to herself. "Alone, they are weak. But together, they possess the fighting capabilities of the Legendary Warriors. Looks like it's time for me to get serious."

Meanwhile, Agunimon and Kazemon regrouped with each other after their almost successful attempt at a frontal attack. Both Warriors were panting slightly, but still have enough energy to fight.

"She's not like any other Digimon we've faced before!" The Warrior of Wind analyzed. "Her speed far surpass mine! She's stronger than I expected."

"And that's not the worst of it! It seems like she's not even trying!"

"Agreed! IceLadyDevimon is just toying with us! We've done all the attack. And yet, she still hasn't made a move yet! I fear what kind of power she's hiding!"

"Then, we have no other choice but to defeat her as soon as possible!"

"How?"

"If we combine our attacks together, we might have a chance!" said the Warrior of Flame.

"Are you sure, Takuya?"

"Of course I am, Z! Don't forget, we took down Arbormon by working as a team! And I strongly believe we can beat IceLadyDevimon if we do the same thing! What do you say?"

"Sounds like a plan!" Kazemon agreed.

"Alright, here's what we're going to do!" said Agunimon

The fiery Digimon whispered his battle plan into the female Warrior's ear. Kazemon nodded with each instruction given to her. Behind her silver visor, her eyes moved from side to side, spotting significant areas of the cavern that involve their plan of attack. Finally, Agunimon finished with his explanation and asked Kazemon if she had any questions. But she smiled and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. The Legendary Warriors then faced IceLadyDevimon and dropped back in their stances.

"Bring it on, kiddies!" The cold Digimon snickered.

Both Legendary Warriors ran at full speed toward IceLadyDevimon simultaneously. A couple more fireballs formed at the end of Agunimon's knuckles, while swirling pink tornadoes erupted from Kazemon's fingertips. So far, neither one of them showed any signs of stopping. But that only made IceLadyDevimon's smirk even wider. She held one of her arms up and was ready to unleash her first attack.

Suddenly, both Warriors scattered in different directions just when they reached striking distance. They sprung towards the walls of the cavern and landed on its sides. Then synchronously, Agunimon and Kazemon hopped off the walls and dove toward their opponent.

"Pyro Punch!" shouted Agunimon coming from her left wing.

He launched both fireballs at the fallen angel. IceLadyDevimon sighed in disappointment. With a stroke of her arms, she swatted away both of Agunimon's attacks. The Warrior of Flame glowered heavily at IceLadyDevimon. However, she replied with an arrogant chuckle.

"Hurricane Wave!" Kazemon shouted from her right side.

She flung her arms forward, sending her cyclones toward the enemy. IceLadyDevimon tilted her toward the side and tornadoes sailed past the devil's head.

"Not good enough!" said IceLadyDevimon. She then noticed Agunimon still coming at her with his arm drawn back. At the same time, Kazemon rotated her body until her legs were out in front of her.

"TAKE THIS!" Both Legendary Warriors screamed.

Agunimon brought down the hammer with a giant fist drop, while Kazemon went for a diving sidekick. Both Warriors took aim at IceLadyDevimon's head. However, the evil Digimon was ripe and ready for whatever her opponents had in store for her. All it took was a small step to her side and a quick rotation of her body. IceLadyDevimon was in the clear, allowing Kazemon's foot and Agunimon's fist to crash on the ground, just a couple feet away from their target.

In that split second, the evil Digimon saw a point of vulnerability in her opponents.

"I got you now!" chuckled IceLadyDevimon. She stuck her hands out toward each of the Warriors and was ready to declare her attack.

"Actually, we've got _you_!" Kazemon smiled, heavily emphasizing on the last word.

"NOW!" Agunimon ordered.

Both Legendary Warriors proceeded with executing their plan. Bursts of flame erupted from Agunimon's knuckles. Meanwhile, Kazemon got down on her hands and spread her legs out wide. IceLadyDevimon's eyes widened, but it was already too late. She was already out of time _and_ out of position. Both Legendary Warriors unleashed a loud roar before calling forth their attacks.

"PYRO TORNADO!" ||| "TEMPEST TWIST!"

The two of them spun around quickly. A fiery tornado appeared around the Warrior of Flame, surrounding his entire body with its scorching hot flames. The tornado engulfed IceLadyDevimon's body, causing her to scream in pain. At the same time, Kazemon produced a strong force of wind around her as she spun on her hands. She combined the power of wind with the blazing cyclone surrounding the cold creature.

With her tempest added to the mix, the fiery tornado increased in size and intensity. Some of the ice surrounding the cave had melted due to the tremendous powers of the flaming twister.

Every Digimon within the cavern could feel massive heat of the huge fire in the middle of the room. But none more than IceLadyDevimon. Shrieks of pain screeched out of her mouth like a banshee. The sound of IceLadyDevimon's pain-filled voice shattered parts of the ice in the area. She dropped on her knees as the blazing cyclone absorbed the life out of her.

Agunimon and Kazemon regrouped with each other and observed their defeated opponent. They watched as IceLadyDevimon dropped on all fours. Her screams of pain slowly died down. The Warrior of Wind latched onto Agunimon's arm as she sighed with exhaustion and relief.

"We won!" The Warrior of Flame nodded.

"Alright!" cheered the lavender clad Digimon.

The two Legendary Warriors waited for the tornado to die down. Victory was already in their grasp. Not a single Digimon they had face were able to withstand that kind of attack.

And then...

"Fooled you!" A dark, cold voice laughed.

"WHAT?" The both Warriors gasped.

Inside the blazing cyclone, the shadow of the evil Digimon got to back to a standing position. She spread her arms out wide and unleashed a powerful wave of chillness around her. The fiery tornado instantly turned into solid ice before the Warriors' eyes. Suddenly, the frozen structure shattered into pieces, revealing an unscathed IceLadyDevimon in the middle of the room.

"No way!" inhaled Kazemon.

"How... How did you survive?" growled Agunimon.

"Oh please! You thought something that can take me down that easily? That may work on my subordinates! But not on me, you foolish weaklings! But then again, we all know that defeating me is impossible! Hahahaha!"

"Why you..." Both Agunimon and Kazemon glowered.

Meanwhile, Bokomon and Neemon just saw all of the Legendary Warriors' failed attempts to take down IceLadyDevimon. A look of fear appeared on the mutant's face. Neemon, on the other hand, looked like he has no idea what was going on.

"This is bad! How can they defeat IceLadyDevimon?" asked Bokomon.

"How about dumping hot water on her?" Neemon randomly suggested.

"YOU IDIOT! WEREN'T YOU PAYING ATTENTION?"

"Um... sorry?"

"Ugh! Why do I even bother!" grumbled Bokomon.

Instead of pounding Neemon or giving him a wedgie for his low attention span, it just wasn't the time. He focused back toward the battle, hoping and praying for his friends to find a way to defeat IceLadyDevimon.

"Well then, I believe it's my turn!" smirked the devil. Agunimon and Kazemon dropped in their stance and braced themselves for whatever IceLadyDevimon's attack.

"Here it comes." Agunimon quietly murmured. His partner responded with a quick nod.

"Take this, you fools! WINTER'S WING!"

She levitated off of the ground and flapped her giant bat-like wings. IceLadyDevimon released countless of iced bats from her core and commanded them to attack the Legendary Warriors. The cold creature laughed as the barrage of bats approach their lunch.

"No! Not bats!" gasped Kazemon.

"Get ready, Z!" said Agunimon.

The Warrior of Flame extended his arms out and spun around in circles. Scorching hot flames surrounded his entire body as Agunimon executed another Pyro Tornado. The frozen bats couldn't get within a few feet toward the fiery Digimon. The blazing cyclone was too much for the frozen subordinates. The heatwave melted the bats before they could even touch Agunimon.

On the other side, Kazemon fared just as well against her set of bats. She performed another Tempest Twist to keep the iced creatures at bay. But what originally started off as a defensive maneuver easily transitioned to offense. Kazemon's produced wind was able to knock a good number bats into the cavern walls. The iced rodents shattered to bits upon impact.

"Not bad! But there's plenty more where that came from!" snickered the evil Digimon. "WINTER'S WING!"

IceLadyDevimon summoned even more bats to do her bidding by flapping her wings. Both Legendary Warriors got in their stance and waited for the bats to come get them. But as it turns out, the bats were only going after Agunimon instead. The Warrior of Flame leaped backwards get some distance between him and the iced followers.

"Man, there's no end to these guys!" groaned the fiery Digimon.

Undoubtedly, the number of bats, compared to the first set, had increased tenfold. After letting out another frustrating sigh, Agunimon pounded his fist together and a couple more fireballs erupted from his hands.

"PYRO TORNADO!"

He rotated his body as fast as he could, creating another large tornado of fire around him. The faster he spun, the hotter than cyclone got. Like last time, none of the bats stood a chance. They melted away like butter. But as one bat fell, two more were there to take its place. Some of the bats flew around the tornado in attempt to come at a different angle. But regardless of their efforts, the results remained the same.

"Takuya!" Kazemon cried as she watched her boyfriend trying to hold his own against the swarm of bats. She was about to head on over to help when...

"Where do you think you're going?"

Suddenly, Kazemon felt a cold sensation running through her body. Breaths of pure chill came down on the Warrior's neck. Behind her, the evil female Digimon reappeared. She softly placed a cold hand on Kazemon's shoulder, causing her to squeak like a frightened cat. The Warrior of Wind turned around and got back in defensive stance.

"IceLadyDevimon!"

"What's wrong, girly? Don't you want to fight? Or are you afraid you might lose?"

"I'm not afraid of anything! And it's you who's going to lose!"

"Hahaha! How nice of you to volunteer! I promise to make this as _painful_ as I can."

The Warrior of Wind clenched her fist at IceLadyDevimon's challenge. She then sprung toward the iced witch determination in her eyes. She started off by throwing a swift round kick at IceLadyDevimon's head. The evil Digimon rose her arm up to block the attack. Kazemon's leg slammed into the fallen angel's forearm. While her kick had a lot of power in it, IceLadyDevimon still didn't budge.

Kazemon then rotated her body and followed up with a spinning heel kick to the temple. The fallen angel sensed the attack coming and arch her body backwards slightly. The Warrior's leg grazed a piece of IceLadyDevimon's white hair, but missed her target once again. However, Kazemon wasn't finished yet. Her momentum caused her to land back in a handstand position. She spread her legs out wide and call forth her attack.

"Tempest Twist!" She cried, spinning around in circles.

She spun closer toward the iced opponent until she was finally in range. Kazemon unleashed a barrage of kicks to IceLadyDevimon's head and midsection. The evil female Digimon did managed to block a couple of spin kicks, but allowed the female butterfly to get a few good hits on her. It turned out then none of Kazemon's kicks were having any effect. IceLadyDevimon grinned and watched as lavender haired Warrior desperately tried to find a weak spot.

Suddenly, Kazemon sprung her hands toward the ground and floated backwards to gain some distance.

"Getting tired already?" mocked the malevolent Digimon.

"TAKE THIS!" The Warrior of Wind yelled.

With a quick burst of speed, Kazemon zoomed toward IceLadyDevimon like she was shot out of a cannon. As she closed the distance, she turned her legs toward her opponent and went for another diving sidekick.

"It's useless!" leered the devil.

IceLadyDevimon stalked her prey and waited for her to come closer. Kazemon yelled from the top of her lungs as she aimed her right foot at the evil creature's jaw. IceLadyDevimon lets out a sigh of disappointment before causally stepping to the side.

All of the sudden, everything moved in slow motion. Kazemon's foot missed her target by mere inches. Her momentum carried her past IceLadyDevimon's side. She could feel her freezing cold aura during the bypass. But before Kazemon could react, IceLadyDevimon reached out and grabbed a fistful of lavender hair, forcing the Warrior of Wind to come to a sudden halt. Kazemon yelped in pain as the fallen angel twirled the butterfly Digimon like a lasso.

Finally, she tossed her opponent toward the walls of the cave. Kazemon bounced off the rocky structure, creating small dent on the impact point. The Warrior of Wind fell to the ground and massaged her aching back.

IceLadyDevimon approached her downed opponent and wrapped a hand around her neck. She lifted the helpless Kazemon off of the ground and began choking her. The Legendary Warrior gasped for breath as IceLadyDevimon tightened her grip. She kicked, coughed and struggled to get out of her current predicament. But with each passing second, her energy level decreased.

"Hush now, my child! This won't hurt a bit!" IceLadyDevimon snickered as she prepared to finish off the Warrior of Wind.

"Zoe!" Agunimon cried toward his girlfriend shortly after taking out the last set of iced bats attacking him. Seeing Kazemon caught in the devil's grasp set fire in his eyes.

Two more fireballs appeared on his knuckles and the Warrior of Flame charged at the white devil. IceLadyDevimon turned her head and saw a furious Agunimon quickly closing the distance. Seeing the look of rage in his eyes made her lick her lips with satisfaction. She then tossed Kazemon aside. The butterfly Digimon once again crashed into the cavern wall. She fell face first back on the canvas and lost consciousness.

"How amusing! You humans are so impatient to meet your demise!" She laughed. "Oh well! Taking down the stronger Legendary Warrior will prove to be most satisfying!"

Agunimon unleashed a rage-filled roar before delivering a barrage of hand strikes toward the head and body of IceLadyDevimon. The cold creature moved from side to side, elegantly evading all of the Warrior's punches. She couldn't help but laugh at Agunimon's futile attempts.

But that only angered him even more. The fiery Digimon launched his fireballs at the fallen angel. IceLadyDevimon protected herself by forming a wall of ice in front of her. The fireballs slammed into the frozen structure simultaneously. But this time, the frozen structure stood tall. Agunimon dropped back in his stance as IceLadyDevimon stepped away from the barrier.

"Are you done? I really love to play with you! But if you can't make this game amusing, then I'll have no choice but to destroy you!"

"You wanna play, IceLadyDevimon? THEN TAKE THIS!" Agunimon roared.

"PYRO TORNADO!"

The Warrior of Flame spun around as fast as he could until a blazing tornado surrounded his entire body. He approached his opponent, with the fiery cyclone increasing in heat and intensity. It wasn't long before the flames surrounded IceLadyDevimon's entire body. But unfortunately, the evil Digimon felt no effects of Agunimon's attack. She stood her ground easily. Not a single part of her melting away.

"I told you already this will never work!" She growled.

"Wanna bet? KKYYYYAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Agunimon reappeared behind an unsuspecting IceLadyDevimon's blindside. She turned around to launch a counterattack, but it was too late. The Legendary Warrior gave his opponent a vicious uppercut to the jaw, sending the devil flying across the room. She landed hard on the ground, just a few feet away from her throne. IceLadyDevimon quickly got back to her feet and grinned.

"Most impressive! I believe this is the first time that my opponent managed to hit me! Excellent work, Legendary Warrior! I commend you for such an accomplishment!"

"Trust me! There's plenty more where that came from!" Agunimon leered before charging at her once again.

He started off by throwing more fireballs at her. But IceLadyDevimon shuffled out of the way to avoid the flamed projectiles. Seconds later, Agunimon was back to unleash another frontal assault. He threw in more variety of punches and kicks at the frozen female.

This time, he picked up his speed of his attacks in attempt to land a few more hits. However, IceLadyDevimon was much quicker than him. His first attack may have been successful, but the second time was different. She was much faster than most Digimon he's ever faced.

Agunimon then went for another uppercut. Unfortunately, IceLadyDevimon saw it coming. She instantly caught the Warrior's fist and twisted his arm. The fiery Digimon groaned in agony as the fallen angel tightened the wristlock. Agunimon tried to fight back by going for a back elbow to IceLadyDevimon's cranium. But with perfect timing, she caught her opponent's other arm and twirled her body around, bring the Warrior of Flame along with her. IceLadyDevimon then released the fiery Warrior's arms and sent him flying toward the ceiling.

With no way of stopping himself, Agunimon braced himself as he collided against the top of the cave. After making a small hole on top, his body plummeted to the ground, crashing on the canvas with a huge thud. Clouds of dust and debris covered the spot where the Legendary Warrior had fallen. After the dust settles, a semiconscious Agunimon laid on the ground, almost too hurt to move.

"Takuya." Kazemon coughed while reaching out to her boyfriend.

"HAHAHA! How pathetic! I expected more of a challenge from you Legendary Warriors! But you've been nothing but a weak disappointment! Such a pity!"" laughed the fallen angel.

"Oh yeah?" Agunimon growled as he tried getting back to his feet. He dropped on one knee due to the pain he was in. But after a while, the agony subsided and the Legendary Warrior got back in his stance.

Although he was ready to fight again, Agunimon was panting heavily. He also had an arm wrapped around his chest, while his other arm was resting on his side. Clearly, his stance alone told IceLadyDevimon that he's was exhausted. He probably wouldn't last another minute. But regardless of his condition, Agunimon's still willing to fight to the very end.

"Well, what are you waiting for, you witch? Fight me!" ordered the Warrior of Flame.

"Fascinating! Your demise is imminent, and yet you're still willing to take on some more punishment! How admirable!"

"Sorry to disappoint you, but that's what you get when you fight a Legendary Warrior! We never give up, no matter what the circumstances!"

"Is that so? Then prove it to me!" The devil-like Digimon said while giving Agunimon the beckoning finger sign.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" The Warrior of Flame ran towards IceLadyDevimon as fast as he could. Both of his fists were covered in scorching hot flames. Agunimon drew his arms back and was ready to launch another vicious attack.

"My, my! Someone's in a fiery mood today! Very well then! Allow me to _cool_ you off!" snickered IceLadyDevimon. She extended a hand out toward the oncoming Warrior and waited for him to come closer. All of the sudden, the frozen female shouted one of her most devastating attacks.

"FROZEN SPELL!"

Agunimon finally got within striking distance and was ready to unleash another fiery punch toward his opponent. Unfortunately, IceLadyDevimon was much faster on the quick draw. With a wave of her hand, she unleashed a wave cold air toward the Warrior of Flame, just as he's about to extend his arms. Agunimon had no idea what hit him, until it was too late. In a flash, the chilling airwaves froze the Legendary Warrior solid, trapping him a large block of ice.

"HAHAHAHA!" laughed the fallen angel as she admired her supposed work of art. "How delightful! I finally have a Legendary Warrior to add to my collection!"

"Takuya, no!" Kazemon cried with tears forming underneath her visor. "You witch! Let him go!"

IceLadyDevimon turned toward her last victim.

"You want him? Then come and get him!" snickered the white devil.

Fueled by desperation and anger, Kazemon fluttered her wings and flew toward her frozen companion. But IceLadyDevimon wasn't about to let that happen. She stepped in between the oncoming Legendary Warrior and the frozen Digimon behind her. The cold female smirked at her opponent and dropped in her defensive stance. Still, the Warrior of Wind showed no signs of stopping.

Kazemon started off by giving IceLadyDevimon a hard diving sidekick. But the evil Digimon easily blocked with right forearm. The lavender clad Warrior followed up with a barrage of kicks. However, regardless how many attacks she threw, IceLadyDevimon wouldn't budge. Kazemon's persistence amused the devil and she couldn't help but wonder how long her opponent could keep this up.

"Enough of this!" shouted IceLadyDevimon.

The moment Kazemon's foot slammed against her arm, the evil witch used her strength to shove the Legendary Warrior out of the way. Kazemon flipped a couple times, but landed smoothly on her feet. She glanced back at IceLadyDevimon who still had that malicious smile on her face. A bead of sweet fell from Kazemon's cheek.

"I can't do this alone. I have to save Takuya." She said to herself.

The Warrior of Wind went back on the attack. Kazemon flew toward IceLadyDevimon, with pink tornadoes coming out of her fingertips. With a quick flick of her hands, she sent her Hurricane Wave attack toward the icy Digimon. The cyclones nailed IceLadyDevimon in the chest, but had no effect on her. Kazemon then followed up by getting back on her hands and unleashing another Tempest Twist. Her legs rapidly slammed across the body and head of IceLadyDevimon. Unfortunately, none of her kicks inflected any kind of damage.

"It's useless, young one! You cannot defeat me!" chuckled the devil.

With perfect timing, IceLadyDevimon caught one of Kazemon's legs and threw her down to the ground. The Legendary Warrior's back slammed hard on to the canvas, producing a small crater on impact. As Kazemon tend to her aching back, IceLadyDevimon followed up with a soccer kick to the gut.

"OOF!" The blow sent the Warrior of Wind straight to the walls of the cave. Kazemon laid on the icy floor and whimpered in pain.

"How boring! You're no fun! Most disappointing! I should've turned you into ice first, instead of your pathetic friend of yours! At least he made the game more interesting! Hahaha!"

While IceLadyDevimon continued with her laughter, Kazemon fought hard to get back on her feet. She was in a lot of pain, especially after being tossed around like a rag doll. Then again, she was the only Warrior left to fight IceLadyDevimon. Quitting was not an option. She got back to a vertical base and returned to her battle stance.

"As much as I love to see you suffer, I've had enough fun for one day! It's time for me to destroy you!" snickered the evil Digimon. She slowly approached her weakened opponent, as she prepares to finish her off. As Kazemon stared down her opponent, she would then revert her glance back at the block of ice Agunimon was trapped in

"I gotta save Takuya! I can't defeat IceLadyDevimon all by myself!"

She closed her eyes and tried to come up with a plan, running through as many simulations as she could. Still, no matter what approach she thought about taking, IceLadyDevimon seem to have an answer for her. She has her outmatched not only in power, but speed as well. Kazemon knew it was hopeless. But before she was about to give up, her eyes shifted back up to the ceiling. She noticed a bunch of sharp icicles hanging from atop.

"It's a long shot, but this could be my only way in saving Takuya. I can't beat her with speed or power. So that means I'll have to do it with wits. If this doesn't work, nothing will." Kazemon said to herself.

The Warrior of Wind bended her legs and waited for IceLadyDevimon to come to the center of the room. Her plan wouldn't work, unless the evil Digimon was in the right spot and a good distance away from Agunimon and her. IceLadyDevimon could sense Kazemon was up to something, but had no intention in finding out what, due to the fact that she has her outmatched.

"Now, I will finish you once and for all!" The devil mocked. Kazemon ignored IceLadyDevimon's claim and waited.

Finally, the fallen angel has reached the center of the chamber.

"NOW!" Kazemon said to herself. She stuck one of her hands and a few swirling tornadoes appeared out of her digits.

"Hurricane Wave!"

The Warrior of Wind threw her attacking hand at the evil witch's face. IceLadyDevimon smirked before allowing Kazemon's puny cyclones to hit her. She lets out a soft as if she was enjoying the nice breeze her opponent was providing for her. She closed her eyes and chuckled at the Legendary Warrior's pathetic excuse of an attack.

Meanwhile, Kazemon saw that IceLadyDevimon was temporarily distracted with her first attack.

"So far, so good." She said to herself.

The Warrior of Wind extended her other hand out and created a few more of her spiraling tornadoes. She then shifted her attention from the distracted IceLadyDevimon to the large amount of razor-sharp icicles hanging on the ceiling.

"Hurricane Wave!" She cried for a second time.

Kazemon flicked her second hand toward the sky and the pink cyclones sailed toward the frozen spikes above. Thanks to the power of the wind, the icicles gave in and fell toward the evil Digimon. It took a while for IceLadyDevimon to sense that something was wrong. Her sixth sense kicked in, telling her to look up. But when she did, the falling icicles has already entered her no-dodge zone.

"WHAT THE... AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" shouted IceLadyDevimon before she was bombarded by a barrage of frozen spikes. Large clouds of dust and debris filled the spot where the evil Digimon once stood.

"Now's my chance..." Kazemon said to herself, focusing back on the frozen block of ice near the edge of the room. "Hang on, Takuya! I'm almost there!"

She hurried as fast as she could toward the trapped Agunimon.

"YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS, YOU LITTLE BRAT! WINTER'S WING!" The malicious sound of IceLadyDevimon's voice shouted.

The Warrior of Wind turned toward the thick cloud and the first thing she saw was a hoard of bats flying out of the smoke. They were all heading her way, and from the look of their eyes, they weren't too happy about the fact that she has attacked their mistress.

Kazemon quickly hid behind the block of ice Agunimon was trapped in to find some cover. One by one, the iced bats crashed into the frozen structure and fell back down to the ground, shattering to bits upon landing. The lavender clad Digimon stepped out of her hiding place and gazed into the devil's eyes.

"Annoying little pest, aren't you?"

"What's wrong IceLadyDevimon? Not having fun anymore? Can't even win in your own little game?"

"Laugh all you want, girly! This isn't over yet!"

"Oh really? KYYAAAHHHH!" The butterfly Digimon spun around and locked on to her frozen target.

"NO!" screamed the evil lady.

Kazemon gave the block of ice next to her a vicious spinning heel kick, successfully forming a large crack in Agunimon's prison. The fractures traversed from the top all the way down to the base of the ice. Moments later, the strength of the frozen block gave in, allowing the Warrior of Flame to break free from IceLadyDevimon's clutches.

Agunimon collapsed on all fours the second he was released. Not only that, but he was breathing heavily, as if the ice prison drained his energy while he was trapped inside. The Warrior of Flame coughed profusely, like he was really tired. This frightened the other Legendary Warrior. Without hesitating, the humanoid butterfly rushed to his aid.

"Takuya!" cried Kazemon as she ran towards him. She told herself to stay strong and not to cry just yet. She needed to know if Agunimon was okay.

Kazemon's sincere voice entered the fiery Warrior's ear. His eyes lit up and he turned his head to see the butterfly Digimon running towards him with a worried look on her face. Agunimon finally stood on his feet and gave the Warrior of Wind a smile that always warms her heart.

Kazemon's look of concern instantly vanished the moment she saw her boyfriend's smile. And it made her smile even brighter when Agunimon welcomed her with arms wide open. The Warrior of Wind beamed as she picked up her pace. She couldn't wait fall in his embrace.

"TAKUYA!" She inhaled happily. Kazemon was only a few feet away from her boyfriend.

Then suddenly...

*POW*

"UGH!" grunted the Warrior of Wind.

She fell to the ground after Agunimon gave her a hard backhanded fist to the cheek. Kazemon bounced on the canvas and crashed into the cavern walls. She fidgeted in pain while massaging her spine. As the female Digimon continued to wince in agony, she felt someone grabbing a fistful of her long lavender hair and tossed her to the other side of the chamber.

After the rolling Kazemon came to a halt, she looked back toward the other Legendary Warrior. She can barely managed to open her eyes due to the amount of pain she was in. But when she did, the first thing she saw was a malicious smirk on Agunimon's face. His blue eyes has changed to crimson red, with a hint of evil inside of them.

"I told you, girly! This isn't over yet! In fact, the fun... HAS JUST BEGUN! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" laughed IceLadyDevimon. She then turned toward the Warrior of Flame.

"Now, my pet... ATTACK!"

"As you wish, my lady."

He slowly approached his victim with both of his fists covered in flames. The sound of his footsteps sent chills up Kazemon's body. It wasn't long before he backed her up into the wall. With nowhere to run or hide, Kazemon's face instantly became pale. Her heart was as cold as the ice surrounding her. Her brain was telling her to get out of the way, yet her body wouldn't move. The Warrior of Flame drew his hand back and took aim.

"PYRO PUNCH!" He shouted, throwing his fist at Kazemon.

"TAKUYA! NO!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter thirty-three.<strong>

**What has happened to the Warrior of Flame? Could it be IceLadyDevimon's doing? Can Kazemon survive and save her beloved or will Agunimon mercilessly take his girlfriend's life? These questions will be answered in the next action packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	34. Beware The Frozen Heart

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Takuya, Zoe, Bokomon and Neemon found themselves inside the Crystal Caves. They soon discovered that the Legendary Spirits of Ice were located somewhere in the caverns. But when they reached the heart of the chamber, that's when they met IceLadyDevimon, a ruthless and nasty Digimon who finds pleasure in the pain of others. During the fight, IceLadyDevimon trapped Agunimon in her Frozen Spell, leaving Kazemon all by herself. The good news was that the Warrior of Wind was able to free her best friend. But sadly, it proved to be costly for Kazemon. Because now, Agunimon is on IceLadyDevimon's side.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter thirty-four!**

* * *

><p><strong>Beware The Frozen Heart<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"PYRO PUNCH!" Agunimon shouted, throwing a punch at the Warrior of Wind.

"TAKUYA! NO!" Kazemon cried.

But the fiery Digimon continued with his attack, completely deaf to the screams of the lavender haired beauty. Agunimon showed no signs of stopping as his fist drew closer to Kazemon's head. If the Warrior of Wind didn't react soon, then the fiery Digimon would punch a hole right through her skull. So, the butterfly closed her in eyes and allowed instincts to take control.

She shifted her body to her left side, and just managed to avoid the flaming fist by several inches. Kazemon rolled to the middle of the room and sprung back to her feet. She refocused her attention to where her beloved's fist made contact with. Agunimon's punch created a small hole in the icy walls. After missing his first strike, the Warrior of Flame brought it back to his side and stared down the humanoid butterfly.

"Takuya, what are you doing? It's me, Zoe, your best friend! Why are you attacking me?" She called to her boyfriend.

Unfortunately, her words of desperation could never reach her best friend. The only responses she got from the fiery Digimon were a small head shake and smirk filled with malicious intent. A couple more fireballs formed at the end of his knuckles. The Warrior of Flame then slowly approached his exhausted girlfriend, who appeared to be in a state of shock.

"Please, Takuya! Don't do this! I don't want to hurt you!"

Again, Agunimon wouldn't listen. He resumed the fight by unleashing a couple of punches, before throwing both fireballs at lavender haired Digimon. Despite being weak from her last fight with IceLadyDevimon, Kazemon barely managed to evade the Warrior of Flame's punches. But she didn't have enough time to protect herself from the fireballs. The Warrior of Wind braced for impact by covering her head with her arms.

But surprisingly, both fireballs sailed passed the Warrior of Wind, missing her by a few feet. The fireballs collided against the icy walls and exploded on impact. Shocked that she wasn't hit by one of the fiery attacks, Kazemon temporarily lowered her defenses and check to see what Agunimon was up to.

That was a big mistake on her part.

The Warrior of Flame quickly closed the distance and go inside striking range the moment Kazemon let her guard down. He began his assault with a quick uppercut to the gut, making the lavender haired beauty gasp for air. Afterwards, a left hook across her cheek and a right hook to the jaw. Agunimon's hard strikes left the Warrior of Wind dazed and confused.

Next, he fiery Digimon then grabbed Kazemon's head and unleashed a few brutal knee strikes to her exposed midsection. He then rotated his body and delivered a spinning heel kick to the humanoid butterfly's face, knocking Kazemon to the ground. The female Digimon laid on the icy canvas, trying to fight the dizziness in her head after taking all of Agunimon's hard shots.

"Ta... Takuya, please! Stop!" begged the Warrior of Wind.

Sadly, the fiery Digimon wasn't done yet. He stomped toward his defenseless girlfriend and helped her back to her feet. Since Kazemon couldn't stand up on her own power, Agunimon helped her out by grabbing a fistful of her purple hair. He then continued his onslaught by punching her in the nose, followed by another hook across her jaw. Agunimon released Kazemon's hair and watched her collapsed to the ground. Suddenly, he unleashed another devastating knee to the midsection. Kazemon fell to the ground, clutched her stomach and gasped for air.

"How pathetic!" grunted Agunimon.

The fiery Digimon ended the onslaught by wrapping his hand around Kazemon's throat. He lifted her off of the ground and tossed her from one side of the room to the other. The female Warrior's body slammed on the canvas and bounced all the way toward the edge of the chamber, where IceLadyDevimon was seated on her throne.

Kazemon whimpered in pain as she rolled on back on her side. When she managed to open her eyes, the first thing she saw was a look of ultimate satisfaction on IceLadyDevimon's face.

"Having fun with my new servant?" The cold witch chuckled.

"You... *cough, cough*... What have you done to Takuya?"

"Me? I have no idea what you're talking about! It was _you_ who made this all possible. Hahaha!" laughed the wicked creature.

"TELL ME!" Kazemon demanded, threatening to tear the fallen angel apart if she didn't get any answers soon.

"Very well then! Since you won't be around much longer, I will tell you!"

With that, IceLadyDevimon got up from her seat. She casually walked past the beaten Warrior of Wind and skipped toward the Warrior of Flame. Kazemon's heart skipped a beat the moment she saw the cold Digimon wrapping her arms around him. It was even more heartbreaking for her when the evil Digimon stroke her tongue all over Agunimon's cheek.

But what made it worse was the fact that her beloved was actually enjoying the treatment IceLadyDevimon was giving her. The huge grin on his face told the story. Kazemon felt hundreds of needles piercing through her heart and soul. She looked so frail from where she stood. Tears formed underneath Kazemon's visor. She was hurt physically and emotionally. It's a miracle that she's still standing.

"You see, girly, my Frozen Spell attack does more than freeze my opponents! Once they're trapped inside the ice, a powerful chemical is released from beneath the surface! It's then transmitted into the body. From there, the chemicals penetrate all the way down into the central nervous system and work dorsally into the brain! And that's where things get interesting!"

"What do you mean?" Kazemon growled.

"The chemicals spread throughout my victim's mind, allowing me full control of his body! And the best part is once when they've become my servants, there's no way of getting them back again!"

"I don't believe you! I'll find a way to get Takuya out of your control!"

"Well, there is only one way, my dear! And that is for you destroy him! But you better hurry, girly! Because my new servant won't stop until he annihilate you first!

"No, Takuya!" gasped the Warrior of Wind.

She reached her hand out and called out towards her beloved one last time as an act of desperation. But sadly, her voice couldn't seem to reach IceLadyDevimon's newest slave. Agunimon shook his head, wordlessly showing his allegiance to the fallen angel.

"Call to him all you want, but it's useless! He's all mine now! And there's nothing you can do about it, my dear! You might as well give up! It's hopeless! You can't win!"

"Why you... Nng!"

Kazemon tried to get back to a vertical base. Unfortunately, her body hasn't fully recovered yet. She was hurt real bad. However, with the Digital World and her life on the line, she couldn't quit. Regardless how much pain she was in, Kazemon finally found the strength to stand up. She was panting heavily and had one of her arms wrapped around her bruised stomach. But her eyes remained on the two Digimon before her.

"If you think I'm going to give up, you're out of your mind! I won't quit! I will defeat you!"

"Silly girl! I'm not the one you'll be fighting!" snickered IceLadyDevimon.

She glanced back to the fiery Legendary Warrior and planted soft kiss on his right face. Kazemon clenched her fists and gritted her teeth in a jealous rage. How dare she planted her lips on her beloved? She wanted to make IceLadyDevimon pay. But before she could make a move, the fallen angel leaned toward Agunimon's ear.

"Take care of her for me, my pet."

"Your wish is my command!" obliged the Warrior of Flame.

The cold creature quietly walked back to her throne, leaving behind a pool of ice in her footsteps. With her out of the way, Agunimon returned to his fighting position and smirked at the humanoid butterfly. Kazemon shook her head in disbelief. Now she's up against someone she prayed she would never have to fight. She hesitantly dropped in her stance.

"Takuya, can you hear me?" She called once again. "I know you're in there! Please, Takuya! I don't want to fight you!"

"That's too bad... BECAUSE I DO!"

Agunimon sprinted toward the Warrior of Wind with a couple balls of fire at the edge of his hands. His sudden attempt at a frontal assault shocked the humanoid butterfly. Kazemon quickly dropped in her stance to defend herself.

The Warrior of Flame began his attack launching both of his fireballs toward Kazemon's direction. The lavender haired Digimon shuffled to the right side to evade the first fireball, and then to her left to avoid the second. As she returned to her normal position, Agunimon had already closed the distance. He unleashed a couple of hard punches to Kazemon's head and midsection.

This time, the Warrior of Wind was ready. She used her quickness and agility to dodge as many hand strikes as she possibly could. Agunimon was relentless with his attacks. He increased the speed of his punches in attempt to score a hit on his opponent. Thankfully, Kazemon was the faster Legendary Warrior. Even though her body wasn't at full strength, she was holding her own so far.

Finally, the fiery Digimon rotated his body and went for a spinning backfist, aiming for Kazemon's temple. But the humanoid butterfly arched her back to avoid the. Kazemon quickly returned to a vertical base. She then rotated her body, extended her leg out and went for a sweep to take her opponent down. Agunimon jumped over his girlfriend's swinging leg with no problem.

But on the descent, the Warrior of Flame drew his arm back and went for a vicious diving punch to the girl's cheek. Kazemon immediately saw her opponent from the corner of her eye. She got low and rolled to the left, successfully evading Agunimon's next strike. Kazemon finally found some luck when she noticed her best friend had left himself wide open. The fiery Warrior was temporary off balance and needed a second to regain his footing.

However, that was all the time she needed.

"Now's my chance!" The humanoid butterfly said to herself.

It was Kazemon's turn to mount some offense. She took a step forward and gave her boyfriend a hard knee to the ribs. Agunimon grunted in pain as he fell on his knees and clutched his midsection. With his defenses down, Kazemon saw her chance to end the fight. The female Warrior pulled her arm back and went for a punch on his jaw. She knew that she would knock out Agunimon once this move connects. The lavender haired butterfly couldn't believe that she was about to win.

Her fist were was only a few feet away from its target... a foot away... inches away...

Just when she was about to land the finishing blow, an image of Takuya smiling appeared before her eyes. What followed next was a series of flashbacks. She saw clips from when they first met, they're adventures in the Digital World and the many battles they've fought together. She then saw the fateful moment when they gave each other their very first kiss.

"_I love you, Zoe!_" His voice, so soft and affectionate, made her soul tremble.

*slap*

Back to reality, Kazemon changed her attack from a knockout punch to a light slap across Agunimon's cheeks, all in that split second gap. The Warrior of Flame rubbed his face before gazing back at the lavender haired butterfly. He was expecting Kazemon to unleash another follow-up attack. Either that or retreat to rethink her strategy. But instead, the Warrior of Wind turned away with a look of despair on her face. She had lost control of her tears. Wet streams formed on both of her cheeks.

"I can't..." The female Digimon sniffed. Agunimon listened in as the Warrior of Wind continued to beat herself up. "I can't do it! I can't fight Takuya, let alone hurt him! I... I just can't do it!"

As the tears continued to fall, Agunimon slowly approached the broken Warrior. He gently placed his hands on Kazemon's shoulders. A light gasp escaped the humanoid butterfly's mouth. She turned to see the Warrior of Flame smiling at her. However, there was no maliciousness in his facial expression. This time, the smile could be described as warm and caring; the smile her beloved has always given her.

"Aw, baby. Don't cry. You know I hate seeing you cry." Agunimon spoke sincerely to her.

Kazemon's eyes widened in astonishment. Did those thoughtful words come out of his mouth, or were her ears playing tricks on her? Either way, it was enough to make her smile. For a moment, she believed that her one true love has heard her cries and has returned back to normal. It was almost too good to be true.

That's because it was.

Before Kazemon could react, Agunimon's smile was quickly replaced by a smirk filled with deceit. Kazemon had no time to defend herself. The fiery Digimon grabbed her wrist and pulled her in. He then unleashed a powerful high angled clothesline, almost taking Kazemon's head off. The Warrior of Wind flipped a couple of times in midair before landing on her chest. Next, Agunimon got down and picked her up by the hair.

"It makes me sick seeing you cry!"

"Takuya... don't..."

"Ah, shut up!" Agunimon silenced her with a wicked shot to her solar plexus.

"OOF!" Kazemon grunted, clutching her injured midsection.

Still with a handful of purple hair in his grasp, the Warrior of Flame unleashed a barrage of unforgiving hand strikes. He connected hard punches across her face and belly. Kazemon groaned in agony as the onslaught continued. She was so unprepared, that by the time a thought of fighting back occurred in her mind, another punch would prevent her from doing so. Her hands lay at her sides, doing absolutely nothing.

Agunimon then dropped the Warrior of Wind to the ground and unleashed a vicious soccer kick to her bruised ribs. Kazemon moaned as her body rolled on the icy canvas. Moments later, she crashed into a stalagmite nearby. Her back contorted like a bow, almost breaking her spine in half. Her mouth hung open, but no sound came out. Although her back wasn't broken, the damage has already been done, Tears of pain and anguish continued to fall.

"Wonderful!" snickered the spectating IceLadyDevimon. "Seeing you two destroy each other is most amusing! But it's too bad I have to destroy the both of them when this is all over!"

Meanwhile, Bokomon came out of his hiding place and rushed as fast as he could toward the injured Warrior of Wind. He knelt by her side and observed the damage the fiery Digimon has done to her. Bokomon shook Kazemon's shoulders in attempt to wake her back up.

"Zoe! Zoe, wake up!" He cried. "Please, Zoe! You have to get up!"

Bokomon could here groans of agony coming from the Warrior's mouth. She was terribly hurt. There was bruises all over her body and swellings on parts of her face. But despite the pain she was in, she fought through to get back on her knees. Bokomon was relieved to see his friend was still alive. However, he noticed that Kazemon still had her eyes on the floor. Sadly, the tears have yet to stop.

"Zoe..." Bokomon gasped. He turned back to the middle of the room and his eyes widened in fear when he saw Agunimon slowly approaching them.

"Come on, Zoe! You have to fight! It's the only way!" Bokomon tried to encourage her.

"No... I can't... Takuya... He's..." stuttered the broken female.

"Zoe, listen to me! That is not Takuya! That is some other Digimon being controlled by IceLadyDevimon! The real Takuya would never hurt his friends like that, or serve the enemy! You have to get back up and fight! I know the predicament you're in is more difficult than anyone can imagine! But if you quit now, he'll destroy you! And worse of all, that evil witch will hand over your Spirits to Malevomon!"

"What's the point? Takuya... *sniff* He's gone... I can't..."

"Oh Zoe..."

Her spirit has been broken. Kazemon was lost in her own nightmare. She couldn't find the strength to get back in the fight. And even if she could, there was no way she could win in her current condition. Bokomon shook his head in disbelief. As of now, everything's hopeless. With one of the Legendary Warriors being controlled by the enemy and another unable to protect herself, the Digital World all but doomed.

Finally, Bokomon did something he thought he would never do in his life.

He stepped in between the two Legendary Warriors and faced the fiery Digimon. While the Rookie was scared out of his mind, he stood with his arms out wide and his legs apart in a desperate attempt to protect the Warrior of Wind. His bravery, thankfully, did not go unrecognized. Kazemon glanced back at Bokomon and saw her friend stepping in front of her to defend her.

"Bokomon! What are you doing?" The lavender haired butterfly gasped.

"Protecting you!" replied the Rookie.

Regardless of this newly added line of defense, that didn't stop Agunimon from advancing toward his primary target. It didn't matter if this weak Digimon was in the way. His orders was to annihilate Kazemon. And that's precisely what he's going to do. It wasn't long before the Warrior of Flame towered above the pint-sized Digimon. A terrifying glare appeared on Agunimon's face, terrifying Bokomon. But the Rookie Digimon held his ground and replied with a leer of his own.

"Out of the way, you little twerp." ordered the Warrior of Flame.

"Takuya, snap out of it! We're your friends! Don't you recognize us?" Bokomon tried reasoning with him.

"Hmph! I don't have any friends! And even if I do, it wouldn't be with you weaklings! More specifically, that pathetic excuse of a Digimon that's sitting right there!" He said, pointing to the Warrior of Wind just a few yards away from him. Those cruel words pierced through Kazemon's heart like a sharp dagger.

"Takuya, please! You're being brainwashed! You have to fight it! Can't you see that you're being controlled? Have you forgotten why you're here? Have you forgotten..."

Agunimon squatted down until he was eye-to-eye with the Rookie. Bokomon's entire body frozen. Never before had he been so scared in his entire life.

"Shut up!" He ordered before giving Bokomon a hard slap to the face using the back of his hand. The force of the blow sent the Rookie Digimon bouncing on the canvas.

"Hang on, Bokomon! I'll save you!" Neemon shouted.

He reappeared out of his hiding space and got in position to catch his friend. Unfortunately, Neemon had inadequate skills in catching. The two bodies collided into each other. Bokomon and Neemon tumbled on the icy canvas before slamming into the wall nearby. The two fell to the ground and lost consciousness.

"Bokomon! Neemon!" Kazemon cried.

"Hahaha! They're not even worth my time!" grinned the Warrior of Flame before shifting back to the helpless Warrior of Wind.

"You're next!"

He slowly approached the weakened Kazemon. The frightened butterfly Digimon scooted backwards as Agunimon drew closer towards her. It wasn't long before the evil Legendary Warrior backed her up into the wall behind her. There was nowhere for her to run or hide.

"Takuya, please! Don't do this!" begged the Digimon of Wind.

Once again, her words fell on deaf ears. Agunimon towered over the defenseless Legendary Warrior with a huge grin on his face. The fiery Digimon created a ball of fire at the end of his right hand.

He reached towards the lavender haired Warrior with his left hand and grabbed her by the neck. It didn't take much effort for him to lift Kazemon off the ground. There was a small amount of space between the ground and her toes. The Warrior of Wind gagged for air and weakly kick her legs around in attempt to get loose. Unfortunately, Agunimon tightened his grip around Kazemon's throat.

"Takuya... *cough*... please. Let me... *cough*... go." pleaded the Legendary Warrior.

"Hehe! You're even cuter when you're suffering like this! Hearing you squirm is music to my ears!" snickered Agunimon, before shoving the helpless Kazemon into the wall behind her. Her back collided hard against the rocky surface, potentially cracking a rib or two in her body. However, he still had her neck in his grasps with no intention of letting go.

"Too bad for you, it all ends here!" Agunimon continued.

"No... Takuya. Stop... Fight it..." cried Kazemon. "Please, Takuya... *cough*... I... I lov..."

After a minute of effortless struggling, Kazemon's body began to grow weak until it was limp in his hold. Her legs stopped kicking and hung above the ground. Her arms dropped to her side, unable to hold up any longer as she surrendered to the fiery Warrior's power. Kazemon's mouth remained open, yet not another sound found its way out. The oxygen supply in her body has already been used up, with no chance of recovering. Soon, her eyes started to close and her consciousness began to fade away.

"That was so much fun!" complimented IceLadyDevimon after witnessing most of the fight. "Too bad, all good things must come to an end! And that includes you, girly!"

She then shifted her attention toward the Warrior of Flame.

"Now, my servant... FINISH HER!"

"As you wish, my lady!" Agunimon obliged.

With a fireball still at the end of his free hand, the fiery Digimon pulled his arm back and took aim at Kazemon's head. His eyes locked on to his target. The smirk on his face grew even wider. As much as he enjoyed beating her up, it was IceLadyDevimon's wish to destroy her.

"Time to end this! Say goodbye! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

After unleashing a violent roar, the Warrior of Flame extended his arm out, causing the fiery fist to take charge at Kazemon's exposed head. If he connected with this attack, it would be all over for the female Digimon. Victory was so close, he can almost taste it. Agunimon's fist had entered Kazemon's no-dodge zone... a few feet away... a foot away... inches away...

* * *

><p><strong>Takuya's POV:<strong>

I honestly have no idea where I am right now. I look around and found myself standing in the middle of an expanse of white. Could I possibly be dreaming? The last thing I remember was being in some kind of magical world filled with all kinds of strange creatures. I have no idea how I got here nor remember the events that happen prior to me being here.

Before long, the white area around me began to fade away and the scene changed once again.

The next thing I knew, I was in front of a bunch of three story buildings that varied in height and width. Around me were a lot of kids my age carrying backpacks and handbags around their shoulders. It also seemed like everyone was wearing matching uniforms.

The guys wore black long sleeve jackets over white collared shirts. Even the color of their casual pants match their outfit up too. Not only that their black shoes was a perfect complement to the uniform. As for the girls, they also had similar jackets dressed over their white collared blouse. However, the skirts were gray like the clouds and only reached up to the midway point of their thighs. The girls also wore cute little bowties with white stripes on them. The also had black socks that passed their knees and shoes similar to the guys.

"Where am I? What is this place?"

Those were the first few words that came out of my mouth. I checked my attire and I noticed I was wearing the exact same thing the guys were wearing. I looked around and saw a lot of people waving hello to one another, like they haven't seen each other in a long time. What's going on here?

"See you later, Takuya! Have a good first day of school!" The voice of my mother cried from behind.

I turned around and saw my mom waving goodbye to with Shinya making faces in the back seat. I gave her a quick smile before she drove off into the horizon. But as her car faded in the distance, the last few words latched on to me.

Did she say first day of school? Today's the first day? Already? How's that possible? I thought I had a couple more weeks left of vacation. Did time really go by that fast? Hmm... Maybe I've been sleeping all day, so I've lost track of the time. Or maybe I'm...

"Hey Takuya! Long time no see!" Another voice shouted. Before I could react, I felt someone wrapping their arms around me head, giving me a serious noogie in the process.

After a while, the person released me and I turned to see who it was. Before me were two other guys my age. Not only that, but they looked exactly like each other. Same height, same eye color, same... well, everything.

But although we all wore the same school uniform, there were some distinctive differences between those two boys. The one on my right had longer hair, tied up in a ponytail. He also had a bluish backpack around him. The other had shorter hair, just almost reaching his collar, with tapered edges and long bangs partially parted on the left. A black handbag hung on his shoulders.

"Koji? Koichi?" I said, immediately recognizing two of my best friends.

"Hey! You remember us!" Koji grinned before giving me a hard pat on the back.

"It's good to see you again, Takuya." Koichi spoke, not as loudly as his twin brother.

"Yeah, you too." I said, still trying to figure out what's going on.

"So, Takuya? What's your first class this semester?"

"Huh? My first class?"

"Well yeah? Haven't you forgotten? Today _is_ this first day of school." Koichi kindly reminded me.

"Or did you have so much fun over the summer break that you've forgot?" joked his twin brother.

"Um... yeah, you can say that." I laughed while rubbing the back of my head.

"Ah jeez, you're hopeless." The long haired boy groaned. "Do you know where your homeroom's at?"

"Homeroom? I, uh... I have... no idea?"

"Oh God! Kill me now!"

"Relax bro." Koichi said, patting his brother on the back. He dropped his black backpack to the ground and took out a piece of paper. I looked at sheet and saw a map of the entire school. Then I noticed the name of this school my friends and I are attending.

'Asuka High School'

"So, we're right here." Koichi pointed to the bottom of the map, where the entrance was. He then trace his finger along the sheet to guide me to my destination. "If you go down the hallway, pass the auditorium, the first door to your right would be the main office. You can find out where your homeroom is there."

"Aw, thanks Koichi." I smiled.

"Just trying to help, that's all." Koichi replied in a soft, yet nervous tone.

"Well, we better get going Takuya. Class begins in ten minutes." Koji said after checking his watch.

"Wait, you guys are the same class with each other?" I asked the twins.

"Yeah. We're in the same homeroom. Hopefully you'll be in the same class with us too." Koichi smiled.

"And if not, we'll always catch up during lunch." Koji followed.

"Okay. Thanks guys! I'll head over to the front office right..."

"TAKI!" Another voice cried from behind.

I looked behind me and saw another person running towards me. Her eyes and wide smile told me that she was incredibly happy to see me. Her long hair danced with the wind and her eyes reflected the color of the blue sky. The sunlight bounced off her creamy skin, giving her a radiant glow unlike any other. Like almost every girl in this school, she wore the exact same uniform.

However, her white shirt wasn't tucked in and her jacket was unbuttoned. Also, this girl wore her skirt higher, so that more than half of her thighs. Not only that, her hair was a huge mess. The dyed blonde top above her brown locks seemed to contrast each other. Even though most schools have a dress code, I wonder if they also have a hairstyle code.

Funny as it seems, I don't know who this girl is. Better yet, I had no idea how she knows who I am. I don't believe I've seen her before. My mind is still fuzzy. But before I could recollect my thoughts, the young woman dove towards me and wrapped her arms around my body. The two of us fell on the pavement, with me ending on the bottom. My head would've smacked against the concrete, if it hadn't been for Koichi's backpack cushioning my fall.

"Oh Taki! I missed you so much!"

"I, uh... I miss you too." I stammered.

"Pff..." I could hear Koji and Kochi trying to cover their snickers.

"Uh, guys? A little help here?" I looked back at my two good friends for some assistance. But the responses I got from them were a pair sneaky, sly grins.

"You two have fun with each other!" Koji snickered.

"Yeah, but not too much fun." added Koichi.

Afterwards, the two of them gathered their stuff and entered the three story facility, leaving me alone with this mysterious girl, who still had me locked in a vicious bear hug. Her embrace was so tight, I could barely breathe. Moments later, she loosened her grip and gazed into my eyes.

"Well Taki? Did you miss me too?" She finally asked me.

"I, um... Who are you again?"

*slap*

The girl gave me a hard smack to the face for my honest, yet stupid question. As I rubbed my swollen cheek, the girl got back to her feet and placed both of her hands on her hips.

"This is unbelievable! I can't believe you don't even remember your own _girlfriend_!" She hollered in my ear.

"Girlfriend?" I repeated.

"That's right! For I, Ayaka Miyoshi, the most popular freshman girl in Asuka High School, have been your girlfriend since middle school! Surely, you remembered something as trivial as that, right? RIGHT?" She repeated, heavily emphasizing the last word.

She then leaned forward until her eyes were right on top of mine. Her pupils were replaced with huge balls of fire. I had to say something now, or else this girl's going to strangle me.

"Oh yeah, Ayaka! Now I remember you!" I lied. The only thing I remember about this girl back in middle school was she was very obsessive, and a huge stalker. Then again, if she said I was her girlfriend, who am I to question her?

"Good! I'm glad you remember! Now..." Ayaka grabbed me by the tie and gave it a hard tug. "... give me some sugar!"

"Huh?" My eyes widened.

That last ordered made me as stiff as a rock. First this girl tackled me, then she yelled in my ear and now she wants me to make love to her? In the middle of the schoolyard where there are tons of other students watching us? Seriously?

Man, this girl is persistent. She had a good grip on my tie, so there was no use in running. And to think that this girl used to annoy the living daylights out of me. How did she become my girlfriend? Ugh, my memory is so jumbled up, I can't even recall the events that occurred five minutes ago.

The next thing I knew, she began to close the distance and puckered her lips toward mine. Her breath brushed against my cheek and sent chills down my back. The girl's lips were so thick, it looked like she had a third eye on her mouth. I couldn't help but wonder if she overloaded on the lipstick or something.

Then again, Ayaka was known for having way too much makeup on, especially for a girl her age. Still, who does she think she is, being forceful on me like that? I tried to object, but her intimidating leers and hard grip on my tie made it extremely difficult to resist. The only thing I could do was turn my cheek away and close my eyes, hoping for this nightmare to end.

Thankfully, it did.

*RIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNG*

"Phew! Saved by the bell!" I let out a small sigh of relief. I opened my eyes and noticed Ayaka pulling away from me. She released my tie at the same time and stood up.

"Looks like you lucked out again, Taki!" She giggled.

"You have no idea." I said to myself,

"Oh well, I'll be heading off to class right now. I'll see you later, Taki!'

"Um... you too." I replied. She turned and walked toward the three story building. But after taking a few steps, she looked back at me with a huge grin on her face.

"Oh Taki!" Ayaka called.

"Now what?"

"Meet me behind the locker rooms during lunch, and I'll be sure to give you... something very special!" She told me, while licking her lips. A bead of sweat fell off of my forehead. I have no idea how to respond to her somewhat 'dirty' statement.

"Um... I'll try..." I hesitantly responded.

"Great! See ya, Taki!" Finally, she skipped merrily into the building and disappeared from sight.

"You know, I really wish she didn't call me that..." I said to myself.

I got back to my feet and slowly walked inside the facility. Across the halls were a bunch of students rushing toward their respective homeroom classes. I looked left and right, trying to figure out where I should go.

"Great... now I'm lost." I grumbled.

I then thought about what Koichi said to me before we parted ways.

"_If you go down the hallway, pass the auditorium, the first door to your right would be the main office. You can find out where your homeroom is there._" The sound of Koichi's voice echoed in my ear.

"Well, what have I got to lose?" I shrugged my shoulders. "I better hurry up, just in case."

I turned towards my right and ran as fast as I could down the hallway, while repeating Koichi's instructions in my head. My first checkpoint was the auditorium. It didn't take me long to find it. I finally reached a pair of red large doors with a sign that read 'Auditorium' up to. I knew I was getting close. All I got to do is pass this corner and the front office will be...

*BAM*

"UGH!" ||| "AH!"

As I turned the corner, I crashed into another student. The two of us fell to the ground. Hundred papers flew all over the place and scattered across the hallway. Boy did that collision give me a giant headache.

"Hey!" I exclaimed. "Watch where you're going, you..."

But when I got a glimpse at the person I ran into, there was a strange feeling in my chest.

Before me was a teenage girl who was also my age. The first thing I noticed about those blonde hair. Like the sun has its own little home in those golden threads of hers. Her skin had a peaches and cream complexion. It seemed like she takes really good care of her skin. In fact, I was even tempted to touch it. And then there was her eyes. They shine like emeralds buried in the cave of wonders. I must say, those are the prettiest eyes I've ever seen.

But then I noticed the girl placed her left hand over her right arm like she was hurt or something. It wasn't until later, she started sniveling. Either it was because of the fall, or because I yelled at her earlier. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. All I could think about was how I can apologize to this new girl.

"Hey. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to run into you like that..." I said before placing a hand on her shoulder.

But the moment my fingers made contact with the girl, flashes of many images appeared before my eyes like a fast slideshow of memories.

It was so weird. I see strange monsters in a ferocious battle in some kind strange world. There were fireballs, and pink tornadoes, and laser beams, and swords clashing. Man, there were so many of them, yet they all felt so real. Even the sounds were real too. Blades clashing, explosions, bodies colliding on structures were all echoing in my head. I felt like I was actually there when it happened.

But the next set of images is what really blew me away. All of the sudden, clips of a certain blonde hair girl keep appearing in my mind. Images of her smiling, laughing and crying replayed before my eyes. There were some clips of her screaming her lungs out at me. Next, images of her getting thrashed by various monsters appeared. The last image I saw was the two of us snuggling in each other's arms

Hold on. Was that us kissing?

Come to think of it, the girl in these strange flashbacks looks exactly like...

When I took my hand off of her shoulder, the aching headaches once again returned. Seeing all of those weird images really made me dizzy. More and more questions keep popping in my mind. I don't even know where to start.

"Um... I, uh..."

"I'm so sorry!" The young woman apologized. Before I could say anything, she sprang back to her feet and raced down the hallway with tears in her eyes.

"No, wait!" I cried, quickly standing back up and racing after this mysterious girl.

"COME BACK! STOP!"

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

Kazemon kept her eyes closed. But it wasn't because the end was inevitable. She didn't want to look in Agunimon's eyes when he finished her off. The Warrior of Wind could feel the heat of her opponent's fireball just inches from her face. Any more closer and the flames would incinerate the humanoid butterfly. Kazemon waited for the end, which for some reason never came. A few more seconds pass, and yet Agunimon's attack still hasn't made contact with her.

Wondering what's going on, Kazemon opened her eyes. The fireball was an inch away from her face, almost touching a strand of her hair. The Warrior of Wind shifted her attention towards Agunimon, who was still holding her by the neck. She immediately noticed the look in the fiery creature's eyes. His pupils were bigger than she had ever seen. For a moment, their eyes met. And in that timeframe, there was nothing but silence.

Suddenly, the fireball on Agunimon's fist disappeared. The Warrior of Flame then dropped the gagging Kazemon to the ground. She landed on her knees and clutched her throat, still trying regain the air she had lost. It wasn't easy, since Kazemon had been punched and kicked in the stomach a few times. Her ribs felt like they're on fire. It hurt so much just to breathe.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" The sound of Agunimon screaming in agony entered Kazemon's ears.

The terrified Legendary Warrior looked up and saw her beloved clinching his head with both of his hands, like he has a severe headache. Agunimon ran all over the cave and punched any stalagmite and rock formations he spotted, doing anything to stop the migraines. He then reached for one of the walls nearby and repeatedly slammed his head on the rocks.

"What are you doing my slave? I command you to finish off this Legendary Warrior at once!" An annoyed IceLadyDevimon commanded, pointing towards the beaten Kazemon.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! GET OUT OF MY HEAD! AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" screamed the Warrior of Flame before collapsing on his knees in the middle of the chamber.

"Takuya!" Kazemon shouted with tears streaming. She flew toward the Digimon in agony and quickly wrapped her arms around Agunimon.

"It's alright Takuya! I'm here for you!"

"KKYYYYAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Again, the screams would send chills up Kazemon's spine. The tears continued to fall. However, she refused to let go of the person she loves, no matter how much it hurt. Agunimon got back to a vertical base and tried to get the Warrior of Wind off of his body. But the humanoid butterfly had him locked in a vice. The more he struggled, the tighter Kazemon held on.

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" cried the Warrior of Flame.

"Takuya, please! Come back to me!" Kazemon begged.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" shouted Agunimon before giving the butterfly Digimon a hard elbow to the face. Kazemon flew through the air before crashing down on the cold floor. As she massaged her jaw, she continued to watch her boyfriend suffer.

"I know the good Takuya is still in there somewhere, fighting to break free from IceLadyDevimon's control. I can't quit now. Takuya needs me! I have to keep fighting!" The humanoid butterfly said to herself.

Meanwhile, IceLadyDevimon stood up from her throne. She was rather annoyed hearing her mind slave writhing in pain. Could it be that he's showing some resistance?

"Enough of this! Stop squirming like an idiot, and attack!" commanded the fallen angel. Upon command, Agunimon's body began to relax. The bloodshot redness in his eyes had returned, along with his malicious glare.

"As you wish, my lady." obliged the Warrior of Flame before turning to the female butterfly. He approached Kazemon with a look of evil on his face.

Elsewhere, Bokomon had just regained consciousness. He crawled toward the passed out rabbit Digimon. After shaking Neemon a few times, his friend still laid on the floor in an unconscious state. Bokomon refocused his attention back to the battlefield. His worst fear came to life when he saw the mind controlled Agunimon drawing toward the weaken Warrior of Wind.

"Zoe! We have to get out of here!" suggested Bokomon, with a dazed Neemon underneath his shoulders. "Agunimon is too strong! We have to escape and call for backup..."

"No." Kazemon whispered.

"Say what?"

"I'm not running this time."

"But Zoe..."

"I'm the only one that can save Takuya. He needs me."

"I don't know if Agunimon has hit you in the head one too many times or not, but haven't you realized that our friend is being controlled by IceLadyDevimon? We can't even help him! _You_ can't even help him!"

"You're wrong, Bokomon. You're dead wrong." Kazemon stated more resolutely. "Takuya's in there somewhere. I can feel it. I'm the only one that can stop him."

"What are you talking about, Zoe? May I remind you that he almost punched a hole through your face? He could've finish you off if he had..."

"But he _didn't_. Don't you see? Takuya's trying to resist IceLadyDevimon's control. I know the real Takuya's in there somewhere. If he's not giving up, then neither will I! There's no other choice, Bokomon. I have to save Takuya."

"How can save him if you can't even defeat him? You were no match for Agunimon the last time you two fought!"

"I know!" nodded the Warrior of Wind. "I was hesitant at first because I thought I had lost Takuya forever to that frozen witch! But this time's different! I know I can save Takuya! I can do this, Bokomon! Please!"

"Zoe..."

Bokomon gave the female Digimon a long look and noticed something entirely different about her. Previously, the Warrior of Wind was terrified and extremely off in her fighting. Now, her demeanor has changed. There was a new set of confidence within here. Both of her fists were clenched tight. She too responded with her own look of determination. Inside, a spark of hope reignited her fighting spirit.

With that, Kazemon dropped in her stance.

"I sure hope you know what you're doing!" Bokomon gulped.

"I do! Trust me!" muttered the Warrior of Wind.

"Alright! Please be careful, Zoe!" advised the Rookie Digimon before carrying the unconscious Neemon back to their original hiding place.

The two Legendary Warriors took one step forward. They stared each other down, internally formulating a plan to defeat their opponent. Kazemon could sense IceLadyDevimon's evil in Agunimon's eyes. However, the Warrior of Flame noticed that the fear she originally had was gone. Not only Kazemon's eyes were filled with hope, but there was also a sense of determination. This new attitude of hers surprised the fiery Digimon. But then again, that only made his smirk even wider.

"You're tough! I like that! I guess that means breaking you will twice as hard, and twice as rewarding! You might as well give up now! You can't win!" The Warrior of Flame chuckled.

"I don't need to win! I just need to bring you back!"

"Hmph! Pathetic!"

"Listen to me, Takuya! I know you're in there somewhere! It's me, Zoe! Don't you recognize me?" But Kazemon's words were left unheard. Agunimon slowly approached the Warrior of Wind with balls of fire on his fists. However, Kazemon stood her ground and continued to reach out to her boyfriend.

"You're being controlled by IceLadyDevimon! This isn't you, Takuya! You're not evil! You're a Legendary Warrior! You're..."

"Enough! I'm tired of hearing your irritating voice about to destroy you once and for all! PYRO PUNCH!" shouted Agunimon as he launched both fireballs toward the Warrior of Wind. But Kazemon kept her cool. By tilting her head left and right slightly, she was able to easily avoid Agunimon's first strike.

"Don't you remember anything, Takuya? You and I are best friends! We met on our very first adventure in the Digital World! We became Legendary Warriors and defeated the evil Lucemon to save both the Digital World and the Human World!"

Her last statement made the Warrior of Flame flinched. Suddenly, images of their first adventure in the Digital World appeared in his head. He saw many different flashbacks, from the time he first acquired the Spirits of Flames, to the ferocious battle he had with a certain demon-like Digimon. All of these images seemed so new to him, yet felt so real. It's like they actually happened.

Then came probably the most complex, yet enchanting scene of all.

_*_Flashback*

_"You know Zoe, this could be our last battle. We fought well."_

_"It hasn't all been fighting, it's the other things I'll remember. Sure it's way cool to be a Digimon and kick butt and all, but it wouldn't have been half as much fun without you guys. You're the first real friends I've ever had. I never even knew how to be a friend. And now I understand myself a little better and others too. I don't think I'll ever have trouble making friends again."_

_"And it's cause I actually like myself now."_

_"Well, I really like you too, Zoe."_

_"Yeah?"_

*End of Flashback*

The fiery Digimon clenched his head like he has another massive headache. His grunts of pain and anguish entered Kazemon's ears. It filled her heart with grief, listening to her beloved moan in agony. But it must be done. It was the only way to get Takuya back, regardless how much it hurts him, or herself.

"Your puny words are cute, but they're not enough to break my spell!" declared IceLadyDevimon, seated comfortably on her throne.

"Now, my slave, ATTACK!"

Agunimon shook his head and the mental images disappeared from his mind. He looked back at the Warrior of Wind, and boy was he mad.

"As you wish, my lady! RRAAAAWWWWWWRRRRRRRR!"

He sprinted as fast as he could toward Kazemon, with both of his hands covered in flames. The butterfly Digimon got in position and was ready to resume the fight. Agunimon started off by unleashing a barrage of punches and other hand strikes to the Warrior of Wind. This time, Kazemon was not only able to dodge all of Agunimon's attacks, but her speed and agility have also increased.

In her first fight, she was as slow as a rock. But now her movements reflect the true Legendary Warrior she was destined to be. There was no hesitation in her technique. Agunimon was surprised at Kazemon's sudden boost of energy, which only frustrated him even more.

Meanwhile, the Warrior of Warrior had no trouble keeping up with her beloved's attacks. She did add a few flips and turns to keep the fiery Digimon at bay. So far, the fiery Warrior was unsuccessful in landing a single punch. Kazemon noticed a couple of openings during Agunimon's assault, but quietly held back her counterattack... for now.

As she continued dodging the blazed punches, she tried to break through the possessed Legendary Warrior.

"Come on, Takuya! Try to remember! We had shared so many wonderful moments together!" Kazemon cried, avoiding another straight jab from Agunimon.

She finally took a chance and grab a hold of his extended arm. The butterfly Digimon pulled as hard as she could until her eyes and lips were only inches away from Agunimon's. The Warrior of Flame saw his reflection on Kazemon's visor. However, his mind was still on the fight and he unleashed another loud roar in his opponent's ear.

Kazemon quickly retaliated by striking first. She gave Agunimon a hard knee to the gut, forcing him to double over. As he clenched his midsection, Kazemon got down on one knee and placed a soft hand on Agunimon's shoulder.

"Remember when we returned to our home world, Takuya? You and I immediately became closer than ever! We hung out together all the time! Plus, we even went to the same school with each other! I dedicated a special song to you back in middle school! And what about the night at the dance? You remember, don't you? You saved me from that jerk, Hiroki Kurata! Plus, I even taught you how to dance! Come on, Takuya! Try to remember! Just try!"

"I... I can't..." Agunimon placed a hand on his head as the images flashed through his mind once again. It turns out that the memories were exactly as Kazemon recalled. But although he could see it, the images were still very blurry.

"You may not remember, Takuya, but I do! Believe me, those are some of my most treasured memories! I'll never forget them Takuya! And I know you haven't either! You can do it! But you have to try!"

"No! It... It's a lie! You're lying to me!" growled the Warrior of Flame as he glared into Kazemon's eyes.

"No, Takuya! It's the truth! You have to believe..."

"Shut up! No more lies! I'm tired of hearing you talk! KYYAAAHHHH!" Agunimon shouted, going for another fiery punch at point blank range.

Kazemon reacted on instinct and shifted her body to the side to cleanly evade the attack. And from there, the barrage of punches continued. The Warrior of Wind avoided all of Agunimon's attacks with no problem.

But while she was dodging, she couldn't help but notice the look in his eyes. Even though he is attacking her, his eyes showed small hints of pain, anguish and sorrow. Kazemon could sense he was trying to fight back. Even though Agunimon was still under IceLadyDevimon's control, she knew that her beloved could still be saved.

Agunimon crouched down and aimed at Kazemon's midsection. But the moment he extended his punching arm, Kazemon parried the attack and used his momentum to make the fiery Digimon lose his balance. The Warrior of Wind lifted her leg up until her sole faced the ceiling. Finally, she brought her leg down, giving Agunimon a vicious axe kick to the back of the neck. His face smashed against the canvas, creating a small hole roughly about the same shape of his head.

But a few seconds later, a frustrated Agunimon pulled his head out of the crater and glowered at the lavender haired butterfly. Wasting little time, he sprung back to his feet and ran at full steam towards the Kazemon. The Warrior of Wind returned to her position and waited for Agunimon to make his move.

"Forgive me, Takuya." She thought to herself.

The Warrior of Flame began his assault with two quick punches to Kazemon's face, followed by a spinning punch to her stomach. The lavender haired Digimon blocked the first couple of head shots easily.

On the third punch, she timed his attack perfectly. Kazemon grabbed his extended right arm, pulls Agunimon in and flipped him over her head. She then delivered a spinning sidekick to her opponent's belly, sending him flying across the room and into the rocky walls of the cave. Agunimon lost consciousness as his body slid down and fell to the ground.

"Oh my goodness! Takuya!" gasped Kazemon after realizing she had just knocked out her boyfriend. She flew as fast as she could toward the limp body resting on the side.

Kazemon landed by Agunimon's side and got down on one knee to get a better look at him and to assess any damage he currently has. His eyes were closed and his body wasn't moving. There were a couple of scratches on his left cheek and a bruise on his right. Kazemon's mouth hung open with regret and worry. Tears appeared underneath her visor and glided down to her chin.

"Takuya..." She softly called to him. Unfortunately, the Warrior of Flame didn't wake up, causing more tears to fall.

"Oh Takuya... *sniff*... What have I done?" She couldn't hold back and unleashed every emotion that was kept inside her.

"Hmm, most impressive. I never knew seeing two best friends fight each other would provide so much amusement." IceLadyDevimon thought after witnessing the ferocious battle between the two Legendary Warrior. Seeing Kazemon balling for her defeated opponent was very intriguing to her.

"However..." A malicious grin reappeared on IceLadyDevimon's face. With a quick snap of her fingers...

"YOU ALWAYS WERE EASY TO FOOL!" Agunimon's smirked with his eyes shot open.

He delivered a sharp punch to the exposed midsection of a shocked Kazemon just before she could react. The Warrior of Wind clutched her ribs and fell on her knees, just as the fiery Digimon got back to his feet. Agunimon held Kazemon's chin up to make sure she sees the treacherous grin on his face.

With one hand on her mandible, the Warrior of Flame unleashed a powerful uppercut to the jaw, sending her from one side of the chamber to the other. Kazemon's back crashed into the cave walls and her body slumped back down.

"Ow, my back!" whimpered the Warrior of Wind in firing agony, massaging her aching spine as if a couple more discs had been popped.

"HAHAHAHA!" laughed the cold fallen angel creature. IceLadyDevimon stood up from her throne and faced the helpless Kazemon.

"I told you, my dear! It's hopeless! You cannot win, no matter how hard you try! All you're doing is delaying the inevitable! HAHAHAHA!"

"No!" Kazemon shook her head, even though she had no argument against the devil-like Digimon.

"However, since I enjoy seeing you in pain and misery, I've decided to prolong your suffering for the time being." IceLadyDevimon snickered. She snapped her fingers once again to summon the Warrior of Flame to her side.

"Orders, my lady?"

"I want you to give this poor excuse of a Legendary Warrior the absolute worst beating of her life!" IceLadyDevimon pointed to the prone butterfly Digimon and said,

"Of course!"

"And please, my pet! Make it slow, and relatively painful!" laughed the cold Digimon.

"As you wish, my lady!" Agunimon grinned.

He walked toward the middle of the room and faced the Warrior of Wind, who miraculously somehow got back on one knee. Suddenly, large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded the Legendary Warrior's body. Inside the cocoon of data, Agunimon began to change forms.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!"

During the transformation, Kazemon looked on, with nothing but terror and hopelessness in her eyes. Her heart had stopped. Beads of sweat fell from her face, but not because of the increase in heat. The fear inside slowly began to dominate her body. She couldn't move a muscle. All Kazemon could do was watch as her beloved transformed into a more powerful Digimon. The fight was all but over for her. There was absolutely no way she could win, especially since it has come to this.

"Takuya, no..."

Finally, the large body of Fractal Code disappeared, and a new Legendary Warrior emerged. His bloodshot eyes locked on to his target. Underneath the golden armor covering his mouth, a grin of spitefulness and malicious intent reappeared. Finally, the Beast of Flame spread his orange wings out wide and unleashed a thunderous roar.

"BURNINGGREYMON!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter thirty-four.<strong>

**Now with BurningGreymon as her opponent, can Kazemon hold her own and save her boyfriend from IceLadyDevimon's mind control? Or will the Beast of Flame incinerate the lavender haired butterfly? These questions will be answered in the next action packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	35. Brisk Breakaway

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Kazemon had it rough for her. How can she fight against someone she loves? Too bad Agunimon never showed any mercy. He easily overpowered the Warrior of Wind. Bokomon tried to save Kazemon, but even he was outclassed. Just when Agunimon was about to finish his opponent off, he froze. It looked like the Warrior of Flame was showing some signs of resistance to IceLadyDevimon's control. Kazemon tried her best to get her beloved back on the side of good, but the evil witch's control was too strong. Looks like Kazemon's about to get incinerated by the flames of BurningGreymon.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter thirty-five!**

* * *

><p><strong>Brisk Breakaway<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"BURNINGGREYMON!"

Kazemon was more than scared. She was terrified Every muscle in her body was as stiff as a rock. She could barely hold her own against the Agunimon. Now, things have gone from bad to worse. Takuya had changed into his Beast Spirit form. Kazemon knew that this form was more powerful than his last one. And to make matters worse, she still didn't have her Beast Spirit.

This fight was all but hopeless for her.

"Takuya, no!" Kazemon gasped.

She reached her hand out toward her beloved, praying that he would come to his senses soon. But the soulless eyes on BurningGreymon remained. He didn't have to speak to tell the Warrior of Wind that he's showing no mercy on her.

"HAHAHAHA!" laughed IceLadyDevimon as she rested comfortably on her throne. "I am so going to enjoy watching my mind slave tear you apart! Now, let the games begin! DESTROY HER, MY PET!"

"AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" roared the Beast Warrior of Flame.

Large bursts of flame surrounded BurningGreymon's body as his energy once again reached its peak. The humanoid butterfly could feel the heat of the intense flames. Moments later, the fiery dinosaur gave the weakened Kazemon a fierce grin. With his eyes locked in on his target, there was nowhere for her to run or hide.

Once the flames died down, BurningGreymon slowly stomped toward the injured Warrior of Wind. Knowing that the fight was about to start all over again, Kazemon did her best to get back to a vertical base. Despite the soreness in her body protesting against it, the humanoid butterfly dropped in her fighting stance. She may had one arm up in ready position, while her other arm wrapped around her tender stomach, which appeared to be the area that had took the most punishment.

"Takuya, please! Don't do this!" begged the lavender clad butterfly.

However, just like last time, her words fell on deaf ears. He continued his approach towards the Warrior or Wind, while thinking of many ways to break, torture and incinerate his opponent. As scared as she was, Kazemon pushed her deepest fears aside and tried once and to help her boyfriend come to his senses.

"You have to fight, Takuya! I know you can! You can overcome IceLadyDevimon's control, but you have to try! Please! The real Takuya would never hurt me! The Takuya I lov..."

"ENOUGH!" BurningGreymon screamed, sending shivers up and down Kazemon's spine. "You sure talk a lot, don't you? It's about time someone shut your mouth for good!"

"Takuya..."

"NOW, SHUT UP AND FIGHT! PYRO BARRAGE!"

BurningGreymon locked on to his target and aimed his blasters at the Warrior of Wind. Then without warning, he sprayed a barrage of heat-energy bullets toward the lavender haired beauty. A light gasp escaped Kazemon's mouth. It crumbled her heart to see her one true love attacking her once again. But after realizing that the fight had resumed, the humanoid butterfly snapped out of her thoughts and got in position.

Kazemon moved from side to side, avoiding as many bullets as she possibly could. Kazemon had no trouble holding her own for the first few moments. She lived up to her name by being the quickest out of all the Legendary Warriors. But while her movements and agility were sharp, even her own speed has its limitations. As time passed, the tide of the battle shifted back toward BurningGreymon.

Now, she was only evading the bullets by mere inches. It wasn't long before some of BurningGreymon's attacks started to make partial contact with the humanoid butterfly. While the pyro bullets never hit Kazemon directly, a few of them managed to graze the edge of her skin or parts of her wings. The impact produced a producing mild, yet a sharp, burning sensation. The lavender haired beauty grimaced in pain.

Finally, BurningGreymon ceased his attacks. He gazed at his opponent to see how she was holding up. Kazemon, on the other hand, was in an even worse shape than what she started. Dodging most of those attacks really drained her stamina. Her left side stung a little bit, and a part of her lavender costume had some noticeable burn marks. Thankfully, she was still alive.

A fiendish grin appeared on BurningGreymon's face.

"Impressive! I can't believe a weakling like you would last this long!" chucked the Beast Warrior of Flame before stomping toward the Warrior of Wind.

"Come on, Takuya! You have to remember! This isn't the real you! You're _not_ evil! You're a Legendary Warrior! You and I have been chosen to save the Digital World!" Kazemon tried reasoning with him. But the fiery Digimon continued his advance, completely deaf to the cries of the lavender haired beauty.

"You're wrong! I serve no one, but IceLadyDevimon! I follow her every command! And if her orders are to destroy you, then that's exactly what I'm going to do!"

"Takuya, please! Think back to all of the wonderful times we've had! Remember back to what happened before you and I came to the Digital World!" begged the Warrior of Wind.

This time, her words had made BurningGreymon stopped his approached. For some reason, the last thing Kazemon said latched on to his mind. He froze in the middle of the chamber. His eyes shifted downward. But the Warrior of Wind noticed this sudden change of behavior. Seeing that this was a sign of hope, Kazemon continued to reach out toward her best friend.

"It was your birthday, Takuya! You and I had a picnic together! You loved the presents that I gave you, and you would've enjoyed the lunch I've prepared, if Neemon hadn't rudely interrupted!"

"HEY!" A voice from behind a nearby rock shouted. It was then followed up by a sound of a large book being smacked against the skull, courtesy of Bokomon.

Meanwhile, an image of Kazemon's recollection appeared before BurningGreymon's eyes. The scene was blurry at first. However, it then started to clear up. Not only she was right about every moment, the feeling seemed very real as well. The flamed dinosaur placed a hand on his aching forehead. Half of him tried to put the pieces together, while the other half tried to resist.

Despite how much it hurts, Kazemon went on with the trip down memory lane.

"Do you remember when we arrived in the Digital World? We made all kinds of new friends and went on a lot of fabulous adventures! You've found your Spirits of Flame back in the Flame Terminal! Later on, we traveled to Breezy Village to get my Spirits of Wind! And then Malevomon attacked us and took my Beast Spirit! Don't your remember Takuya?"

"I... I can't! When did... ARGH!"

BurningGreymon fall to one knee and grunting in pain. Kazemon lets out a small gasp of fear. Although it hurt to see her boyfriend like this, she knew it had to be done in order to save him.

"You and I fought many battles, Takuya! Some were a walk in the park, while most of them had been very challenging! Do you remember what happened back at Terra Hills? When we tried to find the Spirits of Earth, I had to fight Liamon all by myself because you were still trying to recover from Malevomon's attack!"

"I did?"

"Yes! And then there was that time at Toucanmon Paradise! You and I had a huge argument with each other after a huge misunderstanding with Beautymon! After we failed our mission in acquiring the Spirits of Water, you never wanted to speak to me again! Even though I never told you, it really broke my heart!"

"Nng... my head!"

"But then, during our mission to retrieve the Spirits of Wood in the Forbidden Forest, you and I became best friends again! We defeated Arbormon by using our incredible teamwork and unique chemistry! Takuya, you and I are an unbeatable team!"

"A team?"

"Yes! But according to you, we're more than that!"

"No! You're lying! Why are you trying so hard to convince me, when... when none of what you're saying ever happened?"

"They did happen, Takuya! I was there! You were there! I know you can remember, but you have to try! I'm not giving up on you Takuya, and neither should you!"

"I'm trying..." said the Beast Warrior. Those words have boosted Kazemon's hope in getting Takuya back. She fluttered a little closer towards him.

"Takuya! Don't you remember... *gulp* ... about what happened back at the playgrou..."

"ENOUGH OF THIS!" shouted an extremely frustrated IceLadyDevimon

She had just about enough of Kazemon's feeble attempts to break her mind control spell. The sound of her angry voice snapped the struggling BurningGreymon back to reality and forced Kazemon to return to her defensive position. The fiery Beast screamed from the top of his lungs as the darkness covering his heart took over his whole body.

"You've have annoyed me with your helpless words for the last time! I have been graciously keeping you alive so I can enjoy watching you suffer!" The cold creature raged. "BUT I GIVE UP! I SHALL TAKE PLEASURE WATCHING YOU DIE! NOW ATTACK!"

"AS YOU WISH, MY LADY!" obliged BurningGreymon.

Moments later, the Beast Warrior of Flame locked his eyes on Kazemon's. The female butterfly took a step back and returned to her fighting stance. She criticized herself for being unsuccessful in breaking IceLadyDevimon's spell on her beloved. But regardless of the fact that she failed, BurningGreymon showed a lot of signs of resistance. It's not much, but it's much better than nothing.

"I have to keep trying. Sooner or later, he'll come around. I just know it." Kazemon said to herself.

The fiery Digimon began his approach with a slow trot toward his opponent. Each step he took would leave behind a massive footprint. Kazemon returned to her stance and waited for her opponent to close the distance.

Suddenly, BurningGreymon's casual walking turned into fast sprinting. In just one second, the winged dinosaur had gone from the edge of the chamber to striking range. Because he was in Beast form, his speed has increased by several levels. Almost taken by surprise, Kazemon fluttered her wings and quickly got off the ground. She thought she had dodged BurningGreymon's first attack.

Unfortunately, she had not.

The Beast of Flame not only predicted Kazemon's first move, he was ready for it. He reached up and grabbed one of the butterfly's legs. Kazemon tried to break free, but BurningGreymon was too strong. No matter what she tried, the fiery Digimon wouldn't let go. BurningGreymon then snapped his arm forward and used his raw strength to slam Kazemon hard on the rocky canvas.

The Warrior of Wind arched her back and writhed in pain after feeling the effects of the powerful throw. Kazemon fidgeted her body around like a fish out of water. Getting body slammed by Agunimon is one thing. But with BurningGreymon as her opponent, it's much worse. The chance of suffering a critical injury were have gone up exponentially.

"I'm not done with you yet!" BurningGreymon laughed at the beaten Warrior.

He placed his large right foot over Kazemon's body and brutally stomped her chest, further damaging her ribs. The female Warrior's mouth hung open, yet only a pain-filled murmur was able to come out. BurningGreymon took his foot off Kazemon's chest before slamming back down on her body with tremendous amount of force. Again, the helpless Warrior gagged in agony.

For a whole minute, the Beast Warrior of Flame stomped on poor Kazemon's body. The Warrior of Wind could feel the air being pumped out of her with each stomp. Finally, BurningGreymon gave the butterfly Digimon one last stomp to the butterfly's midsection. Kazemon gasped in pain as the dinosaur's foot fractured a rib or two in her body. He got off his opponent and watched as Kazemon turned to her side, clutching her bruised stomach.

"How pathetic! You are, by far, the weakest Legendary Warrior of all!" BurningGreymon smirked maniacally. Kazemon's heart broke upon hearing those words. Tears of anguish stream down her face onto her cheek.

"Ta... Takuya..."

"Stop sniveling, you puny little..."

"OOF!"

BurningGreymon completed his sentence by delivering a powerful soccer kick to Kazemon's gut. The humanoid butterfly's body rolled on the icy canvas and crashed into the cave walls. She clenched her injured ribs with one hand, and massaged her spine with the other. As the female Warrior whimpered in agony, BurningGreymon made his way toward the broken Digimon. He flipped Kazemon on her back so he can savor the look on her face.

"Takuya... *cough*... please..." croaked the injured Warrior of Wind.

But her word failed to reach her best friend. BurningGreymon wrapped his ginormous hands around Kazemon's skull and lifted her off the ground.

AAAHHHHHH! KYYAAAHHHH!" She shrieked as BurningGreymon squeezed harder, making the pain even more unbearable.

The female Warrior kicked her legs helplessly as the fiery dinosaur tightened the clawhold applied on Kazemon's head. She tried to use her hands to loosen BurningGreymon's grip. But it was no use. The sound of her wailing in agony was music to his ears. He could relish in that sound for extended amounts of time.

However, he had other ways of making her suffer.

The Beast of Flame pulled his arm back and delivered a devastating punch to the exposed gut of his opponent. Kazemon gagged when BurningGreymon's fist connected against her stomach. A strike like that would definitely fracture a rib in her body. But the fiery Digimon wasn't satisfied with just one punch. He struck Kazemon's midsection a total of ten times. And each hit was much harder than the last.

BurningGreymon then lifted the helpless Digimon up and slammed her skull hard into the ground, creating a large hole in the process. It was a good thing BurningGreymon's hand was huge, which slightly softened the impact. Otherwise, her head would have bashed off the canvas, knocking her out, or possibly concussing her.

Even so, it her torso took the worst of the brunt. Kazemon landed hard on her upper back. The force of the landing went all the way through the spine and into the rib cage. Satisfied with the damage he caused, he released the butterfly's head and observed the brutalized victim.

"Haha! Hahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" A victorious BurningGreymon laughed.

Meanwhile, Kazemon laid on the ground and shuddered in pain. She could not move a single muscle. Even the slightest twitch made the pain receptors in her body go insane. Physically, the pain she was in was unbearable. It was searing and terrible, with no signs of getting any better. Too bad there was no medical personnel around to assist her.

However, the emotional pain was even worse. There's nothing more demoralizing than having her best friend, her partner, the boy she loved beat the stuffing out of her. And not only that, BurningGreymon found so much enjoyment in her suffering. There was no remorse in his eyes. It's like he found pleasure seeing her in pain.

Even though there was still hope in getting Takuya back, her chances were now slim to none.

"Takky..." The defeated Warrior of Wind faintly gasped.

The fiery dinosaur bent down and grabbed the broken Digimon by the neck. He lifted her off the ground and squeezed harder, cutting off her oxygen supply. Her mouth hung open, but not a single sound came out. Mild coughs escaped, but that was all she could manage. It wasn't long before she lost all feeling in her legs. Her arms dropped to her sides. And then, the rest of her body went limp.

"Aw, poor baby! Just look at you. How pathetic!" laughed BurningGreymon.

Suddenly he shoved the semiconscious body into the wall. Kazemon's back crashed hard into the rocks, creating a small dent upon impact. The Warrior of Wind only grimaced in pain for several moments, before the winged beast slammed her into the wall for the second straight time. And then again, and for a fourth time. After crashing her one last time into the stoned barrier, BurningGreymon tossed the female Warrior back to the middle of the room.

"Let's end this! AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" He growled angrily. In a matter of seconds, BurningGreymon's entire body was covered with scorching hot flames.

"WILDFIRE TSUNAMI!"

Once the flames around his body has reached its peak, the Beast of Flame unleashed a powerful, fiery tornado towards his opponent. The Warrior of Wind's eyes widened when she saw the oncoming, blazing attack. But it was too late. She had no time to react. And with her entire body incredibly sore, it was impossible for her to defend herself.

"Takuya..." A light gasp came out of Kazemon's mouth. Finally, the flames surrounded her entire body.

"KYYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

It was her first time taking on BurningGreymon's most powerful attack. The pain receptors were out of control. The flame's energy was too hot and too much for Kazemon to handle. She screamed in agony as the fire singed every part of her body. It was the most painful burn she has experience. Kazemon couldn't take the pain much longer. She immediately lost consciousness shortly after.

"ZOE, NO!" Bokomon shouted from behind his hiding spot.

"I CAN'T WATCH!" Neemon cried before covering his eyes and turning away from the devastation.

Seconds later, the fiery tornado subsided. A passed out Warrior of Wind laid motionlessly on the ground with seemingly all of her energy drained out. Suddenly, a ring of Fractal Code surrounded Kazemon as her entire body turned into black. On the Fractal Code, the Human Spirit of Wind revealed itself to BurningGreymon.

"Hahaha! Excellent work, my pet! Now, relieve this weakling of her Spirit!" ordered IceLadyDevimon.

"As you command, my lady!" grinned the fiery Beast.

He approached the silhouette of Kazemon until he was face-to-face with the Spirit of Wind. With no hesitation, BurningGreymon reached toward the Fractal Code and grab a hold of the relic. He stared at his prize, the Human Spirit of Wind. Coming out victorious made the smirk on his face grew wider.

The Spirit in his hand started to glow. He could feel the power of the wind in the palm of his hand. The next thing he knew, the bright lights on his palm disappeared. The Spirit of Wind transferred itself into the Legendary Warrior's D-Tector. The Symbol of Wind appeared on his device, indicating the successful capture of the relic. Finally, BurningGreymon turned his attention back to the center of the room.

With her Human Spirit and Beast Spirit gone, the Legendary Warrior reverted back to her human form. The teenage girl coughed profusely. The good news was Zoe still alive and had regained her consciousness. The bad news was she was hurt in more places than one.

Her blonde hair was a mess and covered most of her beautiful face. Moans of agony made its way out of the poor girl's mouth. There were plenty of scratches all over her face, arms and legs. She couldn't move any of her limbs without suffering a severe amount of pain throughout her entire body. Speaking of which, half of her ribs has been damaged, with small number of them either broken or fractured.

Zoe panted heavily for air on the cold ground. Tears of anguish and defeat fell from her cheeks. Not only she has failed to get her best friend back, but she also let down every Digimon that counted on her to save the Digital World.

"I can't... move." Zoe murmured to herself as she tried to turn on her side.

When the teenage girl opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was her helpless and terrified Digimon friends.

"ZOE!" The two Rookies cried. They hopped out of their hiding place and hurried as fast as they could toward their injured friend.

"Bokomon. Neemon." whimpered Zoe as she reached her hand out towards her friends.

Unfortunately, neither one of them could reach the teenage girl. BurningGreymon caught them in his peripheral vision and showered his former Digimon friends with barrage of solar bullets from his blasters. The heated attacks sprayed all over the ground where Bokomon and Neemon were, causing them to dance wildly like they were stepping on hot coals. Finally, Bokomon grabbed his partner by his long ears and dragged him out of the area.

Just like that, they were back in their original hiding place.

"Annoying little pests." grumbled BurningGreymon. "I'll deal with them later. Right now..."

His eyes went back to the defenseless human lying on the ground in severe pain and agony.

"Takuya, please..." Zoe begged as every emotion inside poured of out.

Sadly, BurningGreymon had no sympathy for the brutalized human. He wrapped one of his hands around her slender body and lifted her off the ground. BurningGreymon tightened his grip on the poor, young woman. The tighter he squeezed, the louder she screamed. Inside, Zoe could her feel her ribs, and every other bone was on the verge of snapping in half.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! KYYAAAHHHH!"

The agony was immense. With her Spirits protecting her, it wouldn't be long before every bone in her body breaks. Zoe slightly opened her eyes and saw wickedness and malicious intent in the look on BurningGreymon's face. It frightened her dearly. Silent tears ran down the girl's face. She had tried to reason with him. It failed. She tried calling out to him. That too has failed. In fact, everything she tried to get Takuya back never worked.

It was all over for her.

"Ta... Takuya..." The blonde beauty felt her life slipping away.

Zoe prayed with all of her might that someone would come and save her. Of course, the first person that came to mind was none other than Takuya Kanbara. He had always protected her since the day they met. Whether it's from evil Digimon, bullies or some kind of emotional pain, her favorite goggle-head was always there for her. He promised that he always would be.

But now, someone needed to protect her from her protector. She quietly said "Help" over and over again, hoping that someone would come to her rescue. However, it wasn't long before her brain had accepted the reality of the situation. Her best friend, her boyfriend, her one true love was going to take her life. And there was nothing she can do to stop him.

"It's time I finish you off once and for all!" BurningGreymon growled as he further tightened his grip around Zoe's body. "Any last words?"

This was Zoe's last chance to help Takuya break IceLadyDevimon's spell. Either she sets him free, or die trying.

"Takuya. D... Don't you remember what happened between you and me back at the playground?"

BurningGreymon tilted his head to the side in confusion. He blinked a couple of times, searching blankly for the right words to say. His hesitation was a good sign for Zoe. However, she couldn't stop there. She had to keep going. Who knows when BurningGreymon would deliver the finishing blow?

"It was a beautiful and gorgeous night." The Bearer of Wind went on. "You were about to tell me something really important. You tried to say how you feel about me, but you were really nervous about it... *sniff*... So, you stalled by challenging me to a little game of soccer. And we added a little 'Truth or Dare' just to make things interesting. Do you remember that?"

"Playground? Soccer? Truth or Dare?" repeated the Beast of Flame. The tone of his voice had no wickedness or hint of evil in them. Instead, there was confusion. It sounded like he was trying to remember.

"Yes, Takuya. You and I performed some very interesting Dares, like the time I dared you to call Beautymon 'fat.' Then you dared me to sing my song in front of you. Don't you remember? You loved how my voice sounded. And you even told me that I sounded amazing. It made me so happy to hear you say that."

"You sang? For me?"

"Uh-huh!" Zoe nodded. Her tears continued to fall. But only this time, they were filled with hope, relief and trust.

"Then, you asked me who I had dedicated the song to. And I said that it was for _you_, Takuya. And do you know the reason why? It's because you've been my best friend ever since the day we met. Whenever I'm with you, every day feels like an adventure. There were times where you and I argue constantly over the silliest things. And yet, there were so many unforgettable and happy moments we shared that I have forever treasured in my heart. You've changed me Takuya, just like I've changed you."

"No! This... This is just a trick!"

"It is not a trick, Takuya. Everything I'm saying is real. E... Even your confession for me."

"Confession?" The Beast of Flame questioned. Zoe could feel his grip around her body loosening a bit.

"Yes, Takuya. One of the 'Truth or Dare' questions I asked you was how you felt about me. And... And you... *gulp*... you kissed me."

"I... No!" BurningGreymon groaned. He placed his free hand over his head, like he's got a major migraine. "This... This can't be..."

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, YOU FOOL? FINISH HER?" IceLadyDevimon deliberately ordered.

"UGH, MY HEAD!" The Beast of Flame cried.

"Takuya? Takuya, listen to me!" Zoe called out to her beloved. She waited until his eyes met hers.

"What is happening to me?" BurningGreymon moaned.

"I know you can hear me. The Takuya I know is not evil, and is definitely not one of IceLadyDevimon's slaves. The Takuya I know is kind, strong, brave, funny, thoughtful and considerate. He's makes me laugh with his stupid jokes and one-of-a-kind personality. He may be an idiot on some occasions. But most of the times, he's the best friend I've ever had. Through the good and bad times, he has always been there for me. All it takes is the sound of his voice, a soft hand on my shoulder, a look into my eyes, a warm embrace... or a kiss on the lips. That would be enough to make all of my tears would disappear, to put a smile on my face, to know that I mean something to you. You're everything to me, Takuya... just like I'm everything to you."

BurningGreymon looked into the blonde girl's eyes in shock. Realizing that she has his undivided attention, Zoe decided to lay it all on the line. This was her last shot. And if this doesn't work, then nothing will. With her both of her Spirits gone, most of her friends back in the Human World, and her boyfriend about to finish her off, what more does she have to lose?

Zoe took a deep breath and stared into his eyes.

"Takuya! I love you!"

* * *

><p><strong>Takuya's POV:<strong>

"Come back! Stop!" I cried, as I chased after this mysterious blonde haired girl I crashed into earlier.

Either I'm really slow, or this girl can run. I'm going as fast as I could. But for some reason, I can't seem to catch up to her. Man, I knew I've should've worked out more during my summer vacation. I followed her all throughout the buildings. I had no idea where this girl was going. But I get this strange feeling that she was leading me to somewhere.

The blonde picked up speed and turned the corner. Thankfully, I was able to keep up with her. Call me crazy, but there was something familiar about this girl. She reminds me of someone I know... or at least someone I should know.

Was she a friend? An acquaintance? Is she somebody special? I honestly have no clue. But I got to find out. I need to know who this girl is. I checked the time on my watch and it read 8:05 a.m. Without a doubt, I'm late for class. But why bother when I don't even know where my homeroom is? Oh well, I'll find out later. Right now, I gotta stop this girl and ask her some questions.

"Hey, wait up!" I called out to her once again.

Sadly, she wouldn't listen. The girl kept on running away from me. Was she afraid of me or something? Why do girls always have a problem with me?

Sooner or later one of us was going to get tired and eventually stop to catch his or her breath. I just hope it won't be me.

Moments later, the two of us came across a flight of stairs that lead up to the second floor of the school. I followed her up the stairwell, all the way to the second level. Instead of heading straight for the hallway, the blonde turned to her right, where another staircase awaited her. I ran behind her all the way until we reached the third floor. She then made another right toward, surprisingly, another set of stairs.

Fortunately, these were the last set of steps. At the end was a pair of large doors that would take us to the roof. I've heard that some students go to the roof of their high schools to eat their lunches, do their homework, take naps, or just to check out the view. But before I could call out to her, the girl pushed the doors open and ran outside. When I reached the large doors, I stopped for a second or two just to catch my breath.

I then opened the doors and walked inside.

"What the... Where am I?

I thought this door would lead to the roof, but I was wrong. Somehow, I've ended up a place that was covered in pitch black in every direction. I can't see anything in here. It's hard to see the hands in front of my face. And what's worst is I've lost sight of the girl. But when I turned around to head back to the school, the door was gone.

Great. I'm stuck in this world of darkness with no way of getting out.

"Man, this place takes confusing to a whole new level." I said out loud. "Would it kill for a little more light please?"

I don't how, but it seemed as if someone has heard my silent wish. A second later, a bright spotlight shone from my left side. At first, I thought it was some kind of really big flashlight to help guide me through the darkness. Instead, the light seemed to act like as a giant video projector, showing me all kinds of strange, yet familiar clips.

The first one was me sitting in the park and reading what appears to be a birthday card.

"_Dear Takuya,_

_Happy birthday to you. It's that time of year again, another candle on your birthday cake. But it's so much more than that. It's another year of wonderful memories. Moments of giggles, sly smiles and inside jokes. So many great memories too. Sure, there were some road bumps along the way. We also had our share of fights and arguments; some good ones in fact. But just think how boring it would be if we hadn't. You and I would never be able to make up with each other. Alright, I'm kidding... well sort of._

_When you blow out your candles, I hope you make a great wish. Not just a simple, common wish everyone makes on their birthday, but a special, meaningful wish that has significant meaning and value to you. I hope it comes true beyond your wildest dreams. I want nothing but good things for you. I will always be there for you when you need me. After all, you are my best friend. I look in your eyes each day and nothing makes me more happy than seeing that huge smile on your face. I am so lucky to have you as my best friend._

_We have so many more birthdays to celebrate. More dreams to make a reality, and more memories to scrapbook in your albums. My dream has already come true, I get to spend my entire life with you. So, thank you for making my birthday wishes come true and I really hope yours do too. Happy birthday, Takuya._

_Love,_

_Zoe_"

Zoe.

Who is she? Do I know her? Is she a friend or a complete stranger?

As I thought about more questions, another video played on the projector. This time, we were in some kind of strange hallway. And remember that blonde hair girl I crashed into earlier? Here she was again on the screen. It showed me and her having a deep conversation with each other.

_"Takuya... Back at the Flame Terminal... when I tried to protect you from SkullCerberumon... Do you think I did the right thing?"_

_"Well, you did what you had to do."_

_"I know. Pretty stupid, huh?"_

_"Duh... But you have to be really brave to do something that stupid."_

_"Oh, Takuya. You're such a child."_

_"Meh... But in all honesty, I thought what you did back there was very brave."_

_"You really think so Takuya?"_

_"But of course! You're the bravest person I know. Not a lot of guys would stay behind and sacrifice themselves to save their best friend from danger."_

_"You don't understand Takuya. I didn't do it because you were in danger. I didn't do it to prove how brave or tough I am. I did it because I care about you. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you back there."_

_"There's no need to worry. You will never lose me. As long as you're here with me, nothing bad will ever happen to us. I promise you."_

_"Thanks Takuya."_

Man, this girl sure is pretty. Could it be that her name is Zoe? How does she know me? And I still don't even what she was talking about. The more clips I see, the more questions I come up with, and the more my head started to hurt. But for some reason the images not only looked real, but it felt real too. It's like I was actually there when it happened.

The next set of clips started playing. This time, we were in some kind of forest. And this Zoe girl had me in an embrace.

_"Takuya?"_

_"Yeah, what's up Z?"_

_"So... does that mean... you and I are, uh... um... Are we friends again?"_

_"No... Haven't you forgotten, Zoe? We're not just friends. You and I... are BEST friends."_

_"Oh, Takuya..." She sighed with a combination of relief and mild annoyance. But there seemed to be more joy in her tone than anything else._

_"Besides, you said it yourself. You and I make a great team... No... scratch that... You and I... we're a little more than a great team!"_

_"Takuya..."_

Looks like that this girl and I share some kind of special bond. Those were some very nice words I said to her. There was also some kind of tingly feeling in my heart the moment I saw her smile. Oh God, why can't I remember? Who is this girl? Why is there a special connection between her and me?

The next set of images was probably the most complex, yet most profound of all.

This girl and I were playing soccer with each other. At first, we both exchanged in being the striker and goalie. What followed next was me dumping cold water over her head, her singing in front of me and the two of us dancing under the moonlight. Finally, the flashback ended with the girl and me locking lips with one another. For some reason, I felt a tear in my eye.

All of the sudden, my head started to hurt. I fell on my knees and clutched my temple. There was also this strange pain inside my heart that got worse as time passed. Before I passed out from the intense agony, I was able to catch the last few words that came out of the girl's mouth.

_"Takuya! I love you!"_

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

They say sticks and stones may break bones, but words will never hurt. That didn't seemed to be the case for BurningGreymon. Zoe's last few words found a way inside the Beast Warrior's head and spread throughout his mind like a wildfire. BurningGreymon dropped the beaten human to the ground and clutched his aching cranium.

"AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" cried the fiery Digimon.

It was one of most painful headaches he's ever experienced. BurningGreymon fell on his knees in the middle of the chamber as the pain surpassed the threshold. On a scale of one to ten on how bad his headache was, it would be at one hundred.

"Takuya!" Zoe gasped with tears in her eyes.

It hurts her so to see her boyfriend in pain like this. It's even worse when she's the one who's causing it. The sight of BurningGreymon screaming in pain gave her goosebumps.

Finally, the Beast Warrior of Flame fell on all fours in submission. The agony was just too much for him. Fractal Code surrounded his body. Before long, the fiery Digimon transformed back to his human form. The teenage boy, still on his hands and knees, was panting heavily. His headache was still there, leaving the Bearer of Flame lost in confusion.

"Ta... Takuya?" Zoe gulped.

Regardless how much pain she was in, she managed to stand back on her feet and limped toward the boy she loves. It took her a while to get to him, especially since she hasn't fully recovered from all of the punishment she took from BurningGreymon's attacks. However, a part of her believed that the goggle-head had returned back to his original self. Once Zoe reached the Bearer of Flame, she placed a hand on his back.

"Takuya, are you alright?" She winced.

"Ugh, my head..."complained the teenage boy. He would've fallen on his face, if Zoe hadn't caught him in her arms.

"It's okay. It's alright, Takuya. I'm here for you." She consoled her best friend. "Everything's going to be fine. I'm so glad you're okay."

Meanwhile, an extremely annoyed IceLadyDevimon had just seen the entire thing. And it made her furious. Her fists were clenched so tight, the claws managed to dig underneath the superficial part of her skin. Then again, a small penetration like this was nothing, especially to a Digimon of her caliber. Anyway, Zoe's persistence, kind words and constant use of shared memories has almost broken her Frozen Spell.

_Almost_ being the key word.

Although the connection she had with the child has weakened, she felt like she could give in one last command. Her control over Takuya has been mostly broken, but there's no way this foolish and pitiful girl was going to get the last laugh. She will be the first to go. IceLadyDevimon will have her revenge on Zoe for being a thorn on her side for way too long.

"Haha! Hahahaha! HAHAHAHAHA!" cracked the frosty female.

The sound of laughing caught Zoe's attention. She shifted her eyes back toward the throne, where IceLadyDevimon was sitting on. Zoe had a feeling something was wrong. However, half of her consciousness was focused on Takuya, while the other half was still lost in a daze.

"What's so funny?" Zoe asked with a mixture of fear and confusion in her voice.

"I'll give you credit for lasting this long, you little brat! No one has come this close to breaking my mind control spell! You're really quite, relentless aren't you?"

IceLadyDevimon took a deep breath and sighed. The malicious look in her eyes has returned, and both of them were locked on to Zoe.

"Well, no more! Don't think you've won just yet, you annoying little pest! In fact... YOU'VE ALREADY LOST! NOW, MY MIND SLAVE, ATTACK!"

"AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!" The Bearer of Flame screamed.

The boy clutched his head once again and yelped in agony, feeling as if some kind of dark force was taking over his mind. Once again, the pain in his head has returned. The more he resisted, the worse it got. Takuya shoved Zoe aside, causing her to fall to the ground. She landed hard on her back, which worsened the pain in her spine. However, her eyes remained on Takuya. Zoe thought that she had helped him break IceLadyDevimon's control. But alas, it was no use.

Finally, the screaming has stopped. The Bearer of Flame's body loosened and his head hung low. Zoe got back on her knees and waited for some kind of response from her boyfriend. Beads of sweat glided down her face. She was trembling in her shoes. Zoe silently prayed to herself that the real Takuya would come back to her.

"As you command... my lady." spoke the possessed boy.

Takuya opened his eyes and faced the helpless girl. Zoe felt her heart turned to ice when she saw the bloodshot look in Takuya's eyes had returned.

"No! Takuya!" She gulped.

"The time has come! No more playing around, my pet! FINISH HER!" commanded the frosty female.

Takuya got down on one knee and picked up a seventeen inch icicle. The frozen dagger was cold to the touch, but extremely pointy at the end. It's sharp enough to penetrate human skin, dig deep into the flesh and cause significant damage to any internal organs and tissue that got in its way. And guess who the unfortunate victim is?

Zoe Orimoto.

Slowly, Takuya approached the defenseless, blonde beauty. Zoe crawled backwards on her arms and feet, trying to create separation between her and her mind controlled beloved. It wasn't long before she was backed into a wall. Her body was too weak and too hurt to move. There was nowhere for her to run or hide. This was surely the end for her.

"ZOE, GET OUT OF THERE!" Bokomon hollered with tears in his eyes.

"THIS IS BAD!" Neemon quivered before shielding his eyes so he wouldn't see his human friend's demise.

The controlled Takuya stood before his best friend, with the foot-and-a-half long icicle in his hand. Zoe looked back at Takuya's lifeless eyes. Her heart skipped a beat at what she had instantly noticed. Instead of maliciousness, wickedness and evilness, there was something else. Zoe leaned a little closer and noticed pain, sorrow, regret, and most of all, fear.

Could it be that he was trying to resist IceLadyDevimon's control on his own will?

"Takuya?" Zoe gulped. She then noticed the iced dagger in his hand and her heart instantly turned to stone.

"Takuya, no!"

"I'm sorry." The boy said, with more remorse than hostility.

He grabbed the powerless girl by the collar of her shirt and helped her back to her feet. Takuya then took the icicle in his hand and gently placed it on Zoe's cheek. The Bearer of Wind shuddered at the chilliness of the cold weapon. She knew her life would soon be over, and at the hands of the boy she loves. Takuya then slid the tip of the iced pick down from her face to her neck. It stopped in the middle of her chest, where her heart was located.

He then looked into Zoe's eyes, only to see her face wet with tears. A gasp of fear escaped her mouth. She gulped silently and shook her head, hoping that he would snap out of IceLadyDevimon's control. Takuya not only noticed the girl silent sobs, but he could feel them as well. His eyes began to water up, but not a single tear was shed.

"Takuya... please." Zoe begged one last time. "You love me, just like I love you. You even said it yourself. You promised that you will always love and protect me no matter what happens. I know you remember, Takuya. I believe in you. Please, Takuya... *gulp, sniff*... _Ti amo_!"

"I... I don't..." The boy tried to concentrate. "I don't remember... anything. Why? Why can't I remember?" He was interrupted by a finger on his lips. Zoe took a deep breath and sighed.

"If you don't remember anything, then remember _this_."

Zoe pulled Takuya's mouth to her lips, and gave him an affectionate, and possibly her last, kiss. She just hope that her last desperate attempt would work. If not, everything will be lost: The Digital World, all of her friends, her life, and Takuya... _her_ Takuya.

His eyes shot up even wider. He was awfully surprised at the girl's forward actions. But regardless of him being in a liplock with her, he remember IceLadyDevimon's orders. With the iced dagger still in his hand, he drew his arm back and took aim at the girl's heart. Zoe instantly noticed Takuya was about to stick the icicle into her. She closed her eyes and braced for the end. If she was going to die, then it would be in Takuya's arms.

And then suddenly, Takuya's mind flooded with thousands of happy, sad and loving memories.

He not only saw every image, he felt them too. Everything that Zoe had reminded him about was true. His eyes saw him acquiring the Spirit of Flames for the very first time, the tough battles against the evil Legendary Warriors, the showdown with Cherubimon, the royal knights and Lucemon. He even saw an image of himself, along with Zoe, Koji, Koichi, Tommy and J.P. all in great big group hug.

Then came the memories of him back in the Human World. He saw images of him hanging out with his friends, mostly Zoe. There was also the time when she sang in front of the entire middle school, the two of them dancing under the moonlight, and them having a picnic just before their second adventure in the Digital World had begun.

Next was memories of many Digimon they met in the Digital Battlefront. It was followed by all kinds of grueling battles against Malevomon and his army of evil Digimon. Takuya also saw him and Zoe acquiring the Spirits of Flame, Wind, Earth and Wood. There were more memories of them talking to each other, laughing with each other, arguing with each other, and fighting alongside each other.

The last set of clips was him and Zoe snuggling in each other's arms in the playground. He had given his best friend her first kiss, and she loved it. Those three words 'I love you' repeated continuously throughout his mind. And it only got louder each time. The kisses, the message of love, and the affection feelings combine was more than enough to break IceLadyDevimon's spell. The cold Digimon has no longer control of the Bearer of Flame.

"Mmmmm..." The two of them mumbled.

"No... NO!" growled IceLadyDevimon, smashing both armrests on her throne.

The icicle dagger in his slipped out of his hands and shattered to bits upon landing. Takuya wrapped his arms around his girlfriend and buried himself in her kissing. Zoe's eyes went up at his surprised display of passion. But that's when she knew that Takuya, _her_ Takuya, was back. She felt cold tears running down her cheeks. Zoe was flooded with emotions. But above everything else, she couldn't have been happier.

Finally, after what seemed like about an eternity, the two humans parted for air.

"Ta... Takuya?"

"Zoe?" The boy asked.

"OH, TAKUYA!" Zoe croaked. She gave him a great big hug and buried her head in his chest.

"I'm so glad... *sniff*... you're alright... KYAH!" The blonde hissed in pain before collapsing.

"ZOE!"

A shocked Takuya caught her and gently lowered the injured Zoe on the floor. He took a look at her and what he saw really disturbed him. Her golden hair was all over the place. Parts of her clothes had been smeared with dirt, ice and bits of rocks. There were scratches all over her arms, and bruises on her legs. Her breaths were rapid and shallow. Plus, every time she breathed or moved any part of her body, the pain would intensified, making her wince in agony.

"Zoe! Wh... What happened? Who did this to you?"

"Y... You don't remember?" His girlfriend asked.

Takuya tried to recollect his thoughts. The last thing he remembered was he and Zoe were in a battle against IceLadyDevimon. All he knew was getting trapped in a block of ice just before everything went black. He gazed into the emerald eyes of his girlfriend and shook his head.

"It's not your fault, Takuya. You didn't know what you were doing." said the young woman. Takuya's eyes widened when he got the message.

"Oh Zoe! I'm so sorry." The goggle-head sobbed. Tears of regret streamed down his face. The Bearer of Wind held her arm up and gently brushed Takuya's cheek.

"It's alright, Takuya. It's okay." sniveled Zoe. Her happiness masked the pain she was in. But Takuya still wasn't convinced.

"Okay? You call _this_ okay?" He demanded. "Look at you Zoe! You're injured! You can barely stand! And you're telling me everything's okay?"

He stopped screaming at her when he noticed Zoe was on the verge of breaking down. She was hurt enough already, and his outburst wasn't making the situation any better. In order to keep her from crying, Takuya held her up and wrapped his arms around her slender body. His comfort quietly wiped away the tears in her eyes. It took a while. But after all of the commotion, fights and punishment she took, Zoe was finally able to smile.

"Zoe, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to mean yell at yo..."

"Shh..." The Bearer of Wind covered Takuya's lips with her index finger. "Hold me."

Takuya complied with her request and held on to the girl of his dreams, never wanting to let go. He wish he could stay in this position from now until the end of time. The sweet smell of her eased his troubled mind. Takuya followed up with a couple of pecks on her forehead. Zoe trembled at his touch, but later on relaxed when she realized how much this boy truly loves her.

Takuya loved the sound of her sweet voice. He looked back and the first thing he saw was her puffy, wet, emerald eyes. Takuya placed a warm hand on Zoe's cheeks to wipe away all of the tears and wet marks that remained on her face. The young woman gasped when Takuya's soft hand made contact with her cheek. She placed her hand on top of his, trying hard to fight back the rest of the tears. One or two more happened to come out, but it was tears of joy and happiness instead.

"There's no need to apologize Takuya. I know it wasn't your fault. I'm just so happy you're here with me right now. I love you so much... my Takuya."

"Oh Zoe, I..."

*CRASH*

The sound of solid ice shattering entered both human's ears. They turned back to the center of the room and saw an angry IceLadyDevimon stomping towards them. The cold Digimon showed the children her sharp claws, which she intended to use when dismantle her victims. But what was even scarier was the glare on her face. It was even more terrifying than before. They had an idea how frustrated she was.

"You little brats! This is outrageous! No one has ever broken free from my spell! _Nobody_! You pathetic humans have caused me way too much trouble! This game has gone on long enough! I should've ended this stupid contest a while ago! Well, now it's time for me to finally destroy you pitiful wimps, once and for all!" barked IceLadyDevimon.

Takuya quickly got to his feet and stepped in between the evil Digimon and the injured Zoe.

"You're the one that's going to get beat, IceLadyDevimon! You will pay dearly for what you did to Zoe!" The fire in his eyes angered the frozen female. She gritted her teeth and clenched both of her fist. Even though her entire body's made of ice, there was steam coming out of her head.

"Unforgivable! UNFORGIVABLE! KYYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

IceLadyDevimon swung her arms at the children and created another powerful wind to use as her attack. The gale force was so strong, neither Takuya nor Zoe could keep their balance. They were both caught in the current and their feet were lifted off the ground. Finally, the wind pushed the two humans backwards until their backs crashed into the wall. A mild grunt came out of Takuya, while a squeal of pain shrieked out of Zoe. The two teenagers slumped down and fell to the ground.

It only took seconds for Takuya to recover. He looked back to where Zoe had fallen. The goggle-head gasped in fear when he saw her lying motionlessly on the canvas. The teenage boy crawled toward the nearly lifeless girl and rested her head on his lap.

"Zoe? Zoe, wake up! Zoe!" Takuya cried, lightly shaking her body and hoping for her consciousness to return. The injured young woman slowly came to and her eyes met his.

"Hey Takuya." She smiled so her boyfriend couldn't detect the pain she was in. Then again, Takuya clearly noticed. He held onto her tight and allowed his girl to melt in his arms.

"Zoe, are you're alright?"

She nodded her head for several seconds. But when Takuya's unsatisfied eyes remained, her head moved from left to right instead.

"Sorry, Takuya. IceLadyDevimon is too powerful. I could not beat her. I don't think... *sniff... I can fight anymore."

"Shh... don't talk. Everything's going to be okay, Zoe. Just hang in there." Takuya consoled. "I'm not letting IceLadyDevimon hurt you again, you hear me? I promise, I'll get that witch if it's the last I do."

"Thank you, Takuya..." Zoe sighed before her eyes gave in. She then passed out in his embrace.

After Zoe lost consciousness, the Bearer of Flame carried her toward the edge of the room and gently rested on the ground. Once he had confidence that she's at a safe distance away from the potential fight, Takuya stood back up and gave IceLadyDevimon a glare that made her cringe. It was the look that her 'former' mind slave would give to Kazemon before beating her to a pulp. Only this time, Takuya had the same eyes lock on to her.

"Nobody does this to my friends and gets away with it!" He growled as he approached the frozen Digimon. He took one step forward, which made IceLadyDevimon take a step back. Moments later, Takuya has reached the center of the room, with his D-Tector gripped tight in his hand.

"You humans have annoyed me for the last time! I will destroy both of you off quickly, cut up you bodies into tiny pieces and serve them to Lord Malevomon on a platter! I heard that the master has a taste for scrumptious humans like you! HAHAHAHAHA!"

"That ain't going to happen!" declared Takuya. "You've hurt my friends, and my best friend! I can never forgive you for that! If there's anyone here that's going to be destroyed... IT'S YOU! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

A body of fire completely covered the boy's body. The heatwaves melted away every ice in the Crystal Caverns. Long strips of Fractal Code surrounded the fiery wall. Takuya held out his D-Tector out in front as the Spirits of Flame awakened. The power in his device unleashed its full potential.

*Insert Song: With The Will*

A bluish sketch of the Human Spirit of Flame traced on the black screen of Takuya's D-Tector. But at the same time, an outline of a red beast opened its jaw and snapped towards the fourth wall. Finally, the Human Spirit and Beast Spirit of Flame overlapped one another on Takuya's D-Tector. His device shined brightly in his right hand. Takuya then reached forward with his left hand and a large ball of Fractal Code enclosed his palm. After a few quick arm swings and stretches, Takuya brought his D-Tector and the ball of data together.

"EXECUTE, NOW!" He hollered. He swiped the ball of Fractal Code with the scanner on top of the D-Tector. "FUSION EVOLUTION!"

A long stream of data spiraled around the boy's body. Takuya's could feel both the Human and Beast Spirit of Flame awakening inside him. The boy felt a surge of energy completely taking over his body. He unleashed a loud roar during the transformation, signifying how much energy and power is consuming his body. He could feel the two Spirits coming together and combining their energies to become one. His arms, legs, head and his entire body were slowly changing into the Legendary Spirits of Flame.

It wasn't long before the transformation was complete. The cocoon of Fractal Code exploded, revealing a newly fused monster ready to fight. The Digimon created a fireball twice the size of a watermelon and shot it in front of him. A wall of fire surrounded the creature's body, giving the Hybrid Warrior the final touches of his transformation. When it subsided, the Digimon stood tall and screamed from the top of his throat.

"ALDAMON!"

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter thirty-five.<strong>

**At last, Takuya is finally free from IceLadyDevimon's mind control. Now that the Bearer of Flame is back, can he stand up against the fallen angel? Or will the evil Digimon encapsulate the Chosen Children in ice? These questions will be answered in the next action packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	36. Cold Conclusion

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Kazemon got destroyed by BurningGreymon. She fought hard, but the Beast of Flame was just too powerful. Zoe tried one last time to get Takuya back by reminding him about the fun and loving memories they shared together. But the thing that broke IceLadyDevimon's spell was a passionate kiss. Thanks to Zoe's actions, Takuya was finally back to normal. On the other hand, that made IceLadyDevimon very angry. She attacked both of the humans and even knocked Zoe unconsciousness. But now, the fallen angel has to deal with the Bearer of Flame, who's fighting for more than just his friends.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter thirty-six!**

* * *

><p><strong>Cold Conclusion<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"ALDAMON!"

The Hybrid Digimon stepped to the middle of the room and unleashed a thunderous roar. It was so loud, the cave itself shook violently in order to match the tremendous vibrations of Aldamon's scream. And not only that, the temperature inside the cavern has spiked. The ice in the chamber turned to liquid due to the intense heat. The sharp icicles above had lost their points, thanks to Aldamon's appearance.

Even IceLadyDevimon could feel the massive intensity of the heatwaves surrounding the fiery Digimon. Beads of cold sweat fell down her face. She knew a Hybrid Digimon, such as Aldamon, possessed immense power. He was much stronger than Agunimon and BurningGreymon combined. But then again, this was more than the fallen angel had expected. If she wasn't careful, it could prove costly.

After a few moments of admiring the fiery Hybrid, a wide smirk appeared from cheek to cheek on IceLadyDevimon's face. A subtle laugh escaped her mouth, which only grew louder with each passing second. She had a feeling that she's going to have so much fun playing with this Digimon, as well as make him suffer, just like his girlfriend.

Finally, the fallen angel chuckled maniacally. Aldamon dropped in his stance and waited for IceLadyDevimon to attack. But instead, she slowly made her way toward the fiery Warrior. The increased heatwaves surrounding Aldamon didn't intimidate, nor stopped IceLadyDevimon. She loved the thrill of facing and brutally defeating a strong Digimon such as him. He was going to make a fine trophy to her collection.

"Astounding!" She giggled. "Could it be that I've finally found an adversary worth destroying?"

"You sure love to flatter yourself, don't you?" Aldamon growled.

"Of course! When you're as strong as I am, it's easy to look down upon others who are inferior to you! Take your pathetic girlfriend over there!"

IceLadyDevimon pointed her toward the unconscious Zoe, who laid motionlessly on the rocky surface. Of course, this made the fiery Hybrid very angry. It's one thing to insult him. But whenever someone made fun of his beloved, that's usually crossing the line.

"She was foolish enough to challenge me! Who does she think she is? That weakling of yours got exactly what she deserved! Hahahaha!" Her laughs was starting to get on Legendary Warrior's nerves.

"Stop it!" Aldamon grumbled.

"Oh, I wish I could savor the cries of her in agony, the pitiful look of defeat she had on her face when I humiliated her, the way she begged me not to..."

"ENOUGH!" declared the angry Hybrid.

He couldn't stand hearing this frozen creature's voice any longer. It was time someone melt this witch all the way to the ground. The cannons on his arms made a 180° turn and opened up to commence firing mode. His blasters glowed with a fiery red color and gathered energy inside. The awesome power of heat and flame assembled in the fiery Warrior's weapons. Finally, the cannons reached its full capacity and Aldamon locked on to the icy Digimon.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR HURTING ZOE! ATOMIC INFERNO!"

Aldamon unleashed his hostility and rapidly punched his arms towards the fallen angel. Hundreds of fireballs released itself from the Hybrid's cannons and zoomed toward IceLadyDevimon. However the frosty Digimon gave the fiery Hybrid a soft yawn of disinterest. It was obvious that she saw that attack coming a mile away.

"You fool! You'll have to do better than that!"

In a flash, her body disappeared from sight. Aldamon's fireballs sailed across the room and crashed into a nearby wall, creating a number of explosions on impact. The Legendary Warrior drew his arm back and anxiously waited for IceLadyDevimon to reappear again. He scanned his surroundings, searching for any signs of the evil Digimon.

Suddenly, a tingling feeling at the base of his skull alerted Aldamon that his opponent was nearby.

What he didn't see was IceLadyDevimon closing the distance. She was prepared to slash the fiery Hybrid with her sharp claws. The cold Digimon went for a horizontal slice across her opponent's upper body. But Aldamon was able to sense the sneak attack. Allowing instincts to take over his body, he got down to a squat position. Aldamon successfully evaded IceLadyDevimon's blindside move.

That also meant that the enemy was within striking range.

Aldamon turned around and went for a vicious elbow to the temple of IceLadyDevimon. But the fallen angel leaned back and was able to avoid Aldamon's attack. The fiery Digimon then surged forward and unleashed a torrent of punches toward the enemy's head and midsection. IceLadyDevimon smirked as she easily dodged one hand strike after another. While Aldamon was relentless, he wasn't able to land a single blow.

"What's wrong? Don't tell me you're getting tired already." mocked IceLadyDevimon.

"SHUT UP!" Aldamon ordered.

He rotated his body and went for a spinning heel kick to the side of his opponent. Just before his foot can make contact, IceLadyDevimon faded away. Aldamon's foot hit nothing but empty space. After regaining his footing, the Hybrid looked over his right shoulder. He was able to see IceLadyDevimon closing the distance and going for a slash across his chest. Her nails made three slash marks across Aldamon's armor. While no significant damage was done, he still could feel the effects of IceLadyDevimon's attack.

Aldamon stumbled back before returning to his defensive stance. Now it was IceLadyDevimon's turn to strike. She swung her claws toward fiery Digimon, trying to cut through his armor and cause some major damage. Aldamon held his arms up and used his cannons to block IceLadyDevimon's sharp attacks. The frozen creature scratched the surface of his blaster with her long nails.

Even though Aldamon successfully blocked IceLadyDevimon's strikes, the transfer of energy from her attacks to his forearms still affected the fiery Hybrid. He could feel some bruises on his upper extremities. But sadly, the fallen angel showed no signs of stopping. It wasn't long before the evil Digimon backed Aldamon into a wall. She then sped up her attack, trying to take advantage of her opponent.

The fiery beast couldn't defend himself much longer. His arms gave in and dropped to his side. IceLadyDevimon saw the opening she was looking for. She pulled her right arm back. Her claw transformed into a long spike. Finally, she brought her sharp, pointed weapon forward and took aim at Aldamon's chest.

Fortunately, the Legendary Warrior was conscious enough shift his body to the side, enabling him to dodge the potential deathblow by a few inches. With her victim out of the way, IceLadyDevimon's spike got stuck in the cavern walls. Aldamon gave his opponent a sidekick to the stomach. The fallen angel stumbled backwards toward the center of the chamber. But she was able to regain her balance returning to her stance. Aldamon finally regained his strength and he too got back in position.

"My, my! I haven't had this much fun in a long time!"

"Underestimating me again, aren't you?" Aldamon glowered.

"I never do, young man! I just love to play with my opponents, before destroying them!"

"Really? Then let me ask you something, IceLadyDevimon! How come you're always treating every fight like it's some kind of game?"

"Hahaha! It goes like this! Every Digimon in this world has one purpose! And that is it get stronger! The Digital World is no place for weaklings such as yourself and your pathetic friends! It's the way of life! In order to get strong, one must defeat Digimon after Digimon, until one of them beats you! That's why I am one of the most power beings in all of the Digital World! Not a single Digimon has even come close to surpass my power! Hahaha!"

"Wow, you're sick!"

"Say what you like! But you'll see! In life, there are winners, and there are losers! The winners get stronger and live to fight another day! And the losers..."

She turned to the unconscious teenage girl slumped against the wall. "... well, they end up just like her!"

"We'll see about that!" growled Aldamon.

"Bring it on, fool!"

"ATOMIC INFERNO!" ||| "WINTER'S WING!"

The blasters on Aldamon's arms glowed once again. The energy inside his weapons finally had reached its peak. He took aim and fired a barrage of fireballs toward his opponent. At the same time, IceLadyDevimon flapped her wings and released countless of iced bats from her center. She commanded her servants to devour the fiery Hybrid standing before her.

Not one of them got within ten feet of their opponents. The fire rockets nailed every frozen creatures and exploded on impact. Coincidentally, the number of fireballs Aldamon shot were equal to the number of bats that IceLadyDevimon had summoned. After a minute of standstill, the barrage of attacks came to a halt. The Digimon of Flame and the fallen angel stared each other down.

"Hmph! How naïve! Don't you know all you're doing is delaying the inevitable?" laughed IceLadyDevimon.

"Say what you want! But I won't stop until you pay for hurting my friends! I will never forgive you for what you did to Zoe!" growled Aldamon

"Hahahaha! Silly boy! I have nothing to do with your pathetic girlfriend's demise!"

"Stop lying to me, you witch! KYYAAAHHHH!"

Aldamon charged forward and went for a vicious right hook to the temple. IceLadyDevimon grinned before disappearing from sight. The Hybrid missed his attack completely and almost stumbled to the floor. The cold Digimon reappeared behind her opponent and widened her smirk. She had an opening to attack, but she decided to have some fun for a little bit.

"What happened to your friend was unfortunate! Entertaining, but unfortunate! But I can assure you, I've been sitting on my throne while..."

"ATOMIC INFERNO!"

The Warrior rapidly punched his cannons forward, sending a ton of fireballs toward IceLadyDevimon's direction. But the evil Digimon twirled in place like a ballerina and evaded all of the fireballs in a single rotation. She flicked her white, icy hair off of her shoulder and unleashed a subtle, unenthusiastic sigh.

"I'm not the one who tossed your girlfriend around like a rag doll or beat her to a pulp, darling! It was you!"

Aldamon was taken aback by IceLadyDevimon's _delirious_ accusations. He was the one who attacked Zoe? That must be the most ridiculous thing he has ever heard. There was absolutely no way he did that to his beloved. He even made a promise to her that he will never hurt her.

"Me? What are you talking about?" He demanded.

"Silly me! Of course! How could I've forgotten?" snickered IceLadyDevimon. "My mind slaves usually have no recollection of what happened while they were under my control!"

"Mind slave? When was I one of _your_ mind slaves?"

"Haha! Hahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"ANSWER ME! KYYAAAHHHH!" ordered the fiery Digimon.

Not able to listen to her laughter any longer, he unleashed his Atomic Inferno at his opponent once again. But IceLadyDevimon stood her ground and smiled. Every single one of Aldamon's fireballs passed by the fallen angel and exploded when they crashed into the wall behind her. Instead of shutting her up, Aldamon's missed attack only made her chuckles much louder.

"Temper!" She wagged her finger at the Legendary Warrior. "If you wanted to see what happened to your puny girlfriend, all you have to do is ask!"

IceLadyDevimon waved her hands around as she worked her magic once again. Aldamon waited anxiously and patiently for his opponent to speak. As much as he wanted to attack this psychotic witch, he was a bit curious about what IceLadyDevimon's words.

"I should warn you, though! You're not going to like what you see! So, I'll give you one last chance to reconsider!" The fallen angel smirked.

The fiery Digimon remained silent.

"Alright! Suit yourself!"

Finally, a ball of crystallized ice started to form beside IceLadyDevimon. It was no bigger than a basketball. Aldamon got in his defensive stance and anticipated for some kind of attack. But nothing happened. IceLadyDevimon had no intention of attacking the Hybrid just yet. Although, seeing the Legendary Warrior tense up amused the fallen angel. Moments later, the crystal ball was complete. IceLadyDevimon levitated the frozen sphere toward Aldamon until it was at his eye level.

The fiery Digimon gazed at the icy sphere. At first, he couldn't see anything but his own reflection. Aldamon was beginning to think that this is some kind of trick. All of the sudden, the insides of the crystal ball were then filled with thick clouds of murky smoke. For a brief second, Aldamon leered back at IceLadyDevimon just be sure she wasn't going to attack him while he was temporarily distracted. However, she nodded her head and allowed the fiery Digimon to proceed with his observations. Aldamon sighed before refocusing his attention back to the crystal ball.

The smoke inside the frozen sphere began to subside. Soon, the first set of images began to reveal itself. Aldamon's eyes widened at what he saw.

"Oh my God! Zoe!" The fiery Digimon said to himself.

The crystal ball revealed Agunimon and Kazemon battling each other. Upon further inspection, Agunimon was more of the aggressor while Kazemon was doing her best to defend herself, let alone stay alive. Aldamon knew that was him fighting his best friend, yet he refused to believe it. He began to feel pain inside his chest every time he would land a punch, a kick or one of his fiery attacks on the Warrior of Wind.

The pain only got worse when he watched Kazemon coughing for air, screaming in pain and crying in anguish. The next thing he saw was Agunimon grabbing the female Warrior by her neck and lifting her off the ground. Aldamon could feel his skull pounding as the voices in his head replayed the blurry, yet horrific events.

_"Takuya... *cough*... please... Let me... *cough*... go!"_

_"Hehe! You're even cuter when you're suffering like this! Hearing you squirm is music to my ears! Too bad for you... it all ends here!"_

_"No... Takuya, stop… fight it... Please, Takuya... *cough* I... I lov... uh... "_

_"HAHAHA! That was so much fun! Too bad, all good things must come to an end! And that includes you, girly! Now, my servant... FINISH HER!"_

_"Time to end this! Goodbye! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"_

Aldamon fell on his knees and clutched his aching skull. He shook his head in denial. Although the feeling was real, he couldn't believe that he would do this to his own girlfriend. He would never do such terrible things. He promised her that he would never hurt her and would always protect her. But sadly, the sickening images he saw in the icy ball were hard to deny.

"No! This is not real! I would never!" Aldamon argue with herself.

"Ah, but you did, young man! I was there! Your girlfriend was there! Even you were there to witness her destruction! Unfortunately, you're the only one who refused to accept reality and... "

"Stop it! It's a lie! This is all just a trick to let my guard down!" The Legendary Warrior declared.

"Too bad this isn't a trick! Everything you saw has actually happened! You deliberately beat up your own girlfriend, without any remorse!"

"No! I can't believe it! I _won't_ believe it!" Aldamon clutched his head with both of his hands. His migraine not only returned, but it has gotten worse.

"Oh, but there's more!" teased IceLadyDevimon.

She snapped her fingers and the crystal ball before the Legendary Warrior once again filled the insides up with smoke. As the frozen sphere began to conjure up the next set of images, the broken Aldamon shifted his attention back to the semiconscious blonde girl, who wasn't moving nor breathing. His eyes began to water but he refused to let the tears fall. Then again, the possibility of him attacking the girl he loves crept in the back of his mind, making the task of holding back his tears hard to accomplish.

Finally, the smoke inside the crystal ball faded and the next set of clips displayed itself in front of the Legendary Warrior.

When Aldamon refocused his attention back to the sphere, he saw himself transform into the Beast Warrior of Flame. He knew that the damage to his beloved was doubled every time he connected with one of his attacks. The fight was so one-sided and so brutal, he couldn't bear to watch it. Kazemon's shrieks of pain were much louder than before. It rang throughout his ears, making the migraines more agonizing. Worst of all, the flashbacks were even more real than the last one.

_"Aw, poor baby! Just look at you! How pathetic! You are, by far, the weakest Legendary Warrior of all!" _

_"Ta... Takuya..."_

_"Stop sniveling, you puny little..."_

_"OOF! *cough, cough*"_

_"Hahahahahaha!"_

_"Takuya... *cough*... please..."_

_"Let's end this! AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH! WILDFIRE TSUNAMI!"_

_"Takuya... no... KKKKKYYYYYAAAAAHHHHH!"_

As the Beast Warrior of Flame unleashed his blazed attack on the defenseless Kazemon, the crystallized ball of ice shattered and fell on the ground. However, the damage had already been done. The pain was too unbearable. Aldamon collapsed on all fours and felt his head was being squeezed in a vice. It only got worse when Zoe's agonizing shrieks echoed in his mind. Aldamon shook his head left and right in disbelief and in shame.

"No... NOOOOOOOOOO!" Aldamon cried.

"Yes... YEEEEEEEEEES!" mocked IceLadyDevimon. "Drink it in! Relish it! Embrace it!"

"Stop it! This is not real! This is just an illusion! I would never attack Zoe!"

"Hehe, but you did young man! You can deny it all you like! But in reality, you are the one responsible for your pathetic girlfriend's destruction! You are the one who did this to her!"

"SHUT UP!"

"What you saw was no illusion! It is the real thing! Hahaha! Nothing like watching two best friends fight and destroy each other! And as an added bonus, they turned out to be boyfriend and girlfriend! Talk about hitting the jackpo..."

"ENOUGH! JUST... LEAVE ME ALONE!" Aldamon shouted while raising his voice with e very word that came out of his mouth.

His couldn't contain his anger any longer. He held his hands up in the air and gathered all of the heat energy within the Crystal Caverns. The assembled energy he collected started to take form and expand, creating an extremely dense and powerful fireball.

"Great, here we go again." sighed IceLadyDevimon.

"I'VE HAD ABOUT ENOUGH OF YOUR TRICKS, YOU WITCH!" Aldamon hollered with rage and frustration.

"NOW, TAKE THIS! SOLAR WIND DESTROYER!"

With all of his strength, the Legendary Warrior heaved the giant fireball toward IceLadyDevimon. The fallen angel faded away, just as the fireball got off Aldamon's hands. It crashed into a couple of stalagmites on the other side of the chamber, causing them to explode into tiny pebbles.

IceLadyDevimon reappeared after the massive explosion had subside, only to see Aldamon getting set up for another Solar Wind Destroyer. The fiery beast took aim and threw it towards his opponent. The devil-like Digimon once again disappeared to evade the attack. However, Aldamon's fireball slammed into IceLadyDevimon's throne. The seat burst into fragments of ice. The evil Digimon reappeared once again to Aldamon's right.

"Great! There goes my best seat!" She groaned underneath her voice. "Oh well, I was considering redecorating and..."

"KKYYYYAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! SOLAR WIND DESTROYER!" cried the fiery Digimon.

"Uh-oh!"

IceLadyDevimon realized she had let her guard down for a split second. Aldamon formed another giant ball of fire and tossed it at his opponent. IceLadyDevimon quickly teleported herself from one side of the room to the other.

Meanwhile, Aldamon's fireball was heading straight towards another rock formation located somewhere on the western portion of the cave. It turns out that Bokomon and Neemon were hiding behind those rocks. When the two Rookies peeped out their heads, they too saw the ginormous fireball coming their way.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Both Digimon shouted before scurrying out of the way.

They dove towards the ground and covered their heads to protect themselves from any kind of debris. The fireball crashed into the rocks and exploded on impact, sending bits of rock and pebble in every direction. Miraculously, not a single piece of stone nailed Bokomon or Neemon. Once the debris had cleared, the yellow rabbit wiped the dirt and grime off his pants. Bokomon, on the other hand, had his eyes toward the fiery Digimon.

"WATCH IT, TAKUYA! WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO? FRY US?"

"I don't think he hears you." Neemon pointed out.

"Who asked you?" Bokomon huffed.

IceLadyDevimon reappeared back on the battlefield, apparently unscathed. However, she was a split-second late in her reaction when she tried to avoid Aldamon's attack. The fireball did get a piece of her white hair and a portion of her right wing. But the flames went out in an instant, due to the freezing temperature of her body. On the other hand, Aldamon has scored a hit on her, and she did not like it one bit.

"Why that little brat..." grumbled IceLadyDevimon.

"One more time. This time, I'll get her for sure." Aldamon said to himself. He put his hands together to create another fireball. As he got ready to unleash another one of his attacks, IceLadyDevimon locked on to her target.

"Let's end this game! WINTER'S WING!"

"AAAHHHHHH! SOLAR WIND DESTROYER!"

IceLadyDevimon released her army of bats the same time Aldamon threw his gigantic fireball. The two attacks collided with one another in the center of the room. Neither one of IceLadyDevimon's bats stood a chance against the massive heatwaves of Aldamon's fireball. They melted like butter and fell to the ground in tiny pools of waters.

As for the Hybrid, his fireballs kept their form and zoomed straight toward the evil Digimon. IceLadyDevimon disappeared to avoid the getting hit. The fiery Warrior had anticipated that would be her move once his attacks got close to her. When Aldamon saw his opponent was out of sight, he quickly rushed toward the center of the chamber.

The fallen angel reappeared back on the battlefield, right in front of the charging Hybrid Warrior. His sudden approached had startled her. She reacted by stomping her foot on the ground. Frozen particles from the canvas began to take shape, creating a large wall of ice between her and the fiery Digimon. But that didn't stop Aldamon. The amused IceLadyDevimon looked on and grinned.

"Haha! It's no use." She snickered. "I've gathered the strongest, hardest ice substance around me, and I've fused them together to create this ultimate defens... UUUGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!"

IceLadyDevimon never got to finish her declaration. That's because Aldamon plowed through the barrier and slammed his shoulder into his opponent's chest, like a raging bull. The Hybrid Digimon rammed the evil Digimon from one side of the cave to the other, until IceLadyDevimon's back crashed into the wall behind her.

Aldamon then unleashed a series of punches to the cornered witch's head and body. IceLadyDevimon tried to put up her arms to fend off of Aldamon's attacks, but the fiery Digimon was too fast.

Finally, the fiery Hybrid grabbed IceLadyDevimon by the neck and tossed her back to the center of the chamber. The cold Digimon bounced on the rocky canvas a couple of times before getting back to a vertical base. However, Aldamon had already closed the distance, ready to unleash another set of attacks. He started off with a vicious left hook to IceLadyDevimon's cheek, followed by right hook to her jaw. After that, an uppercut to the chin, with a few more hooks to the face afterwards.

Each one of his punches were stronger than the last. IceLadyDevimon could feel her cheekbone and her mandible on the verge of breaking. Unfortunately for her, the fiery Digimon showed no signs of stopping. He delivered one more straight punch to her nose, causing her to collapse to the ground.

"Do you have any idea what you did to me? DO YOU?" Aldamon growled.

He unleashed another powerful punch to his opponent's jaw, causing one or two teeth to loosen out of place. Next, they fiery Digimon gave her a brutal knee to the gut, forcing IceLadyDevimon to double over. Aldamon then grabbed the gagging female by her white hair and delivered a huge headbutt to her skull. This time, Aldamon was able to knock a few teeth out of IceLadyDevimon's mouth. The evil Digimon fell on her face after the hard shots she had took.

The furious Aldamon then grabbed the collar of her dress and lifted the fallen angel off of the ground. Aldamon spun around to gain some momentum before smashing IceLadyDevimon into a nearby stalagmite. The rock formation broke apart and the evil Digimon groaned in pain.

With his hand still tight around her collar, the Hybrid flapped his orange wings and few towards the top of the cave. Once there, he rammed his opponent into the ceiling, making a huge dent above. Finally, Aldamon dove downwards and slammed the evil Digimon hard on the canvas. IceLadyDevimon fidgeted in pain after taking such brutal punishment.

Aldamon then took a couple of steps back and opened up the blasters on his arms.

"TAKE THIS! ATOMIC INFERNO!"

By punching rapidly, he released thousands of fireballs toward the enemy. IceLadyDevimon opened her eyes and saw the fiery attacks coming right towards her. She rolled out of the line of fire and sprung back to her feet. The devil-like Digimon returned to a defensive position. The first thing she noticed was Aldamon coming towards her with another attempt at a frontal attack.

This time, she was ready. When the Hybrid Digimon went for straight punch to her face, she instantly grabbed his arm and tossed the fiery Digimon over her head. Aldamon crashed into the cavern walls, just a couple of yards away from the passed out Zoe. He slumped down the rocks and fell to the ground. IceLadyDevimon stomped towards the Hybrid. She unceremoniously spat out any broken teeth that were in his mouth.

"You're very angry, you know!" She teased.

"Why you..." grimaced the fiery Digimon.

"But I must admit that you're a lot stronger than that other human! This will make my victory so much sweeter!"

"You won't win!" Aldamon declared as he got back to a vertical base.

"Of course I will! This cave shall become your grave! And because I'm in such a generous mood, I'll place you right beside your girlfriend. That way, both of you can rest in peace together! HAHAHAHA!"

"NOT A CHANCE!"

Aldamon charged toward the evil Digimon. IceLadyDevimon timed his movements perfectly and sidestepped out of the way. But not before giving the fiery beast a grueling knee to the stomach. Aldamon flipped in the air before landing on his back. As he clutched his injured midsection, IceLadyDevimon leaped in the air, before drilled her feet into Aldamon's gut, damaging his ribs even further. A loud grunt of pain escaped Aldamon's mouth.

Still on top of her opponent, IceLadyDevimon transformed her arm into a pointed lance. She took aim at Aldamon's head and brought her arm forward. The Hybrid Digimon saw the sharp spike coming towards him and reacted by rolling to his right side. IceLadyDevimon redrew her weapon and tried stabbing her target once again. This time, Aldamon rolled to his left to avoid the blow.

Back and forth they went. IceLadyDevimon was persistent with her attacks, but Aldamon was lucky enough to dodge each one by a few feet.

Meanwhile, Bokomon and Neemon headed towards the unconscious Zoe Orimoto while Aldamon and IceLadyDevimon continued with their fight. Each Rookie level Digimon knelt by the teenage girl's side. They both shook Zoe's body, hoping that she would open her eyes. Bokomon tried slapping her face lightly, while Neemon went as far as tickling her.

Moments later, Zoe's consciousness had returned.

"Ugh... Bokomon?" She groaned.

"Zoe! Oh thank goodness! You're alive!" The mutant Digimon rejoiced. He wrapped his little arms around his human friend and gave her the biggest hug he could give. Zoe smiled, regardless of the pain she was in.

"Hey! No fair! I want a hug too!" Neemon complained.

"For what, you moron?" Bokomon moaned.

"For being such a good friend?"

"Oh hush up."

"Um... guys? Where's Takuya?" The Bearer of Wind asked.

"TAKE THIS! HYYAAAHHHH!" An evil voice shouted.

Zoe shifted her attention back to the fight between Aldamon and IceLadyDevimon. The cold creature drew her arm back and tried stabbing the Warrior in the chest. But Aldamon held his arm up and blocked the lance with his blasters. Aldamon parried the weapon to the side and delivered a front kick to her belly. The force of the kick knocked IceLadyDevimon back. However, she kept her balance and returned to her stance. Aldamon kipped up and charged at his opponent.

"Takuya..." She quietly said to herself.

Aldamon delivered a pair of hooks to IceLadyDevimon's head. But she ducked out of the way, causing the Hybrid Warrior to hit nothing but air. As she sprung back up, IceLadyDevimon delivered a huge uppercut to Aldamon's chin. The fiery Digimon sailed upward and crashed into the ceiling. Gravity finally got a hold of his body as the fiery Digimon fell down to the ground. Aldamon landed hard with a thud, making a huge crater upon impact.

As the fiery beast tried to recover, IceLadyDevimon approached the wounded Warrior. She used her left hand to grab Aldamon's neck. IceLadyDevimon held him off the ground and squeezed tight on his throat, cutting off the air supply to his brain.

"Hahaha! Victory is mine!" laughed the evil Digimon.

"N... Never!" coughed Aldamon. He tried to shake free, but IceLadyDevimon's grip was too tight.

"Game over, Legendary Wimp! It's over! I win!" IceLadyDevimon drew her spiked hand back.

"TAKUYA, NO!" Bokomon shouted.

"THIS IS TERRIBLE!" Neemon stated.

Zoe, on the other hand, was speechless. She wanted to help, but could not find the strength to move. IceLadyDevimon is about to finish her boyfriend off and there was nothing she can do. She was in no condition to fight, especially after that huge beating she took after facing her 'mind-controlled' boyfriend. And if that wasn't enough, she didn't have her Spirits with her. What good is she without them? All she can do was pray and hope that her beloved would somehow get out of this mess.

"Any last words?" mocked the frozen female.

"Yeah, just one..." Aldamon managed to say. IceLadyDevimon then saw a huge grin on the Warrior's face. But before she could react...

"BURN!"

Suddenly, Aldamon's entire body was covered in scorching hot flames. The increased level of heat intensity around him made IceLadyDevimon let go of his neck. But that's not all. He left behind a significant burn on her hand. Aldamon landed back on his feet and launched another barrage of rocketing fireballs at the fallen angel.

All of his attacks were on target. One by one, the projectiles exploded upon impact against the IceLadyDevimon's body. Each explosion knocked the Ultimate level Digimon backwards until she crashed against the unforgiving cavern walls.

But the Legendary Warrior was far from finished. He dove towards the dazed opponent with his fists clenched tight. IceLadyDevimon shook off the dizziness in her head and dropped back in her defensive position. But she couldn't react fast enough to Aldamon's barrage of hand strikes. The Hybrid gave IceLadyDevimon a brutal punch to the face, a stiff uppercut to the midsection and a ferocious headbutt to the jaw, knocking IceLadyDevimon off of her feet.

As Aldamon continued to relentlessly pound the living daylights out of his opponent, Zoe looks on with fright.

"Takuya..." She gulped.

The blonde has seen Takuya fight countless of times. There were moments where he showed a lot of emotion during the fights. However, this battle was different. Takuya's not just defeating IceLadyDevimon. He's destroying her. Zoe shook her head with fear and disappointment. Her boyfriend's not fighting out of justice. He's fighting for revenge after what IceLadyDevimon made him do.

"Takuya, please. Stop..." She quietly begged.

But her words couldn't reach him. Aldamon tossed IceLadyDevimon back to the center of the room. She was a complete mess after taking all of the Hybrid's punches. Her right cheek was swollen and her mandible seemed to be broken. Her midsection was tender and her spine appeared to be fractured. Aldamon has beaten her to the point beyond recognition. Unfortunately for IceLadyDevimon, the fiery Digimon refused to cease his attacks until there wasn't a single trace of life left.

"TAKE THIS! AND THAT! YOU WITCH!" Aldamon cried, delivering a devastating punch to the face and midsection.

"YOU'VE ATTACKED MY FRIENDS! *punch* YOU'VE USED ME! *punch* YOU'VE MADE ME HURT MY BEST FRIEND! *punch* YOU WILL PAY... *punch*... FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"

Victory was already his, but Aldamon wasn't satisfied. As he continued unleashing his hostility on the defenseless IceLadyDevimon, the two Rookie Digimon, along with Zoe, looked on in fear.

"Scary! I've never seen him so aggressive!" Neemon pointed out.

"Has Takuya gone mad?" Bokomon said. "He's already ready won! So why doesn't he finish her?"

"Ugh... Takuya!" cried Zoe.

She managed to stand up on her own two feet, regardless of all of her injures. Her stomach was still bruised and her head was still aching. Plus, the agony inside her body hasn't even healed yet. But she endured the pain and hobbled as quickly as she could toward her best friend.

"NOT SO FUN NOW, HUH?" Aldamon roared. He gave the defeated IceLadyDevimon another right hook, knocking out a few teeth out of her mouth.

"Stop! I give up..." begged the broken devil.

"SHUT UP!" The fiery Digimon ordered, brutalizing the fallen angel's face even more.

After delivering one last punch to the bridge of her nose, the icy Digimon lost consciousness. Aldamon took a step back to observe the damage he has done. It was about time he finish this foul creature off. Aldamon pulled his right arm back, and the blaster on his limb to rotate 180°. However, the cannons never opened up, leaving the sharp, pointed edge of the weapon out in front. Aldamon took aim at the center of IceLadyDevimon's chest. The fire in his eyes burned like never before.

"Now, you dark, cold witch... BEGONE!" He cried as he brought his weapon forward.

"PLEASE TAKUYA! NO MORE!" A voice cried from his blindside.

It sounded like Zoe, which made the fiery beast freeze for a moment. The teenage girl took advantage of Aldamon's hesitation. She wrapped herself around the Hybrid's striking arm. The fiery Digimon glowered to his right and saw a young woman trying to stop him from attacking.

"UGH! LET ME GO! THAT'S AN ORDER!" He commanded. But the blonde shook her head and held on tighter.

"Please Takuya! That's enough!"

"ZOE, DON'T MAKE ME SAY IT AGAIN! LET ME GO OR I'LL..."

*slap*

Zoe reached as high as she could and slapped Aldamon across the cheek. To Bokomon and Neemon who witnessed the whole thing, the girl's slap looked more like a light swipe of the face. Plus, since her beloved was in his Hybrid form, he shouldn't feel any kind of pain.

However, that wasn't the case. Zoe's sharp, opened-handed blow stung like a bee. Aldamon rubbed his cheek and surveyed the teary eyes of his beaten and bruised girlfriend. The slap did more than stunned the Hybrid. It brought him back to reality.

"I'm begging you, Takuya. No more fighting, please."

"Zoe, I..."

"You can stop now." begged the young woman. "It's over. You've already won the battle."

"You don't understand! She..."

"Look..." Zoe pointed toward the spot where IceLadyDevimon had laid. Aldamon then noticed a ring of Fractal Code surrounded her motionless body.

"But, IceLadyDevimon... She's done so many horrible things and..."

"Takuya, haven't you forgotten? We're Legendary Warriors. We're supposed to protect the Digital World and all of the other Digimon, not destroy them. *sniff*... We have to put an end to all of this chaos and evil. So please, Takuya. No more fighting. Because if you do destroy her, it would make you no better than IceLadyDevimon."

"Zoe..." He sighed.

"And I'll _never_ forgive you for that."

Upon hearing his girlfriend's words of wisdom, Aldamon retracted his weapon and lowered his arms to his side. His best friend released the Hybrid's arm and backed up a couple of steps. Meanwhile, the Legendary Warrior shifted his attention back to the subconscious IceLadyDevimon. The ring of Fractal Code was still around her waist. Aldamon took out his D-Tector and was ready to seal the deal.

"Well, it looks like I'm the winner of this contest, IceLadyDevimon." spoke the Hybrid. "And thank goodness I never have to play your stupid games ever again!" The scanner of the top of his device lit up and the Symbol of Flame appeared on the screen.

"FRACTAL CODE… DIGITIZE!"

He swung his arm out, absorbing the data around IceLadyDevimon's waist. When all of the data the evil Digimon has been absorbed, her body began to digitize until there was nothing left. At long last, IceLadyDevimon has been defeated.

A body of Fractal Code surrounded Aldamon's body. Seconds later a teenage boy with goggles appeared, panting heavily. The fight sure took a lot out of him.

The Bearer of Flame then looked down and saw a black sphere on the rolling on the canvas. Just as he's suspected, it was the Chaos Sphere that was fused with the creature's heart. The dark device was still active and surging with energy. But with IceLadyDevimon gone, there was no host for the Chaos Sphere to use its power on. And without a host, the power in the black orbs dropped to zero. With all of the evil energies gone, the Chaos Sphere shattered into pieces.

Suddenly, Takuya fell on one knee and clutched his bruised chest. He winched in agony, feeling as if someone has torn a hole inside. Withstanding IceLadyDevimon's attacks was no easy feat. Takuya couldn't believe that none of his ribs were broken or any of his internal organs punctured. But the main thing was he was alive, and so were his friends.

"Takuya... KYAH!" A shrieking Zoe yelped in pain before collapsing on her back.

"Oh God! Zoe!" The goggle-headed boy cried. He limped as fast as he could towards the injured girl. When he finally reached her, Takuya rested the blonde young woman's head on his lap. He gently stroke her soft cheeks and brush the golden locks off of her face.

"Zoe! Zoe, wake up!" Takuya cried, lightly shaking her body and hoping that she's alright. His prayers were quickly answered when he heard his best friend moaning. She opened her emerald eyes and locked on to the chocolate orbs of her boyfriend.

"T... Takuya?" She spoke

"Are you alright?

"I am now." Zoe nodded. "With IceLadyDevimon gone, I feel much better. And it's all thanks to you, Takuya."

"Zoe... I..."

"Hold me."

The Bearer of Flame nodded at his girlfriend's request. He helped her up to a sitting position and gave Zoe a big hug. The blonde melted in her beloved's arms.

The two humans giggled for several moments. Everything was back to normal. They had each other's company, their friendship, and their love. Neither one of them couldn't be any happier. They may be still trapped inside the Crystal Caverns, and a maniacal sovereign was still trying to take over the Digital World. But here they are now, snugged in each other's embrace. Their eyes were closed and their cheeks were touching.

Both humans had lost track of the time. But that didn't them. Miraculously, the pain they had suffered from the fight against IceLadyDevimon had been healed due to the warmth of their embrace. They were safe and comfortable in each other's arms. It's like they were in a perfect dream, hoping to never wake up.

After what seemed like an eternity, the two stared back into each other's eyes. Zoe went for a quick kiss. But Takuya turned his cheek and parted from his girlfriend.

"Takuya, what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry." apologized the goggle-head.

"For what?"

"For not keeping my promise."

"I'm confused Takuya. What promise?" Zoe tilted her head to the side.

"Before we arrived at the Digital World, I promised that I'll always protect you, no matter what happens. I swore that I would never let anyone hurt you or let anything bad happened to you. And then... I... *sniff*..."

"Takuya, it's not your fault." Zoe consoled. She placed a hand on his shoulder, but Takuya swatted it away and stood up from his position.

"Yes it is, Zoe! You don't understand! I've done so many terrible things to you! I said I wouldn't let anyone hurt you! But I was the one who attacked you! I said that I would always protect you! Yet I came so close to destroying you! I made my promise, and I broke it! I'm so sorry!" The boy dropped on his knees and sobbed.

"Oh Takky..." Zoe gulped.

She stood up and walked toward her best friend. The Bearer of Wind helped Takuya back to his feet and held his hands with her own. She wiped away all of the wet marks off of the boy's face. When she finally has his attention, Zoe kisses his forehead and smiled.

"That wasn't you who attacked me, Takuya. The one I fought was a fake. He was nothing more than one of IceLadyDevimon's puppets. Trust me. I know you would never hurt me. So, you see Takuya? It's not your fault."

"But Zoe..."

The blonde held a finger to his lips to remind him that she wasn't finished.

"You said it yourself. You promised to protect me, no matter what. You promised to never let anyone hurt me. And the way I see it, you did keep your promise. IceLadyDevimon could've destroyed me when she had the chance. But if it wasn't for you Takuya, I wouldn't be standing here. So, thank you."

"For what?"

"For saving my life, silly."

"Zoe."

"Yes, Takuya?"

"I... Well, I just... um... I wanted to say that..."

Again, Zoe placed her index finger over his lips and gave him the smile that he come to love so much.

"Takuya?"

"Yes, Zoe?"

"Stop talking..."

The goggle-headed boy nodded as he put his face to hers. The hands of time had stopped as their lips moved toward each other. And when their lips touched, nothing else around them mattered. The way their lips caressed one another could be described as magical. It was surreal, unbelievable, right and above all else, perfect.

They've shared many kisses before. However, this one trumps the rest. The simple contact of lips sent electric shocks through both of them. It was more than just a passionate kiss. It was a sign, a symbol of the undying love they had for each other. It was the love that would forever hold them together for the rest of their lives and...

"EHEM!" Someone grunted. The noise awoke Takuya and Zoe from their little fantasy world.

When the humans glanced to the side, they found a pair of Rookie level Digimon standing before them. Neemon had his hands over his mouth, trying to prevent himself from puking. Bokomon had his arms crossed and a foot tapping on the ground. The teens staggered to their feet and quickly parted from each other.

"Bokomon, Neemon!" Zoe gasped with embarrassment all over her face.

"Um... Hey, guys." Takuya stammered.

"Well... It seems like you two are doing alright, huh?" asked Bokomon.

"Uh... Yeah, I guess..." said the blonde.

"Hmm?" grumbled the Rookie.

"I… uh..." stuttered Takuya.

"EWW! GROSS!" Neemon interjected after seeing Takuya's and Zoe's display of affection toward each other. His sudden outburst made the humans blush deeply.

"OH MY GOODNESS! MY EYES! IT BURNS! OH, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU TWO WERE..."

"WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP?" Bokomon shouted, slamming Neemon's skull with his large green book, which knocked the yellow rabbit unconscious.

After taking care of his retarded partner, Bokomon turned toward the Chosen Children and stared deep into their eyes. He waited for one of them to give him an explanation of what's going on between them. On the other hand, neither Takuya, nor Zoe said a word. Minutes passed, yet the humans remained silent. Bokomon was starting to get frustrated, and the humans were feeling even more embarrassed.

Finally, after long moments of silence, Takuya became the first to break the ice.

"So, um... Bokomon? I, uh... You're not mad, are you?"

"Mad?" Bokomon spoke, which came out more like a statement than a question.

"Well... um..." Zoe shifted her weight from side to side.

"Look, Bokomon. Zoe and I..." But before Takuya could finish, the Rookie Digimon held his hand up.

"We'll discuss this later." He told them. "Right now, there are more important things. Haven't you two forgotten why we're here?" The only reply he got from the humans was dead silence, which made Bokomon sigh.

"We were sent to by the Digimon Battlefront to retrieve something. Don't tell you two don't remember?"

Again, Takuya and Zoe shook their heads. Bokomon smacked his forehead in disbelief. But instead of going ballistic on them, he turned toward his right, where IceLadyDevimon's throne was, before Aldamon destroyed it. Takuya and Zoe looked to their left and faced the center of the chamber. They too noticed IceLadyDevimon's iced seat, or what was left of it. Besides the bottom portion of the base, everything has been turned into tiny fragments of ice.

But apparently, that wasn't what Bokomon was looking at.

To the left of the destroyed chair was a small platform with a cylinder container made of ice resting on top of it. Inside the frozen jar, a couple of relics floated in midair. Both of the ancient figures were glowing in shining, bright white light.

On the right side, there was a relic shaped like a snow bear. It had a green headband with a bear icon in the middle. It also wore a green vest with a bazooka on its back. Last but not least, there was a shoulder pad on its left arm and a blocker on its right. As for the relic on the left side, it was nothing more than a white ball with small horns on the front, and braided arrowhead wrapping around its sides. It also had a dark brown chest plate and ancient marking on its forehead.

"The Spirits of Ice!" Zoe exclaimed.

"That's right! We were so busy fighting IceLadyDevimon, we've forgotten about the Spirits." said Takuya.

He walked toward the transparent iced jar, with the beautiful Zoe following behind him. They finally reached the cylinder and gazed at the context inside it. The Human and Beast Spirits of Ice were a sight to see, especially up close. Both humans could sense the potential energies within the two relics.

Finally, Takuya got down and picked up a medium-sized rock on the ground. He used it to pound the iced jar. With each successful hit, the cracks on the container got bigger and bigger, until it couldn't withstand any more pressure. Takuya gave the jar one last hit and the glass container shattered to pieces.

The goggle-headed boy took out his D-Tector and pointed it at the two floating relics. A white beam shot out of his device and captured the two Spirits. Just like the effects of a tractor beam, Takuya's D-Tector attracted the relics closer towards him. Finally, the Spirits entered inside the goggle-head's device. The Symbols of Ice appeared on the screen.

"Yes! We did it! We've got the Spirits of Ice!" The Bearer of Flame cheered.

"_Va bene! Ce l'abbiamo fatta!_" Zoe cried in her own language.

But their victory was short-lived. Right after Takuya reclaimed the Spirits, there was a massive earthquake. The entire caverns shook violently. The rough vibrations, knocked every human and Digimon to the ground. Up above, rocks and icicles fell from the ceiling. Bokomon covered his head as small pebbles rained down on his body. Numerous icicles fell above the semi-dazed Neemon. However, he was fortunate that they only fell between his legs and armpits.

The Bearer of Wind tried to get up, but the earthquakes were too rough. She looked up and saw a few more icicles dangling above her head. Suddenly, the iced picks lost their grip and plummeted toward the girl like rains of needles.

"Zoe, look out!" Takuya shouted.

He dove toward his girlfriend and tackled her out of the way. The icicles crashed on the ground and broke apart. The two humans rolled out of the way until they came to a complete stop. They embraced each other for several seconds until they finally let go. Afterwards, Takuya stood up and helped the blonde back to her feet. At the same time, more and more rocks started to fall from atop.

"We have to get out of here! The cave's falling apart!" Takuya commanded.

"But how can we escape?" Bokomon asked.

"What do you mean? There's got to be a way out of this place!"

"Unfortunately, our only exit is blocked! And I don't see another way out anywhere!" said the Digimon wearing the elastic waistband.

"Oh no!" gasped Zoe.

"What? Are you seeing that..." Takuya gulped.

"Yes..." Bokomon regrettably sighed.

"OH NO! WE'LL BE TRAPPED IN THIS CAVE FOREVER!" shrieked Neemon.

"Stay calm, you guys! There's gotta be an exit somewhere! We just have to find it!" Zoe suggested.

"Then we better hurry! We're running out of time!" ordered Takuya.

The rest of the group scattered throughout the cave. Takuya and Zoe felt around the rocks on the walls and on the ground, hoping that one of them would trigger a secret passage or way out of here. Bokomon sprinted toward the way they came in, wondering if there's a chance that the cave in had cleared. All of the sudden, large chunks of rocks collapsed from the roof and blocked the entrance way. It wasn't long before even more rocks started to fall from the ceiling.

"Oh dear, we're doomed!" Bokomon groaned.

"Don't give up!" Takuya encouraged. "We'll find a way out of here!"

"What's the point?" Neemon sighed. "This place will become our graves! I'm too young to... WHOA!"

The rabbit jumped out of the way to avoid getting hit by one of the falling rocks above. But upon landing, he lost his balance and fell backwards. He would've landed on his bottom, if his back hadn't collided against a stalagmite behind him. And then, the strangest thing happened. The rock formation changed angles due to the inadvertent pressure applied by the yellow rabbit. The stony lever acted like a switch, opening up a secret doorway nearby.

"Are you alright, Neemon?" Bokomon asked, helping his partner to his feet.

"I think so! What did I just do?"

"Nice work, Neemon! You found a hidden passage!" complimented Zoe.

"What do you mean hidden? It's right here!" The Rookie pointed to the passageway.

"Never mind! Let's get out of here, before this whole place comes down on us!" commanded Takuya.

"Wait!" Bokomon objected. "What if it leads to a dead end? Then we'll be lost in there forever!"

"It's either certain destruction or the great unknown!" The goggle-headed boy addressed. "And I don't know about you guys but..."

Takuya was rudely interrupted by another rock collapse from above. It was a good thing that neither he nor his friends were hurt. Realizing that it would only be seconds before the entire cave falls in, Takuya made his decision.

"MOVE!"

Upon command, both humans and Digimon dashed down the entrance to the secret passage. Neither one of them looked back to see the room collapsed. A ton of rocks, and solid ice fell from the ceiling, on to the floor. Every inch of space of the chamber of the Crystal Caverns has been filled up with stone. And just like that, the entire room was caved in.

But the four of them weren't out of danger yet. As Takuya, Zoe, Bokomon and Neemon raced down the tunnels, more rocks rained down on top of them. Bokomon used his green book to protect his head from any of the falling stones. Neemon covered his skull with his arms, hoping that would be enough protection for him. Takuya and Zoe ran as fast as they could while holding each other's hand. For a while, they ran through the darkness. Both humans and Digimon were getting tired, but it seemed as if there's no end in sight.

Suddenly...

"Look guys, up ahead!" Takuya pointed out in front.

Just several yards away from the group, was a glimmer of light at the end of the cave. All eight eyes widened with excitement and hope. At last, away out was finally in sight. The four of them picked up the pace in their sprinting. The faster they ran, the brighter the light at the end of the tunnel shinned. However, the rocks continued to fall, and large clouds of smoke from behind started to catch up to the humans and Rookies.

"JUMP!" The leader ordered.

The four of them leaped toward the opening and dove out of the collapsing passage. There were large piles of snow below to help cushion their fall. Behind them, thick clouds of smoke and debris shot out of the cavern. Big rocks fell from the ceiling of the cave and forever blocked the entrance to the Crystal Caverns.

Takuya lifted his head up and small bits of snow fell off of his hat. He scanned his surroundings and noticed a bunch of evergreens and vast amounts of snow blanketing the forest. He got back on his knees and rubbed his forehead, trying to figure out where he was. It took him several moments to realize that he was back at the base of the Icicle Mountains.

"Woo! We've made it!" smiled Takuya.

He looked behind him and saw that both of his Digimon friends were alright. Bokomon was wiping the snow off of his body, while Neemon's busy making a snow angel on the ground. Takuya then shifted his attention a little bit toward the side and saw an unconscious blonde haired girl lying on a bed of snow.

"ZOE!" He cried as he rushed toward his girlfriend.

When he finally reached her, Takuya rested the girl's head on his lap. He smiled after hearing soft moans coming from underneath her voice. There was also a small patch of snow on her right cheek. Takuya did his girlfriend a favor and gave the small spot of ice a light kiss, which removed the snow off of her face. Moments later, Zoe's emerald eyes opened up and were greeted by a pair of chocolate orbs.

"Takuya?"

"Hey." The boy grinned.

Zoe glided her cold hand down Takuya's warm cheek. He placed his own hand on top of hers. The Bearer of Flame helped the young woman to a sitting position. Their noses were barely touching. They kept their eyes on each other. Takuya could not come up with the words to describe this beautiful and amazing girl. As for Zoe, even the small and trivial things about her boyfriend not only made him cute, but gave her more reason to love him.

And then it started. She attacked his lips with her own, pushing him on his back against the snow and pining him there. Takuya soon melted into Zoe's display of passion, and then returning the kiss just as fiercely. Her more experienced lips quickly brought his under control. He put his arms around her and pulled her into him as closely as possible. Takuya then opened his mouth, giving his beloved access to...

"EHEM!" Bokomon again rudely interrupted the humans.

Zoe quickly got off of her boyfriend. The Bearers of Flame and Wind stood on their feet, feeling slightly embarrassed. Both of their faces were flushed and their bodies were shifting from side to side. Zoe twiddled with her fingers and Takuya scratched the back of his head. However, not one of them spoke a word.

"Hey, you two!" Neemon smiled.

"Takuya? Zoe? Is there something you two would like to share with us?" Bokomon asked again.

"We, um... I, uh..." Zoe hesitated. However, Takuya stepped forward and took the stand.

"Bokomon, Neemon? Zoe and I have something to tell you..." Takuya said. The two Rookies gave the humans a pair of puzzled looks.

Finally, the three of them sat down on the snow. Takuya took a deep breath and sighed. He wanted to wait until they defeat Malevomon and saved the Digital World. Then again, keeping the secret for that long was no easy task, and it'll only get harder as time goes on. Zoe wrapped her hands around Takuya's to give him confidence. After exchanging nods with his girlfriend, Takuya stared into Bokomon's and Neemon's eyes.

"You see, it all started a couple of years ago... when Zoe and I were in Ophanimon's Castle."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter thirty-six. <strong>

**After a fierce battle, Takuya and Zoe finally have the Spirits of Ice in their possession. What's next for our heroes? How will Bokomon and Neemon react to Takuya's and Zoe's relationship? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	37. Recovery

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Aldamon was furious when IceLadyDevimon showed him what had happened to Zoe. She lit a fire inside the Hybrid that made him go crazy. Aldamon not only defeated the cold witch, he flat out destroyed her. After Zoe got her best friend to calm down, they fiery Digimon absorbed IceLadyDevimon's Fractal Code and recovered the Legendary Spirits of Ice. That's when the Crystal Caverns started to come down. Takuya, Zoe, Bokomon and Neemon escaped just before the area caved in. Now that the group was safe, it's time for Takuya and Zoe to explain their relationship to their Digimon friends.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter thirty-seven!**

* * *

><p><strong>Recovery<strong>

**Normal** **POV:**

The forsaken realm, known as the Dark Kingdom, is the unofficial headquarters for the malicious ruler and his followers. A large number of Digimon stood guard around Malevomon's giant castle. This section of the Digital World is so dark, it's nearly impossible for any kind of light to penetrate its boundaries. Only a few rays of sunlight were able to break through the dark haze.

Thousands of creatures inhabit the Dark Kingdom. And sadly, every one of them were slaves of the evil sovereign. All of the mind controlled Digimon roamed around the shady realm, searching for any intruders or signs of the opposition. It seemed like the number of evil Digimon was increasing by the second. It wouldn't be long before the malicious emperor has enough Digimon in his control to rule the entire Digital World.

Moments later, a small imp-like creature entered the Dark Kingdom. He quickly flew toward the front of the fortress. The drawbridge to the castle dropped open, granting the Rookie level Digimon permission to enter the sanctuary of the Malevolent One. The imp rushed inside the citadel and weaved through the halls. Judging by the nervous look on his face, the news he was about to bring to Malevomon wasn't good at all.

Sinistromon ran up the tall, spiral staircase and dashed through the long hallway until he came across a pair of wooden doors. Sinistromon pushed the doors open and stepped inside the throne room. Inside, the malicious emperor was sitting comfortably one his obsidian chair, retelling one of his fine tales of domination to his evil Legendary Warriors.

"Lord Malevomon sir!" said Sinistromon. The laughter in the room had suddenly ceased. Malevomon and the Warriors glowered at the Rookie level Digimon. Apparently, they didn't appreciate the imp popping in unannounced or uninvited.

"Great! Him again!" Lobomon grumbled sarcastically.

"What does _he_ want?" Beetlemon asked.

"Probably trying desperately to get some merits from Lord Malevomon." suggested Lowemon.

"Thou must have a very good reason to disrupt thy master's leisure." Mercurymon spoke roughly.

It took Sinistromon several moments to catch his breath.

"My Lord! It's terrible! I have some bad news, sire!"

"Well? GET ON WITH IT, YOU IMBECILE!" shouted Malevomon.

"And it better be good, or else..." Ranamon grinned.

*snap*

With a snap of her fingers, a small raincloud appeared above Sinistromon's head. The other four evil Legendary Warriors also had the same idea as well. Lobomon took out one of his Lobo Kendos while Lowemon brandish his Shadow Lance. The Warriors of Light and Darkness pointed their weapons at Sinistromon's neck. Meanwhile, jolts of electricity surged through Beetlemon's fist. He drew his arm back and took aim at the imp-like Digimon. Mercurymon joined in the fun by aiming his mirror shields at the small imp.

Sinistromon gulped nervously. It was taking every ounce of courage in him not to faint on the spot or wet himself. But the Rookie level Digimon took a deep breath and was ready to relay the bad news.

"Sir! It's those rotten humans! They have defeated IceLadyDevimon, my Lord!

"They what?" gasped the watery Digimon.

"No way!" The Warrior of Light exclaimed.

"You have got to be kidding me?" growled the armored insect.

"How's that possible?" The surprised Lowemon asked.

"Absurd! Their victory is nothing more than a fluke! I guarantee it!" spoke the metallic Digimon.

"And that's not all!" Sinistromon continued. "Those kids have also captured the Legendary Spirit of Ice! It's in their possession now, Lord Malevomon!"

"WHAT!" All five Legendary Warriors exclaimed.

What followed next was pandemonium and chaos within the Digimon of Light, Darkness, Lightning, Steel and Water.

"Great! Just great! I can't believe those kids had won! Now that they have half of the Legendary Spirits, what are we supposed to do now? That's it, I'm taking care of those kids once and for all!" Lobomon huffed.

"Unbelievable! How could IceLadyDevimon lose to those humans? I mean, come on! How hard is just to defeat a couple of insolent children who aren't as strong as they think they are? It's embarrassing!" grunted Lowemon.

"Why I oughta... I knew it! You see? You can't rely on that witch to get the job done! One moment she's having fun, and the next thing you know, she lets her guard down, and that's it! Game over!" Beetlemon groaned.

"Alas! A wretched soul, gone from us! But with the absence of one of thy master's strongest warriors, the burdened we share has grown and the weight of pain increase! And if there's ever a time for revenge, it's now!" spoke Mercurymon.

"Why those rotten little brats! How dare they take a Spirit away from Lord Malevomon? It's absurd! I should just go over there and drown those kiddies myself! Oh, they make me so angry!" Ranamon fumed.

"Haha... Hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Malevomon started laughing maniacally. His reaction captured the attention of every Digimon in the room.

"Um... Lord Malevomon?" Sinistromon stepped forward.

"Excellent! Everything's going according to plan!" declared the wicked ruler.

He got up from his seat and walked toward the windows on the eastern side of the room. Malevomon looked outside and admired the darkness surrounding his kingdom. On the other hand, the ruler's followers gazed at the superior one with confused looks planted on their faced. It's not like their master to be this excited when one of his mind controlled Digimon lost a great battle for one of the Legendary Spirits.

"Alright, now I'm confused! Since when has the master been happy about losing?" Beetlemon asked.

"Yeah! By now, he would've start beating the stuffing out of Sinistromon, like he always does!" Ranamon thought.

"Hey! I heard that!" Sinistromon objected.

"Be quiet! All of you!" Malevomon ordered his subordinates. However, he had his attention specifically on the imp-like Digimon.

"Yes, sire." obliged Sinistromon before getting down on his knees and bowing to the emperor. The other five Legendary Warriors also showed their respect to the future ruler of the Digital World by dropping on one knee and bowing their heads.

Malevomon once again stared out of the open window and placed a hand on his chin, pondering the events that took place ever since those two humans arrived in the Digital World. He lets out a subtle laugh, impressed that the Chosen Children had somehow made it this far. Even though it irritated him that one of his strongest fighters fell to the humans, it wasn't a total lost.

"Hehe, how fantastic! Those kids were not only able to last this long, but they've also managed to recover half of the ten Legendary Spirits! Fascinating!" smirked Malevomon.

"Um, Lord Malevomon?" Lowemon spoke. "Pardon me for asking, but how can you be happy at a time like this?"

"He's right!" The Warrior of Light agreed. "The humans recovered the last Spirits."

"True! Thy enemy even hast disposed of IceLadyDevimon! And not a lot of Digimon has ever fought her and lived to tell about it!" Mercurymon reminded.

"Indeed! Such a tragic loss! But it matters not! As I said before, everything has already fallen into place! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" grinned the emperor.

"Well, can you please stop speaking in riddles and explain to us what you're talking about?" The Warrior of Water complained.

"Very well then! Allow me to explain!" said Malevomon after he finished his laugh.

"Before I conquered this world, my plan was to fuse the Chaos Spheres with all ten Spirits! Unfortunately, before I could set my plan into motion, Ophanimon, one of the three Celestial Digimon, had to spoil everything! She scattered the Spirits across the Digital World before I could get my hands on them! Ugh... Ophanimon! If it wasn't for her interference, this world would've been mine!"

It was a setback that really annoyed Malevomon. He still hasn't forgotten how close he was to victory. But alas, Ophanimon's last ditch effort had delayed his plan for Digital World Domination. He ruthlessly pounded his fist against the walls of the Throne Room, making the entire castle shake for a moment. All of the Legendary Warriors feared their master's power, but stayed on their knees with their heads bowed.

"Anyway, with the Legendary Spirits all over the place, even I had no idea where they were located! I could've searched for the Spirits myself. But then again, I had better things to do than go on a scavenger hunt to find the Spirits! So, I had Sinistromon do the searching for me, while I took care of the Celestial Digimon!"

"And I did a really good job on capturing these losers! Am I right boss?" Sinistromon laughed, proud of his accomplishment.

The other Legendary Warriors, however, weren't too pleased for Sinistromon's cocky attitude. It was obvious not neither one of them liked the Rookie level Digimon. All five Legendary Warriors wanted to pound Malevomon's faithful servant into oblivion for looking down on them. But apparently, it was Malevomon who had beaten them to the punch.

"You idiot! Do you think this is funny?"

"Of course not, boss! I was just... HEY!" Malevomon extended his arm out, telepathically lifting his subordinate off of the ground. Sinistromon tried to break free, but he knew it was useless. Once when Malevomon has him in his psychic powers, there's no way for him to escape.

"It took you forever just to find one lousy Spirit, you fool! And it took you twice as long to find the next few Spirits! I could've been ruler of this world a long time ago, if you had just done what you're told, instead of wasting my time!"

"But master, I... WWAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

With a wave of his hand, the wicked emperor tossed the Rookie to the side. Sinistromon crashed hard into the stoned walls. He slumped to the ground and was immediately lost consciousness. Malevomon focused back on the evil Legendary Warriors, who all looked terrified. If any one of them had disobeyed their master's commands, they would receive the same cruel punishment. Malevomon sighed frustratingly before continuing.

"Moving on, that's when I was told that those pesky humans had arrived! And from what my sources told me, they had these strange devices which can lead them to the Legendary Spirits! I didn't believe it at first! But then, those kids had recovered the Spirits of Flame and Wind!"

"So how are the humans retrieving the Legendary Spirits part of your plan, my Lord?" Beetlemon stated.

"Ah yes! This is why I kept those humans alive for the time being! Why should I do all the hard work in finding the rest of the Spirits, when those two kids can do it for me? Of course, if someone did manage to destroy the humans, it would be an added bonus! But that's not the point now! At long last, all of the Legendary Spirits have been found. Half belongs to me, and the other half belongs to those kids!"

"Ah, I get it!" Lobomon finally smiled. "You wanted those two to find the Spirits for us instead!"

"Have us save our strengths for when the time comes!" Lowemon deduced.

"Correct!" nodded their ruler.

"Ah, perfect! Such tension builds from your superior brilliance, master!" grinned Mercurymon.

"Those pathetic humans were such a big help after all! We should reward them for their hard work!" suggested Beetlemon.

"Oh yes! What do you say master? Please give us permission to destroy those kiddies!" Ranamon begged.

"Haha! That doesn't sound like a bad idea!" agreed Malevomon.

Again the wicked ruler stood before the five Legendary Warriors. All of them bowed before their master and waited for his orders. The Ultimate level Digimon could sense the urgency within his subordinates. He could tell that each and every one of them were just itching for a fight. And what better opponents than those pesky humans?

"Indeed! The children have did all of us a favor in capturing the rest of the Legendary Spirits! And with their task complete, their usefulness has also ended!" With his decision in mind, Malevomon snapped his fingers, causing the Legendary Digimon to spring to their feet.

"Lobomon!"

"Hmph!" The Warrior of Light grinned.

"Lowemon!"

"Mmm..." grunted the Warrior of Darkness.

"Beetlemon!"

"Oh yeah!" The Warrior of Lightning pounded his fists together.

"Mercurymon!"

What is thy will, master?" nodded the Warrior of Steel.

"Ranamon!"

"You called, Sugar?" The Warrior of Water replied.

"Your mission is to find those kids and annihilate them! Afterwards, bring every one of their Spirits to me!"

"YES SIR!" The five evil Digimon obliged. They bowed to the malevolent ruler one last time.

"Excellent... NOW GO!"

Upon command, the Warriors of Darkness, Light, Lightning, Steel and Water quickly dashed out of the Throne Room. They reached the bottom floor of the castle and raced out of the front gate. As they made their way toward the boundaries of the Dark Kingdom, everyone in Malevomon's army unleashed a fierce battle cry that shook the entire area.

The evil emperor gazed out his window with a vindictive smirk on his face. Victory is within his grasp. It won't be long before those pesky humans are finally out of his way. All ten Legendary Spirits will be in his possession and the entire Digital World will be his to control. And there won't be anyone left to stop him.

* * *

><p><strong>Zoe's POV:<strong>

"Takuya? Zoe? Is there something you two would like to share with us?" Bokomon asked us.

"We, um... I, uh..."

I wanted to tell Bokomon and Neemon about my relationship with Takuya, but we promised to keep it a secret until after we save the Digital World. Then again, ever since Takuya gave me my first kiss, it's been difficult for either one of us to keep our hands off each other. He held my hand before Gotsumon teleported us to the Icicle Mountains. We then played with each other in the snow while the rest of our friends searched for the Spirits. Takuya even saved my life when I fell beneath the Icicle Pond. I would've drowned if it weren't for him.

And recently, when I was fighting Takuya back in the Crystal Caverns, I can't imagine how many times Bokomon and Neemon have heard me said that I love him. And if that wasn't enough, I kissed him right in front of my friends to break IceLadyDevimon's spell.

So much for keeping it a secret. I wouldn't be surprised if the entire Digimon Battlefront had figured it out already. I guess there's no point in hiding any more. But I was so nervous, I couldn't think straight. My hands were sweating and my mouth was trembling like crazy.

However, before I could speak, Takuya stepped forward.

"Bokomon, Neemon? Zoe and I have something to tell you..." He spoke.

Finally, we all gathered around and took a seat. I could see that Takuya was just as nervous as I am. But I wrapped my hand around his to give him confidence. I also gave him a quick nod, signaling to him that everything will be alright. Takuya smiled before turning to our Digimon friends. He stared into Bokomon's and Neemon's eyes.

"You see, it all started a couple of years ago... when Zoe and I were in Ophanimon's Castle."

From there, Takuya began to explain how the two of us came together.

He first recalled the events he and I shared on our first adventure in the Digital World. Takuya spent a lot of time talking about what happened between us when were at Ophanimon's castle. It's even cute when he admitted that he liked me, but quickly pretended to fall asleep before I could ask him the 'personal question.' Well, at least now I know the truth.

Takuya then moved on to the events when we returned to the Human World. He told Bokomon and Neemon how many times we've hung out during the summer. We went to the movies, went to the mall, and even had lunch with each other back in Shibuya. However, we were just best friends. Our feelings hadn't fully blossomed yet. Still, Bokomon listened. Neemon, however, kept getting distracted.

Next, Takuya began to share the more personal moments. He told the Rookies about the time when I sang in front of the entire school. It made me cheeks flushed when he described how beautiful my voice was and how he was blown away by my performance. He then talked about how he saved me from a bully name Hiroki Kurata during the school dance. Takuya may not be much of a bragger. But if it wasn't for him, who knows what horrible things Hiroki could've done to me? Afterwards, Takuya explained how I taught him how to dance when the night was over. It was a moment I'll never forget.

Takuya continued the trip down memory lane by sharing other events that drew us closer to each other. For example, he saved me from SkullCerberumon and Liamon. And there was also the time when we both hung out at the beach. He went on for a minute about how gorgeous I look in a bikini. It was a good thing he had his eyes on Rookies instead of me. My face was so red, I thought my head was going to explode.

And then finally, Takuya talked about what happened between the two of us at the playground.

"We were holding on to each other while gazing at the starry night. And that's when I realized how I feel about Zoe. I understood why I'm always happy when I'm around her, when I hear her laugh or when I see her smile. I knew she and I are a great team, but I felt that there was more to it. We're more than a great team and we're way more than best friends. We..."

"However..." I kindly interrupted. "... this boy keeps on sugarcoating the details. I knew what he was trying to tell me, but he was doing everything he can to stall." I then gave my boyfriend a sly grin.

"I was not stalling." Takuya protested.

"Sure you weren't." I stifled a giggle before gazing back at the Rookies. "Anyway, Takuya went out on a limb and challenged me to a soccer game."

"Oh come on. You know I love soccer. And besides, there was a soccer ball on the field and I couldn't help myself." Takuya complained innocently.

"Uh-huh. And I'm Queen of Italy." I said with a mild amount of sarcasm. But then Takuya put on a grin that matched mine. I pinched his cheek as a reward for trying to annoy me.

"Ehem!" Bokomon cleared his throat, signaling us that he and Neemon were still here.

"Oh, sorry guys." Takuya apologized before going on. "Anyway, as Zoe said I asked her to play soccer with me. And then she made me add 'Truth or Dare' to the game to make things more interesting."

"Well, it was a clever way for us to get to know each other a little bit more!" I objected.

"Excuse me, but what is Truth or Dare?" Neemon asked.

"Well..." Takuya rubbed the back of his head. "... Truth or Dare is a game kids and teens play back at home."

"Players are given two choices: Truth or Dare. If you select _Truth_, then you must answer a question truthfully. But, if you select _Dare_, then you must perform a challenging task posed by one of us." I explained the rules.

"Ooh! Sounds like fun!" Neemon cheered like a small child. "Can we play? Pleeeeeease?"

"EHEM!" A ticked off Bokomon grumbled.

"Oh, do you want to play too, Bokomon?" Neemon asked.

"Would come with me please?"

"Okie Dokie!"

The two Rookies stood up and walked away from us. Bokomon lead Neemon behind a tree for who knows why. Takuya and I looked at each other, wondering what those two clowns could be doing. For several moments, there was nothing but silence. The chilly wind picked up a little bit. I wrapped my arms around myself just to keep myself warm. And that's when I felt another pair of warm arms around me.

"Better?" Takuya asked me.

"Mmhmm." I giggled. I turned around to give Takuya another quick kiss, when...

*smack*

"OW!" The voice of Neemon cried. Takuya and I jumped out of our positions and looked toward to the spot where Bokomon and Neemon went to. Based on the noise we just heard, it sounded like a large book being smacked against someone's skull.

Moments later, Bokomon reappeared out of his hiding placed and placed his green manual back in his waistband. He wiped the snow off his shoulder and casually walked back to his original spot. Bokomon crossed his arms and stared both of us in the eye.

"Go on..." He told us.

"Um... yeah..." Takuya gulped before continuing the story.

"Anyway, we continued with our little shootout game. And with each passing moment, I found myself drawing closer to Zoe. The more I learned about her, the more amazing and beautiful she becomes. And then that's when I told her that... that..." I noticed Takuya tensing up when he was coming up to the best part. I held his hand to let him know everything's going to be fine.

"Go on, Takuya." I said to myself. He gave me a small nod and faced Bokomon once again.

"I told her that... that... I love her."

"And I love you too, Takuya."

Both of our cheeks flushed with a sly hue of pink. We looked back at Bokomon and waited for him to respond. He's probably going to give us a long lecture of how dating within the team would always lead to disaster. I wouldn't blame him if he did though. If Malevomon found out about me and Takuya being together, that jerk wouldn't rest until he's gotten to Takuya through me... or the other way around.

And then, Bokomon started laughing, leaving me and Takuya lost in confusion. It wasn't like him to crack up at a time like this, or on such a serious issue. But afterwards, he gave both of us a huge smile.

"Well it's about time, you two!"

"Huh?" Takuya and I tilted our heads sideways.

"So tell me. How long has this been going on?"

"For a long time, I guess." Takuya replied.

"We're sorry Bokomon." I stepped forward. "We didn't mean to deceive you. We just think that..."

"Deceive me?" Bokomon interrupted. He almost laughed, but managed to keep it in. "Did you really think you could trick me with the way you two have been looking at each other lately? I mean, it's pretty obvious. By the way you guys act when you're together, you don't need to be a genius to see what's going on. Oh, how joyous."

"Y... You're not mad at us?" The Bearer of Flame asked. He lets out a shallow breath, almost wanting to laugh himself. Seems to me that he's more relieved than I was.

Anyway, Bokomon shook head and smiled.

"Of course I'm not. If anything, I am upset, that's all."

"Upset?" I wondered.

"You could've told me about this earlier. Then we wouldn't have this conversation, now would we?"

"Maybe you're right." I agreed.

"And besides. Just look at you guys. You're perfect for each other." Bokomon went on. Takuya held my hand tight and gave me another goofy smile. This time, I blushed a little and turned away so he wouldn't see me so flustered. Bokomon nodded and continued.

"Honestly now, I am not so barbaric as to oppose two people who deeply in love."

"You really mean that?" I asked, feeling my eyes watering up.

"Absolutely. Believe me, my friends. This is something meant to be. I know true love when I see it. I've seen it many times here in the Digital World. But Takuya and Zoe? What you two have is beyond special."

"Aww, you're sweet, Bokomon." I said. This time, a wet stream fell off my cheek. But then I felt Takuya's finger brush against my cheek to wipe away my tears.

"Thanks for understanding." Takuya said.

"Not a problem at all." Then Bokomon held his hand up like he wasn't finished yet. "But heed my word, you two. Just because you're together, that doesn't mean you can slack off or let your guard down."

"Right." I nodded.

"And make sure the enemy doesn't know about this... _especially_ Malevomon. If he finds out about you two being in love with each other, then..."

"Not to worry, Bokomon. That creep isn't going to get his hands on Zoe. I'll make sure of it. I promise to protect her with everything I have, even if it costs me my life."

"Oh Takuya..." I grabbed Takuya's hand and wrapped my arms around him.

That is the last thing I want to happen. I don't want Takuya to sacrifice himself just for me. I don't want to lose him again. He means so much to me and I don't know what I would do without him.

"We'll just hope it wouldn't have to come to that." Bokomon sighed.

"Yeah..." Takuya and I said.

With our conversation over, the three of us gazed out into the horizon. It won't be long before the sun decides to call it a day. Pink clouds gently danced in pairs along the purple and orange sky. The golden star above made view so much breathtaking. Mixtures of color and intensity of the light was nothing short of spectacular. I rested my head on Takuya's shoulder. With him by my side, I felt safe and secure.

"We better get going guys. The Spirit of Ice is in our possession. We have to go tell the others." Bokomon told us.

"Oh yeah! Silly me. How could've I forget?" Takuya grinned.

"I thought remembering things has been a huge problem for you, Takuya." I smirked back at him.

"Hey. You better watch it Missy, or else."

"Or else what, huh?"

"Or else... _THIS_!"

Instantly, Takuya began to move his fingers furiously against my sides and belly, causing me to laugh. I fell on my back as the tickle torture continued. His fingers rubbed delicately against my exposed belly. I flapped around like a fish. I refused to cry, but his tickling made it even harder to resist.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! TAKUYA STOP! WAHAHAHA! HEEHEEHEE! HEEHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Alright you two, that's enough." Bokomon snickered. "Come on. We have to get going."

"Fine." Takuya said, removing his hands off of me.

Right after he helped me back to my feet, I gave my boyfriend a well-deserved kiss. It was passionate and long, way longer than what I wanted it to be. But the taste of his lips was so sweet, I couldn't get enough. His soft hand cupped my cheek. Takuya used his other hand to explore my blonde hair, while I used mine to brush his. I kept my eyes closed, trying to enjoy this loving moment with my one true...

"EEEWWWWWW! HOW DISGUSTING! COME ON, YOU TWO! GET A ROOM!" A voice interrupted us.

Takuya and I broke the kiss and turned toward a disgusted Neemon. His unexpected comment made me and Takuya blush like ripened tomatoes.

*smack*

"Shut up, you moron! Leave Takuya and Zoe alone! Now stop acting like an idiot and let's go! The other Digimon are probably waiting for us!" Bokomon shouted after smacking Neemon upside the head.

He and Neemon took the lead and made their way down the mountain trail. As we watched our friends walk ahead of us, Takuya grabbed my fingers and planted a soft kiss on the back of my hand. My cheeks once again turned into a slight hue of red. I gazed into his chocolate eyes.

Oh, how I would love to share to the world how wonderful Takuya is. He's such an amazing person and everything I could ever want in a guy. Okay sure, I'm not the type of person who boasts about having the best boyfriend in the world. But it's all true. I wanted everyone to know how Takuya's a really special person. And the best part is that he's mine... all mine.

"Let's go, Zoe. We better tell Swiftmon the good news." said my boyfriend.

"Okay. Last one there buys the winner ice cream!" I giggled.

I took off in running down the hill with Takuya following me. It took us a while, but the two of us finally caught up to Bokomon and Neemon. It's gonna take us some time to get back the Digimon Battlefront. But with my two of my favorite Digimon and my loving boyfriend by my side, I wouldn't mind the wait.

* * *

><p><strong>Takuya's POV:<strong>

The walk down the Icicle Mountains was quiet for the most part. Thankfully, there wasn't a blizzard in the air. Bokomon took the lead, with Neemon, Zoe and me following behind. To be honest, I have no idea where specifically we're at on the Icicle Mountains. But I trust Bokomon's direction. After all, he knows his way around the Digital World better than anyone.

"Are we there yet?" Neemon asked.

"Ugh... no." groaned Bokomon.

"How about now?"

"No!"

I heard Zoe giggling to herself. It's fun watching Bokomon and Neemon arguing with each other. Or more specifically, it's fun seeing Neemon act like an idiot. But it's his personality, so what can you do? And just when you think Neemon couldn't get any more annoying...

"Nooowwwwww?"

"NO! NO! NO, AND NO! Now, will you please stop asking? Sheesh!" complained Bokomon.

"Okay!" Neemon grinned.

"Oh, you guys." Zoe smiled. I rolled my eyes as we continued our journey.

"How about now?" questioned the rabbit.

"UNLESS YOU HAVE A REAL QUESTION, SHUT UP!"

"Fine..."

"Come on boys. No more fighting." Zoe tried to intervene. "Hey, I have an idea! Why don't we play a game to pass the time?"

"A game? I love games!" Neemon cheered.

"Sure. Why not." Bokomon groaned. Knowing him, he'll do anything to keep his partner distracted.

"Well, Takuya? Care to join us?" Zoe turned and asked me.

"Sure, I'm in." I agreed.

"_Eccellente_! Alright, boys. What game do you want to play?"

"HIDE AND SEEK! HIDE AND SEEK!" Neemon cried.

"No, not Hide and Seek." Zoe objected.

"But it's my favorite game!"

"I know, but we have to stay together Neemon. We can't just go wandering off, especially in a place like this. Let's play something less... you know... active."

"Okay." grumbled Neemon. As much as Zoe hate to make others feel sad, she did bring up a good point though. "Hmm, let's see... I guess Tag is out of the question, huh?"

"Sorry." Zoe shook her head.

"Hey! I've got it! Let's play Truth or Dare!" Neemon suggested.

"You're kidding, right?" Bokomon turned and gave his Digimon partner an unamused look.

"Sounds like a great idea!" smiled the blonde. And then she looked back at me. "What do you say, Takuya? Are you game?"

"Sure, why not?" I replied.

"Very well then. Neemon, why don't you start?" Zoe requested.

"Okay. What do I have to do?" Neemon asked, unsure of how to play a game many of us humans played back at home. But Zoe giggled and explained the rules to Neemon.

"Well, you start off by asking someone in the group 'Truth or Dare?'"

"Ah, that sounds easy!" smiled the Rookie. "Okay then! Bokomon?"

"Go ahead."

"Truth or Dare?"

"Oh bean. I'll take _Truth_." Bokomon answered as we made a left along the path.

"Great!" Neemon cheered. But then his smiled disappeared and was quickly replaced with puzzlement. He placed a hand on his chin and looked back at Zoe.

"Okay. Now what?"

"Oh Neemon." My girlfriend giggled. "Bokomon said _Truth_. Now you must ask him a question, and he must answer you truthfully."

"Gotcha!" Neemon gave her the thumbs-up sign.

"Alright, Bokomon! Here's my question." The rabbit grinned.

"Yes?" Bokomon responded.

I could see a bead of sweat dropping from his forehead. Maybe he was a little nervous about what question Neemon would ask. But it's all part of the game. Where's the fun if there's no buildup in suspense?

And then...

"ARE WE THERE YET?"

"NO!" Bokomon shouted before taking out his book and slamming it once again on the head.

"Ow! That hurts!" Neemon cried as he massaged his cranium.

"_OW! THAT HURTS!_"

I froze on the spot upon hearing those words. That was Zoe's voice. The eerie noise of my girlfriend screaming in pain echoed in my head. Suddenly, my mind was flooded with horrifying images of my worst nightmare come to life.

"Come on, Neemon. Ask something else." Zoe stifled a giggle.

"Fine. Can we take a break then?"

"You want to what?" Bokomon stopped and gave Neemon an awkward look.

"You heard me. I want to stop and rest my toes for a bit." The rabbit clarified.

"We don't have time for a break! We have to keep moving! Swiftmon and the others are waiting for us right now!" complained Bokomon.

"But we've been walking for hours!" groaned Neemon. "I'm tired! I'm hungry! I'm thirsty! I gotta go to the bathroom! My legs are..."

"Just stop!"

"Pleeeeeease?"

"Neemon! If you ask me one more time, I will hit you with my book again!" Bokomon warned, giving his partner the evil eye.

"Actually, Bokomon, we all could use a rest." Zoe suggested.

"Huh?"

"Just for a while. After we're fully recovered, then we can continued."

"Well..." Bokomon thought.

"Oh pleeeeeease!" Neemon begged.

"Alright, already!" Bokomon submitted.

"YAY!" Neemon jumped for joy. Overfilled with excitement, he proceeded to the front. Bokomon stared at the rabbit oddly, but was not in an arguing mood.

"Come on, Takuya! Let's follow them!" Zoe told me before taking my hand and following our Digimon friends.

Again the three of us walked through the forest in silence. I can hear Bokomon and Neemon going at each other's throats once again. Plus, I also hear Zoe laughing, simply just enjoying the company of her two Digimon friends. She seemed to be in a very cheery mood.

Too bad I wasn't.

It was hard for me to keep my eyes on Zoe. I couldn't believe that I nearly destroyed my own girlfriend. My head still hurts, thanks to IceLadyDevimon. Even the fight was over and Zoe was still alive, the terrible memories remained in my mind. No matter how I hard I tried, I couldn't get those terrible images out of my head. Stuff like this can severely damage a relationship.

Or worse, end it.

Just look at Zoe. She's smiling like everything's back to normal. How can she be happy after all of the things I've done? I had beaten her, insulted her and humiliated her. It didn't matter if I was being controlled. I should've been strong enough to fight it. Maybe then, Zoe wouldn't have gotten hurt.

How can she be so forgiving? She should be mad at me, scolding me or avoiding me. She should wish she would never see me again. And I wouldn't blame her. I totally deserve it. I couldn't fight back against IceLadyDevimon's control. Zoe was almost destroyed by my own hands. I don't deserve to be with her. She needs to be with someone who's strong enough to protect her.

Apparently, that's not me.

"Hey! This looks like a good place to rest!" Neemon shouted.

He pointed his hand out in front. We sauntered through the natural avenue of evergreens until it opened up into a lake. There was plenty of open space in the area with the view of the Icicle Mountains just across the large pond. The water was clear and absolutely still.

"Wow! This place is beautiful!" Zoe complimented with her eyes sparkling.

"I have to admit, I'm impressed." Bokomon grinned.

"Told ya I'm good!" Neemon snickered arrogantly. "So, when do we get to eat?"

"Oh Neemon." giggled Zoe. She then turned back to me. "Well Takuya, what's the plan?"

"Huh? The plan?" I repeated. It was still tough for me to gaze into her dazzling eyes. But I shifted my attention from Zoe to the other two Digimon.

"Bokomon, Neemon? You guys go and get some firewood. Zoe and I will look for some food." I told them.

"Very well then." Bokomon nodded. He then grabbed his Digimon partner by his trousers. "Come on, Neemon. We better leave these two alone."

Bokomon pulled the Rookie's pants and the two Digimon reentered the forest. Moments later, they disappeared from sight. Finally, it was just me and Zoe.

"Well, let's go Takuya. We better start looking for something to eat." Zoe said as she grabbed my hands. She tried to pull, but I didn't budge.

"Takuya, you okay?" She gazed back at me. Zoe placed a warm hand on my cheek and came in close for another kiss. But I turned my head away and leaned back so her lips wouldn't touch me.

"Baby, what's the matter?"

"Zoe? Can we talk?" I sighed.

"Um... Of course." She gulped.

Those words usually means trouble or that something is up. I finally gazed into Zoe's emerald eyes, knowing exactly what I wanted to say to her. I have to break the ice somehow, even though I know it wasn't going to be easy. But I can see how nervous Zoe was. Her eyes showed a small hint of fear. Her skin was paler than normal. My guess is she probably knows what's coming, but yet refuses to believe it.

"What's this about, Takuya? Is something wrong?"

"Zoe, I... Look... about what happened at the Crystal Caverns." I nervously stammered.

"Takuya, relax. I said I've already forgiven you and..."

"I'm sorry. You shouldn't be with me." I turned away from her so she wouldn't see the shame on my face or the wetness in my eyes.

"But why?" Zoe's mouth quivered.

"You don't deserve a guy like me Zoe. I'm not good enough for you."

"Takuya, I don't understand."

"I can't stop thinking about the unspeakable things I did to you back at the Crystal Caverns. I've hurt and humiliated you. I've done things a boyfriend should never do. I'M A HORRIBLE PERSON!"

Fueled with anger, I dropped to my knees and pounded my fist into the ground.

"Oh Takuya..." The girl gulped. I then felt a soft tender hand on my back.

"Come on. We've had this conversation already, remember? It wasn't your fault. That wasn't you who attacked me. What I fought back in the Crystal Caverns was a puppet controlled by IceLadyDevimon... a puppet who tried to break free from her evil spell. And once when he regained control, the real Takuya protected me from that..."

"I don't deserve to be with you."

I looked back at Zoe's eyes with faint tears streaming down my face. Those words must've hit her in the heart. She froze when she heard me say those words. Her mind was not prepared for those words. But I ignored the shocked expression on her face and continued to speak.

"I don't deserve your forgiveness or your compassion, Zoe."

"Takuya...

"I said I would protect you and I failed. I said I wouldn't hurt you and I did."

"Please, stop..."

"But no matter how hard I try, I can't get those horrific images out of my head. I can never forgive myself for almost destroying you Zoe. _You_! My own girlfriend! I'm sorry! But you don't deserve a weak, pitiful, pathetic boyfriend like me..."

*slap*

Five fingers across the face caught me by surprise. It was one of the hardest slaps I've ever gotten from Zoe. I looked back at the blonde without a clue what to say. But then I noticed the many number of tears fall down her cheek. She shook her head left and right, either ashamed of herself or ashamed of me.

"Stop... Just stop, okay? Please, Takuya! I can't stand it anymore! Please don't beating yourself up like this! Don't you know that it hurts me too?"

"But, I..."

"I know what you did to me was terrible! And I know that this will leave a permanent scar on our relationship! But that's in the past! You're back to normal! You're not evil anymore! You saved me from IceLadyDevimon! You, Takuya, are the real reason why I'm still here!"

"Zoe... I just... I don't know. How can you be so forgiving, even after all I've done?"

"Isn't it obvious? It's because I love you, silly." She smiled.

"I'm serious Zoe. I know you love me, but we barely escaped IceLadyDevimon with our lives. I'm not strong enough to protect you. I know I'm not the right guy for you. You deserve someone better than..."

"Hush now." Zoe said, putting a finger on my lips.

"Takuya, every relationship has its trials and tribulations. Some of them aren't easy, like what happened at the Crystal Caverns. And I know it will get a lot harder from here. But these trials test our trust, our loyalty and our love for one another. The more we face, the stronger we'll get. Sure there will be tough challenges along the way. But you and I will face them together, Takuya. No matter what comes our way, I will always be with you. You will never have to face them alone again. I've been watching your back for a long time. And now, I'll always be by your side."

Zoe finished off by wrapping me in her arms. That made me feel a lot better. I used her shirt to wipe the tears off my face. But a hint of guilt still remained within me.

"Zoe?"

"Yes, baby?"

"Am I good enough for you?"

"Oh Takuya. You're more than that. You're perfect for me."

"With my flaws and all?"

"Absolutely. I love you for who you are. We've all made mistakes before. Some which we can never fix. But that's what separates you from everyone else. Instead of clinging on to them, you use them to get stronger."

"Zoe..."

"And besides, I don't care what everyone else says or thinks. You will always be the one for me, Takuya. It doesn't matter if there are other good looking guys out there. And trust me. I've met a few."

I stared at Zoe oddly. Figures that she knew other guys that are more handsome than me. But Zoe laughed, knowing that I would react like that.

The point is they're not the boy I fell in love with from the beginning. They will never be you, Takuya Kanbara."

"You mean that?"

"Of course." She drew in closer towards me. "And besides, Takuya, you said that you're not the right guy for me, and that I deserve someone better."

"Yeah?"

"Well you're wrong. You are the right person for me. You've always been there for me. Through the darkness, you held my hand and carried me into the light. How can you say I deserve someone better, when you're the best thing that's ever happened to me?"

She was right. How foolish of me questioning Zoe's love? She took all of that punishment, all of those insults and all of my imperfections. And yet, she's still here with me. She really does love me. Zoe's not the type of person who judges people by their appearances and actions. She takes the time to get to know them and see who they really are. She's so amazing.

No wonder I'm so attracted to her. Zoe has more than just looks. Sure, she's a real beauty. Back in the Human World, a lot of the guys at school thought she was a real looker. And that made me feel jealous. Okay, so we weren't boyfriend/girlfriend back then and she never liked any of those guys. But I always felt that someone would get to her before I did.

Anyway, Zoe _is_ beautiful, but that's not the only reason why I love her. She's kind, passionate, sweet, and most of all, very strong. She fights for what she believes in and will do everything she can to protect her friends. She's the strongest girl I know.

"Teehee. What are you waiting for, Takuya?"

"I, uh... *gulp*..."

"It's okay." She whispered in my ear. "Nobody's here, but us."

"Zoe..."

"Go ahead. Take me."

How sweet are those words? A strong, yet powerful force attracted me towards Zoe. It's like she had me in some kind of spell, awfully similar to IceLadyDevimon. Only this time, I wanted Zoe to work her magic. And boy, does she look good when she does.

"Zoe?"

"Yes..." Her whispers were filled with heat and passion.

"You're really cute."

"Heehee. What else?"

"Amazing."

"And?"

"Wonderful..."

"Go on..."

"So beautiful..."

I glided my hand across her cheek. A subtle gasp escaped her mouth.

"Oh Takuya, I love you so much."

"And I love you too Zoe."

"How much?"

"So much."

"Hmm... Not good enough." Zoe teased.

But two can play that game.

"Fine. How about I show you _exactly_ how much I love you?"

"Then what are you waiting for? Go ahead... I'm all yours."

We had each other locked in our warm embrace. As I closed my eyes, I drew myself toward the lips of the most beautiful girl on the planet. She was close enough now, that her hair was a veil around us. I couldn't wait to taste those lips again. The sweetness keeps me coming back for more. It's an addiction I will never get over. I tilt my head toward the side and found myself inches away from Zoe's face.

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

Suddenly, a tingling feeling at the base of Takuya's skull alerted the boy that danger's nearby. His eyes quickly turned towards the huge lake beside them. Large bursts of water shot out of the ocean. The blasts got bigger and higher as they drew closer towards the humans. Suddenly, a water plume out of the water and transformed into a missile. Takuya saw the watery torpedo approaching him and his girlfriend.

"Zoe, get down!" He cried before tackling his girlfriend to the ground.

The projectile sailed above their heads and split an evergreen in half. Afterwards, the two stood up and faced the giant pond. Four more columns of water shot out of the sea and dance above the surface.

Then, in the center of the four columns, another water plume shot out from the middle. As the water platform rose, the two humans could see a female Digimon standing on top of the column. She waved towards Takuya and Zoe with a big smile on her face. She also gave them one of her signature winks that would normally capture the hearts of the Digimon that were too gullible to notice the wickedness within her.

"Hi, y'all!" She shouted.

"Oh great!" grumbled Takuya.

"Ranamon!" Zoe spoke.

"My, my! How nice to see y'all again!" The Warrior of Water said.

"What do you want?" growled the blonde.

"Isn't obvious? I came here to destroy you little kiddies! Oh, and I'm also here to claim your Spirits! Which one comes, that's up to you!"

"Not a chance, lady!" Takuya leered. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his D-Tector.

"Now, why don't you two be good little children, hand over your Spirits and surrender?"

"You're kidding, right?" Zoe said, as she also reached for her D-Tector.

"Come, now! As much as I love to beat you two to oblivion, I simply don't have the time for that! I got my makeup done earlier this morning, so I don't want to get myself messy again! But if you come quietly, I promise to make your destruction quick and painless! Now, how does that sound?"

"Once again, it sounds stupid, just like you!" Zoe yelled bravely.

"Yeah! If you're so tough, why don't you fight the two of us instead?" Takuya challenged the female Digimon.

"Ahahaha!" laughed the Warrior of Water. She then turned toward the Bearer of Wind. "How ridiculous! Honey, never stood a chance against me in our last fight! I had you sunk like a stone in the depths of the ocean!"

Ranamon then looked back at Takuya.

"As for you, Sugar, you got lucky on our last fight! I would've finished you off for good, if it weren't for Lord Malevomon's orders! But now that he's commanded me to destroy you, I won't hold anything back! Finishing you off would as easy as popping bubbles!"

"Fat chance!" declared Takuya.

"Really? Haven't you realize that you're no match for me? I've beaten you kiddies before, and I can do it again, just as easy!" Ranamon laughed.

"Never! You can't defeat both of us together, Ranamon! We have you outnumbered!" Zoe proclaimed.

But the Warrior of Water gave the humans a look of awkwardness.

"Haha... Hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ranamon's cute giggles slowly changed into maniacal laughs.

"Man, that's annoying." Takuya rolled his eyes.

"Sorry, girly! But you made two mistakes!"

"What did you say?" Zoe growled angrily.

"First of all, even if you kiddies work together, it still wouldn't be enough to defeat me! I'm more powerful than both of you brats combined! Hahaha!"

"Why you..." Takuya and Zoe clenched their D-Tectors tight as Ranamon finished laughing.

"And secondly, you're wrong about me being outnumbered! You see, I got some friends here to help me take care of you!"

"Terrific! More flunkies!" Takuya said sarcastically. A small grin reappeared on Zoe's face.

"We'll see about that, you little brats! I did say I came here to destroy you! However, I never said I came here... _alone_!"

*BOOM, BOOM*

A couple of explosions went off yards away to the left of the resting spot. The humans stood by each other side and wait for whatever's about to jump out of the forest. Suddenly, another explosion knocked down a row of trees like dominoes. Bokomon and Neemon ran out of the forest with terror on their eyes.

"TAKUYA! ZOE!" Bokomon cried.

"HELP US!" Neemon shouted.

"Guys, what is it?" Zoe asked as the two Rookie Digimon hid behind her legs.

And then...

"DARK REFLECTION!" A cold voice shouted from the woods.

A greenish beam shot out of the forest and toward the humans and Digimon. It was about twelve inches in diameter. However, it possessed a ton of energy that could incinerate anything that gets in its way. And unfortunately, Takuya and Zoe appeared to be the targets.

"WATCH OUT!" The goggle-headed boy screamed. Upon command, the four dove out of the crossfire. The beam sailed passed its targets and collided against a nearby tree.

Takuya quickly regrouped with his friends and shifted his attention toward the forest. The sound of steel compressing against the ground entered their ears. Then out of the woods, another Legendary Warrior marched toward his opponents. Takuya and Zoe could see their reflections on his metal armor. His malicious grin on the frontal mirror gave the humans the creeps.

"Greetings, fellow Legendary Warriors!" The Digimon of Steel spoke.

"Mercurymon!" Zoe gasped.

"Ha! Told you so, Honey!" Ranamon smiled. She leaped off of her column of water, performed a couple of flips in midair and landed smoothly next to Mercurymon. "Mercurymon and I will take the pleasure in destroying both of you! Isn't that right?"

"But of course, my lady!" nodded the Legendary Warrior. "So, these be the whelps who hast given Lord Malevomon so much trouble? Hmph! How pathetic!"

"Great! I should've known! He's working for Malevomon too!" groaned the blonde.

"Relax, Zoe! So what if Ranamon's got a partner? If we work together, we can take them out with no sweat!" said Takuya. The two humans nodded back at each other before taking out their D-Tectors.

"You hear that Mercurymon? The little darlings think they have a chance!" laughed the Warrior of Water.

"Interesting! But enough of this foolishness! Me thinks tis time for these humans to meet thy brethren who shall assist us in dispatching them for good! What say you?" spoke the Warrior of Steel.

"I say we cut the chit-chat and go straight for the beatdown!" Another voice shouted from above.

Takuya and Zoe looked up and saw another Legendary Warrior taking the skies. Suddenly, a humanoid insect pulled both his arms back and surges of lightning flowed through his hands.

"THUNDER FIST!" He shouted. The Warrior hammered his fist on the ground, sending the large jolts toward the humans.

Takuya and Zoe dove out of the way just before the electric attacks could hit them. They rolled on the snow before getting back to a vertical base. The armored beetle backed up a couple of steps to join the other evil Legendary Warriors. Jolts of electricity surged in his fists.

"Beetlemon?" Takuya growled. "Don't tell me he's working for Malevomon too?"

"Great! Can things get any worse?" Zoe groaned.

"HOWLING LASER!"

Zoe turned to her right and saw a fourth Legendary Warrior who had his blaster aimed at her head. The Digimon gathered all of the light energy in his weapon and released it in a burst of energy. The beam zoomed toward the defenseless girl at an incredible speed. Zoe's was frozen stiff. There was no way she'll be able to dodge the projectile in tim...

"ZOE, LOOK OUT!" Takuya screamed before once again tackling her to the ground. The laser sailed over the teens' heads and went straight for Mercurymon. However, the unfazed Warrior held his shields up and absorb the attack.

"Watch it, you fool!" He told the other Digimon.

"Sorry! I was aiming for their head! You just got in the way." A humanoid wolf stepped forward.

"Lobomon?" Zoe gasped. She was greeted with a pair of eyes glaring at her.

"That's right! Now, hold still so I can shoot you!" The Warrior of Light said as he took aim at the humans for a second time.

"Hey! Get in line! It's my turn!" A deep, dark voice commanded.

Zoe and Takuya glanced toward one of the trees and saw another Legendary Warrior standing on a branch. He was dressed in black armor with gold streaks along the sides. The dark creature jumped off of the branch and dove toward the humans. He gathered energy in the jaws on his chest until it reached capacity.

"SHADOW METEOR!" He unleashed a large meteor the size of boulder. The meteor shot zoomed toward Takuya and Zoe, who were still lying on the ground.

"MOVE!" Takuya ordered.

He and Zoe scrambled to their feet and dashed out of the spot. They barely escaped with their lives, nearly evading the meteor by a several feet. However, once the attack made contact with the ground, there was a huge explosion. Unfortunately, Takuya and Zoe were still in the blast radius.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!"

The force of the shockwaves sent the humans flying. Moments later, they landed in a pile of snow. Takuya landed on his stomach while Zoe crashed on her back.

"Ugh! Are you alright, Zoe?" Takuya asked.

"I'm fine!" She answered, finally getting back to her knees.

As soon as the humans returned to a vertical base, the evil Legendary Warrior had encircled the Bearers of Flame and Wind. Lobomon and Lowemon spun their weapons around before pointing them at the teens. Beetlemon gathered jolts of electricity in his horn and pounded his fist together like he's ready for a fight. Mercurymon causally took a step forward with both of his mirror shields aimed respectfully at Takuya and Zoe. Ranamon snapped her fingers to create four columns of water in the lake behind the humans. Slowly the pillars spiraled closer to their targets.

"Alright, you two! This is your last warning!" said Beetlemon

"Fork over your Spirits now!" Lobomon ordered.

"If you refuse to cooperate, then we'll make sure you wish you had!" threatened Lowemon.

"Well, to be fair, we're gonna destroy you anyway, regardless of what thou chooses!" Mercurymon chuckled.

"Oh goody! This is going to be so much fun!" laughed Ranamon.

"Takuya! Zoe!" Bokomon cried from the edge of the battlefield. They were hiding behind a few bushes while the humans were out in the open.

"This is bad! This is really bad!" Neemon exclaimed.

"We're trapped!" Zoe gasped.

"We'll be fine, Zoe!" Takuya said.

"You got a plan?"

"I'll let you know when I do!"

All of their exits had been cut off. The Warriors of Lightning and Steel has blocked the western routes and the Warriors of Darkness and Light has closed off the east. Ranamon has the southern exits cut off, with a huge lake blocking the north. Running didn't appear to be an option. Hiding was also out of the question. The only choices Takuya and Zoe have are to either fight or surrender.

And based way they're clenching their D-Tectors, their decision has already been made.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter thirty-seven. <strong>

**Alas, our two heroes are surrounded by the evil Legendary Warriors. Can Takuya and Zoe survive this onslaught? Or will the five to two odds spell the end for the both of them? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	38. Outnumbered

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**Takuya and Zoe finally told Bokomon and Neemon about their relationship. And to their surprise, the Rookies responded with great joy. On their way back, they stopped by a nearby lake to get some rest. Takuya felt guilty that he was the one who had almost destroyed Zoe back at the Crystal Caverns. But Zoe helped her best friend got back to his feet in more ways than one. But just before the magical moments could begin, the five evil Warriors arrived and surrounded the Chosen Children. Looks like Takuya and Zoe are not out of the woods just yet.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter thirty-eight!**

* * *

><p><strong>Outnumbered<strong>

**Normal POV:**

Most bad guys operate the same way. They want to do things their own way and take all of the credit for themselves. They believe that they're so powerful, that they don't need anyone's help to take down the enemies. Some would considerate a vast amount of confidence, while others would believe that their arrogance would lead the villains to their downfall.

On the other hand, the bad guys can achieve success if they utilize the concept of teamwork. By doing so, even the most treacherous and ruthless of villains can become just as evil. If they're willing to put their differences aside, their destructive abilities can increase tenfold. There wouldn't be anyone that can challenge them with their combined powers.

As for the five evil Legendary Warriors, this concept couldn't be any more true.

Alone, they are powerful enough to crush the children. But together, neither Takuya nor Zoe stood a chance. The Warriors of Light, Darkness, Thunder, Water and Steel can annihilate the two of them without any problems. It doesn't matter who destroyed the humans. As long as the Chosen Children are out of Malevomon's way, all five of them will get the glory.

"So, who would like to be the first one to go?" Lowemon growled, pointing his lance at the humans.

"Or, we can just destroy the two of you at once!" An excited Beetlemon suggested.

"Either way, thy pitiful welps shall experience pain beyond thine imagination! That I promise!" declared Mercurymon.

Takuya stepped in front of his girlfriend to protect her from the evil Digimon. He mentally cursed himself for splitting up with the rest of the Digimon Battlefront. But then, the couple started to back up. Lobomon and Lowemon had sealed their right and left exits. Mercurymon and Beetlemon had closed off their front. In other words, their only chance is to go out the back way.

Sadly, that option turned out to be a bad idea as well. Zoe's foot touched the chilling waters of the icy lake behind her. When the blonde beauty turned around, she saw spiraling columns of water slowly closing the distance. The Warrior of Water stood on the platform, smirking at the Chosen Children. She wordlessly dared the humans to try to swim to the other side. Of course, with her controlling the waters, they'll be better off on land.

"What now, Takuya?" Zoe glanced at her boyfriend.

"If you got any ideas, I'm ready to listen!" The Bearer of Flame replied.

"Oh, cut the chit-chat will you? Let's destroy the little brats already!" Ranamon whined.

"My thoughts exactly!" Lobomon grinned. "HOWLING LASER!"

The Warrior of Light took aim with the blaster on his arm and fired a powerful energy beam at the humans. Takuya dove to his right while Zoe moved to her left. The laser sailed past its target and collided against the water pillars that Ranamon stood on. But instead of splashing into the lake, the female Digimon quickly reformed another aquatic platform to catch her fall.

"Hey! Watch where you're aiming that thing, Lobomon!" Ranamon shook her fist at her comrade.

"Why are you yelling at me? It's not my fault that you were in my way!" The humanoid wolf glowered at the female Digimon.

Elsewhere, Takuya quickly regained his footing. He refocused his attention at the evil Legendary Warriors.

"What's wrong, boy? Does thy know tis useless to defeat our superior strengths?" The Digimon of Steel smirked, pointing his mirrors at the teenage goggle-head. "DARK REFLECTION!"

A pair of laser beams shot out of his shields and flew toward the teenager. Takuya quickly sprung to the side, barely evading the energy attack. Again, Mercurymon fired a couple more projectiles at the Bearer of Flame. And for the second time, the goggle-head dodged the laser beams just in time. He rolled on the snowy canvas before returning to his feet.

He then looked to his right to see how his girlfriend was doing. But it turns out that she has her hands full with the humanoid beetle.

"Where do you think you're going, princess?" howled the Warrior of Thunder. "THUNDER FIST!"

He raised his arm up to the sky and gathered vast amount of electricity in his hand. Finally, Beetlemon slammed his fist into the ground, allowing the electricity take its course toward the blonde beauty. Zoe allowed her instincts to take over. She dove to the side to avoid Beetlemon's attack. The Bearer of Wind tumbled on the snow before springing back to a vertical base.

"Zoe! We have to protect ourselves! We need to Spirit Evolve, or else we won't stand a chance." The goggle-head cried as he regrouped with his girlfriend.

"But Takuya, how can we Spirit Evolve when they have us completely surrounded?" The blonde asked.

"Now, it's my turn!" said Lowemon as he assembled all of the dark energy around him in his chest.

"SHADOW METEOR!

The Warrior of Darkness unleashed a powerful fireball at the Chosen Children. Takuya and Zoe shuffled to their right, easily avoiding the attack. But when the meteor hit the canvas, it exploded and sent massive shockwaves across the area. Unfortunately for Takuya and Zoe, they were still within the blast radius. The shockwaves sent Takuya and Zoe flying through the air before splashing down in the lake.

"Alright! They're in the water now!" Beetlemon grinned. He walked toward the edge of the pond with lightning on his hands. "It's time I finish them! THUNDER FI..."

"Hang on, Sugar!" objected Ranamon.

"What now?" The Warrior of Thunder glowered at the female Digimon.

"I want to play with the kiddies for a little bit longer! Afterwards, then we can destroy them! How does that sound?"

"That's ridiculous!" argued the humanoid insect. "We have those kids right where we want them! I say we annihilate them off right now and deliver their..."

"Oh, bite your tongue!" Mercurymon ordered. "The lady doth maketh a good point!"

"I agree!" nodded Lobomon. "Let's have some more fun hurting these pathetic fools first! Then we'll destroy them!"

"Fine!" grumbled Beetlemon. "But I get first dibs on one of the humans! Got it?"

"Whatever..." Lowemon huffed.

Meanwhile, both humans felt like they got hit by a bus. That last attack almost knocked them out cold. It took Takuya a while to realize he was sinking toward the bottom of the lake. He looked left and right to search for Zoe. When he gazed below, he saw her descending toward the depths of the freezing pond. Takuya knew he didn't have much time. It wasn't just oxygen he was losing, but heat as well. He and Zoe had to get out of the water fast, or else they could drown or suffer hypothermia.

Takuya could feel his body temperature dropping. The longer he stayed underwater, they more blurry his vision got. His head spun like crazy like he was in a high speed merry-go-round. Takuya could feel his arms and legs going numb. He could barely see Zoe drifting further away from him. He reached as far as he could, but wasn't even close to touching her.

"Zoe..." The goggle-head cried to his girlfriend.

"Takuya..." The blonde reached toward her beloved.

Her vision was so hazy, she couldn't make heads or tails of her surroundings. Due to the coldness of the water, she started to lose feeling in her limbs. Zoe slowly began to lose consciousness. The Bearer of Wind did have the strength took look up one more time. The last thing she saw was her boyfriend reaching out to her out of desperation.

This was the perfect time for Ranamon to strike.

The Digimon of Water dove into the freezing lake. Apparently, the temperature of the pond had no effect on her. The smirk on the female Warrior's face meant that she felt right at home since she's in natural element. Her vision was as clear as day, especially below the surface. It didn't take her long to see the two humans sinking to the bottom of the lake.

"Aw, how cute! Those little twerps are clinging on to their lives by a mere thread!" She laughed. But as quick as a wink, her smiled disappeared. It was replaced by a scowl of disdain and malicious intent. "Sorry kiddies, but we're not done with you yet!"

She snapped her fingers and created a pair of water hands by her sides. Ranamon pointed toward the humans, commanding the hands to jet towards the Chosen Children like a couple of torpedoes. The first one grabbed Takuya by the ankle and pulled him up to the surface. The boy turned to see Ranamon's hand on his leg. He tried to get it off, but it wouldn't let go. The other hand dove into the darkest parts of the pond until it grabbed Zoe by the neck. The hand helped the semiconscious girl back to the top.

The first hand came out of the water and tossed Takuya to the ground. He bounced on the ground. Next, the second hand appeared and it threw the young woman toward Takuya. By then, the goggle-headed boy regained his consciousness. He saw Zoe's body flying towards him. However, he wasn't in position to catch her. The two bodies collided into each other and rolled on the snow.

Takuya was the first to awaken. His body temperature was still cold. He was sore all over. The Bearer of Flame crawled toward his girlfriend and knelt by her side. He nudged her a bit, hoping that she would wake up soon. Moments later, her eyes opened and met Takuya's. A couple of moans escaped her mouth, which told the goggle-head that she was okay.

"Zoe." He said, helping her back to a seated position.

"Don't worry, Takuya. I'm fine." She said before coughing up water.

"Sorry to interrupt your magical moment, but I got to destroy you now!" A voice filled with evil shouted. The Chosen Children looked up and saw the Warrior of Thunder up above carrying a giant boulder over his arms.

"GRRAAAHHHH!"

Beetlemon heaved the rock at the defenseless Bearers of Flame and Wind. Takuya and Zoe quickly scrambled to their feet and scurried away to avoid getting squashed. The boulder crashed hard on the earth and lodged itself deep below the surface. As Beetlemon descended to the ground, he watched the humans made their ways toward the woods.

"You're not getting away!" Lowemon growled, gripping tight on his Shadow Lance.

He ran a few steps to pick up some momentum. Finally, the Warrior of Darkness planted his left leg and pushed off with his right. He turned his hips, straightened his torso and transferred his weight forward as he brought the spear upward. He launched the lance like he was throwing a javelin. With such force applied, the edged weapon zoomed straight toward the humans at critical speeds.

Takuya and Zoe glanced behind them and saw the spear coming their way. It was so fast, neither of them had time to react. But just before they thought of being skewered occurred, the Shadow Lance sailed passed the Chosen Children and pierced into the evergreen in front of them. Takuya and Zoe were shocked to see how far the spear penetrated through the tree. That could've been them if Lowemon aimed a little bit to the right or left.

"That was close!" Zoe felt her heart had skipped a beat.

"Forget about that! Run!" Takuya commanded. He grabbed Zoe by the wrist and headed toward the forest.

"Lobomon, they're getting away!" Beetlemon cried.

"Not for long!" The Warrior of Light howled before unsheathing one of his Lobo Kendos. With massive leaping ability, the wolf jumped from the edge of the pond and over the teenagers to cut them off at the pass.

"Where do you think you're going?" Lobomon growled.

"Oh come on! Give me us break, will ya?" Takuya groaned.

"With pleasure, Sugar!" Ranamon snickered as she and the rest of the evil Warriors surrounded them once again. "Now what would you like us to break? Your arms? Your legs? Your ribs? Your neck?"

"Keep your hands off my boy, Ranamon!" Zoe declared, spreading her arms out wide as a means to defend her boyfriend. But the female Digimon was astounded at the girl's cute, yet futile attempt to protect her lover. Actually, she wasn't the only one.

"Ooh!" A couple of Warriors howled. The rest of them just gave a light whistle of amusement.

"Feisty, isn't she?" snickered Ranamon before gazing back at Zoe. "Face it Honey! You can't possible hope to defeat all five of us by yourselves!"

"That doesn't mean we won't try!" Zoe spoke boldly. She then looked back at Takuya and gave him a spark of confidence with a smile.

"You ready?"

"Yeah! Let's do it!"

*Insert Song: With The Will*

The Human Spirit of Flame outlined itself on Takuya's D-Tector, while the Human Spirit of Wind traced on the screen of Zoe's D-Tectors. When the outlines of the Spirits were complete, the screens on their devices stated to glow. With their D-Tectors in one hand, Takuya and Zoe extend their free hands out. A ring of Fractal Code appeared around their hands. After a couple of arm swings and twirls, the Chosen Children brought the data ring together with the scanners on their D-Tectors.

"EXECUTE..." They cried, swiping the Fractal Code ring with their scanners. "... SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

A long line of Fractal Code spiraled around their bodies as the Spirits of Wind and Flame awakened. The humans could feel a surge of energy taking over their bodies. Zoe could feel a strong force of wind building up in her body as she became one with her Spirit. As for Takuya, scorching hot flames blazed around his body, providing him energy and strength for the upcoming battle. It wasn't long before the transformations were complete. Two Legendary Warriors suddenly appeared onto the battlefield.

"AGUNIMON!" The Warrior of Flame roared, punching twice to send a couple of fireballs in different directions.

"KAZEMON!" The Warrior of Wind screamed, spinning a few times before striking a pose to subside the wind around her.

Both Legendary Warriors got in their stance and faced their five opponents.

Ranamon was thrilled to see Kazemon again. She would like nothing more than break that slender body of hers in half. The humanoid insect also had his eyes locked on the butterfly Digimon as well. For some reason, Kazemon looked more attracting when she's on the other side of the battlefield. Others regret fighting or hurting a lady. But for Beetlemon, it would be ultimate satisfaction.

Lobomon had a reverse grip kendo sword in hand. With the battle about to begin, he took out his second light weapon and pointed it at the Warrior of Flame. As Agunimon return to a guard position, the Warrior of Darkness retrieved his spear and spun it around like a baton. He then pointed the sharp end at the fiery Warrior's chest. Underneath his facemask was a smirk filled with malicious intent.

As for Mercurymon, he was torn between which Legendary Warrior he would like to fight. Agunimon is the strongest between him and Kazemon, even though that's not saying much. Plus, he hasn't forgotten their previous encounter. Mercurymon still has scratches on his armor from the last time they fought. A taste of revenge would surely be gratifying.

Then again, fighting Kazemon could provide him more amusement. Her speed, agility and quickness can pose more of a challenge. Maybe getting rid of one of Agunimon's closest companions could make his revenge taste that much sweeter. Mercurymon would surely like to make this lovely Legendary Warrior suffer before crushing her mercilessly.

Alas, such indecision haunt the Warrior of Steel.

"I shall take my leave, until intensity beckons my call." Mercurymon grinned as he backed out of the way to witness the rest of the Warriors fight.

"Lobo Kendo!" The human wolf shouted as twirled both swords and charged toward Agunimon.

Lobomon unleashed a downward swing at his opponent's head. Agunimon raised his arm up and blocked the first strike with his gauntlet. The humanoid wolf rotated his body and delivered a horizontal swing at the fiery Warrior's temple. Agunimon used his other arm to block Lobomon's second strike.

Lobomon took a few steps back before jumping toward the sky. As gravity brought him down, he unleashed a powerful overhanded swing with both kendos. Instead of blocking, Agunimon backflipped out of danger. He returned to his stance as Lobomon came crashing down.

"Shadow Lance!" A voice shouted from behind. Lowemon ran at full speed with his spear targeting Agunimon's blindside.

The fiery Digimon sensed his opponent's weapon drawing closer. He shifted to the side to evaded the blindside attack. Lowemon redrew his weapon, giving Agunimon plenty of time to face the Warrior of Darkness. As Lowemon went for another thrust to the midsection, Agunimon shuffled out of the way to avoid a fatal blow.

But the Warrior of Darkness had his opponent right where he wanted him. Instead of retracting his weapon, Lowemon used the metal rod to deliver a quick swing to Agunimon's abdomen. The Warrior of Flame clutched his midsection and took a few steps back to recover.

"Come on, you guys! That's not fair!" complained Agunimon. "You guys got weapons while I got my bare fists!"

"Deal with it!" Lobomon ordered.

He then dashed toward his the fiery Digimon. Lobomon swung downward at his opponent with all of his might. Agunimon countered using a high block with his gauntlet. The two Warriors stood their ground, using every ounce of their strength to get the other Digimon to back down.

"Listen Lobomon! You and Lowemon are being controlled by Malevomon! He's using you and the other Legendary Warriors like a bunch of marionettes, to help him take over the Digital World!" Agunimon argued.

"Correction!" grinned the Warrior of Light. "Serving Lord Malevomon happens to be the best decision of my life! I love working for someone else! It allows me to be a little more... _hands on_!"

Lobomon ended the test of strength by giving Agunimon a swift sidekick to the ribs. The fiery clutched his stomach before dropping back in his stance. He glanced to his left and saw Lowemon coming at him, twirling his spear around like a pole-fighter. The Warrior of Darkness unleashed a combination of staff techniques, using every inch of his weapon to create an opening.

A mixture of thrusts, overhead and horizontal trikes kept the Warrior of Flame off-balance. As Agunimon defended himself, he realized that Lowemon's attacks weren't as fast as Lobomon's. He was able to avoid and block most of his moves. But what Lowemon lacked in speed, he made up with power. The energy transfer from weapon to armor was much greater. If this continues, then Agunimon's defenses would crumble sooner or later.

"You got to listen to me, Lowemon!" The fiery Digimon spoke said. "The entire Digital World is covered with chaos and destruction! You have to fight Malevomon's control! If you don't, then it would be the end of..."

"Silence!" shouted the Warrior of Darkness before chucking his lance at Agunimon. He dove out of the way to evade the medium range throw. As Agunimon returned to his feet, Lowemon retrieved his weapon.

"What you call chaos and destruction, the master sees it as order and restoration! Lord Malevomon plans to rebuild this wretched Digital World in his own image and there's _nothing_ you can do to stop him!" declared the humanoid lion.

"Enough talk!" Lobomon said as he regrouped with his partner once again. "Take him out!"

"KYYYAAAAAHHHHHHH!" The Warriors of Light and Darkness screamed. As Lobomon and Lowemon drew closer, Agunimon tried to quickly come up with a plan to get him out of this mess.

As the fight progressed, the Warrior of Steel looked on in amusement. The sounds of weapon colliding with armor was music to his ears. But his opponents groaning in pain was even more pleasing. Every time Agunimon gets hit by one of Lobomon's light swords or Lowemon's spear, the smile on Mercurymon's grew bigger.

"Astounding! Thou hast put up a good fight, for one that lacks the power which thy follow comrades possess!" The metallic Warrior said to himself.

Mercurymon then glanced toward the second fight occurring on his right.

Two other Digimon were engage in vicious battle. The Warrior of Wind used her speed and flexibility to avoid the oncoming electrical attacks delivered by her opponent. Beetlemon gathered jolts of lightning in his fist and threw it at the butterfly. Kazemon maneuvered left and right, avoiding each lightning bolt successfully. The humanoid insect launched another electrical attack at the young woman. This time, he closed the distance a little bit, giving Kazemon less time to react.

But regardless of the range, Beetlemon couldn't land a hit on the nimble Warrior. Realizing that distanced attacks weren't working, the humanoid insect flew in close to engage in hand-to-hand combat. Beetlemon unleashed a fierce barrage of punches all over the girl's head and midsection. Of course, Kazemon was the fastest Legendary Warrior of all. Beetlemon couldn't connect with any of his attacks. The butterfly gave the humanoid beetle a spinning sidekick to his chest, knocking him backwards.

"You know it's rude to hit a lady!" Kazemon said, showing her spunkiness to her opponent.

"Orders are orders, princess!" roared Beetlemon. "THUNDER FIST!"

Lightning bolts assembled in the Warrior's hand. Next, Beetlemon took aim at the lavender haired butterfly and unleashed another powerful projectile. Kazemon moved to the side to avoid the electrical attack. The lightning sailed passed the Warrior of Wind and crashed onto the ground, creating a medium size trench. The female Digimon sighed with relief.

"That was too close." Kazemon thought to herself.

"Shocking, isn't it? And that's going to be you sooner or later!" Beetlemon told his opponent.

"Don't underestimate me! You have to defeat me first!" She demanded angrily.

"Oh, I'll do more than just _defeat _you!" The Warrior of Thunder smirk. "I'll beat you so bad, you'll be begging me for merc..."

"Now wait just a minute, Sugar!" A voice of another female Digimon.

The Kazemon turned and saw a column of water towering towards her with Ranamon standing on top. Finally, the liquid platform came to a halt when the Warrior of Water reached the other two Digimon. However, she had her eyes locked on the humanoid beetle instead of the lavender haired butterfly. Apparently, she was steaming mad about something.

"What do you want Ranamon?" said Beetlemon with annoyance in his tone.

"Step aside, you ant! It's my turn to play with her!"

"Are you kidding me? You call _that_ a turn?" argued the Warrior of Thunder. "No way! Sit down Water Girl! You'll get your chance after I'm done playing with Sweet Cheeks over here!"

"Sweet Cheeks?" Kazemon shuttered at the name.

"Huh?" Ranamon looked up at Beetlemon, with obvious disgust. She manipulated the pillar of water passed the Warrior of Wind and toward the humanoid insect. "Say that again! I dare you!"

"Alright, fine! Let me put it in words you can understand." grinned the Warrior of Thunder. "SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!"

"Hey! Who do you think you are, giving me orders like that?"

But Beetlemon responded with nothing more than a smug grin on his face. That only made steam erupt from the top of Ranamon's head.

"Of all the nerve! How dare you talk like to me! Do you have any idea who I am? I am the Queen of the Sea, the Darling of the Deep, the Prettiest Pearl in the Ocean's Oyster! I demand you treat me with some respect, or else I'll..."

As the Warriors of Water and Thunder continued their argument, Kazemon looked on with intrigue. This constant bickering was almost getting out of hand. At first, Kazemon thought she was at a disadvantage with the numbers game not in her favor. But as it turns out, her two opponents couldn't seem to get along with each other. They're more focused on who gets first dibs rather than working together to defeat her.

"This is perfect." Kazemon said to herself as she prepared to launch an attack while the Warriors of Thunder and Water were distracted.

She position herself until she was in Ranamon's blindside. Kazemon first checked to see if their attentions were still on each other instead of her. Back and forth they went, chucking all kinds of insults at each other. They were so busy trying to get the last word, neither one of them were aware of the Legendary Warrior they were supposed to take care of.

"You think you're so hot! Well, I got news for you, Water Girl! You're nothing compared to me! I can kick your sorry butt anytime, anywhere!"

"Blah, blah, blah!" Ranamon teased, using one of her hands to symbolize Beetlemon's big mouth. "Look at me! I'm Beetlemon! I'm so strong, I need to beat up daisies to show off my power!" Afterwards, Ranamon gave the Warrior of Thunder a serious look.

"Oh give me a break, Sugar! And besides, if there's anyone that's going to destroy this pathetic Legendary Warrior, it's gonna be..."

Prior to completing her statement, Ranamon's sixth sense told her that something approaching on her backside. She turned around to see the Warrior of Wind coming at her an incredible velocity. She had her legs out in front, ready to deliver a powerful sidekick across Ranamon's jaw. The Digimon of Water had time to release a quick gasp before ducking out of harm's way.

As Kazemon sailed passed Ranamon, she set her sights on the second Legendary Warrior. Kazemon quickly closed the distance and kicked Beetlemon's exposed ribs. As Beetlemon doubled over, Kazemon somersaulted in midair to deliver a powerful axe kick to the back of her opponent's neck. Beetlemon groaned as he plunged into the frozen depths of the lake.

With him out of the way, Kazemon could now focus his attention on her second opponent.

"Hello there, Sugar!" said Ranamon, giving the Warrior of Wind an innocent wave.

"Skip the formalities! Let's just get this over with!" growled Kazemon.

"Ooh, someone's anxious to get her butt kicked!"

"Yeah, right! In your dreams!"

"May I remind you Honey, that you never stood a chance against me the last time we fought? I beat you before, and I can do it again! And this time, I'll be sure to finish the job!"

"Bring it on, Ranamon!"

"As you wish!"

The evil Legendary Warrior threw her arms up in the air. A couple column of water appeared next to her. The watery Digimon spun her hands around, changing the liquid towers into two spiraling drills. Ranamon then threw both arms at the lavender haired butterfly, commanding the spiraling weapons to zoom toward the Warrior of Wind.

Kazemon flew to her right to avoid the first drill, and then to her left to dodge the second. She then dove toward the Warrior of Water. With a snap of her fingers, another water drill appeared out of lake to intercept Kazemon's attack. The butterfly tried to get through by rapidly kicking the watery material, but her attempts were futile. Realizing that frontal attack wasn't working, Kazemon retreated to come up with another plan.

Unfortunately, Ranamon wasn't about to let Warrior of Wind escape.

"I don't think so, Honey!"

She commanded the column of water to follow the Warrior of Wind. Kazemon looked over her shoulder and watched as the towers transformed into a couple of aquatic fists. The first one shot toward the butterfly's backside. With a quick shift of her body, she evaded the first attack. The watery fist crashed onto the ground below, making a large crater on impact.

The second fist followed the butterfly Digimon around the battlefield. Regardless how Kazemon maneuvered in the air, she wasn't able to shake the hand off of her tail. It had her locked on like a homing missile. The Warrior of Wind then moved to her left and headed towards the woods. She had her eyes on the first evergreen in front of her.

Kazemon then planted her legs on the trunk and sprung toward the other direction. She tilted sideways to avoid the oncoming attack. Like it had a mind of its own, the watery hand came to a halt and changed vectors to follow the Warrior of Wind. Kazemon turned and noticed the fist was still following her. A smug grin appeared on her face.

So far, everything was going according to plan.

"Alright, Ranamon. Let's see how you like it." Kazemon said as she flew toward her opponent.

Ranamon was surprised when she noticed the lavender haired Digimon wasn't slowing down. But she was so focused on her target, she failed to notice the water fist chasing after her. Kazemon picked up the pace and flew toward the evil Digimon. But once she reached striking distance, the Warrior of Wind came to a halt and flew upward. Ranamon lowered her defenses to check where Kazemon was going.

Big mistake on her part.

She didn't see it coming. The water fist that she created slammed right into her. Ranamon temporally lost consciousness before plummeting back into the chilly pond. With two Warriors out of the way, Kazemon turned toward the other side of the battlefield, where Agunimon was battling Lobomon and Lowemon.

"Hang on, Takuya!" She said. "I'm on my... *gasp*"

Suddenly, a large beam appeared from her left side. Kazemon split jumped over the laser and watched destroy another evergreen. The lavender haired beauty leered back at the Warrior of Steel for pulling such a dirty move. She fluttered back down toward Mercurymon and saw the smug grin on his face.

"Excellent work, young lady!" He laughed. "Thou has given an exquisite performance! Now, let us see how thy lackluster abilities compares to one who's superior!"

"Jeez, do you ever shut up?" Kazemon groaned at her opponent's cockiness.

The Warrior of Wind made the first move by quickly entered Mercurymon's striking range. She got down on her hands, spread out her legs and spun as fast as she could. Although she was going for a regular barrage of spin kicks, the added wind gave her attacks more power.

"TEMPEST TWIST!"

"Oh please!" Mercurymon groaned as he brought his arms out in front.

Kazemon moved in closer. Unfortunately, the first thing her leg made contact with was one of Mercurymon's mirror shields. The metallic Digimon grinned as he used the power to push Kazemon backwards. The butterfly found her balance and returned to a standing position. Still, she had no idea what kind of force had hit her. But Mercurymon held his ground and waited for his opponent to come at him again.

"One more time." Kazemon said to herself.

The butterfly kept her eyes open to see if Mercurymon wasn't playing any tricks on her. She leaped toward the sky, somersaulted a few times and extended her leg out, going for a diving sidekick across his temple. She would've hit him too, if Mercurymon hasn't stepped out of the way. But Kazemon quickly found her feet and unleashed another powerful heel kick, aiming at his temple.

"Perfect." Mercurymon grinned before holding his shield up.

Kazemon's foot collided against the reflective weapon. But the shield didn't dent or break. Again, the very same invisible force knocked Kazemon backwards. This time, she couldn't get a clean landing. Her spine crashed into a tree. Moments later, her body slumped to the ground. Although she was sore, Kazemon sprung back to her feet and got back in her stance.

"Getting tired, my lady?" chuckled Mercurymon.

"Not even close!" Kazemon shouted. The Legendary Warrior leaped high in the air and flew towards the metallic Digimon.

"HURRICANE WAVE!" She yelled, throwing the swirling pink tornadoes at the evil Warrior.

"How naive!" grinned the Digimon of Steel. He held his shield up and smirked arrogantly as he absorb every one of Kazemon's tornadoes.

"No way! He absorbed my attacks!" gasped the butterfly.

"Now, its time I give a taste of thine own medicine! DARK REFLECTION!"

Mercurymon aimed his mirrors at the Legendary Warrior and shot stream of cyclones from his shields. Kazemon held her arms up as she took the attack. What she didn't realize is that Mercurymon's reflected moves double the damage of the original attack. The wind was so strong, it blew the butterfly away. The Warrior of Wind tumbled helplessly in the air. Kazemon crashed hard into an evergreen and collapsed on her stomach.

"How pathetic!" huffed Mercurymon as he stood in front of the injured Warrior. Kazemon shook off the dizziness and gazed up at her opponent, who had his mirrors aimed at her once again.

"I must admit thou hast provide a good sport! But nay, thine efforts can never surpass mine! Alas, our battle must come to an end!"

On the other side of the battlefield, Agunimon quickly got back to his feet after evading another attack from his opponents. Lobomon and Lowemon pointed their weapons at the fiery Digimon and marched toward him. Unlike Ranamon and Beetlemon, those two were able to work with one another. Their teamwork has put Agunimon at a disadvantage.

"Give it up!" Lobomon shouted.

"It's over!" declared Lowemon.

"I can't beat them all by myself. I need a way to even the odds" He said to himself.

He turned to see how his girlfriend was doing. But to his dismay, Kazemon was down on the ground and in a lot of pain.

"ZOE, NO!"

He then saw the metallic Digimon drawing closer to his opponent. He aimed his mirror shields at the butterfly, ready to finish her off. Groans of agony escaped from Kazemon's mouth and entered Agunimon's ear. This angered the fiery Digimon. He had to save his friend somehow. Unfortunately, he had his hands full.

"LOBO KENDO!" ||| "SHADOW LANCE!"

Lobomon went for a downward strike to the top of the skull while Lowemon thrust his spear at the heart. With no plan of action in mind and Kazemon's life on the line, Agunimon had to improvise. As the wolf came down with his weapon, the fiery Digimon stepped to the side and used his right foot to kick the weapon out of the way. Fortune smiled upon him as the deflection intercepted Lowemon's attack, forcing the Warrior of Darkness to strike the ground instead.

When both of their weapons dug into the earth, it gave the fiery Warrior an opportunity to strike. Agunimon delivered two powerful hooks across Lobomon's and Lowemon's temple. The punches knocked his opponents flat on their face. With them out of the way, Agunimon refocused on the Warrior of Steel and his injured beloved.

"Zoe, hang on! I'm coming!" He said, running toward the two Digimon with a pair of fireballs on his hands. The fiery Digimon pulled his arm back and took aim at the metallic fighter.

"PYRO PUNCH!"

"Hmm?" The metallic Digimon glanced to his left.

Mercurymon then noticed be Agunimon drawing close. But instead of consuming the fireballs, Mercurymon leaped out of the way to gain some distance. With his path cleared, Agunimon helped Kazemon back to her feet.

"You okay, Zoe?"

"I'm fine!" She answered. The Legendary Warriors faced Mercurymon and got in a defensive position.

"Be careful! Mercurymon's tough! I've faced him before!"

"We need to find a way around his shields! Otherwise, he'll just use our attacks against us!" analyzed Kazemon.

"We'll be fine, Z! As long as we're together, there's no way Mercurymon can beat the two of us!"

"Hahaha! How foolish! They say tis best to utilize teamwork under such dire conditions thy enemy hast presented!" grinned Mercurymon. "Allow me to disprove thine theory!"

"KYYAAAHHHH!" The Warriors of Flame and Wind screamed as they charge at their opponent.

Since Kazemon was quicker, she was the first to reach the metallic Digimon. Mercurymon held his shield up and waited for her to attack. But once the female Digimon got in range, she came to a stop and flew upwards. Mercurymon looked toward the sky, wondering what the Kazemon was planning. However, the Warrior of Steel has an unwritten rule when in fighting; the first move is always a fake.

From his peripheral vision, Mercurymon could see Agunimon coming in. With a pair of fireballs on his fist, the Warrior of Flame gave the metallic Digimon two hooks to the temple. Mercurymon leaned back to evade the first hand strike. Prior to Agunimon's second attack, he put his shield up to block and deflect the technique right back at his opponent.

However, the Warrior of Flame read his opponent. He pulled his arm in just a little bit to intentionally miss the metallic Digimon. On the follow through, Agunimon dropped to the ground, rotated his body and extended his leg to sweep the Warrior of Steel off of his feet. Mercurymon was off balance and landed on his back. The impact wasn't enough to dent his armor or shatter his mirrors. But it did dazed him momentarily.

"Now!" Agunimon thought to himself. He sprung back to his feet and got on top of the Warrior of Steel. Agunimon pinned his arms down and stared at Mercurymon's face.

"What is this?" The metallic Digimon grumbled.

"We got you, Mercurymon!" declared the fiery Digimon.

"Ooh! Thou hast pinned me down like a prized insect! I'm petrified!" He gasped with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

"You better be!" grinned Agunimon before glancing toward the skies. "ZOE!"

Mercurymon looked over his opponent's shoulder and noticed something coming towards the two of them like a falling meteorite. Upon further inspection, it was Warrior of Wind. Her speed increased as she turned her feet toward the supine Mercurymon. The Warrior of Steel tried to get out of the way, but he was still pinned down by Agunimon. He couldn't use his shields to protect himself.

"TAKE THIS!" Kazemon cried.

As soon as the words entered Agunimon's ears, he flipped over the supine Digimon while keeping his grip on his arms. With nothing standing in her way, Kazemon drilled both of her feet onto the chest of her opponent. Mercurymon grunted loudly, feeling as if the wind was being pushed out of his body. Finally, Kazemon backflipped off of the metallic Warrior's stomach and fluttered next to Agunimon. With Mercurymon briefly incapacitated, the Digimon of Flame and Wind got set up for their combined attacks.

"PYRO PUNCH! ||| "HURRICANE WAVE!"

Pink tornadoes erupted from Kazemon's fingers. She then threw her cyclones at the Warrior of Steel. At the same time, Agunimon called upon the power of his element. He then unleashed a couple of fireballs at his opponent. The first fireball hit the snowy ground, producing a thick cloud of smoke in the area. But Agunimon's second fireball, as well as Kazemon's tornadoes, entered the smoky area, seemingly nailing the metallic Digimon.

"Yes!" The fiery Digimon smiled.

"We did it!" cheered the fairy.

"Bah! Don't make me laugh!" A cold voice spoke.

Agunimon and Kazemon stopped their celebrating and faced the spot where Mercurymon once laid. When the smoke cleared, an unscathed Digimon of Steel appeared. There was not a dent, nor a scratch on his armor or his mirrors. In fact, his cocky grin told the other Legendary Warriors that none of their attacks had any effect on him. Mercurymon chuckled like he has already won the battle.

"How pathetic! If this be the strength of your power, thou hast been a terrible disappointment!"

"Impossible!" growled Agunimon.

"No way!" Kazemon gasped.

"I beg thee pardon? Dost thou think a measly parlor trick can harm me? Hehe! Fools! Let me show thee my power."

Again, Mercurymon aimed both of his mirrors at the Warriors of Wind and Flame. Agunimon stood in front of Kazemon to shield her from any kind of attack. Still, she dropped in her stance, just in case something went wrong.

And then...

"DARK REFLECTION!" commanded the metallic fighter.

All of the sudden, a large fireball and a bunch of cyclones shot out of Mercurymon's left and right mirror. The fire and wind attacks zoomed toward their respective Digimon. Agunimon's eyes shot open, while Kazemon's mouth dropped.

"Hey! No fair! He stole our attacks!" complained the female Warrior.

"Forget the stealing! Take cover!" commanded Agunimon.

Unfortunately, they were too late. Both attacks nailed the Legendary Warriors in the chest, sending them flying across the area. Agunimon landed on his back, while Kazemon falling on top of him. Since their techniques were absorbed and reflected back at them, the damage they inflicted had doubled. The Digimon of Flame and Wind grimaced, trying hard to endure the pain.

Moments later, Agunimon returned to a standing position. Kazemon, however, remained on one knee

"You hurt Zoe?" The fiery Digimon asked.

"Nng... I think so." huffed the Warrior of Wind. "I can't believe I hit by my own attack."

"Condolences offered, my lady!" laughed the armored Digimon. "But truth be told, thou cannot best me or my fellow comedy of errors!"

As if on cue, the Warriors of Light and Darkness reentered the battlefield and encircled their opponents. Soon after, two more Digimon appeared from the frozen pond to join the rest of the evil Digimon. Beetlemon had a huge scowl on his face for being wet and humiliated. As for Ranamon, she casually wiped the water off of herself and glowered at the two remaining Warriors.

"You cannot win!" said Lobomon.

"It's hopeless!" Lowemon grunted.

"You two are going down hard!" spoke Beetlemon.

"Oh enough talking already! Let's just hurry up and finish them!" Ranamon complained. "DRAINING RAIN!"

She raised her arm up to create a dark cloud above Agunimon's and Kazemon's heads. Ranamon then point her fingers at the Legendary Warriors. Upon command, gallons of acid rain poured on her opponents, sapping away their strength and energy. Agunimon grunted as the water pushed him down on one knee. He tried to escape, but the amount of water raining down upon him was too much for him to handle. Kazemon, on the other hand, had no better luck. No matter how hard she flapped her wings, the rain kept the Warrior of Wind grounded.

"Zoe!" Agunimon reached out to his girlfriend.

"Can't... move..." moaned Kazemon, unable to respond to her beloved's calls.

"My turn!" smirked Beetlemon. "THUNDER FIST!"

Jolts of electricity surged in both of his hands. Suddenly, the Warrior of Thunder charged at the defenseless Agunimon and Kazemon. Just as he's about to enter the raining area, Ranamon snapped her fingers to cease her attack. Beetlemon now had a clear path to the defenseless Digimon. The exhausted Warriors noticed the humanoid insect was closing for another assault. But since Ranamon's last attack had drained most of their energy, there wasn't much they could do.

Finally, Beetlemon unleashed two powerful uppercuts to Agunimon's chin and Kazemon's belly. His attacks had a ton of force in them. Agunimon could feel his jaw being knocked out of place, while Kazemon felt the wind being knocked out of her. But when Beetlemon added the power of his element to his punches, the attacks were more devastating. The humanoid insect used his strength to send his two opponents flying.

With the Warriors of Wind and Flame airborne, Lobomon leaped toward the sky with Lowemon on his tail. The two Digimon ascend past Agunimon and Kazemon until they were completely above them. Lowemon positioned himself in front of the butterfly while Lobomon had his sights on the fiery Warrior.

"HOWLING LASER!" The Digimon of Light cried. He took aim and fired an energy beam directly at Agunimon's midsection.

"SHADOW METEOR!" The Warrior of Darkness shouted. The mouth on his chest opened up and a burst of dark energy released itself on to Kazemon's stomach.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Agunimon and Kazemon cried as the projectile attacks blasted them back down to earth.

Neither one of them had the strength to stop themselves from falling. All they could do is brace themselves for the hard landing. Meanwhile, Mercurymon locked on to the descending target. He pointed both of his shields at the Warriors of Flame and Wind. T mirrors started to glow, gathering as much energy as it could hold.

Suddenly...

"DARK REFLECTION!"

A pair of cylindrical beams shot out of Mercurymon's mirrors. At the same time, Agunimon and Kazemon bounced on the canvas. Unfortunately, neither one of them had a chance to recover. Mercurymon's lasers hit the ground just a few feet away from the injured Legendary Warriors target, creating a massive explosion. The blast sent the Warriors of Flame and Wind flying.

Finally, gravity grabbed a hold of Agunimon and Kazemon. The fiery Digimon fell on his back and rolled on the snow. As for the lavender haired butterfly, she crashed hard into a tree. The whiplash caused head flew back violently and smacked into the trunk. She slid down the tree and fell to the ground.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" laughed the five evil Warriors, enjoying the sight of their opponents suffering.

Meanwhile, a beaten and bruised Agunimon fought through the agony to crawl toward the semiconscious butterfly. He knelt by her side and nudged her body, hoping she would regain consciousness. Mild moans escaped the lavender haired beauty's throat. Seconds later, she opened her eyes.

"Zoe, are you alright?" He asked, helping his girlfriend back to her feet.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Kazemon smiled. But the pain returned, causing her to collapse. Thankfully, Agunimon was there to catch her fall.

"You sure?"

"Don't worry, I'm fine!" answered the fairy. "I can still fight, Takuya! Besides, you can't defeat them without me!"

Kazemon finally found the strength to stand on her own power. With one arm clutched around her ribs, she hobbled back to the battlefield. It took every ounce of energy for her to remain standing. She was hurt in more places than one, but she had to persevere.

While Agunimon was relieved that his beloved was alive, he knew that she was in pretty bad shape. Then again, he knew he couldn't defeat all five evil Legendary Warriors by himself. He needed Kazemon's help. But even so, how much longer could they last?

The Warrior of Flame stood next to his girlfriend and got back in his stance. Although he took less damage than her, Agunimon was far from one-hundred percent. His jaw was a little swollen and his left forearm seemed to be numb. If that wasn't bad enough, the rest of his opponents hadn't even broken a sweat. None of Agunimon's nor Kazemon's attacks had any effect on them. With the numbers game to their advantage, victory seemed impossible to achieve.

"Give up, twerps!" Mercurymon grinned. "Just hand over your Spirits now, and we'll make your demise quick and painless!"

"Takuya?" Kazemon murmured to her best friend.

"Never!" declared Agunimon. "We'll never surrender! If you want our Spirits, then you five are just gonna have to come here and take them!"

"Fine! Suit yourself, Sugar!" Ranamon giggled.

She snapped her fingers and created a four water missiles from the lake. The projectiles levitated by her side and waited for further orders. Lobomon and Lowemon took out their weapons and brandished them toward the Digimon of Flame and Wind. Lightning bolts surged on both of Beetlemon's fists. Mercurymon charged up his weapon for another attack

"Takuya! Zoe!" A voice shouted from afar.

Agunimon looked over his shoulder. He saw Bokomon and Neemon hiding behind a bramble bush. The look in their eyes depicted fear and concerned for their friends. He knew that they were worried. The fate of the Digital World rested on Agunimon's and Kazemon's shoulders. But judging how the way things were going, it wouldn't be long the whole Digital World belongs to the evil emperor.

"Bokomon, Neemon! Get out of here!" commanded Agunimon.

"What? You want us to leave?" Neemon objected.

"We can't just abandon you guys! That's craz..."

"Go, hurry!" The fiery Digimon interrupted Bokomon. "Zoe and I will hold them off as long as we can! Your job is to find Swiftmon and the others! Tell them we're in trouble and we need their help!"

"But..." Bokomon gulped.

He didn't want to see his friends get destroyed, but they're outnumbered _and_ outmatched. If they don't do something quick, it will be the end for both of them.

"Don't worry, guys! Trust me! Everything's going to be alright!" Agunimon reassured his friends with a quick nod.

"Alright!" Bokomon reluctantly replied. He didn't like the plan, but it's better than nothing at least. He stood up and grabbed Neemon by the pants. "Come on, Neemon! Let's get out of here!"

In a matter of seconds, the two of them disappeared into the woods.

"They're getting away!" Beetlemon grunted.

"Peace, my good man!" said Mercurymon. "We'll deal with those knaves later!"

"He's right! And besides, we got a couple of kiddies to destroy!" snickered Ranamon. With her fellow Warriors all on the same page, they took a step toward the center of the circle. Agunimon and Kazemon stood back-to-back, waiting for the evil Digimon to make their move.

"Everything's going to be alright?" Kazemon repeated her boyfriend's exact words to Bokomon before they escaped. Even she wasn't convinced that they weren't going to make it before backup arrives.

"Well, it's better than saying 'goodbye!' Besides, I trust those two! All we have to do is by them enough time and wait until the rest of the Digimon Battlefront comes for us."

"Unfortunately for you two, that's not going to happen!" Lowemon said.

"No more games! It's time we finish you once and for all!" announced Lobomon.

"ATTACK!" commanded Mercurymon.

"KYYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" All five evil Legendary Warriors ran toward the Agunimon and Kazemon, ready to unleash their attacks.

"Here they come!" The Warrior of Wind. She and Agunimon quickly got in their stance. If they were going to go down, it wouldn't be without a fight.

Fortunately, fate was looking out for them.

Agunimon's D-Tector started buzzing and glowing. The battlefield was consumed with bright white lights, blinding all of the evil Digimon. They stopped in their tracks and shielded their eyes. Because they thought that this was some kind of secret attack, the five retreated and regrouped with one another.

Meanwhile, in the center of the circle, Kazemon and Agunimon wasn't affected by the light. The fiery Digimon took out his D-Tector to see what was happening. On the screen of his device, the Spirits of Earth, Wood and Ice appeared.

"Takuya? What's going on?" Kazemon asked.

"You know something, Zoe? I have a feeling that help is already on its way!" answered Agunimon.

Upon declaration, three streams of Fractal Code dispersed out of the D-Tector. One by one, the bits of data began to take form, molding into three other creatures both Agunimon and Kazemon knew all too well.

Moments later, the first Legendary Warrior appeared on the battleground.

His size and body resembled a gnome. He wore a mahogany colored long hat with a purple spiked ball hanging at the end. This Digimon also had a brownish vest and red pants with purple spiked shoulder pads and knee pads. His shoes were dark brown with dark purple armor paddings on the front of each shoe. Finally, the Symbol of Earth was embedded on his large nose and arms.

"Mmm! A fight! Me want in battle also!" spoke the Warrior of Earth with his slow drawl and poor grammar usage.

"It can't be! Is that..." gasped Kazemon.

"It is! Grumblemon!" smiled Agunimon.

The gnome Digimon turned toward the two Legendary Warriors. At first, they thought that he might still be evil. But when Grumblemon gave a smile and a nod, they both knew that he was clearly on their side.

Standing next to the Warrior of Earth was what appeared to be a tall, wooden android. The top of his chest covered a dark brown-gear like shape of his body. He has beige shoulder pads with orange patterns and ridges. Lastly, he has a dome like head with white eyes through a black screen.

"Hey! You clowns better not start the party without yours truly, right? After all, I put the 'fun' in 'fungus', if you's know what I'm talking about!" The second Warrior spoke.

"Look, it's Arbormon!" Agunimon said.

He remembered the fight he and Kazemon had with the Warrior of Wood a while ago back at the Forbidden Forest. They worked together to get the Chaos Sphere out of his body. Now, he's one of the good guys.

Finally, the last set of Fractal Code disappeared. The final Legendary Warrior stood in front of the group. He looked like a cute, white bear. He wore a small green vest with a metallic shoulder pad on his left shoulder and a blocker on his right. He also had green and orange snow boots with cleats on the bottom. Finally, the Symbol of Ice was on the center of his chest. With his presence, the temperature has dropped a little bit. But the Warrior of Ice felt right at home.

"Nobody hurts my friends! _Nobody_!" He said, pointing at the other evil Digimon.

"No way! Kumamon!" cheered Kazemon. The bear-like Digimon looked back at the other Legendary Warriors. However, he had his eyes on Agunimon and his girlfriend.

"Hey, you guys!" beamed the Digimon of Ice.

"You all came here to help of us?" Agunimon asked the three Warriors standing in front of him.

"Mmhmm!" answered Arbormon.

"The Digital World is in trouble! It's our duty to protect it!" Kumamon nodded.

"Even against them losers!" Grumblemon pointed at their opponents.

On the other side, the five evil Digimon weren't too pleased at what just happened. They had the rest of the Spirits right in their grasp. And just when victory was within their reach, this happens. It was a reunion of the ten Legendary Warriors. Talk about bad timing.

"What is this?" asked Lobomon.

"Why does the other Warriors have to come out just when we're about to claim victory?" wondered Lowemon.

"Sorry boys! You wanted a fair fight! Well, you got it!" Kazemon exclaimed.

"Well, this is unexpected." Beetlemon grunted.

"Fear not! For things has just got a little more interesting!" chuckled the metallic Digimon.

"Hate to disappoint you five, but this ends now!" Agunimon said.

He and the rest of the good Legendary Warriors lined up in front of their evil counterparts. An intense stare down ensued between the ten Digimon. Each of them itching for a fight. A few of them took out their weapons while the rest of them dropped in their stance. They were more than prepared for the epic battle that was about to commence.

"This going to be fun! Me can't wait to defeat you bozos!" smirked Grumblemon as he played with his sledgehammer.

"You defeat us? Hmph! In your dreams, dirtbag!" Lobomon said, holding one of his kendos in a reverse grip.

"You boys in for it now! It's time we teach you a lesson in manners, right?" laughed Arbormon after he cracked his knuckles and detached his arms.

"Don't make me laugh! You'll be splinters by the time I'm done with you!" Lowemon huffed, pointing his lance at the wooden android.

"It's our job to protect the Digital World from evil! We will stop you guys!" declared Kumamon, pointing his blaster at the armored insect.

"Shut up, squirt! Our master will be pleased when we tell him we have beaten the rest of you weaklings!" Beetlemon declared with his horn surging with bolts of lightning.

"Ooh, goodie! More Legendary Warriors to destroy! Get ready, Sugar! By the time I'm through with you, you'll be begging me to take your Spirit, as well as your life!" Ranamon said, specifically keeping her eye on the female Warrior on the opposite side.

"Quite true, my lady! Thou hast made this game more fascinating! Tis be perfect! The fun has just begun!" Mercurymon grinned, pointing his mirrors at the fiery Digimon.

"We're all ready, Takuya! Just say the word!" spoke Kazemon. She had the Warrior of Water in her sights. Obviously, she's dying for a rematch, after the trouncing she had received not too long ago.

"Very well, then!" nodded Agunimon. He looked back at the metallic Digimon standing on the other side. Fireballs appeared at the end of his knuckles.

The ultimate clash was about to begin. Every Digimon in the area can feel the tension rising and their souls bursting. Pre-fights were normally not this intense. But with the fate of the Digital World on the line, it only made the fighters more excited and pumped up. At this point in time, there was nothing but silence. If one could listen carefully, they could hear ten different hearts beating in sync with one another.

The Warriors of Flame, Wind, Ice, Earth and Wood leered back at the Digimon of Steel, Water, Thunder, Light and Darkness. With the formalities, trash talking and threats out of the way, there was nothing left to stop the epic battle. It was time for what many could declare the main event of the millennium.

Finally, Agunimon and Mercurymon pointed toward their opponents.

"ATTACK!"

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter thirty-eight. <strong>

**The ultimate battle of the Legendary Warriors is about to begin! Who will rise and who will fall? These questions will be answered in the next action packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	39. Legendary Battle: Part 1

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Takuya and Zoe Spirit Evolved to take on the five evil Legendary Warriors that were being controlled by the evil emperor. Despite being outnumbered, Agunimon and Kazemon were able to hold their own. But sadly, the numbers game triumphed over our heroes. It seemed like the evil Warriors were going to finish off Agunimon and Kazemon, as well as claim their Spirits. Then suddenly, the Spirits of Ice, Earth and Wood appeared out of Agunimon's D-Tector and took form. Moments later, Kumamon, Grumblemon and Arbormon had arrived. At last, the ultimate battle between the Legendary Warriors is about to begin.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter thirty-nine!**

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><p><strong>Legendary Battle<br>****(Part 1)  
><strong>

**Normal POV:**

"Keep looking troops! The Spirits of Ice is around here somewhere!" Swiftmon commanded his soldiers.

He could see fatigue was starting to take effect on his troops. They had been searching for hours with no luck whatsoever. Also, ever since they've been teleported to the Icicle Mountains, the temperature has progressively gotten colder by the hour. Soldiers all over were getting ill. Worst of all, he had lost a good number of Digimon due to health failures.

Swiftmon had no choice but to send them back to headquarters before their health gets worse. Originally, the commander started off with a battalion of five-hundred troops at his disposal. Now, he was down to a hundred. The good news is that he and the rest of his troops haven't encountered any evil Digimon yet. But if Malevomon's army does show up, the Swiftmon will have to consider his options.

"Where could they be?" The swordsman said to himself. He gazed around the forest, trying to determine the whereabouts of the Bearers of Flame and Wind. "I knew I should've provided them with some way to communicate with us. Can this day get any..."

"CUTIE?" A female Digimon shouted. "WHERE ARE YOU? OH CUTIE, ANSWER ME!"

"Great..."

Swiftmon smacked his forehead at the sound of his partner's voice. He glanced over his shoulders, hoping that a certain Digimon was not behind him. And sure enough, there was an olive haired beauty screaming like a banshee for a certain teenage boy. Her loud voice bounced off the trees in the woods, producing a solid echo which traveled across the mountains. If she were to yell any louder, she could cause an avalanche.

The lovely third-in-command began to sing as she continued to search for the goggle-headed boy.

"_Oh where, oh where has my Cutie gone?_  
><em>Oh where, oh where can he be? <em>  
><em>With his face so hot and his body so strong; <em>  
><em>Oh where, oh where can he...<em>"

"BEAUTYMON!" Swiftmon yelled, snapping the female Digimon out of her song.

"Ow! Jeez, Swiftmon! Please do not bring such violent noise to my fragile, little ears! They're oh so delicate! I need them to impress my..."

"What are you doing here? I thought I told you to leave! The last thing we need is for you to cause problems and..."

"I don't care!" Beautymon rudely returned the favor. "Now, where is Cutie? Tell me now! I have to find him!"

Swiftmon glowered at his partner for such disrespect. After giving her a mild huff, he turned away and continued his search for the Spirits and the humans. Beautymon stood there, feeling stunned and aghast. She felt insulted when others ignore her, especially when it's the second-in-command. Beautymon grumbled to herself before following her superior.

"Cutie? Where are you, honey? Come out, come out, wherever you are my precious one! Oh, Cutie!" She continuously called out for the Bearer of Flame. Swiftmon tried covering his ears to block out Beautymon's cries, but to no avail.

"Argh! Woman, stop!"

"But we have to find my Cutie! He could be all alone in this cold, dark and treacherous place!" The terrified Beautymon placed a hand over her heart. "He needs me! If we don't find him soon..."

"He'll be alright! Both him and his friends can take care of themselves!" Swiftmon reassured.

But Beautymon tensed at the unspoken reference of a certain blonde. Her composed demeanor changed and her face contorted with consuming anger. She curled her upper lip to keep herself from going insane. Beautymon's face was so hot with jealousy, any snowflake that dropped her head instantly melted. If she finds the Bearer of Wind cuddling with her Cutie, there's going to be serious consequences.

"Okay, Beautymon! Here's what we're going to do! I'll look for the kids! You and the others continue the search for Spirits of..."

"NO!" complained Beautymon like a child. "I want to look for Cutie! He's out there lost in the woods, alone with no food, freezing to..."

"Will you just shut up?" The swordsman ordered once again in Beautymon's ear. "I'm sick and tired of your constant bickering! I'm in charge here and I gave you an order! Now, either you help the others find the Spirits, or I'll..."

"CUTIE!" She ignored Swiftmon's threats. The olive haired beauty continued her desperate search and rambunctious screaming.

"Unbelievable." Swiftmon sighed with annoyance.

"Oh, Cutie? Where are you? Please, answer me! Cutie?" Beautymon looked left and right, hoping that her favorite goggle-head would turn up sooner or later.

"Oh, I wish I can tell you how much I miss you! I would like nothing more than to plant my warm cheeks onto yours., to wrap my arms and your scrumptious body, to have your handsome eyes locked on to mine, to taste your juicy, plumped..."

"SWIFTMON!" Someone shouted from the edge of the forest.

"What in the world is that?" The swordsman wondered. He place a hand on his broadswords in case danger was afoot.

Suddenly, a pair of Rookies appeared out of the woods, running with fear in their eyes. The look on Bokomon's and Neemon's told the second-in-command that they've seen a ghost. They quickly made their way toward the swordsman. The two jumped up and down like maniacs, pointing toward the mountains.

"Swiftmon! Oh my goodness! Disaster! It's a disaster! Takuya! Zoe! Trouble!" ||| "Emergency! Emergency! Swiftmon, help! Help us! Evil! Digimon! Rampage!"

The Rookie hopped in place, pointing toward the mountain. But since they were shouting toward the swordsman at the same time, Swiftmon was having trouble figuring out what they're saying.

"ENOUGH!" The second-in-command ordered to calm down the two. Finally, Swiftmon got on one knee until he was at the Rookies' eye level. "Now start over. Where are the kids?"

Bokomon and Neemon nodded toward each other, before revealing the news to Swiftmon.

"TAKUYA AND ZOE ARE IN TROUBLE! THEY'RE UNDER ATTACK BY THE EVIL LEGENDARY WARRIORS!"

"Oh no! Cutie!" Beautymon gasped. "Hang on, darling! I'm coming for..."

"Not so fast!" ordered the swordsman as he grabbed Beautymon's wrist.

"But, Swiftmon! You heard the runts! Cutie needs me!"

"Not just you! All of us!" Swiftmon knew something bad like this would happen, but reacted professionally. He got back to his feet and proceeded with his orders.

"Beautymon, gather all the Battlefront soldiers we have in the area and tell them to meet back at base camp!"

"WHAT!" objected the olive haired Digimon. "I CAN'T JUST..."

"NOW!" shouted Swiftmon.

"Fine..." Beautymon pouted with a puffy face. Without complaining, she fluttered toward one side of the woods to look for the rest of the troops.

The swordsman then turn toward the Rookie Digimon.

"Alright, you two! Start from the beginning! What happened to the Chose Children?"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, on the western part of the Icicle Mountains, a ferocious battle is occurring between the Legendary Warriors of Earth and Light. Lobomon took aim and fired a barrage of light energy beams at his opponent. Grumblemon stomp his foot on the ground, which summoned a large piece of rock. He used it to block Lobomon's attacks. For a while, his defense held up. But soon , his opponent's beams chipped the boulder bit by bit until it crumbled to pebbles.<p>

"LOBO KENDO!" The humanoid wolf growled.

He took out a light sword and held it in a reverse grip. Finally, the Warrior of Light dashed toward the gnome-like Digimon. He went a horizontal swing. But Grumblemon leaped over the blade and landed on his feet. Lobomon turned and changed the grip on his weapon. Now, he was holding his sabre in a traditional forward grip.

"SEISMIC SLEDGE!"

The Warrior of Earth took out his signature sledgehammer. The handle was made of mahogany wood, with yellow tape near the head of the weapon. But the head of the hammer is most unique. The metal was made of Chrome Digizoid and there were yellow spikes on all sides of the weapon, not including the handle.

Finally, the Digimon of Earth ran toward Lobomon with his sledgehammer drawn back. His opponent replied by charging toward his opponent. Both Warriors swung with all of their might. Lobomon's sabre collided with Grumblemon's hammer, producing a thunderous sound. Again, both Digimon pulled back their weapons before going for a second swing. The blade and hammer slammed against each other again and again.

The Warriors of Earth and Light charge in for the tenth time with their sledgehammer and sabre in hand. Weapons collided once again, creating a noise as loud as the last. Only this time, Grumblemon and Lobomon didn't pull back for another strike. Instead, they were locked in a vicious test of strength with neither one of them giving each other an inch.

"What wrong weakling?" Grumblemon snickered. "Get tired yet?"

"I was gonna ask you the same thing, shorty!" Lobomon replied.

"Mmm! Cocky as usual, me see!"

"Hey! You should consider yourself lucky facing the strongest Legendary Warrior of all!"

"You stronger than Grumblemon? Ha! You joking!"

"Then, take this! AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

With all of his might, Lobomon started to push his opponent back. The Warrior of Earth was surprised to see how much power the humanoid wolf had. He dug his feet into the ground to gain some leverage. But it was no use. The Warrior of Earth pushed the gnome back into a tree.

"I got you now!" The humanoid wolf smirk. "I'll make your demise quick and relatively painful!"

"Not chance!"

"Suit yourself! KYYAAAHHHH!"

Lobomon took a step forward and gave Grumblemon a hard knee to the gut. The gnome fell to his knees and clutched his ribs. With his opponent vulnerable, the Warrior of Light executed another horizontal slash at Grumblemon's head.

Fortunately, the Warrior of Earth recovered quickly and ducked out of the way. Lobomon missed his target. The result was a clean cut to the tree behind Grumblemon. As the evergreen fell to the ground, the Digimon of Earth delivered a powerful uppercut to his opponent's chin. Lobomon regained his footing and rubbed his mandible.

"That all you got? Ha! Me fought statues tougher than you!"

"Shut your mouth!"

"Admit it! Me better than you!"

"Not even close! You'll never defeat me! I still have a few tricks up my sleeves! I hope you're ready, because I'm about to..."

"Hmph! You talk to much! Grumblemon do opponent favor and shut him up for good!"

"Oh yeah?" Lobomon growled. He took out his second sword, holding it in a reverse grip in contrast to his original sabre.

"Fun this will be!" snickered Grumblemon. With his free hand, he reached behind his back and pulled out another long sledgehammer.

Suddenly, the two Warriors charged forward once again. Lobomon started off by jumping upwards and coming down with a powerful vertical swing. Grumblemon rolled out of the way to avoid getting cleaved. While he was still on the ground, the Warrior of Earth swung one of his hammer at his opponent's legs. Lobomon jumped over the gnome's weapon. He did a backflip to gain some separation.

Once Grumblemon sprang back to a vertical base, both Digimon resumed their fight.

They exchange blow after blow. When Grumblemon attacked, Lobomon defended. And when Lobomon attacked, Grumblemon defended. Back and forth those two went, showing no signs of fatigue. Occasionally, both Warriors were fortunate enough to land a couple shots. However, they were not powerful enough to cause significant damage. It wasn't long before both Warriors challenged each other in another test of strength.

"Lord Malevomon will be most pleased once when I retrieve the Spirits of Earth for him!" Lobomon declared.

"Malevomon, eh? That Digimon your master?"

"Yes! And he shall be your master when this is all over!"

He dug his feet into the ground for extra leverage, pushing the gnome backwards. As the Warrior of Earth regained his balance, Lobomon sheathed his kendos and took aim with his blaster. Light energy particles gather inside the cannon attached to his left arm. Finally, the Warrior of Light gave Grumblemon an arrogant grin, wordlessly signaling to his opponent that the end is near.

"HOWLING LASER!" Lobomon shouted, firing a powerful beam at the gnome.

"Me don't think so!" snickered the unfazed Warrior of Earth.

He put one sledgehammer away and got in a parallel stance. He held his other hammer with both hands and placed it over his shoulders at an angle similar to a batting position. Grumblemon spread his feet out so they're shoulder-width apart. With his head and body steady, the gnome kept his eyes on the laser beam pretending as if it were a baseball pitch.

"BATTER UP!" shouted the Legendary Warrior.

Grumblemon took a huge stride, rotated his hips toward the laser and swung his sledgehammer. The Chrome Digizoid head slammed against the beam, changing its course completely and sending it flying towards another tree. The laser sliced through the evergreen, causing it to explode on impact. Angered that he missed his target, Lobomon again took aim once again.

"TAKE THIS!"

Instead of one beam, Lobomon shot a barrage of lasers at his opponent. Grumblemon held his sledgehammer with both hands and spun it around in circles, deflecting every laser that came his way. Lobomon continued firing his projectiles. But it took him a while to realize that none of his attacks were working.

Then he had an idea.

The Warrior of Light kept on shooting lasers at his opponent. However, this time, he started to advance toward his opponent. As he approached the Warrior of Earth, Lobomon used his free hand to take out one of his swords. The humanoid wolf then shot a energy blast toward the head of Grumblemon's hammer, knocking the weapon out his hands.

With his opponent unarmed, Lobomon jumped up with his light sword over his shoulders, ready to execute a devastating vertical swing on top of Grumblemon's skull.

"LOBO KENDO!"

"Uh-oh!" gasped the Warrior of Earth.

With no way to defend himself, Grumblemon dove toward the canvas and disappeared below the surface. Lobomon struck down hard with his weapon, hitting nothing but the canvas. He returned to his defensive stance and scouted the area around him. The silence and stillness of the woods made Lobomon anxious and uneasy. He hated surprise attacks, especially if he's on the receiving end of it.

"Coward! Come on out and fight me!" shouted the Warrior of Light.

"Hehe! What wrong? No having fun?" Grumblemon's voice echoed.

Lobomon turned and executed a quick horizontal slash. But to his dismay, there was nobody there. Next, he spun around a went for diagonal swing, striking nothing but thin air. The human wolf was getting sick and tired of playing these games. He couldn't take the suspense much longer. Lobomon unleashed an angry howl of frustration.

"Gotcha!"

Suddenly, the gnome emerged out of the ground and gave the unsuspecting Lobomon a ferocious uppercut to the chin. Lobomon grunted as the blow knocked him to the ground. He rolled on the snow for a while before returning to his feet. Lobomon rubbed his bruised jaw. Once again, the Warriors of Light and Earth stared each other down.

"You tired already? Hmph! Grumblemon broken no sweat yet!" Grumblemon spoke with his poor grammar usage.

"Silence! If you think you've seen everything, then you're sadly mistaken! Don't think you've won already, because you ain't seen nothing yet! This fight has only begun! Just you wait, Grumblemon! You're going down!"

Suddenly, large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded the Legendary Warrior's body. The Warrior of Light could feel his power increasing as he change forms inside the cocoon of data. Meanwhile, Grumblemon gazed at the ball of Fractal Code before him. A huge grin appeared on his face.

"Mmm, good! Because me think me should get serious too. Grumblemon crush opponent with everything he got!"

Upon finishing his statement, another set of Fractal Code wrapped around Grumblemon's body. Inside the encasement of data, the gnome transformed into a powerful Digimon with his strength increasing by several magnitudes.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!" ||| "Grumblemon, slide... EVOLUTION!"

Finally, the Fractal Code cocoons disappeared. The first Digimon was a giant brown ogre with a big nose and even bigger arms. The second one was a robotic wolf wearing shining white armor and wheels on his legs. The Beast Warriors of Earth and Light stood before each other, exchanging snarls and angry glares.

"GIGASMON!" ||| "KENDOGARURUMON!"

* * *

><p>Elsewhere, on the eastern side of the Icicle Mountains, there was another confrontation going on between two other Legendary Warriors. A Digimon dressed in black with golden hair was chasing a wooden android through the forest. Arbormon was fast, but Lowemon stayed on his tail. As the chase continued, Lowemon started to gather dark energies inside his chest.<p>

"SHADOW METEOR!"

The mouth on his chest opened up. A burst of dark energy released itself toward Arbormon's blindside. No matter how fast the wooden Warrior was, he couldn't outrun Lowemon's projectile. The meteor approached the Digimon of Wood at an incredible speed. It wouldn't be long before Arbormon gets blasted.

Then suddenly, the Warrior of Wood turned around and faced the oncoming fireball head on. He dropped in his stance and detached his right leg. Next, the android took off from the ground and rotated his body.

"ROUNDHOUSE PUNT!"

He threw his elongated foot toward the meteor. Arbormon's attack acted as a whip and a blade at the same time. With the added rotational motion, the speed and power of his foot increased. He cut through the fireball easily like butter. Arbormon finished with his follow through and reattached his limb to it's origin. He returned to his stance and gave Lowemon a subtle snicker.

"Not bad." Lowemon said with a voice as dark as him.

"I know, right?" asked Arbormon.

"Great. I'm stuck with a laid back loser as my opponent. How pathetic."

"Hey, watch it! You should consider yourself lucky for having me as an opponent, if you know what I'm talking about!"

"Why's that?" asked the Warrior of Darkness. "I could've been facing the Warrior of Flame or that doofus Grumblemon. But here I am, stuck with this overgrown puppet."

"An overgrown puppet, you say? Then, I got some news for you! This 'overgrown puppet' is going to whoop your sorry..."

"SHADOW METEOR!"

Again, Lowemon launched another powerful fireball at the Warrior of Wood. At such close range, Arbormon didn't have the necessary time to launch a counterattack. Instead, he leaped toward his right. As a result, Lowemon's attack collided against the evergreen behind him. The meteor turned the tree into toothpicks. Arbormon assessed the damage and was very impressed.

"Hmm, this guy can barbeque meat in no time, right?" The wooden android snickered.

"This is your last warning, Arbormon!" Lowemon cautioned his opponent. "Surrender now!"

"You must be joking, right?" The Warrior of Wood tilted his head sideways in confusion.

"You saw what I did to that tree over there!" said the Digimon of Darkess, pointing to the evergreen he had previously destroyed. "If I can do that to a tree, think of what I can do to you!"

"So that's your threat, huh? Well I got news for you's! There's a difference between an ordinary tree and yours truly! A tree doesn't move or fight back! I, on the other hand, can do this!" smirked Arbormon.

"BLOCKADE SEED!"

Suddenly the central compartment on his chest opened up. A couple of bombs exit out of the hatches and zoomed toward the Warrior of Darkness. But the humanoid lion Digimon lets out a sigh of disappointment and boredom. Lowemon reached behind his back and took out his long spear-like weapon.

"Bring it on." He glowered at his opponent.

As Arbormon's projectiles drew nearer, the Warrior of Darkness spun his mid-range weapon and got in a traditional spear stance. He swung the his lance at the first explosive that came toward him. The grenade was sent flying towards the other side of the woods.

Lowemon was ready for the second oncoming bomb. He twirled with his weapon a few times before swinging his lance at the last projectile. This time, the Warrior of Darkness had his target locked on. With perfect timing, he knocked the explosives right back at the wooden android. Fortunately, Arbormon had enough time to detach his arms and smack the bomb away from him. The explosive fell into a pile of snow and exploded like a powerful landmine.

"Impressive! It's amazing the things one can do with a stick, right?" complimented Arbormon. "But you're gonna have to do more than fancy baton twirling if you want to defeat me!"

"Is that so? Because I have something you don't!" Lowemon countered.

"And what's that, besides an ugly haircut?" The wooden android snickered. Unfortunately, his opponent wasn't fond of his jokes.

"As I was saying, I have..."

"Yeah, I know! A mouth that's impossible to close, right?"

"Are you gonna let me finish or not?" growled the Warrior of Darkness, who was running out of patience.

"I'm guessing that's a rhetorical question, right!"

"Like I said before you rudely interrupted me, what separates me from you is..."

"... That I'm more superior! And you're just some punk who can't seem to shut up, right? Because you know what they say, the bigger the bark, the smaller the...

"ENOUGH!" Lowemon commanded. This surprised Arbormon, which is rare because his opponent would never display such an outburst.

"I'm getting sick and tired of hearing you talk! I'm going to rip that loud mouth right off your face after I'm finished with you!"

"Is that so? You know you weren't the first idiot to tell me the same thing, right?"

"But I will be the last! Now... TAKE THIS! SHADOW LANCE!"

With all of his might, Lowemon chucked his spear toward his opponent. Arbormon lets out a fake yawn and shifted his body to the side. However, his alertness came back when he noticed the Warrior of Darkness was coming in for a frontal attack. Even though he was unarmed, he was determined to take the wooden android down.

"ROUNDHOUSE PUNCH!"

Arbormon detached both of his arms and hurled them at the charging Lowemon. The humanoid lion ducked underneath the first hook easily. He then had his eyes locked on Arbormon's second arm. With perfect timing, Lowemon jumped over the elongated extremity. Now, there was nothing standing between him and his opponent.

Before Arbormon could defend himself, the Digimon of Darkness executed a powerful knee to the gut of his opponent. The wooden android bent over, clenching his midsection. However, the Warrior of Darkness wasn't going to give Arbormon time to recover. Just moments after he connected with his first attack, he delivered another hard knee to his face.

"Ugh!" The Warrior of Wood grunted as he fell to the ground. Lowemon quickly retrieved his weapon and stood on top of his dazed opponent.

"SHADOW LANCE!"

The Digimon of Darkness pointed the sharp edge on his weapon toward Arbormon's core and executed a downward thrust. But the android's consciousness quickly returned to him. He caught Lowemon's lance with both hands. The humanoid lion pushed with all of his might, trying to impale his opponent. However Arbormon wouldn't let that happen.

What Lowemon didn't see was the center piece on the cyborg's body open up.

"BLOCKADE SEED!"

Multiple seed-like bombs shot out of Arbormon's chest and nailed Lowemon straight in the ribs at point blank range. The rocketing explosives sent the him flying in toward the sky. But before Lowemon could get back in the fight, the bombs on his chest detonated.

A thunderous explosion echoed across the woods. Thick clouds of smoke and debris covered Lowemon's body, which gave Arbormon time to get back up. On the other hand, there was a serious look in his eyes. He knew that last attack wasn't enough to finish off his opponent. In other words, this fight was far from over.

Arbormon's suspicions were confirmed when he saw the Warrior of Darkness appeared out of the smoke unscathed. He landed on the his feet and returned to his fighting stance. Once again, the Warriors of Wood and Darkness stared each other down. The only sound the two Digimon heard were soft whispers of the wind dancing around them.

"You're strong!" complimented Lowemon.

"You expected less, right?" Arbormon huffed.

"Hmph! But you could become even stronger, if you come with us and serve Lord Malevomon!"

"Malevomon, huh? That's the idiot who's causing all of this mess, right?"

"Silence! You shall refer to him as Lord Malevomon, you pathetic sap! And after I capture your Spirit, our master will use his all powerful Chaos Sphere to control you! And you shall obey every one of his comm..."

"Zip it!" Arbormon rudely interrupted. "I may be made of wood, but I am nobody's puppet, right?"

"Then, so be it! No more chances and no more mercy! I'll grind your body to sawdust and carve your ugly face into shreds!" threatened the Warrior of Darkness.

Fractal Code swirled around Lowemon's body. The power of darkness flowed through his body, making him stronger than ever before. Inside the cocoon of data, Lowemon changed into the second Legendary Spirit. Meanwhile, underneath the wooden armor, a small grin appeared on Arbormon's face.

"Now things are getting good, right?" The Warrior of Wood chuckled.

Just like his opponent, more Fractal Code surround Arbormon's body. The wooden android could feel a sudden increase in energy as he too transformed into an even bigger Digimon with the power of wood and nature strictly at his command.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!" ||| "Arbormon, slide... EVOLUTION!"

The balls of data disappeared moments later. On one side was a large, hungry lizard with tree and leaf-like characteristics. On the other side was a dark armored lion with small cannons sticking out of his shoulders and forearms. The Beast Warriors of Wood and Darkness unleashed a threatening howl which rocked the entire area, knocking down almost every evergreen in the vicinity.

"PETALDRAMON!" ||| "JAGERLOWEMON"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, there was a high speed chase going down just on the southern side of the Icicle Mountains. A white bear was skiing though the woods at top speed, avoiding all kinds of obstacles like trees and rocks. The Digimon of Ice looked over his shoulder and checked the skies, searching for a certain Legendary Warrior who's been chasing him all over the forest.<p>

Suddenly, a humanoid beetle came into view.

"You won't get away that easily, Kumamon! You'll become a faithful servant to Lord Malevomon after I'm finished with you!" declared the Warrior of Thunder

"Never! I'll never serve your master, not in a million years! So, you can take you stupid your Lord Malevomon's offer and shove it up you..."

"SILENCE! YOU WILL PAY FOR SUCH DISRESPECT!" Beetlemon threatened as he picked up his speed.

"Jeez, does this guy have a temper or what?" The Warrior of Ice rolled his eyes. He skied toward his right with Beetlemon following behind him. The Digimon of Thunder clenched his fists tight, ready to launch an attack.

"I got you now!" shouted Beetlemon. "THUNDER FIST!"

He threw his hand forward and released a bolt of lightning toward the bear. Kumamon veered to his left to avoid the electrical attack. When the lightning struck the ground, piles of snow flew up toward the sky. Beetlemon drew back his other arm and chucked another lightning bolt at his retreating opponent. The Warrior of Ice then steered toward his right and maneuvered around an evergreen. The electrical attack pierce through the wood, causing the tree to burst in flames.

"Come back here, you squirt!" The Warrior of Thunder commanded.

He stayed on Kumamon's tail and continued to release his electrical attacks toward his opponent. But the bear-like Digimon stayed on course. As Kumamon skied through the woods, he took out his signature bazooka. Suddenly, the Warrior of Ice turned around and aim his weapon at Beetlemon.

"BLIZZARD BLASTER!" cried the Warrior of Ice as he skied backwards. A barrage of frozen snowballs shot out of his launcher toward the Warrior of Thunder.

"Hmph! You must be joking!" Beetlemon laughed as the iced spheres approached him. "If you think I'm scared of some stupid snowballs, then you're sadly... YEOW!"

The first snowball nailed the humanoid insect squared in the chest. Beetlemon felt like someone had gave him a stiff punch to his ribs. He didn't have time to recover as more snowballs plastered all over his body. The Warrior of Thunder held his arms out in front to block Kumamon's barrage of miniature iced cannonballs. For such small attacks, each one of them packed a powerful punch.

Finally, the snowballs pushed Beetlemon back against a tree. He slumped down toward the ground and landed on his butt. Kumamon changed directions and skied toward the dazed insect. As an added insult to injury, he performed a hard hockey stop, sending piles of snow all over Beetlemon's face.

"What's wrong, Beetlemon? Ashamed you got beat by a little squirt?" teased the Digimon of Ice.

"Why you little..." growled the humanoid beetle.

He sprung off of his ground and dove toward the polar bear with one of his fist drawn back. His hand surged with powerful watts of electricity. Beetlemon then unleashed a fierce right hook at Kumamon's face. The Digimon of Ice gasped before skiing out of harm's way. Beetlemon took the skies once again, and the chase has resumed.

"What's wrong? Afraid to fight someone three times you size?" howled the Warrior of Thunder.

"Oh please!" shouted Kumamon.

"Face it, you big baby! You're nothing more than a scrawny little Digimon!"

"Jeez, enough with the name calling, will you?" The bear shot more snowballs from his bazooka. But Beetlemon maneuvered left and right to avoid the icy spheres.

"You know it's true, shrimp! I'm faster than you! Stronger than you! And most of all, I'm _better_ than you!"

"Really?" Kumamon objected.

He had enough of Beetlemon's insults. If there's one thing Kumamon hated more than name calling, it's bullies. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the humanoid insect was approaching him. Kumamon turned toward an evergreen, jumped out of his skis and planted his feet on the trunk. With every ounce of energy in his tiny little legs, the Warrior of Ice sprung off of the tree and dove feet first toward the humanoid beetle.

"FROZEN TUNDRA!"

Kumamon turned his lower body into a sharp icicle. Beetlemon came to a halt and got in his stance the moment he saw a frozen spike approaching him. The speed of the icicle was incredible. But Beetlemon was ready for it. With superb timing, the Warrior of Thunder caught the Kumamon's sharpened form without getting hurt.

"Nice try, shorty! Now it's my turn!" chuckled Beetlemon.

The evil Digimon lifted his opponent and slammed him down on the ground. Kumamon's icicle body returned to its original form before crashing hard on the canvas. But Beetlemon wasn't done yet. As the Warrior of Thunder dropped to the ground, he turned his boots toward the bear's belly. Kumamon quickly regained consciousness and rolled out of the way just before Beetlemon could plant his feet on his body.

But the humanoid insect had his opponent right where he wanted him.

"THUNDER FIST!"

He raised his arm toward the sky and gathered vast amount of lightning in his fists. Finally, Beetlemon slammed his hand on the ground, allowing the electricity take its course toward the the bear. Kumamon returned to his feet and tried to get out of the way. But he was too late. The Warrior of Ice cried in pain as the electricity tightened the muscles in his body. Finally, the weakened Kumamon fell on all fours. Beetlemon ceased his attack and approached his groggy opponent.

"You know what they say, kid! The smaller they are, the faster they run to their mommies! HAHAHAHA!"

The Warrior of Thunder grabbed Kumamon by his collar and lifted him off the ground. His feet dangled in midair. As Kumamon struggled, Beetlemon pulled his free arm back, ready to deliver another electrical punch at close range.

"Face it, small fry! You can't beat me! You're just a wee little baby! Haven't you learned anything, shrimp? Size matters! HAHAHAHAHA!"

But Kumamon remained silent. His eyes stayed locked on to the humanoid insect. Surprisingly, the Warrior of Thunder was a bit frustrated that his opponent hadn't replied to his trash talking. Feeling that he hasn't gotten underneath Kumamon's skin yet, Beetlemon tugged on his opponent until their pupils were barely touching.

"What's wrong, pipsqueak? Don't you have anything to say?"

"Actually, I do!" smirked the bear. "Are you done yet?"

"Excuse me?" The humanoid insect glowered.

"You think you're so tough, Beetlemon!" laughed Kumamon. "What? You think I'm scared just because you're bigger than me?"

"Being bigger than you is merely a bonus! I'm the strongest Legendary Warrior of all! And I'm ten times more powerful than _you_!"

"And that's exactly why I'm _not_ afraid of you!"

"Huh? What are you talking about?" growled the Warrior of Thunder.

"Name calling, lousy threats, the need to show off their power and dominance over their 'small opponents?' You know what that tells me, Beetlemon? You're a _bully_!"

"Is that so?" snickered the humanoid beetle. "If that's what you think, then why don't you beat me to a pulp; just like I'm about to do to you?"

"Because, a really good human friend of mine taught me something!" Kumamon said, while thinking back to a specific, courageous young boy. "I don't need to fight a bully to prove how tough I am! I don't even care if I win or lose, but I refuse to let some evil Digimon like you make me feel powerless!"

"Shut your mouth, twerp! THUNDER FI..."

"CRYSTAL FREEZE!"

The Warrior of Ice took a deep breath and exhaled to release a cold, icy wind from his mouth. The air plastered all over Beetlemon's face. The evil Warrior's head instantly turned to ice, which gave Kumamon the chance to escape his opponent's grasp. He landed on his feet and took out his bazooka. Kumamon took aim toward the defenseless Beetlemon.

"BLIZZARD BLASTER!"

A barrage of snowballs shot out of his weapon and nailed the Warrior of Thunder in the chest. The frozen spheres pushed Beetlemon backwards until his head slammed against another tree. The ice surrounding his head shattered upon impact, leaving the humanoid insect lost in daze. Kumamon finished off his combo by skiing toward his opponent and giving him a strong punch across the jaw, which knocked him to the ground.

"Still talking Beetlemon?" Kumamon asked, placing a foot on his the Warrior's chest.

"You little..." grunted the humiliated Beetlemon.

"I guess it's true what they say!" mocked the bear. "The bigger they are, the louder they cry to their mommies when get owned by small fries like..."

"ENOUGH!" The armored insect shouted.

His entire body surged with lightning. Kumamon quickly got out of range and dropped back in his stance. Beetlemon stood up straight, feeling nothing but anger and rage. The watts of electricity flowed from his head all the way down to his feet. But Kumamon wasn't intimidated at all.

"I've underestimated you! For a little guy, you're pretty tough!"

"Well, duh! Took you that long to noticed? Wow, I'm honored!"

"Fine, whatever! You got me! You attacked my blindside and somehow found an opening! I'm impressed! But mark my words, Kumamon!When I get serious, you're gonna wish you never mess with me! Now prepare yourself! Because this fight is mine!"

Suddenly, large streams of data surrounded the armored insect's body. The power of electricity and lightning has given the Legendary Warrior an increased amount of power as he transformed inside the Fractal Code cocoon. The Digimon of Thunder began to transform into a mechanized monster.

"I don't think so! For the sake of the Digital World, I cannot lose!" declared the Warrior of Ice.

Kumamon's body was instantly surrounded with data after he completed his statement. He can feel himself growing; not just in strength, but in sheer size as well. The brave little Warrior started to change into a ferocious animal that's feared many other Digimon.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!" ||| "Slide... EVOLUTION!"

It wasn't long before the data dispersed. Two new Digimon appeared and faced each other. One was a giant nomadic beast with double-edged axes in both of his hands. The other was a large tank that was specifically built for destruction. The Beast Warriors of Ice and Thunder stared at one another, for they both knew the fight was about to get even uglier.

"KORIKAKUMON!" ||| "METALKABUTERIMON!"

* * *

><p>Elsewhere, on the northern side of the Icicle Mountains, there was another fight going on between the Warriors of Flame and Steel. Agunimon and Mercurymon ran at full steam towards each other. The fiery Digimon struck first by unleashing a barrage of punches and kicks toward his opponent. But the metallic Warrior used his speed to evade every single one of Agunimon's attack.<p>

"This is getting tiresome!" Mercurymon groaned as he ducked underneath a right hook from his opponent.

He came back around and delivered a spinning backfist to Agunimon's temple. His steel hand collided against the Warrior's head. Agunimon tumbled on the snow and crashed into a rock. The medium-sized boulder split in half upon the tremendous impact. The fiery Digimon hissed in pain. But fortunately, he was still alive.

In the meantime, Mercurymon closed the distance.

"Pathetic human! Now, begone! DARK REFLECTION!" shouted the Warrior of Steel. He took aim with one of his mirror shields and fired a large green beam at his opponent.

"Oh boy!" Agunimon cried.

He quickly got to his feet and dove out of the line of fire. While the Warrior of Flame escaped cleanly, everything else in the beam's path was blasted into smithereens. Agunimon watched as the broken rock, as well as a few other trees, disintegrated into bits and pieces. Mercurymon ceased firing and grinned at his opponent.

"That shall be the fate of those who oppose the almighty Lord Malevomon! Unless thou wants to be blown into oblivion, I demand thee to surrender!"

"Never!" replied Agunimon as he struggled to get back to his feet. "I won't give up that easily! I rather be destroyed than serve him!"

"Very well! Suit thine self! Thou has great potential to become one of us! But alas, it's time I put a nail in thine coffin!"

"Not a chance, Mercurymon! PYRO PUNCH!" growled the Warrior of Flame. Two more fireballs appeared from his fists. Agunimon then threw both of his arms forward, which sent the balls of fire toward the direction of Mercurymon.

"Fool! Does thou forget this?" The metallic Digimon smirked as he held his shield up.

The fireballs entered the mirror and disappeared. Mercurymon's shield started to glow in bright red in orange, similar to the colors of Agunimon's flame. The fiery Digimon gasped in shock, seeing that his first attack didn't work. On the other side, the Warrior of Steel widened his grin, knowing that he has his opponent in his sights.

"Behold my power! DARK REFLECTION!"

After declaring his signature technique, Mercurymon shot a powerful fireball from his mirror shield toward Agunimon. The Warrior of Flame held his arms up as he braced for his own attack. He screamed in agony as the fire consumed his entire body. Of course, since Mercurymon bounced the attack back at him, the damage was much greater than the original. Agunimon could feel his pain receptors going crazy at such intense levels of heat. Mercurymon's reflected attack sent the Warrior of Flame to ground with parts of his armor covered in burn marks.

"Hahahahaha! A taste of thine own medicine!" chuckled the steel fighter.

"Ugh! You sure love to hear yourself talk, don't you?" Agunimon grumbled as he slowly returned to a standing position.

"Forsooth! Now get up boy, so I could proceed with thine destruction." Mercurymon laughed as he waited for his opponent to get back in the fight.

"Forget it! You won't win, you lousy arrangement of mirrors!"

"Hehe! Watch thine tongue, boy! Thoust think thou can defeat me? Ha, thou art a fool for coming up with such ridiculous nonsense!"

"Be quiet!" Agunimon shouted as he ran toward the metallic Digimon.

He pulled his arm back and went for another frontal assault. This time, both of his fist were covered with flames. An annoyed Mercurymon sighed. He took aim with the same mirror shield and fired a second fireball at his opponent. But Agunimon juked to the side. The fireball sailed past the Legendary Warrior and exploded on the ground. It wasn't long before the fiery fighter got within striking range.

"Let's see how you like it when I take the fight to you, Mercurymon!" said the golden haired fighter.

"TAKE THIS! PYRO TORNADO!"

Agunimon threw his arms to the side and spun around into a massive fiery cyclone. The intense level of heat produced by the tornado melted every inch of snow in the area. Slowly, the flaming twister surrounded Mercurymon's metallic body. But the Warrior of Steel was not phased by is opponent's technique. His armor was unaffected by Agunimon's fire.

"How pathetic! Does thou know tis hopeless?" asked the evil Warrior. He looked from side to side, searching for the fiery Digimon. He had both of his shields up to anticipate any potential attacks. But so far, his opponent was nowhere in sight.

"Come out an fight you coward!" demanded Mercurymon.

"PYRO PUNCH!" A voice shouted from his left side. The Warrior of Steel readjusted his position and faced the direction he believe the attack was coming from.

As he predicted, couple of fireballs entered the tornado. One was shot from his right side and the second was on his left. A subtle huff escaped Mercurymon's mouth. All he had to do was position his mirrors in front of the two oncoming projectiles so he can absorb them easily, just like he did the last time.

"KYYYAAAAAHHHHHHH!" The sound of Agunimon screaming made its way Mercurymon's ears. This time, it was coming from the front.

Suddenly, the Warrior of Flame entered the fiery zone with a couple more fireballs on his knuckles. With nothing in his way, Agunimon charged at full speed toward the seemingly occupied Warrior of Steel. This time, Mercurymon showed more signs of nervousness than ever. There were three different attacks coming at him at the same time. This was something he didn't prepare for.

"GADZOOKS! IMPOSSIBLE!" cursed Mercurymon for falling into such a precarious position.

Realizing that blocking or deflecting wasn't going to work, he leaped off of the ground and out of the crossfire. Agunimon's fireballs crashed into each other and exploded. As for the Warrior of Flame, he slid to a halt and returned to his original stance. Although he was a little frustrated that he didn't score a hit on his opponent, it was the first time he got Mercurymon off balanced. At least he was showing some progress in this fight.

Moments later, the fiery tornado around him disappeared. The metallic Warrior soon came into view.

"I must congratulate you!" Mercurymon commented while clapping his hand. "Thou has shown such clever tactics in this fight! Not only that, but thou hast almost managed to hit me! Impressive! Truly impressive!"

"Is that sarcasm I'm detecting?" Agunimon grunted.

"Peace, young man! I'm just excited, that's all! It's not everyday a strong fighter such as myself is in the presence of a worthy opponent!"

"Jeez, I'm so flattered! But you won't be smiling when this is over!"

"If thou insist! Very well, then!" sighed Mercurymon. "I shall crush your body and all of the remaining parts as well! I shall turn them into pulp, to be disposed along with the rest of the garbage!"

Fractal Code swirled around the evil Warrior's body. The elements that make up his steel armor bonded and strengthened. Mercurymon discarded his signature mirror shields to take on a new form which is much more threatening and more powerful than his Human Warrior form.

"Mercurymon, slide... EVOLUTION!"

Finally, the Fractal Code cocoon disappeared. A new Digimon took flight and appeared before the Warrior of Flame. This monstrosity can be described as a network of several eyeballs with flexible bridges that link from one to the other. His head was located at the top, where his mouth also was. And at the very center of the Digimon was the core that is marked with a silver star in the middle.

"SAKKAKUMON!"

"Great! Him again!" Agunimon groaned.

"Prepare thyself! For this place shall become thy grave!" declared the Beast of Steel.

"Oh yeah? Try and stop me!"

Suddenly, a large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded the Legendary Warrior's body. Inside the long steams of data, the Warrior of Flame began to change forms. Sakkakumon smirked maliciously, knowing that this battle has just reached its climax.

"Slide… EVOLUTION!"

Moments later, the encasement of data disappeared, revealing a fiery dinosaur that's ready for battle.

"BURNINGGREYMON!"

* * *

><p>Probably the most intense battle going on between the Legendary Warriors was the one occurring in the central part of the Icicle Mountains. Kazemon fluttered her wings and flew backwards to get some distance between and her opponent. The Warrior of Water stood on top of her aquatic column with her hands on her hips. After giggling for several moments, gave Kazemon a quick wave.<p>

"Why, hello there Sugar! Aren't you glad to see me?"

"Believe me! You don't want to know!" complained the Warrior of Wind.

"Hmph! Figures! You humans are such arrogant creatures!" Then Ranamon placed a hand on her chin, pretending to ponder. "Or are you still mad about the beating I gave you a while back? I mean, why else would you be mad at me? You're obviously still steamed at the fact at how I displayed my dominance over you!"

"Wow, there you go again talking about the past! Can't you just be quiet for once, so we can get on with this fight?"

"Ooh! Someone's anxious to get her butt kicked!"

"In your dreams, Sugar!" Kazemon mimicked her opponent. Ranamon gave the human butterfly a subtle glare, but decided to ignore Kazemon's sad attempt to get on her nerves.

"Sorry girly! But mocking me ain't gonna work this time!"

"Then I suggest you cut the chit-chat and let's get this thing started already!"

"Heehee! Don't be such a poor sport Honey!" giggled the water Digimon. "I mean, sure I beat you like a stuffed piñata the last time we fought! And who can forget that I was only inches away from destroying you? But come now! Put a smile on that ugly face of yours! After all, you should feel honored to be facing me again!"

"Oh? Why's that?"

"First of all, you finally get the rematch you've always wanted! Second, and probably more importantly, now that you're here, I can finally finish you off once and for all!"

"I don't think so! KYYAAAHHHH!" growled Kazemon as she flew toward the Warrior of Water.

"Goody, goody! This is gonna be fun!"

The fairy made the first move by executing a diving sidekick toward Ranamon's midsection. But the Warrior of Water split jumped over her opponent and landed back on her aquatic platform. As the Warrior of Wind changed directions, Ranamon snapped her fingers. A dark cloud started to form above the unsuspecting Kazemon's head.

"DRAINING RAIN!"

Huge bursts of water fell from the cloud onto the distracted butterfly. Kazemon couldn't protect herself as the water pushed her down toward the cold pond below. The lavender haired Digimon tried to fight back, but the water was too strong. The Warrior of Wind crashed hard on the lake, creating a huge splash on impact.

"WHIPPING WAVES!"

Ranamon rose her arms above her head and manipulated the water to create large hand that had the defenseless Legendary Warrior in its grasp. The female Digimon squealed as the grip around her body tightened, making it harder for her to breathe. It was impossible for the butterfly to break free. Sooner or later, the Warrior of Water will crush her slender body.

But then, Ranamon threw her hands toward the side, commanding the watery figure to toss Kazemon aside. The human butterfly bounced on the water like a skipping stone until she crashed into a tree. Kazemon slumped to the ground, feeling weak and winded. She was in a lot of pain, not to mention almost out of breath.

"How sad! I expected a much better fight from you after all this time! But you turned out to be a huge disappointment! Oh well, let's end this already!" chuckled the aquatic Digimon.

Ranamon played with her hands once again and created a ball of water with the pond at her disposal. Her wrists pronated and supinated until the liquid ball transformed into a long, sharp, three-pronged trident. Ranamon threw her arms forward, wordlessly ordering the watery weapon to skewer the dazed Digimon.

"It's all over!" laughed the Warrior of Water as the fork-like spear drew closer toward it's target.

"IT'S NOT!" Kazemon instantly awakened and shot her head up.

She drew her legs into her chest. rolls back slightly and placed her hands on the ground next to his ears. Next, she thrusted her legs upward and outward while pushing off from the floor with her hands and shoulders. The momentum carried her body into the air feet first and, with sufficient back arching, all the way into a squatting position.

"What the..." gasped Ranamon.

Kazemon took the skies just when the watery trident pierced through the ground. The weapon collapsed into a pool of water after impact. Meanwhile, the lavender haired beauty closed the distance and zoomed toward the Warrior of Water. Ranamon tried to counter by firing a barrage of watery missiles at the butterfly. But Kazemon used her agility to evade every projectile.

"Unbelievable! She's much faster than before!" evaluated Ranamon. But her analysis was quickly interrupted by a diving sidekick delivered by Kazemon.

"Uh oh!"

Ranamon raised her forearm up and blocked the first kick just in the nick of time. But her opponent wasn't done there. Kazemon then unleashed a flurry of kicks and stomps toward the enemy while in midair. Unfortunately for Ranamon, she couldn't keep up with her speed. She blocked one kick, but ended up taking two in the face and side. Kazemon rotated her body and extended her leg out to executed a powerful superkick to Ranamon's chin, knocking her off of the platform. She fell toward the pond and splashed on the water.

"Yes!" Kazemon cheered with a fist pump.

But her victory was short-lived the moment she saw Ranamon's head break the surface of the lake. If one looked carefully, they could see steam coming out of her head.

"Lucky shot, Sugar! But now, you're going down!"

The Warrior of Water then submerged and disappeared below the depths.

"Oh great! What's she up to now?" Kazemon said worryingly as she scouted every inch of the lake. She looked left and right, waiting anxiously for the evil female Digimon to make her move.

Suddenly, four columns large columns appeared out of the water and swirled around the Warrior of Wind. Kazemon was trapped in between the water flumes. She tried to escape, but the towers would intervene and cut off her exit.

"Come on, not this move agai... UGH!"

Kazemon felt a solid punch across her jaw. She got in her stance and faced her left side where she thought the attack came from. But to her disbelief, the only thing she saw was one of the swirling columns of water. Just when the Warrior of Wind lowered her defense, she felt something struck her spine.

"OW! What's the..." shrieked the butterfly. Before she could react, she felt another punch connecting on the right side of her face.

"What's wrong, honey? Can't seem to keep up with me?" A voice asked. Out of one of the watery towers, Ranamon's upper body stuck out.

"Come on out and fight, you coward!

"You may be fast, Sugar! But when I'm around water, my speed excels yours! You're in my house now, girly!"

Suddenly, Ranamon dove out of the water formation and, at blazing speed, sailed passed the fairy. But not before delivering a devastating punch to the gut, forcing the Warrior of Wind to double over. Kazemon kept her arms to up to cover her face and body as the onslaught continued. For a whole minute, Ranamon passed through her opponent, executing a variety of strikes to the exposed areas of the fairy's head and midsection.

The last strike was a powerful right hook across the cheek that almost sent Kazemon on a loop. Even though she kept her balance, the butterfly realized she was not in a good position. She was still trapped in her opponent's water columns. Also, as long as Ranamon's inside the water, not only she can move between the pillars, but she can attack on the pass at the same time.

"Give up yet?" laughed the aquatic Warrior.

"Calm down. She's trying to psych you out." Kazemon reminded herself. She closed her eyes and returned to her stance. "Relax. Stay focus. You can beat her."

It's absurd to be meditating during an intense battle. The enemy can strike quickly since their opponent is already in a vulnerable state. But as for Kazemon, that was not the case. While her other senses were shut off, another type of sense kicked in. She hadn't noticed before, but there was a small wind blowing from the north. Then, without saying a word, she was able to commanded the breeze to changed directions.

Being the Digimon of Wind has its amazing abilities. Not only she was able to sense even the smallest trace of wind, but she can control it as well. Kazemon prepared herself as she commanded a very subtle, yet undetectable breeze to swirl around her body.

"So, the girl has finally admitted defeat!" grinned Ranamon as she sets herself up for the final attack. In less than a blink of an eye, she leaped out of her position and dove toward the meditating Kazemon.

"Got her." The butterfly's eyes shot open the moment she felt something disrupting the flow of wind, which directed her toward the enemy.

She turned one-hundred and eighty degrees and executed a powerful superkick. Not only Kazemon timed her attack perfectly, but she nailed Ranamon squared in the chin. The kick sent her toward the sky, causing all of her water pillars to collapse. Now that she's back in the game, it was time for the butterfly to take control of this fight.

Kazemon ascended toward the airborne opponent until she was completely above Ranamon. After somersaulting once, the Warrior of Wind connected with vicious heel drop on top of the evil creature's cranium. Ranamon fell back down toward the water at speeds unimagined. She landed hard in a belly flop position before sinking below the surface.

"That should do it!" smiled Kazemon, She took a deep breath and sighed. At long last, she has finally defeated...

"Not bad, girly!" echoed the voice of Ranamon, which froze the Warrior of Wind. The aquatic Digimon leaped out of the pond and landed on dry land. As water droplets fell off of her face and extremities, Ranamon gave Kazemon another cocky grin.

"You _have_ gotten better since the last time we fought!" She complemented.

"Back for more I see?" asked the lavender haired Warrior, resuming to her original position. "Alright! Bring it on, Ranamon! I'm ready for you!"

"Haha... Hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ranamon laughed maniacally. Kazemon knew something was up. Her opponent wouldn't crack up for no reason.

"What's so funny?"

"Honey, you think you have a chance against me just because you managed to land a few kicks? Oh please! You ain't seen nothing yet!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Allow me to explain! The last time we fought, I was only using some of my power! I was merely testing you to see if you're worth destroying. But now that you've irritated me to this extent, I guess it's time! I'll beat you so bad, even your own boyfriend won't even recognize you when I'm done! Prepare yourself, Sugar! Because when I say it's all over... IT'S ALL OVER!"

Suddenly, large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded the Legendary Warrior's body. Inside the cocoon of data, Ranamon began to change from a cute petite Digimon, to a powerful, yet hideous creature.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!"

Finally, the Fractal Code had vanished, and a large, putrid squid-like sea monster appeared. The aquatic witch snickered at her terrified opponent. She used her tentacles to propel herself toward the air and past the butterfly. Once gravity got a hold of her, the Beast of Water dove toward the humanoid fairy with a wide grin on her face.

"CALMARAMON!" She exclaimed as her speed increase. All Kazemon could do was gulp and brace herself for the big collision.

"_Oh_ _merda..._"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter thirty-nine.<strong>

** Now that the majority of Legendary Warriors have changed into their Beast Spirit forms, the intensity has doubled. ******Who will rise and who will fall? These questions will be answered in **************************************************part two of this epic battle.** ******************Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.******************************************************************

***Don't forget to review!***


	40. Legendary Battle: Part 2

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**The battle between the Legendary Warriors has begun. Grumblemon and Lobomon are locked in a fierce contest, while Lowemon and Arbormon were doing everything they can to destroy each other. Meanwhile, Beetlemon chased Kumamon around the Icicle Mountains. But the Warrior of Ice held his own, not backing down from his opponent, despite the size difference. Elsewhere, Mercurymon was having fun toying with Agunimon. It took the fiery Digimon a while to finally land a hit on his opponent. As for Kazemon, she had no problems dealing with Ranamon. That is, until Calmaramon appeared. Things aren't looking good for Kazemon.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter forty!**

* * *

><p><strong>Legendary Battle<br>(Part 2)**

**Normal POV:**

"ALRIGHT, EVERYONE! SETTLE DOWN!"

It took quite some time for the swordsman to get the remaining group of Digimon assembled. Most of the Battlefront warriors were already itching for a fight. They spent the last several hours searching for the Legendary Spirits of Ice and coming up empty. But now that their superior had gathered the troops together, it seems like they'll be moving out in a matter of moments.

As for Bokomon and Neemon, they were both having trouble staying calm. Their chests heaved with every breath they took. It's obvious the Rookies were worried about Takuya's and Zoe's well-being. And who can blame them? After all, both of them share a special bond with their humans. It's only natural for them to be extremely concerned for their friends.

Swiftmon crouched down and patted the Rookies on their heads. The second-in-command saw the tears streaming down both Bokomon's face. He also noticed Neemon's face was paler than normal. It took both Rookies a while to stop panicking. Once when Swiftmon knew he had their attention, he gave the Rookies a small nod.

"Fear not, my friends. Everything's going to be alright. Trust me." The warrior reassured.

"Easy for you to say!" squeaked Neemon.

"I wish I could believe you, Swiftmon! But our friends are in big trouble! We have to find Takuya and Zoe before something terrible happens to them!"

"We will. Don't worry." Swiftmon consoled. "Even if we have to search every inch of these mountains, rest assured we will find the Chosen Children. After all, they are the only ones who can stop the forces of evil and save the..."

"Enough with the chit-chat already, Swiftmon! Jeez! Here you are wasting my precious time on such pointless facts that I already know! Now, if you don't mind, can we please search for Cutie? He's waiting for me to save him! Who know what terrible danger he is in?" Beautymon complained.

"We'll get moving, once you_ stop talking_!" He glowered at his partner, emphasizing heavily on the last two words.

Beautymon had her mouth hung open upon hearing Swiftmon's disrespectful remarks. She was so angry, steam can be seen erupting out of her head. Every time she tries to make a point, the ungrateful second-in-command would shoot her down and leave her in the dust. The olive haired Digimon despised being disrespected, especially by her partner.

While Beautymon was busy venting, Swiftmon proceeded with his leadership responsibilities.

"Listen up! We got a terrible situation on our hands! The Chosen Children are lost somewhere in the Icicle Mountains! And according to these two..." Swiftmon shifted his eyes toward Bokomon and Neemon. "... they're fighting for their lives against the Legendary Warriors under Malevomon's control! Time is of the essence! And the numbers are stacked against them! So, here's what we're going to..."

"Come on!" groaned an agitated Beautymon. "Honestly, Swiftmon! Hearing you talk is just so tedious! There you go blabbering about what we're going to do, when we really should be searching for my precious Cutie!"

"I'm getting to that, you wretched woma..."

"You know what? That's it! I've had it with all of this waiting and following your stupid procedures! If you want to stay here with the rest of these losers and come up with a 'decent' plan, then be my guest! As for me, I'm going to make myself useful and find Cutie! So, call me when you need me... Oh, wait! That's right! You never do!"

"BEAUTYMON, WAIT!" Swiftmon ordered.

But once when the female Digimon has her mind set on a certain teenage goggle-head, there's nothing that can stop her.

"Hang on, Cutie! Beautymon's coming!"

A wide variety of flower petals danced out of olive haired warrior's sleeve and swirled around her body. The female Digimon gave her superior a fierce scowl. As the flowers danced around her, Beautymon stuck her tongue out toward Swiftmon. Before the swordsman or any other Digimon could stop her, the third-in-command's body was completely covered with different colored petals.

Moments later, the barrage of flowers fell to the ground. But by then, Beautymon was already out of sight. With her gone, Swiftmon smacked his forehead and groaned with annoyance. Some of the Digimon Battlefront members reacted the same way.

"Where did she go?" The yellow rabbit asked, poking the other Rookie's back.

"How should I know?" Bokomon argued.

"This is Beautymon we're talking about. I don't know why, but she has some kind of attraction to that human boy. And once someone like him is in trouble, there's not a thing in the world that can stop her. Trust me, she is gone. We have" grumbled the commander of the Digimon Battlefront.

"We must hurry, Swiftmon!" Neemon reminded the swordsman.

"He's right! Takuya and Zoe are in trouble as we speak! We have to hurry before something terrible happens to them!"

"Indeed!" agreed Swiftmon.

He faced the rest of his soldiers and unsheathed both of his broadswords.

"Alright troops! LET'S MOVE OUT!"

"YES SIR!" Everyone exclaimed.

Bokomon and Neemon climbed on top of Swiftmon's shoulder. Wasting little time, the swordsman took the lead and sprinted toward the woods with the rest of the Digimon Battlefront following behind. The two Rookies held on tight as Swiftmon ran through the forest at blazing speeds. Bokomon prayed with all of his might, hoping that his friends would be alright by the time he and the rest of the Digimon Battlefront arrived.

"Hang on, my friends! We're on our way!"

* * *

><p>A couple of Beast Warriors stared each other down after completing their transformation. In one corner, an ogre-like Digimon with brown skin and a large body made of the hardest minerals and substances from the earth pounded his fists together. He had a brown huge nose, as well as several horns on his head, arms, knuckles and knees. On the other side was a metallic wolf. His white and gold armor shined brightly. There were yellow blade-like wings on his back and wheels attached to each of his legs.<p>

The Digimon of Light growled at his opponent, showing his fearsome sharp teeth. He bent his knees and was ready to pounce on his prey. As for Gigasmon, he flexed his body to show off his physique and strong build. The movement of his muscles displayed the ogre's raw power. He too was ready to kick some serious Digimon butt.

But before Gigasmon can call forth his first attack, KendoGarurumon had apparently beaten him to the punch.

"LUPINE LASER!"

The Beast Warrior of Light opened his mouth and gathered the power of light in between his jaw. Suddenly, he fired a huge beam of energy across the battlefield and toward the Beast of Earth. But the ogre wasn't fazed one bit.

"Not good enough!" Gigasmon grinned. He held his left forearm up to block the laser. The beam deflected off of the Beast Warrior's large limb and pierced through a nearby tree.

"I'm not done with you yet!" KendoGarurumon roared as he opened his mouth once again.

Instead of one, he shot a barrage of lasers toward his opponent. The firing rate was rapid and the speed of the beams were much faster. Although they were much small and lacked the necessary power to cause significant damage, KendoGarurumon's lasers were able to push Gigasmon back.

Even with both arms blocking and deflecting the attacks, the ogre was still having trouble getting back in the fight. The Digimon of Earth dug his feet into the ground to gain some leverage. He managed to regain his balance, but was still getting plastered by laser beams. He was already feeling the pressure.

"You have do better than that!"

Moments later, the standstill started to go Gigasmon's way. Not only KendoGarurumon's lasers weren't harming the ogre, but the muscular Digimon started moved forward with each step he took. The metallic wolf was surprised when he realized that Gigasmon was drawing nearer. In response, he increased the firing rate on his laser beams.

Unfortunately for him, that wasn't enough to stop the Digimon of Earth from advancing. With his opponent closing the distance inch by inch, KendoGarurumon began to walk backwards. But the metallic wolf was so focused on Gigasmon, he didn't realize he was being pushed back toward a boulder.

"YOU DONE NOW!" grinned the ogre. He raised his both arms up, clutched his hands together and gave the Beast Warrior of Light a powerful axe hammer to the back.

"UGH!" The metallic Digimon grunted as he collapsed to the ground.

The force of Gigasmon's slam made the Beast of Light fall on his stomach. However, his spine remained intact. As the robotic wolf struggled to get back to his feet, Gigasmon turned his attention toward the rock structure in front of him. An idea came to his head and a sneaky smirk appeared on his face.

"ME FINISH YOU!" shouted the Beast of Earth. "QUAGMIRE TWISTER!"

Gigasmon jumped up and extended his arms out wide. The ogre then spun his body around very quickly. But instead of creating a large and powerful twister like he normally does, Gigasmon spun closer toward the slope of the rocky walls, using his ginormous fists to break apart the stone structure. Large rocks crashed down on the dazed Digimon of Light. Gigasmon landed back on his feet and gazed at the enormous rock pile that has KendoGarurumon buried underneath.

"Hmph! Too easy!" The ogre snickered at his accomplishment. "Now, me go and search other Legendary Warriors!"

Gigasmon turned away from the defeated opponent and knuckle-walked toward the central part of the Icicle Mountains.

Suddenly, the rock pile that covered armored wolf's body exploded with a white laser bursting out of the center. Every stone in the heap disintegrated due to the intense energy of the beam. Gigasmon turned around and saw the metallic wolf back on all fours. KendoGarurumon shook the remaining pebbles off of his back and growled at the Beast of Earth.

"I'm not through with you yet!" declared the armored Digimon. "It'll take more than just a stupid rock slide to beat me.

"Good!" Gigasmon returned to his stance. "Me need extra work out!"

"Don't underestimate me!"

"Hehe! Don't make Gigasmon laugh! Your attacks not strong enough! Me break little puppy in two!"

"Wow, I didn't know you can count that high!" KendoGarurumon spoke with a mild amount of sarcasm.

"That does it! Me through with warm up! Gigasmon will defeat you now!"

"Haha! What a joke!" laughed the metallic wolf. "How can you beat me, when you can't even _catch_ me?"

KendoGarurumon spread the blade-like wings on his back and positioned the sharp edges until it faced the Beast Warrior of Earth. Next, the wheels articulated with the creature's legs lowered itself to the ground. The Digimon of Light crouched down as the rubber on the tires burned the canvas. He was ready to roll all over his opponent.

"HOWLING STAR!"

The metallic wolf gained a burst of speed and thrust his body forward toward the ogre. Thanks to KendoGarurumon's speed, the Digimon of Earth never had a chance to get in his stance. A split-second later, the Beast of Light zoomed past Gigasmon, using the bladed wings on his back to inflict damage all over his opponent's body. Gigasmon may have muscles as tough as diamonds, but he felt the metal cutting his exposed chest, arms and legs.

"Hey... YEOW! No fair... OUCH! Cut it... OW!"

The Beast of Ice felt another cut on his backside. This time, the blow caused the Legendary Warrior to fall on his knees. He cringed in agony, trying to endure his opponent's high speed attack. Meanwhile, KendoGarurumon slid to a halt and smirked at the weakened Digimon. Gigasmon glowered at his arrogant opponent, who was chuckling mildly.

"Told ya! I'm too fast for you! With your speed, you can't even lay a finger on me!"

"Silence!" argued the muscular Digimon.

"Face it, Gigasmon! You know I'm right! I can land a hundred strikes on your body before you can connect with one!"

"Oh yeah?"

"And this poses the ultimate question!" grinned the Beast of Light. "What's slower? That massive deadweight body you have, or that teeny little brain that's trapped in that thick skull of..."

"ENOUGH!" The brown-skinned monster shouted before leaping toward the sky. "TECTONIC SLAM!"

Gigasmon bended backwards and clutched his hands together, interlocking each of the fingers. Gravity started to take effect, pulling the Legendary Warrior back down to earth. He with KendoGarurumon in his sights. However, the metallic wolf backed away before Gigasmon could strike. The ogre slammed the ground hard. The force on his fists combined with the fall created a massive earthquake. The magnitude of the vibrations were enough to knock a few evergreens down to the ground.

"Point proven!" The Beast of Light smirked at his opponent.

"You pay for this! No Digimon talk bad to Gigasmon and get away with it!"

"Whatever!" KendoGarurumon again fired a large beam from his mouth. The Digimon of Earth jumped over the projectile. He then landed on a branch of a nearby tree.

"Let take fight elsewhere!" said Gigasmon.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"HA! YOU NEVER CATCH ME!" Before escaping, the ogre smacked his butt twice. He then hopped from branch to branch to get away from his opponent.

"Coward! You won't get away that easily!" growled KendoGarurumon as he chased after Gigasmon.

"LUPINE LASER!

* * *

><p>Once the encasement of Fractal Code had dispersed, a couple of four-legged Digimon glowered at each other. The beast on the left was a gigantic lizard with his body covered in green leaves and brownish leaves for feet. He had two thick branches acting as his tails. A large number of wooden stakes stuck out of his back. Finally, he had a bud-like head with brown leaves covering the outsides like it was a flower. The Digimon on the right closely resembled an armored jaguar with his head and body covered with black and golden plates. There were a couple of small cannons sticking out of his upper arms, with a red jewel on his forehead and hind legs.<p>

JagerLowemon circled his massive opponent like a hungry predator. He's ready to pounce on his prey at any given moment. Regardless how the enemy took up more than a quarter of the battlefield, the Beast of Darkness stood his ground. Petaldramon, however, wasn't impressed with JagerLowemon's ferocity. His ivy tongue licked all over his face, and the lower part of his lips. Apparently, the armored jaguar was looking quite delicious.

"EBONY BLAST!"

JagerLowemon leaped to the air and took aim toward his opponent. The piston on his back loads up, giving the armored lion immense power. He opened his mouth and released a burst of energy at his opponent. Petaldramon hissed mildly as the laser burned through the first layer of his body. But moments later, the charred leaves were quickly replaced with fresh new ones, thus healing the lizard's injury. Petaldramon leered at the jaguar in black armor.

"Hey! What's the big idea?" The Beast of Wood snarled. "You little runt! I just got these polished a while ago!"

"Silence, you ugly monstrosity!" growled JagerLowemon. "EBONY BLAST!"

He opened his mouth once again as the clip on his back returned to its actual position. The piston loaded and recoiled as the Beast of Darkness released a continuous burst of energy. The barrage of lasers plastered all over Petaldramon's face and body. Just like last time, the beams burned through the outer layer of the lizard's leafy skin. The endless stream of dark energy made Petaldramon cringe.

However, JagerLowemon would not stop. He dashed around his opponent, making sure every part of the lizard's body was hit with his powerful laser. It wasn't long before Petaldramon was covered with thick clouds of smoke. JagerLowemon landed on his feet and faced the center of the area.

"Well, that should take care of him!" chuckled the Beast of Darkness.

But when the smoke cleared, the armored Digimon was shocked to see Petaldramon was still standing. Every patch of leaves that was burned by JagerLowemon's attacks had been replaced with a new sets of leaves and fresh green grass. Petaldramon does a little body shake to remove the remaining debris off of him. The lizard growled at the armored lion.

"What are you trying to do, huh? I just got these grass clipped a while ago!"

"Why you..." JagerLowemon gritted his teeth.

"If you call that an attack, then this fight will be boring! At least try to make this battle entertaining, so I can work up on my appetite!"

"Then, chew on this!" The jaguar growled. Once again, he threw himself forward toward the head of Petaldramon.

"Let's eat!" The tree-like lizard smirk as armored jaguar closed the distance.

The Beast of Earth opened his mouth and shot his tongue at his opponent. But JagerLowemon tilted his body sideways and used his jaw to bit off the ivy from Petaldramon's mouth. Again, the lizard screamed in pain as the tongue fell to the ground and withered away. With his opponent in a completely vulnerable state, the clip on JagerLowemon's back loaded up for another attack.

"TAKE THIS!" The dark animal shouted.

The piston on his posterior pushed up and down, which fired a large laser beam inside the mouth of Petaldramon. The energy blast entered in between the lizard's jaws and exploded. Black smoke spewed out Petaldramon's mouth as he coughed for air. The jaguar stick his front paws out and tackled the large lizard by the head. Even though Petaldramon's body was huge, JagerLowemon was able to knock his enemy to the ground.

Once his opponent was down, the Beast of Darkness crouched on all fours.

"DARK MASTER!"

The jewels on JagerLowemon's body began to glow. It wasn't long before the animal was consumed with bright red lights. Finally, he pounced toward his opponent. Meanwhile, Petaldramon turned over on his tummy and shook off the dizziness. He looked back toward the armored jaguar and noticed a dark being surrounding him. It opened its jaw, ready to unleash the power of darkness on the leafy lizard.

"I don't think so!" Petaldramon spoke boldly. He lifted his hind legs off of the ground.

"THORN JAB, BABY!"

The Beast of Wood stabs his wooden tail into the ground, causing the entire area to shake. Moments later, a bunch of vines shot up from the ground. With perfect timing, the ivies snared the limbs and body of the dark being surrounding JagerLowemon. It unleashed a thunderous roar as the blackness faded from sight.

In front of Petaldramon was the Beast of Darkness. His legs and torso were ensnared by the lizard's thorny vines. JagerLowemon tried to escape, but the elongated plants sealed his movements. No matter how much he struggled, he could not break free. Slowly, the ivies lifted the helpless creature off of the ground until he was at Petaldramon's eye level.

"Who's got who now, huh?"

"LET ME GO! RIGHT NOW!" demanded JagerLowemon.

"If you say so!" chuckled the lizard Digimon. "LEAF CYCLONE!"

The leaves around Petaldramon's head spun around like a gigantic fan. The Beast of Wood then snorted a powerful cyclone of leaves through his nostrils. The tornado blew away the dark lion, sending him flying through a couple of trees. JagerLowemon bounced off the third tree and fell onto a pile of snow.

As the Beast of Darkness tried to stand back up, Petaldramon stuck out his tongue and wrapped it around his opponent's midsection. He pulled back the vine-like tongue with the helpless armored lion in his grasp. Finally, the wooden reptile snapped his head back, throwing JagerLowemon into his mouth.

"Delicious!" Petaldramon grinned as he started chewing.

But a couple of bites later, he spat the Digimon of Darkness out of his mouth. The armored lion grunted in pain as shook the saliva off of his body. Meanwhile, Petaldramon was trying to get the bad taste out of his mouth.

"Yuck! You taste smoked asparagus!" complained the Beast of Wood.

"How humiliating!" growled JagerLowemon. "That does it! No more fooling around! It's time I finish you off once and for all!

"Ha! All you's doing is wasting my time!"

"Laugh all you want! But after I won, you won't be laughing anymore!"

"Ooh, I'm scared... NOT!" The leaves on his head spun around at an incredible velocity.

"You better be!" Every single jewel on JagerLowemon's body glowed in red lights.

"LEAF CYCLONE! ||| "DARK MASTER!"

* * *

><p>Elsewhere, two other Digimon had already resumed their fight. One of them was a combination of an ice monster and a polar bear. He had long strands of white hair on his head, orange braids at the middle and sharp arrowheads at the ends. His body was covered with thick white fur, with a dark brown shoulder pads and breastplate on the front. Finally, the Beast of Ice wielded a pair of double-edge axes that are sharp enough to slice an iceberg in half.<p>

But his opponent looked just as tough as him. He could be described as a mechanized monster. He has cannons for hands with three small barrels projecting outward. On his legs were caterpillar treads that can drive over any kind of terrain. Last of all, there was a large cannon mounted on the top of the tank's head. From top to bottom, large jolts of electricity surged throughout his body.

"RRRRRAAAAAAAAAA!" KoriKakumon howled. The Digimon of Ice pounded his chest like a wild gorilla.

But MetalKabuterimon didn't flinch at the sound of the thunderous roar.

"Well, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed." chuckled the unfazed tank.

"You ready to go, or did your engine die out while I was getting myself pumped up?"

"Nah! Keep going! It's entertaining to watch you make a fool of yourself!"

"GRRR... THAT'S IT! YOU'RE GOING DOWN!" KoriKakumon gritted his teeth together. On the other side, a smug grin appeared on MetalKabuterimon's face.

First, KoriKakumon threw both of his axes up in the air. His steel weapons tumbled in mid-flight and disappeared from sight. MetalKabuterimon looked up and was curious why KoriKakumon would do such a thing. However, before he could come up with an answer, the nomadic beast was already on the move. He ran toward the tank at full speed. The beast lowered his shoulders and was ready to take his opponent down.

But the vehicle Digimon put his tracks in reverse to get away from the charging animal. Unfortunately for him, the icy terrain has limited MetalKabuterimon's top speed. The Beast of Thunder knew he would be at a huge disadvantage in close quarter combat. Then again, KoriKakumon was drawing approaching fast. The armored Digimon had to think of something fast.

"Enough of this!" huffed MetalKabuterimon.

He came to a halt and aimed his arms at his opponent. The barrels on his hands rotated around an incredible velocity. At the same time, MetalKabuterimon gathered the power of electricity in his palms. Moments later, two balls of lightning appeared, connected by a single bolt.

"BOLO THUNDER!"

MetalKabuterimon unleashed the electric bola toward the charging Digimon. Once released, it spun around to increase its speed and power. But that didn't stop the Beast of Ice. Just when the rotating orbs was in his range, he vaulted over them. With his opponent in midair, MetalKabuterimon continued with the barrage of Bolo Thunders. KoriKakumon tilted his body from side to side, avoiding every single electrical attack.

"RRRAAAAAA!" screamed the nomadic Digimon as he dove toward the tank.

"Uh-oh!" grumbled MetalKabuterimon.

KoriKakumon tackled his opponent to the ground. The armored Digimon tried to self-right himself, but the Beast of Ice grabbed his horned cannon with both hands. He pivoted his body and rotated around to lift the tank off the ground. The icy nomad spun MetalKabuterimon faster in a circle like he's a giant hammer throw. The mechanized Digimon grunted loudly and kept his eyes close to fight the dizziness building in his head.

Finally, the Digimon of Ice released his opponent's cannon, sending him flying through the woods. The Beast of Thunder slammed into a few trees, knocking them all down to a ground. Regardless of the protection around his body, he did feel the immense transfer of energy through his armor. But the good news for him was that he was finally back on his caterpillar tracks.

KoriKakumon entered the woods and spotted his opponent still trying to recover. He pounded his chest twice in victory. After he finished celebrating, the nomadic creature was ready to unleash his second attack.

"FROZEN ARROWHEADS!"

The metallic spearheads on his hair glowed in bluish-white light. He then commanded his braided blades to capture the dazed vehicle. MetalKabuterimon had no chance to escape. A couple of arrowheads wrapped around his arms. Two more coiled around his body. The last two bind MetalKabuterimon's neck. With a good tug, the tank fell on all fours.

"I got you!" KoriKakumon smiled.

"No, _I_ got you!" declared MetalKabuterimon, with a smirk underneath his facemask.

Soon, the nomadic Digimon realized what he had just done. When he pulled his opponent to the ground, he also lowered MetalKabuterimon's cannon in the process. The blaster was already aimed at KoriKakumon. A compartment on his back opened up, and a targeting screen flipped open. His cannon charged up, gathering as much energy as it could hold.

"ELECTRON CANNON!"

He discharged his turret and fired a powerful positron laser at KoriKakumon. The nomadic creature braced himself as the burst of energy slammed into his chest. He fell to the ground and landed hard on his back. With KoriKakumon on the canvas, the strands of hair retracted back to its original owner. As the Digimon of Ice groaned in pain, MetalKabuterimon quickly closed the distance.

"Time to put you out of your misery!" declared the armored tank. He got down on all fours and aimed his blaster at the furry Digimon. "Any last words?"

"Just _two_!" spoke the Beast of Ice. Before MetalKabuterimon could pull the trigger, KoriKakumon pointed toward the sky.

"Look up!"

The tank shifted his eyes upward and caught something in the sky. Two metallic axes spun its blades around like a sharp flying discs. At the speed the weapons were falling, they could easily cut through MetalKabuterimon like butter.

The Digimon of Thunder realized that he was standing in a bad spot. He had this battle won if he had just discharged his weapon. But if he did, he wouldn't have time to avoid the falling axes above. With no other options, the armored tank powered down and rolled backwards. The axes dug its blades into the ground, where MetalKabuterimon initially stood.

"Let's try this again!" KoriKakumon growled as he kipped up. He grabbed both of his weapons and held them up high. The Beast of Ice again ran toward the tank-like Digimon.

"AVALANCHE AXES!" ||| "BOLO THUNDER!"

As MetalKabuterimon shifted his gear in reverse, he released a barrage of electrical attacks at his opponent. KoriKakumon juked half of the oncoming projectiles and used his axes to cleave the other half. But the Beast of Thunder kept firing as he retreated into the woods, leaving behind a trail of tracks on the snow. And thus, the game of cat and mouse between the two Digimon continued.

* * *

><p>Most of the fights that were going on around the Icicle Mountains have been even matchup. The good Legendary Warriors had no trouble holding their own against the ones being controlled by a Chaos Sphere. Despite the increase in power Malevomon has provided them, the other Legendary Warriors were able to hold their own.<p>

Too bad the same thing couldn't be said about poor Kazemon. Ever since her opponent Slide Evolved to her Beast Spirit form, Calmaramon had turned the tide of the fight. What began as a standoff has turned into a brutal beat down. The lavender haired butterfly not only was unable to inflict any damage to her opponent, she taking a majority of them as well.

"NNG!"

After her opponent delivered a vicious shot to the face, the Digimon of Wind bounced on the water like a skipping stone. She then and skid to a halt on the icy canvas. But by the time she could recover, Calmaramon was already back on the attack. She wrapped one of her long tentacles around Kazemon's body, lifted her off of the ground and squeezed the life out of her.

The humanoid butterfly could feel her ribs were on the verge of cracking. She could feel her internal organs were being crushed. But sadly, there was nothing she could do to protect herself. Her legs dangled helplessly in the air. The more she struggled, the harder the evil Digimon tightened her grip.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! LET ME... GO!" The lavender haired Warrior cried.

""Sorry, Honey! But no one can save you now! HAHAHAHA!" Calmaramon laughed. She enjoyed watching Kazemon suffer, as well as hearing her squeal in agony.

Next, the Beast of Water rotated her body and tossed the defenseless butterfly aside. Kazemon flew through the air and crashed into a tree nearby. Her back contorted into the letter 'C', bending at an angle many would consider unreachable. A couple of discs popped out of place upon impact. A few gasps of pain escaped her mouth. Although her spine wasn't broken, the damage has been done. Tears formed underneath her visor.

However, she refused give up. Failure is not an option. She has to defeat this evil Warrior at all cost.

"Gotta... keep fighting..." Kazemon said to herself as she struggled to get back to her feet. Her legs wobbled like spaghetti. It was difficult for her to maintain balanced, especially after the punishment she took. But the Warrior of Wind dropped to her stance and leered at the squid.

"Back for more? Good! Because I still want to have some more fun with you!" Calmaramon snickered.

"You won't... ugh... win!" The Warrior of Wind grunted.

"Such a fool! This fight was over the moment you challenged me! Now, I'm going to finish what I started!" Her smirked was then replaced with a more serious look.

"N... Never!"

"And after I'm done with you, maybe I'll destroy that little boyfriend of yours! Oh, I can't wait to see the look on his face when I tell him the news on how destroyed his puny, weak, stupid, pathetic..."

"SHUT UP!"

She flew toward the monster's face and unleashed a frenzy of kicks. But Calmaramon took the attack like it was nothing. No matter how many kicks the lavender haired beauty, the damage she inflicted was minimal. After a while, she fluttered backwards to regain some distance between her and her opponent. Kazemon was breathing much harder than usual. Apparently, the kicks she unleashed had negatively impacted on her stamina.

"What's wrong? Getting tired, Honey! Come on! Give me your best shot!" mocked Calmaramon.

"HURICANE WAVE!" The fairy cried, shooting pink tornadoes out of her fingertips toward her opponent's chest.

Again, Calmaramon kindly received the attack. Just like her barrage of kicks, the cyclones had no effect on her. If anything, it tickled the Beast of Water, causing her to chuckle mildly.

"Oh no! It's no use! None of my attacks are working!" Kazemon gasped.

"Pitiful! Now, it's my turn!"

Calmaramon marched toward the butterfly, pounding her large tentacles on the ground with each step she makes. Once she was in range, the putrid squid swung one of her elongated limbs at Kazemon. The Warrior of Wind ducked out of the way, causing her opponent to spin around during the follow through. Kazemon's eyes lit up when she noticed the back of Calmaramon's head.

This could potentially be the opening she needed.

"NOW!"

The Warrior of Wind got within striking distance and pulled her leg back. With every ounce of energy in her body, she gave Calmaramon the strongest round kick she could deliver. Her leg collided against the temple of her opponent. But upon impact, Kazemon's eyes cringed and her face grimaced in pain. She brought back her bruised foot and quickly massaged it. It felt like she had kicked a cliff. Despite how much power she had in that one kick, it wasn't strong enough to hurt Calmaramon.

"ACID INK!" roared the Beast of Water.

She spewed a mouthful of acid toward the Warrior of Wind. Kazemon flew toward her left to avoid the toxic blast. The toxic liquid landed on snow, which melting the ice and everything else underneath. However, a drop or two somehow landed on the lower portion of her right bottom wing. This made the lavender haired Digimon wince in agony.

Kazemon lost her balance in midair and began to fall. But before her feet could touch the ground, Calmaramon wrapped a large tentacle around her body. She pulled the helpless butterfly up close until she could see her reflection on Kazemon's visor. Although her eyes were covered, Calmaramon could detect the fear in her opponent.

"Time to go for a little ride!"

After lifting the butterfly up, the putrid squid brought her tentacle down hard, slamming the poor Kazemon on the ground. Her torso took the worst of the brunt. The force on her spine traveled throughout her rib cage. But one slam wasn't enough. Again and again, Calmaramon mashed Kazemon on the unforgiving canvas. Each painful landing took a huge toll on the Legendary Warrior's body.

After the tenth slam, Calmaramon held her opponent out in front of her. It was a miracle that Kazemon hasn't lost consciousness yet. However, her body fidgeted in pain from getting slammed on the ground repeatedly. As Kazemon grimaced, Calmaramon looked around her surroundings to see how else she could torment her opponent. Her eyes caught a large boulder toward the east of the lake. She marched toward the rock and positioned the helpless Warrior in front of it.

"Let's see if you're tougher than this rock!"

She pulled her tentacle back and shoved Kazemon into the unforgiving structure.

"AAAHHHHHH!" The Warrior of Wind hollered.

Again, Calmaramon bashed the lavender haired Digimon into the boulder, alternating the impact from chest to spine. With each powerful force, the rock started to crack. But for Kazemon, it was much worse. Each slam against the boulder was more painful than the last. Her ribs and back were on the verge of fracturing. Kazemon wasn't sure how long she could last.

After one more powerful shove, the boulder burst into pieces, making Kazemon's gasp in agonizing pain.

"This is too easy! You're not even worth my time!"

The Beast of Water dropped the beaten Kazemon to the ground. The lavender haired beauty couldn't move a muscle. Then again, even the slightest twitch would bring more pain to her body. Tears of anguish fell out of her eyes. She knew it was over. She was outmatched and humiliated. There was nothing the Warrior of Wind could do to win.

Next, Calmaramon wrapped a tentacle around her opponent's neck and lifted her off of the ground. As Kazemon gagged for air, the putrid squid marched toward the chilly pond and dunked her opponent underwater. The butterfly held her breath and splashed with her arms and legs to get some air. But Calmaramon held her in the exact same place, regardless how much Kazemon struggled.

But with all of the pain inside the Warrior's body, it was difficult for her to hold her breath. Calmaramon held her opponent underwater for two minute before bring her back to the surface. Water dripped off of her body and her lavender hair. She coughed profusely for air. But the squid still had her tentacle around her throat, preventing Kazemon to breathe.

"It's time I clip your wings for good!" bragged the Warrior of Water.

She tossed the butterfly back at the pond. Next, Calmaramon used her tentacles to propel herself up in the air. She spread her extremity out wide and rotated her body like a helicopter propeller.

"TITANIC TEMPEST!"

The evil Digimon took aim at Kazemon's exposed stomach. The powerful drill plowed into the Warrior's midsection, sending her to the deepest parts of the pond at an incredible speed. As Calmaramon continued with her attack, Kazemon struggled to endure the pain and to hold her breath. It's only a matter of time before she passes out due to the lack of oxygen or the physical toll on her body.

Moments later, Calmaramon drilled the helpless fairy into the bottom of the lake. She then ceased her attack and got off of Kazemon's body. The Warrior of Wind laid on the floor in a nearly lifeless heap. But before she could pass out or drown, the Beast of Water grabbed Kazemon by the neck and helped her back to the surface. The lavender haired Digimon coughed heavily for air and moaned in pain.

"Let's end this!" The squid chuckled.

She then tossed across the area with all of her might. Kazemon didn't have the strength to stop herself. She soon crashed hard into another tree and fell to the ground. She laid motionlessly on the icy canvas, seemingly out of energy. Her body turned into a black silhouette. At the same time, a ring of Fractal Code surrounded Kazemon's body. The Human Spirit of Wind revealed itself.

"Aw, a gift? For me? You shouldn't have!" snickered the evil Digimon.

She reached out and grabbed the only Spirit her opponent had possessed. Calmaramon held out her hand and a pink orb with the Symbol of Wind in the center appeared. With both of her Spirits gone, the Legendary Warrior reverted back to her human form.

Zoe fell on her stomach and shuddered in pain. Her drenched blonde hair covered half of her face. Soft moans of agony could be heard from underneath her voice. She couldn't move a muscle. One of two of her ribs had been cracked and the thoracic portion of her spine was bruised.

"I WIN! I ALWAYS WIN!" Calmaramon raised her arms up in victory.

"No..." The beaten teenage girl cried. She reached her hand out toward the Beast of Water. "My Spirits... *cough*... Give them back."

"Huh? What did you say?" The squad placed a hand over her ear. "You want your Spirits back, honey? Then, come get them!"

Zoe crawled toward her opponent, while trying to fight through the pain in her body. However, she didn't get too far. Before long, Calmaramon wrapped one of her tentacles around the girl's slender torso. Zoe screamed at the top of her lungs as the Beast of Water lifted up higher in the air. Calmaramon tightened her grip on the poor young woman's body. The harder she squeezed, the louder Zoe squealed.

"KYYYAAAAAHHHHHHH!" The helpless girl shrieked.

"Yes! That's it! Scream! Scream for me!" commanded Calmaramon as she squeezed even harder.

"YEEEOOOOOWWWWWWW!"

"Ah! Music to my ears! But too bad for you, all good things must come to an end! Time to destroy you now!"

First, the Beast Warrior of Water giving Zoe a hard punch across the jaw. Calmaramon then rotated her body and threw the helpless girl toward the skies. The wind tossed and tumbled Zoe around like piece of paper in the air. Soon, gravity grabbed a hold of the beaten girl, causing her to plummeted back down to earth. Zoe braced for impact as she fell back first into the unforgiving chilled waters.

Her body then sank into the dark depths of the pond.

"Well, that takes care of her!" spoke the Beast of Water.

She had her arms crossed since her opponent didn't really put up a challenge. It was obvious Calmaramon was disappointed how easy her victory was. But she sighed, knowing that a win is a win, regardless how easy or hard the fight was.

"Now with her out of the way, who should I play with next?"

*BOOM*

There was a huge explosion coming from the north, creating a massive sonic boom which interrupted Calmaramon's thoughts. She looked toward source of the noise and the smirk on her face grew wider. She marched toward the northern side of the Icicle Mountains with malicious intent in her eyes.

"Well, I think I've found my next victim! Haha! Hahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

* * *

><p>"PYRO BARRAGE!"<p>

With the cannons on his arms locked and loaded, BurningGreymon fired a barrage of bullets at the metallic Digimon. But the Beast of Steel was not phased one bit.

"Fool! Did thou forget my power?" chuckled the network of eyeballs.

Sakkakumon adjusted his body around until one of the eyes was out in front, ready to intercept BurningGreymon's attack. Every single one the fiery dinosaur's projectiles was absorbed by the large pupil. BurningGreymon gritted his teeth together with frustration for not remembering Sakkakumon's ability.

"Pyro Barrage REFLECTION!"

After displaying his opponent the Symbol of Flame, the Beast of Steel unleashed an onslaught of flamed pellets toward the fiery Digimon. The bullets sprayed all over BurningGreymon's body and wings, causing him to fall down to the ground. He created a huge crater on the canvas upon impact. As the dinosaur recovered, Sakkakumon reverted his body back to its original form.

"Dost thou had enough?"

"Never!" BurningGreymon growled. "I've beaten you once before! And I can do it again!"

"Hmph! It's true thou hast bested me on our previous encounter! But one mustn't forget that thou has thy fellow comrades for assistance! Now, that thou art alone, crushing you shall be an easy task!"

"We'll see about that!" BurningGreymon howled. He flapped his wings and flew around the evil Legendary Warrior.

"How naive!" Sakkakumon sighed. Again he readjusted his body to prepare for his opponent's next attack.

As BurningGreymon circles the metallic Digimon, he focused on Sakkakumon's weak point, which was the center orb in the middle, marked by a white star. He analyzed that this sphere was unable to absorb any of his attacks. On the other hand, with Sakkakumon's body of eyeballs constantly rotating, it was nearly impossible to get a clean shot.

"It's a small window, but I have to try!" The fiery Digimon said to himself.

"Thou cannot stop me, boy!" Sakkakumon snickered as he waited for his opponent to strike.

"Here goes nothing!"

BurningGreymon then changed direction and flew directly toward the Beast of Steel.

"Pathetic! PYRO BARRAGE!" Sakkakumon shouted, firing BurningGreymon's own attack.

The fiery Digimon moved left and right to avoid the solar bullets. On the nosedive, BurningGreymon surrounded his body with hot flames. The Beast of Flame unleashed a thunderous roar. Suddenly, the temperature of the surrounding area had increased. But Sakkakumon was ready for his opponent's onslaught.

As BurningGreymon drew closer toward the metallic Digimon, he quickly memorized the position Sakkakumon's eyeballs. He noticed the star marked orb was on the right side. In a split second, BurningGreymon veered sideways until he was directly in front of Sakkakumon's core.

"WILDFIRE TSUNAMI!"

He unleashed a fiery tornado toward the network of eyeballs at point blank range. With such a short distance, it's almost impossible for most Digimon to dodge or defend themselves. But his opponent wasn't like most Digimon. Sakkakumon adjusted his body until one eyeball was there to absorb the turbulent flames.

"Many thanks!" said the metallic Beast Warrior as the fire entered the pupil.

"NO!"

"Wildfire Tsunami REFLECTION!" A large conflagration shot out of the orb and covered BurningGreymon's body.

"KYYYAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

The Beast of Flame was in a lot of agony after being hit by his own attack. BurningGreymon fell to the ground and landed hard on his chest, writhing in pain upon impact. As he struggled to stand, Sakkakumon readjusted his body to its original position.

"Pitiful! This be more of a practice round than a challenge match! Very disappointing!" laughed Sakkakumon.

"It's not over... Ugh..." BurningGreymon grunted. The last attack took a lot out of him. He got back on his feet, but collapsed back on all fours a second later.

"Is that so?"

Sakkakumon lowered himself to the ground and rearranged his body. The connective bridges broke apart. He was now a long row of eyeballs instead of a grape shape. He surrounded the weakened BurningGreymon with his spheres, with all nine pupils staring at their opponent. The fiery Digimon stood up and realized that nine different orbs has cut off all of his escape routes.

"Oh come on! This is not fair!" complained BurningGreymon.

"Not fair? HAHAHAHAHA!" The Beast of Steel burst with amusement. "Foolish human! I'm only using a portion of my power, and thou hast not even putting up a good fight!"

"Why you..."

"However, since thou hast been a good audience, let us skip the rehearsal and move onto the grand performance! Taste my power!"

BurningGreymon dropped in his stance and kept his head on a swivel. He had no idea which eyeball would unleash its attack first. But the waiting just made him more impatient. He had to get out of this deathtrap, before Sakkakumon could make his move. BurningGreymon spread his wings and was ready to fly out of danger.

And then...

"THUNDER FIST!"

A lightning bolt shot from BurningGreymon's backside and nailed his wings. He screamed in pain as the electricity grounded the Beast of Flame.

"This be the power Lord Malevomon hast provide for me! I now have the attacks of every single Legendary Warrior!"

"Impossible!" gasped the fiery Digimon.

"CRYSTAL FREEZE!"

A chilled breath exhaled out of one of the orbs. The cold air nailed toward his opponent's feet. BurningGreymon's legs also turned to ice.

"Can't... move!" The Beast of Flame growled, trying to break free from the ice. Since brute force wasn't working, he aimed his blasters at the frozen substance. But that was a huge mistake, since he had already lowered his defenses.

"ACID INK!"

Another pupil spurted a bucketful of black toxic toward the vulnerable dinosaur. The acetic ink covered creature's body, burning through armor and skin.

"LEAF CYCLONE!"

A single tornado shot out from Sakkakumon's fourth eyeball knocking BurningGreymon off of his feet. Although his legs were free from the ice, he still landed hard on his back. The dinosaur groaned in pain after taking four attacks from other Legendary Warriors.

"Now, let's see what happens when I combine two techniques into one!" declared the network of orbs.

"HOWLING LASER! SHADOW METEOR!"

The pupil on BurningGreymon's right and left side fired a white beam and a blackish fireball. The two attacks hit the ground just inches away from its target. However, it caused a massive explosion and the shockwaves the fiery Digimon in the air.

"AAAHHHHHH!" BurningGreymon cried as the wind tossed and turned his body around.

"And now, the grand finale! WILDFIRE TSUNAMI! HURRICANE GALE!"

Two more eyeballs rotated until the pupils caught the tumbling Warrior in their sights. One unleashed BurningGreymon's hot flames, while the second released Zephyrmon's bladed tornado. Both techniques combined with one another to form an ultra-powerful fiery cyclone, engulfing the airborne Digimon.

"KYYYAAAAAHHHHHHH!" BurningGreymon shrieked in devastating agony

He couldn't withstand the pain any longer. Fractal Code surrounded BurningGreymon's body, reverting him back to Takuya. Gravity grabbed a hold of the tumbling boy, causing him to fall somewhere in the woods. Sakkakumon watched as he teen plummeted to the ground. Once he heard the sound of him crashing back to earth, he returned to his original form.

"Victory is mine!"

l - l

A few yards away from the battlefield, the teenage goggle-head fidgeted on the ground in pain. It took him several minutes to get back on his knees. Takuya fought through the agony and limped behind a tree. He looked over his shoulder to see if Sakkakumon was still there. But all he could see were rows and rows of trees.

"How am I supposed to defeat a Digimon who has every single Legendary Warrior's attacks?" He wondered. Losing wasn't an option, yet victory seemed impossible to accomplish.

"I can't do it alone. I need backup. I need..."

"A pretty good spanking?"

A voice filled with malevolence entered his ear, surprising the Bearer of Flame. However, it didn't sound like Sakkakumon talking to him. Instead, it was another one of the evil Legendary Warriors.

"ACID INK!" The putrid squid cried, spitting tons of black acid toward the boy.

"Whoa!" Takuya shouted before diving out of the way.

His body fell to the ground, sending agonizing vibrations throughout his torso. The toxic ink behind him sprayed the trunk of the evergreen, melting everything it touched. With most of the base gone, the tree fell to the ground, with Takuya under its shadow. The Bearer of Flame used the rest of his strength to roll out of the way. He came to a stop when he crashed into another evergreen.

"Surprise, Honey!"

"C... Calmaramon!" gasped Takuya.

"Now, let's get this over with!" snickered the Beast of Water.

"What is thou doing here, my lady?" Another voice spoke.

Behind Calmaramon, the Beast of Steel approached his comrade.

"Shouldn't thou be busy destroying the other human?"

"Already taken care of!" Calmaramon said in triumph.

"What?" gasped Takuya. But the watery Digimon noticed the terrified look on the human's face and widened her smirk.

"That's right, you little runt! Your pathetic girlfriend was no matched against me! She's probably sinking to her doom as we speak!"

"No! Zoe!"

Images of his girlfriend getting tossed around like a rag doll and sinking underwater plagued his mind. He could hear Zoe screaming and writhing in pain, making his own body cringe. Potential tears formed in his eyes as he clutched his head, refusing to believe Calmaramon's words.

"Hang on, Z! I'm coming!" Takuya said to himself, snapping himself out and quickly making back to his feet.

"Not so fast!"

Calmaramon extended her tentacles toward the boy and wrapped them around his body, just before he could escape. She picked him up and slammed the boy's spine into the tree, making Takuya grimaced. Calmaramon then tightened her grip in order to crush the goggle-head's body. His ribs, vertebrae and upper extremities were slowly reaching its breaking point. It was very difficult for him to breathe.

Seeing her second human victim suffer surly made they aquatic Warrior's day.

"Step aside, my lady!" Sakkakumon interrupted Calmaramon's amusement. "Tis my turn to destroy him!"

"Can it!" Calmaramon ordered. "You already had your chance! Now, it's my turn! So, stand back and let me do the honors!"

"Thou must be joking! If thou does not get out of my way, I shall..."

"HHHIIIIIISSSSSSSSS!" Calmaramon threatened like a territorial serpent.

Sakkakumon gritted his teeth for the Beast of Water's impudence. But he decided not to force the issue. After all, both of them have the same goal, which is to defeat the humans and claim their Legendary Spirits. Then again, Sakkakumon still wanted to be the one to deliver the finishing blow.

"Ungrateful wench..."

"Why, thank you!" said Calmaramon before facing the Bearer of Flame. "It's time for you to say goodbye!"

"NO! LET ME... GO!" The powerless Takuya cried.

"Relax, honey! It will be all over soon!"

The squid took a deep breath and her chest expanded. She was ready to unleash another mouthful of nasty toxic onto the helpless boy. And once her Acid Ink gets on him, it will turn his entire body to pudding. Takuya knew it the end is upon him and there's nothing he can do about it. He shut his eyes and braced himself for his last.

"BEAUTIFUL BEAM!" Someone shouted

Suddenly, two large pink lasers shot out of the woods and toward the distracted Beast of Water. Calmaramon turned her head toward the oncoming projectiles. She dropped the captive human and got ready to defend herself. But she was too late. The beams nailed her shell-like body and pushed her into the metallic Digimon. Both of them fell backwards and disappeared into the depths of the forest.

As Takuya coughed for air, a female Digimon reappeared in front of him. Her long, olive hair and white long dress danced with chilly winds. Her lavender-colored eyes glowered at the spot where the evil Warriors once stood. Takuya opened his eyes and saw the olive haired beauty's eccentric quantities, included her gorgeous face and stunning appearance.

"No one destroys _my_ Cutie!"

"Beautymon!"

The Digimon Battlefront's third-in-command lowered her defense and turned toward the battered teen. Her eyes went damp went she saw bruises on Takuya's face, as well as the dirt and snow bits patched his clothes. Small cuts and scratches were all over his arms and his legs. She couldn't hold her tears any longer. Beautymon sprinted toward the Bearer of Flame.

"CUTIE!"

She dove into the boy's chest and wrapped her arms around his neck. As for Takuya, he felt like he was getting tackled by a football player. Beautymon was so worried, she squeezed as hard as she could, never wanting to let go. But the human gasped for air, trying to endure Beautymon's huge embrace.

"Oh Cutie! Are you alright?" sobbed the female Digimon.

Beautymon buried her face in Takuya's chest and allowed the tears to fall. What she didn't realize is that she had tightened her squeeze around the boy's body. Takuya gagged desperately for oxygen as Beautymon unintentionally crushed his torso. His mouth hung open, yet no sound came out. His arms flopped around in circles, indicating the immense amount of pain he was in.

"B... Beauty... mon... *cough*..." wheezed the Bearer of Flame.

"Cutie! My sweet Cutie! I thought I lost you for good!"

Suddenly, Beautymon plastered Takuya's face with a barrage of quick kisses. She thoroughly made sure that every inch of his cheek received the same treatment. Once she finished with the head, Beautymon lowered her lips and continued to onslaught of kisses on his neck. The contact of her soft lips to his skin sent chills up the boy's spine.

"B... Beautymon..."

"Yes, Cutie?"

"CAN'T... BREATH!"

He was the verge of passing out. Beautymon's strong embrace almost snapped his ribs in half. Realizing how bad his condition was, she released the teenage boy and held him by the shoulders. Takuya panted desperately for air. Seeing him suffer brought tears to her eyes and pain to her heart.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I was just so worried about you and..."

"Don't... *cough, cough*... mention it!" gagged the Bearer of Flame.

"Poor Cutie..." sighed Beautymon. But then she dropped her panic-filled look and gave the boy a sweet, tender smile.

"Here, allow me to give you some 'relief.' She spoke in a seductive tone, emphasizing the last word.

"W... Wa... *cough*... Wait a minute!" objected Takuya. But the female Digimon held a finger on the boy's lips to prevent him from arguing.

Beautymon leaned in until she was inches away from his face. Takuya shut his eyes, scared of what will happen. But Beautymon took his nervousness as a positive sign. She held a closed fist out and placed it in front of Takuya. As Beautymon opened her hand, large amounts of pink flower petals danced around the couple. A sweet, yet intoxicating scent entered the boy's nose, instantly healing his injuries.

As Takuya enjoyed the delightful smell of flowers, Beautymon closed the distance and trailed her sweet tongue around his cheeks. The human shuddered and gasped at the tender, warm, wet touch. He opened his eyes and saw the face of the most beautiful female Digimon on the planet.

"Better?" She asked, trailing her hands down the boy's face

"Yeah! Thanks!" smiled Takuya.

"Well, Cutie, if you really want to thank me..." She giggled. The Bearer of Flame gulped at Beautymon's implied request. "... you could always... you know..."

She slithered her arms around the boy's neck. While a part of him wanted to resist, Takuya was hungry for more. Slowly his eyes closed and his head tilted to the side. A sigh of total submission escaped his mouth. Beautymon replied with the same suit as she positioned her lips in front of Takuya's. Both could feel and smell each other's breath. Slowly, the two closed the distance as their lips reached out towards one another.

"ACID INK!"

Beautymon quickly snapped out of her trance. She detected numerous acetic sludge coming on her blind spot. Quickly, Beautymon wrapped her arms around Takuya's body and carried him out of the crossfire. As she landed back on her feet, the black ink melted the trunk of the tree and everything it touched.

"Hey! Who do you think you are?" Calmaramon complained as she reentered the area with the Steel Digimon behind her.

"How dare thou hast interfere with the destruction of this human?" Sakkakumon huffed.

"Excuse me? How dare you ugly beasts attack such a defenseless boy?" The female Digimon argued as she assumed her fighting stance.

"Beautymon, what are you doing?" Takuya asked as he lowered himself back down.

"Silly boy! I'm here to help! I'll fight alongside of you! Together, we can defeat these..." She glowered at the Beasts of Water and Steel. "... hideous monstrosities!"

"Wow! Thanks Beautymon! I owe you!" smiled Takuya. He took out his D-Tector and was ready to fight.

"Hmm, the plot thickens..." snickered Sakkakumon.

"Dibs on the human, metal head!" Calmaramon spoke. Her fellow Legendary Warrior did not object.

"Let's do it, Cutie! _Together_!"

Takuya smiled and nodded.

"YEAH!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter forty.<strong>

**Can Takuya and Beautymon stop the evil Legendary Warriors? And is Zoe really gone? These questions will be answered in the surprise-filled action packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising!**

***Don't forget to review!***


	41. Captured

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**The battle between the Legendary Warriors rages on. KendoGarurumon had Gigasmon retreating into the woods. On the east side of the woods, JagerLowemon chased the Digimon of Wood around the Icicle Mountains. Meanwhile, the contest of power shifted into MetalKabuterimon's favor, forcing KoriKakumon to fall back. Elsewhere, Calmaramon beat poor Kazemon to a pulp. She stole Zoe's Spirits and sent her toward the bottom of the lake. Calmaramon then joined her comrade, Sakkakumon, who was having no problems defeating BurningGreymon. Just before the Beasts of Steel and Water could finish Takuya off, Beautymon saved the goggle-headed boy just in time.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter forty-one!**

* * *

><p><strong>Captured<strong>

**Normal POV:**

Jolts of pain surged throughout her entire body. Her mind pounded against the walls of her head. The darkness around her was growing stronger. Her lungs were weakening and her vision became extremely blurry. The temperature of the water was almost at freezing temperature and the deeper she sank, the colder it got. Slowly, the Bearer of Wind slipped into unconsciousness.

"It's no use. I can't move..." She said to herself before the darkness to consume her entirely.

"_Zoe?_" A familiar voice called out to her.

"Takuya?" She thought. Even though her eyes were closed, a feint image of her boyfriend appeared before her.

"_Get up, Zoe. I need you._"

"I'm sorry, Takuya. But I don't think I can make it. I'm not strong eno..."

"_Don't give up. You're the strongest woman I know. You've handle situations much tougher than this. I know you can do it, Z!_"

"But, I can't Spirit Evolve anymore. Both of my Spirits were taken. I don't know if I can..."

"_Baby, don't say that! You have to believe in yourself! Just because things aren't going your way, it doesn't mean that it's over! Trust me! There were plenty of times where you could've called it quits or ran away! But you didn't, Zoe! You stood your ground and never gave up! You kept fighting until the very end._"

"You're sweet, Takuya. But what if I can't beat Ranamon or the other evil Legendary Warriors?"

"_You can, and you will! Sure the battles have gotten much harder, but you always found the strength to keep fighting! Whether you win or lose doesn't matter! You refused to go down without a fight and that's what makes you, Zoe Orimoto, the strongest girl on the planet!_"

"Oh Takuya..." The blonde said, finally putting a smile on her delicate face.

"_Now get on up there and fight!_"

"Right!"

Back to reality, Zoe's eyes shot open after hearing her boyfriend's words of encouragement. She looked up toward the surface of the lake. The light around her was dim. But the good news was that some of Zoe's strength had come back to her. Although her energy levels were still low, she refused to pass out. After all, a certain someone is counting on her.

Finally, Zoe used her determination to change course and swim back to the surface. The waters were still at freezing and her body was still in pain from the beating she took from Calmaramon. But with the fate of the Digital World and Takuya's life on the line, quitting was not an option. The Bearer of Wind endured the agony and continued to swim toward the top.

Moments later, the teenaged girl broke the surface of the lake and took a huge breath. Zoe coughing up some water in her mouth and her throat. Her body shivered due to the temperature of the pond and the chilly winds above. The blonde beauty's head was still throbbing in pain.

However, the important thing was she never gave up. The Bearer of Wind made back up before she could drown. With her teeth chattering, she swam toward the edge of the lake with little energy she had left in her body. At last, Zoe reached dry land and crawled out of the water. Once she was a good ten feet away from the pond, the blonde collapsed on her chest.

The blonde panted heavily for air. She was incredibly exhausted after fighting for her life. Her clothes were soaked and her hair was drenched. Her limbs and torso were chilled to the bone. Also, her head was till throbbing. But her heart was still beating. Despite the unimaginable pain she was enduring, Zoe was alive.

The teenage girl sat up straight and rubbed her cold hands together to keep herself warm.

"I made it. If it hadn't been for Takuya, I would've lost at the bottom of the sea forever." The blonde beauty though to herself.

Next, the Bearer of Wind took her lavender D-Tector out of her pocket. But the moment she gazed at the static screen on her device, she looked down in defeat. She hasn't forgotten what had happened to her. Calmaramon tossed her around like a rag doll and stole the only Spirit she had left. She still had the bruises from her last fight. Once again, Zoe had lost her Spirits. And like last time, she felt devastated.

"What good am I to others now?" She sighed with hopelessness in her heart. "I know Takuya says that I never quit until the end, but how can I fight without my Spirits? I'll probably just get in the way or put everyone else's lives in danger. Perhaps I should..."

*BOOM, BOOM*

A couple of explosions interrupted her thoughts. She looked toward the northern side of the Icicle Mountains and noticed dark clouds of smoke coming from that direction. Zoe looked back at her D-Tector and small map of the area replaced the static screen. A reddish dot was marked on top of the map, confirming Zoe's suspicions.

"That's Takuya! There's no doubt about it!" The blonde exclaimed.

It was painful for her to stand back on her two feet. Her body was so sore, even the slightest twitch made the teenage girl cringe in agony. While it may take some time for her to heal completely, she just didn't have time for that. Her boyfriend's in trouble and she needed to find him.

It took her some time to return to a vertical base. She shuddered in pain, trying to keep her balance. After a while, the Bearer of Wind hobbled toward the northern side of the Icicle Mountains, where she believed her beloved was fighting.

"Hang on, Takuya! I'm on my way! Even if I don't have my Spirit, he still needs me!"

Zoe would limp for several feet. But after a while, she would collapse back on her knees. The agony was severe and her breathing was rapidly. But the Bearer of Wind fought through the pain and stood back up. Determined to find her best friend, the teenage girl continued her hobble through the forest and toward her destination without a plan, nor her Spirits to help.

Even though she considered herself lucky she was still alive, even Zoe knew that luck can only take her so far.

* * *

><p>"LEAF CYCLONE! ||| "DARK MASTER!"<p>

The armored jaguar pounced toward the lizard with a giant being of darkness surrounding his body. At the same time, the leaves around Petaldramon spun like a giant fan. The Beast of Wood then unleashed two powerful cyclones from his nostrils, aiming the twisters at the Digimon of Darkness.

Both attacks collided with one another in the middle of the battlefield. It became a test of strength between the two Digimon, with the midpoint constantly shifting from one side to the other. The standoff continued for a whole minute. But as time passed, the test of strength slowly shifted in the jaguar's favor.

Realizing he was being pushed back, the Petaldramon snorted as hard as she could, adding more force to his attack. But regardless of the small increase in power, it wasn't enough. JagerLowemon's dark being finally rammed its head into Petaldramon's massive body, knocking the leafy lizard to ground. As the Digimon of Wood groaned in pain, the armored jaguar skid to a halt and grinned at his fallen opponent.

"You're mine now!" JagerLowemon declared.

The Beast of Darkness leaped in the air with the clip on his back loading up. He opened his mouth, and gathered the power of darkness in between his jaw. Finally, he took aim at his opponent's large head. Petaldramon opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was the armored Digimon hovering above him, ready to deliver the finishing blow.

"EBONY BLA..."

"HEADS UP!" Another voice shouted.

The sudden noise had captured JagerLowemon's attention. On his left side, a large ogre with white tattoos all over his body was coming his way. But before his mind could process what was going on, the large Digimon gave the armored jaguar a devastating right hook across the jaw. The blow not canceled his attack and knocked a couple of teeth out of his jaw. The Beast of Darkness tumbled in midair and landed his back, making a huge crater upon impact.

As Petaldramon got back on all fours, Gigasmon trotted toward the leafy lizard. He greeted his comrade with a nod and a smile. However, the Beast of Wood growled at the giant. Apparently, he did not appreciate the fact that Digimon of Earth had saved him.

"What are you's doing? I had him right where I wanted him!" complained Petaldramon.

"What? Gigasmon save life and this thanks me get?" The giant grumbled.

"Forget it!" The lizard sighed. "By the way, whatever happened to your oppo..."

"LUPINE LASER!"

On the left side of the forest, a white beam zoomed toward the Digimon of Earth and Wood. Gigasmon ducked out of the way to avoid getting blasted, allowing the laser to nail Petaldramon's right side. The reptile hissed in agony as the energy blast burned through several layers of his grassy exterior. However, the destroyed plants were replaced with fresh leaves and grass. But even though the pain was gone, the angry look in Petaldramon's eyes remained.

"Hey, who shot me?" The Beast of Earth shouted.

Suddenly, an armored wolf pounced out of the woods and landed beside JagerLowemon. With both Digimon back on all fours, they approached their opponents like a pack of hungry animals. But neither Gigasmon, nor Petaldramon backed down. The Beast of Wood and Earth dropped in their stance and waited for their opponents to strike.

"What's wrong, JagerLowemon? Having trouble chopping down this tree?" KendoGarurumon asked his counterpart.

"Hmph! I can ask you the same thing? I had no idea defeating an idiot with large muscles can be so difficult! With the speed and power you have, he should've been taken care of minutes ago!" JagerLowemon rebutted.

Initially, the Beast of Light huffed at the lion's criticism. But then, KendoGarurumon and JagerLowemon exchanged smirks and a couple of chuckles.

"How about this? We'll finish them off together!" suggested the armored wolf.

"My thoughts exactly!" The Digimon of Darkness agreed.

"You take both us down?" Gigasmon eyed the evil Beast Warriors strangely.

"Ha! Don't make us laugh!" chuckled Petaldramon.

But apparently, neither Digimon were in a laughing mood. With the trash talking out of the way, all four Beast Warriors continued with their fight.

The ogre Digimon raised his both arms up and was ready to pound his hands into the earth. Petaldramon stood on his hind legs, with the leaves on his head spinning around like a ginormous fan. The armored wolf opened his jaw and gathered the power of light in his mouth. JagerLowemon crouch down as the piston on his back loaded up for another shot.

But before all four Digimon were ready to unleash their attacks...

"TECTONIC..." ||| "LEAF..."

"LUPINE..." ||| "EBONY..."

"GET AWAY, YOU BIG MEANIE!" A voice screamed.

"COME BACK HERE! I'M NOT FINISHED WITH YOU!" Another Legendary Warrior hollered.

The Beast Warriors canceled their attacks and turned toward the southern side of the forest. A few explosion knocked a couple of trees down. Lightning bolts and a barrage of snowballs shot of the woods. It wasn't long before two more Legendary Warriors entered the battlefield. Kumamon was skiing backwards, shooting his Blizzard Blaster at his opponent. But Beetlemon tilted his body from side to side to avoid the frozen projectiles. At the same time, the humanoid insect chucked balls of lightning at the bear.

"HA HA! YOU CAN'T CATCH ME!" The Warrior of Ice laughed.

"HOLD STILL SO I CAN HIT YOU!" demanded the humanoid insect.

Kumamon was having so much fun, he didn't realize where he was going. Suddenly, he crashed into one of Petaldramon's grassy legs. The Digimon of Ice landed on his butt and shook off the dizziness. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a look of confusion on Gigasmon's and Petaldramon's faces. But the polar bear responded with a cheek grin.

"Hey, why are you guys staring at me like that?" Kumamon wondered.

"Beetlemon, what are you doing here?" snarled an annoyed KendoGarurumon.

"And why is that 'shrimp' still alive?" JagerLowemon followed.

"Shut up!" argued the Warrior of Thunder. "This kid kept running away like a little coward!"

"Hey, I wasn't running away! I just need plenty of space to attack you!" Kumamon countered.

"Be quiet, kid! If you weren't so afraid, this fight would've been over five minutes ago!"

"Yeah... with me coming out on top!" The Warrior of Ice heckled.

"THAT DOES IT!"

Beetlemon raised his arm up to the sky and gathered vast amount of electricity in his hands. Finally, the humanoid beetle slammed his fist into the ground, allowing the lightning bolts to take its course toward the polar bear. Kumamon leaped to the side to avoid getting electrocuted.

But with him out of the way, Petaldramon was once again stuck in the crossfire. Only this time, he politely accepted Beetlemon's attack. The lightning collided against his face and disappeared instantly.

"Hey! Why am I always the punching bag for you's guys?" Petaldramon roared.

"Me not at fault that your body so big!" Gigasmon reasoned.

"He's right you know! You take up like half the battlefield when you switched to your Beast Spirit form!" said Kumamon, trying to hold back his laugh.

With all jokes aside, the three good Legendary Warriors once again faced the other evil Digimon. Neither one of Malevomon's servants were pleased that this fight has dragged on this long. They were supposed to destroy their opponents and deliver their Spirits to the malicious sovereign. All three of them were getting impatient. If they don't return back to the castle with at least one Spirit, they would face the wrath of the evil emperor.

"It's time we end this game once and for all!" Beetlemon suggested.

"You got that right" KendoGarurumon and JagerLowemon agreed.

The evil Warriors looked at each other's eyes, wordlessly relaying their plan of attack to one another. Finally, Malevomon's followers spread out toward separate areas on the battlefield. As for the Digimon of Wood, Earth, and Ice, each of the kept their eyes on their previous opponent.

Kumamon took out his bazooka and took aim at the Warrior of Thunder. Meanwhile, Gigasmon got in his stance and faced KendoGarurumon. But for Petaldramon, he was having trouble keeping JagerLowemon in his sights. The armored lion ran around the three Warriors, making sure none of them escaped.

"That's it! I've had it!" The Beast of Wood complained. He lifted his hind legs up toward the sky.

"THORN JA,.."

"HOWLING STAR!" The armored wolf screamed from the lizard's back side.

With his bladed wings spread out wide and all four wheels on the ground, KendoGarurumon sped toward Petaldramon's tail. In half a second, the Beast of Light zoomed from one side of the area to the other. However, the armored wolf slashed off both of his opponent's tails as he zoomed past him. Petaldramon cried in pain as the wooden posterior section of his body fell to the ground.

"I got you now!"

KendoGarurumon charge up for his second attack. He gathered particles of light energy in his mouth and took aim at the vulnerable creature's head. But his eyes veered to the right when he noticed an ogre Digimon coming in for a frontal attack.

"You's open wide!" Gigasmon charged in with his fists raised high.

"TECTONIC SLA... UGH!"

The armored wolf would've been crushed if it hadn't been for JagerLowemon. With the ogre distracted, He gave the giant a low-angled tackle to his side, knocking him off of his feet. Gigasmon rolled on the canvas until he came to a stop, just by the dazed Petaldramon's side. While both Beast Warriors were still conscious, they were having trouble getting back to their feet.

Elsewhere, Kumamon stayed in his spot and tried to shoot down the evasive Beetlemon with his snowballs. His projectiles zoomed toward the insect at rapid speed. Each one of them had the power equivalent to a strong punch. But after a minute of dodging, electricity charged on Beetlemon's knuckles. He changed course and dove toward the Human of Ice.

"Bring it on, you big bully!" shouted Kumamon as he continued with his rapid fire.

"Alright! You asked for it!"

Sadly, the snowballs didn't stop Beetlemon. He broke them apart by using the lightning on his fists. Kumamon tried increasing the firing rate, but found little success. Before he knew it, the Warrior of Thunder was already in range. He pulled his arm back and unleashed a powerful punch toward the bear's midsection. Realizing that his opponent was too close, Kumamon leaped backwards to create space.

"GOTCHA!"

Beetlemon threw his arms forward and unleashed the balls of lightning at his airborne opponent. The Warrior of Ice moaned as the volts of electricity sent painful shocks throughout his body. With his opponent stunned, the insect human flew toward Kumamon, grabbed his legs and tossed him toward the other three Legendary Warriors. The bear-like Digimon crashed hard into one of Petaldramon's wooden stakes on his back. Afterwards, he fell on top of Gigasmon's head and bounced on the ground.

With all three non-evil Warriors down, the evil Digimon assembled and charge up their most powerful attacks.

"LUPINE LASER!" shouted KendoGarurumon, opening his mouth and firing a huge beam.

"DARK MASTER!" roared JagerLowemon. He pounced toward the passed out Warriors with his body taking form of a giant beast.

"THUNDER FIST!" Beetlemon cried, punching both of his arms forward, which released two balls of lightning on his hands.

The powers of Light, Darkness and Thunder combined itself into one. With the dark being taking the lead, KendoGarurumon's laser nailed the monster's back side. But instead of annihilating it, the beast used the beam to change color, turning into a solid gray form. Beetlemon's lightning topped it off by orbiting around the beast.

When Kumamon, Gigasmon and Petaldramon quickly regained their consciousness, they all noticed the combined triple attack of their opponents were coming toward them really fast. Gigasmon kipped up and jumped out of the crossfire. As for Petaldramon, since he wasn't mobile like other Digimon, he rolled his large body away from the center of the battlefield.

However, Kumamon's strength hasn't returned to him yet. He tried to stand, but fell back on his stomach when he reached half way.

"So long, you little pest!" Beetlemon called out, with the Beasts of Light and Darkness snickering in the background.

"Oh great!" grumbled the teddy bear.

He shut his eyes tight and braced for the end.

"DIAMOND CUTTER!"

Suddenly, someone appeared in front of the Warrior of Ice. Kumamon quickly noticed the long broadswords in each his hands. But before he could speak, Swiftmon disappeared in a split second. He danced around the energy beast, hacking and slashing every part of its body. The gray monster howled in pain before it disappeared. Seconds later, Swiftmon reappeared behind Kumamon. He carried him around his arms and transported him toward the edge of the battlefield.

Meanwhile, the ogre of Earth assembled with the Digimon of Wood. They both had just witnessed Swiftmon rescuing the Warrior of Ice and were equally impressed. The swordsman gently set the bear on the ground. After Kumamon shook off the dizziness in his head, he looked up toward his rescuer.

"Relax, my friend! I'm on your side!" The swordsman reminded.

"Um... thanks?" Kumamon said, but while still confused.

"Who he?" Gigasmon wondered.

"I am Swiftmon, second-in-command of the Digimon Battlefront!"

"Digimon Burger Hut?" asked Petaldramon.

But before Swiftmon could explain his banded brigade of Digimon to the other Legendary Warriors, a pair of Rookie appeared out of the woods. They noticed three of the five evil Digimon standing on one side of the battlefield with frustrated looks on their faces.

But when they looked to the other side, neither one of them couldn't believe their eyes.

"Hey, those guys are... are, um... uh... a little help here Bokomon?"

"You idiot! Those are the Warriors of Earth, Wood, and Ice!" Bokomon reminded, pointing respectively toward Gigasmon, Petaldramon and Kumamon.

"Oh yeah!" said the yellow rabbit, although it took him a few seconds to process the information.

The two Digimon rushed as fast as they could toward the Legendary Warriors, plus Swiftmon. For some reason, Kumamon recognized both Rookies right on the spot. Gigasmon and Petaldramon, on the other hand, had no idea who the little pint-sized creatures were. Yet, they're minds were more set on continuing their fight with their opponents instead.

"Bokomon! Neemon!" said the Warrior of Ice.

"Kumamon!" The mutant Digimon gasped. "But... When did... How are you..."

"It's a long story!" answered the bear. "But we'll explain later!"

"He's right! Right now, we got to take these guys down and regain control of the Legendary Spirits! Get ready everyone!" Swiftmon said while helped Kumamon backed to his feet.

"Hey! Who made you in charge, huh?" Petaldramon objected.

"Me agreed!" spoke Gigasmon "Who you think are giving us..."

"Enough!" Kumamon shouted. "Let's just get this fight over with! After we defeat those guys, then you can argue about who's in charge! Okay?"

"Fine..." grumbled the Beast of Earth and Wood.

Swiftmon then stepped toward the front and unsheathed his weapons. The Warrior of Ice took out his bazooka and aimed it at his opponents. As for Gigasmon and Petaldramon, they too faced the evil Digimon and dropped in their stance.

"What did you say, pipsqueak?" Beetlemon asked. "You think you're going to beat us, now that you have reinforcements? Hmph! Such a pity it won't be enough! Right, guys?"

"Yeah..." said KendoGarurumon, sounding less confident than the humanoid insect.

"Hmm..." JagerLowemon thought. However, he could sense something was not right.

"This is your last chance, evil Warriors!" Swiftmon warned, pointing his blade at the ill-willed Digimon. "Surrender now, or else!"

"Oh yeah? You and what army?" grunted Beetlemon.

Suddenly, a hundred Digimon appeared out of their hiding place and surrounded the Malevomon's servants. The Battlefront troops took out a large variety of weapons and got in their own defensive position. The Warrior of Thunder wished he had taken back his words.

"You just had to ask, bug brain!" JagerLowemon glowered at Beetlemon.

"There's too many of them! We're outnumbered! We have to retreat, now!"" analyzed KendoGarurumon after doing a quick count of Digimon around them.

"No! We can take on these guys!" spoke the confident Beetlemon, unfazed by the numbers.

"Are you crazy? If you hadn't noticed, there's only three of us!" JagerLowemon remained his comrade.

"These guys aren't so tough! We can beat them!"

"Yeah, but not all at once!" argued the Beast of Light.

"Don't be such cowards, you guys! You should know that Lord Malevomon doesn't tolerate two things: failures and cowards!"

"You can stay and fight if you like, you moron! But in this case, I rather be a live sheep than a dead lion!" said KendoGarurumon. JagerLowemon replied with a small nodded.

"Let's get out of here!" The Beast of Darkness ordered.

He and KendoGarurumon then faced the northern side of the Icicle Mountains. Since there weren't that many Digimon blocking that area it was clearly their best route of choice.

"OUT OF MY WAY, FOOLS! LUPINE LASER!"

KendoGarurumon shot a beam of light toward the Battlefront fighters who were in that direction. Thankfully, they had plenty of time to evade the evil Warrior's projectile. But that last attack not only got them out of position, but it also created a huge hole for them to escape. KendoGarurumon and JagerLowemon sprinted as fast as they could toward the opening and exited the area just before any other Digimon could unleash their attacks. With them gone, Beetlemon was left on his own.

"COME BACK, YOU FRAIDY CATS!" He shouted toward the north, but his words had never reached his comrades.

"Give up, Warrior of Thunder! You're all alone!" Swiftmon commanded, taking a step closer toward the armored bug.

"Why you..."

"Not so fun now when you're fighting all by yourself, huh?" Kumamon grinned.

"Shut up!" Beetlemon growled.

But when the Warriors of Light and Darkness left, his confidence had been cut in half. He realized his chances of winning had dropped to zero. Beetlemon hated to admit it, but retreating seemed like the better option.

"This isn't over!" declared the Warrior of Thunder.

He changed course and flew toward the same direction KendoGarurumon and JagerLowemon were heading. A Snimon and a Unimon took the skies and tried to intercept, but Beetlemon was fully prepared for any kind of resistance. With jolts of lightning in each of his hands, he gave the oncoming Digimon two powerful electrical right and left hooks to their faces. The unicorn and praying mantis fell to the ground and landed on a pile of snow.

With them out of the way, Beetlemon disappeared into the forest.

"After them!" commanded Swiftmon.

"RIGHT!" The rest of the Digimon Battlefront obliged.

Upon command, the swordsman's troops raced toward the north. As the rest of the Digimon filed out of the area, large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded the Beast Warriors of Earth and Wood. Inside the cocoon of data, the two Legendary Warriors changed back to their primary forms.

"SLIDE... Evolution!"

"Grumblemon!" said the gnome Digimon.

"Arbormon!" The wooden puppet spoke.

"Come on, let's go!" Kumamon said.

He got on his skis and followed the Battlefront fighters. Arbormon hopped from tree to tree like a squirrel zig-zagging through the air. As for Grumblemon, he dove toward the canvas and vanished below the surface. Swiftmon placed his swords back in his sheathes. After Bokomon and Neemon sat top of his shoulders, the second-in-command went after his soldiers.

"Hang on you two!" He said, as he dashed through the woods at top speed.

"WEEEEEE!" Neemon threw his arms up in the air and pretended as if he was on a roller coaster.

Normally, this would be the part where Bokomon would smack his partner upside the head for displaying such idiocy at a time like this. However, he was more worried about the others. Bokomon couldn't help but wonder how they're holding up, or if they're still alive. But he shook off those ridiculous thoughts and prayed to the heavens that both Takuya and Zoe are alright.

"Just hang in there, my friends! Help is on the way!"

* * *

><p>Back at the northern parts of the Icicles Mountains, two fights were already underway. The Hybrid of Flame was already locked in a heated battle against Calmaramon. And judging by the look on his face, he was more than angry. In fact, it's safe to say that he was beyond furious. Instead of simply trying to defeat his opponent, he was more focused on destroying her, just like he did with IceLadyDevimon a while ago.<p>

And who can blame him? He heard what Calmaramon had said to him before their fight started. She flat out told him that she took care of his beloved and sent her sinking to her doom. Of course that would tick anyone off, especially the fiery Warrior. Every attack he had unleashed so far was filled with the intent to turn Calmaramon into sushi.

On the other side of the battlefield, Beautymon was gracefully dodging every attack that Sakkakumon has delivered. The Beast of Steel rotated his body and alternated from one eyeball to the next, unleashing different techniques from the ten Legendary Warriors. The metallic Digimon launched a variety of moves ranging from Beetlemon's Thunder Fist, to Petaldramon's Leaf Cyclone.

But no matter what attacks Sakkakumon tried, he couldn't seemed to land at least one of his attacks. Beautymon twirled her slender body around like a ballerina dancing through a dangerous obstacles. Once the barrage of techniques had stopped, Sakkakumon reverted back to his original form. At the same time, Beautymon ceased her elegant rotations and giggled blissfully at the network of eyeballs.

But the Beast Warrior of Steel could hear a small pinch of arrogance in her laughs.

"Thy have a good reason to think this be a joke?" He growled.

"Fighting you _is_ the joke!" The olive haired beauty flicked her hair.

"Pathetic witch! Dost thou mock me with thy conceited attitude of yours? Thou shall pay for thine insolence and..."

"Haha... Hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Beautymon's subtle giggles suddenly turned into deranged laughs.

"Silence you disrespectful wench!"

"Sorry, eight-eyes!" apologized the olive haired warrior. "But if you don't mind me complaining, your dialect is downright horrendous! I just can't take you seriously with your extremely poor usage of pronouns. I mean, really! Who talks like that nowadays?"

"Enough! Thou has used thy rambunctious tongue for the last time!" An irritated Sakkakumon roared. His body shuffled around until one of his eyeballs faced the female Digimon.

On the cornea of the orb, the Symbol of Water appeared.

"TAKE THIS! ACID INK!"

Tons of black toxic shot out of the pupil and toward Beautymon. Her overconfident looks disappeared as she went back to her evasive maneuvers. But unlike the previous attacks Sakkakumon had fired, Beautymon was having trouble dodging the poisonous ink cleanly.

While she did manage to avoid most of Calmaramon's signature attack, a couple of drops made it onto her beautiful, white, long silky dress. Thankfully, it only touched the lower portions of the skirt. When the ink burned through the fabric, there was no skin underneath.

But having her delicate superficial layers dissolved was the least of her worries. Beautymon checked the 'small' damage to her elegant dress and instantly noticed two tiny holes near the edge of her skirt. She gasped heavily. Her eyes widened and her face turn pale.

"My... My dress..." She stammered.

"Hahahaha! Next time, it shall be thy face that shall be in ruins!" chuckled the Digimon of Steel. He shuffled his body around until another orb looked on to the distressed female Warrior.

"AVALANCHE AXES!"

Out of the cornea, a pair of double-edge axes spun around toward Beautymon, ready to cleave off her head, body or anything else that got in its way. It seemed as if the female Digimon was more worried about the insignificant damage on her skirt than about the oncoming axes. The bladed weapons were only a foot away from its target, spinning around like a pair of buzzsaws.

Suddenly, Beautymon snapped out of her senses and glowered at the rotating weapons. All it took was one vicious backhand slap to knock the axes off course and toward the woods. Sakkakumon was somewhat impressed how such a divine creature like her can possess such power. But what really caught his attention was the look on Beautymon's face. There was fury and rage in her eyes. Beautymon's stare shot thousands of daggers at the Beast of Steel.

"YOU... RUINED... MY... DRESS!" She cried, increasing her volume with each word she spoke. Beautymon wasted little time resuming the fight. She pointed her hands at the many-eyed creature and was ready to unleash her fury.

"Bring it on milady!" snickered Sakkakumon.

But as he rotated his body to absorb her attack...

"PETAL DANCE!"

The metallic creature was caught off guard after Beautymon declared her technique. Thousands of petals flew out of her left sleeve and fluttered around the network of eyeballs Digimon. But this move was special. Beautymon commanded her flowers to dance around her opponent. This strategy worked to her advantage because Sakkakumon could only absorb attacks that were aimed directly at him, not floating around him.

Thanks to Beautymon's devastating move, he was paralyzed by the scent of the many flower petals.

"Ugh! What is this?" grumbled the Beast of Steel. "Can't... move..."

"NOW YOU WILL KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN UGLY DIGIMON LIKE YOU MESS UP MY GORGEOUS DRESS!" Beautymon screamed thunderously.

"No! How can this be?"

"BEAUTIFUL BEAM!"

She shot a large pinkish energy blast at Sakkakumon. The beam nailed an unused eyeball attacked to the Warrior's left side. Her powerful attack sent the Beast of Steel flying into the depths of the forest. Still fueled with rage, the third-in-command unleash a roar of a feisty wildcat. She went after the metallic Digimon with the intention of ripping out every single orb on his body.

"Stupid metal head!" Calmaramon sighed after watching her partner get blaster. "I told him fighting that tough cookie is like walking into a field of landmi..."

"KYYAAAHHHH!" Another violent roar interrupted her thoughts.

Calmaramon returned to reality and saw the Hybrid of Flame coming in, ready to throw the hammer down. She dove out of harm's way and Aldamon crashed back on the canvas, creating a large crater upon landing. But his eyes was still locked on the aquatic Digimon who has claimed to have taken his beloved away from him.

"How ungentlemenlike, attacking an unready opponent! Even for you, that was pretty low!"

"I don't care! I swear I'll make you pay for what you did to Zoe!" argued Aldamon.

"Well now..." Calmaramon grunted, even though she expected that kind of reaction from him or anyone else she fought. "Oh forget it! It doesn't matter anyway, since it's only a matter of time before you suffer the same fate as her!"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!"

He couldn't stand hearing Calmaramon's voice any longer. The cannons under his arms made a 180° turn and opened up to commence firing mode. His blasters started to glow as the power of flame gathered inside his massive weapons. Once they reached full capacity, Aldamon locked on to the Beast of Water.

"TAKE THIS, YOU DISGUSTING MOLLUSK!" He screamed. "ATOMIC INFERNO!"

The winged creature punched rapidly at his opponent and launched a hundred scorching fireballs. Calmaramon was completely surprised at how fast the flames were traveling. And it seemed like every one of Aldamon's fireballs had her name on it. Taking a few of those attacks was painful enough. But if a good number of fireballs hit her, there was no way she could survive.

She used her tentacles to propel herself up in the air and to avoid Aldamon's flames. The fireballs continued with their trajectory until they exploded after making contact with a few trees. Meanwhile, the airborne Digimon spread her tentacles out wide and twisted her large tail.

"TITANIC TEMPEST!"

Calmaramon spun around as her body like a spindle on a drill as she dove toward the Hybrid Warrior. With her rotating at over a hundred revolutions per minute, she can pierce or shred anything that's foolish enough to stand in front of her. And Aldamon was the unfortunate victim Calmaramon had her sights on. But the Hybrid Digimon spread his legs apart and got in position as if he was ready to catch a ball.

When Calmaramon's tail got within range, he quickly stepped to the side to avoid taking the attack head on. But instead of completely evading the drill, he wrapped his arms around the spinning tail of his opponent. Aldamon squeezed and held on as tight as he could to disrupt the rotation. At the same time, he endured the immense and painful force of the friction being applied to his upper limbs.

After about ten seconds, Calmaramon's drill-like technique had lost its power and came to a stop.

"Impossible!" gasped the Beast of Water.

Aldamon roared out loud as he threw the putrid creature over his shoulders and slammed her large body back on the ground, shaking the area upon impact. Calmaramon groaned in pain as her regular body received most of the force. However, the Hybrid still had his arms around her tail. With the strength of the combined Human and Beast Spirits, Aldamon lifted his groggy opponent off of the ground and threw her down hard on the canvas.

Afterwards, he pivoted his body and rotated around to lift her off the ground. Aldamon spun faster and faster in a circle, pretending Calmaramon is a giant hammer throw. The aquatic Digimon kept her eyes close to fight the dizziness, but the velocity of the rotation made her woozy. Finally, Aldamon released her tail, sending her flying through the air and into a couple of trees. Both evergreens lost its support and fell on top of Calmaramon's skull, knocking her unconscious in the process.

"LET'S FINISH THIS! GGRRRRAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Aldamon roared.

The deafening sound of his voice increased the temperature of the area, symbolizing the intense energy around him. He raised his hands in the air and gathered the power of flame in the palm of his hand. Soon, the assembled heat took form into a large fireball, almost the twice the size of his own body. Aldamon shifted his attention toward the semiconscious Beast of Water.

"THIS ONE'S FOR ZOE!" shouted the Hybrid. "SOLAR WIND DESTROYER!"

Aldamon then heaved the large ball of fire at the squid Digimon.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The fiery sphere collided into Calmaramon's body. Thunderous cries of extreme agony escaped the aquatic Warrior's mouth. She couldn't stand the heat any longer. It felt as if she was in a pot of boiling water, minus the water. Finally, the flames subsided and Calmaramon laid motionlessly on the ground.

With her out of the fight, the squid's body turned a giant silhouette. A ring of Fractal Code swirled around the Calmaramon, revealing three different Spirits to the Hybrid Digimon: the Human and Beast Spirits of Water, and his girlfriend's Spirit of Wind.

"Zoe..." Aldamon thought to himself, still believing that his beloved was still alive or somewhere lost in the woods. With that in mind, he snapped back to reality and was ready to close it out.

"Now's my chance!" He said as he flew toward the relics on Calmaramon's ring of data.

But Aldamon only managed to get halfway. Just as he's about to claim the first Spirit, an invisible force stopped him from getting any further. It lifted the Hybrid Digimon up in the air and tossed him across the battlefield. Aldamon slammed hard into several trees until he came to a halt on the fourth one.

The winged creature had no idea what hit or where the attack came from. All he could do was fight the pain in his body and dizziness spinning in his head. Moments later, Aldamon returned to a vertical base, still clutching his midsection.

"Who's there?"

"Hahahaha!" Someone chuckled.

Aldamon had heard many evil laughs throughout his adventures in the Digital World. However, this one was overflowing with malevolence, malice and one hundred percent pure evil. It was enough to make the hairs on his neck to stand on end. There can only be one Digimon whose maliciousness knows no bounds, who makes even other evil Digimon cringe with fear.

Moments later, dark clouds of smoke filled the area, making visibility difficult to achieve. Lightning bolts crashed on the ground, with a few of them almost hitting Aldamon's feet. But he could sense the presence of wicked being nearby. A terrifying silhouette appeared in front of the Hybrid. The evil creature hid in shadows, cloaking his entire body and face.

Finally, the smoke had lifted, revealing a tall humanoid Digimon wearing a black collared cape and a silver mask. He looked at the fiery Warrior and gave him a grin filled with terror and sinfulness.

"MALEVOMON!"

"You recognized me! I'm flattered! I take it that you also remembered our previous battle?" The evil emperor laughed, thinking back to the first time he confronted the humans at Breezy Village. But not a single answer came out of his next victim, which only confirmed the evil ruler's suspicions.

"Lord Malevomon!" gasped Calmaramon who had just regained consciousness. Then again, she was still too weak to fight, which was why the aquatic Digimon was still on the ground.

"SILENCE!" Malevomon ordered. Calmaramon tensed up and obeyed her master's orders.

"Yes, your highness!" The Beast of Water bowed.

"Honestly..." continued the wicked ruler. "... I ask you five to take care of these pathetic humans and claim their Spirits! I thought you Legendary Warriors were powerful enough to destroy these weaklings! Perhaps I've expected too much of you!"

"But that's not true, my Lord! I did take care of one of the humans! And I even got her Spirit as well! See?"

Calmaramon held one of her hands out and revealed a pink orb with the Symbol of Wind in the center to her superior. With such accomplishments, one could suspect that it would be enough to gain praise from the Malevolent One himself. But to her surprise, Malevomon didn't crack a smile, nor showed any signs of praise.

"Then explain to me why this human is _still alive_?" He loudly emphasized the last couple of words.

"But I... I, uh..." stammered Calmaramon.

"Enough! If you want things done right, you got to do it yourself!" Malevomon stepped forward and grinned at the Hybrid Digimon.

"What are you smiling about?

"Last time we fought, I was simply gaging the strength of your abilities! Now, it is time I send you to your graves!"

"NEVER! YOUR REIGN OF TERROR ENDS NOW!" Aldamon bravely declared. The cannons under his arms turned and opened up once again.

"ATOMIC INFERNO!"

The fiery Digimon shot hundreds of fireballs at the Ultimate level ruler. But Malevomon groaned with annoyance. He held his right arm up and used his psychic powers to stop the Aldamon's attacks. None of the fireballs got within five feet of its target. Next, Malevomon waved his hand to the right, sending all of the fiery spheres in that direction. The wicked ruler smirked at the frustrated Legendary Warrior.

"Come now! You're gonna have to do better than that if you want to..."

"SOLAR WIND DESTROYER!"

Aldamon gathered as much heat energy as he could and formed it into a large fireball. The winged Warrior chucked the fireball at the evil Digimon. But just like last time, Malevomon countered by pointing his hand at the fireball. The heated attack lost its momentum and came to a halt in midair. Next, the malicious Digimon gave his hand a little push, which sent the fireball right back at Aldamon. At such speed, all the Hybrid can do was put his arms up and brace for his own attack.

"KKYYYYAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Aldamon cried in pain as the fireball made all of his pain receptors go off like crazy.

He knew his Solar Wind Destroyer was hot and powerful, but has never took one head on. Every part of his body was screaming for help as the heat of the flames burned past his armor and into his skin. His pain receptors were going off like crazy.

It wasn't long before the fires subsided. Aldamon fell on all fours and panted heavily. The deflected attack had drained most of his energy. Getting back in the fight was almost impossible with the strength he has left. Unfortunately, Malevomon wasn't finished with him yet. He aimed his hand at the weakened Warrior and used his telekinesis to lift him off the ground. Aldamon was conscious of the wicked being was controlling his body, yet he was too hurt to move.

"Come here!" He said as he supinated his forearms and flexed his hand.

Using his psychic abilities, he pulled his opponent toward him. The Hybrid Digimon couldn't break free or stop himself from approaching the Malevolent One. He felt like he was traveling at ten miles an hour and wasn't slowing down a bit. It wasn't long before Aldamon reached Malevomon's striking range. The Ultimate level ruler pulled his free hand back and unleashed a powerful, devastating punch to his opponent's unprotected face.

Aldamon never realized how much physical strength Malevomon had. The blow almost fractured his nose and knocked a few teeth out of place. The fiery Digimon flew through the air and slammed back first into a rock wall. Aldamon fell down to the ground, landed on his chest and laid in defeat. Fractal Code surrounded his body, transforming the Hybrid of Flame back to Takuya.

The teenage boy writhed in pain. He was in worse shape than he was when he lost to Sakkakumon. Although none of his bones were broken or his muscles torn, every inch of movement he accomplished would sent agonizing vibrations throughout his body. As the beaten human struggled to make it back to his feet, Malevomon marched toward the boy. Based on the look in his eyes, the taste of victory was within his reach.

"Foolish human! You and I can fight a thousand times and results will always be the same! Simply put, you cannot defeat me!"

"Yes... I can! Nng..." Takuya cringed.

Malevomon's eyebrows rose with surprise. He had underestimated the boy's determination and fighting spirit. Most Digimon in Takuya's condition would either run away or beg him for mercy. But here he was, somehow back on his two feet with his D-Tector in his hand.

"Astounding! You humans are much tougher than I thought! You rather perish than submit to me!" He smiled. Takuya glowered at the wicked ruler at the mention of surrendering. But before he could argue back, the Bearer of Flame lost his balance and collapsed on one knee.

"Ah, but even you humans have limits! Such a shame, though! You could've been humble servants of mine! Unfortunately, we're already filled out! So, I guess there's only one thing to do!"

Malevomon opened up his hand and created a black sphere filled with evil energy. Takuya's eyes widened in fear as the malicious Digimon charged up for his ultimate attack. He knew Malevomon's most devastating technique was coming. Takuya tried to get away, but his body was still in pain, making it difficult for him to move.

"Say good bye, human." Malevomon said, ready to discharge his most powerful attack.

"MALEVOLENT ONSLAUGHT!"

The Ultimate level Digimon released his black orb toward Takuya. The Bearer of Flame knew the end was near. He had fought with everything he had and he still couldn't defeat the Creator of the Chaos Spheres. Takuya closed his eyes and prayed that his demise would be quick and painless.

"I'm sorry, guys." He said to himself. "I have failed you."

"Eldestmon, Swiftmon, Beautymon and everyone in the Battlefront, I am so sorry. I'm just not strong enough to defeat Malevomon. I cannot live up to your expectations as a Legendary Warrior. Please be safe, and I hope you guys can bring peace back to the Digital World without me."

The goggle-head then thought about his two Rookie friends.

"Bokomon and Neemon, You guys are the best Digimon friends I've ever had. I have no idea where I would be without your guidance and continuous support. Please don't forget me, because I will never forget you guys.

Of course, Takuya saved the best for last.

"Zoe. My beautiful Zoe. I'm so sorry it has to end like this. I only wish we had more time together. But you have changed me in more ways than one. I will never forget all of the wonderful things you have said about me, all of the amazing things you have done for me and all of the beautiful memories we have shared together. Thank you for always being there for me, fighting alongside me, loving me and giving me my first kiss. Oh Zoe... I love you so mu..."

"TAKUYA!"

The beaten teenager's eyes shot open at the very familiar sound calling his name. He looked to his right and saw his beloved Zoe running as fast as she could towards him.

From there, everything began to move in slow motion.

Takuya stared at his girlfriend's eyes and shook his head from side to side, wordlessly ordering her to stay back. But his silent commands were ignored. Zoe couldn't just stand aside and watch her boyfriend get obliterated. She knew what she had to do, regardless if Takuya approves or not.

The blonde was determined to save her crush's life, even it means the cost of her own. As she approached the Bearer of Flame, so did evil emperor's Malevolent Onslaught attack. Malevomon looked on with amusement. Can the girl save her best friend, or will his black orb take both of them at once?

Zoe was the first to reach Takuya. She had just enough strength to push her boyfriend out of harm's way. The teenage boy rolled on the snowy ground until he came to a halt. He quickly looked up to see if his girlfriend was also out of the crossfire. But to his disbelief, she wasn't. Zoe couldn't muster enough energy to evade Malevomon's ultimate technique. She gulped, took a deep breath and shut her eyes before the blackish orb consumed her entire body.

"NO! ZOE!" Takuya screamed as he tried to stand once again.

He was quite familiar with the Malevolent Onslaught attack. Although he couldn't recall the events of what exactly happened when he was trapped inside, he did remember one thing. Every single ounce of his life force had been drained and the damage he suffered was beyond devastating.

"OW!" The boy heard Zoe screaming in pain. It numbed his body and brought tears to his eyes.

But it only got worse with each passing second.

"UGH! YEOW! AAAHHHHHH! KYYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"ZOE!" Takuya reached his hand toward the orb. He never felt so helpless in his life. The girl he loves and vows to protect is suffering and there was nothing he can do about it.

"Hahahaha! Nothing's more satisfying than breaking and tormenting your enemies before you annihilate them!" chuckled Malevomon.

He snapped his fingers and the black orb covering the young woman faded away.

When the sphere was gone, Takuya felt his heart turned to stone. Zoe was still on her feet, but her knees were trembling. There were a few tears and rips on her cloths and dirt smeared on almost every part of her body. Her eyes were half closed and it seemed as if every ounce of her energy has been zapped out of her.

Zoe slowly and painfully looked over her shoulder and saw the terrified look in Takuya's teary eyes. But instead of shedding tears, she fought through the agony and gave her beloved a smile.

"Takuya..." She gasped. With the remaining strength she had left, Zoe had time to say one last thing to her boyfriend.

"I love you..."

Finally, she collapsed to the ground and passed out. A large ring of Fractal Code surrounded her body.

"ZOE, HANG ON!"

Takuya got back to his feet and rushed toward the unconscious young woman. He dove forward and was about to make contact with her hand, when an invisible force stopped him in midair. Takuya looked toward the villains and saw Malevomon using his psychic powers to stop him from reaching Zoe. With a small push, he forced Takuya back and pinned him into a rock wall.

With the Bearer of Flame completely helpless, nothing can stop Malevomon from finishing off Zoe for good.

"Excellent job, my Lord!" Calmaramon complimented. "There's the brat's Fractal Code! Hurry and absorb it! Then, we can finish the other human off!"

"I know that!" Malevomon grunted, annoyed that his servant is telling him what to do. But he shrugged it off and marched toward the unconscious girl. Once he was close enough, he stuck his hand out and was ready to absorb her data.

"Time to say goodbye, human! It's been fun watching you progress and oppose me, but it all ends now..."

"NO!" Takuya shouted, interrupting Malevomon's speech. The wicked Digimon turned toward the helpless boy, and was surprised at what he saw. Although he had him pinned down with his telekinesis, Takuya was still fighting with everything he has to break free.

"LEAVE HER ALONE, MALEVOMON! I MEAN IT!"

"Hehe! Just look at you squirm! Pathetic, but rather amusing!"

"DON'T DO IT! PLEASE! DON'T ABSORB HER DATA!" Takuya said, unable to hold back his tears. But Malevomon noticed the wet streaks on the boy's face and was struck with curiosity.

"Foolish human!" chuckled the Ultimate. "Why? Why should I spare your friend's life? You and I both know that you humans are going to be destroyed! So, give me one good reason why I should..."

"ZOE!" croaked the teen.

Malevomon's eyebrows rose when he noticed Takuya was slowly but surely breaking free from his power. The boy pushed like his life depended on it, using every bit of determination and strength to get loose. And then with one mighty roar, he was free from Malevomon's psychic abilities. He fell to the floor and landed on his hands and knees. However, his last ditch effort nearly drained most of his energy. Plus, he was still in pain after losing to Malevomon a while ago.

"Zoe... ugh... I'm coming!"

The goggle-head ignored the agony in his body as he crawl toward his unconscious girlfriend. Malevomon looked on in amusement. This was probably the first time someone has ever broken free from his telekinesis. So, how was he able to resist? Malevomon shifted his attention to the blonde girl. The Fractal Code ring that was around her body was already gone, yet her consciousness hasn't returned to her. The wicked Digimon took in every bit of information he can.

"Fascinating! What is it that drives this human? What makes him so determined to save his little friend, knowing very well that their fates have already been sealed?" He evaluated before coming up with his hypotheses.

"Hang on, Zoe... Nng..."

"Could it be the Spirit's power? No, even with the combined powers of the Human and Beast Spirits of Flame, he still wasn't strong enough to beat me! Perhaps it could be that I've underestimated the willpower you humans have! Or maybe, there must be something more! Something that I'm missing..."

"Zoe... I'm right here, Z! I'm here..." Takuya sniffed as he finally made it to his girlfriend. He reached his hand out and wrapped it around hers, never wanting to let go.

Malevomon instantly noticed this strange display of affection and smiled. He had already put the pieces together.

"Ah, I see..." He chuckled at his revelation. "Young love! How sweet! So that's the force that's driving this boy! Astounding!"

"What are you waiting for, Lord Malevomon? Hurry up and absorb their data!" Calmaramon cried nearby.

"Silence!" commanded her superior. He turned back toward the teenage couple with an evil smirk on his face. "I have an even better idea! Hahahaha!"

Suddenly, the malicious Digimon kicked poor Takuya in the ribs. The boy released Zoe's hand, rolled on the snow and coughed in pain. As the bruised teenage boy recovered, Malevomon went right back to work on Zoe. He aimed his hand toward her and lift the motionless body off the ground using his psychic powers. Slowly, he brought the girl up until her face was at his eye level.

With a snap of his fingers, Malevomon engulfed Zoe's body in a transparent floating purplish sphere. He grinned menacingly at his creation and observed the young woman who has now become his captive.

"I've got plans for you, my child!" snickered the evil emperor.

"NO, ZOE!" Takuya cried from a prone position beneath the evil Digimon. He saw his girlfriend trapped inside some kind of orb and was mortified. "LET HER GO, MALEVOMON!"

"She's mine now, boy! And if you want her, then you know where to find her! Haha... Hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

As the malicious sovereign continued with his maniacal and terrifying laugh, dark clouds started to form around his body, as well as the purplish imprisonment Zoe was trapped in. Moments later, the two disappeared into the thick smoke.

"WAIT! STOP, COME BACK! DON'T!" The Bearer of Flame screamed. He got to his feet, only to fall back on his chest a couple of paces later. He reached toward the gray clouds of smoke with anger, terror and desperation in his eyes.

"ZOE! OH GOD! ZOE!"

Finally, the smoke subsided. When the fog had lifted, Malevomon and his beloved blonde were nowhere in sight. Takuya clenched his fists tight, trying hold back the tears. But he failed as a feeling beyond emptiness took over his heart, turning it into a cold rock. His spirit had been shattered. His mind and entire body has gone completely numb. He had experienced this before.

Back in his adventure at the Digital World, he felt the same way when he almost lost Koji during their one-sided battle against Duskmon. He was devastated and demoralized for causing him a lot of pain. It was his fault that he had almost one of his best friends.

But this time, the feeling was ten times worse. There's nothing more gut-wrenching than seeing his girlfriend sacrifice herself and taking all of the punishment just so he can live. That should've been him. He should've been the one taking the hit, not Zoe. He should've been the one captured instead of her. Or better yet, he should've been stronger and put up a better fight.

Now because of his weakness, Malevomon took his beloved away from him. He didn't just lose someone. He lost his strength, his shield... the girl he loved with all his heart.

"ZOOOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter forty-one. <strong>

**Can Takuya recover from this devastating lost? Is this the end for Zoe Orimoto? And what kind of evil plans does Malevomon have in store for his captive? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	42. Pained Retreat

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**Kumamon, Gigasmon and Petaldramon would've been annihilated, if Swiftmon and the Digimon Battlefront hadn't shown up. The Warriors of Light, Darkness and Thunder were forced to retreat, due to the overwhelming numbers. Meanwhile, Takuya and Beautymon were locked in a fierce battle against the Beast of Steel and Water. Things were going well for Takuya, until Malevomon arrived. He easily overpowered the Bearer of Flame. He would've destroyed Takuya, if Zoe hadn't intervened. She took the full force of Malevomon's attack. The evil emperor captured the unconscious girl and took him back to his castle, leaving Takuya heartbroken and defenseless.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter forty-two!**

* * *

><p><strong>Pained Retreat<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"ZOOOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" The Bearer of Flame cried out toward his best friend, who was quite a distance away from him, thanks to Malevomon.

"It's too late, Honey!" Calmaramon laughed. "You're precious girlfriend is gone! And you will share the same fate soon enough!"

The Beast of Water got up and marched toward the distraught teen. Takuya was so shook up, he failed to notice the aquatic Digimon coming. All he could think about was the pitiful display of weakness. It's all his fault Takuya had no one to blame, but himself. He was the one who lost to the wicked ruler. He should've been the one Malevomon was about to destroy.

But instead, it was Zoe Orimoto who took the fall. She pushed him out of harm's way so that he wouldn't have to suffer. But that also meant she took the full force of the evil emperor's attack. Seeing the blonde beauty trapped in Malevomon's Onslaught, while hearing her scream in agony, brought Takuya even more pain.

It's his worst nightmares come to life. But nothing was more devastating than the malicious Digimon taking his unconscious girlfriend away from him. And on top of all of that, there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop him.

"Zoe's gone... And it's all my fault... Why? Why does it have to be like this?" Takuya murmured. It was too late for him to hold back his tears. His biggest fear had come true, right before his very eyes. Never before has he been so terrified, so helpless, so broken.

The Bearer of Flame failed to realize that Calmaramon was already in front him. Her body towered over the agitated Kanbara, with her shadow blanketing him. The putrid squid immediately noticed the wet streams on the boy's face. The aquatic Digimon couldn't help but chuckle at the puny human's vulnerability. Calmaramon knew wholeheartedly that the blonde was this young man's weakness. And the way her master brutally assaulted her completely devastated him.

"How pathetic!" teased Calmaramon. "Aren't you going to fight me? Or are you going to just sit there like a miserable barnacle?"

But Takuya never gave the watery Digimon an answer, nor made eye contact with her. Judging from the depressed look on his face, Calmaramon knew this boy was in no condition to fight. It's like his soul has been drained out of him. Perhaps that's what happens to humans when they lose someone precious to them. Oh well, at least his helpless state will make her job in crushing him easier.

"Fine! Suit yourself!"

Calmaramon wrapped one of her tentacles around Takuya's body. The Bearer of Flame finally snapped back to reality the moment he felt the squid's slimy tentacle, but it was too late. She lifted him off the ground and squeezed tightly. Takuya moaned in agony, trying to withstand Calmaramon's compression. He provided some resistance by kicking about.

Unfortunately, most of his strength has already left him after his grueling battle against the Malevolent One. His ribs were on the verge of snapping in half. The teenage goggle-head was moments away from passing out. His muscles grew weak and his eyes had reached the half-shut point. It won't be long before the Beast of Water removes the Takuya from this world permanently.

"Say good bye, you little runt!" The aquatic Digimon said.

She pulled her head back and filled her mouth with large amounts of toxic liquid. One spew of her signature attack would surely make the teenage human melt like butter. Finally, Calmaramon threw her head forward and unleashed her devastating technique.

"ACID IN..."

"UUGGGGHHHHHHHH!" Someone grunted from afar.

The sound captured Calmaramon's attention. She looked to her right and noticed a large network of eyeballs flying out of the woods and towards her direction. The squid couldn't brace herself in time as the Beast Warrior of Steel crashed into her huge shell body.

Upon impact, Calmaramon released the battered Takuya. The boy landed on all fours, trying to catch his breath. Both Digimon fell to the ground with dust and debris surrounding them. When the smoke had cleared, Sakkakumon and Calmaramon laid on the floor in a daze.

"Ugh, what happened?" The Beast of Water moaned as her vision slowly returned to her.

"Nng! Get off me you oversized wench! I can't breathe!" The eyeballed Warrior complained.

Even though Calmaramon did as she was told, the aquatic Digimon was still angry at what Sakkakumon just said.

"Excuse me? Did you call me fat?"

"Does thou want me to say it again?"

"Why you... Of all the nerve. How dare you speak to me like that, you incompetent twerp! No one insults Calmaramon and gets away with..."

"Yoo-hoo!"

As the argument between the Steel and Water Warriors continued, another female Digimon reappeared out of the forest. She twirled in the air a couple times before sticking the landing beautifully.

"Hello, losers! I hope you two didn't miss me too much! After all, a beautiful Digimon, like myself, has got to stay pretty when it comes to beating your sorry butts! Isn't that right, Cutie?"

After a few moments of self-praising, she turned to the teen behind her and waited to hear his critique. However, her soul petrified when she saw tears running down the boy's face.

"Oh my goodness! Cutie!" Beautymon gasped. She knelt beside Takuya and wrapped her arms around him. She helped the saddened teen human to his feet and held him in a warm embrace.

"Cutie? Cutie, what's wrong? Please, answer me!"

"I... I couldn't... stop him..." Takuya gulped, soft enough so only Beautymon could hear it.

"Who, my sweet? Who did this to you?" She asked. Using one of her delicate fingers, Beautymon tilted Takuya's face until his chocolate orbs gazed at her loving, lavender eyes.

"Ma... Malevomon..." The boy answered.

The female fighter raised both eyebrows at the sound of the malicious ruler's name. Regardless of how arrogant and snobby she was, even Beautymon could get riled up whenever someone mentions the name of arguably the cruelest and evilest Digimon of all time. And what's worse, her 'Cutie' was the one fighting him.

At that point, the third-in-command began to cry with the goggle-head. Beautymon held the teen as tight as she could, never wanting to let go. All she could think about was protecting him with everything she has. She vowed to never let any of those rotten Digimon hurt her favorite, young man.

"Oh dear." said Beautymon as a small, dainty tear trickled down her creamy cheek. "Did that mean, old Digimon hurt you, Cutie?"

"Mmhmm..." Takuya said, finally letting his emotions out. His salty tears fell on Beautymon's long white dress. But the female Digimon provided comfort and warmth in her amorous hug. Even though she hated to see the Bearer of Flame this way, she did like being in this position nevertheless.

"Poor Cutie. Poor, poor Cutie." Again Beautymon consoled.

"I... *sniff*... I wasn't strong enough. Malevomon... too powerful..."

"There, there. It's okay. Everything's alright now. Beautymon's here to protect you from that ugly beast. Don't you worry, Cutie. I'll make sure that nothing bad happens to..."

"And that's not all..." Takuya sobbed.

"Yes, Sweetie?"

The olive haired beauty wasn't prepared for Takuya's next words.

"SHE'S GONE! MALEVOMON HAS CAPTURED ZOE!"

Beautymon lets out a huge gasp and her eyes widened at the news. With that horrid memory still in his head, the Bearer of Flame fell on both knees and continued sobbing.

But as Takuya cried his heart out, an arrogant grin appeared on Beautymon's face. She felt her heart jumping for joy. Inwardly, she danced with triumph and celebrated the tragic misfortune. Although losing the Bearer of Wind completely devastated Takuya, it brought cheer, happiness and hope to the olive haired Digimon.

On the outside, she looked devastated. But on the inside, Beautymon was cheering blissfully.

"_Yes! Finally! With that stupid Blondie out of the way, Cutie is as good as mine! Oooh, how divine! And unlike that pathetic girl, I'll be sure to give Cutie the full treatment... and then some..._"

Elaborate fantasies of her and the teenage boy formed within her naughty mind. Needless to say that there's no limits to where Beautymon's imaginations can go. It ranged from a simple stroll around the luscious flower fields in the Digital World, to more 'stimulating' activities. Of course, if she was really desperate, things can become more _vivid_ to say the least.

Beautymon was so lost in her own little fantasy world, she was completely unaware of her surroundings.

"Ehem!" Someone coughed, snapping the female Digimon back to reality.

Takuya also stopped his crying and looked over his shoulder. The Beasts of Steel and Water stood before their two opponents with anger in their eyes.

"Thy hopes that thou hast not forgotten about us!" said Sakkakumon.

"Oh, great. You guys again." Beautymon sighed frustratingly.

"Why you little... ACID INK!"

Calmaramon spewed a mouthful of toxic ink at her foes. Beautymon quickly reacted by wrapping Takuya around her arms and carried him to safety. She landed daintily on her toes and glowered at the Beasts of Steel and Water. The squid and the metallic Digimon approached the olive haired beauty and the agitated human, determined to take them both out.

"Where does thou think ye going?" The eight eyeballed Digimon asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know." huffed Beautymon who still has Takuya underneath her arms. "Oh and by the way, Mr. Eight-Eyes?"

"Mr. Eight-Eyes? How dare thou hast mock me for such impudent..."

"Just shut up and let me finish!" ordered the female Digimon, which temporarily silenced the metallic Warrior.

"As I was saying, could you please do me and Cutie a favor by ceasing your pathetic excuse of dialogues? I mean, really! Who talks like that nowadays? It's hard to understand what you're saying half the time! So, please! Do us all a favor and shut your mouth! You're rather annoying when you talk!"

"Ooh!" Calmaramon snickered mildly. Instead of laughing at Beautymon's bold attempt at insulting her partner, she was chuckling at Sakkakumon for allowing the female Digimon to talk trash about him. "She sure owned you, didn't she metal head?"

"Silence, you murky headed nit!" commanded Sakkakumon. Calmaramon stuck her tongue out toward the Beast of Steel before refocusing on her two opponents.

"Now if you losers don't mind, Cutie and I are leaving. So..."

"Not so fast! WILDFIRE TSUNAMI REFLECTION!"

Sakkakumon reshuffled his body until one particular eyeball took the lead. The Symbol of Flame appeared on the cornea. Finally, the pupil unleashed large bursts of flames at the two foes. Beautymon quickly studied the oncoming attack and realized that the flames trajectory was way off.

However, the olive haired beauty wasn't worried. She knew that she and Takuya weren't going to be incinerate. And she was correct. Instead of directly towards them, the fires sailed above her head. Beautymon winked at the Beast of Steel as an arrogant gesture, wordlessly reminding him of his terrible aim.

But Sakkakumon responded with a smirk as big as hers.

It seemed as if the metallic Digimon wasn't targeting his opponents initially. No, he had something else in mind. Not liking the look on the creature's face, Beautymon looked over her shoulder. She instantly dropped her grin and sighed deeply at what she saw. The flames engulfed a couple of trees behind her and spread all around like massive wildfire. Black smoke rose out of the flames and toward the sky. Some of the fumes entered Takuya's lungs, making him cough and gag for air.

"Cutie!" Beautymon gasped.

She held him tight, hoping that that would stop his sputtering. Although she inhaled a few of the burnt gas, Beautymon was able to withstand it. She leered at the two Beast Warriors for making Takuya suffer in his condition.

"Nobody hurts my man and gets away with it! NOBODY!"

"And what are gonna do about it, Honey?"

"PETAL DANCE!"

Beautymon aimed one her hands toward her two opponents. Upon declaration of her attack, a variety of petals danced out of her sleeves and surrounded the Beasts of Water and Steel. As they encircled the network of pupils and the putrid squid, the flowers released a special kind of pheromones. The chemical scents entered Sakkakumon's and Calmaramon's nostrils. Beautymon smirked to herself, knowing that her special technique has worked.

However, inside the vortex of petals, neither of the Legendary Warriors were fazed. Beautymon realized that something was wrong, otherwise her enemies would've been incapacitated by now. She looked around the area to see what other factors were contributing to why her Petal Dance wasn't working.

But then her eyes widened when she noticed the wildfire around them. The smoke has interfered with her Petal Dance. The mixture of pheromones and fumes has changed the scent of Beautymon's technique. That's why neither Sakkakumon nor Calmaramon were effected by her attack.

"Not this stupid move again!" complained Calmaramon.

"Have no fear, my lady! Tis I shall be the one who rids these wretched petals" Sakkakumon readjusted his body until one specific eyeball took the front. On the center, the Symbol of Win appeared.

"TEMPEST TWIST REFLECTION!"

Suddenly, a strong force of wind escaped out of the pupil. The cyclones blew away the every single petal in the area. Beautymon watched helplessly as her signature attack was easily defeated. As long as she's inside this cage of wildfires, her Petal Dance would be rendered useless.

While Sakkakumon continued to blow away the rest of the flowers, Beautymon shot a quick glance at the Bearer of Flame, who still had that look of defeat in his eyes.

"Come on, Cutie! We have to fight together!" She begged. Beautymon shook the boy a little bit, hoping that he would snap out of his depression. But Takuya kept his gaze downward as if the female Digimon didn't even exist.

"Zoe... She's gone... Zoe, it's all my fault..." The distressed boy mumbled.

"Forget about Blondie! I need you!" Again the olive haired Digimon pleaded. But her words fell on deaf ears. Takuya stayed in his bubble of sadness, while showing no signs of getting out.

"Cutie..." She gulped.

"Aw, what's wrong, girly?" Calmaramon laughed as she and her metallic partner approached. "Can't take me and metal head all by yourself? Are you really that weak where you need the little runt's help?"

"Why you..." Beautymon growled.

"Hahaha! Sorry, Honey! But I'm afraid that this human is no use to you if he's going to sit there all day moping about his friend!"

"I wasn't talking to you! Now back off, you ugly piece of dateless wonder!" countered Beautymon.

"HUH? SAY THAT AGAIN! I DARE YOU!" An insulted Beast of Water roared.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Did I hurt your sensitive feelings? Such a pity! But as a favor to you, I'll say it as many times as you like, you ugly... piece... of... dateless... wonder!" Beautymon grinned, heavily emphasizing every word and increasing volume each time.

"THAT'S IT! I'M GONNA RIP YOU INTO PIECES! ACID INK!"

The angry Digimon spewed a mouthful of poisonous acid toward the female Warrior. Beautymon twirled like a ballerina and easily avoided Calmaramon's attack. She got back in her stance and shifted her eyes left and right, looking for a way out of the forest. But thanks to the wildfires around her, all of the exits had been cut off. She and her 'Cutie' are trapped inside the caged furnace. The only option is for her to beat both Beast Warriors at once.

"Calm yourself, my lady. Let us not get hasty. I've faced her before, and she be quite the fighter. We mustn't get careless, for underestimating the enemy can..."

"SILENCE, YOU HUNK OF TIN! I REFUSE TO LET THIS FOUL CREATURE GET AWAY FOR TRASHING MY GOOD LOOKS! I AM THE PRETTIEST AND THE STRONGEST DIGIMON OF ALL! YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR INSULTS, YOU SLIMY WITCH!"

""Heehee... Teeheeheehee... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Beautymon's laughed maniacally at the squid's outlandish claims.

"Hey! What's so funny?" asked an annoyed Beast of Water.

"Forgive my poor hearing, but did you just call yourself 'pretty?' And 'strong?' Heehee! You must be kidding! If that's pretty, then I can't wait to see what ugly looks like!" giggled Beautymon.

"Why you little..."

"Actually, scratch that! I'm looking at it right now!"

"Ooh!" Now it was Sakkakumon's turn to snicker mildly. Even he found amusement in dissing his fellow Warrior. Calmaramon shot a quick glare at the Beast of Steel.

"Can it!"

"Thy opponent hast made a very good point... my lady."

"Enough! It's time we destroy these weaklings once and for all, starting with that pathetic human!" spoke the Beast of Water.

"You leave my 'Cutie' out of this!" Beautymon demanded.

"Make us!" Calmaramon threatened before pulling her head back. "ACID INK!"

Large amounts of black ink shot out of her mouth and towards Beautymon and the Bearer of Flame underneath her arms. The female Digimon jumped out of the way to avoid getting sprayed. Beautymon landed gracefully about ten yards from her original spot. She set Takuya down and stepped in front of her 'Cutie' to protect him.

"Beautiful Beam!" She cried, pointing her hands at Calmaramon.

Beautymon fired a powerful pink laser at the large squid. All it took was one swipe of Calmaramon's tentacles to swat away the projectile. But the olive haired Digimon came back on the attack and fired not one, but two more energy blasts at her opponent's head. Calmaramon held both of her tentacles in front of her face. The lasers collided against the Beast Warrior's elongated limb, creating two small explosions upon impact. But when the smoke cleared, there was no superficial damage on the aquatic Digimon.

"Is that the best you could do?" snickered Calmaramon.

"Be quiet, you disguising creature!" Beautymon countered as she fired a rapid barrage of Beautiful Beams.

Calmaramon kept her defenses up, swatting away as many laser as possible. A few of the blasts did manage to hit the watery witch's shell-like body. But to Calmaramon, the power of the beams were equivalent to a small tap to her sides. In other words, she took a lot of Beautymon's attacks, and hardly felt a thing. Finally, Calmaramon marched toward the olive haired beauty with the distressed human behind her.

"You cannot harm me, Honey! Your little lasers are just as weak as you are! Give up now, and _maybe_ I won't mess up that ugly face of yours!"

"You lousy, rotten wench!" The insulted Beautymon growled like a wildcat after she ceased her rapid fire.

She then dropped in a square stance and brought both of her hands back beside her waist, with the heels of her palms only an inch apart from each other. Next, Beautymon focused the energy in the center space between her hands. As Calmaramon approached, she watched with astonishment as the olive haired Digimon created a small ball of pink energy in her palms. Slowly, the orb grew into a size of a basketball.

"HOW ABOUT I MESS UP THAT UGLY FACE OF YOURS?"

Once she finished charging up her attack, Beautymon threw both of her arms forward.

"BEAUTIFUL BEAM!"

She discharge a large beam of energy at the squid-like Digimon. Calmaramon was surprised at the size and speed of the huge laser. With so much power all in that one beam, the damages would be immense.

On the other hand, the Beast Warrior of Water had no intention of getting blasted to smithereens. She used her tentacles to propel herself up in the air and avoid the large laser. But as Calmaramon ascended, she gave her opponent a sly wink.

"Many thanks, my lady!" A cold voice snickered.

Beautymon gasped the moment she realized where her beam was going. Sakkakumon had one of his eyeballs out in front, ready to absorb her attack. Although her Beautiful Beam possessed a lot of energy and power, the Beast of Steel easily swallowed it up.

"Now, let's see how thou likes it?" Sakkakumon grinned.

Just before Beautymon could put up her defenses...

"Beautiful Beam REFLECTION!"

A large powerful pinkish laser shot out of the cornea and toward the female Digimon. It was the same size as the beam she fired previously and was traveling at the exact same speed too. Annoyed that someone else has used her own attack against her, Beautymon unleashed an obnoxious groan before back flipping out of the line of fire.

Sakkakumon again took aim and fired even more of Beautymon's signature technique. But his opponent was so quick and nimble, he couldn't land a single hit. However, every time Beautymon's feet touched the ground, another energy blast was coming at her. She hated being on the defensive, but all she could do right now is keep dodging and wait until she finds an opening.

"Hahaha! That's it, my lady! Dance for me! But thou cannot keep this up forever!"

"Wanna bet?" Beautymon replied before evading a few more pink projectiles by performing a few twists and flips.

"Impressive! Thou dost possess tremendous speed, quickness and elegant grace!" Sakkakumon complimented.

Of course, any positive remark Beautymon's received made her smile, regardless whether it's from a good Digimon or an evil one. She just loved listening to others praise her ability. But she loved criticizing her opponents' futilities even more.

"Why, I'm touched Mr. Eight-Eyes! But then again, you're aiming is so terrible, you can't even hit Miss. Smelly's ginormous as..."

"HEY!" Calmaramon shouted before Beautymon could finish her insult.

"Heehee! Stay put, you disgusting creature! After I'm finished playing with green-and-gruesome over here, I'll take care of you!" Beautymon gigged before flipping her olive hair and pointing at the Beast Warrior of Water.

"Doth my ears deceive me? Thou still believes thou could defeat me? Hmph! How foolish!" Sakkakumon grinned.

"You sure love to talk, don't ya?" Beautymon stuck her tongue out childishly.

However, the Beast of Steel wasn't fazed by Beautymon's remarks. In fact, he had his 'eyes' on someone else on the battlefield. Sakkakumon turned his body of orbs until a certain teenage boy was in his sights.

"Enough of this! I shall deal with the human first!"

"No, Cutie!" Beautymon gasped.

She immediately slammed on the brakes and rushed as fast as she could toward Takuya. Unfortunately, Calmaramon was there to cut her off. The look on her face indicated how angry and livid she was after taking all of Beautymon's preposterous remarks.

"Out of my way, you abominable sea witch!"

"ABOMINABLE? SEA WITCH? WHY YOU..." The squid Digimon released a violent howl before throwing one of her tentacles at Beautymon.

Meanwhile, Sakkakumon reshuffled his body and pointed one of his orbs at the boy. Takuya slowly looked up and saw the network of eyeballs. The Beast Warrior of Steel chuckled at the human for displaying such frailty.

"Pity! I thought you kids would pose more of a challenge! Tis vexing! But Lord Malevomon would be most pleased when I tell him I have destroyed one of the Chosen Children!"

Finally, the metallic Digimon reached his victim.

"Say goodbye human! Beautiful Beam REFLECTION!"

Sakkakumon shot a pinkish laser at the defenseless teen. Takuya shuts his eye and braced himself for the end, knowing very well that he could not endure that attack. This day could not get any worse. First, Zoe was captured by Malevomon. Now, Sakkakumon is about to destroy him. Yet with very little strength or motivation within him, all Takuya could do was wait until Beautymon's energy blast consumed him entirely.

"CUTIE!" The female warrior cried from afar.

Beautymon ducked underneath Calmaramon's swiping tentacles and darted toward the Bearer of Flame. But not after sending the Beast of Water a parting gift, which was a Beautiful Beam to the face.

The female Digimon hurried as fast as she could, hoping that she's not too late. In a flash, Beautymon was already in front of Takuya. With her arms spread out wide, she used her entire body as a shield, protecting the boy from Sakkakumon's attack. The Bearer of Flame opened his eyes and gasped in shock, feeling like it's déjà vu all over again. The good news was that Beautymon had succeeded in protecting him. But the bad news was that she had to sacrifice her own body to do so.

Finally, Sakkakumon stopped his attack to observe the damage he had caused. Although his was mildly disappointed that the boy was still in one piece, the same thing couldn't be said about Beautymon. Parts of her lovely dress had been tattered. Her olive hair was straggly and covered half of her elegant face. The female Digimon fell on one knee and clutched her body with both arms. She shuddered in agony before looking back at Takuya.

"H... Hi Cutie..." Beautymon smiled, before her eyes cringed.

Although she looked like she's in a lot of agony, there were still traces of beauty in her pain-filled look. Takuya felt his cheeks flushed slightly seeing how _cute_ Beautymon was, even when she was hurt. But afterwards he snapped back to reality and knelt by the female's side.

"Oh God! Beautymon!" gasped Takuya. "Are you alright? Say something!"

"Oh Cutie..." The Digimon Battlefront's third-in-command gave the goggle-head an adoring smile. She traced her fingers along Takuya's cheeks and giggled.

"Um... Beautymon?"

"As long as you're here, Cutie, I'm always alright."

The olive haired Digimon noticed how close the boy was to her, and decided to make things a little more _interesting_.

Beautymon allowed her knees to grow weak, making it very hard for her to stay balanced. A small, yet sensual moan of pain escaped her lips as she collapsed to the ground. Thankfully, and just like Beautymon planned, the inconspicuous Takuya caught the female Digimon in his arms to cushion her fall. Her head buried into his chest, which for some reason deepened the blush on the boy's cheeks.

"Hold me, Cutie."

"But Beautymon, I..." The olive haired warrior placed a finger on the boy's lips and giggled. Next, she leaned in toward Takuya's ear and gave it a small blow, sending chills up his spine.

"And never let me go." Beautymon whispered, emphasizing the last few words.

In the beginning, Takuya felt incredibly strange being embraced by the olive haired beauty. But for some reason, he couldn't resist. Was it the way she looked into his eyes, the intoxicating scent she always had on, the way she called him, 'Cutie'? Was it because they make quite a strong pair on the battlefield? Or was something he was completely unaware of?

Either way, something was attracting him to Beautymon. Although Takuya would more than likely refuse to admit it, being embraced by Beautymon is probably the second best feelings he's ever felt. The best, of course, is being hugged or kissed by none other than...

"Got ya!"

The sound of Calmaramon's wicked voice interrupted the two. Takuya and Beautymon quickly looked back at the watery Digimon. But the only thing they saw was a pair of elongated tentacles coming toward them like a python snapping toward its prey.

Instinctively, Beautymon pushed the teenage human out of the way, allowing one of Calmaramon's tentacles to wrap around her slender, delicate body. But as Takuya rolled on the ground, the second tentacle followed the boy until he came to a halt. Finally, it wrapped itself around Takuya's neck and lifted him off the ground.

At last, the Beast of Water has captured both of her targets. She reeled them in slowly, just to watch them squirm and struggle to break loose. Seeing their opponents suffer was amusing to both Calmaramon and Sakkakumon.

"Excellent work, my lady! You've captured them! I'm impressed... for once!"

"Can it, metal head!" grunted the squid before facing her captives.

"Now, which of these whelps should we dispose of first?"

"Decisions, decisions!" The Beast of Water smirked.

Calmaramon turned her head toward the Champion level Digimon in her left tentacle. Beautymon tried to break free using every ounce of strength that remained in her body. But after taking a reflected attack from Sakkakumon, her energy level was almost gone. And with her arms also caught in the vice, there was not much Beautymon could do.

"I could break that fragile little body of yours! After hearing all of those insults you hurled at me, it would be about time someone gave you your just deserts! Yes, crushing you would be sweet satisfaction!" Calmaramon chuckled.

The squid turned her head toward the choking Takuya.

"But then again, there's nothing I want more than breaking you neck, you puny human! Lord Malevomon would be most pleased when he received the news that I had finally destroyed one of the..."

"Oh, will you please stop this nonsense talking and just finish him already!" ordered the impatient Sakkakumon.

Calmaramon glowered back at her partner, but sighed regrettably.

"You always have to ruin my fun, don't you metal head? Fine! If it makes you feel better, he'll be the first to go!" The Beast of Water looked back at the helpless boy and grinned.

"Ta-ta, Honey!"

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Beautymon cried! "LEAVE CUTIE ALONE, YOU BIG MEANIE!"

"Quiet, you!" Calmaramon commanded before tightening the grip around Beautymon's body.

"YEEOOOOWWWWWWWW!" The female Digimon shrieked in pain as the pressure started to crush her delicate torso.

All of the sudden, Calmaramon tossed Beautymon to the ground. With her out of the way, the aquatic monstrosity can focus on destroying the Bearer of Flame.

"It's been fun! But now it's time for my favorite par..."

"CRYSTAL FREEZE!" A voice of another Legendary Warrior cried.

Suddenly, the wall of fire surrounding Takuya, Beautymon and the two evil Warriors slowly turned into solid ice. Calmaramon shifted her attention from the helpless teen to the barrier of frost. With her temporarily distracted, the grip around Takuya's neck weakened a little bit, allowing the goggle-headed boy to breath.

As he coughed for air, another Legendary Warrior from outside the prison of ice declared his attack.

"SEISMIC SLEDGE!"

Some kind of hammer collided against the frozen substance. There was a loud 'WHACK' before the wall of ice cracked and traversed all the way around the barrier. Finally, the cracks converged, causing the ice walls to crumble apart. Behind the barrier were the Legendary Warriors of Ice, Earth and Wood. Swiftmon was also there, as well as the rest of the Digimon Battlefront.

"Oh no! Calmaramon's got Takuya!" Bokomon gasped as he and Neemon reappeared.

"Not for long! DIAMOND CUTTER!" declared Swiftmon.

In a flash, the second-in-command was gone. But before the Beast of Water could react, the swordsman Digimon had already made his move. From his point of view, everything was moving in slow motion. The warrior danced around Calmaramon's right tentacle, while striking them with his blades.

Suddenly, the squid yelped in pain from all of the cuts she had received from Swiftmon. She released the boy's neck and Takuya fell to the ground. Thankfully, the warrior-like Digimon was there to catch him. In just a half a second, he reappeared in front of his troops and the other Legendary Warriors. Swiftmon then set Takuya down on the ground and ordered the other Digimon to give him space and time to recover.

"Are you alright, Takuya?" Bokomon asked, patting the boy on the back.

"Yeah... *cough*... I'm fine." gagged Takuya.

He turned to toward the swordsman.

"Thanks Swiftmon. If it wasn't for you, Calmaramon would've snapped my neck." Takuya found the strength to get back to his feet and grabbed his D-Tector out of his pocket. He wanted payback and just couldn't wait to get back into action.

"Um... Takuya? Where's Zoe?" Neemon finally asked.

Upon hearing his captured girlfriend's name, Takuya's personality did a one-eighty. The will to fight had once again disappeared the moment Neemon mentioned his beloved's name. Suddenly, the boy fell to his knees and dropped his device. Once again, the distressed look on his face had returned. Bokomon, Neemon and even Swiftmon had noticed the boy's quick change. They were all equally concerned.

"Takuya? What's wrong?" Bokomon asked nervously.

"He captured her..." Takuya murmured. Unfortunately, the Digimon with the pink waistband had heard what he said and his eyes widened in fear.

"What? Zoe's been kidnapped?" Bokomon gasped. "Who? Who took her, Takuya?"

"M... Ma..." The boy gulped.

The memories of his beloved taking on the malicious ruler's devastating attack and the final words she spoke to him before passing out ran through his mind. The pain was unbearable. However, Takuya did manage to say that name of Zoe's kidnapper before he burst into tears.

"Malevomon."

"Oh dear! This is bad! This is very bad!" panicked Bokomon.

"He's got Zoe! Oh no! What do we do?" Neemon yelped as he waved his arms frantically in the air and ran around in circles.

"Everybody stay calm!" Swiftmon ordered after taking in every bit of information he could acquire. "Don't worry, young man! We'll get her back! Right now, we..."

"CUTIE!" The voice of Beautymon entered the teen's ear.

Takuya looked to his side, but was too slow to react. A split second later, he was already in the warm, loving, tight embrace of the female Digimon.

"Oh sweetie! I was so worried about you! Thank goodness you're alright! Don't worry, darling! Beautymon's here to protect..."

"BEAUTYMON!" Her partner called with annoyance and disappointment in his tone.

"Ow! Again with the yelling, Swiftmon?" Beautymon glowered as she stuck her pinky in her delicate ear.

"Never mind! I'm gonna have a word with you later! As I was saying, we have to defeat the Warriors of Water and Steel!"

Swiftmon returned to his stance, with his troops following suit. Knowing that they were still in a fight, Beautymon dusted the mess off of her dirty dress before she got in position.

As for the Beasts of Water and Steel, it didn't take them long to notice that they were at a disadvantage.

"Great! They have us outnumbered!" Calmaramon said after doing a quick count.

"Alas! Best for us to make thine haste before we fall into the hands of thine enemy!" Sakkakumon suggested. He and Calmaramon faced the opposite directing and darted out as fast as they could.

"You know? Why can't you just say 'Let's get out of here' instead of all that fancy talk you..." The squid complained as her voice faded away.

"THEY'RE GETTING AWAY! AFTER THEM, TROOPS!" Swiftmon ordered.

"YES SIR!"

"Come on, Cutie! We have to get move on!"

Beautymon helped the depressed Takuya to a standing position. Although he was still thinking about Zoe and how helpless he was when he tried to save her, his feet subconsciously moved on its own. With Beautymon holding him by the hands, the two of them followed the rest of the soldiers to chase after the Warriors of Water and Steel.

"MINI BOOMERS!"

Every Digimon in the area looked up and noticed a large number of grenades raining from above. When the bombs came down on the ground, it exploded instantly, sending shrapnel and violent shockwaves all over the place. Large clouds of smoke filled the area. Fortunately, neither Digimon nor Takuya weren't in the blast radius.

On the other hand, they kept their guard up because everyone knew who was responsible for throwing those miniature bombs.

"Sorry Battledopes! But you ain't going anywhere!" The voice of Malevomon's faithful servant.

When the smoke had finally cleared, an imp-like Digimon appeared with his hands on his hips and a smug grin on his face.

"Out of the way, Sinistromon! Or I'll cut you into ribbons!" Swiftmon growled, pointing his blade at the Rookie.

"Hehe! That's cute, Swiftmon! But your threats are worthless to me!"

"Oh yeah, you little shrimp? Why don't you come up with something better?" Arbormon huffed.

"Very well then, Warrior of Wood... MEKANORIMON, ARISE!"

Malevomon's subordinate snapped her fingers. The sound echoed throughout the woods. A few seconds later, the ground began to shake. The violent upheaval almost knocked Takuya and a few other Digimon to the ground. Luckily, they were able to hold their ground and remain in their stance. The rest of the Digimon Battlefront scanned the area, searching for Sinistromon's troops.

Suddenly, large machine type Digimon appeared from underneath the snowy canvas. These robots had sharp metallic claws and a red center core. There was also a bluish head piece where memories and data can be stored. There were over fifty of these mechanical Digimon. Yet all of them were programmed to do one thing: annihilate their enemies.

"Um... Bokomon?" Takuya inhaled.

"Mekanorimon! The baddest of the bad!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Mekanorimon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Twin Beam; Disk Breaker**

**Description: Mechanized Melee on two feet. Mekanorimon can turn anything into scrap metal. Once they have defeated their enemies, they absorb their data into their own centralized computer, making them super, powerful fighting machines. Their Twin Beams can disintegrate even the strongest of metals.**

"Hahaha! You'll never get pass my army of Mekanorimon! All it takes is one blast, and bye-bye Digimon Battlefront!" Sinistromon said with much arrogance.

He then turned his eyes toward the only human in the group.

"Oh, and while I was setting up my trap for you freaks, Lord Malevomon has asked me to deliver a message to the human!"

Takuya looked at the imp with his eyes filled with curiosity. There was also a bit of tension in his heart, wondering if it had something to do with his beloved.

"What is it? What has Malevomon done to Zoe?"

"Stupid kid! It's not what he _has_ done to her! It's what he _is_ going to do to her! Get the picture? Hehe!"

"What? No! You rotten sleaze! If that creep ever so lays one finger on her, I'll..."

"Silence, you fool! I have no time listening to your empty threats! Lord Malevomon can do whatever he wants to your pathetic friend! And the master has all kinds of torture devices he would love to use on her! Oh, I can't wait to hear her scream he..."

"SHUT UP!"

Without giving it a second thought, Takuya ran toward Sinistromon, who was standing on top of one of the Mekanorimon he had summoned. The tiny devil found the teenage human's bravery naive if anything. The rest of the Digimon behind Takuya tried to stop his careless and reckless charge. But the anger and rage building in the boy's soul had prevented him to think. All he cared about was saving Zoe, and he'll take down anyone who gets in his way.

"This kid never learns! Oh well! Mekanorimon! Annihilate him and the rest of the Digimon Battlefront!"

"_Orders Received_!" The robotic Digimon obliged in a cold yet evil tone. One of the machines targeted the charging Takuya, while the others had their sights on the many Digimon behind them.

"_Targets In Sight_!" The mechanical army cried in unison. "_TWIN BEAM_!"

The first Mekanorimon fired a red optic beam from the center of his chest. The beam traveled so fast, Takuya didn't have enough time to react. If that laser nailed any part of his body, he would've been digitized to dust. Fortunately, the beam missed his feet by a couple of yards. However, it sent the boy flying through the air before gravity brought him down. But instead of landing on a pile of snow or the hard ground, he was caught by the swordsman commander.

"Swiftmon!"

"What were you thinking, running off like that?" The warrior asked sternly.

"But they've captured Zoe! I have to go get her! If I don't, who knows what kinds of terrible things Malevomon might do to her?" Takuya replied with a hint of desperation.

"I understand your pain, my boy! But if you keep rushing into danger like that, you'll..."

"SWIFTMON, LOOK OUT!" Bokomon cried from behind.

The swordsman looked toward the enemy and noticed four different beams coming his way. With one arm around the boy and the other holding his sword. He swung his weapon and cut down the first two lasers he came across. But the third beam caught Swiftmon in a vulnerable position.

Realizing that he didn't wasn't ready for another slash, the warrior blocked the laser with the fuller part of his blade. The beams were so powerful, it not only sent mild vibrations to the wielder's hand, but it knocked the sword out of his position. The final beam was coming toward Takuya and Swiftmon. But neither one of them were in position to defend themselves.

"SWIFTMON, SIR!" Someone from the Digimon Battlefront yelped.

Suddenly, a Ninjamon stepped in front of his commander with his ninjatō out in front. The ninja Digimon swung his blade at the oncoming Twin Beam attack. But the laser plowed through the sword and exploded when it collided against Ninjamon's body. The small warrior exploded into bits of data, leaving only his red mask behind.

"NO! NINJAMON!" Swiftmon growled for losing another one of his comrades.

"_Targets, Locked On... TWIN BEAM_!" The army of Mekanorimon shouted in unison, firing more of their optical red beams at the Digimon Battlefront.

With Takuya under his arms, Swiftmon carried the boy to safety just before the beams could claim their targets. But the devastation was far from over. Swiftmon could only watch helplessly as his the laser beams nailed his troops! One by one, many warriors from the Digimon Battlefront disintegrate to pieces. When the onslaught had stopped, Swiftmon had lost half of his troops. With only fifty Digimon left to fight, there was no way they could continue.

"Fall back! Everybody to the Digiporter!" The second-in-command ordered.

All of the surviving Digimon looked toward their leader and nodded. While some of them stayed behind to fend off the machines' attacks, the rest of the fighters turned toward the other direction and retreated.

"Haha! Just look at the cowards run! Mekanorimon, charge!" Sinistromon commanded.

"_Orders Received_!" The robotic Digimon replied.

Like a disciplined army of soldiers, the Mekanorimon marched in an orderly fashion toward the enemy, discharging their lasers at their targets. So far, only Swiftmon, Beautymon, Bokomon and Neemon, the Warriors of Ice, Earth and Wood, and Takuya remained. The Rookies were about to retreat back to the Digiporter, when they realized that Takuya hasn't moved from his spot. There were those eyes of anger once again. He held his D-Tector tight and faced the marching Mekanorimon.

"That's it! I'm out!" Arbormon grunted. He slapped away a couple more lasers before he made haste toward the retreating Digimon Battlefront.

"Me too!" Grumblemon said after deflecting three beams by spinning his sledgehammer around. He put away his weapon and followed the wooden android.

"Takuya, come on! We got to get out of here!" Bokomon begged.

"No! I'm not running away, not until I find Zoe!" Takuya responded.

"Are you crazy? There's too many of them! Let's get out while we still can!" Kumamon argued, trying to destroy one of the robots with his Blizzard Blaster.

Unfortunately, the Bearer of Flame refused to obey.

"Either you help me or not! But I won't stop until I rescue Zoe!"

But before Takuya could make his move or Spirit Evolve, he felt someone grabbing his hand. The teenage human tried to break free from Swiftmon's grasp, but the swordsman wouldn't let go.

"I said 'Fall back!' You cannot help your friend in your current condition, or with the numbers we have! We need to return to headquarters so we can come up with a new plan!"

"But..."

"THAT'S AN ORDER!" Swiftmon shouted as he deflected one of Mekanorimon's beam with his blades.

As far as Takuya's concern, running away from a battle is no different than losing. His best friend, the love of his life was taken away from him by that malicious ruler of the Digital World. He cursed at himself for not being able to save her or put up a good fight. Never in his whole life had he been so helpless, weak, useless.

It was his fault Zoe had been captured. And if Malevomon is as cruel and vicious as everyone claimed, then who knows what kind of terrible things he could do to her? How much pain can he inflect on her? Or worse, think of all the ways Malevomon can torture, break and or cause his beloved more harm than she can imagine. There's no way Zoe could endure all that, regardless how tough and strong she is.

But the possibility of Zoe not making it out alive still linger in Takuya's mind, and it traumatized him. The horrific image of the blonde's lifeless body would make his heart explode, tearing itself into shreds and disintegrating into nothingness. It wasn't too long ago when they declared their love for one another. How devastating it would be for him if he will never see his girlfriend again?

As pathetic as it might sound, Zoe was Takuya's entire world. He had loved her ever since that special moment in Ophanimon's Castle, he was just too dumb to see it. But now, he loves her with everything his heart could give and more. And when Malevomon took her away from him, he also stole Takuya's hopes and dreams of a possible future together with the love of his life.

Back to reality, the Bearer of Flame was not going to let a bunch of can openers, or an imp with a backpack on, stop him from saving his beloved. Unfortunately, Swiftmon held him by the arm to prevent him from making irrational decisions. Bokomon and Neemon took the lead as the headed toward the opposite direction while Beautymon and Kumamon covered the rear, firing their own projectiles at the attacking robots.

"NO! UGH, LET ME GO! I HAVE TO SAVE ZOE!" Takuya ordered.

But Swiftmon refused to obey. No matter how loud Takuya screamed, the swordsman dragged the boy away from the battleground. Sinistromon could only grin with delight as he watched the enemy run away with their tails between their legs. The sound of the human's angry voice faded away as they disappeared into the woods.

"ZOE, NO! ZOOOOOEEEEEEEEEE!"

Once the Mekanorimon were out of sight, Swiftmon released Takuya's arm and retook the lead. By then, the Bearer of Flame had already concede with going after the bad guys. However, he was still furious and irate for retreating. He could've easily gotten through those mechanical maniacs and find Malevomon on his own. But because the rest of the team were retreating, he's gonna have to wait a little longer before he could rescue Zoe. And the more he waits, the less likely his girlfriend would make it out in one piece.

Finally, they have reached the mountain pass. Just a few meters ahead of them was the Digiporter. There were no other Digimon waiting to be transported, so Swiftmon assumed that the rest of his troops had already made it back safely. The swordsman sheathed his blades and stepped onto the platform, followed by Bokomon and Neemon. Kumamon also put away his blasters and hopped onto the Digiporter, taking a few moments to admire the Battlefront's technology. Beautymon also got on and pushed aside Bokomon and Swiftmon to get to the center of the platform.

Takuya is the only one that remained.

"Get on!" Swiftmon commanded.

"No!" The stubborn boy responded with his arms crossed.

"Takuya, we gotta go!" Bokomon said.

"I said, 'no!'"

"I gave you an order! Now, do as I said!"

"And then what, huh? We sit on our butts trying to come up with a new plan while Malevomon sits on his throne and does something horrible to Zoe? Forget it! I'm not going!"

Takuya turned toward the opposite direction. But before he could leave.

"Oh no you don't, Cutie!" Beautymon said, extending her arm out and grabbing Takuya's arm.

She never gave him time to resist. The female Digimon tugged as hard as she could and was able to pull the boy into her arms. In order to keep him from getting away, she wrapped Takuya in a huge, warm and tight embrace. All he could do was let out muffled moans of helplessness.

With everyone assembled on the Digiporter, Swiftmon tapped his foot twice on the platform. Moments later, a white beam shot out from the bottom of the Digiporter, engulfing every Digimon and the human with its bright light. Seconds passed until finally, the light had subsided and the Digimon Battlefront had already vanished.

* * *

><p>Back at the headquarters, the rest of the group reappeared back at the Digiporter Room. Bokomon, Neemon and Kumamon hopped off of the platform. Beautymon released the teenage boy from her embrace, causing Takuya to fall on all fours. But the rage and angry still remained. He sprang back to his feet, pushed aside Beautymon and Swiftmon and stood back on the Digiporter.<p>

"SEND ME BACK! RIGHT NOW!" He commanded.

"We can't." replied the swordsman.

"DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME? I SAID 'SEND ME BACK!'"

"Oh Cutie..." The female Digimon sighed at the sight of his desperation

"Takuya, wait! You can't just..." Bokomon tried to object, when the sound of the door interrupted him.

"What's going on here?"

All of the Digimon turned toward the front of the room. Eldestmon had heard all of the commotion coming from the Digiporter Room. But when he walked inside, the first thing he noticed was Takuya giving his second and third-in-command orders. He was angry about something, but has yet to find out what.

"Lord Eldestmon!" Swiftmon saluted to the leader of the Digimon Battlefront. But the wise Digimon held his hand out as a silent request to skip the formalities.

"Report!" spoke Eldestmon.

"Sir, I come to you with good news... and some bad news."

The swordsman looked back to Takuya, who was currently pacing a ditch into the Digiporter. He had his hands on his head and his breathing was ragged and wild. Swiftmon sighed as he finished the intro of his report of their mission.

"The good news is..." Swiftmon stepped to the side so Kumamon can come to the leader's view. "... We have recovered the Spirits of Ice."

"Ah, yes. Excellent work." Eldestmon nodded. Kumamon smiled and gave the elder Digimon the peace sign.

"How do you do, sir! I'm Kumamon, the Warrior of Ice!"

"Pleasure! My name is Eldestmon, the leader of the Digimon Battlefront. But I'll explain that to you and the rest of the Legendary Warriors later." But then he scanned the room one more time and noticed someone was missing.

"Where is the Bearer of Wind?"

"Um... actually, sir..." The swordsman sighed. That's the bad news."

Eldestmon leaned in closer and gazed into the eyes of at his second-in-command for a clearer explanation.

"I don't understand. Where is she?"

"SHE'S BEEN KIDNAPPED!" Takuya stepped forward. Eldestmon eyebrows rose at the shocking revelation.

"Relax, my boy. Tell me everything." The leader said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

The Bearer of Flame took a deep breath and exhaled. Sure his girlfriend is in a heap of trouble, but he wasn't going to get her back just by raising his voice. It took him a few moments to calm down.

He recalled the events as best as he could. He began by explaining how he and Zoe had defeated one of Malevomon's servants to retrieve the Spirits of Ice. After they've escaped the Crystal Caverns, they were attacked by the five evil Warriors.

He then explained how the other three Spirits they've retrieved had suddenly appeared to help them out. Takuya then talked about the ferocious battle between Legendary Warrior and Legendary Warrior. Every Digimon in the room listened intently... except Beautymon who was busy polishing her nails.

Then, Takuya remembered the worst part of the battle. He told Eldestmon how Malevomon just showed up out of nowhere and challenged him. He still had scratches and bruises all over his body from the beating that wicked ruler had given him. When he had lost, Malevomon was about to finish him off with his signature move.

"And then... *gulp*... Zoe came to my rescue."

"Takuya..." Bokomon tried to keep his tears back.

"She... She pushed me out of the way... but ended up seriously hurt during the process. Now, Malevomon has captured her and took her away." The human gazed into Swiftmon's eyes. A part of him was worried about his girlfriend while the other part was determined to get her back, no matter what the cost.

The leader of the Digimon Battlefront crossed his arms and closed his eyes to think about the current situation at hand. They had just regained the Spirits of Ice, but lost the Bearer of Wind. He lets out a soft groan, knowing very well that things have gone from bad to worse.

"Lord Eldestmon?" Swiftmon asked, waiting his leader's orders.

"All of you get some rest. I need to think about this."

Eldestmon turned toward the entrance and left the Digiporter Room.

"But, what about Zoe?" Takuya objected. "I have to save her! There's no telling what the creep Malevomon could do to her! I have to find Zoe before Malevomon destroys her!"

However, Swiftmon placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, but there's nothing we can do right now. Until Lord Eldestmon comes up with a plan, you are to remain here and regain your strength. Once when I get word that our leader has a plan, I will let you know. But for now, get some rest. Stop by the Medical Wing and treat those injuries."

"But Swiftmon..."

"THAT'S AN ORDER!"

After giving his command, Swiftmon exited the premises. Moment later, Kumamon left the room, followed by Bokomon and Neemon. Beautymon stayed with Takuya, not wanting to leave him alone. The Bearer of Flame looked at the female Digimon, hoping that she could help him.

"Please, Beautymon! Zoe needs me! It's my fault she was captured! I have to find her before..."

"Shhhh..." Beautymon shushed the boy by placing her delicate finger on his lips. "It's not your fault, Cutie. There's only one who should be blamed for all of this."

"Malevomon..." grumbled Takuya.

"Actually, I was gonna say Blonde for doing such a terrible job in protecting my..." The olive haired Digimon said to herself.

"What was that, Beautymon?"

"Oh, nothing Sweetie."

"God, I hate Malevomon! I swear, the next time I see him, he's gonna wish he was never born!"

"How brave of you, Cutie. But you can't defeat him in your current state. Come with me. I'll take you to the Medical Wing and I'll be glad to give you some... _therapy_?" Beautymon asked in a seductive manner.

Takuya gulped nervously at the female's forward approach. Every time she stepped toward him, the human teen took a step back. Takuya didn't see where he was going, causing him to stumble to the ground. He would've landed on his bottom, but Beautymon quickly caught the boy in her arms. The teen cringed in mild pain, even though the olive haired warrior had cushion his fall. Moments later, Takuya's eyes gazed into the pinkish orbs of the female Digimon. It was hard for him not to be memorized by such beauty.

"B... Beautymon!"

"Oh Sweetie. You're so cute when you're in agony!"

"Well... I, uh... huh?"

"Heehee! And handsome too!" She helped the boy back to his feet, but kept a firm grip on his hand. "Come on, Cutie! Let's go to Medical Wing, so we can get you all fixed up!"

"But... I can't! Not until I..."

"Come on, Cutie! I... insist!''

She pulled Takuya back into a huge embrace. With her free hand, Beautymon opened her hand and a variety flower petals danced around the couple. She dropped the petals into the ocean and a couple on my eyes. Although Takuya has been on the receiving end of this technique numerous time, he still didn't know what to expect when Beautymon used it on him.

Before he knew it, a familiar, yet intoxicating scent enter his nose. Slowly but surely, Takuya's injuries started to fade. Seconds later, the Bearer of Flame was already feeling better. However, he was still under Beautymon's mild trance.

"So, Cutie? How about you and I stop by the Medical Wing? You know... you and me... _together_?"

"Um... I guess a quick checkup wouldn't hurt." said Takuya.

"Oh how delightful! Let's go then!"

With a huge smile on her face, the two of them walked out of the Digiporter Room hand in hand. As Takuya tried to figure out what's going on, Beautymon couldn't help but relish the fact she was alone with the human boy. Blondie was gone and it will be a long time before they start their next mission. No one's gonna stop her from doing the things she wanted to do with her favorite goggle-head. Slowly, the female warrior's smile of unbridled joy turned into a victorious grin.

"At last, Cutie is all mine!"

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter forty-two. <strong>

**Can the Digimon Battlefront come up with a plan and save Zoe? And what is the condition for the Bearer of Wind? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	43. Malevomon's Castle

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**After Zoe was captured by Malevomon, Takuya was devastated. He didn't realize that he and Beautymon were still battling against the Digimon of Steel and Water. Thankfully, the other Legendary Warriors, along with the Digimon Battlefront, came just in time to drive away both Sakkakumon and Calmaramon. But before our heroes could give chase, Sinistromon arrived with reinforcements, forcing the Digimon Battlefront to fall back. Even though Takuya wanted to go after Malevomon, he reluctantly retreated. As the group tried to come up with a new plan, Beautymon decided to have some fun with Takuya, now that Zoe was gone. **

**So, without further ado, here's chapter forty-three!**

* * *

><p><strong>Malevomon's Castle<strong>

**Normal POV:**

There are a lot of ways to describe the Dark Kingdom. It's an awful place where your worst nightmares can come to life. It's a barren wasteland since the rotten dirt underneath were unable to produce any traces of vegetation. It's an area so cold, one can get chilled to the bone just by stepping inside its boundaries. A dark domain for it's almost impossible for light to penetrate its shadows.

Every Digimon inside this wide range of land was either under the evil control of the ruler, or just a prisoner nervously awaiting his/her fate to be decided. It's only a matter of time before the evil emperor would make the creatures he captured his slaves. Either that, or he would just simply annihilate them and be done with it. The forsake Dark Kingdom is the last place any Digimon or human would rather be in.

Smacked in the center of the area is the home of the malicious ruler. The evil aura inside the fortress is just as dark as the outside. Besides a few dimly lit torches on the walls, most of the rooms are covered with pitch blackness. This castle can be described as one giant maze with twists and turns. There are many traps lurking around every corner. Unless someone knows way around this labyrinth, he/she could be lost forever.

Most castles have dungeons in them. And Malevomon's fortress is no exception. However, his dungeon is no ordinary dungeon. There are only couple of Digimon guards who wield sharp weapons guarding the entrance. However, it is what's inside the chamber is what make this dark room unique. Even though the room was covered in pitch black, there are many kinds of torture devices in every inch of the room.

For example, there is a large pot of boiling water over a hot fire on the left side of the room and a wooden racks on the right. Beds of spikes are scattered across the room. A few garrotes rest against the sides of the chamber. There are thumbscrews hanging on the walls and a few pillories below. Of course, a dungeon won't be complete without iron maidens. As for Malevomon, he has ten of them, with a couple of them closed for treacherous reasons.

The dungeon's temperature is below freezing. Each cell is ten feet long and eight feet wide. Stone walls make up the sides and back of the prison. Steel barred doors cover the front of the room, insuring the captives that there is no escape. There are no windows, no beds, no toilets and no ways to escape. Only chains keep the prisoners tied to the walls.

This is the place where Malevomon keeps his hostages. Once a prisoner is inside the cell, he instructs Sinistromon to insert a Chaos Sphere into their bodies so they could become his slaves. Then again, if his captives are useless to him, Malevomon either lets them rot in their cell or brutally tortures them using one of the many cruel toys. It's a cruel fate to those who are inside the perilous chamber.

And sadly, one unconscious, teenage blonde was all alone in Malevomon's dungeon. Chains bound her hands which hung above her head. Her legs dangle above the ground, almost lifelessly. There was little space between the floor and her toes.

But overall, Zoe Orimoto was a complete mess.

Most of her clothes were ripped from the edges. There were dirt marks on her lavender shirt with a few patches torn off from her sleeves. While her jean short shorts were still intact, it also had a couple of stains on the backside. Her white tennis shoes were untied and smeared with dirt and burn marks. Even her favorite purple beanie was had a few rips on the sides.

Zoe's golden locks were scraggly, knotted and all over the place. It covered half of her delicate face. There was a small bruise on her right cheek and a few scratches on her left. Her arms and legs were also covered with black marks and a few cuts. Although she wasn't moving, it was a miracle that she was still alive.

It wasn't long before Zoe started to come to.

"Nng..." She moaned. Her eyes slowly started to open. However, vision was still blurry.

"Ugh... Where am I?" Zoe asked.

She shook her head a few times, trying to get a clue where she was. But there was nothing but pitch blackness all over her. The moment her consciousness has returned, so did the pain throughout her head and body. The Bearer of Wind cringed as the agony surged throughout her torso. Her cranium hurt so much, it's like her head's being squeezed in a vice.

"Ow... What has happened to me..."

She tried to tend to her injuries. That's when the young woman realized she couldn't move her arms. Although she was able to wiggle her fingers, something was preventing her limb movements. Zoe gave her arms a small yank, but that only intensified the agony in her upper extremities. The blonde beauty hissed as the pain vibrated throughout her body.

As Zoe tried to endure the soreness, the sound of metal clinking entered her ear.

*clink, clank*

"Oh no!"

It didn't take her long to realize her arms were chained up. Finally, her vision cleared up. Zoe immediately turned pale at the horrible sight. She noticed the stone walls around her and the barred cage before her. The Bearer of Wind then looked passed the steel barrier. Even though the place was still dark, she could see many kinds of torture devices scattered across the room. Her heart skipped a beat, thinking of the terrifying possibilities of what the Malevolent One has in store for her.

"I gotta get out of here!" Zoe cried.

She wiggled her body and kicked her legs about, doing everything she could to get loose. But it was all for naught. Zoe could not get free. She was, hurt, trapped and all alone.

"It's no use..." Tears of anguish fell from her eyes. It wasn't the physical pain that made her cry, but rather the emotional distress. She was beyond helpless and, quite possibly, beyond saving.

"Takuya..."

Her thoughts returned to her boyfriend. She could see a faint image of her beloved right in front of her. But then, her best friend began to disappear. As the image of Takuya faded away, so did her hopes of making it out in one piece.

"Please, save me..." She silently prayed.

*click*

The doors of the dungeon opened up, capturing Zoe's attention. What followed next was the sound of footsteps walking down the steps. There were also clinking noises of metal bouncing off one another. The sound grew louder with each second passing. Zoe's heartbeat accelerated like thrumming wings of a caged bird. The hairs pricked on the back of her neck. A sudden bloom of heat spread across her body. Her limbs were shaking in tremendous fear. Her breathing became ragged and labored.

"Who's there?" gulped the curious, yet terrified young woman.

"Well, well, well... Look what we've got here." An evil voice entered the blonde's ear.

The beaten woman could see a large figure lurking in the shadows. Yet, the darkness made it very difficult for her to distinguish who's in front of her. However, she could see that the Digimon outside of her cell had a katana in his right hand.

"So, you must be the human that Lord Malevomon has captured!"

"W... Who are you?" Zoe asked, still incredibly scared.

The Digimon stepped a little closer toward the girl, allowing the light from the torches to reveal his identity. He could be best described as ancient samurai with grenadier leather shoulder plates, armored gloves and thing guards. His upper arms and legs were wrapped and a parts of his leather chest armor were tattered. He had a sabaton on his right foot, while the other foot was wrapped with more white tape. On the crown of his helmet was the head of a golden demon with a pair of horns on its temple. Zoe could see the samurai's blood shot red eyes and a fierce grin on his dark face.

"I am the guardian the dungeon, and the slayer of the weak. But you can call me... Musyamon."

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Musyamon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Shogun Sword; Soul Slasher**

**Description: Musyamon is regarded as one of the most feared warriors in the Digital World. He trains hard every day to hone his skill in order the perfect samurai. This merciless fighter travels the world, seeking new and strong opponents to defeat. He uses his Shogun Sword to slice and dice his enemies into mincemeat.**

"What do you want?" Zoe asked, failing miserably to hide her fear.

As he approached the barred doors, Musyamon reached into his pocket and took out a ring with a bunch of different keys attached to it. He found the key to Zoe's cell and used it to unlock the door. While the swordsman was busy, the teenage girl's felt her stomach turn to ice. Her face froze in a glassy stare of horror. She was trapped and helpless. Whatever this Digimon was going to do to her, there's nothing she could do to stop him.

It wasn't long before the door screeched open. He entered the small cell, grinning from ear to ear.

"Normally, I'm the one standing guard outside of the dungeon. I make sure that none of Lord Malevomon's prisoners get out." Musyamon spoke. "But I've been bored for the last couple of hours or so. I think I deserve some... _entertainment_."

Zoe's eyes shot open. She gasped with fright at the swordsman's implied message.

Musyamon walked slowly toward the frightened, young woman. He licked his entire lips seeing how powerless the captive is. The samurai Digimon grabbed the hilt of his weapon and pulled it back behind his head. He then set his sights on Zoe's hanging arms. The blonde beauty closed her eyes and braced herself for the potentially painful slash. Her torture was about to begin. Tears of anguish filled her eyes.

"SHOGUN SWORD!"

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

*cling*

The sharp blade easily cut through the chains that bounded Zoe's hands. The bruised teen collapsed to the cold floor and fell on her stomach. As she shuttered in pain, Musyamon used the tip of his blade to unlock the handcuffs locked around her wrists. There was a loud *snap* and the bindings came loose. Zoe opened her wet eyes and saw the handcuffs were already taken off.

But before she could think of escaping, Musyamon grabbed her by the collar and slammed the battered Zoe back into the wall behind her. Stone and vertebrae collided with one another. Miraculously, none of them gave way. However, that didn't stop Orimoto from letting out a hiss of sharp pain. And instead of falling forward, she was pinned against the wall by the samurai Digimon. He crushed her against the rocky structure with his body while his lips went after her neck.

With the little strength she had left, Zoe pushed as hard as she could on the swordsman's chest. But because she was in her human form and still hurt from the injuries she had sustained during the mission at the Icicle Mountains, she wasn't strong enough to resist Musyamon's forceful actions. His chest slowly crushed Zoe's breast and his lips were hovering above her exposed neck. Realizing that she was running out of options, the blonde beauty turned her face away and brought her right arm up.

*slap*

Zoe's hand came up and smacked the guard across his cheeks. He backed away for a moment, flabbergasted by the gesture. By then, his grin had vanished. A terrifying scowl appeared on his face. The swordsman then shoved the captive back against the wall in anger. The young woman's head smacked hard into the wall. Zoe felt her cranium was spinning around in circles.

Before she could react, the furious Musyamon threw the girl back to the ground. He dove onto Zoe before she could get her guard up. Mounted on the teen's stomach, Musyamon took a handful of golden locks and leaned his face a bit closer to his victim.

"Well, you certainly are feisty! But I don't appreciate you slapping me like that! Now, I'm _really_ mad!" said the samurai before throw slamming Zoe's head back on the hard floor.

As the poor girl fought the dizziness in her head, Musyamon started his torture by licking his captive's face. Zoe shivered as the slimy, yet chilly feeling of the guard's tongue traced her cheek. She kept her eyes shut, trying to prevent the tears from falling. A huge grin reappeared on Musyamon's face at the sight of the girl's helplessness. It was time for him to make things a bit more... _interesting_.

"NO! STOP!" Zoe cried when she felt Musyamon's hand brushing up against her leg. But the louder she screamed, the wider the swordsman's smirk grew.

"PLEASE! DON'T! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"SHUT UP!" The guard screamed back, placing his hand back on her shoulders to prevent the blonde beauty from struggling.

With the other hand holding his sword, he placed the edge of the blade on the helpless girl's neck. Even though there was a little space between the samurai's katana and the young woman's neck, the fourteen year old girl could feel the briskness coming from the sword.

"One more word out of you, and I'll slice your throat! Do you understand me?" Musyamon growled.

Zoe replied with a simple gulp of terror.

"That's a good girl! Hehe!"

"What are you going to do to me?"

"Just use your imagination! Many Digimon I've defeated had wives left all alone! I 'had my fun with them' as my prize before annihilating them! Each victim was more satisfying than the last!"

Her face instantly turned as pale as a ghost.

"No! You wouldn't!"

"Oh yes! I would!" The guard said.

Remembering Musyamon's last threat, Zoe tried to resist by wiggling around or using her arms and upper body to push the heavy Digimon off of her chest. But the guard had her pinned to the ground. Not only that, she was still too weak to escape. Her strength immediately left her as the samurai Digimon caressed her bare leg once again. Zoe whimpered at the touch of his cold hand. She had never been so humiliated in all of her life.

"Somebody, please! Help me!" The young woman prayed to herself, hoping that someone would come save her.

Obviously, the first person she thought of was Takuya. He had saved her on many occasions; probably more times than she could count. But she has no idea where he is, or how far away he is from her. Sadly, the young woman was all alone. It hit her slowly, but she realized that there won't be anyone coming to her rescue, nor hear her cries for help. She was at this creature's mercy.

Musyamon threw away his sword so he could use both of his hands. As one continued caressing Zoe's creamy thighs, the other hand slithered underneath the girl's shirt. The samurai traced his fingers from her stomach to her back. The Bearer of Wind squirmed in fright.

Again, she tried to escape. But it was to no avail. In the current position she's in and with the samurai's entire weight on top of her, there was no way for the teenage blonde to move. Tears instantly started to stream down the young girl's face as a hand started wandering over her midriff.

"GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE! PLEASE!" Zoe kept screaming.

"This is going to be fun! HAHAHAHA!"

"SOMEBODY! SAVE ME! ELDESTMON! SWIFTMON! BEAUTYMON! BOKOMON! NEEMON! TAKUYA... HELP ME!"

She then internally screamed the names of her friends and family from the Human World. She reached as far as she could toward the people who cared about her, like Koji, Tommy, J.P., Koichi, and even her own parents. But no matter how hard she thought of them, they were still dimensions apart.

"I've never done it with a human before, but I guess there's a first time for everything, huh?"

More fear seized Zoe as the samurai pulled his attention away from her. Still in his mount position, Musyamon began to remove the leather armor off of his upper extremities. But when Zoe heard the clinking noise of the swordsman loosening his belt, her heart froze on the spot. This cruel Digimon was going to violate her entire body, and there was nothing she can do to stop him. The tears on her face were hot and heavy.

It's hopeless. No one is coming to save her...

"What are you doing, Musyamon?" A voice interrupted the samurai.

The swordsman Digimon turned around and saw a small imp-like creature standing in front of the entrance with his hands on his hip and a disappointed look on his face.

"Lord Malevomon told you to guard the prisoner! Not, um... whatever you're doing!"

"Forgive me, Sinistromon!" Musyamon tightened his pants and put his armor back on. "I was bored, sir! So I thought, a little fun wouldn't hurt at all, right?"

"The master's not going to like it when I report to him that someone has left their post! Now, get back to your position or you'll find yourself behind one of these cells for your disobedience! Understood?"

"Yes, sir! I'm on it sir!"

Musyamon picked up his sword and quickly returned to his post. Even though Sinistromon is a Rookie and less powerful than he was, Musyamon realized that he was second-in-command. As much as he hated getting bossed around by a runt, it was the way of life and he had to accept it.

When Musyamon was out of sight, Sinistromon turned back toward the teenage girl who was still lying and weeping on the floor. She curled into a fetal position and wrapped her arms around herself. Whatever Musyamon did to her (or was about to do to her), he sure made a mess of this young woman. But of course, Sinistromon could care less of the blonde beauty's ordeal.

He marched toward Zoe and waited until her eyes met his.

"Go away. Please..." sniffed the emotionally broken teen.

She tried crawling away, but her body still hadn't recovered from the beating she took. Sinistromon, on the other hand, had other plans. He reached into his backpack and took out a small red pill. He held it in front of Zoe's face. It took a few moments for her to even notice that Sinistromon had a gift for her. And when she saw the pill, her look of helplessness and frailty was replaced with confusion and a small hint of terror.

"Medi-Capsules!" said Sinistromon. "This should heal all of your injuries for the time being! Now hurry up and take it, before I think about reconsidering!"

It was strange for Malevomon's faithful servant to help out one of the Chosen Children. It's not like him to offer a pill that could cure all of her aching muscles, fractured bones and other injuries she had suffered. Zoe shifted her eyes from the pill to Sinistromon, wondering if she should kindly accept the imp's offer or not.

For all she knew, it could be a trap. The so called Medi-Capsules could be code for 'poison.' Zoe was hesitant at first. But the more she thought about it, the more her head and body ached. As much as she didn't trust the imp-like Digimon, what choice did she have?

Finally, she grabbed the pill out of Sinistromon's hand and put it in her mouth. Slowly, the pharmacon took effect, healing all of Zoe's injuries. The muscles in her extremities were all better. All of the bones in her body have healed. She could breathe normally, without feeling any agony inside. Zoe was surprised that the substance she took worked like a charm. In fact, those Medi-Capsules worked a lot faster than ten Blisseymon combined.

The teenage girl looked back at the Rookie Digimon. Originally, she wanted to thank Sinistromon for helping her get back to her feet. But a couple of things prevented her in doing so. First off, this creep works for Malevomon. He's the one who locked her up in this wretched dungeon, so a simple 'thank you' was not in order.

Secondly, Zoe had another question on her mind.

"Why are you helping me?"

"I'm not." Sinistromon answered bluntly. He turned around and walked out of the cell. But he kept the door open, as if he wanted her out of the prison. "Lord Malevomon needs you alive for now. If I didn't give you that Medi-Capsule, you would've perished in the next couple hours... if you were lucky enough."

"I don't understand." Zoe gulped.

"You'll find out soon enough. Now, follow me." Sinistromon said, as he made his way toward the exit.

The teenage girl took a few steps and walked out of the cell. But she stayed put, wondering if following Malevomon's subordinate was a good idea. Could he be leading her into a slaughter? Is he really trying to help her?

Before Zoe could ask any more questioned, Sinistromon glanced back at the human.

"I said, 'follow me', if you want to live."

Once he reached the steps, he flapped his wings and flew out of the dungeon. Left with no other choice, the young woman followed the Rookie out of the dark chamber. Somewhere in the back of her mind, her instincts told her that something was wrong. Wherever Sinistromon was going to take her, it probably wouldn't be a pleasant place. But it's the only option she has, regardless how much she hated it.

"Excellent! So you've decided to come after all!" Sinistromon snickered after Zoe walked out of the dungeon. The blonde glowered at the imp, but kept her mouth shut.

"Now, come! Lord Malevomon requests your presence!"

"He what?" Zoe gasped.

"We must hurry! The master does not like to be kept waiting!"

Sinistromon took the lead with the nervous young woman following behind. Even though the castle was dark, Zoe didn't pay attention to any of the visible features. She was more concerned about what Malevomon's going to do to her when they finally meet face-to-face. The evil emperor is not like any Digimon she has ever encountered. He could easily crush her like a grape, if he wanted to.

Zoe knew she had to protect herself, just in case things got ugly. But when she reached into her pockets, she gasped in fear. Her D-Tector was gone. And then that's when it hit her. Even if she did have device on her, how could she fight back when both of her Spirits were taken? Malevomon's got her Beast Spirit when she and Takuya first fought him in Breezy Village. And just recently, she lost her other Spirit to Calmaramon.

The young girl finally snapped out of her thoughts when she and Sinistromon came across a tall spiral staircase.

"I'll meet you at the top!"

Finally, the Rookie flapped his wings and ascended upward. The Bearer of Wind waited until Sinistromon was out of sight. Zoe was surprised how high she had to climb. She placed her right foot on the first cold step. A part of her was scared of what danger awaits her at the top. She wanted to get out of this creepy place, and there was no better time than now.

But even if she did manage to escape Malevomon's castle, there are probably more evil Digimon lurking outside. Two or three steps out of the fortress and almost every single one of the emperor's slaves would track her down and drag her back inside. Trying to escape wouldn't be a wise decision, even without her Spirits. In other words, the chances of her making it out in one piece are slim to none.

Zoe lets out one more helpless sigh before she started climbing the flight of stairs.

"I don't like this..." She said as she walked up the steel steps. Zoe placed a hand on her chest and could feel her heartbeat thumping wildly with each step she took.

"Oh Takuya. Where are you?"

By the time Zoe reached the top, she was already tired. It took her ten minutes to get to the peak of the steps. Zoe looked down the long hallway with dimly lit torches hanging on the walls. She continued walking down the corridor until she saw a pair of wooden doors. Apparently, that's where Malevomon was waiting for her. As she approached the entrance, Zoe could hear voices coming from the room.

"I can't believe y'all had such a hard time defeating those pesky Warriors! I mean, really Sugar! I defeated girly-girl so easily, I could've done it during my beauty sleep!"

"Shut up, Ranamon! You said you've took care of one of the humans! So explain why she's still alive?"

"Watch it, Bug Brain!"

"Tis true, my lady. Thou hast gotten so cocky, you couldn't even finish the job."

"Can we please stop this senseless arguing? You guys are driving me crazy!"

"Aw, what's wrong, Lowemon? Still mad that you lost to a trash talking puppet?"

"I didn't lose! I was rudely interrupted by you guys! And besides, I wasn't the one who couldn't defeat a gnome with the brain the size of a peanut!"

"Hey! That guy kept on running away like he's..."

*creak*

The doors to the Throne Room opened up. All five of the evil Legendary Warriors ceased their arguing and turned toward the entrance. Zoe stepped into the room, looking extremely nervous and feeling rather apprehensive. It took her a while to notice that all of the evil Digimon had their eyes on her.

Some of the Warriors were annoyed with Zoe's presence, while others were hungry to tear the human up into pieces. Electricity surged from Beetlemon's horn. Lobomon and Lowemon gripped their weapons and eyed the teenage girl. Ranamon and Mercurymon snickered at the tensed human. The room was so quiet, the only sound that could be heard was Zoe's thumping heartbeat.

"Come in, my child." The voice of the evil emperor spoke.

The blonde took a step back, when the door to the Throne Room slammed shut, preventing the girl from escaping. After sighing nervously, Zoe slowly walked toward the middle of the room, where Malevomon sat quietly on his throne. As she approached the wicked Digimon, an uncomfortable feeling brewed in the girl's stomach as she walked passed the evil Warriors. But for some reason, they withheld their attacks and left her alone.

Finally, Zoe reached the center of the room.

"Greetings, human. How nice of you to join us." spoke the Ultimate level ruler. Malevomon stood up from his seat and walked toward his terrified captive. He placed a cold hand on her chin, causing Zoe to tremble in fear.

"Do you know who I am?" Zoe shut her eyes and nodded nervously. "Please, don't be afraid. Go on, and say it."

"M... Malevomon." gulped the teenager.

"HEY! THAT'S LORD MALEVOMON, YOU INSOLENT BRAT!" Ranamon screamed.

"Easy, my friends." Malevomon said, raising his hand to calm the other Warriors down.

"So, young lady, tell us your name." Zoe kept her eyes closed and turned cheek the other way. It's not like she didn't want to answer him, but she was too scared to do so.

"I... I, um..."

"Relax. Don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to get to know you a little more."

"Why?" Zoe finally said, although it came out more of a whisper.

"I'm just so fascinated by you humans. Every day, I learn something new about you and your friend. The two of you are so extraordinary, especially in battle. I have never seen a pair quite like you two. You humans have so much potential. Just when I thought my servants have defeated you, you're able to get back on your feet and find a way to win. I underestimated you kids."

"No." Zoe spoke again, removing Malevomon's hand off of her cheek. "I meant, why are you doing all of this?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you hurting all of those innocent Digimon? Why do you have to cause all of this chaos in the Digital World?"

For a few moments, Malevomon and the rest of the evil Digimon stared at the girl blankly. They exchanged confused glances with one another, wondering if those words actually came out of her mouth.

And in response...

"Haha... Hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Malevomon and his subordinates laughed maniacally.

At first, Zoe asked herself if it was something she had said. But as their laughs grew louder and more menacing, her confusion slowly turned to anger.

"Hey! What's so funny?"

"Forgive me, my child. I'm just surprised that a pretty girl like you can ask so many questions."

"I mean it! I want to know why you creeps find amusement in the suffering of others! I want to know what you guys want with me! And more importantly, what have you done with my Spirits? TELL ME! RIGHT NOW!"

"Silence!" Lobomon ordered. The Warrior light kicked Zoe behind her knees, causing her collapse to the ground.

"You will show respect to Lord Malevomon!" Lowemon said. Zoe swung her fists around to punch both the humanoid Digimon, but they grabbed her arms and restrained her.

"Insolent brat!" Beetlemon growled. He stood behind the girl and placed his hand on her shoulder, sending mild jolts onto the poor human.

"YEEOOOWWWW!" Zoe screamed in pain as the electricity made her sensory nerves go crazy.

"Enough! That's no way to treat our guest!" Malevomon ordered, holding his hand up to stop the evil Warriors from attacking.

Beetlemon, Lobomon and Lowemon gave their master a quick nod before release the weakened blonde. Zoe fell on all fours, still trying to recover from the painful shocks the Warrior of Lightning had gave her. Malevomon walked to the young woman and helped her to back to her feet. Zoe turned her face away the moment she realized the Ultimate level Digimon was so close to her.

"Fear not, my child. I'm not going to hurt you." Malevomon whispered into her ear, which sent chills down Zoe's spine. The wicked ruler leaned a little bit closer and smirked. "Not yet, anyway..."

"Leave me alone!" Again, Zoe pleaded with her eyes closed and voice shuddering with fright. Malevomon snickered at the captured human before granting her request. He backed up a couple of paces, but kept his sights on the vulnerable young girl.

"Such fascinating creatures!" grinned the emperor. "Come! Join me for dinner!"

*clap, clap*

Suddenly, a couple of Bakemon entered the Throne Room, carrying a long, wooden, fancy table. The ghost Digimon placed the furniture in between Zoe and their master. When the Bakemon exited the quarters, a Goblimon walked inside, carrying a rusty wooden chair on his back. He placed it behind the girl and left the room after giving Malevomon a quick bow. The evil Digimon took a seat on his throne and offered the human captive to join him. Zoe shifted her attention from the malicious creature to the chair behind her.

"You must be hungry, my dear. Even you humans need food to replenish your strength."

"I would rather not." Zoe refused as politely as she could.

But before she could step away from her, she felt another hand on her shoulder. She turned her head and saw her own reflection on Mercurymon's metallic chest.

"Sit!" The Warrior of Steel commanded before placing his other hand on Zoe's right shoulder. He pushed her down until she sat on the chair. The pale beauty tried to object, but Malevomon used his psychic powers to pull Zoe closer to the table.

The door to the Throne Room opened again and a bunch of Vilemon few inside carrying all kinds of items, such as cups, plates, forks, knives, spoons and decorations for the table. Zoe looked at her tableware and silver strangely. Saying that she was utterly disappointed was an understatement.

There were cracks on the sides of the glass and on the edge of the plate. Parts of the dishware had been chipped off. But the silverware was in worse condition. Her fork had half of the prongs missing. The knife was so dull, it looked like it's unable to carve through anything. Finally, her spoon was bent into an 'L' shape.

Malevomon's silverware and dishware, on the other hand, were complete opposite of Zoe's. His goblet was made of pure gold with curved designs grooved on the exterior. The square shaped plates in front of him were clean and polished. Finally, his silverware were made of pure silver. In this castle, Malevomon is treated with royalty, while Zoe is seen as the lowly peasant.

Moments later, a small group of Goblimon entered the Throne Room. Each one of them carried a tray full of food. The goblin beasts placed the dishes on the table. The food ranged from raw vegetables to roasted meat. Once the trays were set, Malevomon immediately started to dig in. Zoe watched in disgust at how horrendous his table manners were.

However, her empty stomach reminded her that it's in need of food. Hesitantly, Zoe grabbed her two pronged fork and helped herself with a small salad, unsure if the meat on the table was from an actual, unfortunate Digimon. Zoe took some of the vegetables off of her plate and put it in her mouth. But a few crunches later, the teenage girl spat the raw salad out of her mouth and coughed out the distasteful flavored that remained.

"Yuck! _Molto male_!" spoke the girl.

"Speak for yourself." Lobomon teased the human. Every Digimon in the room, including Malevomon, laughed at the poor girl. It took Zoe every ounce of energy she had not to lose her temper.

"Here you go, my Lord." A Bakemon spoke to catch his master's attention. Malevomon and Zoe turned and saw the ghost Digimon was holding a seven hundred milliliter wine bottle.

"Excellent!" nodded the wicked as Bakemon poured the drink into his cup. "Would you like some my child?"

"Ugh, no thanks!"

"Fine..." Malevomon sighed disappointingly. He looked toward his side, where the rest of the evil Warriors were. "Ranamon, please give the girl some water."

"As you wish!" giggled the Warrior of Water.

The aquatic Digimon snapped her fingers and smirked at the blonde. Unbeknownst to Zoe, a small cloud formed above her head. The Bearer of Wind looked up, but it was too late. Ten gallons of freezing cold water dumped all over the poor girl's head. Zoe got up from her seat as the water drenched her hair and the rest of her clothes. A few evil Warriors burst into laughter, while some let out a small, yet satisfying chuckle.

"Ranamon?" Malevomon glowered at the female Warrior.

"But my Lord, I did as you commanded!" Ranamon argued, although felt a little shamed that she disobeyed her master's orders.

"Never mind!" grunted the malevolent ruler. He got up from his throne and tossed the soaked teen a towel. "Forgive my subordinates! They're not the best when it comes to listening sometimes!"

Zoe took the towel from Malevomon and wiped the water off of her face, arms and legs. Her hair and clothes remained drenched, but there was not much she could do about it. And it wasn't like a change of clothes weren't available to her anyway.

Moments later, the young human folded the towel into a ball and chucked it as hard as she could toward Malevomon's face. Unfortunately for her, the emperor had saw it coming a mile away. With faster reflexes, Malevomon easily caught the wet cloth effortlessly. After tossing it aside, the evil Digimon leaned closer toward Zoe until his eyes were on top of hers.

"You've got attitude, my child. I like that. I never suspect that fascinating creatures like you can be so unpredictable and so..."

*slap*

Five fingers across the face stunned the evil Digimon. It was one of the hardest slaps Zoe has ever delivered. To Malevomon, it felt like a tap on his cheeks. On the other side, Zoe grabbed her hand and winced in pain as if she high-fived a brick wall. It was a good thing none of the bones in her metacarpals were broken.

"Ow... that hurt..."

Suddenly, Malevomon grabbed Zoe's collar and lifted her off of the ground.

"I wish you hadn't done that, my child! Based on the way you've been acting, I'm tempted to end your pathetic life right here, right now! You humans have been a thorn in my sides ever since you came in the Digital World! However, I'm still in position where you're more valuable to me _alive_!"

The wicked ruler pulled Zoe in until their foreheads were inches apart from each other.

"Do _not_ make me change my mind!"

Then without warning, Malevomon released his grip and the teenage girl fell to the floor. He then made his way toward the entrance to the Throne Room and opened the door. Malevomon then turned toward Zoe, who quickly got back to her feet.

"Come, follow me. I would like to give you a tour of my castle." He requested. He stepped out of his quarters but stopped when he sensed that Zoe wasn't following him. She stayed in the exact same spot with her arms crossed.

"And what if I don't want to?"

"Fine. You can stay." Malevomon grinned. Then he shifted his eyes from the human girl to the five Legendary Warriors lurking in the corner. "If you like to have fun with the rest of my subordinates, then so be it."

"Yes! Join us, Sugar!" Ranamon giggled.

Zoe glowered at Malevomon and the back at the evil Warriors. As much as she hated being around this creep, she rather take her chances with him than with the evil Legendary Warriors. After all, Malevomon has been kind enough to let her live for now. If she stayed behind, who knows what Ranamon, Beetlemon and the rest of the Legendary Warriors could do to her?

"Fine... lead the way."

"Excellent. Come. There's much I want to show you."

After unleashing a sigh of defeat, Zoe walked out of the Throne Room with the wicked Digimon following behind her. The two of them strolled down the hall and down the spiral staircase. Ten minutes later, they've reached the bottom floor. The moment Malevomon's foot touched the marble canvas, the torches hanging on the walls and ceiling lit up, brightening the room.

It was a spacious room. The tiles on the floor had black and white square patterns. Statues of the malevolent ruler stood on the right and left sides of the room. To the front was the door to the castle, made of polished obsidian and solid steel. There were also two Digimon guarding the entrance to the fortress. They looked like giant demon beast Digimon with devil-like wings on its back and fangs as sharp as vampires.

"Those, my dear, are Devidramon! They guard the entrance to my castle!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Devidramon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Crimson Claw; Demonic Glare**

**Description: They're also known as the devil's playmates. Devidramon is as ferocious as wolves in the moonlight. Once they have their prey in their sights, their eyes burned in a deep red shade, immobilizing their enemies for a short time. There is a reason why their most devastating attacks are called Crimson Claw.**

"Behold, the Grand Hall! This is the room where we assemble all of troops before we head into battle! Sometimes, this is the place where I decide the fates of other Digimon my humble servants have captured! If I'm in a good mood, I simply place Chaos Spheres inside their bodies so they can work for me for all eternity! But if I'm in a bad mood... Hahahaha!"

"How cruel!" Zoe placed a hand over her heart.

"Come! There are even more places I wanted to show you!"

Again the tour has continued. They walked through several hallways until they came across a door, guarded by a samurai Digimon.

"My Lord!" Musyamon bowed. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm showing our guest around my castle! Now, let us in!"

"Yes, sir!" The swordsman unlocked the door to the dungeon and opened it up.

Malevomon walked inside and disappeared into the dark chamber. Before Zoe could enter, she could hear Musyamon chuckling underneath his voice. The two stared at each other, both reflecting the ordeal they had previously. Musyamon grinned at the girl for he was this close to breaking her. As for Zoe, she couldn't get the horrific images out of her head. She hated going back to this place. But if she tried to escape, it would be much worse for her. So, she trembled slowly into the darkness.

A minute later, Zoe approached the wicked ruler. Malevomon walked toward the center of the dungeon and began his storytelling.

"As you can see, this is where I hold my prisoners! Notice the dimensions of each cell! Now try fitting at least thirty Digimon in one of those prisons! Kind of a tight fit, is it not? Sometimes my dungeons get too crowded, the best way to fix that problem is to..."

"Please don't!" Zoe begged with tears in her eyes.

"Hehe... you're so sensitive!" laughed Malevomon before he continued. "Anyway, let me show some of my favorite toys!"

Instead letting his captive follow him deeper into the dungeon, Malevomon grabbed the girl by the forearm and pulled her inside. Moments later, he and Zoe were standing in the very central of the chamber. The torches on the chilled stone walls lit up at the presence of the malicious Digimon. When Zoe finally got a good look at the room they were in, she cringed her body and turned her face away.

When she had first awaken in her cell, she couldn't see most the things inside the dungeon because it is was so dark. But the moment her eyes saw the iron maidens, the wooden racks, spiked beds, sharp weapons and the other torture devices, her heart overflowed with trembling fear.

"Oh God!" A muffled gulp came out of her throat.

"This, my child, is one of my favorite parts of the castle! Welcome to the Torture Chamber! As you know, I'm a Digimon that enjoys the suffering of others! That's why I have my scientists construct large amounts of gruesome torture devices! I used my lovely toys to extract information out of my victims, to punish any disobedient followers in my kingdom, or... just to have some fun! And, what better way to test these treacherous devices, than on other Digimon?"

"Okay, stop!" Zoe leered at the cruel monster before her.

"Aw, what's wrong little one?" Malevomon asked, playing with the human's long hair. "You don't like what you see? Not a fan of torture, are you?"

"Why would a sick freak like you would want to inflict cruel and unusual punishment on poor innocent Digimon?" spoke the girl, more boldly.

"Because it's fun and amusing! Nothing's more enjoyable that listening to the sound of my captives screaming and writhing in pain! It's ultimate satisfaction watching those pathetic Digimon grovel on their knees, begging for mercy! They rather perish than have their suffering prolonged!"

Malevomon faced the frightened teen once again.

"You see, my child, that's why a 'sick freak' like me loves to inflict cruel and unusual punishment on innocent Digimon! Simply destroying them is not enough for me! Too quick, too painless, too boring! Why not humiliate them first? Expose their weakness! Bring them to their knees! Have them begging me to stop their pain, suffering and misery! And then when they're at their weakest... CRUSH THEM!"

"YOU MONSTER!"

Fueled with anger and hatred for the Digimon before her, Zoe was ready to attack Malevomon, even with the absence of her Spirits. But the malevolent emperor grabbed both of Zoe's forearms and gave it a little twist, sending the poor girl to her knees. As the helpless teen struggle to enduring the agony in her wrists, a grin with malicious intent appeared on Malevomon's face.

"There's no need for you to worry, little one! I'll have my fun with you in due time! But for now, let's continue our little tour, shall we?"

Malevomon released the young woman and made his way to the entrance to the dungeon. The 'former' Bearer of Wind was still on her knees, massaging her wrists. Malevomon had such a strong grip on limb, he could've broke her forearms if he squeezed any tighter. But reluctantly, she got back to a standing position and followed the evil Digimon out of the chamber.

The next room he showed Zoe was the armory. It was a large storage room filled with all kinds of weapons, such as swords, daggers, axes, spears, maces and morning stars. There were also a long ranged weapons like javelins, bows and arrows, eight pound cannons, laser guns and energy blasters.

But the evil Digimon explained to Zoe that they only saw half of the armory. They ventured a few meters westward until they came across another room. Zoe could hear the sound of metal clanging against one another and other Digimon screaming at each other. The noise was coming from inside the room.

Malevomon opened the door and Zoe could see a bunch of Digimon working their butts off to make all kinds of weapons for their master's army. It's like a ginormous slave factory that works nonstop. Everyone in that room had bloodshot red in their eyes, signifying that they're being controlled by the emperor.

"Three days!" spoke Malevomon. "These Digimon have been forging weapons for my army three days straight with no rest!"

All Zoe could do was shake her head with disapproval.

"Ever since you humans arrived, I had our weapons makers work triple time to ensure our victory! Yes, we do lose quite a few Digimon in the process! But not after they create hundreds of weapons for us! Seems like a fair price, you think so my child? One Digimon for a hundred weapons?"

"Nothing is worth a life of a helpless Digimon." Zoe grunted.

"Whatever you say!" Malevomon huffed before shutting the door so his slaves can get back to work. "Now, let me show my favorite part of the castle!"

The two of them strolled through the long hallways of the fortress. Zoe and Malevomon pass quite a few Digimon during the walk. Half of them showed their respect to the Malevolent One by falling on their knees or bowing their heads.

However, the other half of the mind slaved Digimon they've encountered weren't too please seeing a human in their presence. While most of them gave Zoe the evil eye, others went as far as spitting on the girl's face or tripping her on the pass. And every time she fell to the ground, the blonde would dust herself off and ignore them. She wanted to fight back, but she's in enemy territory. The numbers game would be stacked heavily against her.

Minutes later, Zoe and Malevomon came across another pair of tall obsidian doors with circular iron ring handles. Unlike the entrance to the castle, there were no Digimon standing guard. Malevomon opened the door and the two of them walked onto the inner wards of the fortress. Dark clouds covered the sky, producing a couple of lightning bolts every so often. The temperature outside was much cooler compared to inside the castle. As Zoe wrapped her arms around her body to keep herself warm, Malevomon took the front and lead his captive across the bailey.

"Well, here we are! This, young human, is my favorite part of the castle!"

Malevomon motioned his hand to a group of screaming and cheering Digimon. Every one of them was seated on a few bleachers like they're watching a fight or something. But upon further inspection, Zoe could see two Digimon under Malevomon's control dishing punishment on each other. Zoe had to keep her eyes close so she wouldn't have to witness such violence.

On one side was a Minotarumon and on the other was a Tyrannomon. Both Digimon exchanged blows to one another. Minotarumon used his steel fist to deliver a devastating hook across Tyrannomon's temple. But the Dinosaur retaliated by using his teeth to chomp on the bull's arm. With a little added pressure, Tyrannomon bit off Minotarumon's entire arm off. As the wounded Digimon hissed in pain, Tyrannomon gave his opponent a vicious tail swipe, knocking him to his back.

With the Minotarumon unconscious and defeated, his data became available for the winner to absorb. The Fractal Code entered Tyrannomon's mouth, making him stronger and more ferocious. Suddenly, a cocoon of data surrounded the dinosaur's body. Inside, Tyrannomon changed forms until finally, he Digivolved into DarkTyrannomon.

"We have our winner!" Someone shouted. Zoe could hear the victory roaring with triumph. The mind controlled Digimon seated on the bleachers raised their arms and weapons up in victory. A loud, yet fierce battle cry echoed across the bailey.

"I just love this place! This is the Circle of Chaos!"

"Your favorite part of the castle is a circular arena where your own subordinates destroy each other?" Zoe turned to the evil emperor, confused and furious.

"You don't understand, my child! This isn't just some fight to the death! This is the perfect way to keep my army at its strongest! You saw what Tyrannomon did to that weak Minotarumon! Thanks to his opponent's generous contribution, he has Digivolved to a more powerful beast! Certainly, he will be a fine addition to my army when I take over the Digital World! That's the way of life, young one! The strong survive, while the weak have no place in my fortress! Hahahahahaha!"

"Alright! I've seen enough!" Zoe interrupted the sovereign's laughter.

"But don't you want to see the next fight? It's bound to be a showstopper!" suggested Malevomon.

But the only response he got from her was a silent, angry glare.

"Very well then! This completes our little tour of the castle! Come! I shall take you back to the Throne Room!"

With a snap of his fingers, a transparent, purplish orb surrounded Malevomon and Zoe. Using his telekinetic powers, the Ultimate level Digimon lifted the sphere off of the ground and toward the northern part of the caste. As Malevomon transported himself and his captive back to the Throne Room, Zoe looked around her surroundings. Besides the entire layout of the castle, she noticed a hundreds of Digimon guarding the outsides of the fortress.

"There's just so many of them." Zoe grumbled to herself. "With a lot of Digimon on guard, there's no way I could escape."

Moments later, the two of them came across the tallest tower in the fortress. There was a small window on the side, but it was too small for either Zoe or the Ultimate level Digimon to fit in. With his free hand, Malevomon removed parts of the structure stone by stone, until the hole in the tower was big enough for the transparent orb to fit in. Once they were inside, Malevomon snapped his fingers and the surrounding sphere disappeared. Zoe landed on all fours, while the malicious ruler gently floated to the floor and fixed the giant hole in the wall.

"Welcome back, my Lord!" spoke the Warrior of Water before bowing to her master.

"What is thy will now, sir?" Mercurymon asked as he and the rest of the evil Warriors got down on their knees.

"Nothing for now." Malevomon answered. He walked passed his followers and took a seat on his throne. He then turned his attention to the only human in the room.

"Well, my child? Did you enjoy the tour?" But Zoe remained silent with her arms crossed over her chest. However, her silence not only gave Malevomon his answer, but also made him chuckle.

"What shall we do with her now, your excellency?" Beetlemon wonder as he got up to his feet and grabbed Zoe's left arm.

"Do you want us to take her back to the dungeon?" asked Lowemon, grabbing the right arm.

"Hey! Let me go!" Zoe demanded, throwing her arms around. But the Warriors of Darkness and Lightning kept a strong grip on her so she wouldn't escape.

After nodding to each other, the two of them kicked Zoe in the back of her legs, causing her to fall on her knees in submission. But before the 'former' Bearer of Wind can protest, Lobomon took out one of his Light Swords and held it under the poor girl's neck. Although there was some space in between the weapon and Zoe's throat, the teenager could feel the energy being radiated from the sword. If it were any closer, it could damage the outer part of her skin.

"No! I have an even better idea!" Once again, the evil Digimon snapped his fingers, which summoned his faithful subordinate.

"Sinistromon! There's something in my vault I would like you to fetch!"

"Whatever you say, Almighty One!"

The small creature bowed to his master before leaving the Throne Room. A minute later, he returned with small black bag. He handed the pouch to Malevomon and stood beside him. Zoe looked at the package in the evil emperor's possession. But when Malevomon contents of the bag onto his hand, a huge gasp escaped her lips.

"That's my D-Tector!" She said out loud. "What are you going to do to it, you creep?"

"Silence, human!" Lowemon ordered.

"You will show respect to Lord Malevomon!" spoke Beetlemon.

"No! She's right! What's hers is hers!" The malevolent Digimon smiled.

He lift a hand up and silently commanded his subordinates to release the girl. They all complied and got back to the original positions. Finally, Malevomon tossed the device to Zoe.

When she caught her D-Tector, the first thing she did was check to see if it was still in working condition. She pressed a couple of buttons, which caused her D-Tector to beep and make a few other noises. But then she remembered that both of her Spirits were still in the hands of the enemy. Zoe looked back at the ruler and was about to speak, when she noticed a couple of small relics floating on Malevomon's hand. One of them was a butterfly in a crouching position while the other the other was a winged beast in a prostrating position.

"Looking for these?" asked the Ultimate level Digimon with a huge smirk on his face.

"My Spirits! Give them back, right now!" Zoe demanded once again.

"As you wish."

He used his psychic abilities to push the Spirits back to their original owner. Zoe looked at Malevomon strangely if he was up to something. The Spirits were a few feet away from her, yet she suspected that this malicious Digimon was up to something. But Malevomon gave girl a small nod, letting her know that it's no trick. Finally, Zoe pointed her device towards the Spirits and a white beam shot out of the scanner. Just like the effects of a tractor beam, Zoe's D-Tector attracted the Human and Beast Spirits of Wind to back where they belong.

"Lord Malevomon, what in blazes are you doing?" Ranamon objected, just after Zoe placed her device back in her pocket. She had worked so hard just to steal one of the Legendary Spirits. And now Malevomon had just given it back to the human was beyond her.

"I'm going to make our guest an offer she can't refuse!" spoke the malevolent emperor. "Take her to the Circle of Chaos!"

"Yes, sir!" The five Legendary Warriors complied. Mercurymon and Lowemon grabbed Zoe by the arms.

"Hey, wait! Let me go! Get your hands off of me! Ow! Stop that!" Zoe screamed as the evil Warriors escorted her out of the Throne Room.

"Exactly what are you planning, Lord Malevomon?" asked Beetlemon

"Some entertainment! What else? I thought I should have some fun with our guest before we get down to business!" The ruler said with a huge grin on his face.

"And what kind of fun do you have in mind, sir?" Ranamon said, also curious to what her master has in store for the girl.

"You'll find out soon enough! By the time I'm done with her, she will be begging us to take her life! Haha... Hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" The other Warriors in the room joined their master's maniacal laugh.

"SILENCE!"

"We're sorry, my Lord!" Ranamon, Beetlemon and Lobomon apologized.

"Never mind! I'll meet you at the appointed place!"

"Yes, Lord Malevomon!" They all obliged in unison.

Malevomon got off his seat and made his way toward the entrance.

"That girl already has her fate sealed! I've brought pain and humiliation to a large number of Digimon! But for our guest, I have a _special_ surprise for her! This is going to be one of my finest moments! HAHAHAHAHA!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter forty-three. <strong>

**What kind of evil plans does Malevomon have in store for poor Zoe? Can our beloved heroine survive? Or is she in for the beating of a lifetime? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	44. Malevomon's Cruelty

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**Inside the Torture Chamber, Zoe was almost molested by Musyamon. Sinistromon then freed the Bearer of Wind and took her to the Throne Room, where Malevomon and the five evil Legendary Warriors were waiting for her. The evil emperor showed Zoe his poor hospitality by offering her an undercooked meal. Later, he gave her a tour of his castle. The two of them visited the dungeon, the Armory and the Circle of Chaos. Malevomon then gave Zoe her Spirits back and ordered the evil Legendary Warriors to take her to the Circle of Chaos. Looks like Zoe's troubles are just beginning.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter forty-four!**

* * *

><p><strong>Malevomon's Cruelty<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"Hey! Let me go! Ow! Cut it out!" Zoe cried as the Warriors of Steel and Darkness escorted her down the spiral staircase.

"Shut up, you pathetic child?" Mercurymon commanded. He then grabbed the Bearer of Wind's wrist and twisted slightly, making the blonde beauty hiss in pain. "Truly, thou must agree that humans are more annoying than I thought."

"More annoying than you? Hmm... That's pretty tough call!" The Digimon of Darkness huffed.

"Such impudence, Lowemon!" The metallic Warrior gave his comrade an irritated eye.

"Nng... Where are you taking me?" Zoe hollered. She tried to break free from Lowemon's and Mercurymon's grasp, but they refused to let go. The more she struggled, the tighter they held on.

"To the Circle of Chaos! Where else?" Mercurymon answered.

"Or as what we like to call it, Lord Malevomon's playground!" said Lowemon with a sneaky grin underneath his mask. His response made the teen gulp in fear.

She has not forgotten the events that occurred in the castle wards. Zoe remembered the horrific fight between Minotarumon and Tyrannomon. When that dinosaur Digimon bit his opponent's arm off, the sound of the Minotarumon writhing in pain was unbearable. But that wasn't the most frightening part. The way Tyrannomon absorbed his defeated opponent's data and used it to Digivolve into DarkTyrannomon was absolutely terrible.

According to Malevomon, that's what the Circle of Chaos is for. He forces other Digimon to fight to the end like gladiators. For these poor creatures, there were only two ways out: the Gate of Death and the Gate of Life. The Digimon that goes out of the Gate of Death is the loser; demoralized, defeated and deleted. But the Digimon that walks out of the Gate of Life is the winner. Bruised, scarred, and even stronger than before. And as an added bonus, when they absorb their opponent's data, they can possibly Digivolve to more powerful creatures.

A few minutes later, they made it to the bottom floor. The first time Zoe had laid eyes on this room, it was mostly empty. But now, the Grand Hall was packed with tons of Digimon. She then noticed that every one of them was heading straight for the courtyards with excited looks on their faces. It seemed as if everyone wanted to get good seats for whatever is about to happen in the Circle of Chaos. And that's where exactly Malevomon had instructed Mercurymon and Lowemon to take her.

"Ow! You're hurting me!" complained Zoe as the Warriors of Darkness and Steel dragged her through the halls.

"Silence, naive!" Mercurymon ordered before giving the human another arm twist.

"If you think we're hurting you now, wait until you see what our master has in store for you! I'm sure you'll just love it!" said Lowemon.

Zoe tried not to think about it, but she has seen many terrible things this monster has done to this world and other Digimon as well. It's almost impossible to go one day without seeing some poor, innocent creature suffer. But now, thing are different. This time, she's going to be the very center of Malevomon's cruelty. Zoe couldn't help but wonder what horrible surprises the evil emperor has for her. She knew that the chances of her walking out in one piece are slim to none.

But that wasn't the worst part. Zoe was all alone. There's not a Digimon, nor a human around that can save her. Takuya, Bokomon, Neemon and the rest of the Digimon Battlefront were long ways away from her. She could scream, cry and pray as much as she like. But regardless of her efforts, no one will come to help her. If she's going to get out of this alive, then she must do it all by herself.

"We're almost there, milady!" said Mercurymon. The Digimon of Steel and Darkness then left the structure and stepped onto the bailey.

"And what do you know? You have a huge audience awaiting your immanent destruction!" Lowemon snickered, pointing toward his front.

It turns out that the humanoid lion was correct. Every seat on the bleachers were filled, and all of the standing-room only sections had reached maximum capacity. Almost every Digimon under Malevomon's control has come to spectate Zoe's demise. The poor teenage girl could feel her heart racing. She has been in many situations where she had to fight for her life. However, this one takes the cake. Every Digimon in the courtyard was cheering and screaming, as if they couldn't wait to get this fight started.

"Come! We do not want to keep Lord Malevomon waiting!" suggested Lowemon.

The moment Zoe and the two Legendary Warriors came into view, the shouting had stopped. Every Digimon in the vicinity gave the young woman a variety of death stares. Some of them were even tempted to take out the Bearer of Wind here and now. However, a majority of evil Digimon wanted to see the human suffer. As for Zoe kept looking downward, even as Mercurymon and Lowemon escorted her through the crowds. She expected that everyone would be against her, but this was way too much.

That's when the taunting began.

"You're going down, human!" ||| "Give it up! You can't win!" ||| "You rotten piece of garbage!" ||| "Go cry home to mommy!"

Digimon left and right chucked insult after insult directly at Zoe. Even though she had blocked most of the harsh words out, a few found their way inside her mind. She felt the urge to unleash her frustration on these evil creatures. Unfortunately, she had to resist. Zoe must save her strength for whatever Malevomon has planned for her.

Finally, the evil Legendary Warriors reached the center of the ring. They tossed the human captive into the middle of the circle before backing away into the audience. Zoe quickly stood up and scanned the area around her. Apparently, all of her exits had been cut off. Although she had her D-Tector back in her possession, she was still worried about what to expect.

"All hail Lord Malevomon!" A voice that sounded like Sinistromon cried.

"HAIL LORD MALEVOMON!" The mind controlled Digimon rose to their feet and cheered.

Zoe turned around and saw the wicked Digimon, along with the Warriors of Lightning, Light and Water, walking towards her. The Bearer of Wind reached into her pocket and held her device, ready for whatever Malevomon was about to throw at her. But it seemed like she had her guard up for no reason. The evil emperor casually walked passed the teenager and took a seat on another throne nearby. Once when he sat down, the whole inner wards became quiet.

"Welcome to the Circle of Chaos, my child!" spoke Malevomon.

"What do you want, you jerk?" Zoe glowered at the malignant sovereign.

"It's like I said back at the Throne Room! I'm gonna make you can offer you can't refuse!"

"You make innocent Digimon your slaves, you inflict cruel and unusual punishment on all of your captives and you plan on conquering all of the Digital World! Why should I even think about negotiating with a rotten scumbag like you?"

"Shut up, Sugar! And let the master speak!" argued Ranamon. As much as Zoe wanted to rearrange the aquatic Warrior's face, she remained calm and waited for Malevomon to present his offer.

"As I was saying, how would you like a chance to fight for your _freedom_?" Malevomon grinned at the teenager. This proposition immediately caught Zoe's attention. Even the Digimon in the kingdom were a little concerned at what their sovereign is thinking.

"M... My freedom?" Zoe asked with her eyes wide open and head tilted sideways.

"Are you crazy?" Beetlemon objected.

"There's no way we're letting this human go!" Lobomon argued.

"Silence!" Malevomon ordered before turning back to the girl. "Well, young lady? I didn't get an answer from you yet."

"I don't understand!" Zoe gulped. "What do you mean by 'my freedom?'"

"Simple! I let you go free! Simple as that! You're free to run back to that pathetic boyfriend of yours! Hahahaha!"

"Is this some kind of trick? You're not the kind of Digimon that offers their captives freedom! And besides, you're an evil Digimon! How can I entrust my life to someone like you?"

"Cute talk! But that's not for me to decide!" said Malevomon more firmly. "The choice is yours, human! You can refuse my kind generosity! Then I'll have my subordinates lock you back up in the dungeon! And I'll let them have fun with you until there's not a trace of life left in you! Now if you don't like being beaten, abused and tortured, I would highly recommend against that!"

The evil emperor then widened his smirk.

"However, you can accept my proposal and have a chance of a lifetime: freedom from this, and I quote, wretched place! What do you say?"

"Well, I..." stammered the human.

Every Digimon in the area quietly waiting for her to respond. But inside Zoe's mind, she was weighing both options Malevomon has given her. She then realized the hidden message the malicious ruler has implied in his 'kind proposal'. It's either she would suffer now, or suffer later? Clearly, she hated both options. But since running away was out of the question, Zoe had to choose.

"Fine!" said the Bearer of Wind as she glared back at the sovereign. "What terms do you have in mind?"

"It's easy! All you have to do is survive... The Gauntlet!"

"YEAH! WOOHOO! WE WANT THE GAUNTLET!" All of Malevomon's mind controlled slaves cheered.

"The G... Ga... Gauntlet?" Again Zoe gulped nervously.

"Yes! This happens to be one of my favorite events! So much _carnage_! So much _devastation_! So much _destruction_! HAHAHAHA!" snickered Malevomon, heavily emphasizing the last words in each sentence. But Zoe's nervous and confused look remained.

"Allow me to explain how The Gauntlet works!" He continued. "All you have to do is survive three rounds! And each round, you get to face one of my faithful servants! If you win, then I shall let you go as promised! But if you lose, then it's back to the dungeon with you! Got it?"

Zoe kept her mouth shut and nodded. She was still nervous about the whole concept of fighting for her life, at least she knew what she had to do. Then again, there were two things that concerned her. Stamina plays a huge factor in something treacherous like this. If Zoe did defeat the first two Digimon, she could be exhausted for the next match. And she might not have enough energy to win, or survive.

Secondly, Malevomon could pick any Digimon he wants to fight her. As far as she knows, the malicious ruler could have her fight all five of the evil Legendary Warriors. Or worse, a couple of them plus a few other ruthless Digimon ten times as strong as her. In other words, the evil emperor is not about to show her any mercy anytime soon.

But this fight was for her freedom. This was her one and only opportunity to escape this dark labyrinth. Even though her chances of succeeding were extremely low, she still had to take it. As long as there's a glimmer of hope, she can't give up. Zoe knew what she had to do. She will keep fighting until she cannot fight any longer.

With that in mind, the Bearer of Wind took her D-Tector out of her pocket.

"I hope you're ready, child." snickered Malevomon. "Because, here comes your first opponent!"

The sound of footprints, combined with metal bouncing off each other, entered Zoe's ear. Clenching her D-Tector tight, the blonde beauty turned to face the first Digimon she's supposed to fight first. But the minute she saw her opponent, the worried look on her face was replaced with anger, hatred... and revenge.

A familiar samurai Digimon marched into the ring, smirking sinisterly at the girl. He unsheathed his katana and held the hilt with both hands. Next, he dropped into his stance and was ready to slice the human into ribbons. Zoe still hasn't forgotten what happened back at the dungeon. Not only this creep tried to take advantage of her, but he did while she was beaten and powerless.

"Hello again." grinned Musyamon.

"You!" Zoe growled at her first opponent.

"Yes, it's me! And now, I'm going to finish what I started!" said the evil warrior as he drew his sword.

"Enough talk, Musyamon! Attack!" Beetlemon shouted nearby.

"As you wish!" groaned the swordsman. He then raised his weapon above his head and ran at full speed toward the human girl.

"AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH! SHOGUN SWORD!"

"WHOA!" Zoe cried as Musyamon hastily approached her.

The moment he began to bring his sword down, the blonde dove out of the way, barely avoiding the rusty steel blade by a couple of inches. The downward momentum brought the sword a few feet below the dirt. But as Zoe rolled on the ground and sprung back to her feet, Musyamon pulled his sword out of the canvas and turned toward the human.

"I'm gonna enjoy making you squirm! There's no escape, little one!" He chuckled.

"Suit yourself! If I can't run away..." Zoe showed Musyamon her pink and purple D-Tector. "... then I'll fight you instead! You're going to pay for what you did to me, Musyamon! You'll... be... SORRY!"

*Insert Song: With The Will*

A figure of a purplish creature opened its eyes and gazed into the fourth wall of Zoe's D-Tector. Soon, the screen displayed the Beast Spirits of Wind. Zoe's device stated to glow in shining, white light. With her D-Tector in one hand, the teenage girl spun around and extended her left arm out. Suddenly, a ball of Fractal Code formed around her palm.

After flexing and extending her arms a few times, she brought her device and the Fractal Code together. The ball of data made contact with the scanner on the top of her D-Tector, Zoe's device then started making loud powerful noises. The dark area surrounding her body was completely engulfed by glimmering light.

"EXECUTE…" Zoe screamed out from the top of her lungs before swiping the Fractal Code with her D-Tector. "… BEAST SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

A long stream of data spiraled around the girl's body. Her clothes began to disintegrate as the Beast Spirit of Wind came to life. Pink feathers filled with energy swirled around the teen's body.

"HHHHHAAAAAAAAAA! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

Zoe screamed during the transformation, symbolizing how much energy the Spirit of Wind possessed. She could feel the Spirits giving her a tremendous amount of power. Her arms, legs, head and his entire body slowly changed into the Beast Spirit of Wind. Moments later, the transformation was complete. The winged creature opened her eyes and twirled around in circles. She landed on her feet with a pink, feather-filed cyclone spiraled around her. The winged ninja spread her wings, to scattered the wind forces all over the area.

"ZEPHYRMON!" The Digimon cried.

The Beast of Wind faced the swordsman, whose evil smirk grew wider after the human had transformed into a Legendary Warrior.

"So what if you have become a Digimon! That still not enough to stop me!" declared Musyamon. "Shogun Sword!"

He lifted his katana above his head and charged forward. Once he closed the distance, Musyamon horizontally swung at the winged beast. Zephyrmon fluttered toward the sky and easily avoided the first strike. She flew past the swordsman, but not before double stomping the back of his head, causing him to fall face first on the canvas. Zephyrmon touched the ground and waited for her opponent to recover.

"Wait a minute... what am I doing?" The Legendary Warrior asked herself. "Why am I wasting my time with this guy? I have my Spirits already, and it seems like everyone in the castle has come to watch me fight! This is the perfect time for me to escape! The faster I get out of here, the quicker I can come back with help!"

"I got you now! KYYAAAHHHH!" Musyamon roared. He held his sword up and made his way toward his opponent for the second time.

Zephyrmon leaped out of the way just when the samurai Digimon was about to bring his sword down. She fluttered backwards to gain some distance between her and Musyamon. The two Digimon stared each other down, waiting for their opponent to make the next move. Musyamon held on to his weapon and assumed a traditional kendo stance.

But before the samurai could declare another attack, Zephyrmon turned the other direction and flew toward the inner walls of the castle. The Digimon around the area were shocked that the Legendary Warrior was running away. While many of them were protesting, a few of them tried to take her down by launching arrows, lasers and other projectiles.

Thankfully Zephyrmon was dominant in terms of speed and quickness. She tilted left and right to avoid every projectile that came her way. It wasn't long before the outsides of the fortress came into view. She was almost home free. Zephyrmon quickly approached the walls of the fortress.

However, once her fingertips had reached the ramparts of the castle, an invisible force had stopped her from going all the way. Zephyrmon pushed as hard as she could, but she was unable to move. Wondering what was keeping her from escaping, the Beast Warrior of Wind turned her head around to see what was going on.

"Where do you think you're going, you fool?" Malevomon sighed.

The wicked emperor had his hand aimed toward the retreating Zephyrmon. Malevomon supinated his forearms and flexed his fingers to bring the female Digimon back to the Circle of Chaos. No matter how much the winged Digimon resisted, the evil creature's power proved too much for her. Before long, Malevomon threw the Beast of Wind back to the canvas. Zephyrmon landed with a thud and grunted in agony.

"Nice try, young lady!" grinned Malevomon. "But let me give you a little warning! These Digimon came to see you fight! And that's precisely what you're going to give them! Now if you try to escape one more time, I will order all of my mind slaves to tear you apart, piece by piece! Do you understand?"

Zephyrmon's silence gave Malevomon the answered he wanted. She continued to glare at the malicious Digimon who had placed her in this precarious situation. But as much as she love to get out of this mess, there seems to be no other way. The Beast of Wind reluctantly turned to face her opponent once again and was ready to resume the fight.

"Running away like a little girl, huh? Very disappointing! In that case, destroying you will be much easier than I thought! HAHAHAHA!"

Now Zephyrmon was really angry. She clench her fists and marched toward the samurai Digimon. The winged Warrior gazed deep into Musyamon's bloodshot eyes, refusing to back down or be intimidated by his constant insults any longer.

"You sure are tough, picking on poor defenseless girls! Why don't you try facing a Legendary Warrior? Then, we'll see how tough you are!" said the Beast of Wind.

"Don't mock me, weakling! I'm gonna cut off all four of your limbs before I go for your head!"

"Well, what are you waiting for, big guy? Come get me!"

"ARRGGGHHHH! SHOGUN SWORD!" Musyamon shouted. He sprinted toward Zephyrmon with the intent of slicing and dicing her petite body into shreds. But the Beast Warrior of Wind sighed frustratingly.

"Why do I even bother?"

Before long, Musyamon had already entered striking distance. He unleashed one of his strongest downward swing at the winged Warrior. But Zephyrmon was too quick. She fluttered backwards and easily evaded Musyamon's attack.

Unfortunately for the samurai, his troubles were only beginning. He couldn't stop the momentum of his swing, so the blade dug itself deep into the ground. Unlike last time, Musyamon had trouble retrieving his weapon from the dirt. Now that he was in a vulnerable position, Zephyrmon can finally finish him off.

"You know that old saying, 'What goes around, comes around', Musyamon?" asked the Beast of Wind. The samurai glowered at the winged beast. "Well, when I come around, I tend to hit twice as hard! Now... TAKE THIS!"

"HURRICANE..." She slowly extended her arms toward the sky. Zephyrmon locks on to her target and internally rotated her shoulders as she finished declaring her attack. "... GALE!"

She launched a powerful purple tornado with throwing blades of pink energy at the enemy. The speed of the attack was so great, it went from one side of the ring to the other in half a second. Musyamon finally managed to retrieve his weapon, but it was too late. Zephyrmon's cyclone pushed the swordsman backwards. At the same time, Musyamon was assaulted by the pink energy blades, carving up every part of his body. He groaned in pain, but that wasn't enough to stop the attack.

When the tornado had subsided, Musyamon fell on his knees and collapsed to the ground. Suddenly, a ring of data appeared around the samurai's body. Zephyrmon's eyes widened when she realized that the first round was hers. All she had to do was Slide Evolve back to Kazemon so she could absorb his her opponent's essence.

"Now's my chance!" said the Beast Warrior of Wind.

But before she could proceed...

"THAT'S MINE!" Another voice shouted.

Suddenly, another Digimon rushed out of the crowd gave Zephyrmon a huge shoulder blocked from the side, which pushed her back down to the canvas. At first, it knocked the Beast of Wind in a daze. Whoever took her down, sure was big and had a lot of force in his tackle. The winged Digimon could only guess that the one who blindsided her was her next opponent.

Before long, Zephyrmon's vision had returned to her. She looked up and saw the Digimon that knocked her down.

This creature could be best described as android football player. He had a shiny silver helmet, with a full cage facemask that covered his dark facial features. This Digimon also had gray, metallic shoulder pads that had 'D-4' scribed in the middle. He wore dirty black gloves, crimson pants and dark football cleats. The evil athlete pounded his fists together and opened his mouth to absorb the defeated Musyamon's data in one gulp. With his Fractal Code gone, the body of the swordsman Digimon disintegrated.

"HAHAHAHA! Nothing like a little snack to get ready for the big game!" spoke the metallic Digimon.

"Who are you?" Zephyrmon asked as she got back to a vertical position.

"Lord Malevomon's go-to guy when its crunch time for Digital World Domination! When it comes to serving Lord Malevomon, there's no one more clutch! But you can call me... Gridiromon!" The powerful Digimon chuckled.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Gridiromon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Spear Tackle; Excessive Roughness**

**Description: Gridiromon is as tough as they come. He's a freight train on cleats. This creature is so strong, he can bulldoze an entire mountain. With the strength of a hundred Digimon, there is no stopping this powerhouse once he gets going. His Spear Tackle can flatten his enemies into pancakes.**

"GET HER, GRIDIROMON! CLIP THAT GIRL'S WINGS!" The Digimon around Zephyrmon cheered.

The athletic warrior hopped on his toes and wiggled his arms around to loosen up. Finally, he was ready to pick up where Musyamon left off. Thanks to the swordsman's contribution, Gridiromon was stronger than before. The metallic Digimon got in three-point stance and locked on to his target. He dug his fingers into the ground and bent his legs, like a traditional linemen position.

"Down, set..." said Gridiromon. "Black Forty-four! Hut, hut... HIKE!"

Upon command, the football beast sprinted toward the Bearer of Wind. Zephyrmon let out light gasp when she realized how fast her new opponent was. She had just enough time to leap out of the way and landed smoothly on her toes. If she had reacted any later, then the metallic Digimon would've steamrolled right over her.

But as for Gridiromon, he couldn't stop his momentum. He rammed his helmet into one of the bleachers. Zephyrmon couldn't help but giggle at his misfortune. However, the athletic Digimon shook off the dizziness in his head and glowered at the winged Warrior. There was a small dent on the lateral side of his helmet. But other than that, he was fine.

"Wouldn't you mind telling me what's so funny?" Gridiromon growled.

"Oh... nothing." Zephyrmon replied with a cute, innocent wink. "Just couldn't help but laugh at how stupid you look.

"Why you... SPEAR TACKLE!"

Again, Gridiromon charged toward the Beast Warrior of Wind, with a malicious look in his eyes. As he closed the distance, he kept his head up and his pupils on Zephyrmon, anticipating any types of evasive moves she might execute during his approach. Next, he spread his long arms out to prevent his opponent from escaping. At last, the football player led with his shoulder pads and went for a vicious tackle on the Beast of Wind.

But if there's one thing that Gridiromon hadn't count on, it was the incredible speed that Zephyrmon has. From the look on her eyes, she was neither scared, nor nervous about her opponent's attempt to bring her down. The moment Gridiromon was a few feet away from her, Zephyrmon easily soared above his head. Upon landing, she used her sharp metal claws on her hand to give her opponent a powerful slash to his back. Gridiromon lightly grimaced in pain before leering back at the female Warrior.

"Sorry, tough guy! But it looks like I'm just too fast for you!" giggled Zephyrmon.

"You sound so confident! But regardless of your speed, none of your attacks can do anything to me! I'm afraid it will only be a matter of time before defense collapses!"

"You don't know anything about me!"

"Then prove it, you Legendary Wuss!" Gridiromon called out his opponent.

"Fine! You ask for it!" The Beast of Wind grunted before extending her arms up.

"HURRICANE... GALE!" With one quick slash, Zephyrmon unleashed another powerful tornado filled with pink throwing blades inside. But the second the female Warrior had launched her attack, a devilish grin appeared on Gridiromon's face.

"It's go time!" He said.

Instead of retreating or moving to the side, the football player dashed toward the lavender tornado his opponent had released. His strong metallic body collided with the almighty forces of wind. Gridiromon could feel the outsides of his armor getting scratched on the surface. But so far, the damage did not reach inside his protective gear. Zephyrmon then noticed that her opponent was drawing closer. She threw another Hurricane Gale in attempt to push Gridiromon back.

But that was a huge mistake on her part.

No matter how powerful her wind attacks were, it wasn't enough to cause significant damage to her opponent, nor to push him back. Because he had absorbed Musyamon's Fractal Code earlier, Gridiromon's strength and speed increased by several levels. Of course, the Chaos Sphere inside his body is also an added bonus. It wasn't long until the football player had finally closed the distance and cut off almost all of Zephyrmon's exit routes.

"Now, it's my turn! Say good bye, Legendary Warrior!" laughed the football player as he lowered his shoulders.

"SPEAR TACKLE!"

It was so fast that Zephyrmon didn't see it coming. Before the Beast of Wind could react, Gridiromon wrapped his huge arms around his opponent's slender body and drove his shoulder into her midsection. Zephyrmon's head whipped backwards and slammed hard into the canvas. The impact gave the winged Digimon a mild concussion and a massive headache. But it wasn't just her cranium that received damage. Zephyrmon curled into a fetal position and clenched her midsection after taking the Spear Tackle head on. She kicked her legs about as she fought for air.

"Hmph! Stay down!" laughed Gridiromon. He sat on top of Zephyrmon's stomach, which made the Warrior of Wind grunt in pain. Gridiromon also used his legs to trap his opponent's arms, so she couldn't muster up any kind of resistance.

"EXCESSIVE ROUGHNESS!"

He grabbed a fistful of her turquoise hair and started to connect with hard punches across the Legendary Warrior's head. Zephyrmon was so unprepared that by the time she thought to fight back, another fist prevented her from doing so. She was already dazed from the onslaught and her hands lay at her sides doing nothing. Two more brutal head shots bounced the back of her skull off of the ground. The display of dominance drew intense "Oohs" and "Aahs" from the crowd. Gridiromon then started delivering powerful hooks across both of Zephyrmon's cheeks.

"HOW..." *punch* "DO YOU..." *punch* "LIKE ME..." *punch* NOW?" *punch*

After he connected with his last hand strike, Gridiromon got off of Zephyrmon's body and observed the damage he had inflected. The Beast of Wind's body fidgeted on the ground. It also appeared that her right cheek was more swollen compared to her left. Agonized moans escaped from her lips. She managed to roll on her stomach, shook off the trauma in her head and got back on all fours.

"Back for more, huh?' asked Gridiromon with a smug grin on his face. "Alright! Absorbing your Fractal Code in the name of Lord Malevomon will be the ultimate championship! This last move will be the dagger, right through your heart and soul! SPEAR TACKLE!"

Gridiromon charged one last time and was ready to go in for the finish. Thankfully, Zephyrmon's consciousness returned to her just before the football Digimon could deliver the decisive blow. She had enough presence in mind to push herself off of the ground to avoid getting crushed. As her opponent rushed passed her, Zephyrmon quickly analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of her foe.

"There's got to be some way to defeat him!" She said to herself. "But how? This guy is a lot tougher than he looks! His armor is super strong, and his punches felt like getting hit by a bus! None of my attacks are working on him! There has to be some kind of weak point in his armor!"

Zephyrmon scanned her opponent, who had just put on the brakes. Besides a couple of scratches on his steel shoulder pads and a little dent on his helmet, she couldn't seem to find a weak spot in his armor. She was about to give up, when something finally caught her eye. On the center part of Gridiromon's breastplate, was a small, yet slightly deep six inch crack.

"It's worth a shot! And it's probably the only way to defeat this guy! He may have the edge in strength, but I can beat him in speed!" said Zephyrmon.

"AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH! TAKE THIS!" Gridiromon shouted as he ran toward his opponent for another Spear Tackle.

"Here we go!" Zephyrmon told herself before flying toward the football player for another clash.

Gridiromon was a little surprise the Beast of Wind was coming in for her own frontal attack, but that still didn't stop him from charging. He spread his arms out and was ready to take her down. The two Digimon had finally reached each other. Gridiromon lowered his shoulder and threw his shoulders forward.

"Now!" Zephyrmon said.

All of the sudden, the female ninja slammed on the brakes and executed a backflip. Her acrobatic technique helped her evaded the oncoming Gridiromon. Not only that, but since he missed his tackled, the football players was already off balanced. Zephyrmon returned to her regular position. Her claws and talons started to glow crimson red, forming giant orbs on her hands and feet.

"PLASMA PAWS!"

The Beast of Wind dove towards the defenseless Gridiromon and headed straight toward the supposed weak point on his breastplate. Meanwhile, the football player had regained his balance. It took him a while to realize that Zephyrmon was coming back with another one of her powerful attacks. But he didn't have enough time to react.

Zephyrmon slammed her energy-filed hands and feet into the core of Gridiromon's armor. A loud howl of agony made its way out of his mouth, signifying how much power Zephyrmon's attack has. The crack on his armor traversed all the way to the back side. Gridiromon fell on his back and his chest plate broke apart.

The Beast of Wind landed back on her feet and collapsed on one knee. This fight had already drained half of her stamina. She was breathing heavily and was in a little bit of pain after taking a few shots from her opponent. But at last, she has defeated him. The female Digimon not only could see the unarmored midsection of Gridiromon, but she also noticed his body was surrounded by a ring of Fractal Code. It took her a while to get back to a vertical base.

"We don't think so!" Two voices shouted in unison.

The winged ninja turned to see who spoke. But the only thing her eyes beheld was a vicious clothesline across her face. The lariat sent the Beast of Wind tumbling in midair before falling back down on her chest. Zephyrmon shook off the pain in her head and returned to her feet.

She noticed two large Digimon absorbing the rest of Gridiromon's Fractal Code. But both of them looked fairly similar to each other. They looked like massive wrestlers with masks that covered their entire faces. Also, they both wore golden belts that had the letter 'B' on it and black boots that reached passed their knees. But, there were some differences between the two Digimon. The one on the left wore green wrestling tights with spiked elbow pads on both of his arms. The second large creature wore a purple leotard and a black strap around each biceps.

"YEAH! BRUTHOMON, BRUTHAMON! DESTROY HER!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Bruthomon & Bruthamon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Tag Team Turmoil; Double Driver**

**Description: The most powerful duo you'll find in the Digital World. Bruthomon and his sister Bruthamon can bring the smackdown on anyone they face. With such a remarkable combination and with their Tag Team Turmoil attack, they can break bones, shatter limbs and downright demolish their opponents.**

"Just my luck! My last opponents are two giants? Can this get any worse?" Zephyrmon groaned as they finished swallowing Gridiromon's data.

"GGRRRRAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!" The winged creature's two opponents screamed from the top of their lungs.

Zephyrmon's eyes widened and inhaled greatly when the muscles on Bruthomon's and Burthamon's body increased in size and thickness. She backed a couple of steps and gulped. Now she was afraid what kind of damage these two can inflict on her. And to make things worse, it has now become a two-on-one matchup. She shot a quick angry glance at Malevomon.

"Come on! Two against one is not fair!"

"Tough luck Legendary Warrior! Now keep fighting before I make this three against one!" The wicked Digimon grinned. Zephyrmon sighed before looking back at the wrestling duos.

"Look what we have here, sis!" Bruthomon grinned. "Master has a Legendary Warrior for us to destroy!"

"Yes! Fresh meat! Let us make sure she's nice and tenderized before we put her in the oven!" Bruthamon replied. But the Beast of Wind stayed in her defensive stance.

However something crept in the back of Zephyrmon's mind. The last two fights had already took its toll on her. Zephyrmon was still hurt from the pounding she received Gridiromon and Musyamon. She was incredibly exhausted. The female Digimon was breathing heavily. She was sweating like she never had before.

"Let's give her the Lariat of Doom, bro!"

"I was thinking the same thing!"

The two bodybuilders got in a traditional I-formation, with Bruthomon in front of his sister. After he gave his sibling the signal, the two of the charged as fast as they could toward the weary Beast of Wind. Even though these two are not as fast as Gridiromon, both of them are much larger and more muscular than the football player. If Gridiromon can knock the wind out of her with his tackle, she could only imagine what these guys can do to her.

"I have to stop them!" Zephyrmon said to herself. "HURRICANE... GALE!"

The female Digimon chucked her hands forward and released another tornado at her two opponents. Bruthomon was the first one there two greet the attack. He used his massive body to take the deadly cyclone head on. While he did receive a couple of cuts during the process, Zephyrmon's attack did not stop him. Before long, Bruthomon had already reached his opponent.

"I got you!" He said. Bruthomon extended his right arm out to the side, looking to connect with another devastating clothesline.

Zephyrmon figured that ducking out of the way would be a bad idea because there was another Digimon waiting for her behind Bruthomon. So the Beast of Wind flapped her wings and ascended upwards toward the skies to avoid the first strike.

"No! I got you!" The voice of Bruthamon entered Zephyrmon's ear.

The Beast Warrior looked down and was caught off guard when she realized that the female bodybuilder was already in front of her in midair. Bruthamon pulled her arm back and, on the follow through, delivered a massive lariat to her opponent. The inside of her elbow hit Zephyrmon's neck. With such power, the winged Warrior tumbled in the air a few times. Zephyrmon tried to stop herself and regain position, but that last hit really knocked her for a loop.

Then with perfect timing, Bruthomon caught the airborne Beast Warrior by the head and slammed it down hard back on the canvas. Although his large hand somewhat cushioned the impact, it still gave Zephyrmon a huge headache. She placed both hands on her cranium and gave it a little massage. However, that left her midsection exposed for another attack. As gravity brought Bruthamon down, she drilled her elbow on Zephyrmon's belly.

"UUGGGGHHHHHHHH!" grunted the Beast of Wind.

The force of the elbow drop caused Zephyrmon to exhale hard and her body to jackknife. She rolled on to her midsection and kicked her legs rapidly. Seeing her flop around like a fish brought smiles to every Digimon in the area, including Malevomon.

Bruthomon got the beaten Zephyrmon back to her feet and picked her up in a vertical suplex position. But instead of falling backwards, he allowed the Warrior's legs to descend until they land on top of both his sister's shoulders. Then at the same time, both bodybuilders dropped to the ground, executing a powerbomb and a neckbreaker at the same time.

"OOOOOHHHHHHHHHH!" The whole crowd cheered upon impact.

Zephyrmon's limbs straightened and shot out in all directions as if threatening to detach from her body. She had lost consciousness. She wasn't moving or fidgeting in pain. Zephyrmon laid on the ground, helplessly and in absolute motionlessness. Her body turned into a black silhouette. At the same time, a ring of Fractal Code surrounded the Beast of Wind, revealing both the Human and Beast Spirits of Wind.

"For you, master!" The two powerhouses bowed.

Malevomon grinned before he went back to work. He aimed one of his hands at the relics and telekinetically brought the Beast Spirit toward himself. At last, the Beast Spirit of Wind was back in his possession. However, the Human Spirit still remained with the young woman. Malevomon thought about taking it as well, but held it off. He relaxed back in his throne, wanting to have some more fun with the girl.

Moments later, the ring of Fractal Code disappeared. All that was left was Kazemon's beaten, battered and bruised body. The good news was that her consciousness has returned. But then again, that also meant that Bruthomon and Bruthamon can continue with their fun.

The female wrestler helped the Warrior of Wind to her feet and locked her in a full nelson hold. Unfortunately, Kazemon couldn't muster any strength to break free from her opponent's clutches. Bruthomon then shifted his attention to the fairy's exposed belly. With both fists clenched, the large brute gave Kazemon powerful punches to her midsection.

"OOF! UGH! ARGH!"

Each hand strike was more powerful than the last. And every blow knocked more air out of poor Kazemon's body until she finally couldn't take it anymore. The Warrior of Wind fell on her knees as she gasped heavily for air. But Bruthamon laughed maniacally as she stood the Legendary Warrior back to her feet. She kept the full nelson hold on her, giving her brother another shot at her belly.

Bruthomon took a couple steps back before charging at his sister and the defenseless Kazemon. He then gave the Legendary Warrior a brutal shoulder thrust, which made the girl sputter. Kazemon's muscles loosen up and her body went limp. As the butterfly hanged helplessly in the full nelson hold, the two siblings smiled at each other.

"Time for a little Tag Team Turmoil!" The two of them said in unison, which made the crowd of Digimon stand up and cheer even louder.

First, Bruthomon delivered a powerful uppercut to Kazemon's jaw. But at the same time, Bruthamon bridged her back and used the force of her brother's punch to execute a dragon suplex. With her arms still hung to the sides, the Warrior of Winded landed on the back of head, making her body fold in half. Bruthamon released the hold and got back to her feet.

Just when Kazemon's legs can reach the ground, Bruthomon placed them on his shoulders. He then lifted the dazed Warrior off the ground. Kazemon was so groggy, she didn't see Bruthamon jumping toward her with her arm extended to her side. She gave the butterfly Digimon a powerful clothesline, while Bruthomon powerbombed Kazemon hard back first onto the unforgiving canvas. The female fighter arched her body when she landed hard on the ground.

Bruthomon released the groggy Warrior and got set up for the next combination. He grabbed Kazemon by the hair and helped her to her feet. Next, he placed her arm around his head and lifted the Legendary Warrior up in a vertical suplex position. He held her there for what seemed like an eternity. Kazemon could feel the blood rush into her brain, making her even dizzier. But before she could beg for her life, Bruthomon quickly release his opponent.

With no control of her own body, Kazemon helplessly fell back down to the ground. Suddenly, Bruthamon stepped in to finish the double team maneuver. On the fall, the muscular woman reached across her opponent's chest and around her neck. Bruthamon fell forward and side slamming the poor Kazemon on her spine. The earth Malevomon's castle stood on shook upon impact.

"OOH! ||| "AHH!" The crowd of Digimon cheered upon witnessing the display of powerful and destructive techniques on the Legendary Warrior.

Kazemon laid on the ground with her arms and legs spread out like an eagle. Almost her entire body was smeared with dirt and mud. White hot tears of agony formed underneath her silver visor. Her mouth hung open, yet not a single sound made its way out. Movement seemed painfully impossible to achieve. Only her fingers twitched mildly, symbolizing how much agony she was in. But to add insult to injury, every Digimon in the area under Malevomon's control was pointing and laughing at Kazemon for her embarrassing and humiliating defeat.

"That sure was fun, wasn't it sis?" Bruthomon asked.

"I couldn't agree more! Now let's finish her!" replied Bruthamon.

The two Digimon nodded at each other. The male wrestler grabbed a fistful of Kazemon's hair and helped her to her feet. But the Legendary Warrior couldn't stand under her own power. The many shots she took to the head, face and midsection forced the butterfly to slump back down. Bruthomon tried to get Kazemon to stand up, and once again she collapsed to the ground.

"Brother, I think you hit her a little too hard!" Bruthamon complained but in a playful manner.

"I guess you're right!" He smirked. Bruthomon looked toward the crowd of Digimon around them until he spotted one of the evil Warriors. "Hey, Ranamon! A little help here?"

The Warrior of Water skipped toward the two muscular Digimon, with the semiconscious fairy still on the ground.

"You called, Sugar?" She asked.

"Help us keep this girl up so we can finish her!" ordered Bruthomon.

"Whatever you say, Hon!" Ranamon said with a smug grin on her face.

She grabbed Kazemon's lavender hair and helped her off of the ground. While the Warrior of Wind struggled to get back to reality, Ranamon stood behind the winged Digimon, hooked both of the Kazemon's arms from the sides, and places her hands palm down flat against the butterfly's upper back. Her body was still loose and almost lifeless, but Ranamon kept the dazed Legendary Warrior on her feet.

Meanwhile, both Bruthomon and Bruthamon lined up on Kazemon's right and left sides. The two of them took a few steps back until their heels were barely touching the boundaries of the circle. Next, they pulled their thick muscular arms back and took aim at Kazemon's unprotected head.

"Let's end this!" The two of them said together. "DOUBLE DRIVER!"

Upon declaration, Bruthomon and Bruthamon ran as fast as they could toward the dazed Legendary Warrior. With her hands caught behind her and no energy left in her body, Kazemon couldn't defend herself, nor avoid the finishing blow from her opponents. All she could do pray and hope that the next devastating double team attack wouldn't crush her skull or severely damage any part of her body. The suspense in Kazemon's body build up as the two monsters drew closer and closer to her.

Suddenly, the smirk on Ranamon's face grew wider.

Just when Bruthomon and Bruthamon were about to unleash their powerful punches, the Warrior of Water released Kazemon's arms, causing her to drop to the floor. Next, she took a step back to watch the two freight trains collide. The powerhouse siblings tried to pull back their arms, but it was too late.

The muscular siblings gave each other a powerful punch across the side of the face. There was a loud 'CRACK' upon impact. The devastating blow not only broke each other's jaw and skull, but it also snapped their necks as well.

"Ugh... dammit sis!"

"Ugh... dammit bro!"

The two of them breathed their last breath before falling backwards. They landed hard on their spines and their eyes closed in defeat. A large ovular ring of Fractal Code surrounded the wrestlers' bodies. Ranamon snickered to herself for pulling such a devious trick. Finally, she stuck her hand out toward the data ring and absorbed the two muscular creatures' Fractal Code. With their data gone, Bruthomon and Bruthamon digitized to nothingness.

"Well, now that those two clowns are out of the way... BOYS!" Ranamon called.

The other four Legendary Warriors stepped into the Circle of Chaos to pick up the leftovers. The five of them kept their eyes on the beaten Kazemon, who somehow managed to make back on all fours. Not only she was trying to fight off the excruciating pain in her head, but in her midsection and all four limbs as well.

"Sorry, Sugar! But it looks like this Gauntlet Match has just went into overtime!" Ranamon grinned. "Let's get her! DRAINING RAIN!"

With a snap of her fingers, the Warrior of Water created a dark cloud above her head. She commanded the nimbus to levitate above the fairy's head. Seconds later, acid rain poured heavily on the poor Kazemon, sapping away almost all of their strength. Kazemon lost her leverage and collapsed to the ground. No matter how hard she tried to get back up, the powerful waters kept the lavender haired butterfly grounded.

"Can't... move..."

"Allow me to help! SHADOW LANCE!" Lowemon said, spinning and twirling his spear around.

Ranamon snapped her fingers to cease her Draining Rain attack so her partner can do some more damage. The Warrior of Darkness stepped toward Kazemon and gave her a powerful soccer kick to her chest. The force of the kick send the poor girl up in the air. But Lowemon retracted his kicking leg, spun around and swung his weapon like a baseball bat, sending the butterfly Digimon toward the sky.

"My turn!" snickered the humanoid wolf. Lobomon sprung upward toward the sky and ascended past the airborne Warrior of Wind. He then turned toward the female Digimon and positioned himself in front of her.

"HOWLING LASER!"

Lobomon pointed his blaster at the butterfly and discharged a powerful energy beam. The laser nailed Kazemon in the stomach, sending her back down to the ground. Meanwhile, the Warrior of Steel got in position and aimed one of his mirrors at the falling Legendary Warrior. He waited for the precise moment, just before the female Digimon could crash into the ground. A fiendish grin appeared on his face as his mirror charged up for a powerful attack.

"DARK REFLECTION!"

He released a large green cylinder-like beam at the Warrior of Wind. The moment Kazemon landed hard on the canvas, the laser hit the ground just a few feet away from its target, creating a massive explosion. The blast sent the Kazemon flying across the bailey. Unfortunately, there was one more Digimon waiting for her when gravity bought her down.

"THUNDER FIST!"

The Warrior of Lightning gathered bolts of electricity into his fists and unleash a solid uppercut across Kazemon's chin, transferring the electrical energy into her. The fairy Digimon felt like her jaw had been fractured. But the power of Beetlemon's punch has once again sent the female Warrior flying through the air and towards one of the towers of Malevomon's castle. Kazemon moaned in pain when her body crashed through the stone structure. She rolled on the ground until she slammed into the evil emperor's throne.

Meanwhile, back at the inner wards of the fortress, all of the spectating Digimon has gathered around the evil Legendary Warriors. They were cheering and complimenting how great they were when they thrashed the defenseless Kazemon. Elsewhere, Malevomon got off of his seat and walked toward his subordinates. All of the Digimon, minus the Legendary Warriors, got on their knees and bowed.

"Nice work, you five!" said Malevomon. But his look of satisfaction was quickly replaced with annoyance. "But look what you idiots did to my new window!"

"It was Bug Brain's fault, Lord Malevomon!" Ranamon pointed at the humanoid insect.

"Hey! It was an accident! No need to get..."

"Enough!" ordered the wicked Digimon. "Come with me! The show's not over yet!"

Using his psychic powers, Malevomon levitated his faithful subordinates upward. Soon, he and the rest of the evil Warriors made their way toward the hole in the sovereign's Throne Room. One by one, they landed smoothly on the cold tiled floor. It didn't take them long to spot the defeated Kazemon lying near the base of Malevomon's seat.

She was a complete mess. Her long lavender hair was all scraggly and tangled. The lower portions of the strands in front of her face had been partially ripped off. There was a small tear on each of Kazemon's four butterfly wings. Her lingerie outfit had burn marks, dirt and a few rips on almost every place. Also, everything from her arms and legs, to her entire torso was covered with scratches and bruises.

"Well my dear, you tried to fight for your freedom and failed miserably! Now, you will spend the rest of your life, rotting in my dungeon!" laughed the Ultimate level Digimon, with the rest of his subordinates joining him.

"But before we do that, let me reward you for your... valiant efforts!"

He then pointed one of his hands at the beaten Kazemon and created a black sphere filled with dark energy inside.

"MALEVOLENT ONSLAUGHT!"

The evil emperor released the black orb and sent it toward the semiconscious Legendary Warrior. Kazemon turned her head and saw Malevomon's ultimate attack coming towards her. However, thanks to the Musyamon, Gridiromon, the powerhouse siblings and the five Warriors, she was in a lot of pain. She couldn't move a single inch, nor find the strength to defend herself.

She closed her eyes just when Malevomon's orb consumed her entire body.

"OW! UGH! YEOW! AAAHHHHHH! KYYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Even though only a few seconds have passed, it felt like an eternity of excruciating torture. Her body couldn't take any more punishment. But outside the sphere, the wicked sovereign and his subordinates heard the Warrior of Wind screaming in agony. It brought satisfying grins to every Digimon in the Throne Room. And as the butterfly's cries grew louder, their smirks grew wider.

"It's been fun, my child! But now it's time to end this!" said the Ultimate level ruler. He snapped his fingers and the black orb covering the Warrior of Wind started to disappear.

When the dark sphere of energy was gone, the evil Digimon could see Kazemon lying on the floor, fidgeting in pain. Tears formed underneath her visor and fell down her cheeks. Every ounce of her energy has been zapped out of her. Never in her life has she been in so much pain before. She was broken physically, mentally and emotionally. Before long, a Fractal Code ring appeared around the Legendary Warrior's body. And on the circle of data, was the Human Spirit of Wind.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Malevomon maniacally laughed as he telekinetically brought the girl's last Spirit towards him. Finally, both the Human and Beast Spirits of Wind were in the evil ruler's possession.

With both of her Spirits gone, Kazemon reverted back to her original human form. When the transformation was complete, a motionless Zoe appeared before the evil Legendary Warriors and their master. Muffled moans escaped her throat. However, Malevomon's last attack drained all of the energy. If she tried to move, she would feel large jolts of pain throughout her entire body.

Malevomon pointed his hands toward the comatose girl and used his psychic powers to bring her closer to him. He then grabbed Zoe by the collar and brought her closer to his face. The cruel Digimon waited patiently for the girl's consciousness to return. However, he had to wait a little longer than usual, due to beating she had previously took. But finally, Zoe's opened her eyes and saw the malicious look on Malevomon's face.

"I must say, young lady, you sure know how to entertain me! Seeing you in extreme pain is most amusing! And as much as I like to continue you with your suffering, I still have other plans for you and that other human friend of yours!"

"Ta... Takuya..."

"Oh yes, my child! You will become a part of my 'master plan!' You are going to help me conquer the entire Digital World and destroy your own boyfriend as well! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"No... I won't..." Zoe shook her head and nervously spoke.

"Silence! You don't have a choice!" ordered the evil Digimon. He released Zoe's collar and dropped the helpless girl to the ground. The bruised blonde landed hard on her back, sending painful vibrations across her spine. But her torture wasn't finished there.

Again, Malevomon snapped his fingers, causing the evil Legendary Warriors to step forward and approach the battered young woman. Lobomon, Lowemon, Beetlemon, Ranamon and Mercurymon surrounded the girl and began to relentlessly stomp her. Their feet slammed hard on Zoe's arms, legs, back, midsection, groin area, head and other parts of her body.

But as much as the girl would like to cover herself up to reduce the pain, she just couldn't. All she could do was lay helplessly on the ground and wait agonizingly for the beat down to end. Tears streamed down her swollen cheeks, silently begging for them to stop. Then again, the five of them were having so much fun toying with their human captive, there's no telling when they will stop.

As the Legendary Warriors continue to stomp on the teenage girl, Malevomon walked toward a small window on the southern side of the Throne Room.

"Sinistromon!" He shouted. Malevomon waited for a few seconds for his faithful servant to arrive.

"How may I serve you, your evilness?"

"I'm sending you to the headquarters of the Digimon Battlefront!"

"Um... okay, sir!" Sinistromon replied, with a dash of hesitation. "Care to explain why you're sending me into enemy grounds?"

"Yes! Tell those fools that I have a message for the human! Now, hurry up!"

"As you wish, master!" said the small devil. He turned toward the opposite direction and flew toward the outer boundaries of the Dark Kingdom.

Once Sinistromon was out of sight, Malevomon looked out the window and gazed at his entire realm of evil. He could see most of his mind controlled slaves patrolling the outside walls of his fortress. The Malevolent One shifted his attention toward the dark clouds that covered the sky, which presented him a sign of many great things that is to come in a matter of time. The evil emperor widened his grin.

"At last, my destiny is finally coming true! The Digital World will finally be mine! No one will dare challenge me! The reign of Malevomon is about to begin! Hahaha... Hahahahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter forty-four. <strong>

**After taking the beating of a lifetime, will Zoe be able to survive? What message does Malevomon have for Takuya? And what is the evil emperor's master plan? Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	45. Dealing With A Loss

**Author's Notes: Hey guys! I hope everyone is having a great summer. Thanks for your awesome feedback. I have one little challenge/request for you guys on your next review. I would like you to send me your best Beautymon death threat, because there's gonna be a lot of Takuya/Beautymon moments in this chapter.  
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**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Digimon Frontier series or any of the characters.**

**Review Replies:**

**The Keeper of Worlds - We'll see. All you can do is wait... and hope...**

**shadowrunner22 - Try not to throw up on every Takuya/Beautymon moment you see.**

**Guest - Give me the best Beautymon threat you got!**

**TakumiWarrior - Maybe I overdid the thrashing a little bit. But I'm glad you liked it.**

**raidersfan777 - Hopefully, he can get to his beloved before it's too late.**

**NaruHinaShikaTen - I was only trying to get the audience to hate the bad guys even more.**

**Miss. Teria - I know this chapter will definitely be one of your favorites.**

**Pikatwig - Well said, my friend.**

**t3322stc - You're suppose to hate him. After all, he is the main antagonist in the story.**

**UnderWaterPeril - I'd be furious too if some jerk like Malevomon beats up my girlfriend.**

**kirakuya1101 - I'm working on it, but that's not for a really long time.**

**MerryHimawari - Settle down. Next chapter, coming up.**

**CaptainDandruff - Really? It means a lot to me when I read your little comment about Malevomon.  
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**GakuenShimai - Be warned. This chapter is going to make you hurl since you hate Beautymon a lot.**

**MarsPhoenixFire - I try to be creative about my original Digimon. Was it too much or not enough?**

**Axle the Hedgehog - It is painful to read, but bear with me. I'll let you know when they're together again.**

**S-A Bleach - Absolutely right. She had already lost the moment she stepped into the ring.**

**ReikoHinomotoXX - I wouldn't say the end of it... More like it's on hold for later.  
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**Abc3 - Thank you so much. And to answer your question, Takuya and Zoe are both fourteen in this story.**

**Fruity Pebble - I was really hoping for a five star rating, but four's not bad. As for your question about the Warriors of Light and Darkness being evil, they're being controlled by the Chaos Sphere. Also, I'll try to improve their characters next time. Thanks for the feedback. If you have any questions, send me a PM.  
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**No.1DigiBakuFan - Thanks for the reviews.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter forty-five.**

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><p><strong>Dealing With A Loss<br>**

**Normal POV:**

Takuya and Beautymon walked out of the Digiporter Room hand in hand. The two of them casually strolled through the hallways of the Digimon Battlefront headquarters. Many other creatures stared at the odd 'couple' as they escorted each other down the lobbies. Well, actually, it was Beautymon that was doing all of the escorting. With a delicate hand wrapped around Takuya's, she lead the boy through her team's home base and toward the Medical Wing.

After the half-success, half-failed mission at the Icicle Mountains, the Digimon Battlefront was a lot busier than usual. The hallways were filled with all kinds of monsters. Many of them were rushing frantically from one room to the next, hastily trying to complete whatever mission they had. It was a huge traffic jam in the lobby. Of course, the crowded hallways didn't stop Beautymon. She shoved aside any Digimon that got in her way. It didn't matter whether they were In-Training or powerful Mega levels. Beautymon rudely pushed them away so she and Takuya can get to their destination. After a while, the crowd started to die down. And just moments later, the door to the healing room had come into view.

"We're almost there, Sweetie!" She turned and gave Takuya a cute smile.

However, the teen kept his eyes on the ground, like he didn't hear what the female warrior had said. The look on his face told anyone that he was distracted about the last mission. It was just supposed to be a retrieval mission. Eldestmon had sent him and his friends to find the Legendary Spirits of Ice. But what started out as a simple mission, turned out to be a horrifying nightmare. He competed the objected and got the Legendary Spirits. But not before losing something... no... _someone_ special. Zoe Orimoto, his best friend, his girlfriend, the one he loved so much, was gone.

The Bearer of Flame can never forget those treacherous events. It happened all so fast, yet every happy, sad, fun and devastating memory remained in his mind. He remembered the two of them playing in the snow with each other. Then there was the time where his lover fell through the pond and he had almost risked his life to save her. He then remembered the time when the two of them fought IceLadyDevimon together to claim the Spirits of Ice. Next, came the ambush by the evil Legendary Warriors. And then there was the worst memory of all. When Malevomon was about to finish him off, Zoe sacrificed herself to protect him. Now the evil sovereign has captured the girl he loves, and he's back in the Digimon Battlefront's home base.

Beautymon opened the door to the Medical Wing and helped the boy inside. To her surprise, the room was packed. All of the hospital beds have been occupied. The Blisseymon have been running in and out of the room, trying to heal as much patients as they could. The last mission really took a huge toll on the Battlefront army. They had lost half of their number due to illness, injury or other unfortunate circumstances. Needless to say, the Medical Wing was more packed than a busy subway station.

"Ehem!" The third-in-command grunted to get everyone's attention. It took a few seconds, but every Digimon in the room had their eyes on their superior.

"Ms. Beautymon!" One of them shouted.

"Hi, everybody!" Beautymon gave her comrades a polite wave. But then, her cheerful demeanor was replaced by a scowl filled with harsh order.

"Alright, listen up!" She continued. "Cutie and I need to borrow the Medical Wing! I know most of you haven't had your injuries fully healed yet, but I don't care! I'm ordering all of your to leave the premises in an orderly fashion, this very instant!"

There was dead silence following Beautymon's command. All of the other Digimon looked at each other oddly, wondering what they should do. The room was then filled with concerned murmurs and gossips. While a few Digimon did comply with their superior's orders, the rest remained behind, waiting patiently for a Blisseymon to heal their injuries. But it only takes a moment for Beautymon's patience to grow thin. After groaning impatiently, the frustrated Digimon aimed one of her hands toward the center of the room and discharged a Beautiful Beam. The laser nailed one of the unused hospital beds, causing to explode. If that didn't recapture the occupants' attention, nothing will.

"DID YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID? GET YOU BIG, FAT, UGLY BUTTS OUT OF THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW!"

"Yes ma'am!" Everyone complied.

The Digimon raced toward the entrance to the Medical Wing as fast as they could. Beautymon and Takuya stepped aside so that they all could exit the room. Apparently, the words 'orderly fashion' didn't seem to get through their heads. Afraid that Beautymon wouldn't miss her next shot, all of the injured and non-injured Digimon were hastily trying to exit the room. The front entrance was crowded with monsters.

"Come on! Hurry up, now!" ordered the female Digimon. She had her arms aimed at the room, tempted to launch another one of her projectiles if she had to wait any longer.

"Move it, you spineless whimps! If I got to tell you one more time, then I'll give you monstrosities a makeover even our most trained Blisseymon won't be able to fix!"

Her command has increased the pace of the evacuation. Beautymon was happy to see the room getting more empty. She did have to wait a little longer, because some of the injured Digimon were limping out of the Medical Wing or were on crutches. Fortunately, Beautymon lowered her arms and allowed the rest of the patients and healers to make their way out. From the look on her eyes, she couldn't wait until she was in the hospital room all alone, with the boy next to her.

Then again, Takuya was in no rush to get inside. Besides a few scratches and bruises on his limbs, a cracked rib, a swollen right cheek and occasional headaches, he was perfectly fine. These injuries are nothing a couple of Blisseymon can't fix. It'll take them some time, depending how much and how deep Takuya's wounds were. But other than that, nothing seemed to be the problem.

Physical wounds they can heal easily. However, there is one type of pain that the Blisseymon can't heal.

And that's Takuya's emotional distress. Everyone in the Digimon Battlefront headquarters could see how depressed the Bearer of Flame is. It doesn't take a scientist with a phD in psychology to figure out what's going on in the boy's mind. His own body language and facial expressions sums up the whole thing.

The teen's bad posture was the most obvious sign. Takuya had his shoulders hunched forward and back rounded. Occasionally, he would have his arms crossed for obvious reasons. Another sign of him being depressed was his lack of eye contact. Beautymon has been the only Digimon talking to him, and yet he kept his pupils either down or away from her. He was able to looked at her directly three or four times. Also, his attentiveness seemed to have gone out the door. While many other Digimon tried to congratulate Takuya for retrieving the Spirits of Ice or to console him for losing Zoe, he acted like nobody's around him. Even his closest Digimon friends, Bokomon and Neemon, weren't able to talk to him. The last time Takuya was this depressed, he had almost lost Koji when Duskmon nearly destroyed.

"Oh no! Not you, Blisseymon! You stay here with me!" said Beautymon after spotting one of the healing Digimon trying to leave the room. She extended her arm out and grabbed Blisseymon by the hand, preventing her from evacuating. It wasn't long before the entire Medical Wing was cleared out. That sure put a smile on her face.

"Excellent! Come on, Cutie! How about I give you a little 'checkup?'" Beautymon giggled as she traced a hand down Takuya's arm until it found its way into his. She gave a small tug, but the boy remained stiff in his spot.

"Please, Cutie?"

"I told you already! I don't need to be healed!" Takuya replied with a stern manner. "And I don't even see why I'm in here! I have to go find that creepazoid and rescue Zo... AH!" But before he could say his girlfriend's name, the muscles on his left side tightened up. Takuya cringed in agony and fell on one knee. Beautymon's eyes widened and knelt beside the teen. She hated seeing him in pain, regardless how mild or severe it was. The olive haired Digimon helped the boy back to a standing position.

"But darling, you're hurt. I can't let you go out there in your current condition."

"Didn't you hear me, Beautymon? I said I'm fine!"

"Come on, Sweetie. It will only take a few minutes..."

This time, the female warrior pulled on Takuya's arm a little bit harder. With the extra amount of applied force, she managed to get the boy off balanced. Fortunately, she was there to cradle the human in her arms. She gave Takuya a sweet embrace before gazing into his chocolate orbs. When Beautymon exhaled, she released an intoxicating breath that momentarily spellbound the goggle-headed boy. Knowing that she has her 'Cutie' on the prowl, she leaned a little closer until her lips were inches away from Takuya's ear.

"And if you behave like a good little boy, I promise to give you a little treat... and more." She said in captivating fashion. That made Takuya inhaled nervously. While he still did feel a little bit of tightness in his body, Beautymon's presence and gorgeous appearance made it hard to resist. Plus, her sweet talking was icing on the cake.

"Well... alright, fine." Takuya put his hands in the air as a sign of defeat. "I'll get myself healed. But afterwards, I'm heading back! I need to find Zoe, before Malevomon does something bad to her."

"Oh, most definitely, Cutie!" said Beautymon, masking the twitchiness in her jealous face. "We'll find Little Miss Blondie and stop that creep! But we can't do any of that, until we get you all fixed up! Come on! Let's go!"

She quickly grabbed Takuya's hand and politely escorted the boy into the Medical Wing. Beautymon turned her head toward the front of the room, so the teenage goggle-head wouldn't see the weird look on her face. Takuya hasn't figured it out though; but the moment she realized that he and the Bearer of Wind were officially a couple, her world has turned upside down.

Never before she has such loath for one specific human. It irked her so much seeing the two of them together. The way they look at each other when they're holding hands made her sick to her stomach. The giggling sound the blonde haired girl made every time the boy touches her gave her a massive migraine. And every time they came so close to kissing each other, Beautymon seemed to almost lose control of herself. She had to resist the urge to pound Zoe to an pulp, although the thought of the two humans as a couple made it difficult to give in to temptation.

"Finally, after all this time, I get to have Cutie all to myself!" Beautymon snickered to herself as she made her way toward one of the hospital beds. "And I won't have to worry about that stupid girl bothering us any more. Not only she's gone, but that ugly hag has been kidnapped by Malevomon! Ooh, can this day get any better?"

"Huh? You were saying something Beautymon?" Takuya asked, recapturing the female warrior's attention.

"Oh, it's nothing sweetie pie!" Beautymon turned her head toward the boy and gave him the best, innocent looking smile she could muster.

Once the two of them reached their spot, Beautymon helped Takuya sat down on the hospital bed. She placed both hands on his shoulders to be sure if he was comfortable. The Bearer of Flame readjusted his position a few times before he gave Beautymon a quick nod of confirmation. This caused the olive haired warrior to jump and clap for joy. She sat down besides Takuya and wrapped one of her tender hands around his.

Then again, there are some things that just never change. A prime example would be Takuya's denseness. Most would figure that after he and Zoe finally became an item, his obliviousness would've gone down the drain. And why wouldn't it? Takuya has already found love when he met Zoe, even though it took him a couple of years to admit it. However, when Beautymon held Takuya's hand, he responded by giving her a little smile he would always give out to his closest friends. For reasons unknown, the goggle-headed teen feels much better whenever Beautymon's around. Either it's the way she smells, the way she looks at him or the sound of her giggling at whatever he does, regardless how trivial the action.

"Yes, Cutie?" Beautymon asked first.

"Nothing, it's just..." Takuya gulped nervously. "You're, um... I haven't noticed this before, but your eyes are very..."

"Uh-huh?" Beautymon leaned in closer.

"Well, um... pink!" spoke the young man in an impromptu manner.

"Oh, Sweetie..." The female Digimon turned her flushed cheeks away with her olive hair curtaining her supposed shyness.

"No, that's not what I meant!" Takuya once again spoke when he realized what he just said.

He mentally banged his head with a large mallet twice. Once for saying something super corny and another time for making himself and Beautymon look foolish. He tried to take back what he said or apologize for making her feel uncomfortable, when he felt a delicate finger shutting his lips. He looked back into Beautymon's pretty eyes. Unfortunately, he didn't realized that the Digimon Battlefront's third-in-command was slowly closing the distance.

"Tell me more about my eyes, Cutie." She said, gliding her index finger from Takuya's lips to his right cheek. Then she slowly dragged it down toward his chin. "Tell me about my hair, my face, my... luscious body."

"Huh?"

"Oh baby, tell me I'm gorgeous!"

"I, uh..." Takuya tried to crawl backwards to get some distance. But there were two things that stopped him from escaping.

First of all, his body was still in pain from the thrashing he had received back in the Icicle Mountains. He wanted to get away, but his muscles cramped up, causing him to lie down on the comfy hospital bed. Secondly, the moment Takuya was in a prone position, Beautymon quickly made her move. She pounced on the boy's body like a hungry, feisty wild cat. She sat on Takuya's stomach to make sure he does not escape. Next, she bent forward and placed her hands on his chest to let him know who's the dominant one. Finally, Beautymon leaned a little bit closer until her lips were a couple of feet apart from the Bearer of Flame's.

"Go on, Darling..." Beautymon grinned as she lowered her mouth toward Takuya's. The boy quickly shut his eyes and braced himself. But instead of making contact with his lips, Beautymon used her tongue to lick all over Takuya's face. Next, she targeted his left ear and gave the upper portion of it a little nibble. "... I won't bite. I just love it when you say beautiful things about me."

"Beautymon, wait! Get off of me! I can't..."

"Do you like it when I do this?"

The female Digimon bit a little harder on Takuya's ear. But instead of pain, the human teen felt a pleasureful sensation that traveled from his brain to all the way to the sensory nerves. The welcoming feeling made Takuya gasped heavily, which gave Beautymon the answer she's been looking for.

"What about this?" She asked again.

She adjusted herself until she was staring face to face with her Cutie. Beautymon leaned in close once again, looking as if she's ready to give the boy some more 'sugar.' But instead of mouth to mouth, Beautymon rubbed her fragile, little nose with Takuya's. The boy's body temperature spiked a the female Digimon gave the human a nice, long eskimo kiss.

"Does that feel good, Cutie?"

"Well, um..." Takuya locked his eyes onto Beautymon's. It made her heart soar like an eagle when she saw the boy nodding his head. "Yes, it does."

"Oh goodie!" Beautymon said with a huge smile on her face. Next comes the best part. She couldn't wait to find out what her Cutie taste like. The female Digimon moved in close until her lips hovered above Takuya's.

"Now, just relax, my little darling. And allow me take away all of your injuries."

"B... Beautymon..." The young man gulped.

"Shhh..." The female Digimon silenced the boy's lips with her finger. "It will be over... before you know it..."

Finally, the olive haired beauty leaned in toward the helpless boy. Her lips inched closer toward Takuya's, begging to be touched and tasted. Beautymon closed her eyes and waited for her 'Cutie' to work his magic. On the other side, Takuya tried as hard as he could to resist. But with Beautymon's body on top of his stomach, he couldn't move. He was pinned down tight with no ways of escaping. The only thing he could do is turn his face away to avoid direct contact on his mouth.

But as Beautymon reached the three centimeter mark, a strange ecstasy-filled scent entered Takuya's nostrils. Wherever that smell came from, it caused his brain to go autopilot on him. Takuya's head straightened on its on so his mouth could be in position to welcome Beautymon's. Their lips were so close, they can practically taste what each other's like.

*tap, tap*

The pale skinned Digimon briefly stopped her advance on the boy. She felt something poking her left thigh. But instead of checking who touched her leg, Beautymon went back to work and continued to inch closer toward the teenage boy. Whoever that was that wanted her attention, it would have to wait. She waited too long for this moment, and she wasn't going to let some stupid, ugly Digimon interrupt her.

*tap, tap*

"Ugh... WHAT?" Beautymon turned toward her left and snapped at the Blisseymon standing next to the hospital bed.

The healing Digimon had her arms crossed, her foot tapping and an impatiently look on her face. When Beautymon's loud voice entered Takuya's ear, the spellbound boy snapped out of his trance. He too looked to his side and saw the Blisseymon that was supposed to heal him standing there looking pretty annoyed.

"What do you want, Blisseymon? Can't you see Cutie and I are trying to 'get busy?'" The olive haired fighter snarled. But the puffy, pink Digimon uncrossed her arms and pointed toward her superior. Next, Blisseymon trailed her finger from Beautymon, to the entrance of the Medical Wing.

"Yes, you little shrimp! I can see the door!" Beautymon spoke, still unable to get the message Blisseymon was trying to convey. But once again, the healing creature pointed to the female fighter and back toward the doors. She did it a few more times so Beautymon could get the point. However, every time Blisseymon repeated the same gesture, the angrier her superior grew.

"WELL?" The third-in-command rose her voice.

"Um, Beautymon..." Takuya interrupted. "I think what Blisseymon's trying to say is that she needs you to leave so she can heal me." He then turned toward the healing Digimon. "Isn't that right?" Blisseymon smiled at the boy and nodded.

"WHAT?" She yelled once again. Her voice shook the entire room. "THERE'S NO WAY I'M LEAVING CUTIE'S SIDE! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, BLISSEYMON? HOW DARE YOU GIVE ME ORDERS! DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM..."

All of the sudden, there was sharp, beeping noise that came from the radio on the ceiling.

"_Attention!_" spoke the intercom. "_W__ould Beautymon please report to the Sector Forty-Five immediately? I repeat. Would the Beautymon please report to the Sector Forty-Five immediately?_"

After the announcement, Beautymon unleashed a loud, frustrating groan. It was obvious she was really upset. She shoved Blisseymon aside and dragged her feet along the floor until she reached the doors. But instead of waiting for them to automatically open, Beautymon blasted a huge hole in the entrance in anger. But before she could leave, she turned toward Takuya and smiled at him to hide the disappointment in her looks.

"Wait right here, my little precious. Let Blisseymon heal you until I get back. And if you're a good boy, I'll reward with some 'candy'... and some more 'sweets' if you like..."

She gave the flushed Takuya a wink that turned his cheeks from pink to crimson. After that, she stomped out of the Medical Wing and shoved any Digimon that got in her way aside. Inside the healing room, the Bearer of Flame could hear Beautymon's frustrated voice as she ventured down the halls.

"Honestly, can't these lousy creeps give me and Cutie a little privacy? I mean, how hard is that? All I ask is just a few minutes! Is it really that difficult to leave a handsome young boy and the most beautiful Digimon of all alone for just a few minutes? I don't think so! I swear, the next Digimon that tries to interrupt my special time with Cutie, I'm going to blast a huge hole in their bodies and..."

Moments later, Beautymon's loud angry voice started to fade away. With her out of the way, Blisseymon went right to work on healing Takuya's injuries. She placed his hands on his chest and was ready to do her duty. Regardless how many times he has seen Blisseymon working her magic, Takuya still watched with astonishment. A few seconds later, the stiffness and every injury in his midsection was back to normal.

Next, Blisseymon started to heal all four of the human's limbs. As the healing Digimon used her powers on Takuya's right arm, the Bearer of Flame stared at the ground. With Beautymon gone, his thoughts returned to a special young woman he loved and lost in just one moment. No matter how hard he tried, he just can't stop thinking about Zoe or how much pain she could be in right now.

"Why..." Takuya asked himself. "I don't understand. How can Zoe do that to herself? What was she thinking, pushing me out of the way so she could take on Malevomon's ultimate attack? That should've been me. I should be the one captured by Malevomon, not Zoe. This is all my fault. How could I be so weak? Why am I not strong enough to protect her? Why? Why... WHY?"

It wasn't long before Blisseymon had finished healing all of Takuya's injuries. She took a few steps back to give him room to stand. But Blisseymon's smile disappeared when she saw Takuya's fists clenched tight. She also saw tears running down his cheek. But before she could ponder what was going on, Takuya jumped out of the hospital bed and shoved Blisseymon to the floor. Without offering to help his comrade back up, the boy rushed out of the Medical Wing and darted down the lobby.

"I can't stay here any longer! Zoe's in trouble! She needs me!" Takuya said to himself as he raced through the halls and pushed away any Digimon that got in his way. He didn't care how crowded the place was, nothing's going to stop Takuya from getting his beloved back. The teen checked room after room, looking for either Eldestmon or Swiftmon.

On the other hand, his actions did not go overlooked. Many Digimon were amazed at how fast this human was going. Never before had they seen him move so quickly. While a few complimented on the boy's quick burst of speed, many others felt a little concerned for the lone human in the area. Bokomon and Neemon were two of many Digimon that watched Takuya go by.

"Wow, he's fast!" Neemon pointed out. "He's a lock for the hundred-meter dash at the upcoming Digimon Olympics!"

"Knock it off, you imbecile." Bokomon gave his partner an annoyed look. "Ugh, you have no sensitivity toward others, don't you?"

"Should I?" The yellow rabbit asked as innocently as he could.

"Oh forget it! Come on, let's follow him!" His partner said. Bokomon grabbed Neemon by his trousers and dragged him down the hallway.

"Poor Takuya." Bokomon thought about his depressed human friend. "I hope he's alright. I can only imagine how my poor boy's feeling right now. It must be very sad for him to lose such a close friend like Zoe. He really does love her. Anybody could tell that those two were a perfect fit for each other. Oh Takuya... don't get so hard on yourself, my boy. We'll find a way to get her back. I promise you..."

"Bokomon?" Neemon once again interrupted his partner's thoughts.

"What now?" Bokomon glared at the rabbit Digimon.

"Can you take me to the restroom?"

"Why can't you go yourself? You're a big boy now! I don't need to hold your hand all the time, like I'm your mommy or something!"

"Wait? You're not my mommy?"

*smack*

Bokomon slammed his green book on Neemon's skull so hard, he managed to create a few lumps on his head. The retarded Digimon laid his chest on the ground, with his rear end sticking up toward the ceiling. If one were to look hard enough, they could see stars dancing around Neemon's cranium. But anyway, Bokomon dusted off his book and continued strolling through the lobbies in hopes to find Takuya.

Meanwhile, the brown haired teenager has just checked the thirteenth room in this large facility. But he still hasn't found neither Eldestmon, nor Swiftmon. The next placed Takuya had checked was the cafeteria. It was one of the largest places in the headquarters, so there was a good chance that he might run into one of them there. Once he reached his destination, he looked around for a wise, old leader or a warrior wielding diamond edge blades. There were hundreds Digimon in the cafeteria, but alas, Eldestmon and Swiftmon weren't inside. After unleashing another frustrating groan, Takuya left the room and continued his search.

Most of the Digimon saw the boy hastily walked in and out of the cafeteria. But a few of them should actual concern for the human. Three of those Digimon included the Legendary Warriors of Ice, Earth and Wood. From the table they were sitting at, they could see the desperate look in the teen's eyes, as well as him rushing out of the cafeteria as quick as he came.

"Just look at him go." Arbormon said before taking a bite out of a meat apple.

"Mmm, some big problem boy has." Grumblemon mumbled.

"Come on, guys. Give Takuya a break." Kumamon said as he watched the Bearer of Flame disappear into the crowds. He then put his fork down and pushed his plate aside. The sight of the boy in pain and misery made him lose his appetite.

"Me don't understand what big deal is." The gnome Warrior objected. "Why human cause much pain to himself?"

"Well, you know what I always say: It's hard to lose friends, and it's even harder to _lose_ friends... right?" said the Warrior of Wood.

"You don't understand the relationship Takuya has with Zoe. They're more than just friends. They share a special bond with one another. They truly care for each other. I saw it in his eyes when we had to retreat. He kept calling for her name, like she means everything to him. Never before had I seen Takuya so upset. None of us will understand the pain he's going through right now." Kumamon sighed.

"Meh, maybe you're right." Arbormon wiped his the food off of his mouth. "I guess friendship is a powerful thing, right? I kinda feel bad for the kid, but he better snap out of it soon. Or else it's to the wood chipper for all of us, right?"

"Me agree. If human keep acting strange, Digital World go bye-bye."

"Let's just hope it doesn't come to that..." Kumamon said.

He got up from seat to throw his trash away. He made his way toward the bin closest to the entrance to the cafeteria. After the Warrior of Ice dumped the remaining contents into the garbage, he walked back into the lobby and turned his attention toward the direction where the Bearer of Flame was heading. Kumamon couldn't help but worry about the human. He may not realize it, but his stressed attitude is having a negative impact on the other Digimon around them. A few of them also started to get the feeling of hopelessness. Others acted like the end of the Digital World has already begun, especially Takuya. Then again, with his beloved gone, what more does he have to lose?"

"Come on, Takuya. Everyone's trying their pull through this and stop Malevomon. But in order to do that, we need your help. Please, snap out of it before it's too late..." Kumamon silently prayed.

All he could do right now is believe in Takuya and hope that he can bounce back even stronger. But unfortunately for most Digimon, believing in the Digital World's only chance of survival seemed to be very difficult at the moment.

By now, Takuya Kanbara was getting extremely agitated. He had spent the last thirty minutes looking either for Swiftmon or Eldestmon. Too bad for him, luck wasn't on his side. Neither the leader, nor the commander of the Digimon Battlefront were anywhere to be found. While half an hour doesn't seem like a long time, it seemed like an eternity to Takuya. He felt like the longer this keeps up, the less likely he can get Zoe back. But with every that passed, Takuya's hope in saving his girlfriend grew slimmer; almost to the point where he was about to give up. Just when all hope was lost, Takuya finally came across a room he's all too familiar with.

"The Digiporter Room!" Takuya gasped as he quickly made his way toward the large, red decked doors. He pulled on the handle and walked inside.

The bad news was that neither the elderly, nor the swordsman Digimon were inside. But the good news was someone else was. Takuya's eyes widened when he saw a rock-type Digimon working on the Digiporter. After what seemed like a long time, there was a small glimmer of hope. Without wasting another second, he rushed toward the platform with the Rookie level Digimon on top of it.

"Gotsumon!" The Bearer of Flame shouted, which captured the stony creature's attention.

"What the heck are you doing here, kid? Can't you see I'm busy?" Gotsumon unwelcomingly scowled. "I'm trying to fix the calibration of the Digiport..."

"Send me back, now!" Takuya commanded. He pushed Gotsumon off of the platform and stood on the center. When the granite Digimon stood up, he gave Takuya a strange look.

"You want me to what?" He asked.

"Malevomon's got Zoe! I can't just stand here and do nothing! I'm gonna rescue her! Now, hurry up and teleport me to wherever they've taken her!"

"That's a very specific location, kid!"

"You're not helping!" Takuya shouted impatiently.

"How am I supposed to know where he took your girlfriend?"

"Gotsumon..." The Bearer of Flame cracked his knuckles.

"Alright, already! If I were to guess, I would say Malevomon may have took your friend back to his castle. But I can't just..."

"Do it! Now!"

"You're not listening to me! Swiftmon ordered me not to teleport anyone until he gets word from..."

But Gotsumon never got a chance to finish his statement. As quick as a wink, Takuya jumped off of the platform, grabbed the humanoid rock under the armpits and shoved him against one of the computers. The screens had cracked and a bunch of sparks danced from the machine. But a broken computer is the least of Gotsumon's concerned. He looked at the boy in fear and gulped nervously. Takuya, however, kept a hold on the Rookie and his glowered into his eyes.

"Listen to me, rock head! My friend is in trouble, and here you are giving me trouble! As much as I like to shove your sorry face into every one of these machines in this room, I feel like I should give you one more chance! Now, do as I say and send me back, or else!"

"But... But I... I can't just..."

"No buts! Because if your refuse to help me..." The teenage boy reached into his pocket and showed Gotsumon his D-Tector. "... then you'll find out the hard way if my fist can crush your entire..."

"TAKUYA!" Someone shouted.

The Bearer of Flame turned to toward the front of the room and saw three Digimon standing at the entrance: Bokomon, Neemon, and Swiftmon. The swordsman grabbed the handle of one of his weapons, tempted to slice off the boy's arm if he refused to cooperate.

"Put Gotsumon down!" Swiftmon ordered.

Takuya sighed with frustration and released the rock-like Digimon. As Rookie level creature tried to get away from the human teenager, the Bearer of Flame stomped toward the Digimon Battlefront's second-in-command and gave him the same leer that he had used on Gotsumon. On the other hand, the stronger warrior didn't back down or show any signs of intimidation.

"What's gotten into you, Takuya? I've never seen you act like this before!" Bokomon spoke his concern.

"Act? I didn't know he can act! Is Takuya a movie star or something?"

"Oh hush!" Bokomon smacked his forehead for his partner's remarks.

But before he could think about giving Neemon another painful wedgie, Swiftmon stepped forward and looked Takuya in the eye. His stare showed the boy power with a little bit of dominance. His entire body language reminded Takuya who's in charge. In other words, Swiftmon wasn't going to back down, regardless how desperate or emotionally distressed the boy was.

"Swiftmon, please..." Takuya begged. "You gotta send me back! Zoe's in trouble! I have to find her and save her before it's too late! There's no telling what Malevomon is doing to her right now and..."

"Enough!" The swordsman Digimon said to silence the boy. "I had talked with Lord Eldestmon about the situation, and he said that he will come up with a plan of action to get your friend back. But until then, the Digiporter is off limits to everyone, including you!"

"Oh, I get it! So that's our best plan: Just sit here on our butts and wait for Malevomon to drop off Zoe's lifeless body right on our front door! Isn't that right?" Takuya said sarcastically.

"Takuya, please calm yourself." said Bokomon. He stood in between the human and the Champion Digimon just in case things got out of hand.

"That's not what I said, Bearer of Flame. You know I won't stop until we save your friend. And you know how much I want to defeat Malevomon and stop his evil reign. I understand how you feel about losing your..."

"No! You don't! None of you guys could understand how I feel!" Takuya raised his voice once again. "You weren't there when it all happened! You didn't see Zoe push me out of the way so she could take Malevomon's attack head on! You didn't see the look of pain on her face before she passed out! How could you say you understand how I feel, Swiftmon? I lost someone precious to me! I lost best friend! I lost my... my... *sniff*"

The teenage boy clenched his fists tight. This time, his tears had won the battle. The three Rookies, plus Swiftmon, could see the boy's face covered with streams of salty wetness. Then again, he wasn't the only one portraying some kind of emotion. Bokomon wiped his eyes, understand the boy's pain. Even though the impact wasn't the same, losing a friend like Zoe sure hit him hard. Neemon also let out a tear or two. Gotsumon stood with his arms crossed and turned the other way, hoping that no one could see something wet in his eye.

"It is unfortunate what happened to the Bearer of Wind." Swiftmon continued, being the only one showing a neutral face. "But that still won't change my mind. Malevomon has captured one of the Chosen Children, and I'm not going to let him get his hands on another. So with that, my call still stands. You are to remain at the Digimon Battlefront's home base until I receive further instructions from Lord Eldestmon.

"What? Are you kidding me? You expect me to stay here and wait until Eldestmon decides its time to go?" argued the goggle-headed boy.

"Not only I'm expecting you, but I'm commanding you to do so! Do you know why we have to wait? First of all, we lost a lot of fighters on our last mission. And half of them that did return successfully were either injured or very sick. We needed our team of Blisseymon to work double time to get our ranks back on their feet. Secondly, Malevomon has a hostage now. That means, he has the advantage. We must proceed with extreme caution. We can't just rush in blindly and attack him head on. If I send you back, not only you're putting yourself at risk, but her life in danger as well. You're our only hope in saving this world. So you better listen to what I say. Otherwise, if your friend perishes, it would be in your hands!"

"But... But I..."

"Now leave the Digiporter Room! And don't think of coming back until I say so! Because if your try anything stupid, I will have you personally detained. Do you understand me?" Swiftmon spoke one last time. He leaned in closer before asking for confirmation.

Instead of answering, Takuya kept his eyes downward and remained silent. His fists were clenched so tight, his digits felt like they're about to be crushed at any given moment. He tried hard to hold back the rest of his tears, even though a couple of them managed to escape. Without saying a word, he walked passed Swiftmon and the other Rookies. He made his way toward the entrance to the Digiporter Room.

However, before he left the room, Takuya banged his fist against one of the machines on his left and threw down a shelving unit on his right. Boxes and other small devices fell to the floor with some of them breaking upon impact. Finally, the angry Bearer of Flame released one more violent and rage-filled roar before stomping out of the Digiporter Room. As Bokomon and Neemon looked on with concern, Swiftmon placed a hand his forehead and groaned.

"Takuya" Bokomon cried, thinking about going after his friend. However, Swiftmon stepped in front of his undersized comrade.

"Let him go. If he needs to blow off some steam to cool off, then so be." The swordsman ordered.

"Well.. alright..." The Rookie gulped, still wondering if Swiftmon's decision was the appropriate one.

Outside the Digiporter Room, Takuya angrily marched through the hallways, unleashing his rage on anything he sees. Besides topping a few structures and furniture resting along the sides, the goggle-head was knocking out any Digimon he happened to make contact with. Others try to stop him, but all ended up on the ground in a daze. A Renamon tired to intervene, but Takuya gave her a punch to the gut before tossing her aside into a machine nearby. Next, an Agumon and a Biyomon grabbed the boy by the arms in attempt to restrain him. Unfortunately, neither one of them had the strength to keep Takuya under control. The Bearer of Flame easily broke free and turned the tables on them. He grabbed Agumon and Biyomon by the back of their heads and viciously slammed them against each other. Once when they were out of the way, Takuya stomped back into the cafeteria. He knocked down almost all of the stack of plates and kicked the garbage cans as hard as he could. As the brown haired boy continued to unleash his anger, many Digimon looked on, wondering if they should help out or let him vent.

"HEY, STOP THAT!" A Kotemon cried as he dove toward the human. He wrapped his tiny arms and legs around Takuya's calf. The good news was that his embraced managed to get the teen to stop trashing what's left of the cafeteria.

The bad news was that it was only temporary. Takuya grabbed Kotemon by the collar and shoved him against the wall. The Rookie warrior tried as hard as he could to break free, but to no avail. His legs danged in midair, kicking about with no luck at all.

"Somebody, get me down..." Kotemon begged for his life. A Bearmon tried to help by pulling on the boy's jeans. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to keep Takuya under control, regardless how hard he tugged. In fact, the only response he got from the Bearer of Flame was backwards kick that sent the small grizzly tumbling on the cafeteria floor.

"Bearmon, no!" The terrified Kotemon gasped.

Too bad for him that most of the other Digimon were too afraid step in. The Legendary Warriors of Ice, Wood and Earth also noticed the ruckus the teenage boy was causing. But the only one that showed actual worry was Kumamon. Grumblemon turned his head away, not wanting to get involved. Arbormon, on the other hand, placed his feet on the table and tried to enjoy the show.

"Come on, you guys! We got to help him!" said the Warrior of Ice.

"Me pass." mumbled the gnome Digimon. "Just let human go."

"You got that right. Besides, watching this boy rage is entertaining if you know what I'm talking about." The wooden android agreed.

"Jeez, thanks guys. Even after you've became the good guys, you're still bigger jerks than ever." Kumamon grumbled. After sighing with defeat, Kumamon turned toward the teenage human.

"Takuya, knock it off!" He said, rushing as fast as he could towards him.

While Kumamon was a little taller than Bearmon, his head only reached to Takuya's sternum. And even though he was a Legendary Warrior, his short size and lack of strength could prove difficult for him to get the human under control. So instead, he thought about taking a new approach. After carefully aiming at Takuya's wrist, the Warrior of Ice took a deep breath.

"Crystal Freeze." He said softly to decrease the power of his attack.

The polar bear Digimon released a light whistle from his lips, which sent a chilly air wave into Takuya's direction. With perfect precision, the cold wind made it to Takuya's carpals. Kumamon mostly uses this technique to freeze his opponents, change the terrain or immobilize the enemy. But because he lowered the power of the blow, the best he could do was numb Takuya's wrists.

Thankfully, that was all he had to do. The Bearer of Flame lost sensation in his hands and fingers, which made him drop Kotemon to the ground. The Rookie landed hard on his butt and coughed hard to regain the oxygen he had lost. Next, the samarai scrambled back on all fours and crawled away from Takuya as fast as he could. By the time he had disappeared into the crowd of Digimon, Takuya's wrists returned back to normal. Instead of going after Kotemon, he scowled at the Warrior of Ice.

"What did you do that for?" He snapped at Kumamon.

"You need to calm down, Takuya!" argued the cold Digimon.

"Don't tell me to 'calm down!' I don't need why any of your guys are telling me to 'calm down!'"

"Because you're wrecking the whole place and hurting other Digimon! You're out of control, Takuya! You need to stop, take a deep breath and..."

"Will you just shut up? I'm tired of everyone telling me that I have a problem. You think I'm that stupid to not realize it? Of course I have a problem. And his name is Malevomon! He's got Zoe locked somewhere in his castle! And who knows what horrible things he's doing to her right now? I keep telling you guys that I need to find Zoe and save her before that creep..."

"CUTIE!" A voice of a female warrior entered Takuya's ear. "CUTIE, CUTIE, CUTIE!

The familiar sound made Takuya cringe. He looked over his left shoulder and noticed the third-in-command of the Digimon Battlefront running towards him with her arms wide open. Takuya was about to brace himself, when Beautymon made the first move. She dove toward the Bearer of Flame and wrapped her arms around his torso. The two of them fell to the ground and rolled on the cafeteria floor. Moments later, they came to a stop with Takuya, surprisingly, on top of the female Digimon.

"Hi Sweetie Pie!" The olive haired warrior gave the boy cute wink.

"Beautymon! What are you doing? Can't you see I'm not in the mood to..."

"Oh I'm sorry Cutie. Do you want ME to be on top?" Beautymon asked in a more seductive tone. She shrugged her shoulders before speaking. "Very well then."

Before she turned the tables on him, the female Digimon trailed one of her soft hands from Takuya's cheek down to his chin. From there, she slithered down his neck and onto his shoulders. Meanwhile, Takuya was so mesmerized with Beautymon's pink orbs and the soothing touch of her delicate skin. This indescribable, yet unbelievable feeling in his body has inadvertently made him attracted to the digital beauty.

However, he wasn't prepared for what happened next.

Suddenly, Beautymon grabbed onto Takuya's collar and gave it a hard tug. At the same time, she bucked her hips upward. With her momentum going up and Takuya's going down, the female warrior rolled her 'Cutie' over until she was on top of him. She then pounced on his stomach so he couldn't escape.

"There you go, Cutie! Now I'M on top." She leaned in closer toward the boy's lips, ready to give him a long wet kiss, when she stopped inches away from his face. She hadn't forgotten that there were other Digimon watching them. The third-in-command pulled away from the boy and glowered at her followers.

"HEY! YOU FREAKS EVER HEARD OF 'PRIVACY?' GET YOUR UGLY BUTTS OUT OF HERE! ALL OF YOU!" She screamed from the top of her lungs.

Realizing that disobeying Beautymon's orders is like writing a death wish, every Digimon scrambled out of the cafeteria like their life depended on it. Even the Warriors of Wood, Ice and Earth exited the room without a word. While neither one of them appreciated being bossed around nor was intimidated by Beautymon's threat, they still complied with her orders. Kumamon was the last one to leave the premises. He gave Takuya one last look before disappearing from sight.

"At last, Sweetie, it's just you and me. Now..." Beautymon traced her fingers all over Takuya's chest. "... we can continue our little fun! Ooh, this will be simply divine!" She said, getting lost in her own little fantasy world once again.

"Ugh, Beautymon... get off of me!" The struggling Takuya said, trying to muster enough strength to push the female Digimon off of him. But Beautymon used his futile display of resistance to her advantaged. When Takuya tried bucking his hips, she positioned body on top on his pelvis and rode him like she was on a wild horse.

"Woohoo! Oh yes, Cutie! Rock me! Rock me hard! Harder! HARDER! OH, YES!" She squealed. Her remarks made Takuya's face red like beets.

He then tried using his hands to get the female Digimon off of his pelvic region. But Beautymon had quicker reactions and reflexes. She leaned forward and grabbed the boy's wrists. With full control of his hands, Beautymon used them to make the Bearer of Flame caress her body. Takuya's eyes widened when he realized where his hands were. It started off exploring Beautymon's tummy and hips. But then she scooted forward a little so Takuya can massaged her bottom, which made the female Digimon moan with delight.

"Oh, Sweetie..." Beautymon smiled sensually. "Such a naughty boy!"

"Beautymon, stop!" He begged. But his pleads were left unheard.

Next, Beautymon moved Takuya's hands from her butt back to her stomach. After a few more involuntary caressing, the olive haired beauty decided it was time to turn up the heat. She gave Takuya a devious, sly grin before making her move. But all the Bearer of Flame could do was gulp at what this Digimon has planned for him next. Beautymon slowly moved his hands up toward her bosoms. She closed her eyes to allow the pleasure to overcome her once again. Takuya tried to pull back and gain control of his limbs but Beautymon was too strong.

"Please, Cutie! I can't wait any longer! Punish me! Make me yours! Take me to paradise!" She cooed.

Beautymon was so caught up in the moment, her defenses were also lowered. Running out of time, Takuya tried one last time to regain positional advantage. This time, he was successful. He bucked his hips and rotated sideways. The off-balanced humanoid fell off of Takuya's stomach before his hands could touch her breasts. The minute Beautymon landed on her back, Takuya sprang on top of her and pinned her arms to the ground.

"Ooh, Cutie! I never knew you were so strong." The olive haired Digimon smiled. But Takuya was not in the mood for playtime.

"That's enough!" He commanded her. "Stop fooling around, Beautymon! I can't believe you're doing these things to me at a time like this! How can you act like this when Zoe's life is in danger?"

"What are you talking about, Sweetie?"

"Cut the foolishness and help me save Zoe before Malevomon does something really bad to her!"

"Oh, nothing would make me happier..." The humanoid Digimon snickered to herself.

"I need you to take me to Malevomon's castle right away!" Takuya said, snapping Beautymon back to reality. Unfortunately, those weren't the kind of words the third-in-command wanted to hear.

"Come on, baby. Forget about Blondie. Life will be so much better when you do."

"I can't! I just can't! It's all my fault she was kidnapped. Because of me, Malevomon has her in his clutches."

"Don't say that. It wasn't your fault. The only one to blame is Blondie herself. She was so weak, she couldn't even protect you. Humans like her don't deserve someone as handsome and strong like you!"

"Stop it!" Takuya ordered. He gave Beautymon's wrists a squeeze, which made the female Digimon whimper. Whether she was really in pain or not, no one knows.

"Cutie... you're hurting me..." She spoke innocently.

"If you want me to stop, then please help me rescue my friend!"

"But... but..." The olive haired warrior swallowed nervously. "... Sweetie... *gulp*... who cares about that _stupid _girl with the _flat chest_?" She said, not purposefully emphasizing Zoe's description.

Unfortunately, that only made the Bearer of Flame squeezed harder on poor Beautymon's wrists. Her face cringed in mild agony. She was able to let out a soft, yet semi-sexy moan. But Takuya ignored her cries for help. He loosened his grip on the beauty's carpals, but remained on top of her so she couldn't move.

"Cutie, please..." said the female Digimon. "I'm only trying to help."

"You want to help?" Takuya asked. "Do you REALLY want to help me Beautymon? Then, in the name of God, help me find a way to get Zoe back!"

"Huh? You want me to what?" Beautymon asked, unable to believe if those words actually came out of Takuya's mouth.

"She means everything to me. I don't know what I would do without her."

"Oh Cutie..." The olive haired warrior rolled her eyes in disgust. "Why do you constantly torment yourself thinking about poor old Blondie? You know you can do so much better with someone 'stronger' and 'more beautiful'... like me? And not only I can do a better job in protecting you, but I can also give you the lo..."

"TAKUYA!" Someone shouted, rudely interrupting Beautymon's attempt to seduce the Bearer of Flame. Takuya and Beautymon turned toward the entrance of the cafeteria and they both noticed a Rookie Digimon with a pink waistband around his small body.

"Takuya, thank goodness I've found you!" Bokomon said, still trying to catch his breath. "Eldestmon has been looking for you! He wants you to come to the Briefing Room immediately! It's an emergency!"

"Well, it's about time!" The goggle-headed boy got off of Beautymon and stood back up. However, he didn't give the female Digimon a hand or show her any signs of chivalry. Basically, he completely ignored her, leaving Beautymon appalled. Takuya marched toward his Digimon friend and gazed into his eyes.

"So, I'm assuming Eldestmon has come up with a plan to rescue Zoe?"

"Not exactly..." Bokomon looked down toward the ground. He didn't want to see Takuya's disappointed reaction. It turns out that disappointed was only an understatement. Takuya's mouth was hung open and the glare on his face told Bokomon that he's tempted to strangle him.

"If this isn't about Zoe, then I don't want any part of this!" He said, walking past the Rookie and back down the halls. But Bokomon kept his pursuit on the boy.

"Takuya, stop! You don't understand! Eldestmon needs you! This is really important! What I'm trying to say is..." The Bearer of Flame turned and leered at his friend, which stopped the Digimon from speaking. At first, Bokomon was intimidated by Takuya's attitude, but he continued to stand his ground.

"What, Bokomon? What could possibly be more important than rescuing Zoe? Huh? Answer me!" demanded the human. But his small creature stood there, trying to find the right answer. Once again, Takuya was the first to break the ice. "My point exactly! You see? There's nothing you can say that will make me..."

"TAKUYA, LISTEN TO ME!" Bokomon screeched.

His voiced echoed throughout the hallway and captured the attention of every Digimon in the vicinity. There were a lot of creatures giving him and the human strange looks. But Bokomon wasn't concerned about the large number awkward stares he had received.

"Please, just come with me, my boy! You're needed at the Briefing Room!"

"And why's that?" Takuya asked.

"Because one of Malevomon's cronies is here to see you!" Bokomon replied.

"What? Who?" The Bearer of Flame widened his eyes and leaned in a little closer.

"Sinistromon!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter forty-five. Finally, Sinistromon<strong>**** has arrived at the Digimon Battlefront headquarters. What is his purpose for being here? Will Takuya ever find a way to rescue Zoe before Malevomon destroys her? ** ****These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next ****Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising****.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	46. Exchange

**Author's Notes: Hey guys! I had spent the last couple weeks in Kauai. And it... was... AWESOME! Swimming, zip lining, tubing, kayaking, and spending time with my family has been a blast. This is the best summer ever. Thanks to you guys, I have reached the 900 reviews mark. A hundred more and we'll reach a thousand!  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Digimon Frontier series or any of the characters.**

**Review Replies:**

**The Keeper of Worlds - I'm glad you like it.**

**Axle the Hedgehog - You're not alone. The majority of the readers want to see Beautymon burn in hell.**

**TakumiWarrior - I promise you it's bound to get interesting later on in the story.**

**Guest - That was a very creative scenario for Beautymon. I had no idea you hate her so much. j/k.  
><strong>

**shadowrunner22 - It's a minor burn, but she still got owned. **

**raidersfan777 - You're about to find out, buddy.**

**NaruHinaShikaTen - Obsessed is probably the correct term, but psychotic could work too.**

**Miss. Teria - You can dream. But you know what's gonna happen in the end. Still, keep fantasizing.**

**UnderWaterPeril - Absolutely. Doing something is better than doing nothing at all, right?**

**Pikatwig - And everybody wants me to get rid of Beautymon. But I need her for the story.  
><strong>

**t3322stc - Ooh, that sounds... painfully delicious?**

**kirakuya1101 - Dude, that show gives me nightmares every time I watch it!**

**Fruity Pebble - Wow! 6 out of 5! That really means a lot to me! I love your long critiques.  
><strong>

**Haku - Indeed. Thanks for reviewing.**

**MerryHimawari - Relax. I know it was a long wait, but here you go.**

**CaptainDandruff - You like it? I came up with it myself!**

**No.1DigiBakuFan - Suspenseful, isn't it?**

**S-A Bleach - That depends. You want to fall in love with an obsessive, sexual deviant?**

**GakuenShimai - All I can say is... WHOA!**

**Guest - That's perfectly fine. Thanks for your honest feedback. By the way, I will include the others later.**

**No.1DigiBakuFan - Stay tuned for more Zoe/Beautymon conflicts.**

**InfernalBlueMoon - The Spirit Evolutions are one of my favorite scenes. I'm glad you enjoyed it.**

**Guest - It is strange, but Beautymon is a supporting character... for now...**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter forty-six.**

* * *

><p><strong>Exchange<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"What do you mean Sinistromon's here?" Takuya asked.

"I mean, he's in the Briefing Room waiting for you." answered Bokomon.

"What the heck is he doing here anyway?"

"I have no idea. But that's why I came searching for you. And he won't talk unless he..."

But before Bokomon could finish, Takuya dashed passed the Rookie and raced through the hallways. Unlike the previous times when he was so emotionally broken, the look on the human's face told the spectating Digimon around him that there was a sense of urgency inside him. He didn't know what to expect, nor have any idea why Sinistromon came here. But for all he knew, this could be the first step to getting Zoe back.

However, before the human could proceed with his destination, something caught his eye. Prior to passing the cafeteria, he noticed a female Digimon sitting on the ground, like she's still in shock. Her long olive hair curtained half of her gorgeous face. But when the Bearer of Flame came into her sights, her eyes lit up.

"Why, hello Cutie!" Beautymon smiled. She extended her hand out toward Takuya. "A little help here, please?"

"Come on, Beautymon!" Takuya commanded the pale skinned beauty. "Get up! We got to head over toward the Briefing Room!" And with that, the boy sprinted down the halls, leaving an appalled Beautymon all alone.

As Takuya rushed through the lobbies, Bokomon tried as hard as he could to catch up. He should've known that when it comes to saving Zoe, Takuya's mindset can change at the drop of a dime. In a matter of seconds, the Bearer of Flame disappeared from Bokomon's sights. However, at least he knew where Takuya was going, so there won't be any point in chasing him. It wasn't until Bokomon spotted a yellow rabbit sitting on the bench; apparently counting his fingers and toes.

"Oh, there you are, Bokomon!" Neemon waved. "Care to join me in a little nap?"

"You nimrod! Stop messing around and come with me!" ordered his partner. On the pass, he grabbed Neemon's ears and gave it a hard yan and helped his friend back to his feet. The two of them ventured through the hallways and tried to find Takuya.

But little did they know, the Bearer of Flame had already reached his destination.

Takuya stood in front of the doors that lead to the Briefing Room. From there, he could already hear voices coming from inside. Without a doubt, Sinistromon was inside the Briefing Room, just like Bokomon had said. He could tell from the constant complaining from one of the noises. Wasting little time, Takuya opened the doors and walked inside.

It turns out that there were quite a few Digimon in this room besides Sinistromon. Takuya also saw the leader of the Digimon Battlefront, as well as his second-in-command. Resting along the sides of the room were the Legendary Warriors of Wood, Ice and Earth. Every Digimon in the room weren't too happy to see the pint sized imp in their presence.

"Sheesh! When's that darn human gonna get here? All of this waiting is making my toes dry!" complained Malevomon's lackey.

"SINISTROMON!" Takuya screamed. The small devil, along with the rest of the Digimon in the Briefing Room, turned toward the entrance to see the teenage boy make his entrance. The human kept his raged-filled glare on the dark creature. However, Sinistromon greeted the angered Takuya with a smug grin.

"Well, what do you know? The stupid human has finally decided showed up! It's about time you got here! I was so bored, I was thinking about trashing this lousy place before..."

Malevomon's servant was so caught up with his monologue, he didn't notice Takuya marching towards him with fury in his heart. Before Sinistromon could react, the Bearer of Flame grabbed the Rookie by the collar and shoved him against the wall. While it did send some solid vibrations down the devil's spine, the smirk on his face remained, unaffected by Takuya's aggression.

"What's wrong brat? Didn't your mom teach you about manners? It's rude to interrupt folks when they're..."

Instead of letting Sinistromon finish his sarcastic remarks, Takuya threw the Rookie toward the sides. He sent the imp crashing into a shelving unit filled with all kinds of books, strange devices and other objects. Sinistromon bounced off the mantle and fell on the ground. As he tried to get back on all fours, Takuya quickly made his toward the Rookie. The goggle-head pulled his leg back and gave Sinistromon a vicious soccer kick to the gut. Malevomon's subordinate huffed in agony and clutched his bruised midsection.

"That was for my friend!" Takuya declared. He helped Sinistromon back to his feet and tossed him into the steel walls again. As the imp slid back down, the Bearer of Flame rushed toward the defenseless Sinistromon, ready to unleash more of his frustration on the Battlefront's guest.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Digimon in the room looked on. Arbormon and Grumblemon were more than happy to see this tiny Digimon getting what he deserved. But Kumamon, Sinistromon and Eldestmon were disappointed at the boy's behavior. And as much as they all like to take out one of Malevomon's followers, there was still business to be taken care of. Moments later, the doors to the Briefing Room opened up. Bokomon and Neemon quietly walked inside. The first thing they noticed was Takuya pounding the living daylights out of Sinistromon.

"Um... should I even ask?" Bokomon questioned.

"He's just... blowing off some steam." Kumamon answered.

"That boy..." Eldestmon smacked his forehead. He then turned to his second-in-command. "Swiftmon, if you please?"

"Yes, sir!" nodded the swordsman.

In a flash, he disappeared from sight. But a second later, he reappeared behind Takuya and grabbed one of his wrists. He gave the boy's carpal a tug, forcing him back to his feet. Before Takuya could do anything, Swiftmon wrapped his arms around the teen's body and lifted him off of the ground. The Bearer of Flame kicked his legs and wiggled around in hopes of breaking free, but to no avail. He carried Takuya back to his original spot, trying to get him as far from the battered Sinistromon as possible. Finally, Swiftmon set the human down. As for a little insurance, he took out one of his blades and held it in front of Takuya, just in case.

With that out of the way, Eldestmon made his way toward Malevomon's subordinate, who was still on all fours. Besides a bruised rib, a swollen right cheek and a couple of teeth spat out from his mouth, Sinistromon seemed to be okay. However, Eldestmon didn't even bother helping the Rookie back up. Still, Sinistromon wasn't fazed at all by the harsh treatment he had been receiving. In fact, even after getting pounded by Takuya, the imp still kept his arrogant grin. He looked back at the boy and snickered as he returned to a standing position..

"You done, kid?" asked Sinistromon. "Because if not, than please go on. I can take on anything you throw at me... unlike that other human friend of yours."

"Why I oughta..." Takuya growled. But before he could think about rushing toward the Rookie, Swiftmon had already cut him off from the pass. "I swear, Sinistromon! The next time I get my hands on you, I'll..."

"Enough!" ordered the Digimon Battlefront's leader. He limped a little closer and pointed his wooden cane at the Rookie.

"Sinistromon, you have got some nerve showing your face here."

"Hehe, it's nice to see you too, Old Mon! By the way, still having that hair loss problem?"

"Hmph..." grumbled Eldestmon, being able to resist the temptation of beating up the imp.

"Oh, enough of this already! I say we pound the little shrimp into pudding, if you know what I'm talking about!" suggested the Warrior of Wood. He detached both of his arms and took one step forward.

"Hey! Me got dibs first! I the one crush annoying pest!" said the Warrior of Earth with a sledge hammer in his possession.

"Ooh, I sense a challenge!" The mischievous Digimon snickered. "Bring it on, you Legendary Hasbeens. I can take all of you on with my hands tied behind my... YEOW!"

Sinistromon was cut off by a pinkish beam in the face. The projectile sent the imp crashing into one of the computer's mainframe. Not only did Sinistromon smashed the monitors, but the collision also sent thousand of sparks flying all across the room. In the beginning, every Digimon was a little shocked about what happened. But moments later, Takuya and the rest of the occupants in the room turned toward the entrance to see who had fired that laser.

"God dammit! Why? Why is everyone all against me? Why do these lousy Digimon have to criticize every little thing I do? And who gave those ugly freaks the right to talk behind me back?" The female Digimon marched furiously inside the Briefing Room.

"Beautymon?" Bokomon gasped, but swallowed the rest of his words when he saw the fierce look in her pink eyes.

"This stinks! I hate everyone! I hate you all! I hate Swiftmon..."

The swordsman Digimon rose one of his eyebrows, but was not surprised with his partner's statement. He remained quiet as Beautymon continued complaining.

"I hate Eldestmon..."

Interestingly, the leader of the Digimon Battlefront portrayed no kind of emotion upon hearing Beautymon's rant.

"I hate Malevomon! I hate his pathetic servants! I hate those evil Legendary Warriors!"

Neemon, Grumblemon and Arbormon try to hold their laughter. They couldn't help but find humor listening to the olive haired beauty whine. But Kumamon and Bokomon smacked their own foreheads and let out a frustrating groan in response.

"Oh, and more importantly..." Beautymon continued. "I absolutely HATE that chick with the flat chest! I mean, seriously! What's going on? What the heck does Cutie see in her?"

Takuya's eyes widened at the strange description of his beloved. While he has seen Beautymon rage more often than not, it still surprised him. Most of the time, the Digimon Battlefront's third-in-command tends to display little to no emotions. The only occasion where that's not true is when ever the Bearer of Flame's around.

"Beautymon what are you doing?" Swiftmon interrupted Takuya's thoughts. "Can't you see we were having a conversation with Sin..."

"Shut up, Swiftmon! This doesn't concern you! You're so hurtful! Everyone's ganging up on me! Why can't any of you understand how I feel? I'm having a really bad day right now! So, I don't care what you or any of you monstrosities have to say, I just wish all of you would get lost... except for you Sweetie. You're more than welcome to stay with me." Beautymon gave Takuya a wink and a smile filled with seduction and lust.

"Oh, great. Little Miss 'I'm-So-Perfect' has finally decided to join us!" said Sinistromon who has returned to a vertical base. He stared at the female Digimon and licked his lips. "Hey toots! You miss me?"

"Miss you? Ew..." Beautymon flipped her hair to the side. "Actually Sinistromon, the only thing I miss was all the times I make you my own personal punching bag for the..."

"Alright, that's enough!" Eldestmon commanded. He glowered into the small creature's eyes before speaking.

"You have no business being here, Sinistromon. You and your master have brought a lot of pain to many Digimon all across the world. So, cut the jokes and give us a good reason why we shouldn't annihilate you?"

"That's an excellent question, you geezer. But if I talked, then what would keep you from destroying me anyway?" Next, the pint-sized devil turned to the furious Bearer of Flame and widened his grin. "As we all can see, this boy is just dying to get his hands on..."

"WHERE'S ZOE?" Takuya finally asked.

The Briefing Room was filled with dead silence. All of the eyes in the area shifted toward Malevomon's lackey. At first, Sinistromon replied by simply staring at the Bearer of Flame. But after a while, the devil unleashed a subtle sigh. He slowly walked toward the human with absolutely no fear. Swiftmon retaliated by unsheathing his second sword and pointing the tip at Sinistromon's neck. But the imp walked passed the warrior like he wasn't there, even with a sharp weapon touching his jugular artery. It wasn't long before he was standing before the human. Sinistromon flapped his wings until he was at eye level with the boy.

"Isn't it obvious kid? She's with us now! Hahahaha!" The Rookie replied. Sinistromon could see Takuya gritting his teeth and clenching his fist. "And I gotta tell you, our master sure knows how to welcome our guest!"

"No... Zoe..." gulped the human.

"Would you relax, you little twerp? Your girlfriend's fine! In fact, besides a small tour of the castle and feast, she's alive and well... um... scratch that... not well and, uh... barely alive? Hehe!"

"Listen to me, Sinistromon!" Takuya interrupted by grabbing the Digimon by the collar. "Tell Malevomon that I'm coming for him! And when I find him, I'm going to make him pay for hurting my best friend! You tell him that..."

"Oh, I wish I could..." This time, it was Sinistromon's turn to interrupt. He swatted Takuya's hands aside and was able to break free from the boy's grasp. Sinistromon landed on both feet and dropped his black backpack. "But I got two problems with your little command there. First off, I am not YOUR messenger boy. I only serve Lord Malevomon, and him alone."

"Secondly, if you really want to threaten Lord Malevomon... then why don't you try saying it to his face?"

The Rookie got on his knees and reach into his bag. Unfortunately for him, that action alone was enough to have the entire room on the defensive. Swiftmon pointed both of his blades at the imp, while Beautymon aimed her hands and charge up for another Beautiful Beam. With both of his upper extremities detached, Arbormon closed the distance and was ready to intercept the devil's potential attacks. Grumblemon was behind the wooden android, wielding two sledgehammers in his hands. Elsewhere, Kumamon got down on one knee and took aim with his bazooka. Even Takuya kept his guard up. He took his red and black D-Tector out of his pocket and was ready to Spirit Evolve.

"WHOA! HEY, HEY, HEY! HOLD ON A SECOND!" The appealed Sinistromon reached out of his bag and put his hands up in the air. "LISTEN TO ME, OKAY? I'M NOT HERE TO HURT YOU LOSERS! HONEST, I SWEAR!"

"Nice try, Sinistromon. But what makes you think we're gonna believe you?" Takuya asked, still glaring at Malevomon's subordinate.

"Because that is not my reason for being here." The imp continued. "Trust me. If I wanted to destroy you dopes and blow things up, I would've done that the moment I step foot into this place."

"Then state your purpose for being here." Eldestmon ordered more sternly.

Instead of answering, Sinistromon lowered his arms, got back down and reached inside his black backpack. After a few seconds of rummaging through his things, Malevomon's faithful servant took out what appeared to be a dark sphere. But when he showed it to the others in the Briefing Room, the Digimon Battlefront's defensive mechanisms turned back on again.

"It's a Chaos Sphere! We got a Chaos Sphere in the building!" Swiftmon shouted. It was a good thing the doors to the room were shut. Otherwise, the entire headquarters would've gone into panic, and there would be disorder and pandemonium.

Anyway, the second-in-command lunged forward and went for a vertical slash at the Rookie. Sinistromon quickly moved out of the way and flapped his wings to increase his distance. He also dodged a couple of Beautymon's beams and Kumamon's snowballs. When the Blizzard Blaster had ceased, Sinistromon was as angry as a mule.

"What are you idiots trying to do, blow me to bits?" He asked.

"Tempting..." smiled the female Digimon. "Now, can you please hold still so I can blast a huge hole in your..."

"Beautymon!" This time, it was Eldestmon who had commanded her to cease her actions.

The elderly leader stepped forward in front of the rest of the other Digimon. He held an arm up and gently placed it down by his side, silently ordering them to lower their weapons. One by one, the Digimon Battlefront and the Legendary Warriors complied with Eldestmon's orders. To no one's surprise, Takuya was the last one to drop his guard. He slowly, but hesitantly placed his D-Tector back in his pocket. Once Sinistromon felt that the coast was clear, he cleared his throat and faced his audience.

"First of all you idiots, what I have here is NOT a Chaos Sphere." He said, showing the good guys his device. "As you can see, there is absolutely no presence of dark energy. It may look like one of Lord Malevomon's ingenious inventions, but I can guarantee you that this is not it."

"And besides, if I do have a Chaos Sphere in my possession... which I don't... I would've used it on either the first pathetic Digimon I saw, or even Eldestmon or Swiftmon. However, I'm not here to cause trouble or launch a sneak attack on your lousy home base. Lord Malevomon has sent me here to relay a message... to the human."

As if they were on cue with each other, all of the eyes on every Digimon shifted from Malevomon's subordinate to the Bearer of Flame. They all could see the boy's eyes widened like a deer spotting headlights. Takuya gulped nervously before taking a step toward the Rookie.

"Malevomon has a message? For me?" gasped the teenager.

"That's right!" Sinistromon nodded. He landed back on the ground and placed his black device on the ground. "This here is the Chaos Communicator! It's one of Malevomon's finest creations. All of the master's subordinates, including myself, use these devices to speak with the Almighty One."

"You mean like a radio?" Bokomon questioned.

"Nah, a radio is a wireless transmission through space of electromagnetic waves in the approximate frequency range." answered the evil Rookie.

"Riding the waves? Woo, Cowabunga!" Neemon said out of the blue.

"Not those waves, you nincompoop!" Bokomon bickered to his partner.

"As I was saying..." Sinistromon continued. "When I activate the Chaos Communicator, the orb acts as a projection of the malicious emperor himself. So you all have the pleasure to see AND hear Lord Malevomon at the same time!"

"Cool!" Neemon complimented. Of course, everyone reacted with annoyed groans. And to top it all off, Bokomon gave the retarded rabbit another painful wedgie.

"Why do I get this feeling that this hideous weasel is lying?" suggested Beautymon, causing the entire Briefing Room to be filled with murmurs of concern.

"She's right! How are we supposed to know this device of yours isn't going to explode in our faces?" asked Kumamon, reaching for his blaster.

"Believe what you want to believe! I might be lying, I might not... Who knows? But what is not a lie is that Lord Malevomon wants to speak with the boy. So, human..." Sinistromon smirked back at the Bearer of Flame. "... what's it going to be?"

Takuya looked to his right and noticed Arbormon, Grumblemon and Kumamon were staring at him, waiting for his answer. On his left, the second and third-in-command of the Digimon Battlefront had their eye on him. And just behind him, Bokomon and Neemon were twiddling their fingers, showing their concern for their human friend. Takuya stared at his feet, trying to decide what's the best decision. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Takuya turned his head and saw Eldestmon showing his support. Once he gave the goggle-headed boy a quick nod, the Bearer of Flame faced Sinistromon once again.

"Do it!" He commanded.

"Alrighty then. Now, stand back and give me room to work."

As much as they hated being bossed around by an evil Rookie level Digimon, everyone complied. Swiftmon, on the other hand, stayed close behind, just in case things got a little dicey.

Sinistromon got on one knees and placed his right index finger on a small button on top of the Chaos Communicator. Suddenly, the device changed shape. What started out as a black sphere has now became dark bowl with clear colored interiors. There were a lot of bulbs and light projectors coming from the bottom. Then again, the new shape didn't impress the Digimon Battlefront, nor Takuya.

"Here we go!" snickered the imp. He pushed a red button on the side of his next thing everyone knew, the entire Briefing Room was covered with thick clouds of smoke. It was so foggy, visibility was almost at zero. It took about a minute for the smoke to lift. Soon, the Digimon Battlefront and the Legendary Warriors were able to see again.

But when Takuya's vision returned, his eyes widened with fear and his teeth clenched angrily.

In front of the Bearer of Flame was the wicked emperor of the Digital World. And not only that, but the background of Malevomon's Throne came into view as well. The boy noticed the stone walls, the outdated wooden furniture and the evil sovereign's chair made of obsidian and brimstone. Malevomon's presence brought sudden chills to the Briefing Room. But that didn't frighten Takuya at all.

"Greetings, Digimon Battlefront!" The Almighty One spoke with a huge grin from cheek to cheek.

"Malevomon!" Bokomon gasped at the sight of the evil Digimon.

"Ah, it seems like everyone's here!" On the other side, the malicious ruler first turned to the most powerful Digimon in the room.

"Hello, Eldestmon. How are you and the rest of your team of do-gooders doing? According to the scouters, my army has did a good number on yours. Isn't that right?" But before the elderly Digimon could reply, Malevomon had already turned to the second-in-command of the Battlefront.

"Swiftmon. Still following Eldestmon's orders like the blind sheep you are? Hmph, must be a pain being an ignorant slave, huh? Hahaha!"

"Blind sheep?" The warrior snapped, grasping the hilt of his weapons tight "You sure talk tough when you're hiding in your room like a coward. If you're as strong as you claim to be, why don't you come to our headquarters and we'll see how powerful you really are?"

"Hmm, as much as I like to break your body and your swords in half, I'm afraid your demise will have to wait." Next, Malevomon turned the other way and gave the female Digimon a smug grin.

"Ah, Beautymon. You look even more lovely than before." The evil sovereign complimented, which made the olive haired warrior smile a little bit. "It's a shame I will have to destroy such a gorgeous Digimon like yourself. You could've been a... 'fine' addition to my army."

"Oh, Malevomon. You're so flattering. But I could never serve someone as psychotic as you. And besides, evil is just so ugly. And you sir have got it all over your face." Beautymon said before flipped her long hair and turned the other cheek.

"Hehe, adorable..." The Ultimate emperor snickered.

He then scanned the room and noted the presence of the other creatures inside the Briefing Room. Obviously, Malevomon noticed the Digimon of Ice, Earth and Wood. The three Warriors had fierce scowls on their faces, and all of them wanted nothing more than to take the Almighty One down. But Malevomon replied with the same malicious grin he has gave to every Digimon lower than himself.

Next, the evil emperor saw two more small Digimon standing next to the Legendary Warriors. But since were both Rookies, they displayed more fear than the others. All it took was a simple step forward, and that was enough to send Bokomon and Neemon hiding behind Arbormon's and Swiftmon's leg. Seeing their cowardice was amusing to the sovereign.

Finally, Malevomon shifted his attention toward Takuya.

"Hello, child. I'm impressed you're still here." He chuckled. "Humans are always full of surprises. Regardless how annoying you weaklings are, I learn something new about you everyday. Anyway, do remember our last encounter? Because I do. And I must say, you should consider yourself lucky for escaping with your life. I mean, I was 'this' close to finishing you and your girl..."

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH ZOE?" Takuya barked at Malevomon.

For the second time, silence filled the Briefing Room. Every Digimon stared blankly at the teenage boy. They noticed his eyes were starting to water up and muscles twitched a little bit. But Takuya held back at his tears and kept his angry glare at the evil ruler. On the other side, Malevomon wasn't surprised with the boy's emotional distress and concern for his friend. But watching the human suffer brought him joy.

"Ah, yes. Your precious 'girlfriend' I presume?" Malevomon teased. "Well, your friend has been very cooperative, my boy. So far, she has been mostly quiet and has not made any foolish attempts to escape. Such a good little girl she is. Hehe, nothing like a good old..."

*bam*

"I'M SERIOUS, MALEVOMON! WHERE IS SHE?" Takuya screamed, while banging his fists on one of the monitors.

"Do you really want to know, boy?" The cruel Digimon kept his smirk. "Very well then. You asked for it..."

Malevomon snapped his fingers, producing a loud sound that made Bokomon and Neemon cringe. Takuya stepped forward and waited for his beloved to appear. He, along with the Digimon Battlefront, could see a few feint images standing behind Malevomon. One by one, the Legendary Warriors of Steel, Thunder and Water came into view. Ranamon waved at the enemy, while Beetlemon and Mercurymon lets out a subtle huff.

Next, Lobomon and Lowemon stepped forward and presented themselves toward the Digimon Battlefront. However, the Warriors of Light and Darkness were also dragging an unconscious fourteen year old girl by the arms. Her scraggly blonde hair covered most of her face. There were bruises on both of her cheeks. Scratches and cuts of various size and depth covered her arms and long legs. Her clothes were filled with tears on the sleeves and up the middles.

The sight of seeing his girlfriend beaten, battered and bruised had made Takuya's heart turn to stone.

"Oh God... ZOE!" The Bearer of Flame cried. Meanwhile, the sound of Takuya's voice has somehow awaken the blonde beauty. Her eyes slowly opened as she looked out in front. And the first thing Zoe saw was worried look in her boyfriend's eyes.

"T... Ta... Takuya..." She gagged. Lobomon and Lowemon gave each other a quick nod before throwing Zoe to the floor. Since she had no energy to stop her fall, the poor girl landed on her belly, further damaging the pain in her torso.

Back at the Battlefront, Takuya instinctively rushed toward his prone girlfriend. He was relieved to see her still alive, but the sight of his lover in agony gutted him. However, Takuya had forgotten that the girl he sees in front of him was only a projection. Instead of the Digimon Battlefront home base, she was still in Malevomon's Castle. The boy baseball slid on the ground and tried to wrap his arms around his beloved.

But alas, Takuya's limbs went through the projected image of his girlfriend and the boy fell on all fours. The Bearer of Flame looked at his hands, wondering why he wasn't able to touch her. And sure enough, he had realized that Zoe, as well as the evil Digimon before him weren't real. His arms went through her like a hand intercepting a flashlight.

"Aw, just look at that! So close... and yet so far! Hahahaha!" Malevomon chuckled. "Go on, boy! Cry out to her! Reach for her! But no matter what you try, you cannot touch her. She's here with me, and you're there with your pathetic friends! Mwahahaha!"

"Hehehehe" ||| "Hahahaha!" The Warriors under the Malevolent One's control joined their master with laughing at the boy.

The goggle-headed human did as best to ignore the insulting remarks and laughs from the evil Digimon. He got back to his feet and made his way toward the center of the room until he was standing in front of his injured girlfriend. The boy watched as Zoe tried to use what little strength she had in her body to get back on her hands and knees, Takuya knelt beside the projected image and reached out toward her. And just like last time, his hand went right through her.

It hurts him so much to see the girl he loves in so much pain. Whenever Zoe was in trouble, he's always been there for her. If she wanted to talk to someone, Takuya was always the first person she'd turn to. Every time she was hurt, he would help Zoe back to her feet. When she cried or needed his support, he was more than happy to give her a nice, long, warm embrace. Oh, how he wish he could take all of Zoe's pain away, or wrap his arms around her and never let go.

Without a doubt, this was the worst Takuya has felt. Seeing his girlfriend all messed up felt like someone was cutting up his spirit piece by piece. His floodgates opened slightly. His heart tightened, resulting in one of the most painful aches in his chest. He had let his best friend down. Now, she's all alone and waiting for the malicious ruler proceed with her demise.

"Zoe... Zoe, can you hear me? Zoe..." Takuya said softly, trying one last time to reach his beloved. It took her quite some time, but the Bearer of Wind tilted her head upward. And at long last, after what seemed like an eternity, their eyes locked on each other.

"Ta... Takuya?" She sobbed, although speaking did brought some more pain to her. Her face cringed a bit, but the agony was worth seeing her boyfriend's eyes again.

"My God..." Takuya placed a hand over his heart and sighed with relief. "Thank goodness you're alive. I thought I lost you when Malevomon took you away. I... I was so worried about you, Zoe."

"You were?" After hours of torture and humiliation, the young woman did something she hasn't done in a long time. She smiled.

"Of course, I was." Her boyfriend responded with a smile on his own. Seeing that face she loved so much has took away some of the pain.

"Oh Takuya..." Zoe gasped. But then, her body tightened up. She clutched her swollen midsection and grimaced.

"Zoe... baby, are you hurt?" Takuya asked, sort of afraid of her answering. The blonde beauty looked back at the goggle-head and nodded.

"Oh, Z... I'm so sorry... I could've protected you and..."

"You don't have to... apologize, baby." Zoe laughed. "I'm the one who got myself into this mess... I should be the one apologizing... *sniff*... Takuya?"

"Yes..."

"I'm... *gulp*... really sorry... for causing you so much agony..."

"Zoe..." Takuya wiped the saltiness off of his face.

He then lifted his hand so he could touch his girlfriend's cheeks. Although he hasn't forgotten that the woman in front of his is a projected image, he wanted to let her know that he's there for her. On the other side, Zoe saw her boyfriend's attempt to console her. His light particled hand touched her face. She may not have felt anything physically, but she could sense Takuya's affection, warmth and protection. It's like she's snugged in his warm embrace where she belongs. Little did she know, her tears were being wiped away all by themselves.

"Zoe, listen to me. Everything's going to be alright" The Bearer of Flame said, recapturing the girl's attention. "We're coming to get you... All of us. Swiftmon, Beautymon, Bokomon, Neemon... and even me. We're all going to save you, Zoe. Do you hear me?"

The blonde replied with a weak nod.

"We're all going to bring you back safe and sound... and I'll be right here waiting for you, okay?"

"Okay, Takuya..." Zoe smiled and nodded again. After roaming the darkness all alone for so long, there was finally a glimmer of light shining in her heart. Takuya Kanbara, the boy she loves is going to rescue her, like he always has.

"I'll be here for you, Zoe. I promise... And there won't a single Digimon that's gonna stop me from getting to you. Not Malevomon, not any of those evil Legendary Warriors, not anybody. How does that sound?" Takuya said.

"Sounds good..." Zoe replied, wiping away more of her tears. "I'll be waiting for you too, Takuya... Just like old times..."

"Zoe, I..." This time, a few drops came out of Takuya's eyes. "Just hang on a little bit longer, and we'll see each other real soon... _Capish_?"

"Mmhmm... _Capisco_..."

"... Zoe?"

"Yes, Takuya?" The two gazed into each other's eyes.

"I... I love you... so much!"

"I love you too, Takuya..."

The Briefing Room has turned into a emotional fest. Bokomon and Neemon couldn't shut their own flood gates. Even Kumamon used his arm to wipe something off of his eye. Grumbled and Arbormon looked at each other and then down at the ground. Although they will never understand the bond those two humans have, the two of them were somewhat moved with this powerful moment. Eldestmon and Swiftmon stayed professional and kept their faces neutral. As for Beautymon, she rolled her eyes with disgust when the two of them said those three words to each other. While she was as calm as a cucumber on the outside, she was throwing a fit on the inside.

"Aw, how sweet. Young love... Such a grand thing." Malevomon stepped behind the Bearer of Wind. The look on his face showed the humans that he too was crying. But upon hearing his tone, they could tell he was faking it. His sobbing slowly turned into a maniacal laughing.

"Well, as much as I like to see you two get all lovey dovey with each other, it's time we get down to business."

"What business?" Eldestmon repeated.

"Dammit, Malevomon! Give Zoe back to us right now!" ordered Takuya.

"Hahahahahahahaha!" The malevolent creature chuckled again. "In due time, my dear boy. But that's why I came to see you."

"What is he talking about?" Bokomon asked.

"So... I propose an exchange." continued the emperor.

"Why would we negotiate with an ugly beast like you?" Beautymon questioned.

"As you can see..." Malevomon followed up, specifically eying the Bearer of Flame. "I have something you want, and you have something I want."

"Here's the trade. Your pathetic girlfriends... for the remaining four Legendary Spirits!"

"What?" Kumamon gasped.

"Heck, no!" objected the wooden android.

"Uh-uh! Forget it!" The gnome Digimon snapped.

"Sorry, Malevomon!" said the swordsman. "But if you want the rest of the Spirits so bad, you're gonna have to come here and take them from us?"

"Hehe, your overconfidence is very amusing, Swiftmon. However, I'm not asking for your opinion. I was talking to the boy!" Malevomon shifted his attention to Takuya. "As I was saying... If you want what I got, then you better surrender immediately."

"Or else what?" The female Digimon just had to ask. The response she got from her comrades was surprised glances and fearsome scowls.

"Or else..." The wicked sovereign aimed his hands toward the proned blonde and used his psychic powers to pull her towards him. While Zoe was in midair, Malevomon grabbed the helpless girl by the neck, tightened his grip and showed her in front of the Digimon Battlefront. "... this girl will not live ANOTHER MINUTE!"

He squeezed the poor Zoe's neck one last time for good measure. The girl's legs dangled in midair. But Malevomon has got her once again in her clutches. There was no escape for her. Only mild coughs and gags came out of Zoe's mouth. She felt her muscles growing numb, and it won't be long before she suffocates. Slowly, her resistance started to fade, as well as her life.

"NO, ZOE!" Takuya screamed from the other side. "LET HER GO, MALEVOMON! RELEASE HER, OR I'LL MAKE YOU PAY?"

"If you want me to spare her, then you know what you must do. Give me the Spirits of Flame, Ice, Earth and Wood. Once they're in my possession, I shall release her. You have my promise."

"But..."

"Now, do as I command or you can say your final goodbyes to her!"

Takuya stepped back and alternated his attention from the Almighty One, to his defenseless girlfriend. He hated being in this situation. Should he refuse and risk losing Zoe for good, or should he sacrifice the remaining Spirits to save her? Tears of anguish fell from his face. He knew that whatever choice he made, he would lose something precious to him.

"Hahahahaha! Just look at him! How pathetic!" Mercurymon laughed.

"Tough decision, isn't it Sugar?" asked Ranamon.

"Now, hurry up and choose! Lord Malevomon is not a patient Digimon!" commanded Beetlemon.

"Lord Eldestmon?" Swiftmon turned to his leader.

"This is exactly what I feared..." The elderly Digimon spoke. "As long as Malevomon doesn't get his hands on one of the children, we wouldn't be in this situation. We must..."

"Silence, you old geezer! I was talking to the human!" ordered the malicious beast. "Now, what's it going to be, son? Which do you wish to save? This world... or the girl of your dreams?"

"Ridiculous, that is!" Grumblemon leered.

"I ain't going back to being one of your string puppets. That's for sure, right?" Arbormon replied.

"I agree!" said Kumamon. "Forget it, you big meanie! There's no we're going to..."

"SHUT UP! ALL OF YOU SHUT UP!" Takuya yelled, silencing the three Legendary Warriors. As the Digimon of Ice, Wood and Earth stared blankly at the human, the Bearer of Flame paced back and forth across the room. "Just... stop! I'm trying to think here!" Every creature in the Briefing Room watched Takuya nervously.

"I'm losing my patience! Make your decision now, or suffer the consequences!" Malevomon commanded. "If I have to wait any longer, I'll snap this girl's neck and..."

"Alright, fine! I get it already!" Takuya quickly finished his deliberation. He pulled his D-Tector out of his pocket and pointed it in front of the other Warriors in the Briefing Room.

"What is this?" Grumblemon spoke while raising an eyebrow.

"Takuya, what are you doing?" Kumamon gulped, unable to believe that the boy has made his decision.

"Get in, now!" The Bearer of Flame told the Digimon of Wood, Ice and Earth.

"Hey, wait a minute! You can't be serious, right?" Arbormon spoke up, obviously not happy with the choice Takuya has made.

"Heck no! Me refused to be Malevomon's servant like other Warriors!" The gnome agreed.

"Come on, Takuya! This isn't like you!" The Warrior of Ice tried to reason with the teenager. "You can't give up just yet! There are a lot of innocent Digimon counting on you!"

"You don't understand..."

"You honestly believe that jerk is going to keep his word? What makes you think that he'll let Zoe go free once he gets what he wants?" Kumamon continued arguing. "Don't listen to him, Takuya! Can't you see that this is a trap? I bet that the moment you hand over the Spirits, he's going to..."

"THEN, WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO, HUH? SAY 'NO' AND WATCH ZOE DIE RIGHT BEFORE MY EYES?" snapped the boy. It took Takuya a long time to calm down. But by then, every Digimon in the room was disappointed at the boy's broken spirit. He has already made up his mind and there's nothing they can do to change it.

"I'm sorry, guys... but I have no other choice. It's the only way for me to get Zoe back. So, please... just get back in my D-Tector. Please... I don't want to lose her... not again..." begged Takuya with tears in his eyes.

Kumamon, Arbormon and Grumblemon looked at each other with disgust and concern. Neither one of them wanted to move or listen to Takuya's orders. It may not be the wisest decision the teen has made, but under the current circumstances, it's no surprise that it has come to this. After moments of final deliberation, the first Legendary Warrior stepped forward.

"Just so you know, I'm doing this for the Digital World. Whatever happens to your girlfriend, it's all on you, kid." said Arbormon.

From his feet to his helmet, large amounts of Fractal Code started to swirl around the wooden android. Arbormon shut his eyes and allowed himself to revert back to his Spirit form. When the light had subsided, a long strip of data connected in between Takuya's D-Tector and the Human Spirit of Wood. Slowly, the boy absorbed the data. Before long, the Spirits of Arbormon and Petaldramon were back in the human's device.

"Me not like this. But whatever. If you think friend more important than the entire world, that your problem, not mine." Grumblemon sighed.

Just like his partner, many data strips spiraled around the gnome's body. Grumblemon relaxed into the transformation until he changed back into Spirit form. Moments later, there was a line of Fractal Code that linked the Human Spirit of Earth and Takuya's device. The Bearer of Flame absorbed the Fractal Code and recaptured the Spirits of Grumblemon and Gigasmon back in his D-Tector.

"Takuya..." spoke the last remaining Warrior. "I know you really wanted to save Zoe, and I know how much you love her. But I'm telling you that you're making a big mistake. You're doing exactly what Malevomon wants..."

"Are you done?" Takuya interrupted, but Kumamon held his hand up so he could finish speaking. At the same time, Fractal Code began to wrap around the small polar bear.

"Just ask yourself this: How would Zoe feel, knowing that her boyfriend risked the lives of thousands of Digimon so that she could witness the end of the Digital World? Think about it... "

Before Takuya could answer, Kumamon has already became Spirit form. The floating relic glided towards the human until it was a few feet in front of him, like it's waiting to be absorbed. This time, Takuya stared at the Human Spirit of Ice for several minutes, pondering Kumamon's words of wisdom. But after a while, he held his D-Tector up and brought the Spirits of Kumamon and KoriKakumon back inside.

Takuya turned around, walked pass the remaining Digimon and faced Malevomon.

"I'll do it..." He mumbled while glancing at the floor.

"Excellent." The evil Digimon grinned. He dropped the semiconscious Zoe to the ground and took a step forward. "You're a good boy. Foolish... but unselfish. You cherish this girl's life more than the rest of your pitiful friends, am I right? How touching."

"Now, on to the next part. You will bring the Spirits to my fortress located in the Dark Kingdom. You will hand them over to me. And as promised, I will give back what's rightfully yours. Do we have a deal?" His smirk widened as an added insult to injury.

The Bearer of Flame gulped and sighed with defeat. Behind him, Bokomon and Neemon were shaking their heads sadly, praying that Takuya would come to his senses. Eldestmon kept his eyes closed and face neutral, even though a part of him wasn't happy about the human's decision. Swiftmon alternated glances from his leader to the teen. As for Beautymon, she turned away so Takuya couldn't see her pouted face that had a mild amount of jealousy in it. Sooner or later, 'Blondie' is going to come back, and she's definitely not going to like it.

"Yes, Malevomon... " The teenager nodded. "It's a deal. The Spirits of Flame, Ice, Earth and Wood, in exchange for Zoe's..."

"NO, TAKUYA! " The voice of his beloved snapped him out of his misery. He looked up and saw the blonde beauty struggling to get back on her hands and knees. She was coughing profusely, making her sound like she was sick.

"Zoe? " Takuya gasped. On the other side, the girl tilted her head upwards so her eyes could meet his.

"Takuya... *cough*... Don't do it... " gagged the Possessor of Wind. "Please... I'm begging you... Don't give Malevomon your Spirits... "

"What is this? More persuasion?" chuckled Malevomon. He approached the young woman and knelt beside her. "Well, someone's anxious to perish tonight, huh?"

"Malevomon, stop! Leave her alone!" pleaded the goggle-head. "I'm begging you! Please, don't hurt her! I'll give you the Spirits as long as..."

"No!" Zoe screamed. "Don't listen... *cough, cough*... Takuya, you have to fight back... *cough*..."

The girl's constant groveling was starting to get on the Almighty One's nerves. He grabbed the Spirit-less girl by the neck once again and lifted her off of the ground. Malevomon held the blonde young woman close to his face so he could see her pain and desperation.

"Silence! No one's asking your opinion, you stupid girl! Now be quiet, or else I'll stop being so nice!" The evil Digimon told her.

"Zoe!" Takuya gasped at the sight of the malicious ruler choking his girlfriend. "Let her go! Dammit, Malevomon! I mean it! Put her down, right now!"

"Takuya, calm down!" Bokomon said to his friend.

"Mwahahaha! It appears I have struck your sensitive side." snickered Malevomon. "But there is only one way to save her, and that is to hand me all of your Spirits!"

"That's not fair, Malevomon!" Swiftmon howled.

"Fair is rare for me, pretty boy!" said the wicked emperor. He looked back at the Bearer of Flame and said, "This is your last chance boy! Do as I command, or else!"

"Alright, I'll give you what you want..." Takuya sighed with defeat. "Just don't hurt Zoe, and I'll deliver the rest of the Spirits to..."

"NO, TAKUYA! YOU MUSTN'T!" The gagging Zoe yelled, interrupting her beloved.

"But, Z... If I don't, he'll destroy you!" Takuya gulped.

"It... It doesn't matter... *cough*..." said the blonde. "Please, Takuya... don't worry about me... I'll be fine. Just... *cough*... save the others..."

"Zoe..."

"You can beat him, Takuya... I *cough*... I know you can..."

"I said, 'SILENCE' YOU PATHETIC HUMAN!"

With a strong grip on her neck, Malevomon lifted the poor girl up high and slammed her hard on through his rectangular dining table. Vertebrae and wood collided with one another, and Zoe's back won. The force of the chokeslam was strong enough to shattered the table in half from the middle. Zoe grunted in severe pain, feeling as if her spine had been shattered. The fourteen year old girl laid motionlessly on the broken furniture. Her eyes slowly closed as she slipped into unconsciousness.

"ZOE!" Takuya almost puked in his mouth when he witnessed Malevomon thrashing his girlfriend. But before he could make a move, a ring of Fractal Code surrounded battered human.

"Haha... Hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHA!" laughed the sovereign. He held his hand up and used his psychic powers to bring Zoe's data toward him.

"ZOE, WAKE UP! PLEASE, GET UP! ZOE! ZOE!" pleaded the human, who was already in tears. "PLEASE, MALEVOMON! I'M BEGGING YOU! DON'T DO IT! PLEASE! NOOOOOOOOOO!"

Malevomon ignored the boy's grovelling and proceeded with absorbing Zoe's. All Takuya could do was stand there and watch helplessly as the Fractal Code that was around his lover's body drew itself closer toward the Almighty One. It won't be long before her data becomes his. After that, she could disappear forever. The Bearer of Flame closed his eyes so he wouldn't see the end of the girl he loves.

But the Fractal Code only managed to get within three inches from Malevomon's palm. The evil emperor widened his smirk and waited for the teenage boy to give him his undivided attention. Takuya finally opened his eyes and he too noticed that Malevomon hasn't absorbed Zoe's data... yet. But before he could speak, the wicked ruler had already beaten him to the punch.

"This is your last warning, boy!" He said to Takuya. "You have exactly three hours to come to my castle and hand me the remaining Legendary Spirits! If you are one second late, then mark words... you will never see your precious girlfriend again, EVER! Do I make myself clear?"

The terrified look on Takuya's face changed into a fierce glare. He clenched his fists in anger and was about to explode after seeing all of the terrible things this beast has done to Zoe. However, his attitude only made Malevomon smile. By slowly lowering his hand, the Fractal Code glided back to its original owner. Moments later, the ring of data around Zoe started to disappear. Mild, yet pain-filled moans were the first things that came out of the beaten girl's lips.

"Malevomon!" growled the Bearer of Flame. Takuya clenched his fists with barely-controlled fury. He has the fiercest look on his face ever. Takuya slammed both of his fists on a nearby monitor in rage. "I'm warning you! If you hurt Zoe again, I won't rest until I rip every ounce of data from you, bit by bit!"

"That's very cute! But your threats are worthless! I am not a patient Digimon, young man! So, unless you want to say your last goodbyes to your girlfriend, you will give me what I want!"

"Oh, I'll give you what you want, alright! I got a 'butt-kicking of a lifetime' coming right for you and..."

"And... you have three hours to do it. Otherwise, she perishes!" Malevomon interrupted the boy's petty threats. "Good luck... because you're going to need it!"

"Listen to me, you rotten snake! You lay one finger on Zoe..."

"Three hours... starting... _now_!"

Before Takuya could try to reason with the Almighty One, the communication link was severed. The projected images of Malevomon, the other five evil Legendary Warriors and his beaten girlfriend disappeared in a flash. The Chaos Communicator on the ground released whatever energy it had left, before it shattered to bits and disintegrated to dust.

"ZOE!" The teen cried out one last time. He fell on his knees and proceeded with his sobbing. Takuya was so lost in his emotions, he failed to noticed that Malevomon's subordinate was still inside.

"Well, I gotta fly Digimon Battlefreaks! As much as I like to see this stupid kid cry like a little baby, my master needs me back!"

"Oh no you don't! You're not getting away this time, Sinistromon!" Swiftmon unsheathed his blades and dove toward the Rookie.

"So long, losers! Hahahahahahahahaha!"

Sinistromon took out a smoke bomb from his bag and threw it on the ground, just before the swordsman Digimon could reach him. The entire Briefing Room was covered with a thick, dense fog. While the smoke wasn't toxic, it did get into Takuya's and the Rookies' lungs. A minute later, the fog had subsided. But by then, the mischievous imp was already gone.

"I hate that guy!" Bokomon complained.

"I hate green beans!" Neemon added.

"And what does that have to do with anything?"

"I don't know..."

Meanwhile, Eldestmon slowly approached the Bearer of Flame and placed a hand on his shoulder. Takuya turned and faced the leader of the Digimon Battlefront. His face was still wet with tears, but at least he had stopped crying. Eldestmon then helped the teen to his feet. He opened his mouth first, but Takuya was quicker on the draw.

"I'm gonna go to Malevomon's Castle, Eldestmon. It's the only way for me to save, Zoe!"

"Cutie, you can't be serious..." Beautymon shook her head.

"Malevomon is not the type of Digimon you can negotiate with. All he cares about is himself. The moment you give him those Spirits, he'll destroy you and your friend!" Swiftmon continued.

"My boy, are you willing to sacrifice the Digital World's only choice of survival to save the Bearer of Wind?" asked the Battlefront's leader.

"Are you kidding me? Of course not!" Takuya quickly responded, which kinda caught everyone by surprise, even Eldestmon. They all looked at each other, wondering what the boy was talking about. "That creepazoid isn't going to get a single hand on my Spirits!"

"Takuya..." Bokomon's eyes widened.

"I'm tired of running away. I'm sick of surrendering to the enemy! Zoe's counting on me, and I can't let her down! I'm going to show Malevomon what happens when he puts my friends in danger!"

"Oh goodie! Now we're talking!" Neemon clapped and jumped for joy.

"One way or another, I'm going to rescue Zoe AND save the Digital World! And I don't care if you're all with me or against me! But I won't stop until I bring her back, safe and sound!"

"I can't believe it! My boy has grown up!" Bokomon said, trying to hold back his tears.

"It seems as if you're serious about your decision..." Eldestmon said to the boy. But Takuya gave him a look of sheer determination, one the wise creature hasn't seen in long time. But his eyes alone showed resolve, courage and the will to do what's right. Finally, Eldestmon nodded toward the Bearer of Flame.

"Very well then." He said before facing his second and third-in-command. "Swiftmon! Beautymon!"

"Sir!" ||| "Whatever..."

"Gather every single fighter we have! Tell them to meet in the Digiporter Room and wait there to be briefed!"

"YES, SIR!" ||| "Yawn..."

Swiftmon quickly dashed out of the Briefing Room, while Beautymon kindly let herself out. She stalled as long as she could, hoping that the human would go with her. But Takuya was too busy to noticed the desperation in the female's eyes. After a while, Beautymon escorted herself out after releasing a furious groan.

"You two..." Eldestmon looked at Bokomon and Neemon. "Find Gotsumon and tell him to make sure the Digiporter is ready by the time I get there!"

"You can count on us!" Bokomon and Neemon saluted. As quick as a wink, the two Rookie Digimon rushed out of the Briefing Room with their new orders.

"And as for you..." The elderly Digimon turned toward the boy. "... Malevomon is not a Digimon you can defeat easily. Since he has your friend as a hostage, he'll use that to get the upper hand..."

"I don't care how tough he is! I'm going to save Zoe and there's not a thing in this world that jerk can do about it!" Takuya spoke boldly. His confidence made Eldestmon nod with reassurance.

"Excellent. Now, head on over to the Digiporter Room, and I'll join up with you shortly."

"Thanks Eldestmon!" Takuya smiled, before sprinting out of the Briefing Room.

"That boy may be reckless and stubborn, but he is very determined and always fights for what he believes in. The safety of his friends is what makes this young man very strong." said Eldestmon as he escorts himself back toward the halls.

"Let's just hope... that will be enough to defeat Malevomon..."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter forty-six. At last, Takuya and the Digimon Battlefront are on the move toward Malevomon's Castle. With only three hours to go, can they get there in time and save Zoe? Or will the Malevolent One destroy both humans and claim himself ruler of the Digital World? <strong>**These questions will be answered in the next action-packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next ****Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising****.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	47. The Dark Kingdom

****Author's Notes: Hey guys! School starts again in a month or so. I'll try to get in three more chapters before things slow down again. Thank you all for your support and reviews. I hope everyone's having a fun summer!****

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Digimon Frontier series or any of the characters.**

**Review Replies:**

**The Keeper of Worlds - The final battle isn't until later. But hope you like the buildup towards it.**

**Pikatwig - Sadly, we're not at the best part yet.  
><strong>

**InfernalBlueMoon - The first kiss is everyone's favorite part.**

**shadowrunner22 - You're right about one thing: keeping your eyes on Beautymon.**

**raidersfan777 - We'll see.  
><strong>

**TakumiWarrior - It's been a really long time since I last did a Takumi moment. But I'm glad you liked it.  
><strong>

**Axle the Hedgehog - I can do your first request. The second... well...**

**NaruHinaShikaTen - Suspense and tension only make up a fifth of the story.**

**Guest - Active? I'd say creative... and pleasantly dark imagination.**

**Miss. Teria - Beautymon is just a great character to love AND hate.  
><strong>

**t3322stc - You're not alone, my friend.**

**kirakuya1101 - Alive, yes. But...**

**UnderWaterPeril - Tick... Tock...  
><strong>

**MerryHimawari - Alright, you asked for it.**

**CaptainDandruff - You like it? I thought of it myself.**

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**ReikoHinomotoXX - Well, Zoe does have a limit on how much punishment he can take.**

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**CatastropheQueen - Exciting, isn't it?**

**Guest - I thought I already did in the AN's. Hmm...**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter forty-seven.**

* * *

><p><strong>The Dark Kingdom<strong>

**Normal POV:**

Three hours can seem pretty long. But for Takuya, time was going by extremely fast. With each passing minute, his chances of rescuing Zoe decrease. He may have over ten thousand seconds to spare, but that's not a lot when his beloved's life on the line. Takuya has almost lost Zoe on so many occasions. But if she were to perish by Malevomon' hands, he could never forgive himself.

Moments later, the Bearer of Flame made it inside the Digiporter Room.

It was even more crowded than before. There were so many Digimon in the room. Many of them were conversing with each other about how they're going to destroy the malicious beast. Others were busy sharpening their weapons and prepping themselves for the biggest battle of their lives. Takuya quietly made his way around the crowd until he was standing on the Digiporter.

"Come on... what's taking everybody so long?" The Bearer of Flame thought. Every five seconds, he would check the entrance to the Digiporter Room and wait impatiently for his friends to arrive. A couple of minutes later, Bokomon and Neemon reappeared from the crowds. They squeezed through the hoard of Digimon and quickly made their way toward the human.

"Hey Takuya!" The rabbit waved. But the teenager remained silent and kept his attention forward. Bokomon noticed the tenseness in his friend, so he decided to speak up.

"Are you okay, my boy?

"Just trying to stay focused. I can't get distracted now. This is my only chance to get Zoe back safe and sound."

"I understand... But you got to relax."

"Relax? How can I relax when Malevomon has got my girlfriend? Who knows what he could be doing to her right now?" The possessor of Flame stared at his Digimon friend with desperation in his eyes.

"Get a hold of yourself!" The Rookie ordered without backing down. "Trust me, we will rescue Zoe! But we need everyone's help, including yours! If you don't relax Takuya, you're going to make stupid decisions and risk losing Zoe!"

"Bokomon..."

"She needs you, Takuya. But you have to stay calm and let the Digimon Battlefront assist you. Just because you got Zoe into this mess, doesn't mean that you have to get her out of it alone."

"You're right..." Takuya nodded. "If we're going to save her, then we all must work together. This isn't about me anymore. Am I wrong?"

"No, you're not." Bokomon finally smiled. "But if you makes you feel better, just make sure you give that bully the beating he deserves!"

"I'll be glad to do it for you... and for Zoe..."

As the two concluded their conversation, the last of the warriors from the Digimon Battlefront had already entered the premises. There were about three hundred Digimon inside, waiting to be transported. While the capacity for this room can reach up to a thousand, it was still pretty packed.

The doors opened up one more time. Swiftmon and Beautymon made their way inside the room, with their leader following behind. Once Eldestmon was inside, the entire Digiporter Room was silent. Every Digimon turned toward the front and faced their superior. The elder stepped on a platform so the others can see him.

"Attention! I have called you all here because we have a top priority mission on our hands." spoke Eldestmon. The old Digimon took a step back and gave his second-in-command a nod, silently ordering him to brief the rest of the team.

"Alright, listen up!" Swiftmon said. "For those who are unaware of the situation, Malevomon has kidnapped one of the Chosen Children. Afterwards, the Evil One has negotiated a trade with the boy: The remaining Legendary Spirits, for her life."

Concerned murmurs filled the room. Some Digimon would give Takuya shocked glances. Others worry about the his well-being or if bringing him along for this next mission would be a good idea. However, the Bearer of Flame ignored the concerns and criticisms and kept his attention forward.

"So what are we going to do? Cough over the Spirits or let the other human suffer?" Gotsumon asked.

"Neither... We're going to rescue Zoe, reclaim the Spirits of the evil Legendary Warriors and defeat Malevomon once and for all!" answered Takuya.

"YEAH!" The Digimon Battlefront cheered. Even Bokomon and Neemon were pumped up for their next battle that could determine the fate of the Digital World. Eldestmon and Swiftmon nodded with agreement.

The only Digimon that showed negative reactions was Beautymon. When Takuya said he plans on saving Zoe, her eyes rolled with disgust. She crossed her arms and turned away from the boy so he wouldn't see her pouty face. However, the idea of destroying the Almighty One prevented her from throwing a jealous rage.

"Very well then. Swiftmon, if you please..." spoke the leader.

"My pleasure." nodded the swordsman. He then faced the rock Digimon sitting by one of the computers. "Gotsumon, turn on the Digiporter and set the coordinates to the Continent of Darkness!" Swiftmon ordered.

"Yes, sir!" The Rookie saluted. He pushed a red button on the wall to activate the Digiporter.

"The Continent... *gulp*... of Darkness?" asked a shuttering Bokomon.

"But I thought we were going to the Dark Kingdom." Neemon wondered.

"And we will..." Eldestmon responded. "But unfortunately, we do not have a Digiporter in that area. However, there is one in the Continent of Darkness, which is only a few yards away from the outskirts of the Dark Kingdom. Once we get there, it's only ten miles away from Malevomon's Castle."

"TEN MILES!" Bokomon gasped.

"That's more miles than I run in a year!" Neemon complained.

"Pipe down!" Takuya told his friends. "It doesn't matter the distance! Zoe needs us and we've got to rescue her!"

"Digiporter's at 25%!" said the rock Digimon

"Listen up!" said Swiftmon "Gotsumon is going to teleport you all, one hundred at a time. Once have been transported, please wait for the rest of the troops. Understand?"

"YES, SIR!"

"And remember, we're entering enemy territory. Malevomon rules the entire Dark Kingdom. There are plenty of Digimon under his control patrolling the areas. And if my suspicious are correct, Malevomon's army has outnumbered our soldiers three to one. That means he has the advantage in numbers and terrain familiarity."

"Digiporter's power at 50%" Gotsumon interrupted.

"So what's the plan, Mr. Genius?" Beautymon groaned.

"Woman, I'm getting to that! Now get your butt on the Digiporter, right now!" The warrior ordered.

Beautymon's eyes widened at the sudden outburst, but she sadly complied with Swiftmon's orders. She shoved aside any Digimon that was in her way and stood in the middle of the platform next to Takuya. She gave the Bearer of Flame a cute smile that usually reels him in. Unfortunately, the human was so focused on the next mission, he didn't even notice Beautymon's desperate attempt to get his attention.

"As I was saying, our main priority is the Bearer of Wind! Her safety is what's most important! Do whatever you can to get her back alive! Remember, Malevomon does not play by the rules, so neither should we! Do I make myself clear?"

"YES, SIR!"

"Good work." Swiftmon concluded as he made his way towards the platform.

"Digiporter's power at 75%" said Gotsumon.

As the rest of the Digimon Battlefront get ready for battle, Eldestmon also made his toward the Digiporter. His troops courteously cleared a path for their superior. Even Takuya was surprised that the elderly Digimon was coming along. He stood in front of the Bearer of Flame and gave him one more nod of assurance.

"Are you going to join us, Eldestmon?" The boy asked.

"Yes." said the old creature. "You're going to need all the help you can get. I have faced Malevomon before. So, I know what tricks he has up his sleeves. This is not going to be an easy fight, but I have confidence that you can defeat him and rescue your friend."

"I'll do my best." Takuya said.

"I know you will."

"Digiporter's power is at 100%!" Gotsumon confirmed. "Ready to teleport on command, sir!"

"Excellent job, Gotsumon. Take it away!" ordered Swiftmon.

"Entering coordinates to the Continent of Darkness." Gotsumon said, typing the numbers on the computer. "Coordinates are set, ready for teleportation. Teleporting in five, four..."

Swiftmon spent the last few seconds refining his blades. The warrior wanted to make sure that his weapons were twice as sharp, so he can cut through any armor and break the strongest of swords. As for Bokomon, he still has nightmares the last time he and his friends ventured through the Continent of Darkness. Now, it's about to get even worse, since they're heading towards a place even more frightening: Malevomon's Castle. Neemon, on the other hand, seemed more relaxed than his partner. Although the dangers that awaited him did scare him, he was mind drifted from one thing to the next.

"Three, two..."

Beautymon tried one more time capturing Takuya's attention. She got in close and wrapped one of her soft hands around his. The Bearer of Flame turned around and finally noticed Beautymon giving him one of her signature smiles and a seductive wink. She then rested her head on Takuya's shoulder, pretending that she's tired. While it did make the boy's cheeks flush, it also made Takuya remember all of the times his girlfriend fell asleep on him. The happy, sad, painful and joyous memories of Zoe Orimoto flooded his mind. That made him more determined to save her, so he can add more loving memories to his scrapbook.

"One..."

With him finally stepping onto the battlefield, Eldestmon got ready for action. He tapped his cane on the ground once. All of the Digimon in the room, plus Takuya, watched in awe as their leader's tool transformed into a wooden staff. From the ground up, it was able to reach up to Eldestmon's neck. It may not be as lethal as a sword, but it provided versatility, length and intimidation.

"Commence teleportation!" Gotsumon shouted.

He slammed his fist on a blue button. A white light shot out from the bottom of the Digiporter, engulfing every single one of being with its bright illuminations. Before long, the entire room was covered with white, blinding light. Takuya and the rest of the Digimon Battlefront felt themselves being teleported from one side of the world to the other. When the light vanished, Gotsumon ordered the next batch of Digimon to step on the platform. The mission has already begun, and Takuya has less than three hours to get Zoe back.

* * *

><p>"Three hours..." Malevomon held his hand up to interrupt the boy's worthless threat. ... starting... <em>now<em>!"

The Ultimate level Digimon then stomped his own Chaos Communicator. The dark sphere crumpled to tiny pieces and severed the communication link. Afterwards, Malevomon turned and marched toward the semiconscious girl with the evil Warriors surrounding her.

"Get her up!" He commanded.

"Yes, your excellency!" Lobomon and Lowemon saluted.

Both Legendary Warriors of Light and Darkness grabbed Zoe by the arms and helped her back to her feet. Since most of her energy had been depleted from Malevomon's last attack, the young woman's body was loose and almost completely lifeless. Meanwhile, the humanoid wolf and lion dragged the Bearer of Wind toward the wicked Digimon.

"Wake up, my child." Malevomon spoke softly. He lightly slapped the girl's face until her consciousness returned.

"Ugh... where am I?" groaned the blonde beauty. Zoe slowly opened her eyes. And the first thing she saw was a malicious grin on the Ultimate's face.

"Hello, little one."

"Malevomon!" Zoe gasped in fear. She felt a sudden tightness in her torso, which made her body collapse. However, Zoe's knees didn't touch the floor because the Warriors of Darkness and Light prevented her from slumping.

"Well, I've got good news and I got bad news for you." continued the wicked ruler. "The good news is I have given your boyfriend exactly three hours to come to your rescue."

"T... Takuya?"

"But unfortunately, Sugar..." Ranamon interrupted Zoe's thoughts. "By the time he gets here, you will be long gone! So don't get your hopes up!"

"She's right." Mercurymon agreed. "Tis best if thou makes thy last wishes already. Because thou will never see thy lover ever again! Nyahahaha!"

"HAHAHAHAHA!" The other Legendary Warriors laughed along. But Zoe wasn't frightened by the enemies' threatening remarks. She countered back with a scowl filled with determination and courage.

"I don't believe you! Takuya will come for me and he WILL rescue me!"

"Is that so, princess?" Beetlemon growled with his horn surged with electricity.

"And Takuya will defeat you, Malevomon!" She glared at the spiteful creature. "Because he's a lot stronger than you think. Takuya's a Legendary Warrior. He has beaten Digimon a lot nastier than you. So, if there's anyone that should be making their last wishes, it's _you_!"

The malevolent sovereign was surprised that this powerless human has made such a bold proclamation. Even his subordinates were left with their mouths hung open. The five evil Warriors couldn't think of the right words to say after hearing Zoe's preposterous statement.

"Hehe... Hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Malevomon maniacally laughed. At the same time, the other Warriors joined in. The Ultimate level emperor took a step toward the blonde and gazed into her eyes. He kindly offered her a soft smile.

And then...

"OOF!" grunted the Bearer of Wind after Malevomon gave her a vicious uppercut to the gut.

Lobomon and Lowemon released the girls arms and allowed the bruised Zoe to collapse on her knees. She fell to the ground and clutched her aching belly. The evil Legendary Warriors watched and laugh at the Bearer of Wind's suffering. The way she flipped on stomach, kicking her legs about and coughing in pain was most amusing to them.

After several moments of making fun of their captive, Malevomon got down and grabbed a fistful of Zoe's front bangs. The malicious monster lifted the girl up with no problem. Zoe shrieked in pain as the evil sovereign held her high. Next, Malevomon slammed her spine into the stone walls behind her, creating a small crater the size of her body. As Zoe hissed in agony, Malevomon glowered at his captive.

"What did you say?" The evil emperor asked. "Your friend is... coming for you? Haha! Hahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

However, Malevomon's laughter only lasted for a few seconds. He then shoved the young woman back into the walls for the second time. Afterwards, he chokeslammed her onto the unforgiving floor. Zoe's mouth hung open, yet not a single sound came out. The Bearer of Wind felt like she has muscle strains, back spasms, herniated disks and spinal fractures all at once. It was nearly impossible for her to move.

Unfortunately, she doesn't have to. Malevomon snapped his fingers again, commanding the Warriors of Light and Darkness to get the battered blonde back up. Lobomon and Lowemon grabbed both of Zoe's arms and assisted the girl to a wobbly, vertical base. He leaned in toward the human and gave her a smile filled with malicious intent and domination.

"Well, guess what... I'M COUNTING ON IT!" The evil Digimon hollered. The sound of his voice gave Zoe a severe headache. However, there was nothing she could do, since both of her hands were already tied.

"Beetlemon!" Malevomon turned to the humanoid insect.

"Yes, my Lord?"

"Get me a Chaos Sphere!"

The Throne Room was filled with all kinds of positive reactions. Lobomon and Lowemon's widened their grins and held on to their prisoner even tighter. Mercurymon nodded at the ruler's ingenious ideas. Ranamon rubbed both of her hands together. She couldn't wait to see what would happen when her master inserts one of his signature devices into her body.

"As you wish." Beetlemon smirked underneath his metallic facemask.

As the Warrior of Thunder flew out of the Throne Room, the rest of the evil Digimon shifted their attention back toward the teenage girl, who also has heard what the malicious emperor has planned for her. The moment Malevomon said the words 'Chaos Sphere,' there was anxiety inscribed all over her. Zoe's face was paler than a ghost. Her headache went from bad to worse. She also experience a good amount of dizziness. Small, shallow breaths escaped her dry lips. Her skin was chilly and clammy. And to top it all off, her heart had stopped beating momentarily.

"No..." Zoe shook her head with fear.

"Yes." Malevomon gently stroke the girl's golden locks. "Once when your friend hands me the remaining Legendary Spirits, then I will set you free as promised so you can do my bidding for..."

"You can't!" The Bearer of Wind objected.

"Silence, you!" The humanoid wolf and lion ordered. They both lightly twisted the girl's arms, forcing her down on her knees.

"That's right, Sugar! You're going to be one of us now!" Ranamon giggled.

"Indeed! Thou must consider thyself lucky!"

"I... *cough*... I rather die, than serve a monster like you!" The girl leered deeply into Malevomon's eyes. "You can torture me all you like... but I will never hurt Takuya!"

"How touching..." Malevomon placed a hand over his heart and pretended that he was crying.

Just in the nick of time, the Warrior of Thunder reenters the room. In his right hand, was a black sphere filled with all kinds of negative energy. Zoe, as well as the other Digimon in the room, turned toward the humanoid insect, who has given the Almighty One what he asked for. This was the first time the girl has seen a Chaos Sphere up close when it was still active. It was a lot bigger and had some kind of dark aura surrounding it.

Malevomon took the device and slowly marched toward the helpless captive. He wanted to let the young woman enjoy the last few, torturous moments of being free. Because soon, she was going to join him in conquering the Digital World. As Malevomon drew closer, Zoe tried one last time to break free from the enemies' clutches. But Lobomon and Lowemon held her down and placed one of their foot behind her knee.

It was all over for her. She knew it, everyone knew it.

"... Unfortunately... YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE!"

Suddenly, the malicious Digimon thrusted the black orb into Zoe's exposed midsection. The instant the Chaos Sphere made contact wither the girl's stomach, black lightning bolts scattered all across the room and the Throne Room was filled with flashing dark lights that could be seen even from the outside boarders of Malevomon's Castle. It was like something was cutting up her insides with a sharp, hot knife.

"YEEEOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!" Zoe screamed from the top of her lungs. Her cries of agony symbolized how much energy the Chaos Sphere has. And the deeper it sank int her body, the louder she yelled.

"KYYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"MWAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Malevomon and the Legendary Warriors laugh at the girl's suffering.

It was the most painful minute of her life. Zoe couldn't stop her tears. Each drop was a silent cry for help to her friends and family. But inside the girl's mind, the treasured memories of her loved ones started to disappear. One by one, the people and Digimon she cared about faded away from her.

It started out with the members of the Digimon Battlefront. All of the words of wisdom from Eldestmon were wiped clean from her head. The battles she fought alongside with Swiftmon and with the rest were nothing but a blank slate. Lastly, the countless arguments she had with Beautymon were gone in a blink of an eye.

Next came the happy memories of her two best Digimon friends: Bokomon and Neemon. As the Chaos Sphere dug deep inside, a picture of her embracing the Rookies split in half. Neemon's hilarious moments and Bokomon's guidance had vanished from her mind. It had been replaced with a empty, dark bubble filled with emptiness.

But the last several moments were probably the most agonizing. The Chaos Sphere's energy has almost finished consuming the girl's heart. All that's left is erasing the fond memories of her best friend: Takuya Kanbara. Every wonderful memories the two of them has shared together was nothing more than a black portrait.

It started with the times they spent together on their first adventure in the Digital World. That included when they first met, when the two of them became Legendary Warriors for the first time, the many battles they fought together, and of course, the unforgettable moment in Ophanimon's Castle, when he inadvertently confessed that he had feelings for her.

The next set of images that removed were the ones when she and Takuya returned to the Human World. All of the times when they hung out in their favorite spot in the park... gone. The time where she sang her song in front of Takuya and the entire school... dashed. That night when her best friend saved her from Hiroki Kurata, and in return, she taught him how to dance... vanished. The little picnic the two of the them had before setting off to the Digital World... faded away.

After that, all of the happy, painful, memories they shared in their second adventure in the Digital World. The times he saved her from other Digimon were the first to go. Next, were the many happy and sad moments they had with each other. That includes laughing at his quirky jokes, crying after a huge fight and feeling jealous every time she sees him with Beautymon.

The last memory to go was the best ones of all. More specifically, that special moment the two of them had with each other at the playground. She waited a couple of years for him to notice. But after so long, Zoe Orimoto received her first kiss from none other than Takuya Kanbara.

But just like vapor, one moment the memory was there. And the next thing she knew, it was gone.

* * *

><p>Takuya and over three hundred soldiers from the Battlefront raced through the Continent of Darkness as fast as they could. They had just spent half an hour assembling the troops into the Digiporter Room and another half hour teleporting everyone to the appointed destination. It drove Takuya nuts, waiting for everyone else to arrive. By then, he only had two hours left to save Zoe.<p>

According to Swiftmon, it's ten miles from the Digiporter to the Dark Kingdom. And judging by their current, it would take about another hour to get there. It frustrated Takuya that they're taking this long. He missed the old days riding a Trailmon to get to where he wanted to go. It sure beats running and exhuming wasted energy.

The last time Takuya checked the time on his D-Tector, he only had ninety minutes left. That's not a lot of time, especially when someone's life is on the line. Even after picking up speed, Takuya felt like he would be too late. Afraid of how much time's running out, the Bearer of Flame looked back at his D-Tector.

"One hour to go!" grumbled the boy. Takuya tried to increase the speed of his sprints, but he could only run so fast.

"I don't think we're going to make it!" Neemon complained.

"Don't say that!" Takuya said to his friend. "Zoe's counting on us! We can't give up now!"

"He's right, you idiot!" said Bokomon. "Now, please try to keep up! I don't want to carry you the whole way!"

"I'm... trying!" The yellow rabbit panted, while holding his side. "Ouch... I hate... side cramps... Bokomon, can we take a five minute... HEADS UP!"

Takuya and the others slammed on the brakes and looked toward the sky. High above were showers of fireballs that decked the dark sky. One by one, the pyro spheres crashed onto the desert floors. Some of them slammed into a few Digimon and exploded upon impact.

"Keep moving! The enemy knows we're here, but that doesn't mean we stop moving!" The leader of the Digimon Battlefront commanded.

"He's right!" said Swiftmon after slashing through an incoming fireball. "I bet Malevomon ordered his army to try to slow us down! That could only mean one thing!"

"We've entered the Dark Kingdom!" Beautymon groaned. She performed a couple of pirouettes to gracefully avoid one of the fireballs. "Next time, Swiftmon, can you just get to the point instead doing all of those boring analyzations..."

"Guys? What's that?" Takuya pointed towards the front.

Thirty yards east of their current position were approximately a hundred Meramon defending the first layer of their master's territory.. Scorching hot flames empowered their bodies and burned with vast intensity, increasing the temperature in the area.

"PRIMARY UNITS, LIGHT EM UP!" A Meramon commanded. A couple of fireballs appeared on both of the pyro creature's hands.

"ROARING FIRE!"

A barrage of fireballs zoomed toward the direction of the Battlefront. While many easily dodged the first set attacks, a few got hit and were deleted afterwards. With both blades in hand, Swiftmon stepped in front of the leader and deflected all of the scorching projectiles coming his way. Beautymon used her elegance and grace to evade the fireball. The two Rookies dove to the ground and prayed they wouldn't get hit. Takuya, on the other hand, was ready for battle. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his D-Tector. But just when he's about to Spirit Evolve, Eldestmon cleared his throat to stop him.

"Stay back!" He said to Takuya.

"But..."

"Group F, MOVE OUT!" Eldestmon ordered.

The first line of defense broke out of their formation and ran toward the Meramon. Takuya can only watch as the first battle got underway. Malevomon's mind controlled Digimon threw their fiery techniques at the Battlefront, and they responded with their own powerful attacks. There were explosions left and right. Debris flew across the battlefield, with some hitting Takuya's face.

"Keep moving!" Eldestmon said. Upon command, Takuya and the rest of the soldiers continued journey toward Malevomon's Castle.

Minutes later, the sounds from the ferocious battle behind them were gone. Takuya looked over his shoulder one last time, but all he could see was a giant cloud of smoke coming from the many fires in the area. Low volume cries of agony entered his ear. However, he couldn't tell if they were from his comrade or the enemy. All he knew is that with each passing second, more innocent Digimon were getting hurt. And it was all because of him.

"I don't understand! Why didn't you let Takuya stay and fight, Eldestmon?" Neemon asked.

"Our mission is rescuing the Bearer of Wind, not destroying Malevomon's cronies. Don't forget that we are on the clock. Every minute we waste fighting pointless battles means the less chance we have on saving her."

"He's right!" Takuya agreed. "That creepazoid is trying to do whatever it takes to get me from Zoe. But that's not going to happen! I'm going to get my friend back, no matter wha..."

"INCOMING!" Swiftmon shouted, pointing his broadswords upward.

A couple hundred more fireballs descended from the black sky above, very similar to the first wave of attack. Unlike the fireballs that Meramon launch which had an orange flare, these blazing spheres had a crimson color. The pyro attacks crashed onto the area where the Digimon Battlefront were standing at like a bunch of meteorites. But just like last time, Takuya and the others dodged them without breaking formation.

"We got company!" Neemon pointed.

Up ahead were a over a hundred stampeding Tyrannomon and Monochromon. Their thunderous strides produced violent earthquakes that grew louder the closer they got. Again, the dinosaur Digimon unleashed another barrage of fireballs. However, Eldestmon and his troops stood their ground.

"Group W, provide us some cover!" The wise Digimon commanded.

"YES, SIR!"

The platoon of soliders took the lead and charge toward the pack of Monochromon and Tryannomon. Once they got close, another vicious battle enraged between the Battlefront and Malevomon's subordinates. But during the skirmish, Takuya and the remaining Digimon ran through the brawling creatures and continued their way forward.

"Wow, Malevomon has so many monsters!" Neemon said.

"He must be stopped, no matter what the cost! If this keeps up, he'll make us all his servants!" Bokomon agreed.

Once again, the retrieval of Zoe Orimoto commenced. By now, the Digimon Battlefront is down to sixty percent of what they started off with. Even though there are still a little over two hundred soldiers left, that's still pretty small when compared to the large army that's supposedly waiting outside the front gates of Malevomon's Castle.

"I bet that big bully has another set of Digimon waiting for us up ahead." Bokomon suggested after noticing a slight pattern.

"It doesn't matter what comes our way! We will defeat every single one of that malicious creature's troops. If Malevomon thinks this is going to slow us down, then he's sadly mistaken!" declared the swordsman.

"But doesn't seem strange?" Takuya wondered.

"What is, Cutie? That none of those ugly Digimon aren't even a challenge?" Beautymon giggled.

"No..." The teen shook his head. "If Malevomon is trying to prevent us from getting to Zoe, then why not send every Digimon he has under his control, including the evil Legendary Warriors?"

"We'll worry about that later! Army of Malevomon's cronies at twelve o'clock!" Swiftmon said.

Sure enough, more enemies approached the group of two hundred Digimon. A pack of Tortemon, Woodmon and Hyogamon were there to greet them. Each monster unleashed a loud, threatening roar. Takuya and a few other Digimon were a little riled up after seeing how much Digimon the next group has to fight. There were more than four hundred of them.

"Orders, sir?" The swordsman looked toward his superior.

"This does not change our mission. Our priority is getting the Bearer of Wind safe and sound."

"Great idea, Wrinkles! Now, exactly how are we going to do that with all of these monstrosities in the way?" Beautymon groaned. Eldestmon gave his third-in-command the evil eye for not addressing him correctly, but decided to let it go. He then looked over his shoulder to see Takuya; part of him anxiously waiting to get into action and the other part of him nervous about his best friend.

"How confident are you in saving her?" asked Eldestmon.

"More than you can possibly imagine." answered Takuya. "Zoe means everything to me. I'm not going to stand here and let Malevomon win. I've already lost her once when that jerk took her away from me. But I swear, I won't lose her again."

"Good..." nodded the old Digimon. He spun his cane around and changed his grip. Now instead of holding it like a walking stick, Eldestmon treated his tool like an actual staff. The way he twirled his weapon around like a weapons master really impressed Takuya.

"... It is in your hands now, young man. If you truly value her life, then you know what you must do!"

"Lord Eldestmon..." Swiftmon saluted.

"Oh boy. Now he's mad..." Beautymon rolled her eyes while smirking.

"Can someone explain what's going on?" Neemon asked.

"It appeared as if Eldestmon... is going to fight!" Bokomon gasped.

"You five!" The leader pointed to his two best warriors, the Rookies and Takuya. "Malevomon's Castle is only a couple miles away from our current spot. And somewhere in that highly guarded fortress is the capture human! Get in, find her and get out of there alive!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Yawn..." Beautymon snorted.

"Now go. There isn't much time." Eldestmon turned to the remaining two hundred or so Digimon. "As for the rest of you, let us show Malevomon that good will always conquer evil!"

"YEAH!"

"STRONG CARAPACE!" ||| "WOOD DRILL!" ||| "THROWING ICE!" Malevomon's mind controlled Digimon declared their strongest techniques.

The Woodmon spun their arms around at thousand revolutions per minute so their hands act as powerful drills. The Hyogamon and Tortemon, on the other hand, launch their attacks while maintaining the back lines. As for the Digimon Battlefront, they stood behind their leader, ready to fight upon his command.

"Sage's Shower!" Eldestmon rose his staff up.

A dimensional rift opened in the sky. Vast amounts of meteorites and comets rain down from the stars above. Giant boulders and balls of energy slammed the ground around, taking out a bunch of the charging Woodmon and the other Digimon on the rear. But even after Eldestmon made his first move, that still wasn't enough to stop the evil creatures from advancing.

By then, the Battlefront have already crossed weapons with their opponents. The echoing sound of blades clashing against each other and the cries of agony from the fallen monsters filled the entire vicinity. Digimon left and right were being deleted one by one. Yet, the fight has just begun and it won't be a while until a winner side can be distinguished.

Many of Malevomon's controlled slaves tried to attack the strongest Digimon on the opposite side. But even with his old age, Eldestmon has proven to be a capable fighter. He used little movements as possible to avoid oncoming attacks and easily defeated the evil emperor's subordinates with one strike from his staff. After taking out the first ten Digimon that challenged him, Eldestmon quickly glanced back at the others.

"We'll take it from here! Hurry and get moving!" The leader of the Battlefront commanded.

"Sir, we will not fail you!" Swiftmon saluted and assume charge of this operation. "Alright, let's move out!" He told the others.

Everyone, with the exception of Beautymon, nodded and followed the swordsman deep into the darkest parts of Malevomon's kingdom. Eldestmon kept watch until the five of them reached the other side of the battlefield and disappeared into the dark forest. Once they were out of sight, the leader of the Battlefront refocused on the approaching Woodmon and a couple of Hyogamon.

"I cannot allow you to win! CHAINS OF SUPREMACY!"

* * *

><p>Ten more minutes have passed, yet Takuya and the others were still on the move. The good news was that they haven't encountered any evil Digimon as of yet. However, there was still no sign of Malevomon's Castle. While Swiftmon, Beautymon and Takuya continued to venture through the treacherous woods, Neemon and Bokomon followed behind, still trying to embrace their current surroundings.<p>

"Gosh, these woods gives me the creeps! In fact, this is even scarier than the Forbidden Forest quite a few chapters ago!"

"Oh, stop acting like a fraidy cat! Try to be brave, like Takuya and the others!"

"Um, Bokomon? How come your face is so pale? I mean REALLY pale! More paler than pale!"

"Oh... no reason..." Bokomon shrilled while hiding his face in between the pages of his book.

"How much further?" The female Digimon complained. "I'm tired! I'm hungry! And my lovely dress is falling apart!"

"Enough Beautymon!" Swiftmon commanded. "All of you get ready... because we're already here..."

Just as the warrior said, the five had reached the edge the forest. Another wide open plain came into view. This area had a stronger radiation of dark energy, compared to the other parts of the kingdom. Right at the very center of the plains, stood a large fortress heavily guarded by hundreds of threatening Digimon. So far, not a single one of Malevomon's subordinates have noticed their presence. Takuya and the others ducked underneath one of the thick bushes and turned toward each other to regroup..

"So... what's the plan Mr. Leader?" Beautymon complained. "And please, try not make it too messy. For I, the most skilled fighter on this squad, needs to keep her gorgeous looks and..."

"Woman, shut up!" Swiftmon glared at his partner. The olive haired beauty wanted to blast the swordsman to smithereens for calling her such a name, but kept quiet and turned the other shoulder.

"If we're going to get Zoe out, we need everyone's help." Takuya suggested.

"Even us?" Neemon asked.

"No offense Takuya, but what can we do? We're nowhere near as strong as you three." Bokomon pointed out.

"You can start by believing in us, and a little cheering wouldn't hurt either. After that... you'll come up with something..." Takuya sighed. Bokomon looked down on the ground, still hoping he could do more.

"Don't worry, Takuya. You can count on us!" The Rookie gave his friend the thumbs up sign.

"Excellent. So Swiftmon... you got a plan or do we just sit here on our butts doing nothing?" The goggle-headed boy asked.

"Let's see... Here's what we're going to do. Gather around!"

The four Digimon and the human huddle up with each other. After doing a quick estimate of how much evil Digimon is in the area, Swiftmon took all of the information he gathered and relayed it to the his comrades. Softly, he whispered into Beautymon's her assignment and she replied by rolling her eyes and groaning loudly, almost giving up her position. Next, Swiftmon leaned toward Takuya and gave him his list of tasks. At first, the boy widened his eyes and wondered if the Champion Digimon was serious. But after placing a hand on the human's shoulder and nodding back at him, Takuya's confidence went back to normal.

"Remember, the girl's safety is what matters most. We're not here to cause a fight, nor to defeat Malevomon or any of the other five Legendary Warriors. Find the Bearer of Wind, rescue her and get out of there as quick as you can..."

"And Beautymon? That goes DOUBLE for you!" Swiftmon keenly eyed the female.

"Whatever... just so you know, I value _my_ life over hers. So, if you think I'm going to sacrifice myself for her, forget it!" grunted Beautymon. Swiftmon groaned frustratingly before refocusing back on the rest of the group.

"Alright, you all know what to do! Stay focused, stay alive... stay safe." The second-in-command concluded.

"Let's do it!" Takuya said.

A couple of minutes later, the fourteen year old boy scampered out of the hiding place and into the open. It didn't take long for the hundreds of patrolling creatures to notice the Bearer of Flame advancing. While a few were surprised that he wasn't in his Digimon form, all of them glowered at the human with hunger in their eyes.

"MALEVOMON!" Takuya screamed from the top of his lungs. His voice echoed throughout the center of the Dark Kingdom and somehow made its way into the fortress.

"It's the human! ATTACK!" One of Malevomon's subordinates commanded. The rest of the Digimon rose their weapons high and charged at the lone human.

Takuya came to a halt and quickly scouted how many evil monsters were coming his way. If he were to guess, about a hundred would seem pretty accurate. If he Spirit Evolved into Aldamon, he could easily take them out without even breaking a sweat.

However, according to Swiftmon's instructions, he was not supposed fight any of the monsters. All he had to do was run toward the castle and shout Malevomon's name. That's exactly what Takuya did. As the evil Digimon drew nearer, the goggle-head shut his eyes and braced himself for a pretty painful beatdown.

"TAKUYA!" Bokomon shouted before looking back at the swordsman. "Swiftmon, do something!"

"I can't watch!" Neemon turned away, to afraid to watch another one of his friends get destroyed.

"Three... two..." The second-in-command mentally countdown in his head. The closer he got to zero, the closer the evil Digimon drew toward Takuya. It won't be long before they cut the poor boy into ribbons. But then, Swiftmon unsheathed both of his blades.

"One..."

"HALT!" The voice of the Almighty One ordered.

Upon command, all of Malevomon's troops froze. Takuya opened his eyes and noticed that one of the mind controlled creatures had a sword just centimeters away from his throat. If the malicious emperor was just a tad late with his orders, he would've been dead for sure. Slowly, the soldiers backed away from the teen and formed a circle around him. Takuya sighed with relief, like his life flashed before his eyes.

Suddenly, dark clouds filled the area, making visibility almost zero. Lightning bolts struck the earth and almost hitting a couple of Digimon at the feet. As for the Bearer of Flame, he could sense the presence of the one who kidnapped his beloved. A black silhouette appeared in front of Takuya. Moments later, the smoke had lifted, revealing the Creator of Chaos himself.

"Well, what do we have here?"

"Malevomon..." grumbled Takuya.

"Welcome to the Dark Kingdom, young man. I'm actually surprised you made it here in one piece! And with a couple of minutes to spare as well! You should consider yourself lucky for..."

"Give... me... Zoe!" The boy growled at the sovereign. Instead of complying with Takuya's demands, Malevomon gave the boy a arrogant grin.

"Did you forget your part of the deal?" He asked. "You get your girlfriend back... after I get the remaining Spirits!"

"I want to see Zoe first!" The teen requested.

"But of course." Malevomon nodded and motioned his hand behind him.

What Takuya saw almost made him threw up. Behind the evil sovereign, the Warriors of Light and Darkness hauled a beaten, battered and bruised teenage girl out of the castle, with the other Warriors following behind. Her legs drug into the dead grass and dirt, giving her more scrapes and scratches. But Takuya stood his ground and kept himself from pouncing at the Ultimate level Digimon. A few seconds later, Lobomon and Lowemon tossed the girl in the middle of the circle, right in between the boy and the emperor.

"ZOE!" The teen cried out to her.

"Ahem! Are we forgetting something?"

"You lousy, rotten, spineless..."

"Slence! Hand over your D-Tector, or else..."

Takuya sighed, but knew what he had to do. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his red device. First, he pushed a button on his D-Tector and the Spirit of Agunimon appeared on the screen. Takuya showed it to the malicious Digimon as a sign of good faith. He looked at his D-Tector one last time, before tossing toward the Almighty One.

"I'll take that!" Another familiar voice cried.

Sinistromon appeared out of nowhere and caught the D-Tector with his hands. He flew toward his master and showed him Takuya's device.

"Look my lord! We got it! All ten Legendary Spirits are in our possession!"

"Stand aside, you fool!" commanded Malevomon as he pushed the Rookie out of the way so he could approach the human teens.

Just after Takuya threw his D-Tector toward the evil Digimon, he rushed as fast as he could toward the unconscious Zoe. He placed the girl's head on his lap and brushed the scraggly locks that covered her face. Even though her eyes remained shut, Takuya still couldn't help but admire how beautiful his beloved looked. He held her tight, trying to prevent any tears from falling.

"Oh Zoe... I'm sorry" Takuya gulped, hoping that his girlfriend is still alive.

"Hahaha... HAHAHAHAHA!"

Malevomon's laughter recaptured Takuya's attention. But when the boy glanced back up, he noticed that the evil Digimon circling around him and Zoe have their weapons out again. Every single one of Malevomon's subordinates pointed their swords, axes and firearms at the humans, ready to destroy them upon their master's command.

"Hey! What are you doing? You promised you would let me and Zoe go free!" Takuya growled.

"Foolish boy! Do you really think I'm going to keep my word? Hahahaha! Nonsense! Why should I, when I have everything I needed? All ten Legendary Spirit are mine and the only two humans dumb enough to stop me are about to be my captives! And you want me keep up my end of the bargain? HAHAHAHAHAHA! When will you humans learn? You never make a deal with the Malevolent One! Because I _always_ get what I want!"

"Why you..." The Bearer of Flame gritted his teeth. Unfortunately, with his D-Tector in the enemy's hands, there wasn't much he can do right now.

"Well, I have an entire world to conquer and a lot of other Digimon to make my slaves! I really would like to finish you off myself, but you're just as pathetic as your girlfriend! You're not even worth destroying by mu hand!" Malevomon said. He turned away and snapped his fingers, silently commanding his cronies to annihilate the two humans.

"WAIT!" Takuya shouted, stopping the emperor in his tracks.

"Can I just say a couple of things first?" The human asked.

"Go on... You won't be alive much longer, so... might as well say your last words to your girlfriend." chuckled Malevomon.

"Actually, that wasn't what I wanted to say. I just can't believe that... the most evil Digimon in the entire Digital World... is such a coward.

The subordinates around Malevomon looked at each other awkwardly. A couple of them murmured to themselves about Takuya's bold, yet strange proclamation. Everyone looked at the malicious Digimon, who only rose an eyebrow. Slowly, he advanced toward the pair of humans.

"A coward? I'm sorry, were you addressing me?"

"You bet! I can see why you wanted your lackeys to annihilate me, instead of you doing it yourself."

"Hehe! Entertain me, boy! Exactly what do you mean by that?"

"If you're as powerful and malevolent as you claim to be, then why don't you be he one destroying me!"

"Don't tempt me, you fool!"

"If not, then I can understand why! You're so weak, you can't even dispose a measly human, like me! Instead, you have to turn to someone less than you to finish someone you couldn't! That's why you lose a lot of your best fighters! SkullCerberumon, IceLadyDevimon, every one of them tried to annihilate me and Zoe, and each one of them have fallen! I bet the same thing would apply to all of your little cronies over here! Face it, Malevomon! You can't destroy me!"

The concerned murmurs grew louder amongst the group. Malevomon could hear some of his mind controlled servants talking about Takuya's statements. Anger took over as he used his ginormous hands to grab the fourteen year old boy by the skull. He lifted him off of the ground so there was a few feet between Takuya's shoes and the ground.

"Well, if it's going to make you feel better, how about I crush your brains right now?"

"S... Sound good... to me..." grunted Takuya, trying to endure Malevomon's vice-like squeeze.

"You're a fool for coming to my kingdom and giving me orders! And you're an even bigger fool for calling me a coward! So, it'll be my pleasure to make your demise quick and relatively painful! Say goodbye, puny human..."

"Lord Malevomon!" Sinistromon cried to his superior. "My Lord? MY LORD?"

"WHAT IS IT?" The Almighty One snapped at his subordinate.

"The boy's D-Tector! There's only one Spirit inside!"

"What?"

"My Lord! The remaining Spirits of Ice, Wood and Earth are still missing!" Upon hearing the news, Malevomon leered back at the human in his grasp and squeezed harder.

"Is this some kind of trick?" The angry Digimon roared.

"Guess you should've known..." Takuya spoke while trying to fight the pain in his head. "... If you're not going to keep your word... then neither should I!"

"You annoying little pest! Tell me where the rest of the Spirits are, before I crush your skull into dust!"

"You want them? YOU GOT 'EM!"

"THORN JAB, BABY!"

Suddenly, a bunch of thorny vines shot out of the ground and pierced all of Malevomon's evil servants. Pain-filled cries echoed throughout the kingdom before the Digimon were deleted. Only Malevomon, Sinistromon and the five evil Warriors made it out alive and unscathed. They turned toward the edge of the plains and noticed another Digimon coming their way.

"TECTONIC SLAM!"

A giant ogre Digimon jumped up and fell from the sky. He flew over the malicious emperor and landed right in the middle of the Legendary Warriors. The Beast of Earth slammed both of his arms into the ground, creating a massive earthquake. Lobomon, Lowemon, Beetlemon, Ranamon and Mercurymon all lost their balance and collapsed to the ground. Gigasmon stood up, crossed his arms and grinned at his evil companions.

"You miss me, no?"

"After we trash this place, you all owe me a giant hamburger!" Petaldramon shouted from the rear. Beside him, the third Legendary Warrior skied on the canvas at blazing speeds.

"Hang on, Takuya! We're coming!" Kumamon shouted.

"BLIZZARD BLASTER!"

With perfect aim, the Warrior of Ice plastered Malevomon's chest with a barrage of solid snowballs. Although his attack didn't inflict any kind of damage, it knocked Malevomon backwards. At the same time, this grip on Takuya's skull loosened. Next, Kumamon aimed a little to his left and blasted Sinistromon with another set of iceballs. Not only he caused the Rookie to take a nose dive, but he also dropped Takuya's D-Tector."

"Mine!" The polar bear said to himself. By transferring the energy from his legs to his body, Kumamon jumped off of the ground and caught the red device in midair.

"I got it! Swiftmon, go!"

"DIAMOND CUTTER!" A swordsman Digimon sprinted toward the emperor with both broadswords in his hands. In a flash, he disappeared from sight.

Before Malevomon could react, he started to feel something cutting his right arm that was currently holding Takuya. The first slashes started off as nothing, but gradually, the Almighty One began to wince and grimace in agony until he had to release the boy so could heal his heavily slashed arm. Takuya plummeted toward the ground, but his consciousness had returned. He landed smoothly on his feet and crawled toward Zoe.

"Beautymon, now!" The second-in-command yelled to his partner, who was at least a hundred yards away from the group.

"Hey, you can't tell me what to do! I didn't even want to come here in the first place! So, don't you dare give me orders, you good for nothing..."

"You cannot escape from me!" Malevomon growled. He pointed his hand toward the humans, ready to discharge his signature attack. But Beautymon saw who he was targeting, and her demeanor changed.

"Leave him alone, you sick freak!" Beautymon ordered, before floating toward the scene. "BEAUTIFUL BEAM!"

The olive haired Digimon unleashed one of her powerful lasers at her opponent. The pink energy attack nailed Malevomon in the chest, knocking him really far back. Her attack was so strong, she actually pushed the evil ruler into the stone walls of his castle.

"Nobody hurts my Cutie and gets away with it!" huffed the olive haired fighter.

"Wow... really?" Swiftmon facepalmed himself before looking back at the Bearer of Flame.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah!" The teen nodded. "I can't believe that the plan worked! But next time, please use someone else as bait instead of me!"

"You can complain to me after we get out of here!" The warrior replied.

"Takuya!" Kumamon turned the corner and skidded to a halt. "I believe _this_ belongs to you!"

The Warrior of Ice tossed the D-Tector back to its original owner. Takuya caught the device and checked to see if both of his Spirits were still there. Once confirmed, the Bearer of Flame was ready for action. However, the second-in-command held one of his blades in front of Takuya.

"Get her out of here!" Swiftmon commanded, nudging his head toward the unconscious Zoe.

"But..."

"We've already completed our mission in retrieving the Bearer of Wind! Now's not the time to start another war! Retreat, now!"

"Alright!" Takuya wrapped one of Zoe's arms around his neck and placed both hands on her back and underneath her legs. Slowly, the boy lifted the unconscious girl off the ground and carried her bridal style.

"We'll provide you some cover! But get Zoe to safety as quick as you can!" Kumamon said to the human.

"Gotcha!"

Without hesitation, Takuya sprinted toward the opposite direction and headed for the woods. Explosions from the ground shot dust and debris all over Takuya's face. But the Bearer of Flame was determined to get his beloved to safety. The teenager zig-zagged through the obstacles and slowly approached the dark forest.

"Don't worry, Z! Everything's going to be alright! We're almost home free! Just hang in there a little..."

*bam*

"UGH!"

Takuya felt like someone has punched him in the solar plexus. He collapsed on his knees and dropped his girlfriend. Whoever it was that hit him got a really good shot at his midsection. As Takuya recovered and caught for air, he checked his surroundings to see who attacked him.

But what he saw put him in a complete state of shock.

"Z... Zoe?"

Standing before the prone boy was the blonde haired girl he loves so much. Her long, blonde haired curtained her delicate face. While it did surprise Takuya that Zoe was back on her feet, something just didn't feel right to him. The last time he saw his girlfriend, she was in so much pain and had no energy to stand up on her own. A couple hours have passed and here she is on her two feet with no problem. Takuya examined a little closer and also noticed that most of the scratches, cuts and bruises that were previously all over her were gone, like they've been magically healed. The boy gulped as he staggered to a vertical base.

"Zoe... is that you?" Takuya asked nervously. But when he took a step forward...

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Moments later, the Creator of the Chaos Sphere emerged from the darkness and stood next to the young woman.

"Malevomon! What have you done to Zoe?" Takuya demanded to know.

"Cute plan, young man! However, I had a feeling you would double-cross me! So I added a little extra insurance, just in case!"

"What do you mean? Explain yourself!"

"Very well then! If the ones I capture are no use to me, I amuse myself with their suffering before I obliterate them! But, if I sense potential in my captives, then I kindly give them a little... 'welcome' present of my own!"

"No..." Takuya felt his stomach cramping up. "You mean..."

"That's right! A Chaos Sphere! And thanks to my ingenious creation, your girlfriend is under _my_ control now! Isn't that right, my child?"

Slowly, the blonde tilted her head up to its normal position. Her eyes also opened up. But instead of the emerald pupils Takuya has always admired, Zoe's eye color was now crimson red.

"You monster!" growled Takuya before shifting his attention back to his lover. "Zoe! Zoe, can you hear me? Zoe, please! Come back!"

But the teenage girl stared blankly at the boy like she doesn't even recognize him. No matter how hard he tried, his words fell on deaf ears. He then realized that it was no use. What Malevomon said was true. It crumbled Takuya to pieces. From Zoe's eyes, all she could see is another human shouting a bunch of nonsense to her.

"Zoe! You have to fight Malevomon's control! Zoe, please... I need you!"

"Well, it looks like your boyfriend want to spend some time with you before he perishes, my dear. So, why don't you make your last moments with him the most memorable?"

"No..." Takuya gulped nervously.

"Destroy him and hand me his Spirits!"

Malevomon took a step back so the blonde can have the floor. Zoe reached into her pocket and took out her lavender D-Tector. She then marched slowly toward her boyfriend. Takuya sadly shook his head and prayed that Zoe would break Malevomon's control on her own. But all hope was lost when her neutral face was replaced with a grin filled with malicious intent.

"_Il tuo_ _desiderio è un ordine_, Lord Malevomon!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter forty-seven. Now that a Chaos Sphere is inside Zoe, can Takuya find a way out of this seemingly, unwinnable fight? Or will Malevomon's newest servant destroy her own boyfriend without even realizing it? T<strong>**hese questions will be answered in the next action-packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next ****Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising****.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	48. Love And War: Part 1

****Author's Notes: Hey guys! Sorry for the wait. but my computer broke a week ago. But I finally got it fixed. Anyway, I hope you all are enjoying the start of the new school year. As for everyone else, I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer.****

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Digimon Frontier series or any of the characters.**

**Review Replies:**

**The Keeper of Worlds - Malevomon's demise will happen eventually, my friend.**

**Viper 0-1 - IceLadyDevimon used a spell. Malevomon used a Chaos Sphere.**

**Axle the Hedgehog - After this chapter, no more Takuya/Zoe fights.**

**shadowrunner22 - He'll find a way. The question is: How?**

**TakumiWarrior - Exhilarating, isn't it?**

**Pikatwig - Sorry, but Zoe's Fusion Evolution won't be until later.**

**NaruHinaShikaTen - I hope the suspense for this chapter is on the same level as the last one.**

**Miss. Teria - Huge Beautymon scene in this chapter just for you.**

**t3322stc - Takuya will get his chance to face the Malevolent One. Not now though.**

**kirakuya1101 - Took me some time with that, but it was worth it.**

**UnderWaterPeril - He is the leader, so his fighting skills should be up there.**

**MerryHimawari - Alright, already. Next chapter, coming up.  
><strong>

**CaptainDandruff - Beautymon will probably say, 'Yeah, like I'm gonna listen to you!'**

**raidersfan777 - No, he can't.**

**Guest - Can't wait for more Beautymon insults.**

**GakuenShimai - Burn, baby, Burn!**

**MarsPhoenixFire - Surprised you, didn't I?**

**S-A Bleach - Thanks for reviewing, buddy!**

**ReikoHinomotoXX - Either that, or a lot of Blisseymon healing her.**

**lordawsome - Myotismon was one of inspirations when I created Malevomon.**

**Anakin Rose the Hedgehog - Nice cliffhanger, huh?**

**x-Ty-Lee-x - Thanks a bunch!  
><strong>

**No.1DigiBakuFan - The best has yet to come.**

**TakuyaZoeLove - That's amazing. So glad you've caught up. I'm glad you love the story so far.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter forty-eight.**

* * *

><p><strong>Love And War (Part 1)<strong>

**Normal POV:**

*Flashback*

_The insertion of the Chaos Sphere has been complete. Lobomon and Lowemon released the girl's arms so they could see if the transfusion was a success. The first thing Malevomon and his subordinates noticed was that all of Zoe's previous injuries were gone. The bruises on her cheeks, scratches on her arms and legs and the tenderness in her ribs had miraculously healed._

_"Did it work?" Ranamon asked._

_"Thou must not doubt the master's power." chuckled Mercurymon. The Ultimate level sovereign made his way toward the girl, who was still on her knees with her blonde hair concealing her face._

_"Rise, my child." He said softly. Malevomon held his hand out and, surprisingly, Zoe took it without hesitation. The human slowly got back to her feet and stood before the five Warriors._

_"You belong to me now, my child." The evil emperor said. It took her a few seconds, but the semi-lifeless girl replied with a weak nod._

_"And from this day forward, you will serve me and me only." Zoe nodded again._

_"You will obey my every command... even down to the smallest order." Her head slowly moved up and down._

_"That's my girl! Because I have a special task for you. I want you to..."_

_"LORD MALEVOMON!" A panicky Vilemon cried as he entered the Throne Room. Everyone, except the brainwashed Zoe, turned toward the entrance and gazed at the devilish Digimon._

_"Go away, you fool! I'm busy bonding with our new guest!" snapped Malevomon._

_"But sir, it's urgent!" Vilemon continued. "We have just received word that an army of Digimon has appeared on the outskirts of the Dark Kingdom! It's the Digimon Battlefront, my lord!"_

_"Really?"_

_"Everyone's there! Eldestmon, Swiftmon, Beautymon, and even that other human are coming this way!"_

_"Excellent! Once when Sinistromon returns, report to him and give that buffoon the orders to attack!"_

_"Your wish is my command!" Vilemon bowed before scampering out of the room. Malevomon shifted his attention back toward the girl._

_"It looks like your 'former' friends are coming to save you." But even at the mention of the word friends, the blonde beauty portrayed no emotion. "But those Digimon aren't your friends anymore, you understand me? You have no friends, and you don't need friends... especially that boy."_

_Zoe kept her eyes on the floor, even with the small implication of Takuya._

_"You have the power of the Chaos Sphere inside you, and that's all you need. Unfortunately, there are those who will never understand that. Instead of letting you embrace the power you have, they want to take it away from you. Or worse, they want to destroy you because they fear you might become too powerful."_

_The girl clenched her fist tight and closed her eyes, thinking about how wrong it is for her enemies to think that._

_"So listen well, my girl. Do not let those cowards take what's rightfully yours. For your first task, you must destroy the Digimon Battlefront..." Malevomon proceeded with his orders._

_"... starting with the human! Can you do that for me?"_

_Suddenly, the girl pulled out her purple D-Tector, tossed it in the air and caught it without even looking. Once the device landed on her hand, she tilted her head up and opened her eyes for the first time. Her mesmerizing emerald orbs were replaced by a couple of bloodshot eyes, signifying that she was under her new master's control. Her neutral face changed into a grin with malicious intent._

_"Sarebbe il mio piacere! Hahahaha... AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"_

*End of Flashback*

* * *

><p>"LOBO KENDO!" The Warrior of Light shouted as he ran toward his opponent and executed a vertical slash.<p>

The good news was the Lobomon was able to cut through a layer of Petaldramon's body. But before the humanoid wolf could celebrate, more grass and plants formed around the Beast Warrior's body, instantly healing the lizard on the spot.

"Why you little..."

"SHADOW METEOR!"

The jaw on Lowemon's chest opened up and discharged a powerful fireball toward Petaldramon's side. Just like his partner, Lowemon was able to burn through several patches of leaves on Petaldramon's body. But after letting out a subtle grunt, the Beast of Wood healed himself again.

"It's not working!" complained Lowemon.

"Let's attack him together!" suggested Lobomon. The two Warriors nodded toward each other before taking aim at the angry reptile.

"HOWING LASER!" ||| "SHADOW METEOR!"

Both of them launched their projectiles toward Petaldramon's face. The Beast of Wood took a couple steps back and tilted his head from side to side in order to evade the oncoming laser and meteor. Lobomon's and Lowemon's attacks sailed passed their target and exploded on a tree.

"Alright, that's it! I've had it!" growled the annoyed Beast Warrior.

"THORN JAB!"

Petaldramon stabbed his tail into the ground and a bunch of prickly vines shot out of the bottom. Lobomon and Lowemon hacked and slashed all the plants that came after them. Unfortunately for Malevomon's servant's, Petaldramon summoned even more of his thorny plants to help him gain the upper hand of this fight.

Unbeknownst to Lowemon and Lobomon, a couple of vines quietly snuck up from their blindside. Once when they found an opening, the elongated plants shot toward the leg's of their opponent. By the time the two Warriors noticed, it was already too late. The plants wrapped around their legs and hoisted them in the air. With no ability to fly, gravity grabbed a hold of the humanoid wolf and lion.

"LEAF CYCLONE!"

Suddenly, Petaldramon snorted a powerful tornado from his nostrils toward the descending subordinates of the Almighty One. The cyclone nailed both Warriors in midair and sent them tumbling toward Malevomon's castle. It took Lobomon and Lowemon a while to regain themselves. Running out of options, the two Digimon readjusted their body so they could try landing on the stone walls.

At the same time, large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded their bodies. Inside the cocoon of data, the Warriors of Light and Darkness changed forms.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!"

When the Fractal Code had lifted, an armored wolf and lion bounced off of the walls of the fortress and back on the ground. Upon landing, the Beast Warriors rushed as fast as they could toward the leafy lizard with hunger in their eyes.

"KENDOGARURUMON!"

"JAGERLOWEMON!"

* * *

><p>"I'll start things out!" The Warrior of Thunder declared. "Thunder Fist!"<p>

By punching the ground, Beetlemon sent large amounts of lightning bolts toward the charging Gigasmon. But when the electric technique made contact with the ogre's body, it bounced off his chest and zipped toward another direction. Regardless how much energy Beetlemon put into his last attack, Gigasmon was still on the move..

"Whipping Waves! cried the Warrior of Water.

By summoning the water from the moat nearby, Ranamon juggled her her hands around to create a couple of plumes. She then pointed toward Gigasmon, sending the elongated water columns toward her target. Ranamon's attack somehow stopped Gigasmon's momentum. In fact, she was able to pushed the giant back a few feet. Unfortunately, Gigasmon refound his strength and continued to push forward. Ranamon tried adding more power to her attacks, but it was no use.

Suddenly, the Beast of Earth jumped toward the sky and brought both of his hands behind his head.

"TECTONIC SLAM!"

Once he reached his peak, the large Digimon began to drop. Realizing how much power their opponent has, the two Warriors prepared for evasive maneuvers. Beetlemon opened up his wing compartment and flew away from his original spot. Ranamon executed a perfect springing backflip and landed net to the humanoid insect

After a while, Gigasmon landed hard on the ground and hammered both fists into the earth. The massive slam produced a violent earthquake that shook the battleground and knocked a few other Digimon off of their feet. But the Beast of Earth was way off his target. Neither Beetlemon, nor Ranamon were effected by the earthquake.

"Come now! Don't tell Gigasmon you scared to fight him!" grumbled the Beast of Earth.

"Hey! Watch it, rockhead!" complained the insulted Diamond of the Deep. "How dare you say call me scared? Ugh, I'm gonna make you pay for..."

"That's enough, Ranamon!" The humanoid insect said. He lets out a subtle, yet frustrating sigh before speaking again. "I hate to admit it, but the big guy's right. None of our attacks have any effect on him. We're gonna have to step up our game."

"What are you trying to say, Bug Boy?"

"Stop fooling around and start taking this guy seriously! Lord Malevomon wants us to reclaim the Legendary Spirits! If we can take this guy down and deliver the Spirits of Earth to him, our master will be most pleased!"

"Fine! But just so you know, if I happened to beat rockhead on my own, I sure ain't gonna give you credit. You got that?" Ranamon reminded.

"I don't expect anything less."

After wiping the dust and dirt off of him, Gigasmon sprinted toward the two subordinates of Malevomon once again with his fists clenched tight. On the other hand, the Digimon of Water and Thunder weren't backing down. When Gigasmon reached the halfway point, long strips of Fractal Code wrapped around the two servants of the Malevolent One. Inside the ball of data, Beetlemon and Ranamon changed into their Beast Warrior forms.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!"

The Fractal Code cocoons broke apart. On the left side was a bluish tank with a large cannon on his head instead of a beetle's horn. To Gigasmon's right was a putrid squid with a disgustingly strong odor to match.

"METALKABUTERIMON!"

"CALMARAMON!"

* * *

><p>"Blizzard Blaster!" The Warrior of Ice shouted as he took aim with his bazooka and fired a barrage of snowballs at the metallic creature.<p>

"Truly pathetic!" Mercurymon replied with a grin plastered on his front mirror. He held his right arm up and placed his shields in front to absorb Kumamon's attack.

"Dark Reflection!"

The Warrior of Steel counted by launching his own set of iceballs at the polar bear. Kumamon activated his skis and maneuvered out of the crossfire to avoid getting hit. Again, Mercurymon released another of his opponent's snowballs, and the Warrior of Ice barely avoids them. Finally, the steel Digimon gave Kumamon a loud chuckle to show of his arrogance.

"Had enough, you little runt?"

"I'm just getting started! You're just nothing but a big copycat! All you do is use the same techniques I use! Can't you come up with your own stuff?"

"Hahahaha! Thou must feel powerless, for thy attacks shall never penetrate my defenses!" Mercurymon laughed.

"Is that so? Well in that case, if I can't go through your defenses, I'll go around them!"

Kumamon then started to ski circles around Mercurymon, trying to find an opening. The Warrior of Steel stood his ground and kept his mirror shields up. For almost a minute, the two Digimon waited for each other to make the first move. Unfortunately, Kumamon knew he would have to initiate the attack sooner or later.

"I hope this works..." The Warrior of Ice said to himself. Finally, he aimed his firearm at the metallic Digimon and was ready to put his plan into action.

"Blizzard Blaster!"

As the polar bear skied around Mercurymon, he unleashed another onslaught of solid snowballs. Each iced sphere came towards their target at different speeds, trajectories and angles. But Mercurymon held his defensive weapon in front of Kumamon, absorbing every single iceball that came at him.

"This be a waste of time! Tis best to give up right now before thou suffers a crushing defeat!"

"Never!" Kumamon replied as he continued his barrage of snowballs.

"Very well then! Thy shall make this place your grave! DARK REFLECTION!"

The Warrior of Steel took aim and fired a large number of snowballs at the circling Kumamon. Although his opponent was moving at a pretty fast, Mercurymon's attacks were only off by a couple of feet. But as accurate as he claims to be, none of Mercurymon's reflected attacks were able to score a direct hit.

As the Warrior of Ice continued evading the onslaught, he made sure he was positioned directly in front of the mirrors. That way, Mercurymon wouldn't be able to see his sneak attack. While Kumamon maintained the same speed, he turned his attention toward the ground the metallic Digimon was standing on.

"Crystal Freeze." He murmured to himself.

He gently lets out a soft blow of chilled air. The cold wind hits the canvas and turned everything in touched into ice. Slowly, Kumamon lifted his head upward so he could freeze the spot where his opponent was. Unbeknownst to Mercurymon, the ground turned into a slippery, crystallized canvas. Suddenly, the evil Warrior lost his balance, slipped on the ice and landed hard on his rear end.

"Hahahahahaha!" laughed the cunning bear.

"Why you insignificant, little creature!" growled the humiliated Legendary Warrior.

"I'm sorry, Mercurymon! But it was the only way to shut you up! Hope I didn't offend you! Hehe!"

"Grrrr... Thou mustn't get too cocky!" Mercurymon reminded his opponent as he rolled off of the icy canvas and stood back up on solid ground. "Just because thou hast gotten me once, doesn't mean thou will defeat me!"

"Meh, it's a start!"

"Very well then! It's time thy will get serious in this fight!"

"Same here!"

Large chunks of data spiraled around both of the Legendary Warriors' bodies. Slowly, the Digimon of Steel and Ice transform into their ultimate forms.

"Slide... EVOLUTION! The two of them shouted together.

The Fractal Codes surrounding their bodies scattered, revealing two more Digimon twice the size of their Human Warrior forms. On one side was a nomadic monster that wielded two double-edge axes. The other Digimon was a large network of eyeballs that all stared down their target.

"KORIKAKUMON!"

"SAKKAKUMON!"

* * *

><p>"Diamond Cutter!"<p>

As a dozen Devidramon drew nearer, Swiftmon got in a crouched position and held both hilts tight. He waited precisely for the black monsters to reached the five feet mark. Moments later, he disappeared from sight. Quietly and quickly, he danced around the twelve dark creatures that surrounded him, giving each one of them mixture of horizontal, vertical and diagonal slashes. One second to the Devidramon felt like five to the swordsman. Finally, the second-in-command reappeared just a couple of feet away from the group of devils. He spun one of his swords and placed it back in its sheath. The guard on his weapon made contact with his scabbard, producing a loud...

*clink*

But when the sound entered the Devidramons' ears, every single one of them yelped in intense agony. One by one, arms, legs, claws and wings fell to the ground and scattered into pieces. Once they were gone, the Devidramon collapsed on the canvas. Unable to fight the pain much longer, the dark Champions disintegrated o nothingness.

With a chunk of Malevomon's bodyguards gone, the swordsman could now see the Malevolent One in his sight. He then made a beeline toward the Ultimate level ruler.

"YOU'RE MINE!" Swiftmon shouted as he approached Malevomon.

After all of this time, the evil emperor finally gets to fight someone from the opposing Battlefront. Needless to say, he was more than thrilled. Swiftmon started off by delivering quick diagonal and horizontal slashes toward Malevomon's chest. However, the malicious Digimon tilted his body from side to side, easily avoiding all of the swordsman's attack with very little effort.

"Isn't this the best you can do?" snorted the Almighty One.

"DIAMOND CUTTER!"

The second-in-command of the Digimon Battlefront disappeared from his spot and sprinted toward Malevomon at the speed of sound. He zigged and zagged around the Ultimate level Digimon while executing powerful swings with his broadsword. Swiftmon's signature attack has defeated many opposing monsters. But unfortunately, Malevomon wasn't effected by any of the warrior's strikes.

"How tiresome!"

He then held his arm out to the side. With perfect timing, he used his psychic powers to force the dancing swordsman to a halt. Malevomon flexed his fingers, forcing the airborne Swiftmon to come to him. Once he was in range, the malicious Digimon gave his opponent a devastating clothesline. Swiftmon tumbled in midair and landed on the back of his neck. Besides being a little dazed, he was thankful nothing was broken.

But then, Malevomon snapped his fingers which summoned another army of Devidramon. Slowly, the Ultimate level Digimon and his subordinates surrounded the recovering warrior. Swiftmon quickly scanned his surroundings. Not only he was counting how many more Digimon he had to fight, but he also was searching for someone to assist him. And there she was, just a few meters to his right.

"Beautymon! Help!" shouted Swiftmon.

The female Digimon, on the other hand, was busy checking her nails and playing with her hair. She heard Swiftmon's cry for assistance. However, she responded with a fierce glare and a head shake.

"Oh no! Forget it, Swiftmon!" Beautymon huffed. "I'm sick and tired of you bossing me around! It's always 'Beautymon, do this!' and 'Beautymon, do that!' Hello! I never wanted to come here in the first place! I should be back at my quarters, giving my 'Cutie' the time of his life! Instead, I'm stuck here, wasting my life on such a stupid, pointless mission! Seriously, why should we rescue that ugly chick with the flat chest..."

"BEAUTYMON, LOOK OUT!" Bokomon and Neemon shouted from their hiding place.

The olive haired beauty looked over her shoulder and saw a Devidramon coming at her. The black devil pulled his arm back and tried to take Beautymon's head off with his claw. Fortunately, the arrogant female had plenty of time to spin out of harm's way while displaying her elegance, agility and of course, beauty. At first, Devidramon was awed by this warrior's movements.

But then, a fiendish grin appeared on his face when he noticed an opening.

On Beautymon's third pirouette, Devidramon gave his opponent a slash to the face. By the time the female Digimon saw the claw coming her way, she had already realized she cannot dodge the next attack cleanly. All she could do was tilt her head to the side so her face doesn't get scratched. But that only made Devidramon change his target.

By putting his fingers together, the sharp talons acted as short blade that successfully cut off a small portion of her long olive hair. Moments later, the female Digimon came to a stop and faced her opponent once again. To her surprise, she noticed the dark creature had several olive colored strands in his hand.

Beautymon's eyes widened when she deduced where Devidramon got those biomaterials. She ran a hand through her olive locks. Sure enough, she had discovered that a few of them were missing or cut off. The expression on her face told anybody that she was very close to having a heart attack. Her breaths were very short and shallow. Her pupils dilated and a her skin turned pale.

"My hair..." The aghast Digimon said. "My beautiful hair... it's ruined..."

"CRIMSON CLAW!" Devidramon shouted again realizing that his opponent was vulnerable. With her attention on her hair, there was nothing stopping the devil from destroying her. He pulled his arm back and was ready to cut the Champion into ribbons.

All of the sudden, Beautymon extended her hand out and caught Devidramon's attacking arm. She gave the dark creature a threatening glare that would terrify even the bravest of Digimon.

"You've ruined... my hair." The female warrior said softly. She then squeezed on Devidramon's arm until there was a loud...

*CRACK*

The winged creature shrieked in agonizing pain for Beautymon had just crushed the bones in his wrists and forearms all with one squeeze. But the furious female refused to let the suffering Digimon go. Even though Devidramon was not a threat anymore, he must pay for what he did to her beautiful hair.

"And now... I'm going to ruin your face!" She held her free hand right in between the frightened Devidramon's eyes.

"BEAUTIFUL BEAM!" A powerful laser discharge at point blank range. The black creature yelped in pain as the beam blasted him to smithereens.

Beautymon used of a lot of energy in that last attack. So when Devidramon was gone, she was already panting heavily. But maybe it was also because she was angry since some of her gorgeous locks were gone. What's worse is that her chances of impressing her 'Cutie' has also decreased. Slowly, Beautymon got back to a vertical base and glowered at the approaching army of Devidramon.

"Alright! Who's next!"

* * *

><p>Somewhere, just off center of the kingdom, the main event was about to get underway. The mind controlled human walked circle around her 'former' boyfriend. And judging from the look in her eyes, Zoe Orimoto was going to have so much fun annihilating her ex-best friend. On the other side, Takuya was still trying to convince himself that what was in a terrible nightmare. Before, he and his beloved fought and argued occasionally because that's what friends do. They get on each other's nerves and try to find opportunities to annoy one another. But it was all for the sake of friendship. Now, Takuya has to face the inevitable and fight his girlfriend. It was his worst fear come to life.<p>

Still, he had to try to get his beloved to see the light. Takuya believes that the real Zoe is still in there, regardless of the fact that she's being controlled.

"Zoe, it's me! Takuya!" The Bearer of Flame started off. "Come on! Don't you recognize me?"

"Of course I do, you little twit!" The evil young woman replied.

"Takuya Kanbara. Age: 14. Freshman in high school. You have a stupid little brother name Shinya, and you're a terrible soccer player! How am I doing so far?"

"Um... okay, you do recognize me." Takuya scratched the back of his head. "But that's not all, Zoe. I'm your best friend! Also, do remember Bokomon and Neemon? What about Koji, Tommy and the others? They are your friends! Just like me!"

"Pffff!" The blonde covered her mouth to hide her laughter. "Friends? Hmph! Don't make me laugh! I don't have any friends! In fact, I don't _need_ any friends!"

"Zoe, please! I'm here to help you! The Chaos Sphere inside you is messing your mind! I can help you get back to normal and..."

"SILENCE!" She screamed at her ex. "I'm not some damsel in distress waiting to be rescued. or a weak little girl that's always hiding behind something or someone. I don't need anyone's help, especially _yours_! You are not my friend! You're an enemy to Lord Malevomon! Those who oppose him must be _destroyed_!"

"No, Z..."

"And you're wrong about what the Chaos Sphere! Thanks to Malevomon, I'm stronger than what I was hanging with you! He has showed me the truth that anything can be obtained through power! As a token for Lord Malevomon's generosity, it will be my pleasure delivering your Spirits and your head to him! Now, let's fight!"

"Never!" Takuya shook his head sadly. "I don't care if Malevomon's controlling you! I refuse to hurt my very best friend! Come on, Zoe! Snap out of it! I don't want to fight you! I... I lov..."

"ENOUGH!" The evil emperor's newest servant commanded. Already tired of hearing Takuya trying to get her to come back, Zoe took out her D-Tector and showed her device to the human on the opposite side.

"You can't be serious!" groaned Takuya.

"More serious than you can ever imagine! Now, cut the chatter and Spirit Evolve so we can get this over with!"

"But Zoe..."

"DO IT!"

The Bearer of Flame complied with his girlfriend's request and took out his D-Tector. However, he kept his eyes locked on Zoe's. For the moment, it all had seemed hopeless. He tried reminding Zoe about the incredibly strong bond they have with each other and the wonderful memories they've shared together. But the young woman spat it back in his face.

However, there was still a chance. If he Spirit Evolve and sparred with Zoe for a little bit, maybe that could help get her memory back. Perhaps she could remember the time when she first became Kazemon or the many battles they fought against Cheribumon, the Royal Knights, and even Lucemon. Maybe she might remember the countless battles she fought alongside the Digimon Battlefront as well.

"One way or another, I'm going to save you, Zoe! I'm going to help you get your memory back! Also, I'm going to find a way to get that Chaos Sphere out of you!"

"Heehee! How sweet! But haven't you learned already? Once when those powerful Spheres are inside, there's no way of getting them out... unless you destroy me! Then again, we both know you don't have the guts to do such a thing! How sad... I was once friends with a spineless coward!"

"Zoe... please,..."

"Aww, did I hurt your feelings? Scared to fight a girl, Takuya? Well, I shouldn't be surprised. I would be scared of fighting me too. So, feel free to run with your tail in between your legs."

"Stop it..."

"Don't you just love my new look! That old Italian girl is nothing but a lost, stupid and pathetic little weakling who couldn't do things on her own. She couldn't defeat Malevomon's weakest subordinates because she wasn't strong enough. And to think, 'She has friends?' That's bogus! Those people and Digimon she calls 'friends' were all a big lie. Everyone's trying to be nice to her because she's so weak, even you Takuya. The reason why you stayed with me is because you don't want to see a sad little girl wander alone in the...

"'STOP!'"

This time, it was Zoe's turn to look surprise. Her eyebrows rose and her smirk widened, knowing that she had struck a nerve. But Takuya was more than angry. His fists were clenched tight and his teeth gritted against one another. It took the Bearer of Flame every ounce of resistance he had to prevent his tears from falling.

"You're wrong! That is NOT the Zoe I know." Takuya countered all of the girl's remarks. "She is not weak, powerless or any other of those terrible things you've said! Zoe Orimoto is one of the strongest people I've ever met! She's brave, courteous, kind and my best friend! The real Zoe doesn't need a Chaos Sphere to prove how powerful she is! Her true strength comes from the belief she has in herself and in her friends!"

"Really?"

"How dare you tarnish her name! You're not Zoe! You're just a puppet controlled by Malevomon! Well, no more! It's time I cut your strings and teach you a lesson in friendship!"

"Oh, please! With the power of the Chaos Sphere inside my body, you can't even stop me!"

"I can, and I will!" declared the goggle-head. "Either I set you free... or I die trying!"

*Insert Song: With The Will*

A bluish sketch of the Human Spirit of Flame traced on the black screen of Takuya's D-Tector. But at the same time, an outline of a red beast opened its jaw and snapped towards the fourth wall. Finally, the Human Spirit and Beast Spirit of fire overlap one another on Takuya's D-Tector. His device began to glow as he reached forward with his left hand. This time, a large ball of Fractal Code covered the boy's hand. After a few quick arm swings and stretches, Takuya brought his D-Tector and Fractal Code together.

"EXECUTE, NOW!" He yelled. "FUSION EVOLUTION!"

A long stream of Fractal Code spiraled around his body as the Human and Beast Spirit of Flame awakened. Takuya screamed during the transformation, signifying how much energy and power his body is consuming. He could feel the two Spirits coming together. It wasn't long before the transformation was finally complete. The cocoon of Fractal Code exploded, revealing a newly fused monster ready to fight. The Digimon created a fireball twice the size of a basketball and shot it in front of him. At the same time, a wall of fire surrounded the creature's body. When it subsided, the Digimon stood tall and firm.

"ALDAMON!"

The fiery Digimon spread his orange wings out wide. which increased the humidity of the area by fifty percent. The mind controlled girl gazed at the Hybrid Warrior of Flame standing before her. Just looking at the incredible size this Digimon possessed pumped up the Bearer of Wind, instead of intimidating her. Zoe gripped her lavender device tight and allowed the adrenaline to scourge through her body.

"Ooh! Tough guy, aren't ya?"

"I'll do what I must to save you, Zoe!"

"Cute! But you're gonna have to destroy me first!"

"Let's just hope it won't come to that..." Aldamon said to himself.

"Well then, let us begin your imminent destruction! Lord Malevomon has a tight schedule and I can't keep him waiting, so try not to feel too bad when I finish you off quickly!"

"You won't win. Not when you're working for that creep."

"We'll see about that, Takuya." said Zoe.

With the formalities and trash talking out of the way, the blonde haired girl got right down to business. With her D-Tector in one hand, Zoe extended her free arm out and opened up her palm. A ring of Fractal Code surrounded the young woman's metacarpal. Aldamon could only watch helplessly as his girlfriend brought her device and the data ring together.

"EXECUTE…" Zoe screamed, swiping the Fractal Code with the D-Tector's scanner. "… SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

Upon command a long line of Fractal Code swirled and surrounded Malevomon's human servant. At this point, one could expect that Zoe would transform into the Human Warrior of Wind. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Inside the cocoon of data, the teenage human started to feel strange.

"KKYYYYAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Zoe shrieked.

Th dark powers of the Chaos Sphere released itself and surged throughout her entire body. The poor girl screamed in agony, trying to endure the intense energy. Slowly, Malevomon's orb combined itself with the Human Spirit of Wind. Outside, Aldamon could hear the girl crying and it made him cringe.

"ZOE!" The Hybrid Digimon shouted as he reached out toward the data embodiment.

Slowly, the blonde transformed into her Digimon form. Moments later, the cocoon of Fractal Code broke apart, and a humanoid butterfly revealed herself in front of Aldamon. The female Warrior stood tall on the battlefield, letting her long lavender hair dance with the wind. The fairy Digimon smirked maliciously at her opponent.

"KAZEMON!"

Aldamon dropped in his stance and faced the Warrior of Wind. A part of him was a little relieved that Zoe doesn't have a Fusion Evolution form. The strength of Kazemon pales in comparison to a Hybrid Warrior. No matter what attacks she threw at him, it wouldn't hurt one bit. In other words, Aldamon has this fight in the bag.

However, he hasn't forgotten who he was fighting. Anyone could see how nervous and hesitant the Digimon of Flame was, including Kazemon. With some of his fighting spirit gone, the Warrior of Wind knew she could take him down easily. She could be as aggressive as she likes, because Aldamon would never retaliate, even when he's losing.

"What's wrong, Takuya? You scared? Afraid you're going to hurt your precious 'girlfriend?'"

"Listen to me, Zoe!" said Aldamon. "I will get you back and make you see the truth: that friendship is more powerful than anything in the..."

"Oh, shut up!" Kazemon groaned with annoyance.

The Warrior of Wind flapped her wings and flew directly toward the fiery Digimon. She flipped forward so her legs were aimed at his opponent. Kazemon started the fight off with a diving sidekick. But Aldamon was able to dive out of harm's way. The Hybrid of Flame rolled on the canvas before springing back to his stance.

But when Kazemon drilled her feet into the ground, she was able to dig her boots a couple feet under. What surprised Aldamon was the initial power the female's first attack had. Although he was relieved that he was able to avoid the last move, he told himself not to take Kazemon so lightly. As far as he could remember, the Warrior of Wind didn't possess this much power. But with the Chaos Sphere inside her body, that pretty much sums it all up.

"Not bad, Takuya." Kazemon complimented with a chuckle. "Now let's see if you can dodge this!"

Again, the fairy Digimon sprung off the ground and flew toward the Hybrid beast. With her legs out in front, Kazemon was ready to resume the onslaught. Aldamon stood his ground and waited for his girlfriend to close the distance. He widened his stance and tucked his arms in as if he's ready to catch her.

Seeing the Hybrid Digimon in that position made Kazemon widened her smirk. Once she was close enough, Kazemon quickly came to a halt and changed directions in a blink of an eye. Aldamon was stunned at the sudden increase of her speed. By the time he could think about reacting, it was too late. The butterfly Digimon was already in range while Aldamon's defenses were still down.

"TAKE THIS!"

Kazemon gave the fiery creature a vicious sidekick to the exposed midsection. That made Aldamon take a couple steps back and clutched his ribs. The force of her kicks almost made him puke. Despite how strong Kazemon's attack was, it still wasn't enough to knock the Hybrid off of his feet. However, with him trying to recover from that devastating kick to the stomach, Kazemon capitalized on the opportunity.

"Tornado Kick!"

Still in midair, the Warrior of Wind unleashed a flurry of rapid kicks and stomps all over Aldamon's body. With each successful hit, Kazemon added more power into her next set of foot strikes. Slowly but surely, the barrage of kicks began to push Aldamon backwards. The Hybrid Warrior tried digging his feet into the ground for more leverage, but it wasn't enough. Besides, it was hard to find his footing and endure Kazemon's assault at the same time.

"Oh man! She's stronger than I thought!" Aldamon analyzed while trying to find a way out of his current predicament. He failed to notice that the two of them were heading straight for a tree.

"You're not getting away from me!" Kazemon said.

She increase the speed of her kicks to make it even more difficult for Aldamon to guard. With his movements limited, there wasn't much the fiery Digimon could do. He tried protecting himself by shielding his body with his arms. But the transfer of energy from Kazemon's legs to Aldamon's limbs were too great. If this continues, then his arms will fall off sooner or later.

"This is too easy!" snickered the Warrior of Wind.

Kazemon performed a backflip and beautifully executed a flash kick to Aldamon's chin. Upon completing the somersault, the female fighter turned her legs toward the dazed creature's head and drilled both soles of her feet into his forehead. The double stomp sent Aldamon through the tree and on the dirt. Kazemon landed on her feet and lets out a subtle, yet satisfying huff.

"You see? The old me can never do that! And to think, I was strong before! Now, I'M INVINCIBLE! HAHAHAHA!" Her victory was short-lived when she saw Aldamon back on all fours.

"Having power doesn't make you strong. It's what you do with it that counts!" said the Hybrid.

"Oh boy. Here we go again with the lecture." groaned Kazemon.

"Trust me! The Zoe I know doesn't need some stupid Sphere to be strong."

"Then she's a fool. A weakling like her can only accomplish so much! As great as you say she is, your little 'friend' has limits! But thanks to the Chaos Sphere, I have surpassed those limits... and you!"

The fairy Digimon dropped on her hands and spread her legs out wide.

"TEMPEST TWIST!"

By rotating her body quickly, the Warrior of Wind was able to create a strong force of wind with her legs. She then spun toward the hobbling Aldamon. From his point of view, the Hybrid of Flame had plenty of time to launch a counter attack. Either that or find a way to increase the distance between himself and the butterfly.

However, a part of Aldamon didn't want to hurt his best friend. Underneath the malicious personality, there was still the optimistic, hard-hitting yet soft spoken teenage girl he's been in love with since they're first adventure in the Digital World. Regardless if she's working for Malevomon, if there's a Chaos Sphere inside her, or if she's trying to kill him, the Bearer of Flame couldn't fight back.

Then again, he wasn't getting anywhere the way things were right now.

"Alright, that's it!"

Aldamon allowed Kazemon's circular technique to come close to him. Not to his surprise, her attack was very powerful. With the speed of her legs, combined with the power of wind, Aldamon had trouble keeping his defenses up. All he could do was stand his ground and hope that Kazemon would give him an opening, before her kicks dislocates his arms.

"Now!" The fiery Digimon said when he saw one of the butterfly's legs coming for his head.

He quickly ducked underneath the swinging kick. With one leg out of the way, Aldamon can focus on the other. As the second lower extremity came around, the Hybrid Warrior readjusted his position. By timing it perfectly, Aldamon was able to catch Kazemon's leg with his arms. That caused the Human of Wind to cease her rotation. Before she could retaliate, Aldamon pulled her in close and wrapped Kazemon in an embrace.

"Zoe, the Chaos Sphere has blinded you from seeing what is really important. You have friends! Remember what you told me before you became a Digimon? Back then, you had no idea how to make friends or wasn't sure if you were being a true friend." Aldamon reminded.

His voice sent mild trembles throughout the butterfly's spine. Thankfully, the Hybrid noticed. Kazemon managed the break free from the Hybrid's grasp, but Aldamon grabbed her wrist, twisted it and got her down on her knees. He then crouched beside her and turned Kazemon's head toward the bushes on the western side of the battlefield.

"Now look around you! Everywhere you go, there's friends all around! Bokomon's your friend! Neemon's your friend!"

As if on cue, the two Rookies popped out of their hiding place and stared directly at the female Warrior. Kazemon also replied with the same suit. Aldamon was hoping that seeing her first two Digimon friends would at least spark some kind of happy memory she had supposedly lost. Bokomon and Neemon tried to help too by offering their best smile of support they could offer. Unfortunately, all it took was one snarl and it frightened the two little creatures away.

"You little insect! Get off of me!" Kazemon ordered.

She tried giving the Hybrid a back elbow to the chin. But Aldamon caught her swinging arm. To make sure she doesn't counter, the fiery Digimon hooked both of her upper limbs from the sides, and places his hands palm down flat against the butterfly's upper back. Next, Aldamon turned his body toward another part of the kingdom so Kazemon could also see what he was looking at.

"You see those Digimon fighting over there?" Aldamon asked.

The Warrior of Wind saw a swordsman Digimon and another female fighter taking out another set of Devidramon, who was protecting their master. She also noticed the other Legendary Warriors. But she kept her attention solely on the Digimon of Light, Darkness, Thunder and Ice. Kazemon couldn't explain it, but there was something so... exhilarating seeing them fight, even if it's against each other. Whether it was the speed of KendoGarurumon or the fierce battle cry from KoriKakumon, something made Kazemon gulped.

"We also had friends who once possessed the Spirits of the Legendary Warriors too. You remember Koji and his brother Koichi? What about Tommy and J.P.? They're your friends too! In fact, back in Ophanimon's Castle, you told me that the five of us were the first real friends you ever had, and that you were very happy you got to know us!"

Suddenly, Aldamon felt a great sense of hope when he saw Kazemon's first sign of... resistance. Her unleashed a soft gasp and turned her head away from the Legendary Warriors.

"Stop it! Let me... go!" The Digimon of Wind cried as if she's having a serious headache.

"Come on, Zoe! You can do this! Try to remember all of the fun you've had with your friends! Think about the many times J.P. tried flirting with you! And the way you treated little Tommy like he's your younger brother? Oh, and let's not forget back in the Human World, when you asked Koji and Koichi to play in front of the school so you could sing your song to me!"

"No... You're lying! UGH!" groaned the fairy. Still trying to resist Aldamon's deception, she shook her head vigorously to get the memories out of her head. "None of those guys... liked me! They're just..."

"They're you're friends; your _best_ friends! And if they were here with us right now, every one of them won't stop until we all bring you back home safe and..."

"ENOUGH!"

Kazemon pulled off a dirty move and stomped hard on Aldamon's foot. This caused the fiery Digimon to release his captive's arms so he could tend to his swollen foot. As he hopped on one foot like an injured monkey, Kazemon dropped in her stance and leered at the Hybrid of Flame. To Aldamon's dismay, all of the resistance she had showed were already gone. Still, there was still hope he could get his best friend back to normal. If he could get Kazemon to recall more meaningful and intimate memories, there's a good chance he could get her back.

"You're really starting to annoy me! It's time I shut you up for good!"

She stuck her hands out in front of her and swirling pink tornadoes erupted from her fingertips.

"HURRICANE WAVE!" She yelled, throwing the cyclones at her opponent.

Aldamon sighed regrettably for what he was about to do. The cannons on his arms rotated to its firing position and opened up. Slowly, his weapons charged up with all the heat energy it could hold. Once the cannons reached full capacity, Aldamon refocused on the ten oncoming pink tornadoes.

"Here goes nothing. ATOMIC INFERNO!"

Instead of punching rapidly like he normally does, Aldamon only threw a few hand strikes, so he could unleash an even ten fireballs to match Kazemon's attack. With precised accuracy, every single balls of fire the Hybrid Digimon threw nailed the pink cyclones. Finally, all of Kazemon's tornadoes were gone. Aldamon took a step forward, with his cannons still ready to discharge another barrage.

"I'm not afraid of you! You're not as scary as you think you are!" Kazemon declared.

"Good!" Aldamon smiled. "You're pretty brave, just like always, Zoe. Cocky sometimes, but one of the bravest people I know."

"Isn't this the part where I'm supposed to have my cheeks all flushed and say something like 'Oh Takuya' or something? Because your sad attempts of flattery isn't going to get you anywhere!"

"Flattery?" The Hybrid chuckled. "Call it what you like: Sweet talk, commendations. But Zoe, you liked it when I say great things about you. And that's because everything I say is true! You are an amazing person!"

"ZIP IT!" Kazemon shouted.

She ran toward the fiery Digimon and continued her assault by unleashing a fierce, rapid barrage of sidekicks. Aldamon shifted his body from side to side, successfully evading all of Kazemon's leg strikes. As he continued the fight on the defensive end, the Hybrid tried to help his best friend break free from Malevomon's control.

"You're also an awesome fighter! According to Tommy and J.P., you were able to defeat Ranamon and Calmaramon all by yourself! That's incredible, Z! It's no coincidence that you were given the Spirits of Wind! Your determination and courage is enough to prove that you're one of the strongest woman alive!"

"Didn't you hear me? I said, SHUT UP!" The butterfly Digimon shrieked. Moments later, large chunks of Fractal Code surrounded her body. Inside the long steams of data, Kazemon began to change forms.

"Slide… EVOLUTION!"

Finally, the Fractal Code had vanished, and a new Digimon appeared. Her claws and talons were even sharper than before. The winged ninja spread her wings out wide and shot toward the Hybrid.

"ZEPHYRMON!"

The Beast of Wind started off by delivering numerous amounts of slashes toward Aldamon's body. Since Zoe changed form, her speed and power has increased by several notches. Even blocking her sharp claws proved to be costly. The transfer of energy was even greater. Unable to hold his defenses any longer, Aldamon took the skies.

"But being a great fighter is just one of many things why I admire you, Z! You may be an extraordinary Digimon, but you're an even better human being! You're the most optimistic girl I've ever met! You always see the best in others! And you're never afraid to stand up for what's right! Even when the odds are too great, you kept on fighting until the very end!"

"HURRICANE GALE!"

The evil Zephyrmon threw her hands forward and summoned a powerful cyclone with pink energy blades dancing inside. Aldamon tilted toward his left and was able to avoid the Beast Warrior's attack. Again, Zephyrmon released a second tornado and the Hybrid Digimon evaded it with ease.

"Zoe, do you remember the time when you saved me from IceLadyDevimon's control?"

"STOP IT, WILL YOU?" The angered Zephyrmon howled.

"You showed me your true strength, Z! Even without your Beast Spirit, your never-say-die attitude and strong heart helped me break free from that witch's control! To this day, I still couldn't believe that such a girl like you can accomplish something so..."

"How dare you compare IceLadyDevimon's powers to this? This isn't a spell, Takuya! I'm just utilizing Malevomon's gift to it's full potential! If you would stop your foolish attempts to 'rescue me' and submit to the Almighty One, then maybe I could..."

"FORGET IT!"

"Fine, suit yourself! But don't expect any mercy from me! After I defeat you, you'll be begging me to take your life!"

"Zoe..."

"PLASMA PODS!"

The winged beast gathered red plasma energy in her hands and feet. Finally, she spread her limbs out wide and flew toward her opponent. But since there was a little bit of distance between the female ninja and himself, Aldamon had plenty of time to react. He hovered to the side and watched Zephyrmon sail past him. As the Beast of Wind changed directions, the Hybrid tried to come up with another way to help his girlfriend break free from the Chaos Sphere's power.

"This better work. If Zoe was able to do it to me, I know I can do it to her."

"KYYAAAHHHH!" Zephyrmon screamed as she quickly closed the distance for another frontal attack.

She went for a couple more slashes to Aldamon's chest area. But the fiery Digimon caught both of her arms with his hands. Aldamon took a deep breath and sighed, for his next move could potentially put him at risk. Suddenly, the Hybrid pulled Zephyrmon in close and wrapped her in another tight, yet warm embrace. He made sure the Beast Warrior's arms were pinned to his body, so she couldn't move.

"_Well, I really like you too, Zoe_." He whispered softy to her ear.

Her head shot up and she unleashed a soft inhale. From the corner of his eye, Aldamon noticed the Beast Warrior's pupils dilated. He knew he was on the right track. As long as he continued showing her some of the best memories the two of them have shared together, hopefully it would give his beloved the fighting chance she needed.

"I also forgot to thank you, Z." Aldamon continued. "You taught me how to dance on our last day as middle schoolers. I thought you would laugh at me or think I'm some kind of doofus for not knowing how to dance. But you were patient and taught me how to dance for the first time. You have no idea how happy you made me."

"Ugh..." The Beast of Wind as she clutched her aching head.

"There's more, Zoe. Remember our little picnic back at the real world, Zoe? You were trying to tell me who you were dedicating that song to? I remember the exact words you told me. 'He's everything to me, and I hope someday... I'm everything to him.'"

"What?" Zephyrmon gasped.

"I know I was such a pinhead in the beginning, but it took me a while to figure it out that you meant it for me. Plus, you even confirmed it when we were playing soccer at the playground."

"Soccer? Playground?"

"That's right, Zoe! It was probably the most memorable moment of my life! Besides a little friendly competition, I got to know you little bit more. After you graduate high school, you want to become a dancer and travel the world. Then on the last shot, you asked me... how I felt about you. And... I gave you your first kiss..."

"Takuya..." Aldamon sensed Zephyrmon's resistance was weakening. Her body loosened up and her arms dropped to her sides. Realizing that he's almost there, the Hybrid lowered himself and the Beast Warrior toward the ground. Still, he continued with the trip down memory lane, for it's been working so far.

"I will never forget the events that transpired on that night! It eventually led us to being boyfriend and girlfriend!"

"No... It can't be... I don't have a... boy... boyfriend." groaned the aching winged Digimon. Gently, the two Digimon touched down back to the ground.

Zephyrmon landed on all fours and panted heavily. But it wasn't because she was tired. She was trying to ignore the series of images piledriving her head. Zephyrmon told herself that what she's seeing is an illuision; another one of Takuya's tricks to get her off balanced. But if that were true, then why do those memories bring about a warm feeling deep inside her heart? This sensation was so unfamiliar, yet... felt so good.

"You do, Zoe. Your boyfriend may be an idiot sometimes, but he know how to make you laugh. With one touch, he can take away all of your fears, and turn your tears into smiles. He has, is and will always be there for you. Your boyfriend loves more than anything in the Digital and in the Human World."

Fractal Code surrounded the Hybrid's body, transforming him back to Takuya. The weakened Zephyrmon turned toward the goggle-headed boy standing before her. She could easily destroy him with one strike. However, the words the boy had spoken to her made her hesitant. And that type of resistance had made the Beast of Wind revert back to Zoe. The cocoon of Fractal Code scattered away, revealing a teenage girl who looked extremely confused.

"Zoe..." Takuya asked and waited for her undivided attention.

"You're not evil. You're many things, but evil's not one of them. You're kind, sweet, understanding and my very best friend. You're a wonderful person, Zoe! And above all else, you're the most beautiful girl I've ever met!"

Her eyes sparked upon hearing the comments. In that moment, she had forgotten Lord Malevomon's orders on destroying the human. Could it be that Takuya's admiring compliments somehow tapped into the real Zoe's mind, instead of the controlled one? Just to be sure, Takuya cupped his beloved's chin and closed the distance.

"I love you, Zoe."

"Takuya..."

She noticed the boy's eyes were closed and his head tilted sideways. His actions puzzled the Bearer of Wind. But then, her instincts took over as she mirrored Takuya's movements. Slowly, the goggle-headed boy's lips inched closer toward Zoe's, hoping that this will be the final push to break down the barrier Malevomon has put in between them.

Suddenly...

"WHOA! WHOA! HEY!" Takuya shouted.

Something invisible was lifting him off of the ground. Zoe's eyes shot open at the sound of the boy's yelling. It took her a while to see that Takuya was all by himself in midair. Behind Zoe was Malevomon with his arm extended out in front, using his psychic abilities to separate the two humans. Takuya struggled to get back down, but the Almighty One was having none of it. As the boy continued flopping his arms around, the Malevomon approached the teenage girl looking quite disappointed.

"My Lord!" gasped Zoe as she stumbled back to her feet.

"I thought I ordered you to obliterate him!"

"I'm trying, your excellency!" The Bearer of Wind protested. "I've had him right where I wanted him! But Takuya, he..."

*slap*

"YAH!"

"ZOE, NO!" Takuya cried out.

Five fingers to the face from the wicked emperor knocked the teenage girl to the ground. After massaging her swollen cheek, the blonde gazed back at Malevomon with tears in her eyes. Unfortunately, the Ultimate level ruler showed no sympathy for the girl.

"Pathetic girl! I've used up all of my patience already! When I tell you to do something, I expect you to do it... RIGHT NOW!" screamed Malevomon.

"But I..."

"I should annihilate you for failing me! Because you should know I do not tolerate failures and pathetic, little..."

"NO!" objected Takuya. The malicious Digimon scowled at his captive still caught in his psychic ability. "YOU LEAVE ZOE ALONE, YOU BIG BRUTE! WHY DON'T YOU PICK ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN..."

"SILENCE!" Malevomon growled. By adding a little more force to his hand, the evil emperor pushed Takuya backwards until his spine collided against a nearby tree. The Bearer of Flame grunted in agony as he fell to the ground and rubbed his injured back.

"Fine! I'll get rid of you first! Once when you're out of the way, no one can stop me!" declared the Almighty One. He then pointed his hand toward Takuya and created another one of his energy-filled black orbs.

"BEGONE, HUMAN! MALEVOLENT ONSLAUGHT!"

Finally, Malevomon shot the energy ball towards the Bearer of Flame. The black orb engulfed Takuya's entire body and surged with dark energy. Malevomon grinned maliciously at his creation and waited for the best part of his signature attack: his victims yelping in intense pain.

"KYYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Little did the evil ruler know that the teenage boy's agonizing screams has captured the attention of almost every Digimon in the kingdom. Everyone has stopped fighting to watch Takuya's demise. All of Malevomon's mind controlled slaves, including the evil Warriors cheered like it's their biggest victory of all.

But for Takuya's friends and comrades, it was a different story.

"TAKUYA!" Bokomon hollered with tears in his eyes.

"WE'RE DOOMED!" Neemon clutched his head and screamed frantically in the woods.

"TAKUYA, NO!" KoriKakumon gasped.

"Grrr!" Gigasmon, Petaldramon and Swiftmon grunted frustratingly, knowing that the situation has gone from bad to worse.

"OH NO! CUTIE!" Hearing Takuya screaming in pain almost made Beautymon faint.

"HAHAHAHA! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" chuckled the menacing Malevomon.

Meanwhile, Zoe Orimoto reached out toward the black orb feeling a combination of guilt, nervousness and worry at the same time. A single tear fell out of her eye as she quietly calls out...

"Ta... Takuya?"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter forty-eight. Will Takuya be able to withstand Malevomon's ultimate attack? Can Zoe possibly break the evil Chaos Sphere's control? Or will this mark the end of the Digital World? T<strong>**hese questions will be answered in the next action-packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next ****Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising****.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	49. Love And War: Part 2

****Author's Notes: Hey guys! Only two more weeks left before I go back to school. Wow, time sure flies fast during the summer, especially when you're having so much fun. Anyway, I'll try to get one more chapter in before school starts. On a happy note, I'm a few reviews shy from a thousand. Thanks, you guys!  
><strong>**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Digimon Frontier series or any of the characters.**

**Review Replies:**

**The Keeper of Worlds - Not JetSilphymon. That's for later.  
><strong>

**TakumiWarrior - As long as they're together, it's a Takumi moment.**

**NaruHinaShikaTen - More suspense and a very climatic moment, coming up.**

**Viper 0-1 - Expensive is an understatement, especially in this economy.**

**Axle the Hedgehog - You're on the right track. I'll give you that.**

**Miss. Teria - People love to hate Beautymon. What more can I say?**

**shadowrunner22 - Bash her on the head? Poisoning? Impalement? HAHAHAHA!  
><strong>

**Pikatwig - I get most of my translations on Google Translate.**

**t3322stc - It's been a really long time since I last did a flashback.**

**TakuyaZoeLove - You're about to find out how strong Zoe really is.  
><strong>

**raidersfan777 - Oh, it will change soon, my friend. Just you wait.**

**kirakuya1101 - It was fun while it lasted. Oops... did I just spoiled it? *gasp***

**UnderWaterPeril - How do beat a powerful Digimon? Put him up against someone even stronger.  
><strong>

**MerryHimawari - Want me to do it again? Mwahahahaha!"**

**CaptainDandruff - Enjoy the fights in the next chapter..**

**MarsPhoenixFire - The climax is about to begin.**

**S-A Bleach - Thanks. That really means a lot to me.**

**GakuenShimai - Useless? She took out an army of Digimon. Sheesh!**

**ReikoHinomotoXX - Don't worry. This will be the last time Takuya and Zoe fight each other.**

**DariusShan - Hmm... You'll see!**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter forty-nine.**

* * *

><p><strong>Love And War (Part 2)<br>**

**Normal POV:**

It was a war zone in the Dark Kingdom. Digimon left and right were dropping to the ground defeated with every passing minute. However, the remaining survivors continued to battle their opponents, even when they were at their limits. The good news for the Battlefront is that they had medical help on their side. Only ten Blisseymon joined the troops, just in case a Digimon was wounded and/or if treatment was necessary. But even ten of those healing creatures can only do so much, yet heal very few.

Most of the other battles going around Malevomon's Castle has also resumed. The Beast Warriors of Light and Darkness were running around the leafy lizard, trying to find his weak spot. MetalKabuterimon and Calmaramon tried combining their attacks to take down Gigasmon, with having not much success. As for the battle between KoriKakumon and Sakkakumon, it can be described as an even match so far. Regardless how many different types of attacks the Beast Warrior of Steel threw at the nomadic Digimon, the icy creature had the edge in speed.

Speaking of speed, Swiftmon also had his hands full holding his own against some of Malevomon's best fighters. His broadswords sliced through their bodies easily like a knife carving through butter. Although he was heavily outnumbered, Swiftmon has the advantage in quickness and brains. By utilizing two of his best weapons, the second-in-command was able to take out a large number of mind controlled Digimon. The only thing that bothered Swiftmon is that whenever he defeats one of Malevomon's subordinates, three more show up to take their fallen comrade's place.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" screamed the terrified Beautymon. Hearing her 'Cutie' wailing in agony made her heart skip a beat. Now, she was more determined to save him from the evil hands of Malevomon.

On the other hand, there was an entire army of Devidramon standing in her way. Each one of them displayed their sharp claws to the female Digimon, ready to swipe at her gorgeous face or her long, elegant dress. But Beautymon wasn't about to let some frightening creatures stand in her way. The first Devidramon that greeted her unleashed a powerful slash across her chest. All it took was one pirouette and Beautymon easily avoided the first strike. She spun toward the devil-like Digimon and blasted him to smithereens with her Beautiful Beam. Next she backflipped over another swipe from the second Devidramon and blew away his face with one of her pink lasers. Upon landing, she arched her back into a bridging position to evade the third Devidramon's claw. As Beautymon returned to her regular position, she discharged another energy blast in between the enemy's eyes.

With them out of the way, the third-in-command seized the opportunity to dash toward her 'Cutie.'

"Hang on, baby! Beautymon's coming to save you!" cried the worried Digimon. Unfortunately, another group of Devidramon stepped in between her and the teenage boy, preventing the female Digimon from saving him.

Malevomon snapped his fingers and the treacherous dark sphere surrounding the suffering teenager subsided. Malevomon and Zoe Orimoto checked the spot where Takuya stood so they can see the boy's condition. Surprisingly, the Bearer of Flame was still on his feet. However, his knee very wobbly like he was having trouble keeping his balance. Needless to say that Takuya was a complete mess. His clothes were dirty and there were bruises all over his face and body. He was in a lot of pain and his energy level was low.

But Takuya kept his eyes on a certain blonde haired girl. He was saddened to see the mixture of confusion and terror on her face. The boy could tell that she was about to cry at any moment. So, in order to prevent the tears from falling, Takuya gave Zoe the best smile he could give her. Hopefully, she could use it as motivation to break free Malevomon's control.

"Zoe... I know you can do it..." muttered Takuya as his consciousness slowly slipped away. "You're a strong girl. Don't let Malevomon win. It's all... up to you now..."

Then Takuya fell on his knees and collapsed on the canvas. A ring of Fractal Code surrounded his body.

"TAKUYA! GET UP, PLEASE!" Bokomon shouted from afar. Sadly, his cries remained unheard. Takuya was out like a light. Neemon, on the other hand, buried his head underneath one of the bushes so he won't see his human friend's demise.

"MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" laughed the malicious ruler. He then turned toward the teenage girl, who was still on her knees gazing at the fallen human. "You see that, my dear? THAT is how you defeat a weak, miserable, lousy, pitiful, stupid and pathetic human!"

All of the nasty things he said about Takuya made the poor girl cringe. And the feeling only got worst with each word that came out of Malevomon's mouth. It felt like a dagger twisting and digging deeper into her heart. But what she doesn't understand was having these feelings, especially after Malevomon attacked Takuya. Why does she feel sad and guilty watching him suffer, when she should be enjoying his pain? Why should she care if this boy dies?

"And now, to finish him off!" Malevomon declared, snapping Zoe out of her thoughts.

He took a step forward and pointed his hand at the Fractal Code swirling around the human's torso. The powerful Digimon used his telekinesis to bring Takuya's data towards him. Zoe could only watch as the Fractal Code trailed through the air and toward Malevomon's hand. She wanted to step in and stop her master's actions, but couldn't find the courage, the strength... or the reason to do so.

"At t last! Once when this boy's out of the way, nothing can stop me from taking over the... UGH!"

"My Lord!" The brainwashed Zoe cried.

During his monologue, Malevomon failed to see a large meteorite coming towards him until it was too late. The ginormous fireball nailed the Almighty One in the midsection, knocking him backwards until he crashed into his castle. At the same time, the Fractal Code he was trying to absorbed glided back to its original owner. Bit by bit, the data returned around its ring. Finally, the Fractal Code surrounding the boy's body disappeared and Takuya's consciousness returned. He got back to a seated position and rubbed his aching forehead. It took a while for his energy to come back. He looked up and remembered that someone has stopped the evil Digimon from absorbing his data. Takuya turned around and gasped.

"No way! Eldestmon!" He smiled.

Standing on the edge of the forest was the leader of the Digimon Battlefront and about a hundred more of his troops. Some of them were a little wounded from their previous battles against Malevomon's first line of defense. But other than that, every one of them looked like they were itching for a fight, especially against the wicked emperor and his army.

"Lord Eldestmon!" Swiftmon said as he regrouped with his superior.

"Progress report." The elderly Digimon requested.

"Well, it appeared as if Malevomon has inserted a Chaos Sphere in the Bearer of Wind! Now, she's only obeying her commands."

"Hmm... What about the Legendary Warriors?" asked Eldestmon. The second-in-command pointed his blade toward the western side of the castle. Eldestmon noticed quite a few ferocious battles against the good Warriors and the evil ones. Although all eight of them transformed into their Beast Spirit forms, it was still unclear who was winning.

"And Beautymon?"

"She's busy taking out..."

"CUTIE!" The olive haired beauty screamed as she rushed toward the seated Takuya.

"Never mind." Swiftmon smacked his forehead the minute he saw Beautymon's googly eyes.

"OH CUTIE!" Beautymon cried as she dove toward the Bearer of Flame and wrapped her arms around him.

The two of them rolled on the dirt. As Beautymon tightly embraced her 'Cutie,' Takuya struggled to breath. With the female's arms around his neck, it looked like Beautymon was choking him out instead of hugging him. Even a couple of tap outs weren't enough to get the third-in-command to break the hold. Then again, Beautymon refused to let go.

"It's okay, darling! Beautymon's here! No evil Digimon or human is going to hurt you anymore!"

"Can't... breathe!" Takuya gagged.

"Beautymon!" Swiftmon growled. His partner sighed, but complied with the swordsman's silent order. She released the boy and regrouped with her two superiors.

"I see. As long as the Bearer of Wind is under Malevomon's control, it will be impossible for us to win." concluded Eldestmon after gathering all of the information so far.

"Orders, sir?" asked the swordsman.

"I say we blast away all of those evil monstrosities, including Blondie!" suggested Beautymon. Obviously, not everyone was too excited with her idea.

"Beautymon?" Swiftmon glowered. "Please tell me you're joking!"

"Um... hello? Haven't you forgotten that she has a Chaos Sphere inside of her? What are we supposed to do? Ask Malevomon politely to remove those things out of her? You should know, Swiftmon, that there is no way to get those spheres out! Once they're inside, then forget about it! It's all over! She's evil and working for the bad guys. That is, unless one of us destroys her completely, then we can render the Chaos Sphere inside her..."

"Beautymon, shut up!" Takuya snapped at his companion. The olive haired warrior was aghast that her 'Cutie' said those words to her. This was the first time he blatantly yelled at her. As she stood there trying to let that terrifying fact sink in, Takuya turned toward the leader of the Digimon Battlefront.

"Eldestmon, please." Takuya begged on his knees. "I don't want to destroy Zoe, just because she has a Chaos Sphere inside. I want to help her! I want to save her from Malevomon's control! Please tell me there's a way we can do that without hurting her!"

"I'm not sure." Eldestmon sadly shook his head. "Beautymon does have a good point. The only way to make Malevomon's creations useless is to destroy the host. Once their data has been absorbed, the Chaos Sphere inside them won't be a threat anymore. I'm sorry, my boy."

"See?" Beautymon smirked.

"But there's something else!" Takuya added, which prevented the female Digimon from celebrating too early. "The real Zoe's in there! I just know it!"

"What do you mean?" interrogated Swiftmon.

"I tried talking to her, reasoning with her, tried to get her to remember all of her friends before she was taken away from me!"

"And..." Eldestmon asked, looking quite intrigued.

"I can't really say for sure. But for a brief moment, it seemed like Zoe was trying to resist. She's probably using her willpower, as well as the happy and loving memories of her friends, family and adventures in the Digital World to break free."

"Oh, Cutie! You can't be serious!" groaned Beautymon.

"I am!" Takuya boldly replied. "I've almost got her to come back to me, if it wasn't for Malevomon. But I can do this, you guys! I swear, I can get Zoe back!"

"Sir?" Swiftmon turned to his superior. Eldestmon took a step toward Takuya and looked him straight in the eyes.

"How sure are you? What if your friend tries to lure you into coming close, so she can annihilate you when your guard is down?"

"She won't." Takuya answered with confidence.

"But Cutie..."

"If Zoe is as strong as I know she is, then my life is in good hands."

"Let's hope you're right." sighed Eldestmon. He then pointed his cane at the boy. "In that case, then it's up to you to save your friend!"

"Eldestmon..." smiled Takuya.

"Regardless of the risks, do whatever it takes to get her back. But if she becomes an immediate threat, then we have no choice but to bring her down. Understood?"

"You got it!" The Bearer of Flame nodded.

"As for the rest of you..." Eldestmon turned to his followers.

"SIR!" Swiftmon and the rest of the Digimon Battlefront responded. Beautymon, on the other hand, puffed up her cheeks and turned away from her superior.

"Let us put an end to Malevomon's reign of terror once and for all!"

"YEAH!"

Meanwhile, the wicked emperor has already recovered from Eldestmon's blindside attack. There were a few burns on his outfit, but suffered no other physical damage. As he removed the debris off of his body, Zoe had finally approached him. She did her best to help by removing the chipped stone and rocks off of his cape. However, Malevomon was still angry at the human for not following his orders. He pulled his cape away and glared at Zoe.

"Keep your hands off me!"

"My... My apologies, master." Zoe bowed, feeling ashamed.

But before Malevomon could continue lashing out on his subordinate, he turned toward the front and finally noticed an army of Digimon heading towards him. That also included, Eldestmon, Swiftmon and Beautymon. His demeanor quickly changed. For the first time, he's been challenged on his own kingdom. Swiftmon and Beautymon did take out quite a good number of his troops, even though he had hundreds more remaining. But even so, Malevomon felt the pressure and decided to call in the big guns.

"Enough of this!" grunted the Almighty One.

He snapped his fingers to summon even more powerful mind-controlled creatures. Numerous amounts of skeleton-like Digimon appeared out of the dirt and onto the battlefield. Some interesting features they had included metallic boots and gloves, dark pants and blackish wings of a devil. As for their weapon of choice, these Digimon wield a staff that had a sharp hook on one side and a yellowish Digicore on the other.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: SkullSatamon  
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**Level: Ultimate  
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**Attacks: Bone Blaster; Skull Smasher  
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**Description: SkullSatamon are bad to the bone. They are powerful creatures that find amusement in their victim's demise. They laugh because the sound of other Digimon screaming in pain is music to their ears. Their Bone Blaster can disintegrate their opponents and bring havoc everywhere they go.  
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Behind these monsters were at least two hundred Devidramon. To their right were fifty Bakemon and about seventy-five Vilemon on the left side. Malevomon stood tall as the field general, ready to command his troops into battle.

"SkullSatamon, destroy the rest of the Digimon Battlefront!" ordered their superior.

"Your wish is our command, sire!" proclaimed the skeletons.

"ATTACK!"

The evil Digimon charge toward their enemy and broke out of their formation. As for the Digimon Battlefront, they too scatter into the war zone, more than prepared to take on the first mind-controlled fiend they see. The good and bad Digimon exchanged attacks back and forth. One by one, the defeated monsters collapsed and digitized to dust. It was chaos in the Dark Kingdom. But the war has only just begun.

"BONE BLASTER!" Three SkullSatamon took aim at Swiftmon and discharged a triple energy blast.

"Diamond Cutter!" The swordsman whispered, removing both weapons from the scabbard.

He disappeared from sight just as the lightning bolts converged. The skeletons missed their target. But that still didn't stop them from firing their Bone Blasters all over the battlefield. While they did destroy a few Digimon with their reckless firing, some of their allies also got caught in the crossfire. But they didn't care. The SkullSatamon kept shooting, hoping that one of their energy blasts might hit the speedy swordsman.

*clink* *clink* *clink*

The strange noise made the evil Digimon cease their firing. They looked at their staffs and noticed that the yellow core on the end had been cut off. Nervous about when Swiftmon will strike next, the three of them stood with their backs facing each other. Elsewhere, the second-in-command smiled when he had his opponents right where he wanted them. In a span of five seconds, he quickly danced around the three SkullSatamon, while executing a combination of different slashes across their bodies. Moments later, he reappeared before the dark Digimon. Swiftmon spun one of his blades around before placing back in its original position. But once when the guard touched the scabbard, the SkullSatamon howled in agony before dispersing into tiny pieces.

For an old Digimon like Eldestmon, the leader of the Battlefront was a very competent fighter. Even when facing four SkullSatamon at once, they couldn't land a single attack. Eldestmon evaded the Bone Blasters with very little movements and kept the skeletons at bay using his mid-range staff. But if it's a close quarters combat Eldestmon wanted, the quartet of SkullSatamon were more than happy to give to him.

The evil Digimon surrounded the Battlefront leader and delivered their strongest overhead strikes on their opponent's head. But the wiser Digimon sensed the simultaneous attacks easily. He rose his own staff and blocked all four weapons at once. Next, the SkullSatamon tried to use their strength to bring Eldestmon to his knees. Too bad for them, the elderly Digimon was much more powerful than them, even with the numbers game on their side.

"Pitiful dark creatures! Your evilness ends here!" proclaimed the leader of the Battlefront. "CHAINS OF SUPREMACY!"

Eldestmon stomped hard on the ground. Suddenly, Chrome Digizoid chains burst from the earth and bound the four skeleton monsters by the arms, legs and neck. The SkullSatamon tried to get the metallic links off of their bodies, but were unable to do so. Meanwhile, Eldestmon stood back up and jabbed the end of his staff into the evil creatures' ribcage. After hitting his opponents' weak spots, the SkullSatamon shrieked in pain as their bodies burst into bits of data.

Finally, there was nothing standing in between him and the wicked emperor of the Digital World.

"Well, if it isn't the old geezer!"

"Malevomon!"

"So, you've finally have the guts to step outside for once, huh? Afraid that your little brigade of do-gooders can't defeat me?"

"You're wrong! I came here to stop you and end all of the pain and suffering you have brought among others!"

"Hmph! You think you can beat me? You're a fool, Eldestmon!"

"I'd be a fool if I don't try!" replied the wise Digimon.

"You can try all you want! But in the end, I will be the one victorious!"

"We shall see!"

"SAGE'S SHOWER!" ||| "MALEVOLENT ONSLAUGHT!"

Meanwhile, Beautymon was resting near the forest. All of her subordinates and comrades were fighting for the fate of their world, while she's checking her nails and fixing her hair. Occasionally, a couple of Devidramon would go after her with their sharp claws. But Beautymon wanted no part of the action. The minute she saw a couple of Digimon charging toward her, she discharged a Beautiful Beam and blasted them to smithereens.

"Lousy creeps!" She huffed. "Now where did Cutie run off to... Oh, there he is!"

There was Takuya, about sixty yards in front of her current position. She skipped merrily toward the boy and considered taking him away from this treacherous place.

"Hey, sweetie! Hold up!" cried Beautymon.

But the female Digimon stopped dead in her tracks when thirty Devidramon surrounded the Bearer of Flame. With every single exit route cut off, there was no where for him to go. The dark creatures pulled back their claws and dove toward Takuya, ready to slice him into mincemeat. Beautymon gasped in fear, before retaliating.

"PETAL DANCE!"

Upon command, a barrage of flower petals danced out of Beautymon's sleeve and swayed around the charging Devidramon. As she expected, the evil monsters came to a halt. The intoxicating scent had paralyzed the Devidramon, preventing them from attacking the human. Takuya turned and saw a beautiful Digimon twirling in the air and landing gracefully next to him.

"Get down, Cutie! BEAUTIFUL BEAM!"

Takuya dove toward the ground and covered his head. With a firing rate of a machine gun, Beautymon sprayed the Devidramon with devastating blasts. Her lasers teared through her opponents, leaving behind large holes all over their bodies. Deafening shrieks filled the area. When the blasting had stopped, the evil Digimon collapsed and fell on the canvas. Moments later, their bodies were deleted from the spot.

With them gone, she was finally has Takuya all to herself.

"Alright, Cutie! How about you and me go some place where no one can see us do..."

But when she turned to face Takuya, he was already gone. At first, she was surprised that he didn't even pay attention to her. Then, she saw where he was heading. Just about ninety fight ahead of him was a blonde haired girl she despises.

"Cutie, wait! Don't do it! Blondie's going to destroy you! Don't leave... me... alone..."

The last few words sunk into Beautymon's mind. The feeling of shock, anger and jealousy were all boiling up inside. Watching her 'Cutie' go after the Bearer of Wind was unbearable to watch. Beautymon was so lost in her whirlwind of emotions, she failed to notice a SkullSatamon was coming on her blindside.

"I got you now, pretty! SKULL SMASHER!"

He rose his weapon high and went for a downward strike on Beautymon's head. But the female Digimon heard SkullSatamon's words. She extended her arm up and caught the staff with her bare hands. Beautymon turned and leered at her opponent. SkullSatamon tried to retrieve his weapon, but the olive haired warrior refused to let go. She tugged with all of her might and stole the skeleton's weapon. Beautymon then broke the staff in two and threw both halves at her opponent. The first broken stick went through SkullSatamon's ribcage, and the second one impaled itself into his skull.

"Don't... call... me... PRETTY!" Beautymon howled before firing one of her pink lasers at point blank range.

Meanwhile, Zoe was trying to find a way to get involved in the fierce battle between her master's army and the enemy's. She reached into her pocket and felt her D-Tector on her fingertips. After such a horrendous performance to please Malevomon, she vowed to make it up to him. The blonde was about to step back onto the battlefield when...

"Zoe!" She turned to her left and there was Takuya.

"You!" The Bearer of Wind growled.

"Listen, Z! I just want to talk! I'm not going to hurt you!"

"oo bad, you annoying little gnat." Zoe said as she marched toward the human. Suddenly, her foot kicked something on the ground. But when the Bearer of Wind looked down, she grinned maliciously.

"That's because I do!"

Zoe stood up with a twenty-five inch dagger in her hands. Takuya saw the knife in her hand and became nervous. Getting his best friend back does involve a lot of risks. But with the look of evil intent in Zoe's eyes, the stakes have gone up. One wrong move could cost him his life. But Takuya proceeded forward. Either he was going to save his beloved, or die trying.

"Please Z! Don't do it! This is not the Zoe I know!" He started off.

"You know NOTHING about me!' The blonde grumbled.

She lunged forward and thrusted her knife at Takuya's torso. But the Bearer of Flame tilted his body sideways and avoided the first lethal strike. He took a few steps back to regain some distance. But in a matter of seconds, Zoe was back on the attack. With a deadly weapon in hand, she delivered quick horizontal and diagonal slashes, while mixing in a few thrusts every now and then. Her main target is Takuya's heart or any body part her blade touched.

"Zoe, snap out of it!" Takuya pleaded as he dodged leaned back to dodge another attack.

He then saw Zoe pulling her arm back, ready to thrust her weapon into his chest. As she lunged forward, Takuya timed her attack perfectly. He grabbed her lunging arm and twisted her wrists, causing Zoe to let go of the dagger. As the blonde tend to her carpels, Takuya kicked the knife out of the way and wrapped Zoe in a warm embrace. But the blonde gave her beloved a knee to the gut, forcing Takuya to double over. With him on the ground, Zoe searched for her weapon. She spotted just a few feet away. Zoe was about to retrieve her dagger, when Takuya grabbed her by the leg. She fell on the canvas and scrapped her knee. But before she could stagger back to her feet, Takuya dove on top of Zoe, turned her on her back and pinned her wrists to the ground.

"Listen to me, Zoe! I love you! I love you so much!" His words made Zoe gasped. But even that wasn't enough to help her snap out of it. As she struggling to get Takuya off of her, the Bearer of Flame continued with his words of praise.

"I love you more than life itself!"

"You're a liar!"

"No really, Z! I mean it! You're the greatest thing that's ever happen to me!"

"Stop it!"

"You're one of the strongest people I know! Not just on the outside, but the inside as well! Sure you possess the Spirits of Wind, and can kick a lot of butts. But, that's not the only reason why I love you so much! You show a lot of courage! Remember when Gigasmon was about to destroy Tommy? It took a lot of guts to sacrifice yourself so his Spirits wouldn't get taken away! What about the time when Ranamon changed into Calmaramon for the first time before she wrecked the whole place? Even when you didn't have Beast Spirits, you still took her on to protect me and the others! And let's not forget when Cherubimon attacked us when we tried to rescue Ophanimon! He took all of our Spirits, except yours! But no matter how strong of a Digimon he was, that didn't stop you from..."

"SHUT UP!" commanded Zoe.

She bucked her hips upward so she could get her 'former' best friend off balanced. Once she saw Takuya collapsing on his hands, she rolled over sideways and readjusted her position. Now, she was on top of him. Zoe tried going for punch on Takuya's nose, but the Bearer of Flame pushed her off with his legs. The blonde stumbled backwards, but regained her footing easily. Unfortunately for her, Takuya was already back on his feet.

"Leave me alone!" ordered the Bearer of Wind. But instead of retreating, Zoe collapsed on her knees and rubbed her cranium as if she had some kind of headache. Low volume moans escaped her lips. However, Takuya knew that this was a sign of the real Zoe trying to fight back the dark powers of the Chaos Sphere. It's working so far, but he still had to trying, just in case.

"I know you're strong, Zoe! You're also brave, kind, unique, out-going, optimistic, and most of all, very beautiful!"

"Me... beautiful?" gasped Zoe before the migraines returned.

"Absolutely!" Takuya nodded as he approached his girlfriend. "Everything about you! Your mesmerizing eyes, your gorgeous hair, your soft touch, your cute smile, your pretty face, the way you speak Italian! I love everything about you, Zoe!"

"No... Takuya..."

But the boy wrapped his arms around Zoe and gave her a great big hug. Initially, the young woman was puzzled by his actions. Then again, the feeling she had in her stomach was so enjoyable, she didn't want it to stop. Before she knew it, Takuya had both hands just above her hips. Slowly, he swayed from side to side like they were... dancing. As for icing on the cake, Takuya started humming the song that Zoe sang for him back at the Human World. While he wasn't the greatest musically, he remembered how the tune went and did his best singing in front of his girlfriend.

From Zoe's vantage point, flashing images of her and Takuya dancing with each other started running through her head like a high speed slideshow. The more she saw, the more questions pop in her mind. Why were they dancing? And why did she look so... happy? Not only did those images looked real, but they felt real as well. A joyful sensation came about her heart, causing the young woman to smile.

Takuya then released her hips and ceased the dancing for a moment. Takuya trailed one hand down Zoe's golden locks and on her soft cheek. With his other hand, he cupped his beloved's chin and gazed into her eyes. Takuya then noticed something different. In the beginning, the look in her eyes whispered evil, darkness and power hungry. Now, Takuya saw a mixture of guilt and doubt. To ease her mental pain, the boy gave Zoe a soft smile that usually takes away all of her sadness and tears.

"Zoe... please." Takuya begged one last time. "You love me, just like I love you. Believe me. We promised that we'll always be there for each other, no matter what. And I promised you that I will love you and protect you with everything I have. I know you remember, Zoe. I just know you do."

"I... I can't..."

"Zoe?" He placed a finger on her lips and drew in closer towards her. This was it. Takuya was going to put it all on the line. If this doesn't help her regain control, nothing will. Takuya took a deep breath, closed his eyes and tilted his head sideways. "Zoe... _Ti amo_!"

Takuya pulled Zoe's mouth to his lips, and gave him an the most affectionate kiss he could give her. Zoe's eyes shot up. She tried pushing the boy off of her, but Takuya has his lips locked onto hers.

And then suddenly, Zoe's mind was flooded with thousands of images of her and Takuya together. She first saw the two walking together in the park. Next, she saw herself inside a Trailmon with him by her side. After that, she saw the two of them laughing with each other. Zoe couldn't tell if Takuya just told a joke or if they're enjoying each other's company. Either way, she was smiling and looked very ecstatic that she was with him.

Next came many images of them holding hands and poking one another. Zoe then saw her and Takuya in each other's arms. The last set of images were the two of them kissing each other passionately. Everything she saw felt so real to her. Zoe tried telling herself that all of those memories were only illusions, but she couldn't explain why seeing her with him made her so happy.

Finally, Takuya broke off the kiss and gazed at her beloved. The young woman had her eyes close and her body loose. It seemed like the quick, mental trip down memory lane made her exhausted. She collapsed on her knees and panted for air. Zoe clutched her forehead, trying to fight off the aching side effects.

"Zoe?" The Bearer of Flame called out to her. Upon hearing his voice, the blonde beauty opened her eyes and looked at the human standing before her. Takuya, on the other hand, was more than relieved to see Zoe's emerald eyes, instead of the bloodshot red ones. It told him that his best friend was back.

"Zoe!"

"Takuya?" gasped the Bearer of Wind. She rose to her feet, but fell down on her knees a second later.

"UGH!"

Again, she placed both hands on her head and the headaches came back. At the same time, Zoe felt something tightening in the center of her chest. Seeing his girlfriend in so much agony made Takuya sick. He crouched down by her side and hugged her one more time, hoping that it work like last time. But even a warm embrace wouldn't stop Zoe from crying. Suddenly, she released herself from Takuya's arms and shoved him to the ground. The goggle-head landed on his back hard. But he kept his eyes on Zoe, who wasn't any getting better.

"Zoe, what's wrong?"

"Ow! Takuya... help me... AAHHHH!"

The teenage girl got back to a standing position. But her hands remained on her cranium. It was like her skull was being squeezed in a vice. No mater how hard she fought, the pain wouldn't go away. It wasn't long before her shrieks began to subside. The pain in her head was gone and the girl lowered her arms to the side. Next, she gave Takuya a terrifying glare.

"Now, where were we?" She asked in a dark voice before taking a step toward the boy.

"Zoe, no!" gulped Takuya. To his dismay, his best friend was still under the influence of the Chaos Sphere.

"Silence, you little tick! Lord Malevomon has ordered me to annihilate you, and that's exactly what I'm gonna... UGH!"

The girl grabbed her temple and the migraines resumed. She dropped to the ground and screamed from the top of her lungs. However, Takuya stood there wondering what he should do. It appeared as if the real Zoe is in a mind struggle against the powers of the evil orb inside her. The only problem is he couldn't tell which side is winning.

"Get... out of my head... now."

"BE QUIET, FOOLISH GIRL! CAN'T YOU SEE I TRYING TO DESTROY TAKUYA?"

"No! Ugh... I won't... let you..."

"LET ME? HA, YOU CAN'T EVEN STOP ME!"

"Yes... I... can..."

"Zoe!" Takuya cried out to his struggling girlfriend. But when he saw her eyes, he became as pale as a ghost. The crimson pupils indicated to him who was in control of Zoe's body.

"It's time for you to say goodbye, little boy!" The evil woman grinned.

Suddenly, she sprinted toward Takuya and was ready to pounce on him. The teenage boy tried moving out of the way, but Zoe was way too quick for him. She spread her arms out wide and quickly closed the distance. But just as she was about to tackle her best friend, the aggravations in her head returned. This caused her to inadvertently change her target from Takuya's midsection to his legs. Sadly, she couldn't get a good grip on his lower extremities as she landed in a crouching position.

But Takuya took advantage of the situation. He wrapped his arms around Zoe's waist and shifted his weight from the top of her shoulder to her left hip. This allowed Takuya to spin and rotate his girlfriend's body over the top of his. As the two of them fell to the ground and rolled over, the Bearer of Flame sought to gain positional control over his opponent. Once Zoe was on her back, he sat on top of her chest with and pinned Zoe's arms.

"Ugh... Takuya..." She moaned as the headaches continued.

"It's alright, Zoe! I'm here!" said the goggle-head.

"Takuya... you... you have to..." She spoke before opening her emerald eyes.

"What?"

"You... have to... destroy me!" The real Zoe requested. But her last couple words made Takuya froze. His heartbeat accelerated and his breathing became a little more shallow than usual.

"You want me to what?" Takuya asked, hoping she wasn't serious.

"Please, Takuya... stop me! Destroy me... it's the only way... to stop the Chaos Sphere inside me!"

"No! I won't! There has to be another way, Zoe! You can win this fight! I know you can! But you have to try!"

"Malevomon's too powerful..." grunted his beloved. "I can't... keep this up! Please, finish me... before I destroy..."

"Forget it!" replied the Bearer of Flame. "You expect me to destroy the one I love? No way! Zoe, listen to me! Malevomon's not as powerful as you think! Look at yourself! You've almost broken free from his clutches! Keep fighting, Zoe! Don't let him take control over you!"

"Takuya, I..."

"GET UP, YOU STUPID GIRL!" An evil voice shouted from behind the couple.

Takuya looked up and watched as he and Eldestmon go at each other. The leader of the Battlefront swung his staff at his nemesis, but Malevomon blocked it with his forearm. He then used his telekinesis to shove Eldestmon back toward the forest. With the elderly Digimon temporarily gone, Malevomon glowered at the two humans; mainly at Zoe.

"Malevomon! You can't controlling Zoe forever! Sooner or later, she's going to overcome the Chaos Sphere inside her and..."

"How about, 'NEVER?'"

As if on cue, the evil Zoe had regained control. First, she gave Takuya a vicious headbutt. This made him loosened his grip on her arms. Zoe quickly freed herself and grabbed Takuya's collar. She bucked her hips upward and went along with the rotation until was on top of him. The blonde then pounced on Takuya and grabbed his neck with both hands. Tightly she squeezed, cutting off the oxygen supply to his brain.

"Zoe... *cough*..." gagged the Bearer of Flame.

"Yes, that's it my child! Now, finish him off!" Malevomon ordered, extending his arm out toward the couple.

As she continued choking the life out of her 'former' best friend, Zoe's eyes spotted another dagger conveniently laying right next to them. Her body moved on its own as she released Takuya's neck and gave him a solid hook across the face, knocking him in a daze. As Takuya recovered, Zoe reached over and grabbed the knife on the ground. However, her actions never escaped her boyfriend's eyes.

"Zoe, no!" He gasped.

"I'm sorry! Malevomon's too powerful! He has full control over my body! There's nothing I can do!" Zoe said sadly.

"Yes, you can!" Takuya replied. "You're not just strong physically, but mentally and emotionally as well! You can still win! You can still do the right thing! I know you have what it takes to beat Malevomon!"

"Takuya..." gulped the blonde as she held the dagger in front of his throat.

"STOP!" KoriKakumon shouted from behind.

She turned and saw the Beast Warriors of Ice, Earth and Wood converging. To her right was Swiftmon with both weapons in his hand. On her left side was Beautymon, who had her eyes locked on to her target. Moments later, she was surrounded by a hundred Digimon from both sides. Every one of them had their weapons out and were prepared to strike if Zoe obeyed Malevomon's command... or if she doesn't.

"Destroy him! NOW!" ordered the wicked ruler.

"No, my child! Don't listen to him!" Eldestmon said.

"Stop stalling and do it already!" encouraged Sakkakumon.

"You better not, Blondie!" Beautymon threatened.

"Go on, princess! Finish him off!" MetalKabuterimon cheered.

"Back away from the other human and nobodies gonna get hurt, right?" said Petaldramon.

"Obliterate the sad little sap, Sugar!" Calmaramon commanded

"Don't make Gigasmon wants to pound you!" leered the Warrior of Earth.

Time stood still. Every Digimon stayed within range, yet not a single creature moved. But the Battlefront feared the worst. Intervening could prove costly. Even Swiftmon, the quickest Digimon in the group, was having second thoughts. Although it is possible he could remove the dagger from Zoe's hands, it was too risky. But the deafening threats and orders continued. The thunderous noises of almost every Digimon telling her what to do bounced in her mind, thus worsening her throbbing headaches. It was a tug-of-war from Zoe's perspective. All she had to do was slit the boy's throat, and he would be gone. But why was she struggling to finish him off? She has the blade on his neck, but cannot bring herself to slice it off. The internal struggle brought poor Zoe to tears. And with every Digimon, including Malevomon, screaming at her, the pain grew worse and worse.

However, there was only one person that wasn't yelling at her. And that was Takuya. While his life was at Zoe's mercy, he chose not force the issue. His arms laid by his side and his eyes gazed into his beloved's. From that point on, all of her attention was solely on Takuya. Zoe was able to drown out most of the sound pounding her eardrums. She pretended it was just him and her, with nobody else around.

"Zoe, please listen." Takuya said softly, but with patience and kindness in his voice. "This is your chance to prove yourself. Show everyone that you're not weak or useless. Prove to Malevomon that he can't control you. It's never too late to do the right thing, Z. That's what I love about you. You keep fighting until the very end. And this time's no different."

"But..." Zoe sniffed. A small tear fell off of her cheek and landed on her boyfriend's.

"Everything's going to be alright. I trust you. Always have, always will. Zoe... I love you so much."

"Oh, Takuya..." sobbed the blonde. The tears wouldn't stop falling. Her boyfriend was gonna die by her own hands. And unless she does the impossible, she could say goodbye to him forever.

"What's going to happen, sir?" Swiftmon approached his leader.

"We're about to find out." answered Eldestmon.

It seemed like an eternity since the last time Zoe moved. But after crying for several moments, the Bearer of Wind stared into his eyes for (what might possibly be) the last time.

"Takuya?"

"Yes, Zoe?" Her boyfriend smiled.

"Please forgive me, for everything I've done and for all the pain I've caused to you."

"Of course I do."

"And promise me something..."

"Anything."

"You and I... will always be together... forever..." Zoe begged, trying not to cry.

"Forever... and beyond." Takuya nodded one last time before he relaxed his body, closed his eyes and waited for his imminent end.

"Thank you, Takuya."

The Bearer of Flame waited for his throat to be slit. He felt the cold, steel blade on his neck. Yet, it didn't budge. He waited for what appeared to be hours. And sure enough, he was still alive. Or was he? Wondering if something has happened to his best friend, Takuya reopened his eyes to check what was going on.

But what he saw was most shocking.

The young woman roughly, but gradually brought the knife off of Takuya's cervix and tossed it aside. Then with her other hand, Zoe tried to force herself to reach into one of her pockets. Takuya could her his beloved grunting terribly, as she doubled her efforts to fight back Malevomon's evil control. Slowly, her hand entered her right pocket and searched for her lavender D-Tector. It took a lot out of the blonde to pull the device out. By then, she was sweating profusely and gasping for breath.

Of course, her actions didn't go unnoticed. While she was trying to take out her D-Tector, the Digimon Battlefront and the good Legendary Warriors slowly lowered their weapons. As for the evil Warriors, they were stunned that the human was resisting Malevomon's commands. And speaking of which, the malicious ruler was almost at his boiling point. Never in his life has someone successfully fought back the ultimate powers that the Chaos Sphere possessed. Initially, her mind and body belonged to him. But the moment Zoe brought out her D-Tector, Malevomon felt that he had lost control over his human servant.

And that made him really angry.

"And promise me one more thing, Takuya." Zoe continued as she pointed her device at Takuya's side pocket, where she believed his D-Tector was. "Please... take Malevomon down. For our friends... for every Digimon in this world... and for me."

"Zoe..." gasped the goggle-head.

"Ugh..." Zoe was almost at her limit. Her energy level's almost depleted. But there was one more thing she had to do. Her body was in a lot of pain. Her head was throbbing like never before. And it seemed like it won't be long before Malevomon regains control over her. However, thanks to Takuya's words of hope and affection, Zoe found the strength to fight through the pain so can complete her task. She took a deep breath and shouted.

"WIND INTO FLAME!"

A trail of Fractal Code linked from the screen on Zoe's D-Tector to Takuya's. The boy exhaled greatly. He watched astonishingly as the Spirits of Kazemon and Zephyrmon appeared out of his girlfriend's device, glide along the trail of data and enter into his D-Tector, just like Zoe commanded. Finally, the transfer of Spirits was complete. He was very happy, but not because of he had both his and his girlfriend's Spirits.

"Zoe, you've done it!" He praised his beloved. The Digimon Battlefront also joined in by cheering for the Bearer of Wind's efforts or just a simple nod of acknowledgement.

"You were able to resist Malevomon's power! I just knew you could do it!" Takuya continued, which made Zoe unleash tears of joy.

"Oh, Takuya!"

"I'm so proud of you, Z! What you did today was unbelievable! Ah, man! I could just..."

"NOOOOOOOOO!" The wicked sovereign roared that almost made the ground shake.

All of the Digimon in the area, plus Takuya and Zoe, shifted their attention to the Ultimate level ruler. The first thing they all noticed was the ghastly glare on his face. Apparently, seeing the teenage girl giving her Spirits to her boyfriend made Malevomon perturbed. Using the Bearer of Wind to do his bidding was foolproof. Also, having her fight against her friends would've made his conquest much easier. Nobody would've guessed that his newest servant would ruin his entire master plan.

"AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" The upset Malevomon howled.

He extended his arm out toward the humans, but had Zoe locked in his sights. Malevomone levitated her off the ground with his psychic abilities. Zoe flopped her arms around and did whatever she could to get herself down. But there were two problems. First of all, it took a lot out her just to give her Spirits to Takuya. She was already out of energy. Zoe couldn't muster up any strength to fight. Secondly, there has been only a few that were able to resist Malevomon's telekinetic abilities. Unfortunately, Zoe won't be joining that list anytime soon. The rage-filled sovereign supinated his forearm and flexed his hand, motioning the girl back toward him. Once she was close enough, Malevomon grabbed Zoe by the neck and tightened his grip without any remorse.

"YOU FOOLISH GIRL! HOW DARE YOU DEFY ME! I SHALL MAKE YOU SUFFER!"

"ZOE, HANG ON!" Takuya sprang to his feet and rushed toward his girlfriend. The rest of the Digimon Battlefront followed behind the Bearer of Flame.

But they didn't get very far. A hundred SkullSatamon and Devidramon formed multiple lines in front of their superior. With their respective claws and weapons out, they were going to make sure that nobody getting toward their master; not without a fight. Even the evil Legendary Warriors joined in as they pick a fight with the first Battlefront Digimon they saw.

Although there were so many Digimon fighting each other from his point of view, Takuya could still see his defenseless girlfriend still hanging in Malevomon's grasps. He tried to get closer, but it was so crowded on the battlefield. And even when Takuya had room to run, there was always an evil Digimon there to greet him.

"ZOE!" He reached out and called his beloved.

"Ta... Takuya..." coughed Zoe as her consciousness slowly slipped away.

"Someone stop him!" Eldestmon ordered his troops. He already had his hands full trying to fend off ten SkullSatamon at once.

"I'm out of position!" grunted Swiftmon. "Beautymon?"

"What? Can't you see I'm busy?" The female Digimon glowered at his partner before blasting away a Devidramon without even looking.

Meanwhile, Malevomon has had just about enough. He lifted the poor blonde up and slammed her hard on the solid ground. Her spine collide against the unforgiving canvas. The force of the chokeslam was so strong, it created a large creator on the ground. Zoe howled in severe agony, but Malevomon wasn't done yet. He brought her back to his eye level and opened his free hand. A black sphere began to take shape in his palm.

"Sparring your life was one of my few mistakes! I've should've done this... A LONG TIME AGO!" screamed the Almighty One.

"MALEVOLENT ONSLAUGHT!"

Instead of throwing the sphere are the helpless young woman, Malevomon thrust his large orb at her. With her still in his clutches, Zoe could do nothing as the evil ruler's transparent energy ball consumed her entirely. Inside the sphere, the girl felt her body was on fire, as the power of evil drained her life force. The pain doubled with each passing second. But the Ultimate Digimon was out of patience and mercy.

"YYYEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

"ZOOOEEEEEEE!" Takuya shouted with his eyes watering.

After a full minute of suffering, the evil emperor stopped his attack so he can observe what was left of the girl. She wasn't moving at all. Her blonde hair covered the pain written on her face. Without a doubt, Zoe was almost at her end. Her life energy was about empty. At point blank range, it was nearly impossible for anyone to survive that attack. Finally, Malevomon tossed her into the air.

"ZOE, NO!"

Takuya slammed on the brakes and backpedaled as fast as he could in order to get in better position to catch his beloved. Unbeknownst to the Bearer of Flame, a bunch of Devidramon were already behind him, ready to cut Takuya in half the moment he stepped into their strike zone. Just when Takuya was about to draw nearer...

"Chains of Supremacy!"

After quickly taking care of the last SkullSatamon that faced him, the wise Digimon stomped on the ground. Chrome Digizoid chains burst out of the dirt and wrapped around the Devidramon's body. Thanks to Eldestmon, he was able to clear a path for Takuya, so he can run freely and focus on catching Zoe. The goggle-head panicked a little bit at the speed his unconscious girlfriend was going. But he kept moving, determined to save her.

As his beloved began to descend, Takuya flexed his elbows into a right angle, and pronated his forearms so his best friend would have a place to land on. The Bearer of Flame continued to backpedal quickly to the spot he predict his best friend would fall. Finally, Takuya slowed down his momentum, squatted downwards and was in great position to catch her. Sure enough, he was right on the money. Zoe fell perfectly into her boyfriend's arms. Unfortunately, Takuya didn't take gravity into consideration, as the two of them fell on the ground. He landed hard on his back and slid on the dirt, but was relieved to know that Zoe had a softer landing.

Finally, Takuya set the girl on her back.

"Zoe! Zoe, wake up!" He called as he gently shook her. But the blonde's eyes remained closed. Takuya couldn't stop his tears from falling. He collapsed his head on top of Zoe's stomach and started to cry.

"BLISSEYMON!" ordered Eldestmon after defeating another SkullSatamon.

Upon command, two medical Digimon ceased their healing on other Digimon and scurried as fast as they could toward Zoe. Once they reached her, one assessed the girl's condition while the second Blisseymon started healing her. Takuya knelt by Zoe's side and held her hand, praying desperately that she would make it. But he knew it was going to take a miracle to save her.

Suddenly, he felt Zoe's hand gripping tight on to his. Muffled, yet agonizing groans entered his ear and recaptured his attention. Takuya's heart almost stopped the moment he saw his girlfriend's emerald eyes gazing at him. A weak smile appeared on Zoe's face as she reached her other hand out towards her boyfriend's cheek. Takuya gasped when her soft hand made contact with her face. He placed his hand on top of Zoe's, but still continued to cry.

"Oh Zoe!" The boy sobbed.

"Takuya... thank you." whispered Zoe, doing her best to ignore the pain inside and outside her body.

"For what?"

"For helping break free."

"Nah, that was all you." Takuya shook his head. "I knew you were able to resist because of how strong you are. Not a single person I know has that kind of determination, courage and strength that you have, Zoe."

"You're sweet Takuya." The blonde stifled a giggle. Then, she shook her head.

"But you're wrong. My strength hasn't always been there naturally. Sure... I may be tough and strong... but it's because of you Takuya. You are... my inspiration and the reason why I'm who I am. That's why... I want to thank you. If it wasn't for your enthusiasm and unyielding determination, I would still be that lost Italian girl who's still trying to make friends... and find love. "

"Zoe..."

"Now go and get Malevomon."

"I will..." Her boyfriend nodded.

"Takuya, I... I lov..."

Her strength was gone before she could finish. Slowly, her eyes closed. Her arms trailed down Takuya's cheeks and fell to the ground. Her breathing has stopped and so has her movements. The Bearer of Flame couldn't stop crying. The pain in his heart was unbearable. Takuya held on tight to her hands, hoping that would wake her up. But it didn't.

"Takuya..." The voice of KoriKakumon spoke.

He released Zoe's hand and placed it on her chest. Takuya looked at his unconscious beloved one more time before turning back to the battlefield. He noticed that the Beasts of Ice, Earth and Wood were all standing beside him. Fractal Code surrounded their bodies as they revert back into their Human Spirit forms.

"For Zoe." Kumamon said.

"And for the other Digimon as well, right?" Arbormon agreed.

"Let's give stinking Malevomon beating he deserve." Grumblemon grinned.

"You guys..." The Bearer of Flame spoke.

"You know what to do, Takuya." The Warrior of Ice smiled at the human. Takuya nodded and pointed his D-Tector at the Legendary Warriors.

"ICE INTO FLAME!"

"EARTH TO FLAME!"

"WOOD INTO FLAME... RIGHT?"

Fractal Code spiraled around the Warriors' bodies as they allow themselves to revert back into their Spirit forms. Finally, three long strips of data connected in between Takuya's D-Tector and the Spirits of Wood, Earth and Ice. One by one, the goggle-head absorbed the data. along with the Spirits at the end. At long last, the Spirits of Flame, Wind, Ice, Earth and Wood were all in his D-Tector. But before Takuya could move on, he gave his girlfriend one last look.

"Zoe... don't you worry. I promise you, I'll get that creep... if it's the last thing I do. When I get back, please wait for me." He said to himself.

"I love you, Zoe! This one's for you!"

*Insert Song: The Last Element*

Inside Takuya's D-Tector, the five Human and Beast Spirits converged on the center figure of the device. With his D-Tector in his right hand, Takuya extended his left hand out in front. A fireball the size of his palm appeared, but then it quickly dispersed, revealing an orb of Fractal Code. After a couple of arm crosses, Takuya brought the ball of data together with his D-Tector.

"UNITY EXECUTE…" He screamed swiping the Fractal Code with the scanner. "... UNIFIED SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

A long line of data swirled around the teenager. The Human and Beast Spirits of Flame, Wind, Ice, Earth and Wood awakened inside simultaneously. Takuya felt a powerful surge of energy flowing throughout his body. The boy spread his arms and legs out so he can combine himself with the other ten relics. The Human Spirits of Flame, Wind and Ice merged first with his chest and shoulders. Next, the Human Spirit of Earth and Wood synthesize with Takuya's legs. It was followed by the Beast Spirits of Wood, Earth, Ice and Wind, fusing with the boy's body. Finally, the Beast Spirit of Flame merged with Takuya's head. As the relics conjoined with the human, raging flames exhumed outward. Before long, the transformation was complete. With a large broadsword in hand, the newly formed Digimon unleashed two powerful slashes, followed by a thrust up the middle.

"EMPERORGREYMON!"

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter forty-nine. At last, EmperorGreymon has made his appearance. The ultimate battle between good and evil is about to begin. Which one will come out victorious? And is this the end of Zoe Orimoto? T<strong>**hese questions will be answered in the next chapter that will determine the fate of the Digital World. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next ****Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising****.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	50. Clash Of The Emperors

****Author's Notes: Hey guys! School has officially started for me. That means updates are gonna be slower than usual. But I promise to work on the next chapter as much as I can. ********Thanks to all of you, I have hit the 1000 review mark! You have no idea how grateful and happy I am! It's because of you guys that I've made it this far! Again, thanks so much!****

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Digimon Frontier series or any of the characters.**

**Review Replies:**

**Pikatwig - Sorry, but no MagnaGarurumon.**

**TakuyaZoeLove - Glad you liked the Takumi moments.**

**TakumiWarrior - Amen, my friend!**

**The Keeper of Worlds - Enjoy the ultimate showdown.**

**DariusShan - Everyone's taking a shot at Beautymon. But keep them coming.**

**NaruHinaShikaTen - Don't worry. I'm satisfied how this battle turned out.**

**raidersfan777 - You bet. Have fun reading.**

**Miss. Teria - Haters gonna hate and there's not much you can do about it.**

**Axle the Hedgehog - Owned? That's it? What about obliterated?**

**shadowrunner22 - I just hope this chapter has lived up to its hype.**

**UnderWaterPeril - It's one of my favorite songs from Frontier as well.**

**kirakuya1101 - She's mine too, along with Takuya.**

**Anakin Rose the Hedgehog - That's a good way to imagine it.**

**t3322stc - Both is a good choice. I'm glad you liked those two scenes.**

**MerryHimawari - And more, you shall receive.**

**Viper 0-1 - No, that's Beautymon trying to get over the fact she got rejected.**

**CaptainDandruff - Oh, I got more of that in this chapter, bro.**

**S-A Bleach - And all of those genres happened to be my favorite as well.**

**GakuenShimai - I couldn't have said it better myself.**

**MarsPhoenixFire - Not much romance in this chapter, but more coming soon.**

**ReikoHinomotoXX - Glad you've enjoyed it.**

**ZettaiZero - Gotcha.**

**CatastropheQueen - Thanks for the reviews.**

****So, without further ado, here's chapter fifty.****

* * *

><p><strong>Clash Of The Emperors<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"EMPERORGREYMON!"

The newly formed Digimon stepped on to the battlefield. Crimson red armor with golden outlines covered his body from head to toe. His shoulder plates were shaped like a Greymon's head. The powerful creature's arms were covered thick, red plates from the elbows to the hands. And on top of his forearms were a pair of armored sleeves that also took form of a dinosaur. The boots he wore had a silver ring surrounding both of his feet, making it look like a head of a tyrannosaurus. Even the upper portion of his footwear also had a dragon-shaped head that protected the kneecaps. This Digimon also had a sword emblem embedded on his belt and a doubled up Symbol of Flame marked on the center of his chestplate. His tri-horned, orange helmet with metallic mouthguard shielded his entire face, covering everything but his brown eyes. As for the Warrior's weapon of choice, a very large broadsword with two different colored cross-guards not far away from each other. And the blade was as sharp as they come.

"Incredible." Eldestmon praised.

"Unbelievable!" gasped Swiftmon.

"Hot!" Beautymon cooed. Other Digimon looked at her awkwardly.

"He's back! I can't believe it!" Bokomon gasped from his hiding place. "EMPERORGREYMON HAS RETURNED!" He grabbed Neemon by the arms, pivoted and spun around to lift his partner off of the ground.

"WHOA! DIZZY!" cried the yellow rabbit.

Meanwhile from afar, the wicked emperor felt the heatwaves during Takuya's transformation. He could feel his sweat trickling down his cheek. Never before has he seen such a powerful Digimon. Even Eldestmon at his best couldn't compete with this. But that still didn't intimidate the evil sovereign. Being in the presence of EmperorGreymon made Malevomon snicker with joy. Although he enjoys torturing and easily defeating other Digimon, nothing beats the thrill of destroying someone with equal or better strength. And this new Digimon before him was the perfect victim.

"Malevomon!" EmperorGreymon pointed at the Digimon. "You have been given countless chances to surrender and stop your evil ways! And yet, you continue to destroy innocent Digimon, make them your slaves and force them to hurt the ones they love! What you've done is unforgivable! For that, you shall be punished!"

"Stop lecturing me, boy!" commanded the dark creature. "I'm not here to listen you blabber about the things I've done! And I don't even recall asking for your forgiveness! So, let's cut to the chase! I'm going to give you one last chance! Hand me all of your Spirits right now, and I promise I'll let you and all of your pathetic friends go free... including that weak little girlfriend of yours! MWHAHAHAHA!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The evil Legendary Warriors and all of Malevomon's servants join their master in laughing at the Digimon Battlefront, Zoe and EmperorGreymon.

"Weak?" EmperorGreymon asked before pulling out his weapon. While the armored dinosaur was ready to fight, he wanted to talk with Malevomon just for a little bit.

"Then explain to me this!" He continued. "If Zoe is weak, then how come she was the first one to break free from those powerful Chaos Spheres you've created?"

The laughing had stopped. Simultaneously, the arrogant grin on Malevomon's face changed into an offended glare. He hated to admit it, but the armored dinosaur was right. Not a single Digimon was able to resist his power. He was invincible, untouchable, unstoppable. But the moment he saw the girl fighting back and giving up her Spirits to her boyfriend, he felt like he had lost control over the girl. That sense of powerlessness frustrated the malicious beast.

"That's your problem, Malevomon! You always underestimate what we humans can do! Just because you're more powerful than us, you think you can do whatever you like! Well, you're dead wrong! What you failed to realize is that we humans also have a special kind of power in ourselves!"

"Nonsense! You're trying to trick me!"

"Guess again, you jerk! I'm telling you this right now! There is a reason why you can't defeat me or Zoe, no matter how hard you try! We have heart, determination, courage, love, friendship and the power of good on our side! You can knock us down, torture us, humiliate us, insult us, and do whatever you want with us! But in the end, it shall be us who prevails and you who will fall!"

"You talk to much, boy! I've had just about enough of you! The sound of your voice is gettung on my nerves! You've been a huge annoyance for way too long!"

"Yeah... I get that a lot!" A grin of confidence appeared underneath his metallic facemask.

"Hmph, so be it! Your friend was a fool challenging my powers and she suffered the consequence! Now, it's your turn to share the same fate!"

"Never! Your conquest ends today! I won't stop until you are defeated. Then we can restore peace, harmony and prosperity to this world!"

"HAHAHAHA! You defeat me? Oh, please! Haven't you forgotten? I'm stronger, faster, smarter, more ruthless; and most of all, better than you! Every time we fight, you end up losing! What makes you think you and your new form will change anything?"

"Because I'm fighting for my friends and for every innocent Digimon in this world that has been threatened by your evil!"

"Oh, spare me the talk about friendship and let's get this over with! If you think you have what it takes to stop me, then you're sadly mistaken, boy!"

"In that case..." EmperorGreymon held his sword in front of his enemy. "... let's find out! AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

Without wasting any time, the Mega Hybrid rushed toward the Almighty One, ready to get the final battle started. As for Malevomon, he looked as if he's not in a hurry to fight EmperorGreymon. The evil Digimon snapped his fingers, which summoned almost all of his entire of mind-controlled Digimon onto the battlefield. Hundreds of Megadramon, Gigadraon, DarkTyrannomon, Triceramon, Dragomon, Cherrymon, Mammothmon and other evil Digimon formed multiple lines in front of their master. They waited patiently for Malevomon's command, even with the aggressive EmperorGreymon drawing closer.

"DESTROY HIM!" The malicious sovereign commanded.

The first line of defense, which consisted of DarkTyrannomon and Triceramon, charged toward the armored Digimon. The mind controlled dinosaurs unleashed powerful fireballs and tri-energy blasts from their mouths and horns. Each of their projectiles zipped through the battlegrounds and toward their opponent. Unfortunately, all of their attacks bounced off EmperorGreymon's armor. No matter how many fireballs and energy blast they launched, the DarkTyrannomon and Triceramon weren't able to push the Mega back. Realizing that their long range attacks weren't working, the dinosaurs change their tactics and brought the fight to their armored opponent. The Triceramon rammed their indestructible horns onto EmperorGreymon's left leg, while the DarkTyrannomon chomped away on the right.

But the Hybrid Warrior wasn't phased at all. He kicked his right leg out, which sent the DarkTyrannomon flying across the kingdom. Next, EmperorGreymon turned his attention toward the Triceramon, who were coming in for another charge. By stomping hard on the ground, the powerful Digimon was able to create a violent earthquake. The stumbling three-horned Digimon tripped and skidded along the canvas and passed EmperorGreymon. With them out of the way, the Mega can refocus on his primary target.

"AERIAL ATTACK, COMMENCE!" Malevomon ordered the Digimon in the sky.

"I guess that's our cue, boys!" A Megadramon in the front said.

"Who else was master referring to, idiot!" One Gigadramon snapped at his partner.

Once the arguing was over, the gigantic dragons with metallic helmets glided toward the charging EmperorGreymon. Every single one of Malevomon's servants aimed their cannons at the Hybrid Warrior. But he kept on running, regardless who was in his way. Figured that EmperorGreymon would not stop, the Megadramon and Gigadramon commence with their attacks.

"GENOCIDE ATTACK!" ||| "GENOCIDE GEAR!"

Thousands of organic missiles shot out of their blasters and sailed toward EmperorGreymon at the speed of sound. The armored Digimon his sword out in front and spun it around as fast as he could. His rotating weapon acted as a shield, repelling every missile that marked him as a target. The projectiles bounced off of the spinning blade and toward different directions, destroying everything it made contact with. That included some trees in the forest, the thick walls of Malevomon's fortress and a few evil Digimon under the wicked emperor's control. It wasn't long before all the missiles were gone, yet EmperorGreymon remained unscathed.

"Um... anybody got a Plan B?" Gigadramon suggested.

"Just keep shooting!" ordered Megadramon.

*click, click* ||| *click, click*

Just their luck, the Ultimate level dragons were out of ammo, which made them very nervous. Without their ammunition, they were as useless as an empty firearm. Since they had no way of protecting themselves, the fleet of Megadramon and Gigadramon backed away from their original positions. Too bad for them, Malevomon is not the kind of Digimon that tolerates cowardice.

"Where do you think you're going?" The sovereign asked angrily.

"Our humblest apologies, my Lord! But we have to reload!" Megadramon explained.

"We're useless without our cannons!" continued Gigadramon. "Please, master! Give us a moment to resupply our...

"NO!" growled Malevomon. "I don't care if your arms have been chopped off! You all better get back in there and destroy the human! Disobey me one more time and I'll stuff your entire bodies inside your own cannons!"

"Please, master! Anything but that!" The winged dragons begged.

"Then do as I command!" ordered the evil emperor. He then turned to the next line of defense, which consist of Mammothmon, Dragomon and Cherrymon. "And that goes for you too! Destroy him!"

"Ye... Yes, my Lord..." gulped the rest of his troops.

Only a couple minutes have passed and the mind-controlled Digimon has already witness the unmatched strength EmperorGreymon has possessed. If their comrades attacks didn't do anything to them, more than likely theirs won't be any effective as well. Picking a fight with the Mega Hybrid was considered suicide for these Digimon. Then again, what choice do they have? It was either go down fighting, or Malevomon's wrath.

At last, they've all made their decision. The Cherrymon took the lead and lined up side by side.

"Cherry Blasts!"

Hundreds of miniature bombs shot out of their branches and toward EmperorGreymon's feet. The countless explosions forced the powerful Hybrid to come to a halt. But just when the Mega was about to regain his footing, he instantly noticed a large pack of Mammothmon running around him. EmperorGreymon kept his weapon out in front, in case he had to defend himself. But then from his blindside...

"KYYAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

The armored dinosaur turned and saw a fleet of Megadramon and Gigadramon diving towards him like suicide pilots. All it took was one giant swing from his sword, and he sent the winged beasts flying all over the place. Upon the crash landing, the armed dragons burst into bits of data. The sad thing was not one of them inflicted any kind of damage to EmperorGreymon.

On the other hand, that wasn't their role during the attack.

"Tundra Breath!" The group of pachyderm shouted.

EmperorGreymon looked around and noticed he was surrounded. While he was busy taking out the fleet of Megadramon and Gigadramon, the pack of Mammothmon quickly surrounded the distracted Hybrid. After unleashing their thunderous trumpeting sounds, the mammoth-like creatures aimed their armored trunks at EmperorGreymon and blew as hard as they could. The Mammothmon spewed cold breath from their elongated noses and toward the armored dinosaur's feet, freezing it instantly. Since he was dealing with an entire army of pachyderm, it was much harder to break free from the ice.

"Forbidden Trident!"

From the back lines, a hundred Dragomon had large, three-pronged spears in their tentacles, dipped with deadly poison on the tips. Once they've declared their attack, the sea creatures chucked their tridents at the immobilized EmperorGreymon. At such tremendous speeds and power, the three-point spears became giants bolts that have the capabilities to pierce through the toughest armor, even EmperorGreymon's. But the powerful Hybrid didn't panic. It was a good thing his upper extremities weren't frozen. With his large broadsword still in hand, EmperorGreymon can protect himself easily.

"Oh no, you don't!" A voice filled with evil interrupted his thoughts.

The armored Digimon was so busy focused on the oncoming tridents, he failed to notice Malevomon was standing behind enemy lines. The wicked sovereign also had one of his hands extended out towards the Mega, using his psychic powers to limit his movement and to keep him. EmperorGreymon saw the malicious grin plastered on Malevomon's face and replied with a furious glare. Unfortunately, the dark Digimon had his opponent right where he wanted him.

"There's no escaping me this time, boy! Now, say goodbye!" proclaimed Malevomon.

"Ugh... can't... move!" groaned EmperorGreymon. Even with all of his strength, he couldn't break free. And as the high speed projectiles drew closer, the Hybrid Digimon closed his eyes and braced himself for the end.

"Diamond Cutter!" The familiar voice entered EmperorGreymon's ear. He quickly turned to his right and saw a bluish blur zooming past him.

"Swiftmon!" The Hybrid thought. "Is he going to try to take out those tridents all at once?"

*clink, clink, clink, clink*

It was hard to see, but the swordsman Digimon was dancing in the air, chopping up as many tridents as he could before they could reach EmperorGreymon. The armored dinosaur only had a couple of seconds until the poison-tipped projectiles pierce right through his armor. But of course, two seconds is plenty of time for Swiftmon. Soon, EmperorGreymon could see the oncoming tridents splitting in half and falling from the sky. Suddenly, the second-in-command appeared before the Hybrid Warrior. While he didn't have time to eliminate all of the three-pronged spears, at least he took out all of the ones that were aimed at EmperorGreymon. The rest flew by the armored Digimon and pierced into the ground.

"Sage's Shower!"

Behind the Mega, Eldestmon raised his staff up and opened a dimensional rift in the sky. Vast amounts of meteorites rain down and crashed on the grounds of the Dark Kingdom. A bunch of the comets destroyed a good number of Cherrymon, Mammothmon and Dragomon that previously attacked EmperorGreymon. The rest were just fortunate enough to get out of the way. A few meteorites also had Malevomon in their targets. But because he had another hand available, the powerful emperor used his telekinesis to change the comets' course.

"Fools! Can't you see I'm busy trying to... OOF!"

Malevomon failed to noticed a large pinkish beam coming right toward him, until it was too late. The energy blast knocked the evil Digimon off of his feet and sent him skidding on the canvas. At last, EmperorGreymon was free from Malevomon's power. He gave a good swing at his frozen legs and shattered the ice with one strike. The Mega got down on one knee so he can regroup with the Digimon Battlefront.

"Thanks, you guys." said EmperorGreymon.

"Now you really didn't think we were going to sit this one out and let you hog all the fun, huh?" Swiftmon asked with a small, yet noticeable grin.

"He's right." Eldestmon agreed. "Let us and the rest of our troops help you out. The rest of us will distract the other Digimon, so you can focus on Malevomon."

"Alright. But what about Zoe?" asked the armored Digimon.

"Oh great! Here we go again! Always checking up on poor Blondie! Jeez, that never gets old, doesn't it?" The annoyed Beautymon groaned.

But EmperorGreymon ignored her sarcastic remarks and looked toward the edge of the kingdom. And there was Zoe Orimoto, lying unconsciously on the ground with a pair of Blisseymon doing their best to heal her injuries. The expression on his face told the others he was at fault for his best friend's condition. Eldestmon cleared his throat to get the Mega's attention.

"Don't worry about her. She's in good hands." replied the Battlefront's leader. "But right now, you need to stay focus! As long as Malevomon's still at large, nobody's safe. It is up to you to defeat him."

"You got it." nodded EmperorGreymon.

"I'm going with you, Cutie!" requested Beautymon. "After all, you need someone to help you give that evil monstrosity what's coming to him! And who better than... 'yours truly?' How does that sound, Sweetie? Say 'yes' and I can make it worth your..."

"No." EmperorGreymon said quickly before Beautymon could finish.

"What? NO?" growled the female Digimon, raising her voice on the last word.

"I'm sorry, Beautymon. But this is personal. Malevomon has brought pain and suffering to many... including Zoe's. He has to pay for what he's done. So please, Beautymon. Don't get in my way. I want this to be between me and him."

"Excuse me? But what does that suppose to mean?" Beautymon crossed her arms angrily.

"That goes for you too." EmperorGreymon looked back at the swordsman and the Battlefront's leader. "Do not interfere. Even if I'm losing, I don't want any of you to intervene. I hope you understand."

"I'm sorry, Cutie! But I'm not going to stand by and let you have that creep all to your..."

"Very well then." nodded Eldestmon.

"WHAT? YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!" Beautymon practically screamed in her superior's ear.

"Let the boy be. He's the only one here that can defeat Malevomon."

"But... But I..." The olive haired beauty stammered.

"Beautymon! Swiftmon!" The wise Digimon called out.

"Sir!" saluted his second-in-command. Beautymon, on the other hand, puffed her cheeks and turned away from her boss.

"I want you two and the rest of the troops to take out what's left of Malevomon's troops and clear a path for EmperorGreymon!"

"Yes, sir!" Swiftmon quickly nodded. Beautymon pretended that she didn't hear her superior's commands. But a subtle huff confirmed to Eldestmon that she will comply. He then tapped his staff on the ground, and his two best fighters dispersed into the war zone. Finally, the leader of the Battlefront turned to EmperorGreymon one last time.

"It's up to you now! The fate of the entire Digital World is at stake! You must defeat Malevomon, no matter what the cost! Losing is not an option!"

"Don't worry about me, Eldestmon." said EmperorGreymon. "I'll make him pay for hurting Zoe! One way or another, Malevomon's going down!"

"In that case... do your best." Eldestmon gave the Hybrid a supportive nod and headed off to fight the rest of Malevomon's lackeys.

EmperorGreymon waited until the elderly Digimon was out of sight. Finally, he retrieved his broadsword and set off to search for the Almighty One. He remembered Malevomon got blasted by Beautymon's attack, thanks to Eldestmon's and Swiftmon's distraction. Just a few meters to his left was a trail of burnt dirt. And at the end of path was Malevomon, slowly rising to his feet. His clothes had a few patches of burns and parts of his cape had tears from the center. But judging from the look on his face, he was angrier than ever before. EmperorGreymon approached the evil Digimon and a fierce staredown ensued between the two.

"There's no where to run or hide, Malevomon! Let's get this over with!"

"Hmm, someone's in a rush to be annihilated by hands!" laughed the malicious Digimon.

"Not a chance! I will never forgive you for all of the horrible things you have done to Zoe!"

"Hahaha! Don't be foolish boy! In fact, you should be thanking me!"

"For what, you big, ugly creep?" growled EmperorGreymon, gripping the hilt of his sword tigthly with rage.

"After I finish defeating you, I will take the pleasure in sending you two lovebirds together on a one-way trip to the dark, empty center of the Digital Worl...

"YOU FIRST!" The armored dinosaur roared. EmperorGreymon pointed his blade at the evil Digimon and charged up with large joules of heat energy. As his weapon slowly reached its capacity, the powerful Hybrid glowered at the Almighty One.

"DRAGONFIRE CROSSBOW!"

EmperorGreymon pressed the trigger on the cross-guard and fired a massive flaming bolt toward his opponent. Malevomon's eyes widened at the incredible velocity the projectile has possessed. Quickly, he sprang off the ground and leaped over the bolt, just missing it by several feet. However, Malevomon could feel the intense heatwave from his boots. He watched as the burst of fire shot into a tree, which caused an atomic-like explosion.

"The next one won't miss!" declared the Mega.

"Is that so?" snickered Malevomon. "Very impressive, my boy! That last attack sure packed a lot of energy! If I was a second late, I would've been toasted by now!"

"Yeah, that's the point!" EmperorGreymon groaned.

"Hehe, I can sense how passionate you are about this fight!"

"I'm just sick and tired of all of your evil deeds! Someone has to stop you from hurting other innocent Digimon!"

"And that 'someone' is _you_, huh?"

"You better believe it!" said the Hybrid. He gripped his weapon with both hands and was ready to bring the fight to the evil emperor.

"Hmph, very well then!" shrugged the evil Digimon."Just so you know, I'm not gonna go easy on you this time! I have been graciously keeping you alive so I can make you one of my finest servants! But after that little stunt your girlfriend pulled off, I had just about enough of you humans foiling my plans! So I shall take pleasure watching you perish!"

"Bring it on, you terrible excuse of a Digimon!"

"Oh, indeed '_we_' shall!" With that, Malevomon pressed the pad of his thumb firmly against the pad of your middle finger. And as he slid the two digits together...

*snap*

"EBONY BLAST!" ||| "LUPINE LASER!"

Suddenly, a white and purplish beam appeared from the east and nailed EmperorGreymon's backside. It caught the armored dinosaur's attention, but before he could defend himself, his entire body was plastered with a barrage of attacks, courtesy of the Beast Warriors of Light and Darkness. Each successful hit produced a small explosion, covering the Hybrid's entire body with dark clouds of smoke. KendoGarurumon and JagerLowemon landed beside their master before turning toward the spot where EmperorGreymon stood. Without a doubt, he was a little stunned from the last attack. Although there wasn't a dent on his armor, the transfer of energy from the onslaught of light and dark attacks knocked the Hybrid for a loop.

"Mine!" Another voice growled from the side. The armored dinosaur turned to his right and noticed a tank-like Digimon with a couple of electrical balls surging on his hands.

"BOLO THUNDER!"

MetalKabuterimon unleashed the electric bola toward EmperorGreymon. Once discharged, it spun around to increase its speed and power. The rotating attack nailed the Hybrid Digimon on his chest plate. Surprisingly, MetalKabuterimon's attack temporarily incapacitate EmperorGreymon as the electricity passed through his thick armor and onto his skin. As the Hybrid tried to endure the Beast of Thunder's attack, the next Legendary Warrior approached from the left side.

"WILDFIRE TSUNAMI! HURRICANE GALE!" shouted Sakkakumon

The network of eyeballs rotated his body until the pupils on two of his eyeballs caught the Hybrid in his sights. One green orb unleash a powerful, flaming cyclone while the second one launched a purplish tornado filled with pink throwing blades. The two attacks combined with one another, forming a large twister that can incinerate or slice anything that gets caught in the vortex. Sakkakumon's combined technique slammed into EmperorGreymon's midsection, making him yelp in pain. As the Hybrid dropped to his knees...

"TITANIC TEMPEST!" Calmaramon screamed from above.

She spread her tentacles out wide and rotated her body like a helicopter propeller. The putrid squid acted as a spinning drill as she collided against EmperorGreymon's back. This forced the Hybrid to fall face first on the unforgiving canvas. While the armored Digimon tried to recover from the evil Warrior onslaught, Malevomon's subordinates gathered around their master. And speaking of the devil, the Almighty One stepped forward with a blackish orb forming in his hands.

"Now, to get rid of you once and for all!" declared the malicious Digimon.

"MALEVOLENT ONSLAUGHT!

Malevomon released the dark orb with full power and sent it toward the semiconscious Warrior. It wasn't long before EmperorGreymon's entire body was enveloped by the unforgiving sphere. Outside the Malevolent Onslaught, the five evil Legendary Warrior laughed maniacally. Sooner or later, victory will be theirs. Even Malevomon was thrilled. Not a single Digimon has escaped with their lives when he used his strongest technique at full power on them. And he was more than confident that EmperorGreymon won't be standing up when it's all over. It's only a matter of moments before all ten Legendary Spirits will be in his posses...

"GGRRRRAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" EmperorGreymon growled.

The sound of him struggling has made the other evil Digimon ceased their laughing. They turned their attention back at the Malevolent Onslaught that was currently surrounded the Hybrid. At first, they thought the Mega was suffering inside the Almighty One's orb. But seconds later, EmperorGreymon's sword pierced through from the inside, and sliced around the orb. Suddenly, the Malevolent Onslaught disappeared. Standing before Malevomon and his evil Legendary Warriors was the fiery armored Digimon. With his arms in front and his sword in his hands, EmperorGreymon was ready to continue the fight. He slowly marched toward the evil creatures.

"No way!" MetalKabuterimon gasped.

"There's not even a scratch on him!" growled Calmaramon.

"This cannot be! Tis not possible he was able to withstand thy master's most powerful attack!" Sakkakumon said.

"Orders, Lord Malevomon?" JagerLowemon asked his superior.

"Destroy him, you useless wimps! Isn't that what I commanded you to do? Attack him with everything you've got!"

"Well... you heard the master!" KendoGarurumon sighed with Malevomon's orders. Even the rest of the evil Legendary Warriors weren't too excited about this plan. But who were they to question their master's commands?

MetalKabuterimon lowered himself onto the ground, until his cannon was aimed at EmperorGreymon. A compartment on his back opened up, and a targeting screen flipped open. His cannon charged up, gathering as much energy as it can hold. Meanwhile, KendoGarurumon opened his mouth and gathered the power of light in between his jaw. As for the Beast of Darkness, the jewels on his body began to glow with bright red lights. Calmaramon took a huge breath and gathered as much toxic ink in her mouth she could hold.

"OBLITERATE HIM!" Malevomon cried.

"ACID INK!" ||| "LUPINE LASER!" ||| "ELECTRON CANNON!"

Calmaramon started off by spewing her poisonous substance at the advancing Hybrid, covering his entire body with acidic sludge. Hot steam seeped out on top of EmperorGreymon's armor. But unlike last time, the armored Digimon didn't flinch or grimace. The Beast of Water's attack did nothing too him. But moments later, a powerful beam of light and a positron laser slammed into his chest plate. The good news was that it pushed EmperorGreymon back several yards. Unfortunately, that was the best they could do. Before they knew it, he was already continuing his approach. This made the first three Warriors panic. With their attacks useless, what more can they do?

"DARK MASTER!"

Now, it was JagerLowemon's turn. He pounced toward the armored Digimon. Suddenly, a dark creature surrounded the lion. It opened it's jaws and consumed EmperorGreymon with its dark powers. From his backside, JagerLowemon skidded to a halt and unleashed his ultimate technique once again. The purplish monster surrounded the Hybrid and unleashed all of its power, damaging whatever was inside the containment. But when the darkness had subside, EmperorGreymon was still standing.

"Legendary... REFLECTION!" The Beast Warrior of Steel levitated in front of his comrades and faced the armored Digimon.

Sakkakumon constantly shifted his network of eyeballs around. Everytime his body of greenish orbs took on a certain, the Beast of Steel would unleash a specific technique from one of the Legendary Warriors. EmperorGreymon was barraged with an assault of different elemental attacks.

Sakkakumon started off by combining BurningGreymon's _Wildfire Tsunami_ with Zephyrmon's _Hurricane Gal_e, creating a fiery hurricane with pinkish energy blades dancing inside. Next, the Steel Warrior unleashed JagerLowemon's_ Dark Master_ and fused it with Kumamon's _Crystal Freeze_, producing a beastly creature made of solid ice. After that, Sakkakumon discharged KendoGarurumon's _Lupine Laser_ and MetalKabuterimon's _Bolo Thunder_. The rotating electrical attack connected with the light energy beam, combining the two element together to increase the intensity and power of the fused techniques.

For a whole minute, Sakkakumon rotated his body around, delivering many different combinations of elemental attacks on his opponent. And each move nailed EmperorGreymon's head, chestplate and other parts of his body. But just like the rest of the other evil Legendary Warriors, none of the Sakkakumon's creative and constant assault was having any effect. EmperorGreymon took each attack like it was nothing. It wasn't long before Sakkakumon ceased fire. Much to his dismay, there was not a scratch on EmperorGreymon.

"Gadzooks! Nothing working!" exclaimed the metallic Digimon.

"What do we do now, my Lord?" MetalKabuterimon and the other Beast Warriors turned to their master, hoping he would have a solution. But all five of them received a petrifying glare from Malevomon that almost made them turn to stone.

"You idiots! Why must I figure out everything for you?" snapped the wicked ruler. "Obviously, the human used five of the Legendary Spirit to turn into that strong Digimon! If you five would do the same thing and unify all of your Spirits, then you will have enough power to..."

"But, sir! We... We can't..." groaned KendoGarurumon. He and his comrades looked down to the ground in defeat.

"WHAT?" Malevomon barked. Large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded the Legendary Warriors, as they revert back to their Human Warrior forms. When the chunks of data dispersed, Lobomon continued with his explanation.

"You see..." He gulped. "In order to successfully perform the Unified Spirit Evolution, we need more than just ten of the twenty Legendary Spirits!"

"Well? GET ON WITH IT!" The evil Digimon shouted impatiently.

"Sir... I, no... _We_ need... Koji Minamoto!"

"What? Another useless human?" Lobomon winced at the description his master gave to his former human partner. A part of him felt sick to his stomach for hearing such an insult. But he kept calm and stared into his master's eyes.

"He's not as useless as you think, my Lord!" continued the Warrior of Light. "Koji has the same D-Tector as Takuya! Long ago, before Ophanimon was defeated, she transferred what's left of her power to their device's, which gave them the power to execute the Unified Spirit Evolution! Only those two can pull it off and..."

"ENOUGH!" Malevomon interrupted his subordinates explanation. "I don't care what kind of power that other human has! I gave you an order to annihilate the boy! And here you are blabbering about how you pathetic Digimon need an assistance from another human! I'm sick and tired of this foolishness! Now, get your sorry hides out there and do as I command or else I'll... UGH!"

The evil emperor was so busy threatening the five terrified Warriors, he didn't see EmperorGreymon with his sword pointing directly at his midsection. The Hybrid fired a devastating Dragonfire Crossbow at Malevomon's chest, which sent him flying toward his castle. The wicked Digimon slammed through the first wall of his fortress and into the Grand Hall. The evil Warriors turned around and faced EmperorGreymon, looking even more frightened than ever.

Beetlemon and Mercurymon wanted to run away, yet their legs were frozen stiff. Lobomon and Lowemon had their weapons out and pointed toward EmperorGreymon. But their arms were shaking with fear, which almost made them lose their grips on their sabres and spear. As for Ranamon, she was in a crouching position with her hands covering her head. Apparently, she was crying. All five of them were more afraid of EmperorGreymon, than the wicked emperor.

"Leave!" commanded the Hybrid.

"Wh... What?" Ranamon wiped her eyes and gasped at the armored Digimon.

"You're not gonna destroy us?" gulped the humanoid insect.

"It's Malevomon I want. If you five don't clear out of here, then I will have no other choice." warned EmperorGreymon. He drew his sword and pointed the blade at Mercurymon's frontal mirror.

"Now, get lost!"

"A... As you wish!" stammered the Warrior of Steel.

In a flash, the five evil Warriors turned tail and scurried off. They split off in different directions, trying to find a place to hide to avoid confrontation with EmperorGreymon, or any of the fighters from the Digimon Battlefront. It's rare for a Legendary Warrior to show such cowardice, even with one of Malevomon's Chaos Spheres inside them. But it seemed that EmperorGreymon's presence and intimidation proved to be the victor.

Now, that those five were out of the way, the armored dinosaur can focus on destroying the Digimon that started all of this destruction and mayhem. EmperorGreymon sprinted as fast as he could toward the torn down walls of fortress. He plowed right through the stone and brick barriers and ran inside the main building. The Warrior was expecting to find the Almighty One on the ground or at least incapacitated from his last attack. Too bad for EmperorGreymon, what he found was Malevomon on his knees with both of his arms raised. Levitating behind the evil Digimon were various objects found in the Grand Hall, which included bronze statues, obsidian doors and the marble tiles on the floor.

"Kinetic Chaos!" shouted the Almighty One.

He then threw his hands toward EmperorGreymon, sending the many levitating objects in that direction at ridiculous speeds. The Hybrid Digimon tried to defend himself by slashing as many projectiles as he could. He managed to take out a few of the oncoming items thrown his way, but that was the best EmperorGreymon could do. Because at the same time, Malevomon used his psychic abilities to throw even more heavy objects at different angles. Regardless how strong and fast the armored Digimon was, he cannot fend off the onslaught of projectiles that acted as large ammunition. It wasn't long before Malevomon forced his opponent on his knees. But that still didn't stop him from chucking more objects from his castle at the defenseless Digimon, including the stone structure that make up the walls of the fortress.

"My Lord, stop!" A Vilemon who happened to be inside the castle flew toward his master. "Sir, if you keep this up, this whole place is gonna come... WHOA!"

His warning fell on deaf ears. Malevomon used his telekinesis to throw the poor Rookie at the defending EmperorGreymon. The good news was Vilemon slammed head first into the Mega's chest, which dented his armor slightly and caused him to fall backwards. However, that small amount of damage cost the devilish creature his life.

Unfortunately, Malevomon did not stop. He doesn't realize that, thanks to his psychic assault, the castle was falling apart. Parts of the ceiling rained down upon the two battling monsters. The remaining Digimon inside the structure left their respective rooms and tried to evacuate. Some of them managed to escape. But the ones who didn't became a part of the emperor's Kinetic Chaos attack. All of the helpless Digimon that served the Almighty One have now become his own personal missiles. One by one, his subordinates crashed into the winded EmperorGreymon. And once when their purpose has been served, their bodies digitized to dust.

"I gotta... UGH... get out of here, before... OOF... the whole castle collapses on top of us!" EmperorGreymon thought to himself, while trying to endure the psychic onslaught.

The Hybrid made his move when he noticed two helpless, oncoming Devidramon. Quickly, he rolled out of the way and sprung to his feet. The first thing EmperorGreymon noticed that Malevomon was running out of Digimon to throw at him. And with the whole castle empty and ready to come down at any given moment, his Kinetic Chaos attack will cease eventually.

"Malevomon, listen to me! This entire castle is gonna collapse on top of both of us! You're going to destroy us all!" The Hybrid tried reasoning with the malevolent sovereign.

"I don't think so, boy! You're not going anywhere, until after we finish this fight!" proclaimed the emperor.

"Are you crazy? In a matter of seconds, we're gonna have ten stories of your fortress falling on top of our heads!"

"Then, so be it!"

Malevomon held his arm out toward EmperorGreymon and restricted his movements with his telekinesis. Then with his free hand, the evil sovereign created another blackish sphere, ready to discharge at his captive. The wicked Digimon smirked at the powerful Hybrid, reminding him that this was the end for him. EmperorGreymon struggled to break free from Malevomon's invisible confinement.

"Now, begone! MALEVOLENT ONSLAUGHT!"

Upon declaration of his most powerful attack, the malicious emperor discharged his dark orb toward the Hybrid Digimon. EmperorGreymon had about three seconds to escape or he will be enveloped by Malevomon's draining technique. He struggled as hard as he could, but it was no use. He cannot free himself from his opponent's grasps.

As the Malevolent Onslaught drew nearer, EmperorGreymon thought of the other Digimon who were counting on him. He remembered Eldestmon's words of wisdom, Swiftmon's support, and Beautymon's... well, sweetness. EmperorGreymon also remembered the scared looks on Bokomon's and Neemon's faces when he was almost annihilated by Malevomon.

And then there was Zoe. He could see her pale, yet unblemished skin lightly reflected the moonlight just piercing through the clouds. The way her eyes were closed almost seemed like she was dreaming. And although she was in a lot of pain, there was that small smile that graced her lips. EmperorGreymon recalled Zoe's last few words before she passed out.

"_Thank you, Takuya." _|||_ "Promise me... we'll be together... forever." ||| "You're so sweet..." ||| "Now, go an get Malevomon._"

"_Takuya, I... I lov..._"

"Zoe!" EmperorGreymon gasped, as he found the strength he needed.

"AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

With every ounce of energy he had in him, the armored Digimon managed to break free from Malevomon's telekinetic grasp. And just in time too. The Malevolent Onslaught was closing in fast. With his broadsword in hand, EmperorGreymon sliced the darkish orb right down the middle. Anger and rage boiled inside Malevomon's body. He then aimed both of his hands at the approaching Digimon and doubled the firing rate on his most powerful technique. But the Hybrid hacked and slash every attack that came his way. No matter what Malevomon threw, he couldn't stop EmperorGreymon from advancing.

"This cannot be!"

"TAKE THIS!"

The armored Digimon delivered a horizontal slash across Malevomon's stomach. The sovereign backed away just in the nick of time. But as EmperorGreymon followed through, he rotated his body and gave Malevomon a spinning heel kick to the face, sending him flying toward a steel, spiral staircase. The evil Digimon slammed into the metallic structure, almost bending him in half. EmperorGreymon continued his attack by thrusting his blade into Malevomon's exposed midsection.

Suddenly, as if instincts kicked in, the malicious emperor rolled out of the way just before he was skewered. The Hybrid's sword missed its target and got stuck in between the newels of the staircase. As EmperorGreymon tried to retrieve his weapon, Malevomon gave the defenseless Digimon a couple of good kicks to the gut, a sweep to the legs and a big boot across the temple. The last shot knocked the armored dinosaur off of his feet. As EmperorGreymon returned to a vertical base, Malevomon used his telekinesis to bring the Mega's sword towards himself.

"Do not underestimate me, you miserable maggot!" The angry sovereign growled.

"Kinetic Chaos!"

He commanded EmperorGreymon's sword to attack its original wielder. Malevomon mixed in quick slashes from different angles, with a few thrusts here and there. The Hybrid dodged all of the oncoming attacks as best as he could. He also used his armor to deflect the sword strikes. Even though the large transfer of energy did hurt EmperorGreymon, it was better than getting sliced in half or having his sword pierce through his heart. As Malevomon pulled the blade back for another thrust, the Mega widened his stance and prepared himself for another gutsy move.

"I GOT YOU NOW!" shouted the evil Digimon as he lunged the weapon toward the Hybrid's stomach.

When the blade was close enough, EmperorGreymon sidestepped out of the way and watched his sword sail past him. Then with perfect timing, the armored dinosaur grabbed the hilt with both hands. Next, he used all of his strength to regain control of his weapon. He pointed it directly at the evil Digimon. EmperorGreymon then focused all of his energy into his sword, making the blade glow with large quantities of heat.

As for Malevomon, he dropped to a square stance and brought both of his hands back beside his waist, with the heels of his palms inches apart from each other. The wicked emperor then focused the energy in the center space between his hands, creating a small ball of dark energy. Slowly, the sphere grew larger with each passing second until it was the size of a basketball.

"DRAGONFIRE CROSSBOW!" ||| "MALEVOLENT ONSLAUGHT!"

Both Digimon unleashed their attacks at the same time. Malevomon's black sphere collided with EmperorGreymon's pyro bolt in the center of the room, producing a massive, atomic-like explosion. The blast enveloped the two powerful Digimon and took the rest of the fortress along with it. Since there wasn't much support from underneath, the roof and upper floors came crashing down on top of EmperorGreymon's and Malevomon's heads.

Meanwhile, outside the castle, the Digimon Battlefront were steadily regaining control of the battleground. Seeing the Mega Hybrid fighting against Malevomon gave the others a boost of confidence and energy, which they used to defeat the rest of the sovereign's troops. They were still outnumbered, but the Battlefront had them outmatched. One by one, Malevomon' subordinates fell to the ground like dominoes. Before long, the momentum has shifted in the Battlefront's favor.

"Lord Eldestmon! Look!" Swiftmon called to his superior.

Every Digimon in the area has stopped fighting and turned their attention to the center of the kingdom. Malevomon's Castle gave in and toppled down to the ground. Smoke and debris burst out from the bottom of the fortress, covering the field with a heavy dense fog. Visibility was at zero. While this gave either side an advantage, neither Digimon moved. They were more interested in what's happening than destroying each other. It took a whole minute for the smoke to clear. All that was left was large piles stone, marble, rusted metal and burnt ashes spread all across the area.

"Who won?" Neemon asked as he and his partner took a step closer toward the ruins.

"I'm not sure. I haven't seen Takuya or Malevomon anywhere." Bokomon answered nervously.

Suddenly, from underneath one of the heap obsidian and rock, the first Digimon reappeared out of the ground. Slowly, Malevomon got up to his feet and wiped the dust off of his outfit. He then turned to another pile of rubble, and grinned at the unconscious EmperorGreymon. Tons of what's left of the fortress blanketed the majority of his body, preventing him from moving. After spitting at his defeated opponent, Malevomon went to search for his next victim.

Not far from where he stood was a blonde haired girl, still asleep and recovering from her injuries.

"One down... one to go!"

He limped toward the unconscious Zoe. Needless to say he was affected by the explosion and cave in that followed. Malevomon had one arm clutching his midsection, while the other arm dangled numbingly on his side. But the pain didn't stop the evil Digimon. He wasn't going to let some injury prevent him from annihilating the last of the Chosen Children. The closer he got, the bigger his smirk grew.

"STOP HIM"! Eldestmon commanded his soldiers.

The Digimon Battlefront ceased their fighting and dashed toward Malevomon as fast as they could. But the Almighty One pushed his arm toward the charging creatures, which sent them flying across the forest. Swiftmon unsheathed both of his broadsword and danced around the wicked emperor, trying to cut him down to size. But none of his attacks had any effect. The nasty Digimon saw Swiftmon coming in and gave him a devastating backhanded fist across the face, fracturing his jaw. The swordsman dropped both swords and tumbled on the ground. His body came to a stop when rolled into another Digimon. Swiftmon shook the dizziness off of his head and looked up toward his partner.

"What are you standing there for? Protect the girl!" He ordered. But Beautymon placed her hands on her hips and replied with a 'Hmph!'

"You think I'm going to risk my good looks to delay Little Miss. Ugly's demise? Forget it, Swiftmon!"

"Woman! Stop worrying about yourself and save the human!" growled her superior.

"Good idea!" Beautymon winked. "CUTIE!"

"No, Beautymon! That's not what I meant!"

Instead of scurrying toward Malevomon, the olive haired beauty made a beeline toward the pile of rubble, where EmperorGreymon was buried underneath. Swiftmon facepalmmed himself for his partner's inability to follow orders. But he quickly refocused back on the teenage girl, who was already in trouble. The swordsman tried to stand up, but was unable to do so.

Meanwhile, Malevomon has just reached the midway point between himself and Zoe.

"Get away from her!" Eldestmon commanded the evil Digimon.

"I got a better idea!" snickered the malicious ruler. "How about you... GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

The leader of the Digimon Battlefront gritted his teeth and dashed toward the enemy. He delivered quick and repeated horizontal, vertical and diagonal strikes with his staff, hoping to force Malevomon back. But the ruthless creature stood his ground and blocked every one of Eldestmon's attacks, without budging from his spot. Finally, Malevomon saw an opening and used his psychic powers to bind his Ultimate level opponent. As Eldestmon struggled to move, the Almighty One lifted him off of the ground and tossed him over his shoulder.

The elderly Digimon tried putting on the brakes or repositioning himself to get a better landing. But instead, he was heading straight toward an unsuspecting Beautymon, who was busy trying to dig the unconscious EmperorGreymon out of his rock pile. When she did notice her superior coming right at her, it was too late to avoid the imminent crash. The two of them rolled on the ground and lost consciousness.

At last, nothing stood before him and the defenseless girl. He slowly marched toward Zoe, who was still being treated by a couple of Blisseymon. The nurse-like Digimon looked at the Almighty One with fear in their eyes. Without even knowing it, they stopped their healing. Malevomon bent over, gazed at the terrified Blisseymon.

"BOO!" He grinned. The healing Digimon gasped and ran away from their post, leaving Malevomon all by himself with the unconscious Zoe. He looked down and observe the semi-lifeless body before him.

"ZOE!" Bokomon gasped, but was too afraid to move. Neemon clutched his head and hid himself in the bushes.

Finally Malevomon, wrapped his ginormous hand around Zoe's skull and lifted her off of the ground, with her feet dangling in midair.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do this, my child! I've already had my fun making you scream for mercy! But all good things must come to an end! So, farewell, young lady! I'm going to miss destroying you and your worthless boyfriend! However, fear not! For I will treasure your sufferings forever in my mind!"

A black sphere formed in the palm of Malevomon's hand. This last move will finish her off. As the orb continued to gather more dark energy, it slowly grew in size. Finally, the dark sphere has reached its full potential. Malevomon smirked at his subconscious victim. Just one more Malevolent Onslaught attack will annihilate poor Zoe.

"Now, you filthy human... begone! MALEVOLENT..."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Someone shouted from behind. Malevomon turned around and was shocked to see EmperorGreymon back on his feet.

The Hybrid stabbed his sword into the ground. Upon impact, he ignited eight fiery trails from the center of his blade. The spot where EmperorGreymon stood glowed with bright orange lights. The armored Digimon leered at the malicious emperor who has his beloved in his grasp.

"LEAVE... ZOE... ALONE!" commanded the Mega.

"PYRO DRAGONS!"

Suddenly, the ground beneath EmperorGreymon collapsed. Eight fiery dragons appeared out of the surface and darted toward Malevomon. The wicked sovereign dropped the girl and fired his Malevolent Onslaught at the flaming salamanders. But the first dragon that came in contact with the orb swallowed up his strongest attack in one gulp.

Next, each of the fiery creatures targeted one of the Almighty One's body parts. Two of the dragons wrapped their long necks around Malevomon's arms, and two more snared his feet. One of them bounded his midsection and another coiled around the sovereign's neck. Finally, the remaining two dragons constrained Malevomon's thighs and abdominals.

Together, all eight dragons pulled the evil Digimon away from Zoe and hung him in midair. Malevomon tried with all of his might to break free from the flaming restraints. But each dragon unleashed a little bit of energy into whatever body part they held on to, giving the malicious ruler scorching third degree burns. The pain was unbearable, as the flames incinerated past through his skin. It was impossible for Malevomon to escape.

EmperorGreymon stomped angrily toward the evil Digimon until he was directly in front of him. Malevomon saw the look in the Mega's eyes, and knew that he wasn't going to give him any mercy. Again, he tried to free himself, but the fiery dragons kept him in check.

"You have brought pain and chaos into this once peaceful and prosperous world! Many Digimon have suffered because of you! Malevomon, I cannot allow you to continue your terrible deeds any longer! Now, you will pay the ultimate price!"

The Hybrid pulled his sword back and was ready to finish the malicious creature once and for all.

"NO! YOU LOUSY HUMAN! RELEASE ME, OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!"

"This is for all of innocent Digimon you have destroyed!"

EmperorGreymon brought his sword down and sliced off Malevomon's right shoulder. The Almighty One howled in agony as his limb fell to the ground and disappeared. As Malevomon grimaced, he looked toward his unarmed side. Instead of blood, sparkling bits of essence escaped out of his damaged sleeve. The pain worsen with each second. Too bad for him, EmperorGreymon wasn't finished.

"This is for Eldestmon!" declared the armored dinosaur before severing Malevomon's other hand. The evil Digimon yelped agonizingly. Every successful cut from the Mega made his cries louder and excrutiating.

"For Swiftmon!"

The left forearm.

"For Beautymon!"

The entire left shoulder.

"For the Digimon Battlefront!"

He went low and chopped off Malevomon's left leg.

"For all ten Legendary Warriors!"

Off went the right leg.

"For Bokomon!"

EmperorGreymon then delivered a devastating slash from his severed right clavicle, across the torso and finishing up just at the end of his sliced left leg.

"For Neemon!"

Next, the Hybrid mirrored the same slash as the last one, starting from the left clavicle and ending at the chopped right leg, forming an 'X' in the center of his chest.

"For ALL of my friends!"

This time, EmperorGreymon brought the hilt to the side of his hips and aimed the blade directly at the center of the 'X.' He lunged toward his target and thrust his sword through the center of the evil Digimon. The sharp blade pierced through the insides of the evil emperor and came out of his back.

Malevomon's mouth hung open, but not a single sound escaped his lips. His breathes were short and shallow, signifying that he was almost at his end. Regardless how strong of a Digimon he was, even he couldn't withstand EmperorGreymon's multiple cuts and thrusts. However, the Pyro Dragons that bounded his body still remained, leaving the Almighty One hanging up to dry and rot. Without both of his arms and legs, he was powerless and completely defenseless. But the EmperorGreymon was out of patience... and mercy.

"You... I will... make you pay... for this!" threatened the wounded Digimon.

On the other hand, the Hybrid ignored his foe's intimidation. He gently, but slowly pulled the blade out of his body. It was so excruciating for Malevomon having the sword tear up the vitals in his chest. But just before EmperorGreymon could relinquish his weapon, he left the last ten inches of the tip inside the punctured injury. Malevomon thought that the Mega was through with his retribution.

But he was wrong.

EmperorGreymon lowered his arms and changed the angle of the sword, so that the tip was perpendicular with Malevomon's head. He then grabbed the cross-guards and rested his index fingers on the triggers. Malevomon's eyes widened in fear as the blade slowly gathered heat energy. At the point, he realized the bitter taste of his own medicine.

"NO! YOU INSOLENT HUMAN! RELEASE ME!"

Finally, EmperorGreymon's weapon was fully charged and was ready to fire. The Hybrid stared deep into Malevomon's eyes one last time.

"AND THIS ONE'S FOR ZOE!"

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

"DRAGONFIRE... CROSSBOW!"

The armored Digimon pressed the button on the guards and unleashed an ultra-powerful heated bolt upper Malevomon's body. The energy projectile blasted through the malicious sovereign's insides and made its way into his brain.

"YYYYYAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The evil emperor's shrieks has captured the attention of every Digimon in the Dark Kingdom. Every creature that was engaged in a battle had stopped fighting to see what has become of the Almighty One. Half of the Digimon gasped in terror for their master has been defeated. As for the Battlefront and company, they were all cheering for EmperorGreymon's victory.

Meanwhile, the Pyro Dragons that had Malevomon in their clutches faded away, just as the Dragonfire Crossbow escaped the sovereign's head. The evil Digimon fell on his back, and shut his eyes. His brain was fried. His energy has been depleted and his soul has been incinerated. All that was left was a lifeless Digimon with all four limbs severed and a huge hole on top of his head. A ring of Fractal Code surrounded beaten Malevomon's waist.

EmperorGreymon sheathed his weapon took out his red D-Tector and aimed his device at the fallen Digimon.

"Good always triumphs over evil! This is punishment for all of your heinous crimes! It's all over, Malevomon! Your reign of terror has officially come to an end!"

The scanner on the device lit up and EmperorGreymon was ready to absorb his data.

"FRACTAL CODE... DIGITIZE!"

Upon command, all of Malevomon's essence made its way into the D-Tector. With all of his data absorbed, the emperor's body turned into a black silhouette. Slowly, Malevomon's remains digitized into tiny pieces and disappeared into nothingness. When he was gone, the only thing that remained from the Almighty One was a pitch black Digi-Egg.

EmperorGreymon then collapsed on all fours. Large amounts of Fractal Code also surrounded his body, reverting the Hybrid Warrior back to his original human form. The duel against Malevomon was too much for him. Takuya panted heavily on the ground. Beads of sweat cascaded down his cheeks. His heart banged against his chest like a drum. But the goggle-head looked toward the black Digi-Egg and sighed. The battle was over, and he had emerged as the winner. Takuya slowly returned to his feet. He tossed his D-Tector in the air, caught it and placed it back in his pocket. As he looked at the remains of the evil Digimon, a small smile appeared on his face.

"At last... It is over."

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter fifty. There you have it folks. The Ultimate Showdown Of Emperors has concluded. What happens now? Will all of Malevomon's mind controlled slaves return to normal? And will Zoe ever get to see the face of her hero? T<strong>**hese questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next ****Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising****.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	51. Welcome Back

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Thanks to Zoe, Takuya had all of the Spirits he need to become EmperorGreymon. With such a powerful Digimon on the side of good, there was no way they could lose to Malevomon. However, the battle was very it of intense as everyone anticipated. Back and forth these two went. But when Malevomon's Castle collapsed, it seemed that all hope was lost when the Almighty One was very close to finishing Zoe off. But EmperorGreymon wouldn't give up, and with one might swing of his sword, slayed the malicious Digimon. Finally, the Digital World is saved... right?**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter fifty-one!**

* * *

><p><strong>Welcome Back<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"HORRAY!" The entire Digimon Battlefront threw their weapons toward the sky and cheered happily.

Takuya turned toward around and searched for his best friend. His eyes locked on to his beautiful beloved, who was still unconscious after facing Malevomon's wrath. He hobbled toward his girlfriend, while clutching his injured ribs. Apparently, his body has suffered greatly from his last battle. But that wasn't enough to stop him from making his way toward Zoe. A few moments later, he approached a pair of Blisseymon that were kneeling next to his unconscious lover. Takuya sat beside his best friend and wrapped his hand around hers.

"I did it, Zoe. I finally defeated Malevomon. He's gone now. That creep won't bother us ever again."

He waited for his beloved to awaken. But so far, Zoe showed no signs of life. He couldn't tell whether or not she was alive. It pained Takuya for being unable to help his girlfriend. The Bearer of Flame glanced at one of the Blisseymon, hoping she would give him some good news. However, the healing Digimon kept their attention on the unconscious young woman. Based on their facial expressions, Takuya believed that much progress was made.

"Z, Wake up. You're the strongest girl I know. You managed to defeat one of the evil Legendary Warriors all by yourself. You were able to survive Malevomon's cruelty after you were captured. And you were the only one that was able to break free from Malevomon's control. Come on, Zoe! Please, wake up!"

But no matter how hard he wished or how much he hoped, the blonde's eyes remained closed and her body completely motionless.

Eldestmon approached the small group minutes later. Instead of Takuya, the leader of the Digimon Battlefront had his attention on the trio of Blisseymon.

"Report." said the old creature.

One of the nurses stopped her healing and faced her superior. Takuya turned toward the conversing Digimon so he too could hear the status of Zoe's condition. But if there was something the Bearer of Flame didn't know about Blisseymon, it was the way these healers relay their information to their leader. Takuya listened as hard as he could, but all he could hear was incoherent mumbling and squeaking. However, Eldestmon casually nodded his head, shifting glances from the nurse-like Digimon to the unconscious girl laying on the ground.

"Alright, take her to the Emergency Room immediately. I want every Blisseymon we have treating her injuries. And make sure that no one rests until she is wide awake. Do you understand?"

The Blisseymon nodded and saluted. She then whistled the rest of the other healing Digimon over. Moments later, all six Blisseymon assembled with each other to take care of the unconscious Zoe. One of them had a simple stretcher in her possession. She set the stretcher down on the ground while the other five slowly lifted Zoe off the canvas and gently rested her on transport bed. One Blisseymon grabbed the front of the stretcher while another got the back. Together, the nurses hoisted the injured girl off of the ground and rushed toward the forest area, where the Digiporter was waiting for them

Meanwhile, Takuya stood there as his beloved Zoe was transported out of the Dark Kingdom. He felt sick to his stomach. His girlfriend was hanging on to her life by a mere thread and there was nothing he can do but watch. The Bearer of Flame looked back at Eldestmon with tears forming in his eyes, hoping that he would give him an update on Zoe's condition. But the wise Digimon patted the boy's shoulder.

"I know you're scared, but you need to have faith. I'm positive your friend will be back to normal in no time."

"Easier said than done, Eldestmon. I mean... when I went to check on her, she wasn't moving... or breathing. I tried calling out to her, but... but... *sniff*..."

The elderly Digimon cleared his throat to prevent the Bearer of Flame from crying.

"Have you forgotten my boy?" spoke the Battlefront's leader. "Your friend has shown great determination and resiliency than what I've seen throughout my years. She has done something that no one has ever accomplished before; and that was defeating the ultimate powers of the Chaos Sphere through sheer willpower."

Takuya's eyes widened as he recalled his girlfriend displaying her toughness and bravery, even when she was under Malevomon's control. If it wasn't for Zoe breaking free, he wouldn't be standing here. Because of her determination to save her friends, she was able to give Takuya her Spirits before passing out. Thanks to her, he had the ten Legendary Spirits he needed to turn into EmperorGreymon. No one would've guessed that Zoe Orimoto's willpower would eventually lead to Malevomon's demise.

Finally, the Bearer of Flame wiped away his tears and gave Eldestmon a nod of understanding.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Thank you, Eldestmon. I needed that."

"Good. Now, head back to headquarters and get some rest."

Although he was a little shaken up from his last fight, at least Takuya felt much better. With a whole team of healing Digimon by Zoe's side, Takuya was confident that the next time he sees his girlfriend, she'll be right there waiting for him. It took him almost a minute, but the Bearer of Flame finally entered the forest.

Eldestmon then turned to the destroyed castle in the middle of the Dark Kingdom. He lets out a soft sigh that was filled with relief and victory. Finally, after all this time, the Creator of Chaos has been defeated. Malevomon's deletion was seen by almost every Digimon. The entire Battlefront was celebrating. Some of them were giving their comrades high-fives. Others exchanged supportive hugs. Many Digimon shed tears of joy. But the Digimon Battlefront were extremely happy that Malevomon was gone.

As for the rest...

"YYYYYAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Many voices in the kingdom shrieked in agony.

Eldestmon and the rest of the Battlefront assumed their defensive stance and scouted the area for anymore potential threats. But it turns out that those cries in pain actually came from the evil emperor's mind controlled slaves. All of the evil Digimon were on their knees, clutching their heads and screeching like they were on fire.

"YEOW, MY HEAD!" ||| "AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" ||| "MAKE IT STOP!"

"Sir, what's going on?" Swiftmon regrouped with his superior.

"I'm not sure. But I bet it has to do something with EmperorGreymon destroying Malevomon." answered the old Digimon as he assessed the situation.

"Could it be that all of his servants will be deleted too, now that he's gone?" asked the second-in-command.

"Stand your ground and do not let your guard down."

"Yes, sir!"

Eldestmon and his followers waited for the mind controlled Digimon to fall or unleash some kind of new power that may be lurking inside of them. But as time passed, the cries of agony from Malevomon's lackeys grew louder. By then, almost every mind controlled Digimon were already on their knees, trying to endure the pain.

Even the evil Legendary Warriors felt the effects of Malevomon's defeat. Lowemon tried to keep himself up using his spear while Lobomon was constantly banging his head against a tree. Meanwhile, Beetlemon was already laying flat on his chest and repeatedly pounded his fist on the ground, doing anything to keep him distracted from the pain in his cranium. The Warrior of Steel collapsed on his knees as well. Regardless how tough Mercurymon was, even he couldn't endure this excruciating pain in his head. Out of all of the Legendary Warriors, Ranamon was the only one in tears.

Moments later, the screeching has stooped and all of the Digimon fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Eldestmon, what's happening to everyone?" Bokomon came out of his hiding place and dashed toward the elderly leader. Neemon wasn't far behind either.

Before Eldestmon could come up with any conclusions, all of Malevomon's subordinates, including the evil Legendary Warriors, were surrounded a large beam of light. The unconscious Digimon were lifted off the ground as the light's energy around their bodies intensified. The Battlefront members dropped in their stance and looked on as the rays of illuminations consumed the mind controlled Digimon.

Suddenly, a pitch black ball started to appear out of each of the creatures' bodies. Slowly, the dark orb pulled itself out of the monsters' chests. Once it was completely extracted, the black sphere dropped to the ground just a couple of feet in front of the subconscious Digimon.

"The Chaos Spheres!" Swiftmon gasped.

"Way to go, Mr. Genius." grumbled the female Digimon, as she wiped the remaining debris off her long, white dress.

"Ooh! So that's what they look like!" Neemon thought. He reached toward one of Malevomon's creations. But Bokomon slapped the yellow rabbit's hand out of the way before his partner could make contact with it.

"You idiot! Do you know what happens when this dangerous device gets lodged in your body?"

"Yes..." Neemon replied cheerfully.

"Then do us all a favor and don't touch it! These things are very dangerous!" Bokomon warned his friend.

"Easy, young one." Eldestmon raised his hand. "There's no need to worry any more. Those Chaos Spheres aren't a threat to us any more."

"What do you mean, sir?" Swiftmon asked.

"It's all thanks to the Bearer of Flame." continued the elderly creature. "With Malevomon gone, all of the Digimon that used to be his slaves will be free from his control. No more they have to suffer from the dark powers of the Chaos Sphere. See for yourself."

It was just as Malevomon predicted. With their energy levels depleted and without a host to occupy inside, the Chaos Spheres shattered to pieces. One by one, Malevomon's creations burst into pieces. As the destruction of the Chaos Spheres continued, the Battlefront sheathed their weapons and rushed over toward the unconscious Digimon.

"Swiftmon, Beautymon. Find Malevomon's Digi-Egg and lock it up inside the Containment Room." ordered Eldestmon.

"Yes, sir!" The second-in-command saluted. Beautymon, on the other hand, wasn't too thrilled with this kind of request.

"You have got to be kidding me!" She moaned. "You can't be serious, Eldestmon! You want us to do? Really? That evil monstrosity has almost annihilated my precious Cutie! He was so close to taking my poor darling away from me, and..."

"He wasn't yours to begin with." Swiftmon muttered to himself.

"SHUT UP!" Beautymon glowered at his partner before turning back to her superior.

"Just do what I say. Failure to comply with my orders and you will suffer the consequences. Clear?"

"As you wish, sir." nodded the swordsman.

"Whatever..."

The two Champions dashed toward the spot where Malevomon has fallen. And sure enough, there was the black Digi-Egg laying on the ground. Even just by looking at it, Swiftmon could tell that this egg still has pure evil inside of it. Although the malicious sovereign was gone, a part of him still remained in that very Digi-Egg.

Beautymon, on the other hand, didn't care. She couldn't get the sound of her 'Cutie' screaming in pain when he was inside the Almighty One's Malevolent Onslaught attack out of her head. Many times she had almost lost him, and many times it brought misery and anguish to her heart.

And that frustrated Beautymon.

She aimed one of her hands at the defenseless Digi-Egg, ready to go against her superior's commands. But before Beautymon could discharge her Beautiful Beam, Swiftmon grabbed her arm and slowly lowered it to the ground. It took every ounce of will Beautymon had to not give into temptation or change her target to the swordsman. Finally, she sighed with defeat and marched away from the Digi-Egg. She disappeared into the forest and angrily made her way back to the Digiporter.

When Beautymon was gone, the second-in-command approached the pitch black egg and picked it off the ground. It was cold to the touch, not to mention heavy. He could feel the presence of an evil being lurking around him. However, the aura was weak. Moments later, it faded away to nothingness.

"Let's just hope that none of us would have to live through this nightmare ever again." He mumbled.

The second-in-command stood up and marched back to his commander. After showing Eldestmon the retrieved Digi-Egg, the old Digimon nodded, silently telling the swordsman to go on ahead. In a flash, Swiftmon disappeared from the Dark Kingdom.

Bokomon and Neemon decided to help out too. They rushed toward the Legendary Warriors. But as they drew closer, a part of them were hesitant for the possibility that they might still be evil or under Malevomon's control, even without the Chaos Sphere inside their bodies. Bokomon and Neemon skidded to halt in front of the Legendary Warriors and began to check on them. One by one, the former subordinates of Malevomon started showing some life.

"Hey! Are you guys alright?" Neemon asked as he and his buddy took a step forward.

"Ugh... my head..." The Warrior of Light was the first to awaken. After shaking of the dizziness, he opened his eyes and saw two Rookies standing in front of them.

"Huh? Bokomon? Neemon? What are you guys doing here?"

"Lobomon, don't you remember anything? About how you got here or what you and a few other Legendary Warriors had done?" Bokomon asked

"A little..." answered the humanoid wolf. "I remember a bunch of other Digimon crying for help. But besides that... nothing."

The Warrior of Light stood up and scanned his surroundings, hopefully that would trigger some lost memory. He first noticed the heavily infested with a bunch of different Digimon. Most of them he recognized, but there were some he has never seen before. Next, Lobomon observed the remaining ruins of a castle. His eyes widened a little bit, for something about that fortress looked awfully familiar to him. But no matter how hard he thought about it, Lobomon can't seem to put a finger on it.

"Are you sure?" Bokomon asked. "You and four other Legendary Warriors were taking control by Malevomon and..."

"Malevomon..." grunted the humanoid wolf. Apparently, the sound of the Almighty One's name must have triggered something. It took every ounce of courage inside of Lobomon to force his tears from falling.

"I remember now. That Digimon made me his slave and forced me to do so many terrible things. So many lives destroyed..." Lobomon growled as he stared at his hands. "... all because of me."

"No, don't say that! It wasn't your fault." Bokomon tried to console the Warrior of Light. "Malevomon used his Chaos Spheres to control you and the others. If there's anyone to blame, it's him."

"But then... why wasn't I strong enough to resist his power? Why couldn't do anything but watch all of my friends get hurt and..."

"Will you stop sniveling already?" interrupted the Warrior of Steel. "Honestly, thy must know why thou art still complaining. Malevomon's gone, is he not? So, why are thou continuing to cry like a little baby?"

"Zip it!" Lobomon glowered at his comrade. "How can you be so calm, Mercurymon? I hope you realize that you too were under the control of that evil Digimon! Don't tell me you're ashamed of what that creep forced you to do!"

"Thy wish thou hasn't reminded me of my actions! Of course, I'm ashamed! Tis impossible for thee to wash the blood off of thy hands! But complaining about it isn't going to bring them back, you nitwit! Thou can either wallow in thy despair, or thou get on thy feet and try to fix the damage we have caused."

"He's right." Lowemon agreed. He was the second Legendary Warrior to get back to a standing position. "Siting on our butts and crying all day isn't going to help anyone. Right now, the best thing we can do is to move forward."

"Easy for you to say, Sugar." said Ranamon. "Working for that monster something I'll never forget. Ugh, just thinking about makes me face all chilly."

"Yeah. But I'm just glad that it's over." Beetlemon sighed. After a while, he and the rest of the Legendary Warriors returned to their feet. It took him a while to notice two Rookie Digimon standing before them.

"Bokomon. Neemon. Where's J.P. and the others?"

"I'm afraid that J.P. and a few of our human friends aren't here." answered the Digimon with the waistband. "The only one's that came to the Digital World are Takuya and Zoe."

"Zoe..." gulped the humanoid insect.

The moment Bokomon mentioned the Bearer of Wind's name, his eyes widened with fear and worry. Even Lobomon and Lowemon reacted the same way. Mercurymon and Ranamon kept their eyes on the ground, trying to hide the regretful looks on their faces. Each one of them knew all of the terrible things they have done to poor Zoe. Regardless of the fact that they were under Malevomon's control, the images and sounds of the teenage girl suffering made the Digimon felt cold.

"I knew what I was doing... yet I still couldn't stop." Beetlemon clenched his fist tight.

"Nobody deserves that. I mean, we've had our differences in the past... but even I wouldn't wish for something as cruel as that." Ranamon said, reminiscing the battles she and the human had together.

"Where is Zoe? Is she alright?" Lobomon asked the Rookie Digimon.

"We don't know..." Bokomon shook his head.

"The poor girl..." cried the Warrior of Water.

"Thou cannot imagine the pain and suffering the young lady must have endured." Mercurymon frowned.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Lowemon asked.

"Yes, there is." Another voice interrupted Bokomon.

The Legendary Warriors turned around and saw an old Digimon approaching them. While his elderly appearance posed no threat to the former servants of the Almighty One, they still kept their defenses up. But the Leader of the Battlefront raised his hand, wordlessly telling them that he comes in peace.

"And who might you be?" Lobomon was the first to ask.

"My name is Eldestmon, and I am the head in command of the Digimon Battlefront."

"And what is thy purpose for being here?" Mercurymon questioned, for he and his comrades knew nothing of this creature.

"I'll explain later. For now, I want you to come with us and get some rest. I will answer all your questions once we've return to headquarters."

Realizing that this was a better option, the Legendary Warriors agreed with Eldestmon's request. Before long, all of the surviving Battlefront hobbled off of the battlefield and into the forest. The rest of the Legendary Warriors also found a place in line and followed the Battlefront all the way back to the Digiporter. Eldestmon stayed behind to make sure all of his troops were accounted for.

The only Digimon that remained were the former subordinates of the evil emperor. Most of them were confused about what to do next. Some of them don't have any memory of the events prior to when they were captured by the Almighty One. Concerned for their well-being, Eldestmon approached the large group of Digimon.

"There is no need to worry anymore, my friends. You are all free. The Chaos Sphere that was once inside of you is no more."

"Th... Thank you so much, mister!" A scared Goblimon said.

"If it wasn't for you, the rest of us would've been serving Malevomon for the rest of our lives." Another Vilemon spoke.

"Yeah. But, uh... What are suppose to do now?" asked a Bakemon.

"What do you mean?" asked the elderly Digimon?

"Can all go back home now? To our families and children?" A Numemon asked the old creature. Eldestmon opened his mouth to answer, but his words got stuck in his throat.

His eyes shift from the hundreds of Digimon to the ground. Numemon brought up a point he had entirely forgotten about. Every time Malevomon has conquered a certain territory in the Digital World, he left everything behind in ruins and destruction. Thousands of homes were destroyed. Hundreds of villages were wiped out. And plenty of Digimon were either captured, or destroyed by Malevomon's hands. Eldestmon could bet that many of these Digimon standing before him have no home to go to, at least not at the moment.

"For now, the best thing for all of you to do is to follow me back to the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters. Even though the Chaos Spheres are no longer in your body, it's best to be on the safe side to see if there is any post-effects. Our staff of Blisseymon are superb healers and trainers who will help fix you all up."

"But..." The same Goblimon gulped, but Eldestmon kept his hand up so he can continue.

"Malevomon has left a mess of our beloved world. If we're going to rebuild our homes, villages and businesses back to the way they once were, then we're going to need all of the help we can get. So, do yourselves a favor and get fixed up. Afterwards, you can help my team clean up the mess Malevomon made. And then you may return to your homes, along with your loved ones. Do you understand?"

Since there were no better options, every Digimon in the area gave Eldestmon a nod with agreement. In an orderly fashion, all of the creatures filed out of the Dark Kingdom. Many were hesitant in going with the crowd, but after a experiencing such a traumatic event like being controlled by a malevolent beast, the rest complied and followed the Digimon in front of them without any complaints. Eldestmon instructed them directions on how to get to the Digiporter, which was about ten miles away from their current position. As time moved along, the Dark Kingdom grew emptier.

Finally, Eldestmon was the only Digimon left. Before he decided to join the others, he gave the ruins of Malevomon's Castle one last look. There was literally nothing left of that multi-storied fortress. The supposed indestructible walls have crumbled to the ground. There was furniture and weapons lying all over the place. Small flames burned on some leftover debris, leaving behind a little traces of smoke. Then Eldestmon turned toward the thick dark clouds that covered the sky. There must've been a connection between them and Malevomon. Now that the evil Digimon was beaten, the sky slowly began to clear. Although it was almost sunset, he could finally see the purplish and red sky above.

"Thank goodness it's all over." Eldestmon smiled quickly before turning toward the opposite direction.

It was about a thirty minute walk from Malevomon's Castle to the Digiporter. But once they've arrived at their destination, Eldestmon instructed the others that this special platform would teleport them back to the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters. Again, he could sense their hesitation. But once when a quarter of the Digimon got on, the rest shrugged off their doubt and stepped onto the platform. It took a while because the Digiporter can only transport a hundred Digimon at a time. But eventually everyone, including Eldestmon, got their turn and teleported themselves back to home base.

The once dangerous place known as the Dark Kingdom was no more. Now, it was just an abandoned area with a destroyed castle resting in the middle. All of the evil Digimon were gone.

Well... almost all of them.

"Curse those humans."

Sinistromon reappeared from his hiding place in the sublevels underneath the ruins of Malevomon's Castle. While his master was busy fighting EmperorGreymon, the imp-like Digimon made his way to a trap door just on the northern side of the fortress. He didn't want to get destroyed by the Mega Hybrid, nor any of the Battlefront warriors. So instead, he kept himself out of sight until the fighting was over.

But when he came out of hiding, Malevomon had already been defeated. Unlike the rest of the Digimon who were free from the Almighty One's control, Sinistromon remained faithful to his master. There was no Chaos Sphere inside him; just pure loyalty. The mischievous Rookie removed the debris off of his body and gazed at what's left of the evil emperor's fortress.

"Those kids think they so tough, huh? But they're not as smart as they look! For they will soon see that they will never, ever see or hear the last of the Almighty Malevomon!"

The faithful servant of the fallen sovereign turned toward the western side of the forest where the Digimon Battlefront and the Legendary Warriors retreated to.

"Mark my words, you pathetic humans! Enjoy your little victory while you can! Because when the time comes... you'll see! HAHAHAHA!"

Sinistromon flapped his wings and flew away from the desolate area, still laughing his gut out. While the loss of Malevomon was surely a big blow, the Rookie acted he hasn't lost anything. As he ventured high into the sky, the question still remained. Has the humble subordinate lost it? Or does he have some kind of secret up his sleeve he would potentially use against the Chosen Children?

* * *

><p>Inside the Emergency Room, almost all of the healing Digimon gathered around one of the hospital beds, where a beautiful yet unconscious Zoe Orimoto lied. Her eyes remained shut, even as the team of Blisseymon doubled their efforts to bring the teenage girl back to her feet. Half of the nurses were scrambling to and from the bed, carrying various medical supplies and tools. The other half, however, each had their glowing hands above one of Zoe's body parts.<p>

Needless to say that working in the Emergency Room was very stressful. Each of the medical creatures' foreheads were covered with sweat. Their hearts were pounding rapidly. Most of the Blisseymon were reaching their limit, while some had already passed it. Not many realized how draining their jobs really are. Using their healing powers excessively negatively affected their stamina. One of the Blisseymon was so exhausted, she needed to step back to regain her strength. Fortunately, there was another Blisseymon to take her coworker's place. Thus, the cycle continued.

And it will keep going until the Bearer of Wind opens her eyes or disappear from this world.

Meanwhile on the outside, the red cross above the two steel doors that lead to the Emergency Room was lit red. Of course, that indicated that someone was inside getting their injuries treated. An extremely nervous boy paced back and forth outside the infirmary. Occasionally, he would stop and stare at the doors that concealed his beloved. Takuya believed that Zoe would come though those doors and give him a kiss any second now. But ten minutes later, he went back to pacing.

He had been doing this for a couple of hours. Bokomon and Neemon, who were sitting on a nearby bench, watched as Takuya continued to torture himself. While the teenage boy's action amused the rabbit, the other Digimon started to worry. When he and the others returned to headquarters, he found Takuya standing in front of the Emergency Room. He hasn't moved from that spot since, nor has he eaten or slept. The boy kept on waiting... and waiting.

"Takuya, please. Sit down." Bokomon asked his friend. The boy stopped his pacing and stared at the mutant Digimon. But seconds later, the pacing repeated. But Bokomon wasn't giving up.

"I know you're worried about Zoe, but please, my boy. Don't do this to yourself. Everyone's worried about you. Neemon and I included!"

"Worried about what?" The rabbit asked. Instead of a vocal reply, Bokomon gave the retarded Digimon a painful wedgie. As Neemon massaged his swollen groin, the other Digimon faced the teenage boy.

"You don't understand, Bokomon. It's my fault that Zoe's in that room. I wasn't strong enough to protect her and..."

"That's enough of that!" Bokomon interrupted. "What's blaming yourself going to do, Takuya? NOTHING!"

His eyes widened as he continued to listen to his Digimon friend's pep talk.

"You're not the only one who wants to see Zoe again! We all do; of course, none more than you. But that's not the point. You can't keep torturing yourself for something that wasn't your fault. The best thing you can do right now is to help Zoe."

"How?"

"Be there for her. You can do that, right?"

Takuya nodded realizing that Bokomon was right.

"That's my boy. Now, come on. You must be starving. Let's get something to eat and..."

"Actually, Bokomon..." This time, it was Takuya's turn to interrupt. "... If it's alright with you, can you just get me something at the cafeteria? I'll wait here for Zoe, just in case."

"You sure?""

"Positive. Besides, I want to be the first person she sees when she wakes up." nodded the goggle-head, unaware he used the word 'when' instead of 'if.'

"Very well." smiled Bokomon. He then hopped off the bench, grabbed Neemon by the ears and disappeared into the hallways.

This time, Takuya took a seat on the bench and took on the bench. He shifted his body to a comfortable position and closed his eyes. He hasn't rested at all ever since his victory over Malevomon. Takuya tried to stay awake, but his mind was in need of some sleep. His body slumped downward and the goggle-head gave into the relaxation.

"Well, look what we here have?" A voice laughed.

Unbeknownst to the sleeping teen, Grumblemon, Arbormon, Kumamon and the other five Legendary Warriors appeared. They spotted Takuya passed out on the bench and decided to check on him.

"Aw, look at the little darling." giggled Ranamon.

"Hehe, sleep. O gentle sleep! Tis thy nature's medicine. How have the boy longed thee." spoke the metallic Digimon.

"Without a doubt, Takuya's out like a light. Figures." Beetlemon grinned.

"Should we wake him up?" asked the Warrior of Darkness.

"Nah, let him be. We'll thank him later on." Lobomon answered. The other four agreed before strolling through the lobbies.

"Thanking him for what?" A curious Kumamon questioned.

"For saving us. What else, Sugar?" answered the watery Warrior.

"Oh yeah. That kid's like a national hero or something, right?" Arbormon chuckled.

"More like worldwide." sighed Lowemon. "But nevertheless, if it wasn't for him..."

"We would still be Malevomon's servants..." The Warrior of Light completed his comrade's statement.

The five Digimon that were previously under the control of the Chaos Spheres turned back to the boy who had saved them from eternal slavery. They all smiled gratefully at the Bearer of Flame. Only Ranamon was in tears, but she didn't mind allowing a few to fall.

"That boy. Just when you think you him all figured out..." Mercurymon shook his head while keeping his grin.

"... he comes out with new surprises, huh Hon?" Ranamon giggled.

"That's the best part about Takuya. Everyone always underestimates him." Beetlemon nodded.

"Well, I guess we're fortunate that Malevomon has done the same thing." said Lobomon.

"Indeed." murmured Lowemon.

With that, the five Legendary Warriors disappeared into the hallways. Once they were gone, Arbormon and Grumblemon also exited the area. Kumamon was the last one to leave the goggle-head. However, he looked back at the sleeping boy one last time and smiled.

"Way to go, Takuya. I knew you can do it. I'm proud of you. We all are. And I bet Zoe is just as proud too. Do me a favor and take care of her. She's a very special girl who deserves someone special... like you."

Finally, the Warrior of Ice took his leave.

When the small polar bear was out of sight, Takuya eyes has already started to open. He lets out a soft yawn and stretched his arms out. The boy stood on his feet and looked toward the doors to the infirmary. The red cross up above was still lit.

"Come on, Zoe. Please be alright..."

*ding*

His prayers were thankfully answered. The light above the steel doors has turned off. Takuya could feel the anxiety and apprehension building in his body. He stood before the entrance waited patiently for the large doors to open. Seconds felt like hours. It drove the poor boy crazy. He wanted to see Zoe's face again so badly.

At last, the Emergency Room opened up. Instead of a teenage girl, Takuya watched a bunch of Blisseymon filing out of the room. But an interesting thing was that each one of them had big smiles on their faces. The goggle-head guessed that means Zoe's going to be alright. On the other hand, he grabbed one of the healing creature's arms, just for confirmation.

"How is she?" asked the nervous Takuya. Blisseymon responded by nodding her head once. She was delighted to see a huge smile on Takuya's face. Finally, the nurse skipped merrily back to her original post.

The boy shifted his attention to the hospital bed in the middle of the room. Sure enough, there was Zoe Orimoto resting peacefully. Not wanting to wake his girlfriend up, the Bearer of Flame quietly tiptoed into the Emergency Room and sat next to his sleeping beloved. Unlike last time, he heard soft breaths coming in and out of her mouth. Seeing these new signs of life made him felt so much relieved.

Takuya inched a little closer to his girlfriend and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. The blonde moan mildly, as if she enjoyed the delicate touch of his lips. Slowly, the girl opened her eyes. And there he was, the boy of her dreams. Takuya gave the fully conscious young woman one of his signature, goofy smiles. And in return, he got her beautiful smile.

"Hey." Takuya said.

"Hi." Zoe replied.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright... And you?"

"Better, now that you're awake."

"Me too."

"Are you still hurt?" He asked.

"A little sore... but I should be fine by tomorrow."

"Thank goodness."

After exchange laughs, Zoe changed her position and rested against the backboard. Takuya was nervous though, for he wanted his best friend to rest and recover. But once Zoe was comfortable, the boy wrapped his arms around his girlfriend and pressed her cheek against his chest. The Bearer of Wind drowned herself in the warm sensation of Takuya's embrace. She missed the sound of his heartbeat. Oh, how she longed to be in this position.

"Zoe..."

"Yes, Takuya?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

"How much?"

"So much."

"And so do I."

"Then say again."

"I love you so much, Zoe."

"Oh Takuya."

The goggle-head gave her one last smile, looked into those beautiful, soft emerald eyes of hers, and gently pressed his lips against hers, unable to hold himself back any longer. Zoe returned the favor and melted into the kiss. As she wrapped one arm around his neck, Takuya stroke his beloved's blonde hair and traced his hands down to her sides. After a time too long, yet too short, he broke away.

"Guess what, Zoe? I've defeated Malevomon."

"Really?"

He nodded his head.

"Oh Takuya! I knew you could do it!"

"No. Without you, I would've never won the battle."

"What are you talking about? All I did was... pass out on the battlefield." She looked down in shame.

"That's not true. You were the one who successfully broke through Malevomon's control. And by doing so, you were able to give me your Spirits. It was all thanks to you, Zoe. I was able to turn into EmperorGreymon and defeat him once and for all. It's because of you, this victory all possible."

"Stop it, Takuya." Zoe turned away, blushing. "I'm not the only one who fought bravely out there. All of our friends worked just as hard too. Bokomon, Neemon, Eldestmon, Swiftmon... and... even 'What's-Her-Name.' I'm just... _one_ person."

"That's right: _One_. You are the _one_ that made the difference."

"Oh Takky. You have no idea how happy you made me feel."

"Anything for you, Zo."

"Then... in that case... could I have my Spirits back then?"

The goggle-head smiled and nodded. He took his D-Tector out of his pocket, and Zoe did the same thing. The two of them made the screens on their respective devices face each other. Suddenly, a pinkish beam shot out of Takuya's D-Tector and connected with Zoe's. The Spirits of Kazemon and Zephyrmon rode along the purplish trail of light entered the lavender D-Tector.

"There we go, Z. Both of your Spirits are back to where they belong."

"Thank you, Takuya." beamed the blonde.

"Is there anything else I can do to make you feel better?"

"Well... actually yes." Zoe closed her eyes and leaned toward her boyfriend. "If you don't mind... one more time?"

"Of course." Takuya slowly closed the distance and tilted his head sideways. As his lips hovered above Zoe's, "... and more after that."

He leaned forward and the two humans locked lips. Zoe fell back on to her bed, drawing her beloved down on top of her. She grabbed his neck and waist, pulling him closer as she worked her lips against his. The kisses were fierce, but neither one cared. It's like the two of them had forgotten what each other's lips tasted like. But even after a whole minute of refamiliarizing themselves and explore different parts of the mouth, neither Takuya nor Zoe broke apart. But eventually, the need to breathe won over. Takuya smiled at his girlfriend and planted one last kiss on her forehead.

"Ah, you're awake."

The Bearer of Flame and Wind turned to the front of the Emergency Room and saw an elderly Digimon standing at the entrance.

"Hello, Eldestmon." Zoe beamed.

"How are you feeling, my dear?"

"I was a little sore a while ago. But now..." She gazed back at the boy sitting next to her. "... I feel much better."

"That's good news." nodded the leader of the Battlefront. "You two have done an excellent job. You have shown tremendous bravery, skill and heart. For that, you have saved our world from the evil Malevomon. Everyone here in the Battlefront, as well as all of the other Digimon in the Digital World, thanks you. We will be forever in your debt."

And then the old creature did something that he has never done to any of his subordinates. He bowed... and then smiled.

"There's really no need to thank us, Eldestmon. We're just... doing our duties as Legendary Warriors." Zoe said humbly.

"Indeed. Now, if you excuse me, I have other troops to see. Both of you get some rest. I will return shortly."

"Yes, sir." Takuya said.

The wise Digimon walked away, and disappeared into one of the nearby rooms. When the coast was clear, Zoe wrapped her arms around Takuya's neck and hugged him warmly.

"Ready to pick up where we left off?" The goggle-head asked.

"Oh yeah!"

The two started with a little eskimo kiss. Zoe loved the way her boyfriend pressed his nose against hers. But seeing his beloved's cute smile when she received the nose pecking made Takuya just as happy. They then followed up with even more kisses on each other's cheek, nose and of course, lips. The last kiss on the mouth lasted over a minute, but neither Takuya nor Zoe could resist the taste of each other's lips.

The love session got even more intense when the goggle-head got on top of his girlfriend. He lowered himself gently, for he knew that Zoe's body wasn't at a hundred percent yet. A soft hiss of mild agony escaped her throat. But after she gave Takuya a nod of reassurance, the make out resumed. The kisses grew more intense with the added pressure on each other's mouths.

Zoe opened her mouth and wordlessly requested her boyfriend another rematch in tongue wrestling. Takuya obliged and opened the gates to his cave of wonders. Their tongues clashed fiercely. Neither Takuya nor Zoe gave an inch to each other. But eventually, and just like last time, the Bearer of Flame was victorious. Zoe submitted and allowed Takuya's tongue to push deep into her mouth. Not that she wasn't enjoying it anyway. The further his tongue ventured, the more Zoe moaned. And her lustful whimpers grew louder as his tongue dug deeper, tracing itself around the girl's mouth.

After a while, Zoe lightly tapped on her beloved's shoulders, signaling to him that she has had enough treatment. Slowly, the brown haired boy pulled himself out of Zoe's out of his girlfriend's mouth. But he kept himself inches away from her lips and gave the blonde beauty another quick kiss. The girl had a cheeky grin on her face, enjoying the pampering of kisses from her boyfriend.

"Takuya, say it again."

"Say what again?" The goggle-head repeated.

"You know what I mean." The girl giggled, sneaking in another kiss on his lips.

"I love you Zoe."

He kissed her on her forehead.

"Again."

"I love you!"

He went a little lower and kissed the edge of her nose.

"Again!"

"I love you, Zoe! I love you!" Takuya kissed her right cheek and then her left.

"Oh, Takuya! Don't stop!"

He repeated the three words Zoe loved to hear. Each time he says it, he planted a kiss on her neck region. The blonde shuttered at the soft texture of his lips on her skin. Before she knew it, his kissing turned to nibbling. He gently place his four front teeth in between her chin and shoulder, carefully not putting too much pressure. But Zoe's moans told him she loved every minute of it. Afterwards, Takuya slowly pulled back. But not before licking circles around the bite mark, as his own way of making it up to her.

"God, I love that!" gasped the girl.

"Then you'll love this."

He helped Zoe sat up on the bed and brought her legs over the cot. With both hands on the mattress, Takuya kissed his girlfriend on the lips again. Then he got a little lower and pressed his mouth against the valley in between her breasts. Zoe was surprised how bold of a move Takuya went for, but she didn't mind. While the two of them have become so close to each other, Takuya was aware of her boundaries and gratefully respects it. He dropped a bit lower, kissed her stomach and licked circles around her belly button.

But the blonde wasn't prepared for what Takuya had planned for her next. He gently caressed Zoe's right long, creamy leg. The warmth and tenderness of his hand only made the treatment even more enjoyable. Zoe gasped in ecstasy as she drowned herself in her own little fantasy world. It got even better when his lips made contact with her thigh, slowly trailing down from her knee all the way to her shin. The girl quivered in happiness as Takuya continued to work his magic. Once he reached Zoe's ankle, he began to work his way back up, until his lips met her thigh again.

"You like that, Z?"

" I do!" Zoe smiled. "But my other leg's feeling a little jealous. Care to help?"

"It'll be pleasure."

But before he could get to work...

"CUTIE!"

Takuya and Zoe turned to the front of the Emergency Room. The Bearer of Wind was displeased to see her unofficial rival popping in uninvited and interrupting their privacy. As for Beautymon, she sprinted toward the teenage boy and shoved Zoe off of the bed. The girl landed on the marbled floor and grimaced. But before Takuya could assist his girlfriend, he felt his arms pinned against the sobbing Beautymon's developed chest.

"Beautymon... can't breath..." gagged Takuya.

"Oh, Cutie! I was so worried about you! Don't you dare scare me like that again! I don't know what I'd do if Malevomon destroyed..."

"Hey! Let him go, you lousy skank!" An angry Zoe commanded.

Beautymon and Takuya turned and noticed that the Bearer of Wind had to use the edge of the hospital bed for support. But regardless of the weakness in her knees, Zoe wasn't going stand by and allow this Digimon to caress her boyfriend. Beautymon puffed her cheeks, but eventually, she released the almost breathless Takuya. As the goggle-head coughed for air, the female warrior marched toward Zoe and glowered into her emerald eyes.

"Ooh, lookie here! The Ugly Blondie has finally come back! Hmph, look at you! Not so tough now, huh? After that little stunt you pulled off, you must think you're better than me? Well, let me tell you this, you trash heap! No matter what you do, you will NEVER be on my level, and you will NEV..."

"Beautymon, what are you doing here?" Takuya asked. He was about to make his way to his girlfriend to help her lie back down, when Beautymon grabbed his wrist.

"I came to find you, Sweetie! Hurry, there isn't much time!" She said as she tried pulling Takuya out of the Emergency Room by the arm.

"Wait, where are you taking me?"

"To the Briefing Room, of course!" Beautymon replied, dragging her 'Cutie' away from Zoe. "Eldestmon has a very important mission for us, and he specifically requested you to come with me. So, while Blonde here rests all by herself in her tiny little bed, you and I will be together on this highly classified..."

But with a good tug, Takuya pulled his arm back which forced Beautymon to let go. The female Digimon looked back at the Bearer of Flame strangely. However, once when she saw the boy standing next to the teenage girl, her heart dropped. Watching him assist the blonde made her so angry, it's almost possible to see steam coming out of her ears.

"Sorry, Beautymon. But I'm not going."

"Cutie, what is this?" The third-in-command laughed to hide her bitterness.

"I'll stay here with Zoe. She has been through a lot lately. I want to make sure that she's okay. Besides, it's been a while since I last spend time with her."

"But Cutie... she... Eldestmon has told me to..."

"I'm sure Eldestmon wouldn't mind if you ask someone else to go with..."

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Again Beautymon whined like a little kid. "I don't want to go with those any of those freaks! I want to be with you! Please Cutie! That's all I ask! Don't leave me all by my..."

"I'm sorry, Beautymon. But I rather be here with Zoe. After all, she needs me." Takuya said, gazing back at his girlfriend. Zoe had a hand above her heart, unable to believe that those words came out of his mouth.

"Oh Takuya."

"Is that so, huh Cutie?"

Beautymon looked towards the ground. Slowly, she placed both of her hands behind her back. and pulled her right arm inside her sleeve. Unbeknownst to the humans, Beautymon brought out a fistful of red flower petals out of her sleeve. Slowly, she approached the Chosen Children. With Takuya in her sites, she planned to intoxicate him with the flower petals that has the most powerful scent. Once inside his system, resisting would be impossible.

"I'm sorry, Sweetie. But I'm not going to take 'no' for an answer. If you're not going to come with me, then I'll just have to..."

But before she could release the petals, another Digimon stepped to the side of Beautymon and grabbed her extended wrist. With a tight squeeze, he forced the female warrior to drop the flowers on the ground. Upon contact with the marble floor, the petals lost their scent and withered away. Beautymon quickly pulled her arm back and leered at the whoever had the nerve to intervene. The Digimon before not only had broadswords on his back, but he also was carrying a Digi-Egg.

"Why you lousy piece of shi..."

"BEAUTYMON!" The second-in-command yelled in close proximity to his partner.

"Ow, Swiftmon! How many times do I have to tell you? One: Don't scream so close to my delicate ears. They're very sensitive and could break easily. And two: Never, EVER, interrupt me whenever I'm having a nice conversation with 'Cut...'

"I don't want to hear it!" The swordsman spoke, a little less louder than last time. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Well, you see I..."

"Eldestmon said that she needed to borrow Takuya for some kind of highly classified mission." Zoe responded way before Beautymon could talk. The olive haired fighter glared daggers at the blonde, but Zoe shielded herself by giving her a sly grin and wrapping her arms around Takuya's waist.

"He what?" Swiftmon's eyes widened. "Lord Eldestmon never said anything about a highly classified mission. What are you talking about?"

"You mean... there is no mission?" Takuya said, looking awkwardly at Beautymon.

"There shouldn't be. Malevomon's been defeated by your hands, right? See for yourself." Swiftmon showed the two humans the Digi-Egg that the Almighty reverted back to upon his downfall. The swordsman turned his attention back to his partner, looking angrier than before.

"What is this all about?"

"Um... I, uh..."

"You're such a liar, Beautymon!" Zoe accused.

"What did you call me, you brat?"

"You heard me! Eldestmon came here to congratulate us for defeating Malevomon, and then requested us to get some rest. But here you are, trying to separate me and Takuya after we finally..."

"Enough!" ordered the second-in-command before the tension could escalate. He then marched toward Beautymon.

"I can't believe you would say something like that! Honestly, Beautymon! I don't even know what's wrong with you. But for telling these humans such a bold face lie, you will be the one who brings Malevomon's Digi-Egg to the Containment Room." He offered her the egg, but Beautymon refused take it.

"Excuse me? I'm not your maid, Swiftmon! How dare you..."

"WOMAN, DO IT NOW!"

Before Beautymon could object, her superior forcibly handed her the egg. The female Digimon puffed her cheeks with anger, still refusing to comply with Swiftmon's orders. She gazed back at her 'Cutie,' hoping that he would accompany her to the Containment Room. But her prayers were answered by an apologetic shrug. However, the girl sitting next him had stuck her tongue out at the Digimon and smirked maniacally. She then hugged onto Takuya's waist tighter to add insult to injury.

"Better get going, Beautymon. And you don't have to worry about 'Cutie.' I'll take good care of him! Teehee!"

After hearing those words from Zoe, it was clear that the female warrior's top was about to blow off. She wanted nothing more than to rip the blonde's ugly face off, toss her off a cliff and take her 'Cutie' to her quarters where they can be alone. But much to her dismay, she gave up and stomped out of the Emergency Room with the black Digi-Egg underneath her arms. Beautymon unleashed a violent roar of rage that could be heard even from the farthest corners of the headquarters.

"Well..." Swiftmon interjected, wiping off the black residue on his hands from carrying Malevomon's egg. "I'm going give my report of our last mission to Lord Eldestmon. Great job out there, you two."

"Right." The humans nodded. And in a flash, Swiftmon was gone.

"Wow, that was cool." Takuya said. He brought his attention back to his beloved when he heard her giggling.

"Thank you, Takuya."

"For what?"

"For staying with me, instead of going with that tramp."

"Who, Beautymon? Come on, Zoe. She's not that bad..." He then noticed the stunned look in her eyes, forcing him to reconsider his last statement. "Okay... so she's a little crazy."

"A little?" Zoe tilted her head.

"Alright, fine. But the point is, Zoe, I want to be here right beside you. Even if Eldestmon does have a mission for me or if Beautymon wishes to see me in private..."

"Which won't happen anytime soon, I hope." The blonde added.

"As I was saying, I made a promise to spend some time with you after our last mission. And I intend to keep that promise."

"Takuya..." She pulled her beloved in for another kiss that lasted about thirty seconds. When they broke apart, Zoe started to yawn, signaling that she was exhausted.

"It's getting late. You should get some sleep." said Takuya.

Zoe nodded and lied down on the hospital bed. As she got comfortable, Takuya grabbed the sheets at the end and covered up his best friend. The Bearer of Wind smiled as her boyfriend planted a kiss on her forehead, one on both cheeks and one more long one or her lips.

"Good night, Zoe." Takuya said. But before he could make his way toward the exit, he felt Zoe's hand grabbing his wrist.

"Takuya, wait. If you don't mind... could you please stay with me until I fall asleep?" She requested.

"Sure."

Letting out a soft squeak with delight, Zoe rolled over to the side to make room for Takuya sit next to her. She rested her head next to his lap and smiled brightly back at him. Takuya gently brushed her long, silky hair so he could see his girlfriend's gorgeous face. Surprisingly, he too was falling prey to the drowsiness that's building within him. But he did his best to stay awake, just so he can enjoy a few more moments with his girlfriend.

"Promise you'll still be here when I wake up?" asked Zoe as she slowly drifted to sleep.

"I promise." Takuya said, giving Zoe one last kiss on her head.

He felt his conscious ebbing away. His eyes were heavy, and his blinks became longer until he passed out.

And though Takuya wouldn't remember it, he would be dreaming about Zoe. And vice versa.

* * *

><p>"UNBELIEVABLE!" Beautymon shouted as she entered the Containment Room .<p>

It was a giant prison chamber. The holding cells consisted of small titanium-steel cells, with the same type of door. There were also stasis tubes, which held inhabitants in a state of suspended animation until they were awakened. This is the place where the Battlefront would hold some of Malevomon's servants hostage for interrogation or to hold dangerous Digimon that were deemed too unsafe to roam about freely. However, because of Malevomon's defeat, all of the former servants of the Almighty One has been set free from his control and the cell they occupied.

In front of the third-in-command was a very special stasis tube fitted for the most threatening of creatures. Beautymon placed the Digi-Egg in the containment unit. The large tank filled itself with liquid and Malevomon's egg suspended itself in midair. Beautymon stepped back and instantly noticed some kind of black residue on her hands which came from the Digi-Egg she was carrying.

"Ugh! Curse Swiftmon for giving such dirty work."

Thankfully, there was a roll of paper towel resting on one of the computers. She wiped the dark remnants off of her hands and tossed it in the trash. With her task complete, Beautymon made her way toward the exit. However, she stopped about midway when she came across a mirror hanging on the side of the walls. The olive haired beauty gazed at her attractive self. Usually, she would spent hours admiring how pretty she looks. But now, Beautymon had a demoralized look in her eyes.

"Stupid Blondie! I mean, seriously! What does 'Cutie' see in her that makes her so special? She's stupid, ugly, clumsy, ugly, useless, ugly, arrogant, ugly, snobbish, super ugly, and has got one of the flattest chest I've seen!" Beautymon growled, increasing her volume with each words. She then placed her hands on her developed center of her anatomy and sighed with depression.

"How can Cutie say 'no' to this? I can understand if he doesn't fall for my dress, my slimness or my beautiful face. But the fact that he doesn't appreciate these babies? What must I do to..."

"**Hahaha!**" A dark voice echoed in the Containment Room.

Beautymon instinctively turned and had an arm out, ready to discharge a Beautiful Beam. For some reason, she was facing the stasis tube that held the black Digi-Egg in suspended animation. Strangly, that was where the voice was coming from. Beautymon took a step forward, wondering if her ears were playing tricks on her. But after a minute of waiting, the female Digimon lowered her arms and walked out of the room, forgetting about the supposed dark voice in her head.

"There must be away I can make Cutie mine. I just know I can get to him with a little... 'persuasion.' If that flat-chested Blondie wasn't in the way, I would have Cutie all to myself. Hmm, I gotta find a way to show Mr. Handsome exactly what he's missing out on. Hmm... I wonder..."

As Beautymon skipped down the hallways, she began to devise all kinds of plans to get Blondie away from her 'Cutie,' using whatever means necessary to get what's rightfully belongs to her. Then again, many would assume that Beautymon would never do anything crazy to make 'Cutie' hers... right?

However, the last thing she saw before the doors to the Containment Room completely closed was the Digi-Egg floating in the stasis tube.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter fifty-one. <strong>

**What sort of scheme does Beautymon have in mind? And who was that mysterious voice at the Containment Room? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	52. Clean Up

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**With Malevomon gone, so has his power of the Chaos Spheres. Every single Digimon that was previously under his control had returned to normal. Meanwhile, Takuya was waiting anxiously for the Blisseymon to treat Zoe's injuries. It took a while, but it sure was worth the wait. Saying that they were happy to see each other again was the understatement of the century. Nobody could separate those two apart. Not even Beautymon. Boy, was she furious when she saw Takuya and Zoe hugging and kissing. On the other hand, Beautymon can be very dangerous when things aren't going her way.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter fifty-two!**

* * *

><p><strong>Clean Up<strong>

**Normal POV:**

It was a bright and beautiful morning. Large, fluffy clouds of fantastical shapes bellowed across the sky as a warm breeze dance and fluttered around the Digimon Battlefront infrastructure. Sunlight penetrated through the peeping clouds and shot their beams of light toward any of the windows it could target. Every Digimon couldn't help but feel alive during such a glorious morning.

Outside the Recover Room where the two sleeping humans were resting at, a single songbird-like Digimon landed on the apron, chirping melodically. With such a sweet yet loud tune, the winged creature refused to leave until it saw movement from either the brunette or the blonde. Sure enough, it got its wish. The young woman hibernating underneath the sheets began to stir. She then opened her eyes and sat up in her hospital bed. As the blonde wiped her eyes, the bird stopped singing and flew off, for its work was already done.

Zoe stretched her arms as far as they would let her, and let out a yawn. It took a while for her vision to clear up. But once it did, she looked to her right side. And there he was: a sleeping Takuya Kanbara resting beside her. Zoe gently brushed her hand through her best friend's hair. With a huge smile on his face, she couldn't help but wonder what he's dreaming about.

Then she remembered what her beloved said before she dozed off.

_"Takuya, wait. If you don't mind... could you please stay with me until I fall asleep?" _

_"Sure."_

_"Promise you'll still be here when I wake up?"_

_"I promise."_

Then a thought occurred to her. This is the first time the two of them has shared a bed with each other, let alone slept together. Just thinking about it made the young woman's cheeks turn a small shade of red. It was a good thing they were in the Digital World. If either of her parents saw this boy under the same covers as her, they would stuff him in a crate and ship Takuya all the way to Antarctica. Either that or forbade her to never see him again.

Fortunately, she doesn't have to worry about that anytime soon.

For as long as she known him, Takuya was famous for being a rough sleeper. He tossed and turned in bed, muttered inaudible gibberish and occasionally drool all over himself. Zoe could still remember the times when this boy snored all through the night two years ago when she and the rest of her friends were on their first adventure in the Digital World. There were a couple of nights where Zoe couldn't even drift to sleep because of his sleeping habits.

But now, the tossing and turning had stopped. His breaths were soft and serene. Not a single drop of saliva escaped his mouth. And even his heavy snoring were gone. Ever since the two of them have became a couple, Takuya has never slept more comfortably in his life. Zoe felt proud of herself that she contributed to help break her boyfriend's improper resting patterns.

Zoe leaned over and gave Takuya a soft kiss on his forehead. Oh, if she only knew that this was the same way her boyfriend woke her up. But nevertheless, the results were the exact same. The goggle-head stirred in bed, flipped on his back and opened his eyes. Sure enough, the first thing he saw was those gorgeous, beautiful eyes and the lovely, bright smile of his girlfriend.

"Good morning sleepyhead." beamed Zoe.

"Hey." Takuya said as he sat up against the backboard.

"Did you sleep well?" asked the blonde.

"Uh-huh. I had a really weird dream last night."

"Oh really? Do tell!" Zoe got on her knees and leaned closer towards Takuya, anxiously eager to her about his dream.

"Nah, it's stupid. You're probably going to laugh at me." Takuya declined.

"Yeah, you're probably right." joked the blonde. In return of her sarcasm, the goggle-head gave Zoe a light push on the shoulder, which made the girl fall on her back. However, the Bearer of Wind returned to her original position and giggled at her boyfriend.

"But I would still like to you to tell me about your dreams, Takuya. I don't care how silly it is. So, please tell me?"

"Um... I don't know..."

"How about this? You tell me your dreams, and I'll tell you mine. Deal?"

"Um... okay sure." Takuya said, who was also a bit curious of her girlfriend's dream.

"Then go on. Tell me!"

"Well, I was dreaming about..." The Bearer of Flame stared deep into her emerald orbs and planted a quick kiss on her nose. "_You_!"

"You dreamt about me?" Zoe asked. before stifling another giggle.

"There, you see? I knew you would laugh at my..." Fortunately, he was interrupted by a delicate finger on his lips.

"No, Takuya. It's alright." The Bearer of Wind took both of his hands into her own. She then gently kissed the back on both hands and smiled. "I wasn't laughing _at_ you. I was laughing _with _you. And it makes me so happy that I was in your dreams."

"You mean it?"

"_Certo, lo faccio_!"

"Well, in that case, why don't you tell me your dreams then?"

"You really want to know don't you?"

"Curiosity is a disease, Z. It's your fault I got it bad."

"Hey! That was mean!" Zoe went for another playful punch on his arm.

But the goggle-head was ready. He caught the attacking hand easily with his. Not being the one to back out from a challenge, Zoe tried using her other hand. However, Takuya countered without hardly any effort. Now she was all tied up. The blonde tried to pull away, but her beloved's grip was too tight. She could see that arrogant smile on his face, for he believes that he's got the best of her. Of course, Takuya knew his girlfriend too well, and she will not go down without a fight.

Zoe decided to have a little fun with him. She pulled him into a clinch hold, and the two humans wrestled for dominant positioning. The couple shifted their bodies back and forward, side to side, trying to take each other down. Although Zoe was light, her balance was much better than Takuya's. No matter what awkward position Takuya put her in, she stayed on her knees and remained in the contest.

Unfortunately, if there's one thing Takuya has more of than his best friend, it's strength. By using his whole upper body and core, he was able to get enough leverage to finally push the girl off of her knees and on her back. Zoe landed on the bed with Takuya falling on top of her. He still had both of his hands locked on her wrist to make sure she wasn't going anywhere.

"Now, you're going to stay in this position until you fulfill your part of the deal." demanded Takuya, who was trying hard to hold back his laughter.

"You really are quite relentless." Zoe smirked from cheek to cheek.

"And that I am. But you know, I have other ways to make you talk."

"Ooh, I'm so scared."

"You better be!"

Takuya released Zoe's wrists, but remained on top of her. He then gently glided his index finger from the top of her nose, down her right cheek and on top of her lips. Zoe went along and tried to playfully bite his digit, only to have him pull away just in time. Next, Takuya guided his finger from her chin, down her neck and through the valley in between her breasts. He was careful not to touch his beloved's intimate body parts, although the temptation seemed inviting. But Zoe trusts Takuya with her life. In fact, the sensation of his finger going in between her chest made the blonde moan with delight.

Too bad for her, the pleasure had to abruptly come to an end.

"GOT YA!" Takuya snickered.

"Hey, what are you... HAHAHAHA! Why you... HAHAHA! NO FAIR, TAKUYA! HAHAHAHAHA! STOP... CUT IT OUT!"

He caught Zoe off-guard and began his tickle torture on the young woman. Zoe laughed uncontrollably as Takuya's fingers danced all over her tummy. She kicked her legs and tried to remove her beloved's hands off of her stomach just so she could catch her breath. But no matter what she tried, Takuya had the advantage in position. He saw Zoe's face changing in color, indicating that she couldn't take any more of his gratifying torture.

Finally, Takuya removed his fingers off of his girlfriend's stomach and gave Zoe some room to breathe. She inhaled and exhaled greatly. Her chest moved up and down like a pump working double time. Takuya couldn't help but feel a little guilty for making his girlfriend go through that. But his doubts were removed when he noticed her smiling. Takuya leaned toward Zoe and gave her a soft, well-deserving kiss on the lips.

"You know, all you have to do is say 'please' and I would be happy to tell you what I dreamt of last night."

"Nah, I got something even better."

Takuya's and Zoe's faces drew closer and closer to each other before their lips met in a passionate kiss. Both humans' moans were filled with pleasure and happiness. The love session grew more intense when the goggle-head attacked Zoe's lips with his ferociously. The blonde's eyes widened at how forward Takuya was, but she didn't mind one bit. She wrapped one arm around his neck and pulled him in to deepen the kiss. Each one was as passionate as the next. Their legs entwined with each other, not wanting to let the other escape from their current position.

Zoe then opened her mouth, wordlessly inviting her boyfriend to slide his tongue into her mouth; an invitation that Takuya had no trouble with accepting. Their tongues immediately met inside each other's mouths and rubbed together in a lust-fueled fashion. And just like last night, another tongue wrestling match got underway between the two lovers. Takuya was surprised at how much of a fight Zoe was putting up. He could feel her tongue reaching deep into his mouth. It would seem like the Bearer of Wind would get her first victory.

"Ahem!" A voice interrupted.

In a flash, the Bearers of Flame and Wind broke apart and turned toward the front of the entrance of the Recovery Room. A Digimon with broadswords on his back stood with his arms crossed and foot tapping. The swordsman noticed the flushed cheeks on both humans' faces. His eyes rolled with a hint of annoyance, but politely dropped the situation.

"Well, seems like you have fully recovered from your injuries." Swiftmon said, his words aimed at Zoe.

"Uh-huh. Nothing beats a good night's rest." The young woman giggled.

"Good. Now, if you two are ready, Lord Eldestmon wishes to see you in the Digiporter Room."

"We have another mission? Great! Just when we could use a little break." complained Takuya. His sarcastic remark deserved a well-deserved punch on the arm, courtesy of Zoe Orimoto.

"What's the problem, Swiftmon? I thought Takuya defeated Malevomon already." Zoe questioned.

"Indeed he did. But while the threat may be over, the mess he left in the Digital World still remained."

"What do you mean?" asked Takuya.

"Lord Eldestmon will explain the details once you get to the Digiporter Room. And I suggest you hurry. The Digimon could really use your help." said the second-in-command.

"Alright. Tell him we'll be there shortly." Takuya said.

Swiftmon nodded and excused himself from the Recovery Room. Takuya got up from the bed and stretched out his arms. He then turned toward his girlfriend an offered his hand. Zoe swung her legs over to one side of the bed. She gladly took Takuya's hand and allowed her boyfriend to help her back to her feet. However, the goggle-head used a little too much strength in his pull. Zoe lost her balance and fell forward.

Thankfully, Takuya was there to catch her. He place his right palm on the upper portion of Zoe's back, using his hand to support her weight. Takuya then held his girlfriend's right hand with his left, giving his girlfriend something to hang onto. Next, he rotated his body and brought one leg forward to help him maintain his balance. Takuya bent his knee and gently lowered your Zoe backwards until she was almost touching the marble floor.

Whether it was intentional or not, Takuya had successfully dipped Zoe.

"My, my. Aren't you the charmer?" laughed the young woman, complimenting how smooth his dip was.

"You said it yourself. I'm full of surprises."

"And that you are." Zoe sneaked in a quick kiss before Takuya helped her back to a standing position.

"Come on, Takuya. Eldestmon's waiting for us." said the young woman, a little disappointed that their fun has to end so soon.

"Aw, don't be sad Z. We'll have plenty of time together after we finish cleaning up the Digital World." Takuya smiled, giving his girlfriend his signature, goofy grin.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

She grab a hold of Takuya's arm and rested her head on his shoulder the couple walked out of the Recovery Room.

As they strolled through the hallways, many Digimon in the headquarters couldn't help but notice how close the humans have become. While most of them simply smiled and carried on with their lives, only a handful of them came up to the teenagers and congratulated them for starting a relationship. The parade, however, only lasted for several minutes. Before long, Takuya and Zoe were already standing in front of the Digiporter Room. They walked inside and saw two Digimon inside.

"Well it's about time you lovebirds got here!" complained Gotsumon.

"Sorry about that. We... had trouble getting out of bed." Takuya grinned, eyeing Zoe once again. The blonde playfully stuck her tongue out at her boyfriend.

"Alright, you two. That's enough. Now if you don't mind, it's time I brief you on your next assignment." said the Battlefront's leader.

"Yes, sir." The humans nodded.

"Gotsumon, bring up the map."

"As you wish, sir!"

The Rookie Digimon sitting at his workstation nearby typed up some buttons on his computer. Eldestmon turned the human's attention to the screen behind him. After Gotsumon pressed the command key, an entire map of the Digital World appeared on the screen. However, there were many colored dots scattered all across. Takuya and Zoe tried to figure out what those colored spots means, but couldn't come up with any answers.

"I'm fairly certain that Swiftmon has updated you on the situation, am I correct?" asked Eldestmon. The humans nod, but remained silent.

"The Digital World right now is in a huge mess. I want you to go out there and help the others restore the Digital World to what it once was, before Malevomon took over." The elderly Digimon pointed his cane on one of the dots on the map.

"The Digimon Battlefront, as well as the other eight Legendary Warriors, are scattered throughout the Digital World, cleaning up the destruction that Malevomon has caused. Here's the itinerary so far. Mercurymon and Group W are refurbishing Steel Town. Ranamon and Group M will take care of things on Toucanmon Paradise and Gomamon Island. Arbormon and Group T are cleaning up the Forbidden Forest. Grumblemon and Group V are should be almost done rebuilding the village at Terra Hills."

"Wow. Everyone sure is busy." Takuya analyzed, before Eldestmon continued.

"Lowemon and Group R scouting for any more survivors at the Continent of Darkness. Kumamon is at the Icicle Mountains, along with Group D. Lobomon is with Group B, helping with the reconstruction at the Forest Kingdom. Finally, Beetlemon and Group K had just arrived at the Lightning Factory."

"That's great, Eldestmon. So where do you want us?" Zoe inquired.

"I want you to help rebuild the Village of Flames. Bokomon and Neemon should be there waiting for you." The leader of the Battlefront commanded pointing his cane at Takuya.

"And I'll have you return to Breezy Village and help the Digimon there restore their gardens to what they once were." Eldestmon then looked at Zoe.

"Just leave it to us, Eldestmon. We'll do whatever we can to fix the Digital World. After all, it's like a second home to us. Right, Z?"

"You bet!" nodded the blonde.

"Oh, and I forgot one last thing." Eldestmon said, recapturing the humans' attention. "Once you're done with your first, I want you two help finish up rebuilding the markets at the Autumn Leaf Fair. Are we clear?"

"Got it!" Takuya and Zoe spoke together.

The couple smiled back at each other, happy that they have an assignment together. Now, they're even more eager to get the started. The sooner they finish cleaning up the messes at their assigned station, the sooner they can get back together again. Takuya pulled his girlfriend into a warm embrace. Unfortunately for the young woman, that was all she was going to get.

"Let's move!" ordered the wise Digimon.

"Okay." Takuya spoke. He broke apart from his beloved and stepped on the Digiporter.

"Coordinates to the Flame Terminal have been set!" Gotsumon shouted. "Teleporting in three..."

"I'll see you at the Autumn Leaf Fair, Taky." Zoe waved goodbye. She blew him one last kiss for good luck.

"Two..."

"Looking forward to it, Zo." The goggle-head grinned, rubbing his cheek where the blown kiss had supposedly landed.

"One... Commence teleportation!" Gotsumon shouted, slamming his fist on a blue button.

A white light shot out from the bottom of the platform and engulfed the Bearer of Flame. The entire room was covered with bright lights, temporarily blinding everyone inside. When the light had subsided, Takuya was already gone.

* * *

><p><strong>Takuya's POV:<strong>

"Ah, Takuya! Just in time!" A voice called out to me. I stepped off of the platform, turned to my left and saw two Digimon hustling towards me."

"Hey Bokomon! Neemon!" I waved to my friends.

"Where's Zoe?" The rabbit wondered, searching left and right for the other human.

"She's working somewhere else." I answered, with a hint of disappointment.

"Oh, quit complaining my boy. The faster you help us rebuild the village, the sooner you could see Zoe. Now come on! The others are waiting for you!" answered Bokomon. The mutant Digimon took me by the hand as I followed him and Neemon to our destination.

There were Digimon all over the village rebuilding homes and other places that were destroyed when Malevomon's army invaded. As I strolled through the area, the mess in this place got bigger. Eventually, we've arrived at another village that was still in the process of reconstruction. A few houses and stores have already been rebuilt. However, it's going to take a while for the village to get back on its feet. We walked by a few Digimon who were assigned to rebuild the houses, and the passed couple more who were transporting heavy crates from one side of the village to the next. Moments later, Bokomon, Neemon and I reached our station.

To my surprise, we were standing at a playground. Or, at least what was left of it. The structures had been toppled over, leaving almost nothing behind. The slide was broken, the see-saws had been splintered and all that remained from the swings were the rusted, burnt chains. And even the sand was littered with garbage, debris and all kinds stuff from the war a couple of days ago.

"Oh man." I thought.

"This is the Pyro Park, the place where kids from our village go to have fun and play with their friends." Someone told me.

I turned around and noticed another Digimon approaching me. He was a humanoid warrior with golden hair that had a flame-like appearance. He his attire consisted of crimson chest plate, orange top and yellowish gloves. He also wore gold tights with orange boots that reach up to his shins. But the most distinguishable part of his outfit was the flamethrower attached to his back.

"Who might you be?" I asked.

"Call me Honomon."

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Honomon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Pyro Tower; Eternal Blaze **

**Description: Honomon is one of the Village of Flames guardians. He can manipulate flames to anything he pleases. Many Digimon believe his flames are just as hot and intense as Agunimon. His Pyro Tower causes a bunch of fiery towers to burst out of the ground.**

Standing beside the Champion were a bunch of In-Training Digimon. Some looked like their happy to see me. Others had those eyes, telling me that they've never seen a human before. But then there were the Digimon who were on the verge of crying. And I had a pretty good idea why. Looking back at the destroyed playground, its no wonder why they're so devastated.

Next to the group of Digimon were about a hundred large boxes. I looked inside and took mental notes on the kinds of materials we have. Upon further inspection, almost all of these wooden crates carry playground supplies. The had everything they needed to rebuild this place including swings, spring rockers, climbing webs, spinners, freestanding slides, and other things. Some boxes contain balls, soccer goals, volleyball nets and poles, and other games that involve fitness and play. Of course, there were rubber surfacing, nuggets and tiles for accessible routes.

"Forgive me. But it is I who requested you to come here." Honomon bowed towards me.

"It's no problem, really. But please, there's no need for formal respect." I said, scratching the back of my head.

"You have no idea what this park means and these children over here. You see, it is more than just a place for these young Digimon to play. This very playground taught these kids the importance of social skills, connecting with others, connecting with one self, imagination and creativity."

"Don't worry, Honomon. We'll build you guys a new playground and I'm sure it'll be much better than the last one."

"Thank you so much." The Champion bowed.

"Thank you, mister." The In-Training Digimon rejoiced.

"Alright then. Let's get to work." I smiled.

"So how's this going to work, Takuya?" Bokomon asked me.

"You and Neemon help the kids take the stuff out of the crates and organize them. If we're going to make the best playground ever, I want to use every bit of equipment we have."

"Count on us!" replied the Rookies. Bokomon and Neemon motioned the In-Training youngsters to the boxes. "Come on, kids! Let's go!"

"YEAH!"

As the group of Digimon broke formation, there was one Digimon who remained with me and Honomon. He seemed much taller when compared to the In-Training, so I assumed he was a Rookie. This kid looked just like Honomon, but with some distinctive differences. He had a demon-like appearance, but with a face of a child. His hair had a fiery redness to it, matching the unzipped jacket he wore. His pants were bright yellow and had multiple dots trailing along the sides that could be mistaken as embers.

"This is my son, Hibanomon. I promised him that I would let him meet the human turned into the Legendary Warrior of Flame once the war has ended." said Honomon.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Hibanomon**

**Level: Rookie**

**Attacks: Pyro Thrower; Infernal Blaze **

**Description: Don't let his size fool you. Hibanomon's flame really packs a punch. His high energy level and perseverance makes a pretty tough Digimon for his age. His Pyro Thrower attack chucks fireballs at the enemy with dead-on accuracy.**

I crouched down and beamed at the young Digimon. I held my hand out towards him, and he immediately took it. As we shook hands, I noticed the smile on his face grew wider. "It's nice to meet you, Hibanomon."

"Whoa! I can't believe it! I'm shaking hands with a Legendary Warrior! How cool is that?"

"Alright, son. That's enough." Honomon placed both hands on his boy's shoulders to keep him from getting too excited.

"Can I just say one more thing? When I grow up, I'm going to be big and strong just like you!" Hibanomon said, pointing at me. While his compliment made me feel honored, something about that statement just irks me.

"That's good, buddy. But if there's one thing I want you to learn, it is to never settle. Why be big and strong like me, when I know you have so much potential to become much better than that?" Those words of inspiration rewarded me the biggest smile I have ever seen on this kid's face.

"Anyway, let's get to work." I quickly reminded my two new friends. "Honomon, I want you to draw out plans for what this new playground should look like."

"You got it." The Champion nodded. He went to a bench nearby that wasn't destroyed during the invasion to get started.

"And as for you, Hibanomon..."

"Yes?"

"You're going to help me tear down what's left of the old playground."

"You mean... I get to destroy things?" The Rookie rubbed his hands together at the seemingly fun task.

"Yeah, something like that." I grinned.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get started!"

"You got it!" I nodded before taking out my D-Tector.

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

"EXECUTE…" Takuya cried, swiping the Fractal Code with his device. "… SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

A long line of data surrounded his body. Takuya's clothes digitized just as the Human Spirit of Flame started to awakened. He could feel his body being enveloped by strong amounts of energy. The heat from the raging hot flames flowed throughout him, as he becoming one with the Spirit. His hands, legs, and entire body slowly changed into the Warrior of Flame. It wasn't long before the transformation was complete. He uncrossed his arms, creating giant flames on both of his fists. He gave a hook with his left arm and another powerful punch with his right arm, sending the large fireballs flying toward his front.

"AGUNIMON!" The creature said.

"I'm all warmed up and ready to go! Pyro Punch!" The Legendary Warrior formed a couple of fireballs on his fists. He then threw the flames at the old, destroyed playground set. The fireballs collided against the children's structure, causing it to explode like fireworks.

He created a couple more balls of fire at the end of his knuckles and faced another target. This time, Agunimon has his eyes locked on the sets of broke see-saw sets. The Warrior of Flame pulled his arms back and launched the first fireball at the closest teeter-totter. It collided against the wooden plank, causing it to burst into flames. Agunimon threw the second fireball at the second see-saw, which resulted in another explosion.

There were still a four more see-saws to take out, but the Legendary Warrior had other plans. He ran towards one of the long narrow boards and removed it off of the ground. Next, he snapped the wood in half and tossed it toward the outer area of the destroyed playground. Agunimon repeated the same motion, breaking apart each see-saw plank by plank until there were only small parts of wood remaining.

Meanwhile, Hibanomon was having the time of his life watching his favorite Legendary Warrior in action. It's like a dream come true. His jaw almost fell to the ground and his eyes were almost as wide as the sun. Every time Agunimon blew something up or set an old piece of equipment on fire, his energy and excitement level were increasing almost to the point where he can't control himself.

"Cool!" Hibanomon gasped.

"Alright, buddy! Now it's your turn! Show me what you got!" The Warrior of Flame encouraged the young Rookie.

"Well, here I go."

Hibanomon stepped forward and looked around for things he could destroy not only to make room for the new playground, but to impress a Legendary Warrior as well. He then spotted the swing set in ruins just a few meters to his left. With a target in his sights, Hibanomon snapped his fingers. creating a ball of fire no bigger than a melon in the palm of his hand.

"Pyro Thrower!"

He pulled his arm back and chucked the small fireball at the swing set. The flame made contact with the wooden plank. To Agunimon's surprise, the swing set exploded, scattering wood, rusted metal and chains all across the area. Hibanomon, who was thrilled with his work, jumped for joy and got even more pumped up. The Legendary Warrior of Flame approached the Rookie and gave him a high five.

"Hey, not bad!" The fiery Digimon complimented.

"I'm ready for more! Are you?" Hibanomon grinned.

"Ooh, we're gonna have so much fun!" chuckled Agunimon.

As the two Digimon continued to take down what's left of the old playground, Bokomon, Neemon and the In-Training Digimon were busy organizing and sorting the new recreational components and equipment out of the boxes nearby. The kids were more than excited to get started building the playground. It brought Bokomon and Neemon joy seeing the smiles on their faces. Nothing's more satisfying than making a child very happy.

"Well now. Seems like everyone's anxious to get started." Honomon approached the group of kids with a large sketch of the new playground. He placed it on the table nearby so the others could take a look at the designs.

It was a more sophisticated than the old play place.

Starting at the top left of the sketch were three sets of monkey bars, four springer rockers and a merry-go-round. Right next to the carousal is the sandbox, six by six in size. On the bottom left of the designs were a pair of swing sets. One of them was for the older and bigger kids while the second was reserved for the smaller children. In between the swing sets and the merry-go-round were five see-saws.

And that was only a third of the sketch.

Moving on toward the middle portion. The actual playground was designed to take up the majority of the area. There were stories of platforms, stairs, rope ladders, rock climbers, wobbly bridges that connect from one part of the playground to the other, and trampoline areas. Of course, playgrounds are incomplete without slides. Honomon's sketch has a grand total of ten of them. And not just the slides that go from top of the structure to the bottom level. He also included spiral slides and covered slides that will transport the kids from one part of the play place to another. He also added a two slide play system, which the children could use to race against each other.

But it's the final third of the designs that has got everybody excited.

The area was named 'Training Ground.' Instead of pictures, Honomon filled the right part of the sketch with text boxes marked for different stations scattered across the paper. Some of the assigned posts were obvious ones like Combat Training and the Obstacle Course. However, some of the stations seemed more like carnival games, like throwing darts, juggling and ring tossing. And that made the children really excited.

"What's with all of the games?" Neemon asked, scratching his head as he stares blankly at designs of the playground.

"Their more than games, my friends. Here, I strongly believe it is important to train our young ones to be skilled with their hands and eyes; to prepare them to become fine warriors in the future and to keep their reflexes sharp even when they're not in battle."

"Sounds like a great idea!" Agunimon said as he and Hibanomon approached the other group. "Well, you guys? How are things going with you?"

"We're ready whenever you are!" Bokomon and Neemon gave the Legendary Warrior the thumbs up sign. The fiery Digimon smiled and nodded before facing the children.

"COME ON, GUYS! LET'S GET THIS PARK BACK TO ITS FEET!"

"YEAH!" Every Digimon in the area shouted with excitement.

Normally, a playground takes about three to five days to build. Besides the hard work it takes, other variables included the number of volunteers available, as well as the workload they could handle. At first, Agunimon was worried about how much progress he and the other Digimon could make, especially with the lack of experience from the younger children. Based on Honomon's blueprints of the playground, it's going to take forever building the playground.

Boy, was he wrong.

The In-Training Digimon were so eager to start, they didn't even wait for Agunimon to hand out instructions or different tasks. All and all, the kids got to work, transporting the equipment to where it needed to go. Agunimon and Honomon did most of the carpentry and heavy lifting of the work, carving out the materials and putting them together.

Meanwhile, Bokomon and Neemon momentarily left their post and headed out toward the village. A few minutes later, they came back with hundred Digimon behind them. After explaining the situation to their each other, the villagers all agreed to help Agunimon and his friends build the playground for the kids and restore Pyro Park to what it once was. And the In-Training children were just as excited as the Warrior of Flame was. With so much help available, they should be able to finish up in no time.

What's supposed to take days, only took hours to build. It's amazing how teamwork, cooperation, and encouragement can do to others. With each section of the playground competed, the energy level seemed to increase. The other Digimon used that as motivation to get the rest of it done by sunset. Although dusk was only hours away from now, everyone wanted to get the playplace done. Words cannot describe the tremendous progress Aginimon and the others made.

By the time the playground was finished, the day had just reached the midpoint of the afternoon. All the Digimon stood on the outside boundary of the play place to observe their fine work. The Warrior of Flame had already reverted back to his human form, for he knew his job was done for the day. He quickly observed the reactions of the Digimon around him. Almost everyone around him was smiling. But none bigger than the In-Training Digimon at the front of the crowd.

It was exactly like Honomon's blueprint from the large structure in the center, to the swings, see-saws and spring rockers wrapping along the edges. Even the so called Training Ground Honomon designed looked rather impressive. There were all kinds of game booths for hand-eye coordination and motor skills. And even the Obstacle Course had complexity, organization the element of fun at the same time.

With such anticipation and excitement already past the peak level, Takuya stepped forward and faced the crowd of Digimon.

"Ladies and Gentlemon!" laughed the goggle-head. "The newly renovated Pyro Park has officially... OPENED!

"YAAAAAAAY!"

All of the In-Training children sprinted toward their newest playground, ready to have fun and share some more memories with their friends, family and fellow villagers. One by one, the other Digimon that helped reconstruct the park filed out of the area. The only ones that remained were the proud and happy parents of the children.

Takuya looked to his left and saw Honomon at the Training Ground with his son. Hibanomon was practicing throwing his fireballs at some laid out targets in front of them about twenty yards out. And when the Rookie successfully blasted one of the targets, he celebrated with much enthusiasm. The Bearer of Flame smiled, for nothing's more gratifying than seeing a father spending time with his son.

"I can't thank you enough, Takuya. Seeing the smiles on those kids' faces is something we haven't seen in a long time ever since Malevomon took over our homes. And it's all because of what you did for all of us. So once again... thank you." Bokomon bowed so his human friend to see the tears forming in his eyes.

"No prob. It's what I do." Takuya winked at his friend.

"Can we go back now? I'm hungry!" Neemon complained.

"Not yet, guys. We're not done yet. Swiftmon said that after I've finished with my task at the Flame Terminal, he wanted me to help out with rebuilding the Autumn Leaf Fair."

"What? That's like almost on the other side of the Digital World!" Again the rabbit groaned.

"Pipe down, you idiot. We can't just sit on our butts and let others do all the hard work! This is our home too, and it's our job to clean it up!"

"He's right. Come on. We better get going. Zoe's probably there waiting for us." Takuya said as he turned the other direction.

"Wait for us!" Bokomon and Neemon shouted toward the goggle-head.

But the Bearer of Flame never slowed down once. If anyone were to hazard a guess, they could speculate that Takuya couldn't wait to see his girlfriend again. Of course, the huge smile on his face was a sure sign that he was thinking of the only person that can make walk on sunshine. Once when the Digiporter came into sight, Takuya picked up the pace.

"Autumn Leaf Fair, here I come!"

* * *

><p><strong>Zoe's POV:<strong>

I stepped off of the Digiporter and took a deep breath to smell all of the flowers and plants around the area. There was also a nice breeze, which made me relaxed. I spread my arms out like an eagle to enjoy the air blowing against my face, allowing my hair to dance with the breeze. Being the Legendary Warrior that I am, I've come to appreciate the wind more often than usual.

Next, I checked my surroundings and observe the current condition of Breezy Village. It turns out that it was still in pretty bad shape. The last thing I remember about this place was meeting Malevomon for the first time. He went on a rampage and terrorized the entire village. Takuya and I tried to stop him, but neither one of us were strong enough to defeat him. That creep tossed us around like rag dolls, and he even stole my Beast Spirit.

Some of the huts had crumbled to the ground. Quite a few trees had collapsed on top of a few houses. There were some burn marks on the green grass, and a third of the flower fields have been whipped out. However, the great lung tree was still standing tall in the center of the village. Besides a few snapped branches, brownish leaves and some roots sticking out of the ground, it was still intact. Unfortunately, that's the only kind of plant that was still alive in this village.

"Well, I better go find the others." I said to myself. I had a pretty good idea I knew where they would be. I ventured into the village and headed towards the Sacred Garden.

"That's it, everyone! Remember that it's very important to work together. With all of your help, we can bring our lovely garden back to its usual fame and prosperity." I heard someone ordered.

It wasn't long before I found the Sacred Garden. Needless to say it's like beehive in this particular area. Hundreds of Mushroomon and Floramon were all cleaning up the Sacred Garden. A quarter of the plant-like creatures were fixing the fence surrounding the landscape, while a third of the group focused on rebuilding the interiors of the garden, such as the fountains, patios and bridges. As for the other half of Digimon, they were all scattered throughout the area, removing cobwebs, dusting the grounds and cleaning up the rest of the Sacred Garden. The only difference between the garden now and last time I saw it is that there are little to no flowers sprouting out of the soils. Most of them have withered and rotted away because no one was there to take care of them.

I walked through the gate and stepped on to the landscape.

"Hey guys! I'm here to help!" The Floramon and Mushroomon temporarily stopped working and faced the front of the garden. I could see the happy looks on all of their faces. Then again, I couldn't tell if it was either because they were excited to see me again or if they now have a Legendary Warrior to help them.

"Welcome back to Breezy Village!" One of the Floramon came up to me and bowed.

"And just in time too. We were all wondering when you were going to show up." The Mushroomon said to me.

"It's so good to see you all again." I released a subtle giggle. "Anyway, I've come here to help. Just say what you want me to do, and I'll get it done."

"How wonderful!" The voice I heard earlier spoke again. Behind the crowd of Floramon and Mushroomon, I noticed another Rookie making her way towards the front.

She was much taller than both the Floramon and the Mushroomon. In fact, she was almost at the same level as my neck. The flower petals surrounding this creature's yellowish head were white, taking the shape of a small bonnet. She also had a green, plant-like body with leaves for arms. White flowers trailed from her shoulders to her wrists. Finally, a vine wrapped around her waist, acting like a belt with a daisy used as the central piece.

"So this is the human that saved our village... and my precious garden." The Digimon smiled, like she knew me before. However, her last few words had me curious. What did she mean by _'her_ precious garden?'

Unless...

"Wait a minute. No way! Are you..."

"That's right!" The flower-like Digimon winked at me. "I was once Chrysanthemon before Malevomon took control of me. But for now, just call me Daisymon!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Daisymon**

**Level: Rookie**

**Attacks: Flower Pistol; Sweet Scent**

**Description: Daisymon is a sweet, gentle Digimon who loves to explore the Digital World's best flower beds and gardens. Her knowledge of plants and crops surpasses many Digimon across the land. But Daisymon's no pushover. Her Flower Pistol allows her to drive of poachers and to defend her garden.**

I was about to extend my hand out towards Daisymon to properly greet her, when that lovely smile on her face disappeared, replaced with a look of sadness and guilt. Suddenly, she collapsed on all fours and bowed towards me. I bent over to see if my newest friend was okay. But before I could figure out what was wrong, I then heard sobs and sniffles coming from Daisymon.

"I'm begging you! Please, forgive me!" pleaded the flower-like Digimon. "I've done so many horrible things to this village and destroyed a couple of my friends! I even almost annihilated you as well! I'm so sorry for all of the things that I've done! If you choose not to forgive me, then I'll understa..."

Instead of letting her continue beating herself up, I placed hand on Daisymon's shoulder and wiped the tears off of her eyes. Next, I took my friend's hand and helped her back to her feet.

"There's nothing to forgive, Daisymon." I beamed at the Digimon. "What you did wasn't your fault. Malevomon took control of your body and forced you to commit all of those horrible deeds. If there's anyone to blame, it's him. But he's gone now. My friends and I defeated that evil creep for good. He won't be coming here to terrorize your village anymore."

"Oh, thank you so much!" Daisymon sniffed, wiping the way the rest of her tears on her face. "You humans are not just brave and strong. But you're kind, gentle and patient too. I wish every Digimon in this world has a good heart just like you."

"Aw, you're so sweet." I giggled. It took me a while to realize why I'm here. And as much as I like to talk to Daisymon about her garden or at least ask her some tips about how to take care of my plants back at home, I still have a mission to complete.

"Anyway, let's get back to work. This village isn't going to rebuild all by itself, right?"

"RIGHT!" Every Digimon in the garden hollered enthusiastically.

And so, the reconstruction of the Sacred Garden and Breezy Village continued. The Floramon proceeded with fixing up furniture. I watched them create more tables and chairs for the patio, as well as other parts of the garden. That way, the tourists could enjoy the view of the Breezy Village's crowned jewel while they relax. The Mushroomon scattered throughout the village, picking up any remaining debris from Malevomon's last attack. The place was littered with broken branches, parts of the huts and dried leaves. But with excellent teamwork, I'm confident those guys will have this place cleaned up by nightfall. Daisymon went back to work and continued to plant more seeds in the ground, as well as water them to help them grow. Not wanting to stand around like a bump on the log, I approached the flower creature and asked her how I could be of assistance.

"What would you like me to do Daisymon?" I asked.

The Rookie smiled and tossed me a large bag of flower seeds. Unfortunately, she forgot to warn me how heavy the bag was. I caught the huge pouch, but then I fell on my butt at the same time. It took me a while to find the strength to stand up again. But when I did, the weight of the bag almost made me collapsed again. Had it not been for Daisymon catching my fall, I would've had a really sore bottom.

"Sorry about that." She apologized. "I hope I didn't hurt you or anything."

"No, don't worry about it. This is nothing." I dropped the bag to the ground and pat Daisymon on the head. "I'm guessing you want me to help you plant some seeds?"

"Uh-huh!" The flower-like Digimon nodded.

She took one out of the bag and showed it to me. The seed was white with two black lines crossing each other diagonally, forming an 'X' at the center of the kernel. To others, including myself, it looked just like an ordinary flower seed. Just like back at home, you put them in fertile soil, cover them up, give them some water and sunlight, and in a matter of months, you'll be surrounded be a bed of flowers.

However, Daisymon religiously she planted them in the ground and covered it up with the soil. Next, she skipped merrily toward the one of the corners of her garden and came back with her very own watering pail. With some liquid still inside, the Rookie gently sprinkled the seed with water, giving it the nutrients it needed to germinate and grow.

A process that supposed to take weeks or months to complete, only lasted no more than a few seconds for Daisymon. The she sprayed her special seeds with the water, a beautiful, pink lily sprouted out of the ground. I could feel my mouth drop after what I just saw. Good thing the Rookie Digimon noticed my reaction right away. So she wasted little time explaining it.

"These are my Sacred Seeds. It took me years to develop these little babies. But I've finally invented an embryonic plant that will instantly grow into beautiful flowers or crops, just by adding water."

"Wow! Sure beats waiting, doesn't it?"

"Indeed it does. Now, let's get started! I really hate seeing my beautiful garden naked and incomplete."

"I'm ready whenever you are." I said, taking my D-Tector out of my pocket.

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV:<strong>

"EXECUTE…" Zoe cried, swiping the Fractal Code with her device. "… SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

A long line of data surrounded her body. Zoe's clothes digitized just as the Human Spirit of Wind started to awakened. She could feel her body being enveloped by strong amounts of energy. The power of the wind flowed throughout her, as she becoming one with the Spirit. Her hands, legs, and entire body slowly changed into the Warrior of Wind. It wasn't long before the transformation was complete. She spun around three times, creating strong, turbulent winds around her. Upon completing her last turn, she gave a huge sidekick before flipping lavender hair and striking a pose.

"KAZEMON!" The fairy said.

She picked up the heavy bag of seeds, which wasn't so heavy anymore thanks to her Spirit Evolving. Kazemon took some seeds out of the pouch and spread them across the soil. Meanwhile, Daisymon retrieved her watering pail and gave the kernels a nice shower. In a matter of seconds, lovely flowers appeared out of the garden and greeted the Digimon with their bright colors and unique shapes. Even Kazemon was awestruck at the sight.

"Excuse me, Miss?" Some called the Legendary Warrior from behind. Kazemon turned to see a group Mushroomon standing before her.

"What can I do for you boys?" The Legendary Warrior asked.

"We were assigned to remove any cobwebs off of the fences, patios and structures. If you don't mind, could you do a quick sweep, just in case we missed something?"

"No problem!" nodded the lavender haired butterfly. "HURRICANE WAVE!"

The Legendary Warrior spread her arms out wide. Ten more cyclones erupted out of her fingertips. Kazemon slowly spun around, spraying the fences with her windy techniques. However, she took some power off of the twisters so she didn't blow them away. At the same time, the Warrior of Wind fanned away any dust, debris and cobwebs the Mushroomon had missed. After completing a full rotation, Kazemon gave her friends her signature smile, letting them know that they're doing a good job. The fungi-like Digimon replied with their thumbs up, before returning to the stations.

"Now, where were we?" The butterfly quickly remembered her previous task.

She fluttered toward the half-empty bag of seeds on the ground. Kazemon picked up the pouch and continued planting Daisymon's special kernels in the ground. Behind the Legendary Warrior, the Sacred Garden's caretaker covered them up and added the necessary water it needed. Seconds later, gorgeous flowers sprout out of the ground. Together, the pair worked together to bring beauty and lusciousness back to the garden.

"You have no idea how much you mean to this village." Daisymon said to the Legendary Warrior as she continued to add water to the seeds in the soil.

"I'm just doing whatever I can to help." Kazemon humbly said.

"Ever since you've saved the Floramon and Mushroomon from Cherubimon's evil, you have given them hope for a brighter future than today. Because of your display of courage and undying spirit, everyone in Breezy Village is happier than ever. And because of that, I want to thank you for all that you've done for the villagers."

"Stop it, Daisymon. You're gonna make me cry." The Legendary Warrior rubbed a small wet stream on her right cheek.

The two exchanged a couple of laughs before returning to work. Kazemon continued to spread the Sacred Seeds throughout the garden, and Daisymon does her part in bringing her babies back to life. Slowly, but surely the Sacred Garden returned to normal. Once Kazemon was out of seeds, she tossed the empty bag aside and took the skies to get a better view of the garden.

Her heart had stopped at one of the most spectacular view in the Digital World.

On the ground laid plentiful, but gentle green lush grass, with a few weeds patched in no particular pattern. The blue sky really brought out the lively energy of the garden. Acers of land were filled with daffodils and daisies as yellow as the sun at midday. Orange amaryllises and lilies complimented well with the brighter flowers behind them. Orchids, dahlias, tulips radiated a pinkish color that gave the fields elegance and indescribable beauty. And the delicate petals of the red rose released the sweetest scent that spread throughout the Sacred Garden, across Breezy Village and throughout the world.

"_Bellissimo_!" The Legendary Warrior gasped.

"You like it?" Daisymon asked.

"Like it? I love it!" Kazemon complimented as she returned to the ground. "I have never seen such lovely flowers in all my life! Even the Human World's most beautiful gardens cannot compare with this!"

"Flowers do more than show off their beauty. They can provide special kind of energy to us plant-type Digimon, which we can use to become stronger and happier than what we were before." The Rookie added.

"Daisymon... does that mean..." The Warrior of Wind tilted her head sideways with curiosity.

"Yes, my friend. Because of you, I have regained my strength. I can never thank you enough for everything you have done for me and for my villagers."

All of the sudden, Fractal Code surrounded Daisymon's entire body. Kazemon looked on in amazement as the flower-like Digimon began to change. The Floramon and Mushroomon cleaning up the village temporarily stopped working to witness their beloved caretaker's transformation.

"DAISYMON... DIGIVOLVE TO..." She shouted.

Before long, the transformation was complete. The Fractal Code disappeared and a slender female Digimon appeared in the garden. She wore a light green leotard with grayish sleeves draped all the way down her forearms. Long vines wrapped around each of her arm and down to her white thigh high boots as well. Pinkish flowers decorated her back and a little bit on her front. With black eyes and golden hair with long pigtails, many consider her one of the prettiest Digimon to walk the land. Finally, she had a pink flower on both sides of her hair, portraying her beauty and elegance.

"My children..." The lovely creature welcomed the Rookies with her arms wide open.

"'LADY CHRYSANTHEMON!" The Floramon and Mushroomon gasped with tears in their eyes.

All of the Rookie sprinted toward their beloved caretaker and gathered around in a giant group hug. There wasn't a single Digimon that wasn't crying. Even Kazemon was moved by the beautiful sight of such a bond between Digimon. After wiping the wet streams on her eyes, large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded the Legendary 'Warrior's body, reverting the lavender haired beauty back to her human form.

"Oh Lady Chrysanthemon! It's so good to see you again!" sniffed one of the Floramon.

"We missed you so! Breezy Village just hasn't been the same without you!" A Mushroomon added.

"And I have missed you too my little ones." Chrysanthemon smiled, patting two of the Rookies on the head.

However, there was someone else the flower-type Champion wanted to see. She looked up toward the center of the garden to see a young teenage girl with the biggest she has ever seen. The Bearer of Wind slowly approached Chrysanthemon. As a token for their appreciation, the Floramon and Mushroomon cleared a path for the human so she could greet their caretaker properly.

"You have restored peace, beauty, prosperity and harmony back to our village once again. Because of you, the future for my children has never been brighter. You have given them hope that the sun will shine on our plants tomorrow and the days to come. So once again... thank you." Chrysanthemon bowed to the teenage girl.

"_Il mio piacere_." Zoe beamed at the Champion level Digimon. "Anytime you need my help, I'll always be there you and everyone else."

"In that case, would you care to join us for an afternoon lunch?" The Sacred Garden's caretaker asked.

"I would love to Chrysanthemon..." The Bearer of Wind replied, feeling excited about the offer. But then she turned toward the opposite direction, where the Digiporter was. "... but I must politely decline. There are still parts in the Digital World that needs reconstructing. Besides, my friends are waiting for me at the Autumn Leaf Fair."

"I understand." The Digimon nodded, gently stroking Zoe's cheeks. "There's no need to apologize. You have done so much for this village, for my children... and for me. We will forever be in your debt."

All of the sudden, the Floramon and Mushroomon lined up beside Chrysanthemon and faced the blonde haired girl. The Champion gave the Rookies a quick nod. On cue, every Digimon in the garden bowed their heads toward Zoe. The Bearer of Wind stood there, trying to come up with the right words to say. Unfortunately, they all got caught in her throat.

"THANK YOU SO MUCH!" The plant-type Digimon shouted in unison.

"You're are all very welcome." smiled Zoe.

"Please feel free to come back anytime. Our home is your home too. We look forward to seeing you real soon." said Chrysanthemon.

"Count on it." The blonde winked.

"Goodbye! Take care! ||| "Thank you! Be back soon!" The Mushroomon and Floramon waved to their human friend.

After saying her final goodbyes, Zoe exited the Sacred Garden and dashed through the village. She's definitely going to miss this place. Maybe someday in the future, she and Takuya can come here on a date with each other. But that will have to wait for another time. Zoe sprinted toward the Digiporter, extremely anxious to get to her next destination as quickly as possible.

"Autumn Leaf Fair, here I come!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter fifty-two. <strong>

**What task at the Autumn Leaf Fair await our two heroes? Will Takuya and Zoe cross paths with each other when they arrive at their destination? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	53. Fair Play

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**On such a beautiful morning, Takuya and Zoe believed that they would get to spend a lot of time with each other. However, their fun was cut short when Eldestmon informed them that the Digital World is in need of reconstruction. With that being said, the two teleported themselves in their respective locations. Takuya helped his friends rebuild a playground at the Flame Terminal. Meanwhile, Zoe returned to Breezy Village to bring the prosperity and beauty back to the Sacred Garden. It was hard work, but they finally got the jobs done. Now, it's off to the Autumn Leaf Fair.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter fifty-three!**

* * *

><p><strong>Fair Play<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"Cutie? Where are you? Oh, Cutie?" The Battlefront's third-in-command sang as she ventured through the halls.

Beautymon first stopped at the cafeteria, the room where it seemed to have the most occupants. However only Digimon filled that populous location. There wasn't a single human in sight, making her sigh disappointingly. Beautymon left the room and marched toward the Medical Wing. But all she found were a bunch of Blisseymon, all busy putting away their tools and supplies in their respective drawers.

"Excuse me?" The female Digimon spoke, trying to get their attention. Either the Blisseymon were deaf or too busy to respond.

"Hello? Anybody?" Beautymon again requested an audience, raising her voice a little bit.

But the results were still the same. The healing Digimon kept on working, ignoring their superior's call. However, if there's one thing many were taught not to do, it's to ignore Beautymon. She was so angry, her top was about to explode if she had to wait any longer. With no one giving her the attention she needed, desperate times call for desperate measures.

"HEY!" The third-in-command screamed at the top of her lungs.

She then pointed her hands toward the center of the room and discharged one of her Beautiful Beams. The pink projectile zoomed across the Medical Wing, past a couple unsuspecting Blisseymon and collided into a hospital bed, causing it to explode into pieces upon impact. If that didn't get the nurses' attention, then nothing will.

One by one, the Blisseymon fearfully turned to the entrance, where a steaming Beautymon was standing. When all eyes were towards her, the female warrior lowered her arms and gave her comrades a cute, loving smile. Of course underneath that facial expression was the concealed look of impatience and frustration she had when she was being ignored.

"I'm looking for Cutie! Any of you puffballs seen him?" requested Beautymon. Each of the healing Digimon shook their heads from side to side. Obviously, the third-in-command didn't like the answer she received. But she was willing to give the Blisseymon another chance to be useful.

"Then can anyone tell me where he is? I really, REALLY need to see him!" All the olive haired beauty got were shrugging shoulders and confused looks from the Blisseymon.

"Wow... ARE ALL OF YOU FREAKS THAT USELESS?" Beautymon roared, producing a strong wind force that sent almost all of the Blisseymon flying toward the opposite walls.

But the third-in-command wasn't finished yet. She approached the healing Digimon closest to her and grabbed her by the collar. She could see and smell the fear written all over the nurse's face. Unfortunately for Blisseymon, her superior was already past her breaking point. And if she doesn't get what she wanted, someone's going to get hurt.

"I COMMAND YOU TO TELL ME WHERE CUTIE IS, RIGHT NOW!" Beautymon growled while pointing her free hand at Blisseymon's chest.

The nurse's lips quivered in fear. But even she has no knowledge the boy's whereabouts. All Blisseymon could do was quickly shake her head and silently beg her superior to spare her life. But Beautymon was not in a compassionate mood today. Her hand charged up, ready to unleash her most powerful attack at point blank range.

"What's going on here?"

Beautymon turned around to find the second-in-command of the Digimon Battlefront standing in front of the doorway with his arms crossed and foot tapping. The female Digimon released her frightened hostage and Blisseymon dropped to the floor. Beautymon stomped angrily toward the swordsman and leered into his eyes. But Swiftmon showed no signs of intimidation, regardless how bad of a mood she was in.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm looking for Cutie, Swiftmon! Do you know where he's at?" Beautymon asked, in a cute pleading tone at the end.

"It is none of your concern." Swiftmon asked.

"WHAT?" The third-in-command screamed practically in her superior's ear.

"Stop acting like a child. There's work to be done. So do us all a favor, stop messing around and report to your station at once."

"Station? Since when was I put in a stupid station?" Beautymon huffed.

"Next to the entrance of the Briefing Room, there is a task sheet posted on the wall. You'll find your name on that list, as well your assigned post. Now if you don't have anymore questions... GET MOVING!" The second-in-command strongly emphasized his final commands, leaving the poor Beautymon speechless. He then turned the other way and strolled down the halls.

"Hey!" The olive haired warrior exited the Medical Wing and called out her partner. "Where are you going, you ungrateful jerk?"

"Back to the Dark Kingdom. That's where Lord Eldestmon assigned me."

"Why? That place is nothing more than a barren wasteland. There's nobody there anymore."

"That's exactly why he sent me there. Even though Malevomon's gone, he wants me to double check the vicinity to see if any other Digimon were left behind."

The swordsman turned the other way and headed straight down the hallways. "Well, I'm off Beautymon. If I were you, I would suggest you get to your station immediately. Lord Eldestmon won't be happy when he finds you wandering around... And don't tell me you have no idea what I'm talking about. That excuse is getting old."

But before the female Digimon could object, Swiftmon was gone. But his rude remarks found its way into Beautymon's core. She hated Digimon who disrespect her, even those who were above her position. All she wanted to do was find her 'Cutie', take him back to her quarters and so the two of them can have some fun with each other.

Unfortunately, that will have to wait for another day... whenever that may be.

Realizing she had just wasted precious time venting, Beautymon flipped her long olive hair and proceeded walking toward the Briefing Room where she will find her assigned station, according to Swiftmon. She prayed that her 'Cutie' will be in the same location as she is. Either that or hope that she and the other human girl won't be working together.

Moments later, she arrived at her destination. Just like Swiftmon said, there was a piece of paper taped to the walls. The heading on the sheet said, '_Digimon Battlefront Task List_.' On one column of the paper were the names of all of the members of the battle in alphabetical order. The column in the middle indicated where their station is. And finally, the column on the right hand side explains their assignment for that station.

Beautymon placed a finger at the top of the list and gently traced it down until she found her name. It took a while, since there were quite a lot of Digimon whose name started with the later 'A'. But finally, the olive haired beauty found her name at the bottom of the first page. Next, she glided her index finger horizontally to see where her boss had assigned her.

_'The Containment Room'_

Anyone who noticed the look on her face knew exactly what she was thinking. Why would Eldestmon place her there instead of somewhere else in the Digital World? Is there something she needed to retrieve or is simply just cleaning up the room? Either way, just thinking about the potential tasks and chores made Beautymon uneasy. She hated cleaning duties. It ruins her dress and leaves wrinkles on her delicate hands. Curiosity got the best of her and she finally trailed her finger toward the final column on the sheet.

_'Guard Duty'_

"WHHAAAATTTTTTTT?" The female Digimon howled at the top of her lungs.

Unable to control her emotions, Beautymon aimed one of her hands at the task sheet and unleashed a powerful Beautiful Beam. The laser collided against the paper and the walls it was attached to. With such energy in that attack, Beautymon was able to blast through a hole through the wall. There was smoke, burnt paper and debris flying all over the place, but it died down in a few seconds.

Thankfully, Beautymon's anger also faded when she noticed someone was already inside the Briefing Room.

"What is the meaning of this?" The leader of the battlefront asked his subordinate.

"I was gonna ask you the same thing, you old geezer!" Beautymon countered. "Who do you think I am? I mean, really? _Guard Duty_? That's what you had assigned me to?"

"Yes, Beautymon. I did."

"WHY? I'M THE BEAUTIFULIST AND STRONGEST DIGIMON IN THE WORLD! HOW CAN YOU GIVE SUCH A DIRTY TASK TO YOURS TRULY?" Again the female warrior snapped. Her voice produced a strong wind force that blew away many contents in the room. But Eldestmon stood his ground, not giving an inch to his third-in-command.

"As of now, Malevomon's Digi-Egg remains in our holding cells. Even though he is no longer a threat, we still can't take any chances. I need someone strong who can watch over the Digi-Egg just in case. You, Beautymon, are the perfect candidate."

"Excuse me?" She barked.

"You wanted an easy task, don't you? Well, this is as easy as it gets. All you have to do is make sure no Digimon gets in or out of the Containment Room until further notice."

"Can't you have someone else do it? Swiftmon? Or maybe even the blonde with the flat chest?"

"My decision is final. Now, if you excuse me, there's work to be done. Get to your station. Or else I will have to give more... filthy work." The leader argued, with a small dash of intimidation in his voice.

Realizing that he was in a high position, Beautymon lets out a soft 'Hmph!' before storming out of the Briefing Room. She stomped angrily through the lobbies toward the direction of the Containment Room. Even after her little chat with Eldestmon, the olive haired Digimon couldn't believe that she, out of every Digimon in the world, would be given probably the worst task of all.

"Unbelievable... UN-BE-LIEVEABLE!" Beautymon vociferated as she strolled down the halls. "This is so stupid! Everybody's always against me! All I want is to spend some time with Cutie! Isn't that too much to ask? Apparently so! Now, I'm stuck with all of these freaks! And for what reason? Guard Duty? Are you kidding me? What kind of a stupid job is..."

"Commence teleportation!" She heard Gotsumon's voice just as she was about to pass by the Digiporter Room.

As Beautymon watched a few of her comrades disappear from headquarters, she had an idea. But she had a sneaky grin on her face, which in this case meant she was up to something. The third-in-command waited until the Digimon on the platform were out of sight.

"Good morning!" Beautymon sang as she gracefully skipped into the Digiporter Room.

Her angelic voice captured the Rookie's attention. But what surprised him even more is the fact that Beautymon had her arms around his mineral-like body. At first, Gotsumon blushed at the sudden display of affection. On the other hand, he had known Beautymon for a long time. This strange behavior alone told him that something was on her mind.

"Alright, spill it! What do you want?" The Rookie asked, removing Beautymon's arms off of his body.

"Oh, nothing. I just came to see what you're doing." The olive haired warrior replied as innocently as she could.

"Well if it's any of your business, I'm teleporting Digimon to their assigned locations so they can all help with the reconstruction of the Digital World."

"Ooh, how exciting!" Beautymon jumped up and down with delight before she got serious. "Say, haven't you seen Cutie anywhere? I've been looking all over for him, but can't seem to find him."

"Are you referring to the human kid? Yeah, I just teleported him to the Autumn Leaf Fair a few moments ago." replied Gotsumon.

"Good, because I have a favor to ask you. I want you to teleport me to where Cutie is, so I can see him."

"Um... are you sure, Beautymon?" The Rookie asked as he took out a sheet of paper, which happened to be the task list Eldestmon has organized for his troops. "Because according to the list, it says that you were assigned to..."

Suddenly, Beautymon quickly pinned Gotsumon down to his seat, immobilizing him. With one hand on his chest, the female Digimon had her other hand above Gotsumon's face, chagrining up with energy. The Rookie was scared for his life. However, Beautymon is the type of Digimon who would take their frustration out on her comrades.

"I don't care about what the list says, you moron! I go where I wanna go! And not a stupid shrimp like you can tell me otherwise! Now, you can either do as I say and teleport me to the Autumn Leaf Fair or... I can do exactly what you'd expect me to do if I don't get what I want! Are we clear?"

"Y... Yes ma'am!" Gotsumon nodded with sweat beading down his forehead. His reply made Beautymon release the Rookie.

As Gotsumon scrambled back in his chair, the third-in-command merrily skipped onto the Digiporter. She kept her eye on her inferior, just in case he had any other ideas. But nonetheless, he did exactly what he was told and entered the coordinates for the Autumn Leaf Fair.

"Alright... Coordinates are set. Ready to teleporting in five, four..."

"JUST GET ON WITH IT, YOU FREAK!"

"Yes, ma'am! Commence teleportation!" Gotsumon shouted, skipping past the countdown.

He slammed his fist on a blue button. A white light shot out from the bottom of the Digiporter, engulfing Beautymon with its bright light. The female Digimon waved to the rock-type Digimon before entire room was covered with white, blinding light. Once the teleportation was complete, the third-in-command was already gone.

"Eldestmon sure ain't gonna be happy about this..."

* * *

><p>The Autumn Leaf Fair is a large marketplace in the Area of Ice. Deep in the frost-covered plains, a large furnace in center of the bazaar gives off warmth to its inhabitants. Digimon of all shapes and sizes travel near and far to this shopping center in order to trade and barter with their fellow Digimon. Business is always booming in the Autumn Leaf Fair. Ever since the Chosen Children left after defeating Lucemon, the bazaar expanded a lot more.<p>

But after Malevomon took over, the once prosperous market area turned into a ghost town. Only a handful of buildings and booths remained untouched. The rest ended up on the ground or in pieces. There were cobwebs a-plenty, hanging on the dusted windows and all four corners of each shop. Garbage and debris blanketed most of the ground. As for the merchandise and materials in the shop, they were either broken out of shape, too old to operate or just covered with a bunch of dust and filth. Miraculously, the only structure that's left without a scratch is the huge furnace sitting in the middle of the market. However, everything else was trashed.

That was, until a blonde haired girl and a large group of a two hundred Digimon arrived to clean up the mess.

"Alright, let's get to work!" She ordered. Upon command, the Digimon scattered across the bazaar to clean up their assigned station.

The stronger Digimon went to work on reconstructing the shops and booths. If anyone were to look at the devastation, they would believe that it would take at least a year getting the Autumn Leaf back to its feet. Fortunately, the Digimon had a bunch of tools, supplies and material to rebuild the hundreds of facilities in the area. The creatures all got to work without wasting anytime.

It's amazing what cooperation and determination can do. Digimon left and right made tremendous progress from the get go. From setting up the frames to assembling the walls, and from building the roof as well as the interior, everyone worked together to reconstruct the marketplace, one booth at a time. Normally, it takes about a day or two to build one of these shops. But the Digimon have displayed incredible teamwork, perseverance and industrious attitudes. It only took them ten minutes to reconstruct one building.

In the span of one hour, at least thirty shops have already been built.

As the stronger Digimon continued with the hard labor and heavy lifting, Zoe and the weaker creatures took on easier tasks. These include cleaning up the insides of the shop, as well as giving it a new paint job. The Bearer of Wind whistled a happy tune as she removed a bunch of cobwebs on the corners with a broom. Zoe got a little creative and added some spins, twirls and dance moves to add the element of fun to the work.

Strange as it seems, Zoe loves to clean. Whether it's her own room, her closet, the kitchen, or in this case the Digital World, she finds it relaxing to pick up messes. It calms her mind. After seeing so much devastation caused by Malevomon, cleaning up is a good way to relieve stress, to meditate and to boost the spirits of herself and her Digimon friends. Plus to top it all off, seeing the spotless and immaculate floors, walls and booths gave the teenage girl an incredible sense of accomplishment.

As Zoe whistled while she worked, other Digimon focused on painting the outsides and insides of the shops. Burgermon families decorate all four walls every single finished booths, while a large group of angel-type Digimon plastered the roofs and ceilings of the buildings. And just before, the perfect combination of teamwork and motivation allowed the creatures to finish up quickly. Meanwhile, other Rookie Digimon brought in tables, chairs, baskets and shelves of merchandise into the shops.

The Bearer of Wind and the rest of her friends were able finish cleaning and polishing at least twenty-five shops in one hour.

Of course, there was much more work to be done. Thankfully, it will be a long time before the sun disappears beyond the horizon.

"Keep up the good work everybody! You're doing great! If everyone continues to work together, we'll have the Autumn Leaf Fair back in business in no time!" Zoe motivated the others. She stood on a support scaffolding so everybody could see her. The girl had every single creature's attention and was thrilled to see them excited to continue working.

As the Digimon dispersed into their stations, the Bearer of Wind stayed on the second story platform to remove the cobwebs and dust out of the windows of a shop that were too far away from her to reach from the ground. She started off with the cobwebs. There were quite a few of them hanging on all four corners of the windows. However, not one of them could stand a good swipe of the broom.

Zoe combined her grace and elegance with the broom, making it look like she's dancing on the platform. To any Digimon that passed by, they could assume the girl is having the time of her life up on top. Distracted by the mental music in her head, but calm and relaxed as her limbs rose and extend in a artistic pattern.

One particular Digimon had her eyes on the blonde the entire time. And boy was she angry.

"Just look at her! Blondie thinks she's so hot because she can twirl a broom like that! She calls that dancing? Oh, please!" Beautymon said to herself. It wasn't long before most of the Digimon cleared out, leaving Zoe all by herself.

And that made Beautymon snicker.

First, she had her eyes targeted on one of the rusty clamps attached to the scaffolding Zoe was on. Then, she pointed her finger in the shape of a gun. An energy ball the size of her fingertips slowly charged in energy on the edge of her digit. Unlike her normal attack, Beautymon decided to go with a low profile projectile to avoid attracting attention. However, that meant the energy attack will lack in power due to the small size. This also meant that Beautymon had to be extremely accurate when she unleash her attack.

A fact that didn't bother the olive haired Digimon once.

"Poor Blondie. I hate being the one to give her a broken bone or two and... wait... who am I kidding? I love to!" Beautymon silently squealed to herself. Finally, she aimed her finger at the targeted clamp. With a wide grin on her face, she was ready to cause an 'unfortunate' accident.

The Bearer of Wind climbed down from the scaffolding tower to check to see if she has missed a spot. Her eyes caught some leftover threads of sticky silk just resting on the walls underneath the platform. Not wanting to let a job go unfinished, the blonde ducked underneath the scaffolding so she can remove the rest of the cobwebs. As she got to work, the young woman started singing.

"_And as I sweep the room,_  
><em> Imagine that the broom,<em>  
><em>Is someone that I love,<em>  
><em> And soon I'm dancing to this lovely tune...<em>"

*thung*

A strange sound interrupted Zoe's beautiful singing. It sounded like some kind of blow to a metal object. If she were to hazard a guess, someone or something must've hit the...

"Huh? WHOA!"

But before Zoe could deduce any further, the platform she was underneath began to collapse. Instincts took over her body as she dropped the broom and dove through square holes of the tower. Zoe landed on the ground and covered herself as the scaffolding broke apart into pieces of wood and metal rods. If she had reacted a split second later, her foot would've been at the bottom of the pile. The blonde sprang back to her feet and wiped the dirt off of her clothes.

"That was close." She sighed with relief. Zoe placed a hand over her heart to check if it was still beating.

"ZOE!" Someone shouted towards her. The blonde turned to the source of the noise coming from the south side.

She saw three figures sprinting towards her. Zoe recognized the first two as Bokomon and Neemon. However, her eyes widened when she saw a human trailing behind them. Whether it was the goggles on his head or the happy look in his eyes, Zoe Orimoto was more than glad to see her boyfriend's face again.

"Takuya! Bokomon! Neemon!" The Bearer of Wind beamed, momentarily forgetting the accident she almost got in with the collapsed scaffolding.

Her Digimon friends waved to her with smiles on their faces. Takuya, on the other hand, wrapped his arms around his beloved's slender waist and pulled her into a warm embrace. Afterwards, he gave her a long passionate kiss on the lips to make up for lost time. Although she hasn't seen Takuya in three hours or so, it can seem like forever.

"Wow-wee! What happened here?" Neemon asked, passing by both humans and feasting his eyes on the collapsed scaffolding.

The other three turned their attention to the broken pieces of wood and metal lying in a huge pile on the ground. There was a huge mess in front of them, all four were surprised the shopping both adjacent to the platform wasn't affected at all. As Bokomon and Neemon investigate the pile of odds and ends, Takuya wrapped an arm around his girlfriend's shoulder.

"Are you okay, Z? You're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm fine. But I don't even know what happened. I was just dusting away the cobwebs, when I heard a noise. Suddenly, the whole scaffolding started to fall apart. I dove out of the way just in time. Thankfully, no one else was hurt. However... I couldn't help but wonder what caused the entire platform to collapse. I mean, it was completely stable when I got on it, so I have no idea how this happened."

"Probably a rusty nut? Or a loose screw?" Takuya asked.

"Not rusty. More like destroyed." Bokomon replied, pulling out something from the pile. He showed Takuya and Zoe what appeared to be a destroyed bolt with only half of the nut still intact. However, there was no signs of rust nor any visible burn marks.

"Look at this..." The mutant Digimon said, showing the damaged cylindrical fastener.

"It looked like someone removed the bolt with some kind of energy attack." Bokomon deducted.

"Who would do such a thing?" Zoe wondered. There wasn't a lot of Digimon around when she swept the area. But even if there were, why would anyone want to put her in harm's way? Something doesn't add up, but Zoe couldn't put a finger on it.

"Well, the important thing is that you're safe." Takuya said, wrapping his hands around hers.

"Thanks Takuya." gleamed the girl.

"It was probably just an accident." Bokomon suggested.

"Or was it?"

"NEEMON!" Everyone else practically yelled in the poor Rookie's ear.

"Sorry!" apologized the embarrassed Digimon.

"Anyway, we should get going and see if the other Digimon need any help." said Takuya.

"I agree. Come, come! We can't help our friends just standing around." Bokomon said, taking the lead down the road with Neemon and the two humans following behind them.

The rabbit in red pants tried to keep the walk entertaining by telling hilarious 'Knock, knock' jokes, much to Bokomon's annoyance. But Takuya and Zoe kept their hands and fingers intertwined with another and their eyes locked on each other. Every now and then, one of them start off with a kiss to a random part on the face or any of the open neck region. And it was the other's job to mimic. Sure it was a silly, corny game for a couple to play.

But then again, this is Takuya and Zoe. They can be stuck in a dark room with no one but each other for the whole day. And neither one of them couldn't be happier, nor get tired of each other's company. In fact, they're just as comfortable sharing silence with one another than most couples are. To any who noticed, these two were meant to be together. Of course every now and then, they will have their share of back-and-forth arguments. Sometimes Takuya will have to live with Zoe's occasional bossiness, while Zoe has get use to Takuya's idiocy.

But even something like that won't split these two up. They were made to be together until the very end.

A fact that a certain Digimon wasn't very fond of.

"AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

She couldn't take it anymore. Rage and jealousy can make a Digimon do crazy things. In Beautymon's case, blast the first shopping both she laid eyes on. When the humans were out of sight, she unleashed a violent roar and shot a Beautiful Beam at the shop that the teenage girl had recently cleaned. Beautymon used a lot more energy than usual, causing the poor store to explode and burst into pieces. Digimon left and right gathered around the area where the olive haired warrior was to find one of the booths in ruins. But what's even more noticeable was Beautymon panting with rage.

"This isn't over, Blondie! Mark my words, by the end of the day, Cutie will belong to me! And I'll use whatever means necessary to get what's rightfully mine! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The hysterical Beautymon stomped out of the area, already coming up with more devious schemes on how to get the goggle-head boy back. The female Digimon marched away from the destroyed shopping booth, leaving all the rest of the civilians to clean up the mess she had made.

* * *

><p>"<em>When there's too much to do,<em>  
><em>Don't let it bother you, <em>  
><em>Forget your troubles,<em>  
><em>Try to be just like a cheerful...<em>"

"Singing again, huh?" Takuya asked, as he and a Burgermon set down a table inside one of the stores.

"Oh, you know it." Zoe goggled, taking out another set of cobwebs with another broom.

"I only ask because it looks like you're having a lot of fun sweeping the whole place."

"What can I say? I love cleaning."

"Meh, I wish I was you, Zoe. I hate cleaning."

"That's because you never find the element of 'fun' in such a tedious task."

"How do you do it, Z? Prance around the room and singing like no one's even watching you?"

"Congratulations, Takuya! I'm impressed!" The young woman gasped at Takuya's correct guess. Of course, the goggle-head detected a mild amount of sarcasm.

"Simple as that, right?" Her boyfriend grinned.

"You know I love singing just as much as I love cleaning."

"And I can see why. You have such a wonderful voice, Z. Like an angel... with eyes of emeralds, a heart of gold and a soul so pure."

"Takuya..."

The two met in the middle of the room. Takuya lips quivered with anticipation. Right in front of him is the most beautiful girl in the world... Digital or Human. As for Zoe, the kindest, handsomest and the most thoughtful young man she has ever met stood before her. Neither one of them could control themselves. Zoe to speak, but Takuya quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her in.

Their lips met in an instant.

Zoe's arms were around his neck, holding him close to her body. She felt her breasts were being crushed against his chest, but she didn't care. So help her, if Takuya or anyone else tried to interrupt them. Zoe would put them in the hospital... permanently. As for Takuya, his hands caressed her body. Up and down, all around they went, exploring the contours of her slender figure.

One hand pushed against the back of her head firmly, and the other traced small, random patterns into the lower part of her neck. It felt so good, like he was in some kind of dream. And it got even better when their tongues wrestled with one another. But it wasn't a matter of competition. More like rewarding each other for being by one another's side after all this time.

Takuya pushed Zoe's tongue out of the way, and sucked on her lower lip, relishing the noises he received afterwards. The hand massaging his scalp grabbed a fistful of chocolate hair, and squeezed. Her bold motion made him lose his balance. Thankfully there was a wall to catch his fall. But even the small crash didn't stop the two from making out.

They had done this a few times before. But regardless how many times they had kissed and caressed each other, it always feels incredible. They could do this all day if they like. However, Takuya wanted more. The fourteen year old boy lowered one of his hand until it found itself on Zoe's creamy thigh. The reaction he got was exactly what he wanted.

Zoe's eyes widened upon contact. A subtle moan escaped her lips, signifying how much she loved the feeling. It got even more intense when her beloved's hand started to explore around her lower extremity. But Takuya made it a mental goal to himself to make sure not a single part of her leg goes untouched. Zoe loved it. By now, she has figured out that Takuya really loved her legs. Probably because they are one of the best aspects she possessed.

Then Takuya did something that made Zoe squeal mildly. He didn't know if he had hit the spot or violated her. This was the first time he told his hands to venture toward the inside part of Zoe's thigh, just inches away from touching her...

"Takuya!"

"Oh God, I'm so sorry!" He apologized, pushing his girlfriend off of him out of embarrassment. He turned away so Zoe couldn't see the redness in his cheeks, the guilt on his face and the shame in his eyes. Takuya couldn't help himself, and he let his emotions ran out of control. After something like this, even most girls wouldn't be so forgiving.

But Zoe is not like most girls.

She turned her boyfriend around and placed a hand on his face. As a sign of compassion, she gave him a soft kiss on both cheeks, the nose, and of course, the lips.

"It's alright. There's no need to apologize."

"But I..." But a finger on his mouth prevented him from continuing.

"I was just surprised. That's all. But that doesn't mean I didn't like it. I love you so much Takuya. But maybe some other time, okay? I don't think we're ready to take our relationship to the next lev..."

"There you are!" Someone walked into the shop and shouted at the humans. Takuya and Zoe looked toward the entrance and saw their two Digimon friends carrying more boxes inside.

"You guys need help?" Takuya asked.

"Yes plesae!" Neemon replied.

"There are plenty more boxes outside that need to be delivered. Please do so quickly! There's so much to do!" Bokomon ordered, placing his box on the table and opening it. When Takuya and Zoe left the booth, they failed to see the contents inside Bokomon's box; a bunch of balloons.

The Bearers of Flame and Wind finally got outside. Just like Bokomon said, there were tons of boxes lying on the ground, waiting to be transported to their respective shops. Unfortunately, there were a lot of boxes. If they don't start right away, they could be here all day. But before either one of them could pick up or carry one of the cubed containers, they quickly noticed the surroundings in the Autumn Leaf Fair had changed.

The once gigantic marketplace was slowly transforming into a carnival.

Digimon all over were helping each other decorate. Some of them hung streetlamps overhead, while other setting up their own individual booths. To their left were a bunch of carnival rides like the Ferris Wheel, a giant rotating swing, bumper cars, a roller coaster for kids and older, braver Digimon and even a giant slide that starts near the top of the furnace and all the way down to a pool. To their right were all kinds of game stations that range from ring tosses to balloon popping.

Although the place seemed far from complete, Takuya and Zoe could tell that something was going down.

"What is this?" Zoe asked her boyfriend.

"Some kind of celebration, I guess." hypothesized Takuya.

"And indeed you're right, my boy!" Someone replied.

The humans looked up and noticed an angel-like landing in front of them. His eyes are covered by his silver helmet. He also had long brown hair trailing down his back, and a pair of angel wings spread from both sides. Finally, this Digimon had a purplish stash covering his front, and he also wielded a long staff with a crescent moon at the end.

"Greetings, humans. My name's Piddomon." The angel said.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Piddomon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Wings of Fate; Holy Heal**

**Description: Piddomon's existence is one of absolute virtue. His main mission is to extinguish all evil. He is a warrior of justice, wielding his Holy Staff to defeat his enemies. His Wings of Fate sets his feathers ablaze, and then casts them down as meteors.**

"What's going on, Piddomon? Is there going to be some kind of festival here?" The blonde asked.

"That is correct, young lady! Every year, when the three moons align, the Autumn Leaf Fair hosts one of the most prominent events ever in the Digital World! A large celebration where Digimon from all over gather around to relax in vast games and other fun contests! That's right! By tomorrow, this giant marketplace will become... the 'Autumn Leaf Festival!'"

"Seriously?" Zoe gasped with excitement, while Takuya huffed at the cheesiness.

"Of course, children! We are expecting the biggest turnout this year! However, there is still much to do! We must hurry, for the Autumn Leaf Festival starts tomorrow! Now if you excuse me, I have to help the Candlemon organize the fireworks show! Until we meet again, humans!" And just like that, the angel-like Digimon flew towards the opposite direction and was out of sight.

"Fireworks? Oh, how I love fireworks!" Zoe jumped up and down while clapping with joy. "You hear that, Takuya? There's going to be a festival here! How exciting!"

"I know, right? This is going to be awesome! Come to think of it! I don't believe you and I have ever..."

"Hey, you two! These boxes aren't going to move by themselves, you know!" Bokomon peeped his head out of the booth and called out to the humans.

"We're coming!" Takuya responded.

The couple exchanged one more kiss before getting right back to work. Remembering that there were still a bunch of boxes waiting for them in the middle of the road, Takuya and Zoe hurried over to the pile of crates and transported them to their respective locations throughout the bazaar. Some of the destinations were close by while others were on the other side of the market.

But little did they know is that with each successful transportation, they're helping other Digimon setting up for the upcoming Autumn Lead Festival. For every single create contained supplies like regular and twisty balloons, face painting bottles and brushes, glow necklaces, tattoo kits, and assorted candies and treats. Some boxes contained pennant streamers, snow cone makers and cups with tons of different flavors by the gallon. Other containers contained supplies for the game stations. Rings for the Ring Toss, darts for the Balloon Pop, and milk bottles and balls for the Pyramid Throw.

The task seemed more time consuming and tedious than many believed. But it only took an hour to transport the boxes to their exact locations. Once that was over, Takuya and Zoe reunited with each other back at the original spot. There were no more boxes to deliver, giving the loving couple more time to spend with each other. Plenty of time to cuddle... to touch... to hug... to kiss... to...

"Oh good! There you two are!" Another voice again interrupted. Neemon waved at the humans, while carrying a large paint brush. Bokomon followed behind with his own brush, plus can of light blue paint.

"Give us a break, Bokomon! Zoe and I just spent a whole hour delivering heavy packages!" complained Takuya.

"Sorry, my boy. There's still work to be done." The Digimon answered, handing the container of paint to the goggle-head. He then pointed towards a small building a few meters south.

"How about this? After you finished painting that shop, then you can rest. Deal?"

"Fine..." grumbled Takuya. He grabbed the paintbrush from Bokomon's hands, while Zoe retrieved Neemon's.

"Oh happy day! More work for us!" The goggle-head grumbled. But his comment earned himself a quick elbow to the side, courtesy of Zoe.

"Come on, Takuya. The day will go by much faster when you stop whining like a little baby." said the young woman, pulling her boyfriend by the ear to their assigned location. Bokomon and Neemon watched the happy couple leave, which caused them to smile.

"Don't they look so cute together?" asked the intelligent Digimon.

"Cute? How's that cute? She's pulling him by the ear! If you ask me, that's more painful than..."

*smack*

* * *

><p>"<em>Oh where, oh where has my Cutie gone,<em>  
><em> Oh where, oh where can he be...<em>"

As the olive haired warrior sang her song, she turned the corner and left behind a few more crumpled and collapsed shopping booths with few unfortunate Digimon buried underneath the pile, for they had a taste of Beautymon's wrath with each failed attempt she had to find her Cutie.

"Now, where could he be? I have searched everywhere for him. Oh, I hope he's alright." wondered the nervous Digimon. But her worried look slowly turned to anger.

"That flat-chested Blondie better not be messing with my Cutie! With her filthy hands all over his handsome body... _my_ Cutie's handsome body! Ooh, the next time I see here, I'll..."

"Oops, you missed a spot Z!" A familiar voice caught her attention.

"Huh? Where Takuya?"

Her head shot up and her eyes widened when she saw a pair of humans painting a store. This was her perfect chance to give Cutie some 'sugar'... plus a little something on the side.

But before she could make a move, the teenage boy did something that made her sick.

"Right here!"

Takuya used the end of his brush to dap a little bit of paint over the girl's nose. It caught Zoe by surprised, but she wasn't complaining. In fact, the sly grin on her face told her beloved that she's about to pay him back twice the amount. She had a bigger brush in hand. By using her quickness, she slapped her paintbrush across Takuya's shirt.

"Oh come on, Zoe! I love this shirt!"

"It's just paint, silly! It'll come off!" giggled the girl. Takuya smiled. If there's anything he loves more than Zoe's singing, it's her laughter.

"Well, in that case..." Takuya grabbed the brush from Zoe's hand and returned the favor, gliding it from the side of her shirt to the end of her shorts, getting a little bit of white paint on her leg.

"Takuya!" She exhaled greatly.

"What? It comes off, right?" chuckled the Bearer of Flame.

Zoe retrieved her brush from her boyfriend. It looked like she was going to take another shot at Takuya. But instead, she gently dapped his nose with a little bit of white paint. After the two exchanged laughs, they got back to work. They had already finished painting most of the building. All that's left is to add a few small touches and designs so it would look more attractable to costumers.

Unfortunately, Beautymon saw the whole flirt scene.

She was so red, her head was about to explode. Beautymon was about to unleashed a thunderous yell that could cause the whole ground to shake. But quickly dove behind a nearby building so neither of the humans could see her.

Zoe had just finished painting her design on the wall. She stepped back to examine her work, and boy was she proud of it. But when the girl turned to check on her boyfriend, she noticed his facial expression has changed. He wasn't smiling, but he wasn't sad either.

Nervous is probably the best way to describe how he's feeling. The way he stared at his shoes and bit his lips every now and then was a dead giveaway. The blonde was curious, so she set her paintbrush down and placed a gentle hand on his tensed shoulder.

"What's wrong, baby?" She asked.

"I was just... thinking..." responded the young man.

"About what?"

"Um... you remember that conversation we had over the phone before we went to the Digital World?"

"Well... a little bit of it. All I can recall is that you were having a _very_ tough time asking me out on a date." The blonde said, sticking her tongue out.

"IT WASN'T A DATE!" Takuya argued, much louder than intended.

"Whatever... Heehee!" Zoe stifled a giggle.

As she got back to work, the goggle-head gazed at the beautiful girl with dazzled eyes. As fair as the sun, her hair danced with the wind like butterflies roaming the sky, revealing her gorgeous face. The way she smiled even made his heart do backflips. If Zoe paid any attention, she would've noticed the redness on his face. Instead, Zoe went back to painting more designs on the wall, while humming one of her favorite tunes. Little did she realized that her melodic sounds were only made the boy more tense. Her cute smile, her voice, her laughter, her tenderness, the way she said his name... Why is this so hard for him?

"So, uh... Zoe?"

"Yes?"

"I was, um... wondering if... if I could ask you s... something."

"Go ahead. I'm all ears."

"Well... Piddomon, he, uh... mentioned something about a festival. You, um... remember... do you?"

"Well, duh! He was here not too long ago, Takuya." Zoe replied, smirking at the nervous boy. "That's what you wanted to ask me?"

"Huh? No!"

"Then what are you waiting for? Ask!"

Takuya took a deep breath and gazed into Zoe's mesmerizing eyes. "What I want to ask you is... and it's alright if you say no... But I was thinking that... well, if  
>you had the time that is... maybe we could... you know, if you wanted to... do you... um..."<p>

"Again with the stuttering?" Zoe asked giving Takuya a strange look.

"Come one, Z! Give me a break, why don't you?"

"Because your stupid stammering is driving me crazy! Sheesh, I thought we passed that already!"

"But what do you want me to do? I'm not exactly an expert on this, you know!"

"You don't have to be an expert. Just be you."

"Well... I can try. Probably gonna look like an idiot though."

"Teehee, you're adorable baby." Zoe winked, which somehow increased her beloved's confidence.

"BABY?" Someone shouted from afar.

The humans turned to the source of the loud noise. But what they saw instead was a large explosion yards from their current position. A giant burst of flame, followed by dark clouds of smoke rose to the sky and came into the view of the teenagers.

"What was that?" Takuya asked.

"No idea. Maybe a gas tank exploded." Zoe guessed.

"Perhaps we should go check it out, just in case."

"Nah, it's probably nothing. Besides, I really want to get this paintjob done before sunset."

"Alright then." The goggle-head nodded.

And so, the humans proceeded with their task. They still had add designs on a couple more walls, plus inside the shop. But with each other by their side, the two of them had a feeling that work was going to go by much faster.

There was still something Takuya wanted to asked his girlfriend. However, he figured it was best to wait until they had finished . After all, he wanted this to be perfect... with nobody interrupting him.

* * *

><p>It turns out that Zoe was only half right about a gas tank exploding. What she didn't know was who caused the explosion. After hearing what the name Blondie gave to her 'Cutie', she screamed and shot a Beautiful Beam at a container full of flammable fluids. The explosion symbolized her fury and rage, from the sudden burst to the trail of flames left behind.<p>

Beautymon peeped behind the corner and saw the humans painting again. So far, she has overheard the two of them talking about a festival. And what's worse is that she has an idea what the boy was going to ask her. Just thinking about it made her blood boil. She stared thousands of daggers at the smiling girl, thinking up plenty of ways to 'get rid of her.'

"I swear, Blondie. The next time I see you place your dirty little fingers on my precious Cuti..."

Too late. The young woman had some paint on her fingertips. A little swipe on her beloved's nose earned her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Alright... THAT'S IT!"

Beautymon pointed her finger in the shape of a gun and aimed just above the girl's head. She spotted a can of white paint just sitting on top of the booth the humans were painting at. Coincidently, the container was not only sitting on the edge of the shop, but it's position was directly above the blonde's head. An energy ball the size of a grape slowly charged up at the end of her fingertips.

"So, Takuya. Were you going to ask me something ?" Zoe reminded her boyfriend of their original conversation.

"Nah, it can wait." Takuya responded.

"Please? I really want to know." She begged with those eyes.

"Fine..." He gulped, but remembered her words of wisdom. "Zoe... I was wondering if you would like to...

*ding*

A strange noise entered both of their ears. But before either Takuya or Zoe could react, it happened.

A gallon of white paint fell from the top and spilled all over the unsuspecting blonde. Zoe was drenched with large amounts of white liquid. Her hair was a mess and most of her clothes were covered with paint. Zoe stood there with her mouth hung open, feeling shocked and humiliated. But just when things couldn't get any worse, it did. The can above her head rolled off of the roof and landed directly on the poor girl's head.

"Oh, God! Zoe, are you alright?" Takuya gasped at what he just saw. Unbeknownst to the humans, a certain olive haired Digimon was rolling with laughter.

"I... I think so..." The girl replied with the can still covering her head.

"Wait right here." ordered the boy.

He didn't have to venture too far. The goggle-head found a rag sitting on a window apron. Takuya retrieved the cloth and handed it to Zoe. She used the rag to wipe the mess off of her face. Although there were still a gallon of paint covering her hair and the rest of her body, at least she was able to see again.

"What the heck just happened?" Zoe asked as she gazed her attention toward the roof.

"No idea." Takuya shrugged his shoulders. "Probably an accident or something."

"An accident, huh? That's weird..."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, earlier today, I almost got crushed by a two story scaffolding. Then just now, a can of paint falls on top of me."

"Could be a coincidence."

"Then why does it feel like I'm being... targeted?" Zoe asked. She looked behind with a suspicious feeling that someone was watching her. Oh, if she only knew...

"Come on, Z! You're being a little too paranoid." teased Takuya, which earned him another punch on the arm. This time, she got some paint on his sleeve.

"You dare doubt a girl's intuition?"

"I would never!" Her beloved just laughed.

"Oh never mind, you big dummy. Anyway, wait right here. I'll be right back." The drenched blonde said before turning the other direction.

"Where you going?"

"To get cleaned up. You think I'm gonna continue working like this?"

"No. But exactly how are you going to do that?"

"I'll ask if any of the Digimon here has a shower I can use. I mean, this is a large area. I'm bound to find something."

"Yeah... you do have a point. Might as well get washed up before you cause a whole stink in the air."

"Watch it, Takuya!"

"I was just kidding! Jeez, no need to pull my head off!"

"Whatever." Zoe said, as she took off down the road.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Takuya suggested.

"No, that's alright. You keep working. I'll be back in a few."

"Hey, wait a minute! Don't leave me here! Who's gonna help me paint?"

"There are a ton of Digimon here, Takuya. _Ask_!" The paint-covered blonde playfully stuck her tongue out toward her boyfriend, before disappearing behind an alley.

"Alone again. Great." The teenage boy grumbled. He retrieved his paint brush and got back to work.

"Can't really blame her. Accidents happen. I mean, what are the odds that a can of paint lands directly on top of your head, huh? Very, VERY low. And yet Z's the lucky one. She gets a break, while I'm working my butt off. YOU'RE WELCOME ZOE! Unbelievable. She said she's gonna be back in a few minutes. But I bet she'll take her sweet time in the hot shower and wait until I finish..."

"CUTIE!"

Takuya turned his left, and there she was. The boy saw Beautymon sprinting towards him with a worried look in her pink eyes. Once she was in range, the female Digimon threw her arms around the goggle-head's neck. Beautymon swung her body around and around, while Takuya tried to find his balance. But when he did, the Digimon buried her face into his chest, acting like she was crying.

"Oh, Cutie! I missed you so much!"

"B... Beautymon? What are you doing here?" Takuya asked, still surprised with her sudden presence.

"I came to help! This is where I was assigned to work! After all, I can't let my little Cutie do all the hard work by himself, right?"

"Uh... huh?"

"Well what are we waiting for, Cutie! Let's get started!"

She grabbed picked up the paintbrush that Zoe had recently used and picked up where the goggle-head left off. Takuya watched the female Digimon paint with a stunned look on his face. He was in need of some help now that Zoe's gone. But the fact that it's _her_ had him speechless. Beautymon looked over her shoulder and noticed the boy staring at her. That made her cheeks flushed. And in return, she gave the young man seductive wink.

"Well Cutie? Are going to continue staring at me like that? Or are you going to help me paint?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry Beautymon! I'm on it." Takuya snapped out of his thoughts.

"No need to apologize, Sweetie. Actually... I wouldn't mind you staring at me at all?" The olive haired Digimon whispered into the boy's ear.

"What? Oh no, that's okay! I was just relieved that I don't have to work alone now. Thanks Beautymon!"

"Anything for you, Cutie!"

"How can I ever repay you?" The words accidently came out.

"Well..." The third-in-command's pretty smile was replaced with a devious grin.

"There is one way."

"Name it and it's yours!" Takuya said a little to quickly. But his attention was more focused on finishing the paintjob, he didn't even notice the female Digimon was standing close to him.

"You ever heard of the... Autumn Leaf Festival?"

"Yeah? What about it?"

"I want you to go to the festival with me... as my date!"

"Well, if that's what you want, I'd be more than... WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?"

"That's right Cutie! Tomorrow, you and I are going to have the time of our lives. And it's going to be so magical! They'll be rides, and sweets, and they'll even have the best firework show in all of the Digital World! Oh, I can't wait for tomorrow!" The olive haired warrior squeaked with delight.

"Um, Beautymon?"

"Yes, Cutie?"

"About that... I, uh... I was actually thinking about asking Zoe out instead."

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?" Now it was her turn to be shocked.

"Well, I was _gonna_ ask her to go to the festival with me. But then a can of paint fell on her head. Now, I'm just waiting for her to return."

"But Sweetie... you're not serious... are you?"

"I really want our very first date in the Digital World to be special. And what better place to do it than at the Autumn Leaf Festival?" replied Takuya.

"So... you're not going with me?" Beautymon gulped nervously, bracing herself for the final nail in the coffin.

"Sorry. I just want it to be me and Zoe. I mean, you're welcome to join us. But when the fireworks come on, I would like the two of us to be alone. I hope you understand."

"I see..." The stunned Digimon inadvertently dropped her paintbrush.

Slowly, she pulled her right arm inside her sleeve. As Takuya finished up painting around the window, Beautymon brought out a fistful of red flower petals out of her sleeve. The smirk on her face only masked the contained jealousy and anger inside. Beautymon wish it would never have to come to this.

But if there's one thing Beautymon hated more than being called ugly, it's _rejection_.

"I'm sorry Cutie. But you leave me no choice." The olive haired fighter sighed as she brought her arm forward.

"Huh? What are you talking abou..."

"Petal Dance..."

She opened her fist in front of Takuya's face. A bunch of rose petals escaped out of her palm and danced around her and the goggle-head. Takuya gasped and tried to get away.

But it was too late.

The boy dropped his paintbrush and when he realized he was trapped. He accidently inhaled the scent of the roses and immediately lost all senses. He no longer had control over his body... and his mind.

"Don't try to resist, Sweetie. My red petals possess the strongest of scents, giving me full control of whoever inhales it. Swiftmon told me to only use these petals only in emergencies. However... I classify _this_ as an emergency."

In front of her was a stiff Bearer of Flame. His eyes nearly lifeless. Not a single muscle in his body even twitched. A statue, a mindless zombie, a soulless body, are just a couple of ways to describe Takuya's current state. With no control over his actions or his thoughts, he was at Beautymon's mercy.

"Now, let's try this again." Beautymon smirked.

"Cutie? Tomorrow, you will go to the Autumn Leaf Festival with me, as _my_ date! Not the flat-chested Blondie! Me! Do you understand?"

The boy slowly turned his head sideways until his eyes locked onto hers. At first, there was a long moment of silence. But Beautymon got the answer she wanted when she saw the boy's head move up and down.

"Yes, Beautymon..."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter fifty-three. <strong>

**How will Zoe react when she finds out Beautymon stole her boyfriend? Can she get him back or will she be without a date at the Autumn Leaf Festival? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	54. Gone With The Wind

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Feeling like watching over Malevomon's Digi-Egg was a waste of time, Beautymon decided to go find her 'Cutie' at the Autumn Leaf Fair. Meanwhile, our heroes learned about the Autumn Leaf Festival, the Digital World's most famous celebrations. But before Takuya could ask Zoe on a date, a can of paint coincidently lands on top of the poor girl. When Zoe left to wash up, Beautymon arrives and used her Petal Dance on Takuya. Now that he's under her spell, Beautymon forced Takuya to take her to the festival as his date! How's Zoe going to react when she finds out?**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter fifty-four!**

* * *

><p><strong>Gone With The Wind<strong>

**Normal POV**:

"Oh Cutie! I'm so happy!" Beautymon gasped at Takuya's response, before jumping up and down and clapping like a child.

"We are going to have so much fun tomorrow! You and me together... watching the fireworks, going on rides, eating all kinds of sweets, playing carnival games... And do you know what the best part is, Cutie?"

It's not that Takuya couldn't come up with an answer, but it's that he just couldn't answer. Beautymon had used her intoxicating technique on him once again. But unlike before, the female Digimon used her most powerful petals that possessed the strongest scent. These flowers shuts off all signals to and from the brain, making Takuya a mindless zombie unable to control himself. As of now, he is unaware of the current situation or the true intentions of Beautymon.

"The best part is that we don't have to worry about that ugly Blondie! She will be all alone, the only one without a date to the Autumn Leaf Festival! How sad. Haha... Hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

As Beautymon continued to laugh maniacally, every Digimon that passed her by stared at her awkwardly for her strange, obsessive behavior. The only one who wasn't paying attention was Takuya. His eyes appeared to be dead, possessing no soul in them. It's only instincts that allowed Takuya to stand up on his own. However, that's the only control he had over his entire body.

"Come on, Sweetie! We better get moving before that flat-chested girl comes back!" Beautymon suggested, pulling the teenage boy by the arm. Thanks to muscle memory, Takuya was able to one foot in front of the other, transfer his weight and repeat the same process. But the only thing he wasn't able to process was where exactly the third-in-command was taking him.

"Once we get back to headquarters, I would be more than happy to show you my room, Cutie!" Beautymon requested as she dragged Takuya through the Autumn Leaf Fair. "And I know you're going to love what I have prepared for you. I got a nice tub we can share, some tasty treats I know you will enjoy, and best of all, a big cozy bed... for two! Oh, Cutie! Just thinking about all of the wonderful things I have planned for you tonight and tomorrow makes me want to..."

"Miss Beautymon! Wait up!" Someone called out to the olive haired Digimon, much to her annoyance. The third-in-command turned and glowered at the creature who was trying to speak to her.

Actually, there a pair of Rookies requesting her attention. They appeared to be ant-type monsters. With their bodies as black as the night sky, they could easily blend with the darkness. They also had gray straps attacked to their four arms and both thighs, as well as blackish boots that reach up to their ankles. One insect had a glove on his right hand, while the second one had his on his left.

"Oh great, it's the Attamon Brothers! Not now, boys! Can't you see I'm busy?" Beautymon growled at the pests.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Attamon**

**Level: Rookie**

**Attacks: Insect Infection; Colony Crush**

**Description: The Attamon Brothers are as incompetent as they are annoying. But their loyalty cannot be denied. Alone they won't accomplish much. But with a huge colony by their side and with their Insect Infection attack, even the strongest of Digimon have something to fear from these pesky ants.**

"But ma'am! You request our presence not too long ago!" The ant-like Digimon on the right said.

"Yeah! Don't tell us we came all this way for nothing!" The second Attamon complained.

Beautymon sighed, released the goggle-head's arm and stomped toward the Rookie insects. The bugs noticed the familiar scowl on her face; the same look she gives to almost anyone nowadays. Both of the Attamon feared that Beautymon would easily squash them or blast them with her patent lasers. But nevertheless, mercy was granted to them... for now.

"Fine, I'm only going to say this once." threatened the olive haired Digimon. "I'm taking Cutie back to my quarters. I want you two bumbling idiots to find Blondie. Make sure she doesn't come back. Do you understand?"

"Uh... yes Miss. Beautymon! As you command!" saluted the oldest Attamon. "We'll find that girl and keep her busy!"

"Yeah! We could have her do all kinds of chores!" The youngest Digimon suggested.

"Or maybe we could show her around the whole Autumn Leaf Fair until she gets bored!"

"Or we could take her to lunch, have her keep eating until she can't move!"

"Oh, I got an idea! How about we find some tacks and stuff them in her shoes? That way, she ca..."

"Unbelieveable! It looks like you idiots have no clue what I'm talking about, do you?" The frustrated Beautymon groaned.

"Huh... Miss Beautymon?"

"Let me make this clear, you brainless twits! When I say I don't Blondie to come back, I mean... she 'doesn't come back!'" The female Digimon heavily emphasized the last few words.

"Um... we can try stalling her as long as we can... if that is what you requested... uh Miss. Beauty..."

"PERMANTLY!" hollered Beautymon, her voice echoing from one side of the Autumn Leaf Fair to the other.

At that point, the Attamon knew exactly what she meant; and it disturbed them greatly. Just thinking about 'exterminating' the Bearer of Wind was simply outrageous, almost to the point where they thought about backing out. And who can blame them? She was one of the Chosen Children who saved their world... twice. First from the power-hungry Lucemon and the wicked Malevomon. It's unthinkable to eradicate someone who saved them from eternal slavery and despair.

But not as unthinkable as disobeying Beautymon's orders. They had done that time and time again for as long as they could remember. Being a pair of incompetent, spineless Digimon has its drawbacks. For every time they had failed to fulfill the olive haired warrior's wishes, they had been on the receiving end of some serious punishment. There were countless times the insect-type Digimon wished the third-in-command would squish them like the bugs they are. However, and for reasons unknown, Beautymon kept giving her subordinates chances, regardless how many times they messed up.

This time seems to be different. Her orders were clear. And it appeared as if Beautymon's down to her last straw. Failure is not an option. Beautymon made sure the last bit of information got into their heads. She leaned forward and stared deeply into their terrified eyes.

"Word to the wise, boys. If you mess this up again, then I will place you on top of the list and hunt you down myself. Got it?"

"Yes ma'am! Clear as crystal!" The ants bowed before scurrying back down the road.

Once the insect duo were out of her hair, Beautymon turned to the mindless goggle-head and smiled. She skipped merrily to his side, wrapped her arms around one of his and giggled happily. Still, Takuya showed no response to her flirting. His eyes reminded forward, staring deep into the empty space or anything that crossed his line of vision.

"Now that those two idiots are gone, why don't we head back to my room? We can get washed up, get some sleep, and do all sorts of _wonderful_ things... with nobody bothering us?" The female Digimon asked, acting as innocent as she could. But Takuya remained silent, neither approving nor rejecting Beautymon's request. The pink-eyed warrior took his silence as a 'yes.'

"Then what are we waiting for, Sweetie? Let's go!"

And so, Beautymon dragged the helpless Bearer of Flame down the road, all the way to the edge of the Autumn Leaf Fair. Once they've reached the marketplace's boarder, they trudged through the snow for a few meters. Sure it was a little chilly once they've left the area. But Beautymon snuggled herself tight inside the teenage boy's arms, which provided her warmth, protection... and some elaborate fantasies of her and her Cutie.

They soon reached the Digiporter, which was under a mile from the edge of the bazaar. The olive haired beauty and Takuya stepped on the platform together and made their way toward the center. Beautymon then tapped her foot on the Digiporter a couple of times. Moments later, a white light shot out from the bottom of the platform, engulfing the two with its bright light. Seconds passed until finally, the light had subsided. But by then, Beautymon and Takuya Kanbara had disappeared.

However, just before those two left the Autumn Leaf Fair, another pair of Digimon spotted them escorting each other back to the Digiporter. Well to be more accurate, the third-in-command was doing all of the escorting. But nevertheless, two Rookies hid behind a corner and watched Takuya and Beautymon exit the vicinity. Instead of following, they remained in their hiding place, just in case they were spotted. It wasn't until they saw a large white beam of light shooting toward the sky.

And that's when they knew.

"I'm guessing they've gone without us?" The yellow rabbit asked, which earned him another painful wedge, courtesy of his partner.

"Never mind that, you doofus! Come on! We have to find Zoe!" The Digimon wearing a pink waistband ordered as he dragged his friend by the pants to find a certain teenage girl... wherever she may be.

* * *

><p>After the 'unfortunate' accident, Zoe walked all over the Autumn Leaf Fair in search for a shower she could use. Either that or a hose to wash the paint all over herself. Even though this large area was filled with a bunch of stores and trading booths, some Digimon use their shops as their own homes, stocked with a kitchen, a bed, and sometimes a shower.<p>

Thankfully, a majority of the inhabitants here were very friendly. It didn't take long for the drenched young woman to find a Digimon kind enough to offer her a shower. A Gekomon and a Otamamon spotted Zoe walking by, asking others for help. Feeling guilty seeing a human all covered in paint like that, they brought the girl to their music shop. While the shelves still needed to be stocked with instruments and other supplies, their facility still had running hot and cold water their human friend could use. The frog-like Digimon showed her the stairs and gave her directions to the bathroom, while the bluish tadpole offered her a towel and a bar of soap.

"Thanks, guys." Zoe returned the favor with a grateful smile. "It's so nice to have friends who care about one another."

"Oh please! It's the least we can do after all you've done for us and for our world!" Gekomon spoke in a raspy voice.

"He's right! We are forever grateful!" bowed Otamamon.

Once they were done with etiquette, the two Digimon went back downstairs to give Zoe some privacy. While the Bearer of Wind was cleaning up, Gekomon and Otamamon went back to replenishing their shop with brass and woodwind instruments. Most of them were brand new, since much of their old instruments were either ruined or destroyed when Malevomon took over. But by the end of the day, 'GO MUSICS' should be ready to open.

"Hello, anybody in here?" Someone called from the shop's entrance. Gekomon and Otamamon turned and saw two ant-type Digimon at the front.

"Welcome GO MUSICS; the one and only place where you'll find high quality instruments at the lowest prices!" The frog greeted his customers.

"How may we assist you today?" asked Otamamon as she jumped on top of the counter. "We have a great deal on violins! Buy two, get one FREE!"

"Ooh! That is a good deal and... wait a minute... Does that mean we get three at the same price?" The youngest Attamon asked.

"Shut up, you imbecile!" The oldest smacked his brother in the face before turning to the storekeepers. "Actually, we're not interested in instruments."

"Huh? You guys don't want instruments?" Gekomon questioned.

"No. We're looking for someone. A girl." answered the insect on the right.

"Can you at least provide a description?" The tadpole-like Digimon requested.

"Um... tall, blonde hair... brown eyes."

"Wrong, you moron! She's skinny with black hair and green eyes."

"You obviously had no idea what you're talking about!" The Attamon shoved his partner in the chest.

"Yeah, look who's talking you dumbfu..."

Suddenly, their argument came to a halt when they heard singing coming upstairs.

"_As this world turns us around,  
><em> _ We hang on to what we've found,  
><em> _ A treasure we both need;_

_ I will go that extra mile,  
><em> _ To give you back that certain smile,  
><em> _ That you've given me, yeah!"_

The Attamon slowly tiptoed upstairs, where the source of the melodic noise came from. Meanwhile, Gekomon and Otamamon knew who was in their bathroom on the second floor. However, the fact that these two bugs were snooping around their facility instead of shopping irritated them.

"Hey, what are you two doing?" Gekomon order with his harsh voice.

"Stick to the pond, froggie!" Both ants glowered at the storekeepers, which in turned frightened them out of their shop. Once they were gone, the siblings ventured down the hall, drawing closer and closer to the bathroom. The sound of the human singing grew louder and louder.

_"I'll answer anytime and anywhere,_

_Call my name and I'll be there, _ _  
>There's nothing like the laughter that we share,<em> _  
>Whenever you need someone,<em> _  
>Or a shoulder to lean on,<em>

_Call my name and I'll be there!"_

For youngest Attamon, he was drowned out be the voice of the singing teenager. Never before has he heard such a lovely song. The insect had no idea humans could sing so beautifully. On the other hand, the second Attamon stared at him awkwardly. The way he moved his head from side to side made his brother look like an idiot. And so, Attamon slapped his brother on the back of the head.

"Focus!" He said.

"I am! Sheesh!" Attamon complained while rubbing his bruised cranium.

"Let's think. Miss. Beautymon's orders were very specific. It is up to us to make sure this human doesn't come back to the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters."

"Alright. Any ideas?"

"Hey, I know!" The eldest Attamon grinned. "I say we cut off the running water in the bathroom! The human can't return without completing her shower, right? So, as long as we keep her..."

*slap*

"Idiot! That's a dumb idea!" His brother argued after slapping the eldest across the face. "What if she's all done with her shower _after_ you cut off the water supply? Then what?"

"Hey, it's a very legitimate plan! If you can come up with a better one, let's hear it!"

"Fine! I suggest we steal all of her clothes instead! Obviously, the girl's not going to come out of the bathroom without any clothes on, right?"

"What are you, a pervert?"

"Better than being stupid... like you!"

"Say that again! I dare you..."

"Is someone there?" The Bearer of Wind called out the moment she heard the two Digimon arguing.

Suddenly, she turned off the water and grabbed the towel sitting on the rack. As for the Attamon Brothers, they were already in panic mode. The two scrambled all over the place with worried looks on their faces, almost to the point of crashing into each other. If they don't get out there right away, they would soon be face-to-face with a naked young woman. Just when the blonde beauty was about to open the shower curtains, one of the ants grabbed an item on the ground that belong to the human and dashed out of the 'GO MUSICS' shop.

Zoe stepped out of the shower with her towel wrapped covering the top of her breasts and revealing a little bit of her thighs. She heard noises while she was washing up, but had no idea who was arguing outside. Still, it bothered her that someone was 'this' close to invading her privacy, which could result in severe consequences.

"Hmm... must be my imagination..." The Bearer of Wind thought.

With that out of the way, Zoe threw her towel in the laundry bin and got changed. She started with the undergarments, followed by her light purple t-shirt, her short shorts, her socks and shoes, and finally, her signature purplish beanie. After putting on all of her clothes, Zoe looked in the mirror to see if there were any more paint spots or blobs she might have missed. Her hair was still a mess, but that will dry up eventually. According to the smile on her face, she was good to go.

"Finally! Now, to head back so I can help Takuya." declared the blonde.

She exited the bathroom and scurried downstairs. The first thing she noticed that the shop was empty. Nobody was inside. The shelves were all stocked with instruments, but there was no one around to look after it. Zoe called out for Gekomon and Otamamon, but no response.

"Where could they have gone?" The Bearer of Wind thought, placing a hand on her hips.

Then she realized something else was missing the moment she touched her pockets

"Hey, wait a minute! My D-Tector! It's gone!" Zoe gasped.

The young woman searched every inch of the shop for her lavender device. She even went back to the bathroom to double check. Sadly, her D-Tector was nowhere to be found. After sweeping through the entire store, Zoe ran outside in a state of shock. She couldn't believe what had just happened. Her D-Tector had vanished into thin air. But how was that possible?

"Calm down, Zoe." The blonde beauty told herself. "Think about it. Just before you finished showering, you heard noises coming from outside. That means there were Digimon nearby while I was cleaning up. Whoever they were, they must be the ones who stole my D-Tector. Find the culprit, and everything will be fine."

And so, Zoe began her search for her D-Tector.

She asked Digimon all over the Autumn Leaf Fair for any information. Perhaps one of them had some sort of a clue as to where the thieves might've gone. Unfortunately, luck wasn't on her side. Every Digimon she asked knew nothing about the whereabouts of her D-Tector. With each minute passing by, her hope of finding her device decreased.

"Oh, this is terrible! How could I lose my D-Tector in such a time like this? Great, now I can't Spirit Evolve if I run into trouble! What am I suppose to tell Takuya? That I was in the middle of a shower, and then suddenly, someone stole my D-Tect.."

"Whatcha doing?" Someone asked the pondering blonde.

Zoe turned around to see who was talking to her. Sure enough, a pair of ant-type Digimon stood before the girl with grins wider than usual. The young woman observed the two insects standing in front of her and quickly noted their strange behavior. They were shifting their weight from side to side, and it appeared as if they were having trouble maintaining eye contact.

"Who are you guys?"

"We are the Attamon Brothers! Nice to meet you!" One of them introduced themselves.

"Um... I'm Zoe. It's a pleasure. Say, I'm looking for my D-Tector. Have you boys seen it?"

"A D-Tector? What's that?" The eldest Attamon asked, trying hard not to snicker.

"Let's see... How can I describe it?" Zoe thought. "Well, it's a small device, about the size of my hand. It's pink and purple and has a few light green buttons on it."

"Oh, does it by chance have a pink button in the... OOF!" The oldest brother elbowed his sibling in the stomach just before he said too much.

"Sorry. What my brother was trying to say is, 'no' we haven't seen it... Hehe..."

"Uh... okay..." Zoe stared at the duo strangely.

"But I have a pretty good idea where we should look! Datamon's Electronics!" The second Attamon replied.

"Say what?" The blonde tilted her head in confusion.

"Yeah, he's a really good friend of ours!"

"He is?" The oldest looked at his brother strangely, which earned him a smack on the head. However, that small gesture was enough for the Attamon to get the implied message. "Oh, yeah! A very, VERY, good friend of ours!"

"If there's any Digimon that knows about electronics, it's Datamon! Maybe he could help!" The youngest suggested, while hiding his deviousness with a fake smile.

Unfortunately, Zoe was so desperate to find her D-Tector, she couldn't sense that something's wrong.

"Well if you boys don't mind, could you take me there?"

"Of course! Follow me! It's this way!" The duo answered together. Funny thing is, they were pointing in opposite directions.

"Moron! Datamon's Shop is _this_ way!"

"Wrong! Datamon's Shop is _that_ way!"

"This way!"

"That way!"

"This way!"

"That way!"

"Can we please get moving?" Zoe requested, stopping the brothers from continuing their pointless argument.

"Fine... We'll go _this_ way." The youngest gave up.

The three walked toward the east of the fair for a few minutes. As the pair whispered to one another discussing their next plan of action, the young woman took the time to gaze at her surroundings. The huge marketplace was slowly turning into the carnival that's famously known as the Autumn Leaf Festival. Most of the decorations had been set up, while some of the Digimon were alomst finished preparing their own game booths and treat shops.

"Oh, I really hope Takuya asks me to go to the festival with him!" The Bearer of Wind wished with all of her might.

Zoe's heart leaped at the idea. She had played the scenario out in her head many times. Her beloved would come up to her, maybe with some flowers or something corny (just like Takuya), and act incredibly nervous. Zoe would innocently ask him what he needed. Finally, he would offer her the flowers, and formally ask her to be his date to the festival, which she would readily accept. It would be a dream come true.

"We're here!" The Attamon Brothers sang.

In front of the trio was an ordinary shopping booth. The half-opened curtain revealed some of the contents inside the small building. Zoe could see gadgets and gizmo aplenty resting on the shelves. Of course at the front entrance, was a sign that said 'Datamon's Electronics'.

"This place?" Zoe wondered.

"That's right! I can almost guarantee you that your so called 'D-Tector' will be somewhere in this store." One of the Attamon reassured.

"Oh yeah! Datamon's Shop is a huge place, so feel free to look around! Take all the time you need!" The second ant spoke.

"Wait, aren't you guys going to help me? I sure could use a second or third pair of eyes." Zoe requested.

"NO, WE CAN'T!" Both insects replied, maybe a little too quickly. Their response even made the teenage girl almost jump out of her shoes. Realizing that they had overreacted, the Attamon Brothers regained their composure.

"We'd love to, but... we can't." stammered the youngest.

"We, uh... We have some things we need to take care of." explained the eldest.

"Well, okay..." Zoe sighed. She turned away from the Digimon and made her way toward the shop's entrance. But before she walked inside, she stopped and looked back at the insects.

"You guys are weird. I don't know what's with you boys, but I get this strange feeling that you're hiding something from me."

"Who, us? Um, sorry... We have no idea what you're talking about!" Both of the ant-type Digimon said with their hands behind their backs and probably the biggest smiles on their faces.

"Right... Like I said before... you're weird." Those were Zoe's last words to the insects before slipping inside Datamon's Electronics.

Once when the human girl was out of sight...

"Phew, that was close!" The youngest Attamon dropped to his knees, unable to keep up his straight face any longer.

"You have the biggest mouth in the world!" complained the eldest.

"Oh, and I assume your total lack of direction wasn't part of the problem, huh?"

"Why you.."

"Let's go, big brother!"

The two stared each other down, ready to start another brawl; like most brothers would do. Other Digimon pass by, laughing at the pair of bumbling idiots in the middle of the road. It took the two of them a while to realize the scene they were incidentally creating. They soon backed of each other's throats and got back on schedule.

"We haven't got much time. Once when that brat realize her D-Tector isn't Datamon's Store, she'll soon figure out something's wrong and will start looking for us again." The first Attamon analyzed.

"And that's when she'll fall right into our trap!" concluded his sibling.

Behind one of the shopping booths nearby, laid a couple of shovels, a net, and some shrubbery. The Attamon Brothers grabbed the supplies behind the store and set off toward the west. They already had their exact location marked and all of the tools they need to create the perfect pitfall trap. Now it's only a matter of time before the human comes around.

But once she does, who knows what surprises those two have in store for her?

* * *

><p>"Hello? Anybody in here?" The blonde hollered as she entered the shop.<p>

Datamon's Electronics isn't what she had expected. It was a small room with all kinds of electrical devices scattered across the floor. Apparently, the storekeeper hasn't considered in organizing his merchandises or cleaning up the building. It was hard enough for Zoe to get from the entrance to the counter without tripping over some copper wires. Eventually, the blonde reached the front desk.

"Is someone there?" Again Zoe asked.

"Yes, hold on a second, my dear." A voice from the back responded. It sounded like a computer was talking to her.

Well to be more precise, it was a robot that appeared before her, not a computer. It had a glass top and steel body with arms and legs connected by metallic coils. His right eye changed colors from yellow red, and back again. But as for his left side, Zoe could see parts of his structure had been chipped off, revealing a little bit of skin his eyeball.

"Welcome to Datamon's Electronics. my dear!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Datamon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Virus Grenades; Data Crusher**

**Description: Datamon is no ordinary Digimon. He can store infinite amounts of data on his hard drive. A machine who doesn't need recharging or any replacement parts. His opponents tremble when he releases his Virus Grenades. Just one of these dangerous explosives will erase any Digimon from this world.**

"Hey, wait a minute!" said Datamon the moment he saw the human. "I've seen you before!"

"You have?" Zoe tilted her head sideways in confusion.

"Yeah! You're friends with Tommy, aren't you?" The blonde widened her eyes the Digimon mentioned one of her good friends.

"Why, yes I am! You know Tommy?"

"Do I? Young lady, friends like him are kept in my special data compartment. Hehe, that kid is full of surprises. First he beats my high score in a game I found in the junkyard, and then saves my life by using the prize I gave him! Now, how do you like that?"

"That's Tommy, alright!" Zoe giggled.

"How's the little guy? It's been so long since I've last seen him! I miss him so!"

"Don't worry, Datamon. He's fine! And I'm sure he misses you too!"

"Yeah, I bet!" The android Digimon grinned. "A friend of Tommy is a friend of mine! So, what can I do for you?"

"Well, I'm looking for my D-Tector." replied the girl.

"A D-Tector, huh? You mean those strange devices that Tommy and the rest of you humans carry around?"

"Yes! Have you seen it?"

"Nope, sorry. I don't have any in my inventory."

"Seriously? Just like that?"

"Yes, my dear. My hard drive keeps track of all of my sold and unsold merchandise. And after doing a quick scan of my system, I've detected no information about a D-Tector."

"But your friends told me that you know a lot of about electronics. If not, at least an idea where I could find them."

"Well, if I had any information about any... wait a minute..." Datamon stopped the conversation quickly.

"What friends?" He repeated. The reaction Zoe got intrigued her. She saw a little contraction in the creature's left eye, which indicated confusion.

"Um, the Attamon Brothers."

"Hmm... _accessing database..._"

The light bulbs in his circuit went on and off as the android Digimon scanned his memory about his 'friends', the Attamon Brothers. As Datamon conducted his search, Zoe waited in front of the counter for his response. It wasn't long before a strip of paper printed of the android's mouth.

Strangely, the sheet was blank, with nothing typed on it. As Datamon looked at the blank piece of paper, he turned to the young woman and shook his head.

"Sorry. But I have no knowledge of any friends known as the Attamon Brothers."

"Are you sure? Bug-type Digimon about my waist level? You know, a pair of idiots?" Zoe tried to explain, based on what she knew about the siblings.

"The data never lies. I've searched through my entire database, and yet have no information about the Attamon Brothers."

"So... you don't know them?"

"Can't say I have."

"Oh, I see... Then, can you at least give me an idea how I can find my D-Tector?"

"That device really means a lot to you, doesn't it?" grinned the android.

"You have no idea." Zoe sighed.

"Hmm..." Datamon paced back and forth.

"Well, let's start off with the basics. Every device releases its own electromagnetic waves. Some have weaker waves and others have strange ones, but each electronic has its own unique wave."

"Uh... okay, go on."

"By recognizing these waves, I can use them to sense whether or not my customers are stealing my merchandise, instead of paying for them. Even though there are thousands of electronics in the Digital World, I can tell which devices have come and gone throughout my shop. And if..." But then the android paused, as if he had remembered something.

"Now that you mentioned it, there was a strange wavelength reading just a few moments before you entered my store; one that I'm not too familiar with."

"You mean, my D-Tector?" Zoe's eyebrows rose with interest.

"It could be..." Datamon hypothesized. "I can't say exactly the location of your device. However..."

"Yes?"

"I'm getting some weird readings... coming from that direction." The Ultimate pointed towards the west.

Zoe turned around and saw the road that she and the Attamon Brothers took to reach Datamon's Shop. She also knew that if she traveled a few more yards, she would soon pass 'GO MUSICS' and eventually meet up with Takuya again. Is it possible that she dropped it on the way over here? While she was a little unsure of the reliability of the android's detection, it was the only lead she has.

"Wow! Thanks Datamon! You're a lifesaver!" Zoe smiled.

"No problem." said Datamon. "Now let's get down to business! I'm having a big sale on television sets! Buy one, and get the second... Hey, wait!"

Unfortunately, the Bearer of Wind had no time to negotiate. Before Datamon could lay down his deal, Zoe dashed out of the shop and toward the west.

Little did she know, Zoe was on her way to meet a couple of old 'friends' of hers.

* * *

><p>"Come on! Help me up!" The eldest Attamon yelled from the bottom of the ten foot hole.<p>

"Here, grab the rope!" His brother commanded. He threw the rope down the pit and helped his sibling out of the hole.

"We have to hurry! The human will be arriving shortly!"

And so, the Attamon Brothers went to work quickly on finishing their pitfall trap. First, they've laid a large, brown cloth over the hole so she wouldn't see it. Next, the youngest brother laid a bunch of shrubbery, branches and leaves over the cloth; almost covering it entirely. Finally, the older Attamon covered the shrubs up with large amounts of dirt.

When their work was complete, there was an uneven spot on the ground a few feet before them.

"You sure this is going to work?"

"Of course it is!" replied the eldest. "Once when that human falls down the pit, we will cover the hole up with another large blanket so no one will discover her. And just for reassurance, we'll put cones around this spot so everyone else can walk around, as the poor human cries for help. It's foolproof!"

"Are you sure that's what Miss. Beautymon wants?" The younger sibling questioned.

"She told us to make sure that human doesn't return to the Battlefront Headquarters. So, if everything goes according to plan, that girl will fall into our trap and will be stuck there for the rest of her life. How is this not what she requested?"

"Hmm, I see." nodded the second Attamon. "For a moment there, I thought Miss. Beautymon wanted us to destroy the human instead."

The two insects stared at each other. The youngest sibling had brought up another interesting idea, one that neither had thought about prior to building the pitfall trap. Maybe destroying the human is what Beautymon meant when she ordered her subordinates to...

"Nah, why too messy." said the oldest. "Besides, I don't think either one of us has the strength to take on a human."

"I guess, you're right. Maybe, after we capture... HEY, HERE SHE COMES!" Attamon pointed behind his brother's shoulder.

"Huh? What are you..."

But before he could check, his sibling grabbed him by the antenna and dragged him behind a corner of one of the shops nearby. They peeped over the edge and waited patiently for the moment of truth.

Zoe Orimoto walked down the road. Her head constantly moved around like it was on a swivel. According to Datamon, her D-Tector has to be somewhere in this direction. So it was critical for her to keep her eyes open, for she may never know when her device might show appear.

Unbeknownst to the blond, she was walking straight for the uneven pile of dirt resting in the middle of the road. And the sad thing was that she was so busy searching for her D-Tector, Zoe has no clue of the potential trap she was gradually approaching.

"Hehe, she's getting warm." One of the Attamon snickered.

"Warmer..." The second one said when the young woman was a few feet away from trap.

"She's on fire!" The two of them chuckled together when Zoe's foot hovered over the uneven spot.

And the girl casually walked over the 'laid out' trap, much to the insect creatures' surprise.

"What the... It didn't work!" The younger sibling gasped.

"Of course it didn't! You used too many branches!"

"Me? You're the one who covered it with too much dirt!"

"WHAT'D YOU SAY?"

The argument quickly turned physical. The siblings tackled each other to the ground and wrestled on the dirt. The good news that both of them were even in terms of strength and tenacity. The insect duo refused to give each other an inch. But the bad news was they were rumbling and tumbling down the road... and right on top of the covered pitfall trap.

"WHOA!" Down the Attamon Brothers fell, landing at the bottom with a loud 'thump'; enough to make the teenage girl freeze upon hearing the sound.

She looked over her shoulder and saw large hole in the middle of the road. Curious about what's down there, she hustled towards the huge crater and stared at the bottom. To her surprise, she found a pair of ant-type Digimon sitting on a pile of dirt, a bunch of shrubs and a brown blanket.

"Ugh, what happened?" One of them asked.

"This is all your fault!" The second argued.

"My fault? You're the one who pushed me into the hole!"

"And who was the one who made me do it in the first place?"

"Hey, are you guys okay?" Zoe called down the hole. But her voice doesn't appear to be reaching the bickering pair.

"It's your fault!"

"'Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

As the insects argued with each other, Zoe tried to think of ways of helping them out of the hole. Regardless of their odd behavior, it isn't right to leave them there. The blonde searched around until her eyes found some rope resting on a window apron nearby. Zoe sighed with relief before retrieving the rope. She then hurried back toward the hole, just to find the siblings still arguing with each other.

"Um, hello! Guys? I got some rope here if you wanna..."

And then she saw it.

Resting at the feet of one of the Attamon Brothers was a small, weird shape device about the size of her palm. It had a lavender color, a pinkish secondary and a couple of green buttons, with a fuchsia one in the center. And if that wasn't distinguishable enough, there was the Symbol of Wind pictured on the screen of...

"My D-Tector!" Zoe gasped with her eyes widened.

"Your fault!"

"No, your fault!"

"YOURS!"

"YOURS!"

"HEY!"

Upon hearing the noise, the pair ceased their argument and looked toward the top of the hole. Their biggest fear came true when they saw a teenage girl with fury and flames in her eyes.

"I believe you guys have something of mine!" The angry Zoe growled.

"Huh? What are you talking about, girly?" The eldest laughed.

"Yeah! We got nothing but a giant bruise on our..."

"YOU BOYS STOLE MY D-TECTOR, DIDN'T YOU?"

Based on the response she got, Zoe nailed it right on the money. The Attamon Brothers took a step back, trying to think of a way to respond to the girl's outlandish claim. But that's when one of the ants felt something hit the back of his foot. He looked down and, sure enough, there was the pink and purple device the Bearer of Wind was looking for.

"Oh, you mean this?" The youngest picked up the D-Tector and showed it to the girl.

"Yeah, that's mine! Give it back, you thieves!"

"Thieves? We found this thing for you! How can you call us..."

"You're the ones that stole it while I was taking a shower, weren't you?"

"Um..." gulped the eldest.

"And when I asked you guys about it, you gave me false directions; leading me to the wrong way, huh?"

"Well..."

"And... YOU'RE THE ONES WHO TRIED TO GET ME TO FALL INTO _THAT _HOLE, ISN'T THAT RIGHT?"

"Alright, it's true!" Both insects confessed. At last, Zoe had gotten to the truth. But that's only half of the battle.

"Good. Now, please give me back my D-Tector!"

"First things first, human! Get us out of this stupid hole! Then we'll hand you your device!" commanded the youngest.

"Why should I? How can I even trust you?"

"That's fine! We can get out ourselves AND not give you what's yours!" The elder suggested. He saw Zoe with her arms crossed and her foot tapping, which gave him the signal that he had struck a nerve.

"Or, you can down here and get it yourself! That is, if you're willing to take both of us at once; which I doubt you can do in your human form!" The younger brother chuckled

"Face it, pretty face! You'll never get your so called 'D-Tector' again! Ever!"

"HAHAHAHAHA!" The two ants laughed maniacally.

Zoe was furious. Not because the insect duo lied to her, but now she's in a position where she can't get her D-Tector, even if she tried. There has to be a way to retrieve her device, without risking herself and possible the lives of these mischievous Digimon. As much as she likes to exterminate the Attamon Brothers for pulling such a cruel trick, Zoe's not that kind of person.

Then again... she had other ways...

"Alright, if that's how you want to play..." Zoe sighed before abandoning her position.

"Huh? Where is she going?" The Attamon Brothers stared at each other with curiosity.

A minute passed. But for the ant-type siblings, it felt like agonizing hours. First of all, they had no idea what the teenage girl was planning. She could've left them behind and make them wait for the next helpful Digimon to help them out. Then again, that would also mean she would leave her D-Tector behind, a very foolish mistake on her part. Fortunately, the Attamon Brothers didn't have to wait any longer for the blonde to come back. Moments later, they saw her peeping over the hole.

What they saw next made their antennas stand on end.

In Zoe's hands was white gallon bottle with a blue cap. From their point of view, the Attamon Brothers couldn't seem to read the label on the large container because the human had her arms covering it. For the life of them, they had never seen a bottle shaped like that. But that's when Zoe showed them the white container. Although the writing was a little bit small, the siblings were finally able to read the label on the bottle.

'_Bleach_'

"Oh no! You wouldn't!" The younger of the two inhaled, taking a step back. Ants and bleach do not mix. One drop would lead to major burns and severe damage to their bodies.

"I really don't want to do this, guys. But I'm giving you one last chance." The Bearer of Wind commanded. "Give back my D-Tector, or else."

"Or else... what?" The oldest Attamon gulped.

"Or else I'll dump this entire bottle of bleach all over your heads!" Zoe responded.

"Y... You're bluffing!" stammered the eldest. "I know y... you won't do it. You're um... a Legendary Warrior. Yeah... You humans are too nice to, uh... to do something cruel to helpless Digimon like us."

"Oh really?" Zoe countered.

She took the cap off and tossed it aside. The young woman then held the bottle over the hole, ready to poor the bleach all over the insect siblings with a small deviation of the wrist. Her goal was to try to scare the Attamon Brothers to do as she says so that no one gets hurt. Dumping the large bottle of chemicals on the two pests is the last thing she wanted to do. Then again, if push comes to shove... who knows?

Obviously, both siblings were already panicking. The oldest was chewing his glove like it was a piece of gum. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead and dripped all the way down to his neck. His right foot tapped on the ground like an out of synched musician. He had his eyes on his brother, waiting for him to come up with an idea to get the both of them out.

But then there was the youngest. His reactions were similar to his brother. He was twiddling with his fingers, and his eyes seemed to be wandering all over the place. His chest was moving out and in at a very fast pace, indicating short and shallow breathing. Finally, he was shaking his head while looking at his brother.

Thankfully, Zoe was able to notice this.

"Because, if there's one thing I hate more than thieves... it's liars!" continued the young woman, deviating her wrist a little bit more so the liquids inside the bottle could be seen. "You see boys, when others lie to me, I get a little mad, hurt them a little bit and then all is forgiven. But you two, if my math is correct, you lied to me about five times today! And that makes me really, really..."

Zoe tilted her wrist downward and allowed one drop of bleach to fall down the hole. The droplet landed on the ground right in between the Attamon Brothers' feet. Whether she intended to miss or not was a mystery to them. But if neither one of them complied to her request, they could be covered in burning chemicals that will scorch them to the core.

"OKAY, OKAY! WE GIVE UP! PLEASE, JUST DON'T DO IT!" begged the insect duo.

"Then I want my D-Tector back... RIGHT NOW!" commanded the Bearer of Wind.

Without waiting another second, one of Attamon picked up Zoe's D-Tector and tossed it out of the hole with all of his strength, regardless of the tension in his muscles. Fortunately, he was right on target. The young woman caught the her device with her free hand. She pushed on a few buttons to check if she still has her Spirits, which she did. Thankfully, she got her D-Tector back without having to harm the thieves.

However, she wasn't done with them yet. After placing her D-Tector back in her pocket, she glowered at the siblings.

"There, we gave you your D-Tector back! Now, let us out of here!" begged the youngest.

"Not until you boys explain yourself!"

"Explain what?" The eldest gulped.

"Why? Why would you steal my D-Tector, send me on a wild goose chase, and try to trap me? Tell me! Why?"

The Attamon Brothers looked at each other, silently asking one another a way out of this dilemma. They were suppose to follow Beautymon's orders in making sure this human doesn't come back to the Battlefront. Not the other way around. Another failed mission in the books. If Beautymon finds out about this, she will have their heads on a platter.

Then again, the human might not so forgiving if they don't answer right away.

"Alright, we'll talk!" The youngest submitted first. "We were..."

"Silence, brother!" commanded the eldest. "Don't you dare speak! Miss. Beautymon will rip all six of our limbs off of our bodies and feed them to our..."

"What? Beautymon?" Zoe's eyes widened at the revelation.

"Oops..." The oldest Attamon grunted to himself for spilling the beans.

"Keep talking! What about Beautymon? And what does all of this have to do with her?"

"That... I'll never tell..."

"That's enough, brother!" The youngest snapped at his sibling. He turned to Zoe and spoke again. "This wasn't about her. It was about... _you_."

"Me?" The Bearer of Wind wondered.

"What are you doing, moron? If you talk now, Miss Beautymon will..."

"Forget about Miss. Beautymon! It's _her_ I'm more worried about!" The younger sibling pointed at the girl. Realizing that he was in no position to argue, the oldest backed up and allowed his brother to speak.

"As I was saying, Miss Beautymon's orders were to make sure you don't return to the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters... _permanently_."

"Is that a fact?" Zoe asked, understanding the implied message the third-in-command, which made her snicker at such ridiculousness.

"And so that's what my brother and I tried to do! We stole your little device, thinking you wouldn't leave the Autumn Leaf Fair without it. But just for reassurance, we sent you to Datamon's Shop to buy ourselves a little time to create this pit. But thanks to my stupid brother..."

"Hey, why are you blaming me? You're the idiot who keeps messing things up?"

"Says who? I'll have you know that I'm much smarter than you! Even mom said so!"

"Yeah! You got her brains, but definitely not her looks!"

"Take that back, brother!"

"Jeez, you're so ugly, the moment mother saw you, she asked the nurses to take you back to the..."

"EHEM!" Zoe cleared her throat to get their attention. "Honestly, you boys are so pathetic, it hurts just listening to you."

"Whatever! Now please let us out! I really need to go to the bathroom!" The eldest complained, jumping up and down in his spot.

"Answer me one last question." Zoe demanded. "Where is Beautymon? If she's that desperate to get rid of me, then I want her to say it right in front of me! She wants to play rough? Oh, we'll play rough!"

"She's probably back at the headquarters with the other human." The youngest responded.

"The other human? You don't mean... TAKUYA!" She gasped. Zoe tossed away the bottle of bleach and headed back to her original station.

"Hey, wait! What about us?" The older sibling yelped out. But his cries fell on deaf ears. Needless to say that the Attamon Brothers got their just desserts for deceiving one of the Legendary Warriors.

* * *

><p>Now that Zoe has received the news about Beautymon taking Takuya away, she wasted little time getting back to the spot where she last saw her beloved. As she raced through the bazaar, Zoe slowly started putting the pieces together; starting from a couple hours ago when the scaffolding tower almost fell on top of her.<p>

*Flashback*

_"I couldn't help but wonder what caused the entire platform to collapse. I mean, it was completely stable when I got on it, so I have no idea how this happened."_

_"Probably a rusty nut? Or a loose screw?"_

_"Not rusty. More like destroyed. Look at this... It looks like someone removed the bolt with some kind of energy attack."_

*End of Flashback*

"Why that dirty rat! I had a suspicious feeling that tramp is in on this! How dare she pull a stunt like that?" Zoe growled as she marched down the road with clenched fists and anger in her eyes. "Beautymon thinks she can get rid of me that easily! Oh, she has no idea who she's messing with! I swear, the next time I see that stupid wench, I'm going to slap that plump lips off of her face! It's one thing to intentionally hurt me. But doing that AND stealing my boyfriend? Now, that makes me really... NO!"

It wasn't long before she reached the place where she last saw Takuya. The only problem is, that her beloved goggle-head was nowhere to be seen. Zoe knew she was in the right spot because there was a familiar empty can of white paint resting on the ground. She picked up the container and examined it, putting the rest of the pieces of the puzzle in place.

"I bet it was her who did this. Beautymon must've spotted me and Takuya painting the shops. I'm certain she's the one who dumped this can of paint on me. And then once when I left to take a shower, she probably seized the opportunity to...

"Zoe? Zoe, there you are!"A voice called out to her. The Bearer of Wind turned to see her favorite pair of Digimon running towards her.

"Bokomon! Neemon!" She replied.

Once both of the Rookies reached the teenage girl, they placed their hands on their knees to catch their breaths. Apparently, they had spent quite a bit of time running around the entire Autumn Leaf Fair searching for her. It's no wonder why they were so tired from. Zoe waited for her friends to catch their breath.

"Zoe, it's an emergency! EMERGENCY!" Bokomon shrieked. "It's Beautymon! She's got..."

"I know." said Zoe, before the Digimon could finish.

"How did you figure it out?" The creature wearing the waistband asked.

"Let's just say I received my intel from a couple of... semi-reliable sources." She replied. "I know what has happened. Beautymon took Takuya back to the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters, while hired a couple of wannabes to 'keep me busy.'"

"Um... yes, that is correct." Bokomon nodded.

"Is there anything else I need to know?" The blonde asked.

"Uh-huh! Beautymon mentioned something about going to her room; where she and Takuya can wash up, get some sleep, play some 'exciting' games behind closed doors." Neemon added.

"What? Oh God, no..." Zoe gasped with a combination of fear and envy.

"Hey, how come we weren't invited!" The rabbit complained. "I like games! What makes Takuya so special? How come he gets to play games with Beautymon while the rest of us..."

"Will you shut up, you nincompoop! Can't you even figure out what Beautymon means by that?" His partner snapped.

"Um... does it involve making Takuya a man?"

His educated guess earned him a hard smack to the head with a large green book, courtesy of Bokomon. "Something like that..."

While Neemon sat on the ground and gazed at the stars, he turned back to Zoe. He noticed her fists were clenched tight, as if she's really angry. Bokomon placed a small hand on Zoe's, which made the human relax for a little bit. She shifted her attention toward her Digimon friend, and could see the concerned look in his eyes.

"Well, my dear? What are you going to do?"

"You know that old saying, Bokomon? 'Make a man angry, it's the end of your life. Make a woman angry, it's the end of the world.'"

"Uh... no?"

"Then let me simplify it for you. If Beautymon thinks she can walk all over me, then she has another thing coming! I'm gonna find that tramp! And when I do, I'm gonna do what I've should've done a long time ago!"

"And that is?" Bokomon gulped.

"Give that two-face, lying, cheating, thieving witch what she deserves! Nobody steals _my_ Takuya and gets away with it! NOBODY! I'm not going to let Little-Miss-Prettymon place her filthy hands on my boyfriend anymore! Oh no... I'M GONNA CUT THEM RIGHT OFF!"

"Zoe..." gasped Bokomon.

"Wow! She's steaming mad!" Neemon said, finally waking up from his daze.

"Now, come on you two! I got a score to settle!" said the Bearer of Wind, tossing her D-Tector in the air and catching it with great intensity. She then stomped toward the edge of the marketplace, toward the direction of the Digiporter.

"But Zoe! Wait for me!" Bokomon shouted.

"Hey! Don't forget about me! I want to play the games too!" Neemon shouted, following behind his partner and the teenage girl.

But the blonde beauty showed no signs of slowing down. She was walking so fast, Bokomon and Neemon were having trouble keeping up. Then again, Zoe was more determined than ever, not letting a large crowd of Digimon or six inches of snow stop her. While the ice against her shins was cold to the touch, she was more concerned about what Beautymon is doing, or what she going to do to Takuya.

If she were to hazard a guess, she believed that Beautymon used her Petal Dance technique on her beloved to brainwash him into do her bidding. That includes abandoning his girlfriend and follow the third-in-command wherever she goes. So if her hypothesis was correct, then it wasn't Takuya's fault. Beautymon's the one to be blamed for pulling that stupid old stunt.

Little did Zoe know that she was right on the button with her prediction.

It wasn't long before the Digiporter came into view. Zoe and the rest of her Digimon friends stepped onto the platform and made their way toward the center. Neemon was busy shivering in his trousers, trying to withstand the cold temperature. Bokomon took one last look at the almost completed and decorated marketplace, soon to be Autumn Leaf Festival.

He then gazed back at the Bearer of Wind and wasn't surprised at what he saw.

She had a certain look in her eyes that was all too familiar to him. Those were the same eyes she had before confronting Ranamon for the first time. And a little bit later when she convinced the Gomamon to cross the whirlpool ocean with her friends. Bokomon then saw that look again before she and the rest of the boys headed off to Cherunimon's Castle to rescue Ophanimon. And then again when she and her friends prepare for the final battle against Lucemon.

Fast forward to recently, Zoe had those same eyes when she defended friends at Breezy Village without her Spirits. He saw that look also, just before she and Ranamon had their rematch with one another. Of course, there was the time at the Crystal Caverns, when she had to make the ultimate decision in fighting her best friend from IceLadyDevimon's control. And then finally, right when Zoe broke free from Malevomon's control.

Yet, here she is now with those same eyes. A look filled with determination, courage, strength, and of course, love.

"Hang on, Takuya! I'm coming!" Zoe said to herself, clenching on to her D-Tector a little bit tighter.

Moments later, a beam of light shot out from the bottom of the platform, swallowing the three with its white light. It wasn't long before the light faded away. But by then, Zoe Orimoto and the two Rookies were gone.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter fifty-four. <strong>

**Will Zoe find her boyfriend in time? Can Takuya snap out of Beautymon's powerful spell before it's too late? Or will Beautymon take away her Cutie's freedom, as well as his 'innocence?' These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	55. A Date With Destiny

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**With Takuya under her spell, Beautymon ordered the Attamon Brothers to get rid of Zoe while she's having fun with her new toy. Unfortunately, these pair of insects aren't the best choices when it comes to getting the job done. But they somehow managed to steal Zoe's D-Tector while she was distracted. They sent the poor girl on a wild goose chance to find her device. Eventually, she caught the Attamon Brothers red-handed. Now with her D-Tector back in her possession, Zoe's heading back to the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters; ready to settle the score with Beautymon and bring back Takuya.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter fifty-five!**

* * *

><p><strong>A Date With Destiny<strong>

**Normal POV:**

Bright lights shined in the Digiporter Room. Meanwhile, Gotsumon had no idea who was returning from their station. Many Digimon have come and gone, so it was hard for him to keep track of everyone's whereabouts. When the lights dimmed, a gorgeous olive haired Digimon and a teenage boy reappeared.

"What is this, Beautymon? You said you wanted me to teleport you to the Autumn Leaf Fair so you could see the human. You never mentioned anything about bringing him back." grumbled the Rookie.

"I know, right? Well, 'Cutie' here has been working way too hard. That's why I volunteered to bring him back to my quarters, where he could... relax. Isn't that right, Sweetie?" She giggled.

Thanks to Beautymon's Petal Dance, all of Takuya's senses had been shut off. Not a single one of the olive haired beauty's words entered his brain. In other words, it is impossible for Takuya to receive any kind of visual, auditory or kinesthetic stimuli; nor responded to them. The only reaction Beautymon got was a blank stare at the front wall, which didn't bother her one bit.

"Oh, baby! You're so handsome when you're... obedient like this!" Beautymon cooed, rubbing her face against Takuya's.

"Say, where's that other human?" Gotsumon wondered.

Beautymon's eyes glowered at the Rookie with annoyance and disgust, even at the slightest mention of a certain teenage blonde. Thinking about her really made her mad. But soon enough, her leer was quickly replaced with a look of pride and ultimate satisfaction. She leaned toward Gotsumon, traced a delicate finger down his face and tickled his chin.

"How should I know? I'm looking after Cutie, not some flat-chested monstrosity!"

Although she didn't say what or how, Gotsumon had a suspicious feeling that something was wrong. He quickly stepped in front of the doorway before Beautymon or Takuya could leave.

"Beautymon, what have you done?" The Rookie asked, his voice demanding his superior to tell him what happened to the second human.

"I told a couple of 'friends' to 'take care' of the poor Blondie. No harm done... right? Teehee!"

"No... You didn't!"

Suddenly, Beautymon grabbed Gotsumon's head and lifted him off of the ground. The Rookie felt like his cranium's about to be crush. As he tried to endure the head injury his superior was giving him, Beautymon pulled Gotsumon a little closer until her eyes were on top of his.

"Let's get something straight, you creep! If you speak to anyone about what happened to Blondie, I will snap your head off and grind it into powder! Do you understand?" Beautymon threatened, adding a little more pressure to Gotsumon's head; ready to crush it if he answers incorrectly.

"Y... Yes, ma'am!" Gotsumon sobbed.

His response made Beautymon smile. However, instead of simply releasing him, the third-in-command heaved the Digimon from one side of the room to the other. Gotsumon crashed into a couple of monitors, instantly breaking them upon impact. Sparks and pieces of metal danced all over the rock creature's body. While he was still conscious, the throw knocked him in a daze.

By the time he had awoke, the olive haired beauty and the goggle-head were already gone.

* * *

><p>As much as Beautymon loved to quickly get to her room and lock herself up with Takuya inside, she had to take it slow. The Battlefront Headquarters was almost packed. Every corner and hallway, there was a traffic jam of Digimon inconveniently in her way. Obviously, Beautymon doesn't want to cause a lot of commotion, nor blast any Digimon that got in her way... if she could avoid it.<p>

But that's not the only reason why she was acting so cautious. There are two Digimon in particular she did not wish to run in to. The first is Swiftmon. His strong beliefs in discipline and standards has made it hard for Beautymon to even convince him. If the swordsman did find out about his partner's actions or intentions, he would report to Eldestmon; who was the second Digimon also on her list.

Unlike Swiftmon, the old geezer can not only hand down the punishment for disobedience, but enforce it as well. Beautymon has done so many things that made Eldestmon concerned for his follower's behavior. Yet, she always comes up with one excuse after another to get out of trouble.

This time might be different _if_ she gets caught.

Fortunately, she never crossed paths with either Digimon. Beautymon maneuvered through the hoard of Digimon and toward the center of the facility. They passed the Medical Wing, the Briefing Room, and the Containment Room, which was supposed to be her assigned post. With her Cutie's hand in hers, Beautymon ventured down the lobbies into the parts of the headquarters where even Takuya hasn't even set foot into yet.

It wasn't long before the two arrived at a pair of doors almost completely isolated from the rest of the facility. It was gold, with polished silver spheres mounded and decorated along the sides of the frames. If anyone were to notice, this seems to be the best and only designed doors in the facility; truly fit for royalty... or anyone that felt like it.

"Are you ready to take a journey to paradise with me, Sweetie?"

Takuya said nothing. But Beautymon wasn't going to wait for him to answer.

"Then come with me, Cutie."

The doors automatically opened, revealing the contents inside Beautymon's Room. Takuya and the olive haired beauty walked inside, hand-in-hand like a married couple.

Pink walls that match the color of her lasers decorated the boundaries. Everything was grand. It felt like everything inside Beautymon's room was encaged in a clean, yet extremely fragile glass case; that even the slightest touch can cause a great disturbance. But the female warrior's hands were as soft as silk. The way she caressed the furniture was a nice added touch for polishing.

Moments later, the third-in-command pulled her Cutie to the front of the bed. For a slender Digimon, Beautymon's mattress was huge, almost taking a quarter of the room. Bright pink sheets, with magenta comforters, cover the huge bed. And with golden, white and pink pillows of different shapes, sizes and softness organized beautifully at the end, it was clear that this mattress looked perfect for a princess... or in this case, Beautymon.

Each side of the bed has a wooden desk with a fine lamp on it, providing the room with light and warmth. At the top of the bed were clear, laced drapes that could give the occupants the privacy they wanted. Some furniture included in a velvet chair, a circular glass table with a variety of sweets on it, a mirror on the north and south walls and a fountain with a stone statue of the olive haired Digimon enjoying the water treatment. But the piece of resistance was the portrait of the self-proclaimed world's most beautiful Digimon hanging above the bed.

There was also a bathroom a few feet in front of the mattress. With marble tiles so clean, one can see his/her own reflection. A long, rectangular mirror with wooden frames stretched from the wall to the entrance. Beautymon spared no expense when she had her bathroom customized. Faucets made of gold, towel bars and hangers made of silver and a large hot tub for a Digimon, or a couple to relax in.

"Do you like it, Cutie? I designed it myself!" Beautymon said, dragging the human all the way to the bed and sat him down.

Again, Takuya said nothing. Although he has seen most of the features in Beautymon's quarters, he never showed a single reaction. However, the third-in-command didn't mind the silent treatment. At the goggle-head's current state, Beautymon could strip him of his clothes and take him to paradise, and he still wouldn't care.

Actually, just thinking about it made the olive haired warrior even more excited.

"So, Sweetie... ever slept with a beautiful woman before?" Beautymon asked the boy, using her delicate finger to explore various body parts.

"Oh, and don't say Blonde! She's nowhere near beautiful... like me!"

Her words and sensory stimulation were unable to reach Takuya's brain. And with that, comes no feedback to Beautymon's attempt to flirt. Then again, she loved her Cutie's unresponsiveness. Whether it's manipulating or asking a couple of questions, as long as the human doesn't say 'no', who's going to stop the female Digimon from going any further?

After a minute of embracing, finger trailing and caressing, Beautymon leaned towards Takuya's ears and mutter the four words that made time stop.

"I want you, Cutie..."

Beautymon wasted little time. She shoved the boy on her bed and pounce on top of him like a hungry animal. She crawled on his chest until her nose touched his, while their lips were inches away. Beautymon stuck her tongue out and licked every single inch of Takuya's lips, coating his mouth with her saliva. Beautymon then used her tongue to give the boy's face the same treatment. She then returned to the position over her Cutie's lips and purred like the sexy Digimon she is.

"You like that, darling?"

This time, whenever Beautymon had her tongue on any part of his face, Takuya's eyebrows rose an inch or two. When the she licked Takuya's lips, he released a soft inhale. Of course, Beautymon was aware of his responses. Just to be sure it wasn't a fluke, she gave Takuya the same tongue treatment like last time. As predicted, the boy gasped at the texture of Beautymon's slimy organ.

"Excited, aren't we Cutie?" She giggled.

She trailed a finger down his neck and made circles on his sternum. Her digit felt a little 'beat' when it glided toward Takuya's left side. Beautymon could tell that it was his heart, beating at a nervous tempo. Her grin widened as the elaborate fantasies turned the innocent Digimon into a sexual deviant. She traced a path down Takuya's belly button; where her fingers performed a small dance on his navel.

"Ooh, what do we have here?" gasped an aroused Beautymon.

Something below Takuya's waist caught her attention. The third-in-command trailed her delicate digit on the boy's jeans and onto a distinctive 'bulge' at the exact middle. Apparently, Beautymon has an idea what that lump in her Cutie's pants is. Yet she has never seen or actually touched it before.

But when her fingers made contact with the bulge, she had received the biggest reaction from the boy. His eyes shut tight, his fists grasped the sheets, and a small hiss escaped his mouth. Obviously, Beautymon took notice. Hearing her Cutie squirm made her even more devious. She licked her lips with intense anticipation.

"Oh heavens, Cutie! Do you want me that badly or are you happy to see me?" Beautymon asked in her best attempt at a sexy voice. If anyone was around, they would be instantly drawn into the warrior's beauty and attractiveness. That also included Takuya.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get started!"

Without wasting any time, she grabbed Takuya's arm and helped him to a seated position. Beautymon then grabbed the top of Takuya's shirt and pulled it off of his body, revealing the small muscles on his arms and the six pack that hasn't fully developed yet. The sight of the shirtless human in front her made the olive haired beauty blush. Then again, even her wildest imaginations only got naughtier the more she thought about it.

Beautymon placed a hand on the boy's bare chest, and was surprised how warm it was. She then pushed the goggle-head back on the bed and pounced on his upper body, making sure that every part of his torso wasn't left untouched. To spice things up, Beautymon added her tongue to the mix, slowly taking in the sweet taste of his body. Next, Beautymon slowly made her way up to Takuya's head, giving every part of his face the tongue treatment.

"Come on, Cutie. Don't be shy. I won't bite."

But Takuya didn't budge. He continued to lay on the bed, waiting for Beautymon's next move. And for once, the third-in-command showed signs of frustration. It's not as fun if she was doing all of the work. She wanted him to 'pleasure' her too. Then again, her Petal Dance has made Takuya a soulless body. Maybe she overdosed him with too much pollen, but it was the price to pay if she wanted him not to resist her.

Still, in situations like this, Beautymon has a tendency to be adaptive.

"Very well then, Cutie. I guess I have to be a little more... _persuasive_ then." The olive haired beauty told the boy. She sat the shirtless boy up again and moved his legs to the edge of the mattress. Beautymon then walked over toward the light switch, and dimmed the lamps to a small glow.

*snap*

The sound of cymbals tapping to a moderate beat filled the room at the snap of her fingers. With each beat of the percussion, the female Digimon shook her gorgeous, curvy hips. Beautymon flips her long, olive hair over of her shoulders to reveal her entire face, as well as parts of the body the strands tended to cover. As she danced to the music, she sexually approached the boy like she was ready to have fun with him.

Next, Beautymon placed her hands on the pair of black stashes around her waist that kept her elegant, white dress up. She continued to shake her hips, as the sound of the saxophone entered the room, providing intensity to the music and the Digimon dancing to it. Slowly, Beautymon undid the stashes on her dress until it was nice and loose. She then raised her hands toward the ceiling and stared keenly at the boy.

Suddenly, the dress dropped onto the ground, revealing the voluptuous body of the gorgeous Digimon. A laced bra and panties were the only garments she still had on.

"Like what you see, Cutie?" Beautymon purred as she leaned toward Takuya's face.

She placed her tongue on his chin and trailed up to his lips, his nose, in between the eyes and finished at the forehead. Takuya had his eyes widened when the female Digimon undressed in front of him. It felt like something was trying to get out of his body, but to no avail. The teenage boy stared at the attractive female before him... or at least the any of the body parts that weren't covered.

"Want to know how these 'babies' feel, Sweetie?" Beautymon asked, touching her mounds. His mouth opened up a few centimeters, but not a single sound made its way out.

"Oh, Cutie... Such a naughty boy, aren't you!" The third-in-command blushed, turning away from the boy like she was embarrassed. Of course, she was just teasing him. But nothing's wrong with a little bit of foreplay before starting of the main event.

"Then by all means, darling. I'm all yours. But please... be gentle."

Normally, this would be the time when Beautymon would allow her Cutie to do whatever he likes to her. But she wanted him now, and doesn't have the patience or time to wait any longer. She pushed the teenager back on the bad and sat on top of his chest, being careful not to crush him. With her legs resting against Takuya's sides, Beautymon was now in a position where her captive couldn't escape, even if he tried.

Next, the female Digimon grabbed both of Takuya's arms and placed them on her creamy thighs. The sudden warmth of his hands made Beautymon quiver. An inhale of delight escaped her lips. It grew louder as she maneuvered the goggle-heads arms all over her long legs. Her muffled moans turned into cries of pleasure. Apparently, this was the most fun she has ever had, even with a human.

"Oh, Sweetie! Oh! Ooh, take me please!"

Once she felt that her legs had enough caressing, Beautymon maneuvered Takuya's hands up a little higher until he was touching her bare belly. The way she made the boy massaged her navel was more than what Beautymon could handle. Either it was the firmness of the boy's hands, or just the overwhelming fact that her Cutie was touching some of her most intimate parts.

"Yes, Cutie! Oh, yes! Ooh, don't stop!" squealed the female Digimon.

If Takuya were wide awake, he would not believe what he has done, or what he's currently doing. He, out of everyone, is in bed with probably the most beautiful Digimon of all, caressing her entire body. Then again, that could also mean a bad thing, especially at his age.

"Oh Sweetie! I can't take it anymore! I want it, now! Please! Make me yours!"

Foreplay was over, and Beautymon was ready to make this boy a man. She bend over and gave Takuya a long kiss on the lips. For added pleasure, she snaked her tongue inside and played around with his. As she fiercely attacked his mouth, Beautymon's hands glided down onto the edge of his jeans. Her fingers found metal button at the center of his pants. With excellent precision, her digits easily unfastened the middle button from the hole, separating the top part of his pants. Slowly, her hands entered the boy's boxers, inching closer to a particular...

*thump, thump, thump*

A strange knock on her door made the female Digimon froze. Her attention shot toward the entrance. However, she remained on the bed, not wanting to answer the door, nor see who was on the other side. She turned back to the goggle-head lying on his back, ready to resume their playtime. Beautymon leaned over to stare at his dull eyes.

"Now, where were we, Cutie?" The olive haired beauty whispered sensually into his ear.

"Oh yeah, I remember! I was about to take away something that belongs to you. Something personal... something that makes you clean and... _pure_. Something that, once taken, you can never go...

*knock, knock, knock, knock*

Again, there was that thumping sound at the door. Only this time, the noise was louder and rougher. Beautymon heard the frustrating knock that rudely interrupted her 'quality time' with Cutie. She wanted nothing more than to undress the goggle-head, become _one_ with him and lose their... 'innocence' together. But until whoever's behind the door was properly dealt with, Beautymon will never have her privacy with the teenage boy.

*POW, POW, POW, POW, POW*

This time, it sounded like someone was trying to bring down the door with a battering ram. Then again, Beautymon was getting sick and tired of her comrades interrupting. Anger by the constant thumping at the door, the female Digimon got off of her large bed and put her clothes back on, tying the black stashes around her waist nice and tight. After slipping on her boots, Beautymon stomped toward the entrance. Her hands were charging up with energy. Whoever was on the other side is about to get launched into outer space.

"WHO IS IT?" She howled at being outside for disputing her privacy.

"Special Delivery!" A strange voice from outside replied.

Beautymon pondered for a bit and tried to distinguish which kind of Digimon was outside her room. For some odd reason, the voice sounded awfully familiar to her. She remembered a pair of Rookies that always hang around the humans. It wasn't long before the female warrior deduced that the Digimon on the other side was the stupid yellow rabbit who has no clue about anything. Beautymon sighed with relief and frustration. Relief because the Digimon outside her room wasn't going to get her in trouble or any kind of the sort. But also frustrated because He picked the worst time to visit.

"Uh... what?" Beautymon asked without opening a door.

"There's a present for you!" The voice of Neemon answered.

"A present? For me? Ooh! How wonderful!" The olive haired warrior jumped up and down with excitement.

Overjoyed with receiving a gift, Beautymon pushed a button on the side, enabling the doors to open automatically. She couldn't wait to receive her present. Beautymon loves gifts. It's an indication of how others appreciate her contributions and authority. Once there was a small opening, the female Digimon bent down and anxiously waited for the rabbit in trousers to hand her the present.

But that wasn't who she saw when the door had opened.

A pair of thigh-high boots with a greenish butterfly pattern embedded on each kneecap came into view. Beautymon's slowly looked up to examine more features of the Digimon before her. She wore a strapless bra, belt and underwear; all with the same lavender color. She had white and purplish gloves with butterfly wings on the back of her hands. Finally, this Digimon had long, purple hair that reaches past her thighs, and a silver visor that reflects the shocked face coming from Beautymon.

"What the..." gasped the olive haired warrior, trying to get her defenses up.

"Special Delivery... FROM YOURS TRULY!"

As Beautymon rose to vertical base, the Warrior of Wind sidestepped forward and raised her front leg up. By combining the power of a Legendary Warrior with the ultimate disdain of the Digimon in front of her, the butterfly thrust her leg up and straight at Beautymon's head. The powerful sidekick nailed the Champion squared in the chin, sending her flying up toward the ceiling of her room.

Gravity finally grabbed a hold of Beautymon, and her body plummeted to the ground. She landed hard on top of one of her glass tables with various treats on it, shattering the furniture upon impact. Beautymon laid on broken bits of glass almost unconscious. Melted chocolate and a variety of gooey fillings ravished the backside of her lovely dress, leaving behind a number of black stains.

"That's what you get for stealing _my_ boyfriend!" Kazemon said, returning to her stance and placing her hands on her hips in triumph. The Warrior of Wind fluttered inside Beautymon's room, past the dazed Digimon and toward the large bed, where her beloved laid.

Kazemon instantly noticed that Takuya was shirtless and the center button of his jeans was unfastened. Underneath her visor, the butterfly's eyes widened like never before. She could only imagine what her boyfriend and the two-face skank were doing while she was away. Kazemon then sighed, feeling relieved that she had made it in time.

"Oh, Takuya... What has that horrible wench done to you?" gulped the Warrior of Wind.

"Ugh... what happened?" The sound of a groggy Beautymon entered Kazemon's ear. The butterfly turned and saw that the Battlefront's third-in-command was slowly coming to. And when she wakes up, this decorated room will soon become a warzone.

"Come on, Takuya! Let's get out of here!" Kazemon said.

Large amounts code surrounded the Legendary Warrior's body, transforming her back to Zoe. She grabbed Takuya's shirt with one hand and Takuya's forearm with the other. Next, she pulled the boy off of the bed and toward his feet. Maybe she used a little too much strength. Although Takuya got back to a standing position, his awareness hasn't returned yet. He would've stumbled on his face, if Zoe wasn't there to catch him.

"It's okay, baby. I got you." Zoe comforted her boyfriend. She wrapped his arm around her neck and carried the soulless body out of the Beautymon's room, leaving the female Digimon all by herself, still lying in a pile of glass and mushed chocolate.

Moments later, the Beautymon's consciousness returned. She stood back on her two feet and quickly examined the damages she had suffer from the lavender haired butterfly's super kick. First, she rubbed her chin to check if she had a broken jaw or lost a few teeth. Next, she massaged the back of her head to see if there were any glass shards lodged inside. Fortunately, there were none.

But then there was her dress.

The first thing she noticed was a small smudge on the right side of her outfit. Her heart skipped a beat when she looked over her shoulder to discover the origin of the dirty spot. Or in this case... spots. From her shoulder blades down to her lower back, there were chocolate marks spread throughout her dress. And from the look of things, it seems nearly impossible to remove the stains off her gown.

Plus, there was the glass. Sharp crystals pierced through the bottom portions of her dress and a little on both sides. Some of them fell to the ground, leaving behind small but very distinctive punctures. While the glass weren't deep enough to make contact with her soft skin, the sight of her ruined dress made the female Digimon speechless. Beautymon pulled out one glass shard off of the dress, which left behind a bigger hole.

But a ruined dress was the least of her concerns. As she stared at the crystals in her hand, her mind replayed the events that had just transpired a minute ago. First, the flat-chested girl had returned when she wasn't supposed to. Next, she made a 'surprise' visit to her room and _viciously_ attacked her. Finally, the blonde had the nerve to take her Cutie away from her... just when she was about to make him _hers_.

She clenched her fist and crushed the shard of glass into tiny fragments. Her hands then charge up with vast amounts of energy, melting away the material in her palm. Beautymon was furious. The overload of anger, rage and hatred made the female Digimon explode. Beautymon unleashed a thunderous roar, which shook the very grounds of the headquarters. She then launched two Beautiful Beams in opposite directions. The first collides against her bed, which exploded upon contact. And lastly, the second beam nailed the entrance to her room. The large, decorated doors were replaced by a ginormous hole in the wall.

"BBBBLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNDDDDIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!"

* * *

><p>"Come on, Takuya! Snap out of it!" Zoe pleaded to the boy sitting on the bench. With both hands on his shoulders, the blonde haired girl shook the boy as hard as she could, hoping that would get him to awaken.<p>

But Takuya's eyes remained as lifeless as a corpse. He wasn't looking at his girlfriend, but staring right through her. Either that, or it's like she doesn't even exist. Again. Zoe tried shaking Takuya's body a little harder, hoping the whiplash would wake him up. But no matter how many times the Bearer of Wind tried, her efforts were futile.

"Is he awake yet?" Neemon asked

"It's not working." said Bokomon.

"No... Ooh, baby." Zoe felt her eyes began to water, but refused to let her tears fall. She had to come up with a way to get her beloved back.

The blonde thought and thought, trying to remember all of the ways she helped Takuya break Beautymon's intoxicating spell. Her first solution was slapping him. But she had already tried that earlier. She had slapped him five times; with the fifth being the hardest. Zoe could actually see her handprint on his left cheek. Sadly, Takuya hasn't responded to any one of her five-fingers across the face.

Then, Zoe remembered something.

She didn't realize that she was in the situation before. A few days ago, an evil Digimon named IceLadyDevimon used a special move on her boyfriend that took control of his mind. It was fairly similar to what's happening right now. The only difference is that she doesn't have to fight against the one she loves. Then again, Zoe thought about 'how' she managed to get Takuya back to his senses.

*Flashback*

_"Takuya... please. You love me, just like I love you. You even said it yourself. You promised that you will always love and protect me no matter what happens. I know you remember, Takuya. I believe in you. Please... Takuya... *gulp, sniff*... 'Ti amo!'"_

_"I... I don't... I don't remember... anything. Why? WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER?"_

_"If you don't remember anything... then remember 'this.'"_

*End of Flashback*

Even though she had almost died then, what she did made her smile and blush at the same time. That was all it took. Who would've thought that a simple, yet passionate kiss can break even the strongest of spells? Many would argue that only works in fairy tales or that such a silly concept doesn't exist.

But not Zoe. Not only she believed, but she would do it a thousand times.

"Takuya... I know you can hear me." She whispered into his ear.

"I love you... so much."

The blonde slowly closed her eyes and tilted her head sideway, ready to make contact with the goggle-head's lips. While she has done this plenty of times, that still doesn't make her less nervous. It has to be more than a simple kiss on the lips. It needs to be passionate, silently telling him that she loves him more than life itself. She inches toward them, getting closer... and close...

"ZOE, LOOK OUT!" Bokomon shouted, snapping the girl back to reality.

A tingling feeling at the base of her skull alerted the young woman that something was approaching her. When she looked to her right, she saw it. A pinkish beam was zooming right at them. With little time to react, Zoe wrapped her arms around Takuya and tackled him to the floor. The Bearer of Wind cleanly dodged the oncoming projectile. But the wall behind them suffered a large wall in the center. Smoke and debris filled the area, which made the blonde gag.

Once the dust settled, Zoe helped Takuya back to his feet and positioned herself in front of him, protecting him from whoever attacked them. The girl reached into her pocket, ready to Spirit Evolve. And judging from the Digimon stomping towards them, Zoe believes she might have to take action; especially after seeing that ugly look in the olive haired warrior's eyes.

"What is your deal? Are you really trying to obliterate us?" complained the human.

"Not _us_... _YOU_, Blondie." Beautymon growled as she charges up for another energy shot. "Now, back away from 'my' Cutie. And _maybe_... I don't blast a hole through your undeveloped chest!"

"Maybe?" Zoe repeated the emphasized word.

"Yes, 'maybe!' Look at what you've done to my dress! It's ruined, thanks to you!" Beautymon turned around and showed the girl the brown, gooey spots, holes and tears all over her best outfit. But judging by the arrogant smile on Zoe's face, the Bearer of Wind showed no signs of sympathy.

"What do you mean? That dress looks good on you! The putrid smell and disgusting features are a fine compliment to your personality! In fact, I have never seen such a more glorious look since... well, EVER!"

"What? Say that again, Blondie! I dare you!"

"You want to beat me? Then, go ahead! Do it! Bring it on!" Zoe said confidently with a firm grasp on her D-Tector. She was hoping the female Digimon would accept her little challenge so the two of them could finish this long time feud.

But then, Beautymon has done something that made the Bearer of Wind drop her defenses.

"'Haha... Hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

It sounded like she was insane. Zoe stared at the deranged warrior before her, who appears to have a psychotic break. But Beautymon continued to laugh like she was possessed by an evil spirit... which is a distinct possibility. It was a good thing others weren't around to see their superior acting this crazy, with the exception of Bokomon and Neemon. Many of the Battlefront members see the third-in-command as a symbol of beauty and perfection. How are they going to react if they saw her laughing like a maniac?

Moments later, Beautymon's laughter subsided. She wiped the tears off of her face and gazed at the teenage girl. Her eyes signifying victory, as well as confidence.

"Sorry Blondie, but fighting you would be a waste of time. As we all know, I can beat you so bad, Cutie won't be able to recognize you."

"So, you're scared, huh?" Zoe countered.

"Me? Of course not! Believe me, Blondie! I want nothing more than to scrub the entire floor with your ugly face. Oh, but I'm afraid I have to postpone your humiliation for some other time. After all... I have a busy schedule coming up."

"What are you talking about?"

"Let me ask you something. Do you know what special event is taking place tomorrow?"

"The Autumn Leaf Festival?" Zoe replied.

"Oh my goodness! You _are_ smart for a blonde!" Beautymon gasped with a mild amount of sarcasm.

"Can it!" snapped the human, who received a giggle from the third-in-command.

"As I was saying, Blondie, I won't be able to fight you tomorrow. That's because I'm going to be..."

Beautymon skipped merrily toward the goggle-head, shoving Zoe to the ground on the pass. As Bokomon and Neemon helped their friend back to her feet, the female Digimon wrapped her arms around Takuya's neck and rubbed her cheek against hers. If she was trying to make Zoe red with anger, she was doing a really good job with it. Beautymon smirked at the girl like she has already won the battle.

"... with him! Isn't that right, Cutie?" The olive haired warrior buried her face into his chest.

"You must be kidding! Takuya would never..."

"Oh, but he did! Why would he settle for an ugly human like you, when he can score one with... _me_?"

"Why would _my _boyfriend be going out with a creep like you?" Zoe asked with her fist clench tight.

"Because I asked him, and he said 'yes'. Right, Sweetie?" Beautymon asked, gently stroking the boy's cheeks with her delicate fingers.

"LIAR!" The Bearer of Wind objected.

"It's the absolute truth, Blondie!" She just couldn't believe that her beloved would betray her and date this two-face skank. There's no way. She had to be sure of it.

"What did you do to Takuya? Tell me, you lousy witch!"

"Very well, Blondie..." Beautymon sighed.

She placed a closed fist underneath Takuya's chin. When she opened it, a bunch of red flower petals danced out of her palm and swirled around the boy's head. A powerful, intoxicating scent released itself from the roses and entered Takuya's nose. If there was any bit of resistance that remained it the boy's mind, the odor has burned it away.

"No... Takuya!" gasped the shocked young woman. She glowered daggers at the Digimon embracing her boyfriend.

"Allow me to explain, Blondie. Depending on the flowers I unleash for my Petal Dance, I can release different kinds of scents; with each one having their own unique characteristic and effect. These red petals possess my strongest scent. It shuts off the victim's senses to and from the brain, giving me full control of his body. As you can see, Cutie has been nothing but a cooperative, obedient little boy like I've always wanted him to be."

"You... How could you?" Zoe growled at the thieving witch.

"I had no choice! Cutie would rather go to the festival with you instead of me! So, I had to use my red flowers to make him _mine_! Because he deserves me, more than _you_!" argued Beautymon. But Zoe stared at the ground, thinking about what the Digimon had said.

"Takuya... wanted to go to the festival... with me?" She thought to herself.

"However..." Beautymon continued. She loosened her embrace on Takuya and trotted back to the young woman. "... Swiftmon and the old geezer warned me never to use these flowers _unless_ it's in emergency. Well, the situation called for it, and what do you know? Now, Blondie! I guess that means _you_ will be the only one who will NOT have a date tomorrow night at the festival! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

But as Beautymon relished in her triumph, a new found hope build inside Zoe's heart. She knew it all along. Takuya DID wanted to go to the Autumn Leaf Festival with her. That's the reason why he was so nervous back at the marketplace. It was because he was trying to ask her... on a date. Zoe could feel her soul doing backflips like crazy.

The Bearer of Wind walked toward her boyfriend and stared deep into his dead eyes, searching for any glimmer of life inside. Although she can't see it, Zoe had a feeling that the real Bearer of Flame is still in there; and she isn't about to leave him behind.

"Takuya..." Zoe touched the boy's cheek.

"Teehee! Go ahead, Blonde! Cry out to him! Call his name! Do whatever you like! But thanks to my red petals, it's hopeless! Cutie's mine, and there's nothing you can do about it! HAHAHAHA!"

"_Vuoi scommettere, cagna?_"

"Say wha... NO!"

Beautymon wasn't prepared for what happened next. Zoe pulled Takuya's mouth to her lips, and gave him an affection kiss. With her eyes closed and hands exploring every part of his shirtless body, the teenage girl was more than determined to get him back. And she wasn't going to let some two-face skank or anyone else get in her way.

"Why you filthy piece of garbage! How dare you steal my... HEY!" The third-in-command was ready to blast a hole through Zoe's head. Suddenly, Bokomon and Neemon tackled Beautymon to the ground and grabbed both of her long arms, rendering them useless, preventing her from hurting their friend.

"GET OFF OF ME, YOU PESKY INSECTS!"

"Scary!" Neemon gasped in fear when he saw Beautymon's glare.

"Hang in there, Neemon! We have to do this for Zoe... and Takuya!" Bokomon said as he wrapped his entire body around the female's limb.

Meanwhile, Zoe intensified the kiss by adding her tongue into his mouth. She found Takuya's tongue and playfully wrestled with it. As her hands made their way up to the back of Takuya's head, Zoe lets out a couple moans and soft inhales of ecstasy. She wanted her beloved to receive the touch, taste and sounds of love and passion she had for him.

And it was working.

For the first time, the goggle-head responded to the given stimuli his girlfriend had graciously provided. It started with his eyes voluntary closing, followed by his hands moving from his sides to wrap around Zoe's back. Next, his tongue sought to gain dominance over his girlfriend's. Takuya's head also tilted to the side, giving Zoe more access to his mouth.

But what topped it all off was the fact that he was smiling.

He didn't have to open his eyes to see who he was kissing. He could tell by the softness of her skin, the sound of her moaning, the smell of freshly picked violets in the springtime breeze, the tickling sensation on his nose when her hair brushed his face, and of course, the sweet taste of her lips. When he combined that all into one, he felt like he was his favorite place in heaven.

After what felt like an eternity, the couple separated. When Takuya opened his eyes, he saw the most beautiful girl in the world wrapped in his arms.

"Zoe?"

"Hi Takuya." beamed the blonde.

"Wha... What happened? What are we doing back at the Battlefront Headquarters? I thought we were at the Autumn Leaf Fair, painting the marketplace. And... why is my shirt off?" Takuya asked when he noticed his surroundings. Zoe's cheeks turned a small hue of red.

"It's a long story, baby."

"Tell me about it. The last thing I remember was..."

"Ooooohhhhhhhhhh, Cuuuuutttiiiiieee?" A voice called out.

Takuya turned and saw Beautymon on her knees. What he failed to notice is that while he and Zoe were in the middle of their kissing spree, the female Digimon had already removed Bokomon and Neemon off of her extremities. Now, there wasn't a single Digimon to hold her back from getting what's hers. While the actions of the blonde did manage to wake her Cutie up, Beautymon was willing to try again.

And this time, she will personally get rid of Blondie herself.

"I got a surprise for you!" Beautymon sang with both her hands behind her back.

"Huh? Beautymon? What are you doing?" Takuya asked.

"Don't worry about it, Sweetie. It will be all over before you know...

*slap*

"YEOW!"

Five fingers across the face sent the olive haired Digimon to the ground. The good news was she landed on all fours, preventing her from falling on her face. Unfortunately, the surprise she had for her Cutie had already hit the cold floor. All of Beautymon's red flower petals lost their scent and withered away. The stunned Digimon gazed at the humans towering above her. But more specifically, she had her eyes on the blonde; who had one of the biggest grins she has ever seen.

"Forgive me, Takuya... But I've always wanted to do that!" Zoe giggled.

"WHY YOU..."

Beautymon bounced back on her feet and pounced toward Zoe like a hungry wildcat. However, what she didn't count on was that the young woman had backup. Just before she could reach the Bearer of Wind, Takuya stepped in between. Beautymon quickly came to a halt.

"Leave her alone!" ordered Takuya.

"Cutie... What is this?"

"You tell me, Beautymon! You're the last Digimon I was with, before things went black! I want to know what you did to me!" The goggle-head demanded.

"Um... I, uh..." The Champion stammered, probably for the first time in her life. "Well... You see, Cutie... I, um..."

"She used her Petal Dance on you, took control of your body, and brought you to her room so she could strip you butt naked and take away your virginity! Isn't that right, Beautymon?" Zoe rudely answered the question for her; which greatly annoyed the female Digimon. Eyes of fire, hatred and contempt targeted the blonde.

"Back off! I wasn't talking to you, Blondie! So, do us all a favor and..."

"Beautymon... is this true?" Takuya asked the olive haired warrior once again. Based on the deepness of his voice, the goggle-head wasn't the least bit happy that the female Digimon would have the nerve to pull something like that.

"Why Beautymon? Why would you... I don't know... kidnap me?"

"Cutie... It's not what you think! I was just..."

"What? Tell me! I want to know why you would do something like this."

"Be... Because, I..."

"I know why!" Zoe once again interrupted. "It's because... she is jealous! Poor Beautymon wanted to take away something that was already _mine_."

She came behind Takuya and wrapped her arms around his neck. When the teenage boy looked over his shoulders to see what Zoe was planning, he instead received a long kiss on the lips. Of course, both of the humans were well aware that Beautymon was watching. But Zoe was the one who wanted her to see who this handsome 'Cutie' belonged to.

"Isn't that right... Beautymon?"

"You... YOU... BLONDIE!" howled the olive haired Digimon.

What Zoe just did was the final straw. She couldn't stand seeing the two humans together. Or at least, Blondie fondling what was rightfully hers. All of the sudden, something inside the Digimon snapped. Her hands instantly charged up with energy. Without warning, Beautymon leaped toward the teenage girl, ready to blast her into oblivion. She didn't care if her Cutie was watching. She has had it with this flat-chested human ruining everything: her dress, her quality time with the boy, and now, her reputation.

But Zoe showed no signs of fear or hesitation. She pushed Takuya aside so it would just be her and Beautymon. Zoe took her D-Tector out of her pocket and was ready for action. At last, she was going to give this Digimon what's coming to her. For a long time, she has put up with her constant name calling, inadvertent attempts to get rid of her, and her constantly stealing Takuya away from her.

Well, not any more.

"TAKE THIS, YOU UGLY FREAK! BEAUTIFUL BE..."

"Chains of Supremacy!"

Suddenly, metallic chains burst came from behind the female Digimon, wrapping around her slender body and bounding her wrists so she can't escape. Beautymon would've fallen on her nose, but an elderly Digimon held on tight so his third-in-command wouldn't collapse. No matter how much Beautymon struggled to break free, the Chrome Digizoid links kept the raged-filled beauty under control.

"UGH! LET ME GO! RELEASE ME! WHO DID THIS? SHOW YOURSELF, SO I CAN..."

"Abandoning your post once again I see." Eldestmon approached his subordinate, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Such a bad girl you are, huh?" Zoe giggled to add more salt to the wound.

"Why you insolent little brat! How dare you talk like that to me?" growled the captive Beautymon.

"Alright, that's enough!" Another voice said. In a flash, Swiftmon appeared on the scene.

Eldestmon released the chains surrounding Beautymon's body. Unfortunately, the swordsman had already had his a firm grasp around both of his partner's wrists, not letting her go anytime soon. Beautymon glowered daggers at Swiftmon for treating her like a prisoner. But the second-in-command refused to let his partner go, nor give her chance to make her case.

"Sorry, Beautymon. But you've broke the rules and disobeyed Lord Eldestmon's orders. Therefore, I am placing you under arrest."

"On what charge?" The third-in-command argued.

"Insubordination!" Eldestmon answered.

"This was an emergency! Cutie needed me! Isn't that right, Sweetie?" Beautymon pleaded to the goggle-head. But slowly, her world came crumbling down when she saw him moving his head side to side.

"Kidnapping?" Takuya also added to the list of charges.

"But Cutie... I was only trying to help... You were tired, and lonely, and..."

"Lying? Cheating? AND stealing?" Zoe interrupted the female Digimon. And in return, Beautymon leered deep into the girl's soul.

"Shut your mouth, Blondie! I swear, the next time I hear you..."

"Oh, that's right! I almost forget!" Zoe winked at Beautymon. "Let's not forget the most recent charge: attempted homicide... _twice_."

"YOU... ARE... ANNOYING!"

With no valid defense for the last few accusations, Beautymon had lost her temper and reverted back to yelling. Of course, her outburst was all Eldestmon and Swiftmon needed to confirm all of Beautymon's wrongdoings. The leader sighed with disappointingly while the swordsman shook his head with disbelief.

"Swiftmon, take her to the Containment Room immediately." commanded the elderly Digimon.

"Yes, sir!" The swordsman complied. Swiftmon hoist the third-in-command off of her feet and carried Beautymon over his shoulders.

"HEY, LET ME GO, SWIFTMON! THAT'S AN ORDER! I AM THE BEAUTIFULIST, STRONGEST DIGIMON IN THE WORLD! I COMMAND YOU TO RELEASE ME RIGHT NOW!" screamed the escorted Digimon. But her demands fell on deaf ears. As Swiftmon struggled to keep his partner under control, Beautymon glared back at the teenage blonde, who had a victorious grin on her face.

"THIS ISN'T OVER, BLONDIE! YOU HEAR ME? MARK MY WORDS! WHEN I GET OUT, I'M GOING TO FIND YOU AND I'M GOING TO END YOU! YOU ARE GOING TO PAY FOR HUMILATING ME! ARE YOU LISTENING, BLONDIE! I WILL GET YOU FOR THIS! ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, I AM GOING TO..."

Swiftmon turned the corner and Beautymon's thunderous roars faded to silence.

"Thank... God!" Zoe sighed with relief. She wasn't the only one who was glad that little fiasco was over.

"Are you alright, Zoe?" Her boyfriend wondered.

"Yeah, definitely." She replied with her signature smile. "There's no need to worry anymore. That two-face skank is gone!"

"Whoo! For a moment there, I thought she was going to hurt you."

"Oh, baby! You worry too much! Like I said before, I can take care of myself! Besides, it's one thing to be beautiful and strong. But all of that goes out the window if you're acting like a big pushover!"

"Indeed." Eldestmon nodded. "She's got a long penance ahead of her. I must apologize for my follower's actions. Whatever she has done, I will take full responsibility. Now if you excuse me, I must get back to work."

"Thanks for the save, Eldestmon." Takuya waved goodbye to the Battlefront's leader. With him gone, Takuya, Zoe and their two Rookie friends were the only ones left in the hall.

"So, um... anyway... welcome back, Takuya."

"Yeah... Thanks, Z."

Again, silence filled the lobby. The two Digimon watched happily as the two humans embraced each other once again.

"Come on, Neemon. I think I here Blisseymon calling us to help out at the Medical Wing." Bokomon said, pulling his partner by the arm so they can give Takuya and Zoe some privacy.

"Huh? What are you talking about? I didn't hear anything! Are you sure that Blisseymon called us? Or haven't you gone deaf..."

*bam*

Takuya and Zoe tried to keep their laughter as the Digimon with the waistband bashed his partner with his book. Neemon slumped to the cold floor in a daze. Bokomon sighed with frustration, now that he has to carry his partner out of the halls. So, he grabbed Neemon by the pants and dragged him away. But just before he disappeared from sight, he gave his human friends a quick wink.

And just like that, they were both gone.

"So, um... Takuya?" Zoe spoke, ready to pick up where they last left off at the Autumn Leaf Fair. "You were, uh... about to ask me something? You know... right before Beautymon showed up?"

"Huh?" The goggle-head stared awkwardly at her.

But soon enough, his memory came back. He knew exactly what he was 'supposed' to ask his girlfriend. Zoe could see a hint of redness on both of his cheeks; which she thought was pretty cute. Once again, the cool, calm, collected Takuya is trying very hard to compose himself.

"Oh yeah, that's right." He said the moment he remembered, just before putting his shirt back on. But his nerves was getting the best of him, making it difficult to follow through. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it, Zoe. It's not a big deal..."

He was about to walk away with embarrassment when he felt something grabbed his arms. Takuya turned and saw Zoe smiling at him and waiting patiently for his question.

"Tell me... please?" She pleaded.

"Oh... Alright. I guess I stalled long enough." Takuya admitted defeat. He faced his beloved and gazed into her mesmerizing emerald orbs.

"Zoe?"

"Yes, Takuya?"

"I... I was wondering if... um... *gulp*..."

"Yes?"

"Would you like to go to the festival with me?"

There, he said it.

"Takuya, I..." Zoe placed a hand over her mouth. She had a feeling that Takuya was going to ask her that. The anticipation killed her, but after hearing him say those words, she felt like she was flying.

However, she remembered a similar scenario back in the Human World. It was Takuya's birthday and he had just asked her if she wanted to spend some time with him on that day. She remembered the conversation completely. Of course, it was supposed to be just two friends hanging out with each other; not an actual date. But it sure felt like it on that day.

Zoe snapped out of the trip down memory lane and gazed at her best friend.

"Are you asking me out, Takuya?" She asked the same exact question during their phone conversation. But instead of fumbling over his words like last time, the goggle-head kept his eyes on his girlfriend.

And then, he nodded his head.

"Yes, I am." Takuya answered. "Zoe Orimoto, how would you like to have our first date... in the Digital World?"

"Takuya..."

Now it was her turn to act nervous. This is exactly what she wanted, hoped, dreamed. She never expected to become a reality. At last, Takuya Kanbara has asked her on a date. No sugarcoating, no hesitation, no stuttering, just pure honesty. Zoe thought she was in a dream, bound to wake up sooner or later. She would open her eyes and this would be another one of her cheesy fantasies never to come true.

But that didn't happen. He didn't fade away nor corrected his question. The words from his mouth came from his heart. Takuya stood there in front of her, hands behind his head with his usual goofy grin plastered all over his face. Zoe's mind was at an absolute standstill. Her dream has finally came true; right before her very eyes. And she was still frozen.

Takuya then noticed a huge smile on her face with a tear trailing down her cheek.

"Yes! Yes, Takuya! Yes, Yes, Yes! I would love to!"

"You will?" The goggle-head asked, making sure if his ears had heard right. She nodded happily.

"Yes! Oh, Takuya! I love you so much!"

"And I love you too, Zoe!"

And for the cherry on top, Zoe ferociously attacked her boyfriend's lips. Takuya almost lost his balance as he stumbled backwards. But thankfully, there was a wall behind him to catch his fall. Meanwhile, he was already lost in his own little world shared only with his one true love. The couple exchanged short and long kisses on each other's lips and other parts of the body. As they snuggled in their loved one's embrace, both of them relished in what had just happened.

Who could ask for anything more? They're about to go on their very first date with each other. Sure, they have hung out a lot. But this one was special. Takuya Kanbara and Zoe Orimoto. Ready to take another step in their relationship. It may be small, but they're walking together, hand-in-hand. And not a single Digimon can break them apart.

"Ah, young love. Isn't it wonderful, Neemon?" A peeping Bokomon whispered to his friend.

"Um... I don't get it." Neemon pondered, staring at the kissing couple.

*bam*

"OW!"

* * *

><p>"LET GO OF ME, SWIFTMON! ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME? GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF OF ME!"<p>

But the swordsman refused to let the female Digimon off of his shoulders. As they traveled through hallways, he had to endure Beautymon's constant screaming and continuous pounding on his backside. But regardless how much she struggled, Swiftmon carried on. Beautymon has been displaying of lot of inappropriate behavior recently, especially with the Bearer of Wind. Something must be done.

A few minutes of yelling has passed until finally, Swiftmon has reached the Containment Room; now guarded by two Andromon since a certain Digimon has left her post for no reason. The doors to the prison chamber opened up. Swiftmon marched into the Containment Room, still with Beautymon over his shoulder. He made his way toward one of the empty titanium cells.

"SWIFTMON! PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT, BEFORE I SHOVE BOTH OF YOUR SWORDS DOWN YOUR THROAT!"

"Shut up, Beautymon."

As she requested, the swordsman threw his partner into the empty cell. Beautymon landed on all fours on top of the cold, steel floor. She quickly sprang back up and leaped toward the entrance. But Swiftmon has already shut the gate tight before Beautymon could escape. The female Digimon tried using her Beautiful Beams to blast a way out of her cell. But when the lasers made contact with the bars, it absorbed the energy attack completely; making her most powerful moves useless.

"This is for your own good." Swiftmon sadly sighed, locking the doors.

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME! I'LL HAVE YOUR HEAD FOR THIS!"

"Whatever... Now, you're going to sit her 'quietly' and think about your actions. And, once when the time is right... I'll let you out."

The swordsman turned and walked back toward the exit. Beautymon could only watch as her partner purposefully leave her behind. Slowly, the doors to the Containment Room closed shut, separating the olive haired Digimon from the rest of her comrades. Now she was all alone, feeling worse than ever. Her long, luscious hair was a mess. Her beautiful dress remained tattered, punctured and stained from Kazemon's previous attack. And to top it all off, her Cutie is now with _her_; the human who was responsible she's behind bars.

She had to get rid of her somehow. Not send her far away or abandon her on a lost island. After all of the things the blonde did to embarrass and humiliate her, it was time someone put that human in her place. One way or another, that girl is going to experience the same pain as she has all those times watching her hanging out with her Cutie. When she gets out of her cell, she's not going to beat the Bearer of Wind to the point beyond recognition. She's going turn her face inside-out and hang it on the wall as her most prized trophy.

But those thoughts of her destroying the teenage girl didn't happened on its own. No, it all started with one specific, crucial event...

... when Beautymon laid eyes on the black Digi-Egg floating in the center of the room.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter fifty-five. <strong>

**Tomorrow is the Autumn Leaf Festival. What surprises await our two heroes? And what will become of Beautymon if she gets out of the Containment Room? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	56. The Autumn Leaf Festival: Part 1

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Beautymon returned to the Battlefront Headquarters with Takuya in her control. She took him to her room and was more than prepared to do some nasty things to the boy. But Zoe came in time to save her beloved. With a passionate kiss on the lips, she brought him back to normal. That made Beautymon very angry. Fortunately, Eldestmon and Swiftmon were there to arrest the female Digimon for insubordination. And how do you like that? Takuya has asked Zoe out to the Autumn Leaf Festival. *sighs* How romantic. However, don't think that Beautymon is done with Zoe just yet.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter fifty-six!**

* * *

><p><strong>The Autumn Leaf Festival<br>(Part 1)**

**Normal POV:**

"This is all your fault, Takuya!" Zoe huffed as she and her boyfriend waited in the long line that leads to the Digiporter.

Apparently, every Digimon was just as excited about the festival as they are. That's why they all want to get there by using the Digiporter. But the line was so long, there's like a traffic jam inside the headquarters.

"My fault?"

"If you hadn't overslept, we would've been at the front! We could've been at the festival a lot sooner if you hadn't stayed up late!"

"Well, you're the one who initiated the little make-out session when I woke up! So don't you go pointing fingers at..."

"HEY! MOVE! YOU'RE HOLDING UP THE LINE!"

Takuya and Zoe turned and noticed a large gap between them and the Digimon in front of them. After apologizing to the others behind them, the humans hustled to the front. They had already been inside the facility for so long, neither of them knew how much time passed since there is no clock anywhere in sight.

"It's about time you humans got here!" Gotsumon said when they entered the Digiporter Room. "Are you two ready to go to the Autumn Leaf Festival?"

"You know it!" Takuya nodded.

"Uh-huh!" giggled the blonde.

The teenagers grabbed each other's hand and skipped toward the crowded Digiporter. Meanwhile, Gotsumon disallowed other Digimon to enter, since there was no room on the platform. Takuya helped his beloved on top of the platform and stood next to her. The two weren't just ready to see the Autumn Leaf Festival They were excited because it'll be their first date in the Digital World.

"Coordinates to the Autumn Leaf Festival are set! Ready to teleport in three, two..."

Takuya caught his girlfriend staring at him. He replied with his corky smile and a kiss on her lips. He couldn't believe himself. Takuya's going out with the kindest, smartest, most patient person he's ever known. Tough as nails one moment, and the girl next door right after.

"One... Commence teleportation! Have fun, everyone!"

Gotsumon slammed his fist on the big blue button. A white light shot out from the bottom of the Digiporter, engulfing everyone with its bright illuminations. Before long, the entire room was covered with white, blinding light, teleporting everyone else to the Autumn Leaf Festival.

* * *

><p>All of the Digimon on the platform couldn't wait to get into the party. As such, they shoved poor Takuya and Zoe aside and quickly dashed toward the carnival so they would be the first ones in line. As the humans expected, everyone was thrilled to be a part of the celebration. But overwhelming excitement is no excuse for rudeness.<p>

"You okay, Z?" Takuya asked as helped Zoe back up.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

The sun has almost disappeared beyond the mountains. But there were some light that lead the humans to the festival. Red and purple radiance stretched across the sky. It's like the sun knew the humans would arrive soon. As a kind gesture, it acted as a guide to their destination.

But when the sun had vanished, a path of light produced by lines of bonfires were there to help. With each row of flames they passed, the closer they were getting to the festival. The sounds of children laughing, Digimon screaming from the rides, crowds cheering and wonderful music enter their ears.

"TAKUYA, LOOK!" Zoe cried, pointing towards the front.

Like his girlfriend, the goggle-head was at a lost for words.

At last, the Autumn Lead Festival in all its glory exploded into their vision. Color and sounds of all kinds bombarded in front of them. It was magical inside. The bright, colorful lights and the smiles on the faces of every Digimon were beyond overwhelming. However, the creatures closest to them didn't even notice the newcomers' arrival, for they're too wrapped up in their own enjoyment to greet them.

"HOLY COW!" Takuya gasped.

"_FANTASTICO_!" The blonde agreed.

"Man! Our festivals back at home aren't as colorful and bright as this!"

"And beautiful too!"

"Well Zoe? Are we going stare at the lights all day? Or are we going to join the fun?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Zoe responded by punching his arm.

"Greetings, humans!" Someone shouted from above.

Takuya and Zoe looked up and saw a familiar angel-like Digimon hovering above them. He descended toward the ground and landed in front of the couple.

"It's Piddomon!" The young man waved.

"Welcome to the Autumn Leaf Festival!"

"It's amazing! I've never seen anything like it!" Zoe added.

"Is it safe to assume that this is your first time at our grand event?" The angel asked. The humans nodded.

"In that case, I recommend you take this!" Piddomon suggested.

He handed twenty festival tickets to Takuya, as well as a piece of paper. On that sheet was a map of the entire festival. There were color-coded dots on various spots, indicating the rides, carnival games, food stations and other attractions. And on the left of the map was another list of special events. These included fun competitions, raffles, and other announcements; plus the fireworks show at the end.

"Look, Zoe! The Scavenger Hunt is in two hours! We gotta participate in that!" Takuya spoke with excitement.

"Ah yes! Our most popular event of all! For the winner of this event will receive valuable prizes! Surely, you must participate!"

"Wow! You hear that, Z? You and I can partner up and... Zoe?"

For the most part, the Bearer of Wind wasn't listening to Takuya's enthusiastic comments. That's because she had her eyes on something at the bottom of the announcements list. At first, she skipped over it; thinking it was it was a typo. But that's when she read it again. And then she felt her heart soaring above the heavens.

'_Festival Dance_'

"Hello? Earth to Zoe!" Takuya called out to his beloved, waving his hand in front of her face.

"Huh? You said something?"

"I said, what do you want to do first?" The boy asked again, showing his girlfriend the map.

"Oh, it doesn't matter. You pick first." answered Zoe.

"Alright. How about we start here?" Takuya trailed his finger from their current location toward the bottom right side of the map; which was marked by a number of green dots. According to the index, that area is filled with all kinds of carnival games.

"Cool?" Takuya asked.

"Sounds good!" The blonde giggled.

The humans then turned to Champion and gave the angel-type Digimon a quick bow. "Thank you so much, Piddomon!"

"My pleasure!"

After saluting to the Bearers of Flame and Wind, Piddomon flapped his wings and took flight.

With his girlfriend's hand in his, Takuya dashed toward his right. He juked passed every incoming Digimon and hurried toward the closest area where the carnival games were held. Meanwhile, the girl with flushed cheeks smiled as the wind blew passed her face. She couldn't help but laugh as Takuya dragged her through the festival, carefully making sure she doesn't trip.

Moments later, they've arrived at their first stop. Tons of Digimon crowded the vicinity. Canopies and booths lined up side-by-side, offering the visitors a variety of fun games, challenges, and prizes. Every carnival game that exists can be found here. There was Ring Toss, Strike the Pins, Water Blasting, Knock the Cans, and other creative games. The neon lights surrounding the booths were so inviting, Takuya and Zoe had no idea where to begin.

"What would you like to try first, Z?" Takuya asked.

"Hmm..." The girl placed a hand on her chin and thought.

*DING*

The sound of a brass bell captured their attention. They quickly spotted Goblimon handing a prize to another Rookie. Takuya and Zoe approached the creature's station, and immediately noticed that it was the High Striker game. There was a twenty foot vertical tower, a lever, a puck indicator and a bell up top. And depending where the puck stops, a number from 1-100 will appear on the screen, representing how well the player does.

"You want to do _that_ first?" Takuya questioned his girlfriend with a strange tone. Obviously, the game seems so easy and the prizes don't even look that good.

"What's wrong, baby? Afraid that you'll lose to a girl in a test of strength?" Zoe pressured his boyfriend. A small snicker escaped Takuya's lips.

"Oh, it is on!" He grinned.

Surprisingly, there was no line forming in front of Goblimon's station, regardless of how crowded this place was. Takuya and Zoe jumped to the front, and the goblin sensed new challengers.

"Ah, so you humans think you have the strength to hit the bell, huh?" He chuckled.

"You betcha!" said the confident goggle-head. Zoe just giggled.

"That will be two tickets, please. One from each of you." Takuya broke two tickets apart and handed them to the host.

"Very well, you two. Step right up!"

The couple did as they were told and stepped toward the vertical tower. Zoe walked forward, indicating that she will go first. Goblimon then handed her a sledgehammer. When the blonde grabbed the large mallet, she almost fell backwards due to the surprising amount of weight it had. As Zoe struggled to hold the hammer with both hands, the host explained the rules.

"It's very simple! Hit the bell, you get a prize! Anything short, and you get nothing! Got it?"

"Sure... no problem..." huffed Zoe.

Obviously, she was having a trouble carrying the hammer. Then again, it had to be heavy if she wanted to generate enough force to hit the bell. Without wasting any time, Zoe pulled her arms over head and took aim at the center of the lever. Then, as if she called upon the strength of the Warriors of Wind, she threw her arms forward. The head of the hammer slammed against the lever, causing the puck to launch. As it got higher, the lights changed colors from purple to red; with red being at the top. Zoe believed she was a clear winner.

That is, until the puck stopped.

[ 73 ]

"Oh, so close Missy!" Goblimon laughed at the girl's failed attempt.

"Darn, I had it!" Zoe grumbled with a puffed face.

"Move over! This is a man's job!" The arrogant Takuya snickered.

He took the hammer from Zoe and was also surprised about its mass. But he pulled his arms back and was ready to take his turn. Like his girlfriend, Takuya called upon the power of the Warriors of Flame. He then hoist the hammer over his head and brought it down hard at the edge of the lever. The incredible amount of force sent the puck flying to the top. Takuya's cocky smile widened as the indicator reached closer toward the bell.

But it disappeared when the puck came to a halt.

[ 70 ]

"YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" Takuya screamed.

"Ha!" Zoe pointed at her boyfriend with a sly grin on her face.

"What are you laughing at? You didn't win either!" He argued.

"Ah! But I got a better score! That means I'm stronger than you!"

"Does not!"

"Does too!"

"DOES NOT!"

"DOES TOO!"

"HEY, YOU HUMANS MIND MOVING?" A familiar voice stopped the couple from continuing their silly argument. Takuya and Zoe turned and saw another Digimon waiting for his turn.

"Grumblemon!" Takuya gasped.

"You're here at the festival too?" Zoe wondered.

"Of course. This be Grumblemon's chance to have the fun and claim much prizes. And after seeing puny humans fail at game, Grumblemon motivated to try. Hehe!"

"Wow, thanks..." Takuya and Zoe said disappointingly in unison.

"Oh ho! What's this? A Legendary Warrior has come to try as well!" The Goblimon hosting the game laughed. "If these kids can't pull it off, what makes you certain that _you_ will?"

"You see!" Grumblemon laughed. He walked passed the teens and stood in front of the tower.

"Here you go! Give it your best shot!" said the goblin as he handed the heavy hitting tool.

But to Goblimon's surprise, Grumblemon easily held the sledgehammer with one hand. The Warrior of Earth did a couple of bicep curls with the hammer to show off his muscles and strength; which even the humans found amusing. However, as Grumblemon gazed at the lever he was supposed to hit, something didn't feel... right.

"Meh, me have better idea." chuckled the gnome.

He tossed the sledgehammer over his head and out of the festival boundaries. Takuya, Zoe and Goblimon had no idea what the Legendary Warrior was planning. But judging by that huge smile on his face, Grumblemon had no intention on losing. He reached behind his back and pulled out his own signature sledgehammer; which was bigger, longer, heavier and has more power than the average mallet.

"Take cover!" The humans shouted, diving out of the way to shield themselves from what's about to happen.

"NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Goblimon waved his arms around and yelled.

"SEISMIC SELDGE!"

The Legendary Warrior leaped into the air with his hammer drawn back. During the descent, Grumblemon brought his weapon down hard on the lever. There was so much force applied to the bar, it snapped cleanly in half. But that didn't mean his attempt failed. The puck launched toward the bell at speeds even Goblimon has never seen before. As it drew closer toward the bell, everyone looked on in anticipation.

*DIINNN-OOOOMMMMM!*

The bell didn't just ring. It exploded, sending brass and metal flying across the sky. As for the puck, it never came down. Goblimon watched in awe as the indicator disappeared into the sky. His mouth hung open like he was in extreme shock. Never before has he seen such power. If this Digimon were to compete with others in a test of strength, he would surely be the favorite.

"YAHOO! WINNER!" Grumblemon spun his sledgehammer around and cheered, never giving a care who was in the way; including the humans.

"You idiot! You've ruined my machine! Do you know how much this is gonna cost?" complained the goblin.

"ME WINNER! ME WINNER!" The excitement completely took over the Legendary Warrior's head. With his weapon stll in his hands, Grumblemon raced through the festival and screamed like a maniac.

"WINNER!" *boom* "WINNER!" *boom* "WINNER!"

Takuya and Zoe could only watch as Grumblemon started thwacking his hammer on any of the booths or other game stations he laid eyes on. Many Digimon thought it was hilarious, while other kids shed tears for the Legendary Warrior has ruined their fun. Unfortunately, Grumblemon didn't care. He was already enjoying himself. He disappeared into the crowds, unfinished with relieving his excitement.

"'Um... should we stop him?" Zoe asked, trying to hold back her laughter.

"Nah, let him go." Takuya nodded before turning to the stunned goblin.

"Sorry about your game, buddy. We'll do whatever we can to make it up to you." He apologized. But in a flash, Goblimon's expression changed. Now, he was laughing with tears in his eyes.

"Nonsense, human! This is the Autumn Leaf Festival! I expected my game to be ruined by a powerful Digimon at some point in time! I guess Grumblemon would be the one! Oh... that reminds me!"

The goblin reached to one of the shelves behind him and grabbed a prize. He handed the teenage girl what appears to be a small teddy bear. Zoe happily took the prize and gave it a great big hug, as any girl would do to a new stuffed animal. But as the blonde continued to embrace the small toy, Takuya gazed back at the goblin with a look similar to his girlfriend.

"Thanks, Goblimon! But I thought you said we have to ring the bell if we want to win! Zoe and I were way short!" He argued.

"Take it! I was gonna give it to Grumblemon, but he's gone now! Please, I insist!"

Realizing they have nothing to lose, Zoe accepted the prize and both the humans thanked the goblin for the new toy. After that, they said goodbye and left the station. Takuya and Zoe moved along toward other parts of the festival to see what else they could find.

There were some Digimon handing out free balloons to other In-Training and Rookies. Some creatures performed tricks on the street to entertain the visitors. A number of them juggled, while others try to stay balanced on a large ball. And then there were some that did both at the same time. Zoe and Takuya had time to stop and watch a few of the performances, but quickly moved on to see other parts of the festival.

"Where do you want to go next, Z?" The goggle-head asked before kissing his girlfriend on the forehead.

"Let's walk around and see what we can find!"

The couple continued to walk around the festival. Zoe wrapped her arms around her boyfriends and planted a soft kiss on his cheek, which made the Bearer of Flame blush. If anyone were to look on, they would be happy for the human couple. They were the perfect match for each other. Any Digimon could tell by the smiles on their faces, the giggles from the girl, the goofiness of the boy and the exchanging of kisses. If anybody wanted to know what romance is, all they had to do is find Takuya and Zoe.

"That's right, folks! In less than a minute, we will start our Hamburger Eating Contest!" A voice that sounded like Burgermon shouted from a microphone, instantly capturing both Takuya's and Zoe's attention. The humans turned to see to see a crowd of Digimon gathered around in a certain spot. However, the words 'Eating Contest' is what the goggle-head's all excited about.

"Hurry, Zoe! We do not want to miss this!" The boy said to his girlfriend, pulling her by the arm toward the crowd.

"Seriously, Takuya? You're gonna compete in an eating contest? Ugh! _Che shifo_! You remind me of J.P. when he was a pig!" groaned the young woman.

"Says you! And besides, I'm not gonna participate!"

"Then why are you so interested in this event?" Zoe asked.

"I want to see which Digimon will throw up first!"

"Wow... Unbelievable!"

Since there were a lot of Digimon there to spectate this popular contest, it was hard to find good spots to stand and watch the others eat. But the couple were fortunate enough to find some room in the second row. They stood behind some Rookies about half their size, so they won't have a problem with anybody blocking their view. At last, Takuya and Zoe saw the competitors for this event.

There were a total of six competitors. From right to left seated a hungry Armadillomon, a Pumpkinmon holding a fork and knife, a Guilmon wearing a bib, a Sukamon licking his lips, and a Nanimon who had finished drinking his bottle of soda. And on the far left of the table was anxious yellow rabbit with red trousers who kept on shouting, 'Bring on the Beef!'

"Neemon's in this too? Oh boy!" Zoe shook her head while smiling.

"My money's on him! I bet he will be the first to go." Takuya said boldly, which earned him a soft punch in the arm.

"You're mean. He's our friend, Takuya. The least we can do is cheer him on."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. C'MON, NEEMON!" The goggle-head waved to the Rookie and cheered.

"YOU CAN DO IT!" The blonde screamed.

Moments later, a Burgermon with a microphone in his hands stepped up to the center of the stage.

"Last call for any contestants! Once again, this is your last chance!" He said. The crowd of Digimon exchanged glances, wondering if anyone among them would be stupid enough to try it. While a few encourage their friends to participate, not a singe hand was raised.

"Come now! Don't be shy! After all, there will a fabulous prize: a special voucher that will grant the winner free burgers for a whole year! So, one more time! Who else would like to participate in the Hamburger Eating Contest?"

Upon saying what the prize was, the crowd started to show more energy. Free burgers for an entire year is a great prize. Takuya and Zoe could also see it in each of the contestants' faces. Their eyes were sparking like stars. Some of them had drool dripping out of their mouths. Even Neemon was excited as everyone else. He was jumping in his seat like little baby.

However, no hands were raised. Not a single Digimon had the guts, nor the stomach to step up. After a few moments of silence, the crowd has decided that the six Digimon on the stage had a better chance at winning the prize than any one of them.

Burgermon was about to start the contest, when he heard the sound of another Digimon stomping on the stage.

"Free burgers? There ain't no way I'm backing out of this contest, right?" The Warrior of Wood bravely responded. He grabbed a chair from afar with his elongated, cabled arms and sat next to the nervous Neemon.

"THIS IS AMAZING, LADIES AND GENTLEMON! FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, WE GOT A LEGENDARY WARRIOR COMPETING IN OUR EVENT! EVERYONE, GIVE IT UP FOR ARBORMON!"

It was so loud, the human couple had to cover their ears so they wouldn't go deaf from all of the Digimon yelling. The way they were screaming and cheering made it seems like they were in a national soccer game. At that point, most of the Digimon were already shouting the name of the supposed favorite to win the competition. With such high volume and intensity, almost every Digimon on stage were having second thoughts of backing out.

But it's too late for that now.

"Hehe! The crowd sure knows a winner when they see one, right?" chuckled the wooden android, who seemed more cocky than confident.

"Alright, folks! Allow me to explain the rules!" said the Burgermon. As he pulled out an index card in his apron pocket, his wife and kids delivered a tray to each participant each with a mountain of burgers stacked to the skies.

"You will have ten minutes to consume as many burgers as possible! You must eat every part of the burger in order for it to count! My wife and children will be keeping track of your total, so there will be no controversy. If you pass out or throw up, you will be automatically disqualified! The Digimon who consumes the most burgers before time runs out will be declared the winner! Any questions?"

Not a single contestant said a word. They stared blankly at all of the burgers waiting to be stuffed into their empty stomachs. Only Arbormon showed no emotion. Regardless of how many burgers laid before him, that wasn't enough to scare him. He was going to win, and everybody's gonna have to accept it.

Burgermon took their silence as a sign of them understanding the directions. He put away his index card and took out a pistol.

"Very well then! Contestants, on your mark! Get set..."

*BANG*

At the sound of the gun, the competitors grabbed their first burger and began eating. Some Digimon shoved the entire burger down their throats, while the rest ate it regularly. It may cost them time, but neither have never learned to eat a whole burger at once.

Neemon, unfortunately, was a part of those few. It's taking him thirty seconds to devour the first burger. As for the Warrior of Wood, he took a burger in each hand and stuffed them in his mouth. He only chewed for a few seconds before grabbing the next two burgers. It took Neemon a minute to eat two burgers. But Arbormon has eaten twenty-five in that same span.

"YYEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" The crowd of Digimon cheered. Most of them rooted for who they wanted to win. But the rest were just thrilled to part of the show. Of course, there were few who were waiting and keeping their eyes open for the first Digimon to fall.

"COME ON, NEEMON! I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT! WOO!" screamed the blonde, who refused to let the crowd drown her out.

"He can't hear you, Zoe!" said Takuya. However, being unsupportive to the Rookie earned him an elbow to his side, causing the poor boy to fall.

As the contest reached the first quarter mark, the audience continued supporting the brave Digimon devouring the burgers. According to the score sheets, Arbormon has a strong lead with a hundred burgers eaten. The Digimon in second place only had half that number. The rest of the challengers weren't far behind the runner-up.

And then, there was Neemon, who was in last place.

Three minutes have passed, and yet he was still trying to finish his fourth burger. His pace hasn't changed since the beginning. Everyone could see him chewing slowly and waiting for a few seconds before taking another bite. In other words, he's going to need a miracle if he wants to win the...

"AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

At the right side of the table was Pumpkinmon puking out the last burger he ate. Afterwards, he passed out on the table, unable to continue. Almost everyone went berserk. As for the rest, they had to cover their eyes so they wouldn't get sick to their stomachs. This included Zoe. Takuya, however, was already jumping and screaming like a maniac.

"Pumpkinmon has been eliminated!" Burgermon shouted from his microphone.

It seemed as if the unfortunate Rookie's vomiting has triggered a chain reaction. Armadillomon also threw up the leftover burger in his mouth and was the next to leave. A couple of minutes later, Guilmon had already consumed his seventy-third burger. But instead of going for his seventy-fourth, he stared at it for a while before setting it back down on the tray. He got out of his seat and walked away feeling defeated and sick. Nanimon also threw away his burger to the crowd in disgust. He opened another bottle of soda and gulped it down as he exited the stage.

"And just like that, we are down to three contestants! And look at the time, everyone! Only three minutes left to go! Come on, Ladies and Gentlemon! MAKE SOME NOOOOIIIIIIIISE!"

"YEAH!" | | | "WOOHOO!" | | | "EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT!"

The remaining participants used the cheers as fuel to give them the energy they need in the final home stretch. Arbormon continued to scoff down the stack of hamburgers on his tray, determined to finish every sandwich before him. As for Sukamon, he spent half his time eating the burger he was holding and the other half watching the Warrior of Wood gobbling his stack easily.

Poor Neemon felt like he was going to hurl. There's less than three minutes in the competition and he was still in the middle of his sixth burger. Actually, the only ones still cheering him on were the humans. Zoe kept her energy level high while Takuya gave the rabbit the thumbs up sign. Although it looks like he wasn't going to win, they continued to show their support.

*thud*

A loud noise on the stage stopped the competition. Apparently, Sukamon couldn't eat another bite, which made him fall backwards on his chair. As a couple of helpful Digimon helped the passed out creature off of the stage, the crowd gave the third place finisher a round of applause. It was unclear if Sukamon heard the audience cheering, but that did not wipe away the smile on his face.

"Well, this is folks! We are down to the final minute of the competition and only two contestants remain!" The Burgermon shouted with excitement. "Unfortunately, with not much time left on the clock, it looks like Neemon will have to settle for second place! However, Arbormon has the chance to hit the 1,000 burger mark! Scream if you want to see it happen!"

As the challenge turned the final corner, the audience's noise level has reached its peak. Everyone, minus the humans, want Arbormon to hit that legendary feat. He checked to see how many burgers he needed to reach his goal before standing up.

"Hmm, let's see! I got to eat two hundred burgers in thirty-something seconds, right? Hehe! Easy as pie!"

Fractal Code surrounded his body, causing the Legendary Warrior to change forms.

"Arbormon, slide... EVOLUTION!"

Most of the Burgermon's children had to make room for the newly formed Digimon to take the stage. Neemon nearly dropped his burger the moment he saw the leafy lizard towering above him.

"PETALDRAMON!"

The Beast of Wood grabbed the tabled and picked it off of the ground, along with trays of burgers still on it. He held the furniture high and dumped the table of burgers all in his mouth; including all of the unfinished contestants' and Neemon's. Meanwhile, Petaldramon's scorekeeper frantically counted all of the sandwiches the contestant had consumed.

"Oh man, he's gonna do it!" Takuya cheered.

"Yep, sure seems like it. Aw, poor Neemon." Zoe sighed.

*BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP*

"TIME'S UP!" Burgermon shouted at the sound of the buzzard.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMON! HERE'S YOUR WINNER, WITH AN ASTONISHING 1,370 BURGERS EATEN: PETALDRAMON!"

"YYEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Everyone went wild and cheered like crazy for the winner. The crowd repeated shouted the Legendary Warrior's name, as they threw confetti and streamers on the stage in celebration. Petaldramon stood on his hind legs and relished in his victory. He waved to the spectators with a huge smile on his face.

"OH, YEAH! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, BABY! NOBODY BEATS ME IN AN EATING CONTEST! NOBODY..."

Suddenly, the Beast of Wood started to collapse the ground. Like a redwood tree falling in the middle of the forest, Petaldramon crashed his back into a couple of game booths. Half of the Digimon stopped what they were doing to check on the winner of the eating contest. Apparently, consuming a thousand burgers is draining for any Digimon. The leafy lizard drifted happily to sleep in the middle of the festival.

"Well then, I guess I will give him his prize later!" Burgermon chuckled before turning to the rabbit, who also looked like he was going to pass out soon.

"Oh, yes! I almost forget! Come on, folks! Give it up for Neemon! Not only he stayed through the entire competition, but he also finished in second place with... _seven_ burgers!"

"HORRAAAAAAAAAAAY!"

Though not as loud as the cheer Petaldramon got, it was still deafening. Meanwhile, Takuya and Zoe quickly made their way toward the stage to congratulate their friend. The blonde gave Neemon a great big hug, while the boy patted his head.

"Now, here's your prize, Neemon!" said Burgermon. Behind him, his wife approached the runner-up holding an envelop. But since Neemon was too queasy to notice, Takuya accepted the award on his friend's behalf.

"Inside that envelope is a voucher that will guarantee you free burgers for a whole month! Plus... one hundred Digi-Dollars!"

"No way!" Takuya gasped with excitement.

"You hear that, Neemon! Free food AND money! How does that... Neemon?"

But it was no use. The Rookie had already fallen asleep, just like the champion. After exchanging glances and shrugs, Takuya carried the exhausted Digimon in his arms and walked off stage with his girlfriend behind them. But as they exit the premises, the remaining audience gave the second place finisher their respect by sending him off with an applause.

After setting the sleeping Neemon on a nearby bench, the couple strolled through the festival and continued their date. By then, it was already dark and the stars decorated the night sky. However, there was plenty of lights at the Autumn Leaf Festival. That's what makes this event so special. The warmth provided by the lights was indescribable.

"Now what, Zoe?"

"Hmm... I don't know. There's so much to do."

"Well, we could get something to eat, play some more games, go on rides? It's up to you."

"Okay, I would like to... Ooh! Takuya, look!"

It turns out that a large crowd of Digimon were gathered around a very large, circular fountain with a bunch of fountain jets surrounding the center. Behind were a bunch of Toucanmon; each holding a variety of musical instruments. And in the middle of the top of the funnel part, was a shape of another Digimon striking a pose like she was about to start a dance routine. The lights surrounding the fountain immediately turned off, concealing the performer with darkness. As Takuya and Zoe found room in the crowd, a voice from the overhead speakers made its announcement.

"_Ladies and Gentlemon! The Autumn Leaf Festival proudly presents: 'The Colors of Water' featuring, the Legendary Warrior of Water, Ranamon!_"

Like in the eating contest a while ago, the audience went crazy. But it wasn't the performance most of them were excited for. The reason why almost every Digimon were screaming their lungs out was because of one special Digimon standing on top of the fountain. It's funny how she still has her own fan club, even after she was purified from evil. The crowd repeatedly chanted the Warrior's name as the light turned back on.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The orchestra opened with elegant and slow vibratos coming from the string section. Ranamon slowly lifts her arms from her sides to above her head, as the music slowly crescendos to a louder volume. At the same time, jet streams surrounding the gradually Warrior rose up above the water. Each column was in perfect harmony with each other; not too high and not too low.

"Wow!" Zoe gazed at the performing Digimon.

Next, a violin solo played in an adagio tempo, while making the high strings sing out like birds in the morning. That was Ranamon's cue to add some motion to her routine. She would twirl and bow her body beautifully, also mixing in some arm rotations to the same broad tempo provided by the music. But each her movements told the jets of water to mimic their commander. The crowd watch with astonishment as the water bends, bows and twirls in the sky before descending.

"Unbelievable!" complimented Takuya.

Ranamon then pushed her arms in all directions as she spun on her centerpiece. Like a choreographer displaying her art through her body, movement and emotion, the same could be said about the Legendary Warrior and the water around her. Each flawless movement had meaning and required no energy from her. Simultaneously, half of the streams drifted to the right, while the other half shifted left to represent the unity the water has with the performer. Next, the water changed directions to forward and backwards. Afterwards, it followed to whatever command Ranamon gave to it. As the violin solo reaches the end of the piece, the Warrior of Water rose her hands up to the sky, which made the columns reach the same level as her. The strings trilled and vibrated quickly, indicating a transition to the next part of the performance.

All of the sudden, the music stops. The lights went out and jet streams returned to neutral position. Some Digimon started clapping for the fine intro. But the rest knew the best has yet to come.

Before they knew it, a light bluish spotlight shone from above started the next part of the performance. Also, the sound of an acoustic guitar strumming to a moderate tempo gave the scenery a relaxing sensation. The audience could see Ranamon skipping happily on the water with each four measures of the music. However, as she her foot lands on the cold liquid, it didn't cause a huge splash; just a light, gentle ripple. She skipped around the still waters of the fountain, indicating what the first color represents.

'_Calmness_'

Next, the lights changed to bright yellow. There was a small break in the music, before flutes and clarinets ignite the woodwind section. By shifting her weight from side to side and performing quick movements with her arms, Ranamon ordered a large portion of water to come out of the fountain and form a large ring at the top. The Legendary Warrior then jumped in the center of the ring and started to dance on the bottom edge of the circular platform. As she rose her hands toward the sky, some the water in the ring gently sprayed into the audience. But the crowd didn't mind the shower. In fact, the smiles on their faces showed what this color symbolizes.

'_Happiness_'

When the ring of water fell to back into the fountain, the third color from above shone down on the Warrior of Water. This time, it was lime green. The music also change as well. There were crashing drums and tremolos from the strings. Ranamon created fist with her left hand and pulled it close to her chest. But with an open right hand, she pushed forward toward the crowd. The waters responded to her actions. Powerful jet streams barraged the Digimon dancing in the center. However, a force field of water protected the performer from getting sprayed; indicating what the meaning of the color.

'_Security_'

But when red lights covered the Legendary Warrior, the music also became more ferocious. The timpani boomed and the cymbals crashed thunderously. Deep sounds of the trombones and basses roared into the audience. Suddenly, Ranamon's elegant movements had changed. Now, she was viciously stomping and punching the waters. But the way she did it was admiring, even to the audience. With each hit to the water, there was an explosion on a certain spot of the fountain. Ranamon hit it again and another explosion on the other side appeared. Soon, the music crescendos to forte and the water explosions also increased in size; to the point of getting most of the crowd wet. Ranamon showed that even the gentle waters possess something that make others tremble.

'_Strength_'

Suddenly, the lights dimmed overhead, changing the colors of the liquid to black. There was a tremolo by the cellos and an oboe sang a sad, yet flat song. Takuya and Zoe watch as the shadow figure of the Legendary Warrior bends and torques her body in mysterious fashion, which received plenty of 'Oohs' and 'Aahs' from the crowd. But when they saw the water, they noticed it was... different. There was combination of everything and nothing. Funnels shot water about a few feet high, plus the waves and ripples were rough and smooth at the same time. There was no definitive shape, but there was some that could be distinct. This, however, can only describe the way the color black was suppose to represent.

'_Mystery_'

White lights came back on and the full orchestra sang at full blast, every Digimon in the audience went berserk, for the finale is underway. Funnels shoot water at different heights, and circled around the center of the fountain. Ranamon returned to her graceful dancing, twirling her arms and bending her body to the music and flow of the routine. As she continued her elegant movement, the entire water from the fountain rose upon the Legendary Warrior's command. The crowd, including the humans, waited anxiously for what was about to happen next.

Ranamon manipulated the water into a shape of a huge rectangular prism. Everyone was awed by the power the Warrior of Water has with her own element. Next, she moved liquid shape closer toward the light. And once when the prism was positioned in front, something amazing happened. Takuya, Zoe and everyone else saw a rainbow and all of its magnificent colors. At that point, everyone knew the meaning of the 'Colors of Water.'

'_Unity_'

"WHOA!" said Takuya.

"_MAGNIFICO_!" exclaimed Zoe.

For the final measure of the performance, the Warrior of Water dropped her arms back down, causing the water prism to fall into the fountain. Ranamon struck a pose in front of the awestruck audience and winked.

"YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Never before has the Legendary Warrior received such an ovation. Everyone was on their feet, applauding and screaming like crazy. Some of the Digimon whistled loudly while others chanted their favorite Warrior's name. Even Takuya and Zoe were part of the action. Zoe was literally shrieking in her boyfriend's ear. But Takuya didn't mind. For he was greatly impressed with the marvelous show.

"That was amazing!" He complimented.

"I never knew she was so talented!" said Zoe.

"Thank y'all for coming! I had such a wonderful time with all my adorable fans! Enjoy the rest of the festival and I'll see y'all next year!" Ranamon announced before exiting off stage. One by one, the crowd began to file out.

Again, the date continued with another stroll through the festivities. They looked around to see what other activities they could do. There were plenty of games, lots of tasty treats and some exhilarating rides. However, none seemed to intrigued any of the humans. As the couple walked down the road, Zoe continued to have interesting conversations with her stuffed animal.

"It's like you're in love with that thing, huh?"

"He's my new best friend! Isn't that right, little guy?"

"Hey, I thought _I_ was your best friend!" complained Takuya.

"Correction. You 'were.' And now..." She gave him a long kiss on the lips before parting. "... you're my boyfriend. And that will _never_ change."

"God, I love you so much!"

"I love you too, Takuya." She giggled. "So... now what?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's your turn to decide what we do next."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"Alright. How about we go... _there_?" Takuya asked, pointing to his right.

But when Zoe turned to look at that direction, her heart had stopped. Her body became cold, which almost made her drop her stuffed animal.

Lighting and thunder nearly struck the roof of the Haunted House of Mirrors. As the name states, it was a haunted house and a house of mirrors all at once. It was an old one story building with a bunch of cobwebs, loose planks and dark spooky shadows covering the broken house. A rusty, squeaky hinged gate welcome the humans with its terrorizing features. While the skeletons, dead trees and fog brought the element of scariness to the house, that's not what made Zoe as pale as snow.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

The poor girl could feel her heart pounding against her chest after hearing the screams. If it wasn't for Takuya holding her hand, she would've fainted on the spot.

"I... I don't know, Takuya. Don't you think it's... uh, a little early for Halloween?" stammered the nervous blonde.

"What? You said I could pick the... Huh? What's this? My beautiful girlfriend is _scared_?"

"No, I'm not!"

"How strange. You're not afraid of talking monsters, dark castles and a malicious psychopath. But you don't have the courage to try the Haunted House of Mirrors?" chuckled the boy, which annoyed the poor girl.

"Shut up! I'm not afraid of anything! Now, let's go!" She proclaimed, taking the lead.

"Four tickets, please. Mwahahaha!" The Bakemon host said, trying to terrify the participants.

After handing him the tickets, the humans walked through the entrance and onto the front door to the Haunted House of Mirrors. Zoe clutched onto her boyfriend tight as he turned the knob and opened the door. As expected, there was nothing but pitch black before them. But Takuya took a step forward, not letting the darkness win this battle. Before Zoe could have second thoughts, the squeaky door slammed shut.

After walking through the darkness for what seemed like a long, the humans were thinking that this probably wasn't a good idea. Every few seconds, a random creature would shoot from the walls, ground or ceiling in attempt to scare them. And it actually worked. Takuya would flinch and shield his face, while Zoe occasionally released a mild shriek. But regardless of how many times they've screamed, they continued to walk hand-in-hand, never thinking about letting go.

Moments later, the scaring came to a stop when the couple entered a room in the center of the house, lit by a dim chandelier above their heads. It was full of mirrors with different shapes, which can produce silly reflections. Each time they pass one, Takuya would make a face at the mirror, creating a look that even Zoe find amusing. In turn, that eased her nervousness, which made her release her boyfriend's hand. She too had fun with the mirrors, striking a pose every now and then.

"Glad to see you're having fun." Takuya grinned.

"It's not so bad." Zoe agreed, moving on to the next mirror in front of her. "Come to think of it, I actually been to one of these back in the Human... YAAAAAAAAAAH!"

But when she stepped in front of the next mirror, it wasn't her reflection she saw. It was something that made poor Zoe as cold as ice. It came out of the shadows to reveal its hideous face. The beast had large yellow eyes and demonic horns on its forehead. The snout looked like the one of a giant ogre. His entire face was covered in thick dark scales. He then opened his mouth to reveal rows of large pincer for teeth and drool as deadly as acid. His body was large and had thorns sticking out randomly from his skin.

He pounced toward the glass barrier and unleashed a devastating roar, only for Zoe to hear. That is what made the young woman scream and hid behind her beloved.

"Zoe, what's wrong?" Takuya asked when he saw his girlfriend shaking.

"M... Monster! Over there!" She pointed at the mirror she had previously looked at.

He figured it was just her imagination, but it's worth a look. After all, being scared is part of the fun. So, why not check it out? However, when he stepped in front of the mirror, all he saw was his own reflection. He waited for several seconds for the 'monster' to appear, but it never did. Takuya then smiled at Zoe, thinking that it's somewhat funny for her to be scared of her own reflection.

"I guess that's the beauty of combining a house of mirrors with a haunted house. You expect to see yourself in the mirror. But instead, you get a giant, scaly, nasty, scary mon... what? Zoe?"

"Ta... Takuya?"

"What is it now?"

"LOOK!"

The goggle-head turned around to see where his girlfriend was pointing at. His eyes widened like saucers when he saw the same creature as Zoe saw moments ago. The hideous face, the thorns on his body, the disgusting stench and the yellow eyes that spelled death for the humans. Normally, this would be a time for them to Spirit Evolve and kick that monster's butt.

Then again...

"RUUUUUUUUUUN!" Takuya shouted.

He quickly grabbed Zoe's hand and scurried down the long hallway of mirrors. The blonde glanced behind to see if the monster was still behind them. It turns out that he was right on their tail, snapping his jaws at the frightened humans. If they don't get out of there soon, the beast will have a pair of Chosen Children for dinner tonight at the festival.

Thankfully, Takuya saw a door at the end of the hallway. He and Zoe kicked it into high gear and sprinted as fast as they could to the door. They didn't care what was lurking behind the other side. They just had to get away from that monster. Once they got to the door, Takuya grabbed the handle and pulled it open. The room was awfully dark inside, but venturing into the great unknown is better than becoming beast stew. The couple entered the dark room and slammed the door behind them.

"Man, that was close." Takuya said, trying to catch her breathe.

"Yeah. But now, where are we? Sure could use a little bit of light about now." Zoe wondered, scanning the darkness around them.

As if the room has heard the girl's request, the lamps from overhead dimmed, revealing the contents inside this mysterious space.

"You got to be kidding me." groaned Takuya.

"Come on." Zoe sighed disappointingly.

In front of the humans was a maze mixed with glass panels and mirrors to confuse and trap the participants. While this is the basic concept behind this attraction, the fact that it was also a haunted house made the challenge scarier. Both humans stared at the maze hesitantly and gulped. But there was a small glimmer of light when they saw an 'Exit' sign at the far end of the tunnel.

"Are you sure we have go through this if we want to escape?" The blonde wondered.

"I guess so." The boy replied.

"This is been one of the scariest places I've ever been to."

"Same here. But we're almost there, Z."

"I know. We started this together, and that's how we're gonna end it." She said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Alright. Just stay close."

The two walked into the maze hand-in-hand. It wasn't the easiest thing in the world completing the puzzle. They came across a lot of dead ends and wrong turns. Plus, they would occasionally walk right into a glass panel. But the good news was that there hasn't been any creature or Digimon trying to scare them. It's as if this is solely a maze of mirrors, minus the haunted part.

"You're sweating." Zoe reminded her beloved.

"You're shaking." Takuya said to his.

"Well, I'm curious about when the next monster is going to appear. I get this feeling he's stalking us."

"Maybe. But let's just get this over wit... UGH!"

Takuya wasn't watching where he was going. He inadvertently walked right into a glass panel in front of him, which made Zoe crashed into his back. The two broke apart and fell to the ground, a little stunned from the impact. Thankfully, neither one of them has suffered any injuries. Takuya and Zoe go back on their own power and faced each other.

"You alright, Z?"

"I'm fine, Takky. But next time, watch where you're... huh?"

Zoe tried to grab Takuya's hand, but was blocked by a glass panel in between. She tried to go around, but a pair of panels blocked her right and left side. The only path that wasn't block was behind her. But how was that possible? A while ago, the two of them were together. And now, they're separated just like that?

"Oh no! Takuya! How'd you get in there? Oh God! What should I do? How do we..."

"Calm down, Zoe! Relax! Everything's gonna be fine! There has to be an opening somewhere around this maze! We just have to find the one that will lead us to each other!"

"Are you sure? What if we're trapped in here forever?" She asked, placing her hand on the glass barrier separating her from Takuya. But the goggle-head smiled and placed his on the clear panel right where Zoe is, almost seeming like they're touch each other.

"We won't. Because I'm gonna come get you, Z. And we'll make it out together."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

After exchanging reassuring smiles, the two split to embark on a journey back to one another. For Takuya, he's stopping at nothing to get to his beautiful beloved. He sprinted from pathway to pathway, searching for his girlfriend. When he came to a dead end, he slammed on the brakes and turned the other way. As for Zoe, she too was hustling from one side of the maze to the other, trying to find her boyfriend. She ran into her share of dead ends, which made her retreat to retrace her steps.

After what seemed like hours, Zoe was somehow back at the center of the maze. It felt like she had searched every inch of this dark and creepy puzzle. But there's still no sign of Takuya. Her heart pounded like a drum. What if she never finds him? What if something terrible happened to him? And what if they never escape this maze? She tried to block out those thoughts, but it still lurked in the back of her mind.

"Grrrrrrrrrr..." A dark voice growled from behind the girl. Zoe froze in her tracks.

"T... Takuya? Is that you?"

She slowly turned around, praying to herself that Takuya was trying to scare her. But it wasn't him; it was something much worse. Yellow, hungry eyes opened in the shadows and stared daggers at the slender female. When the mysterious creature stepped into the dim light, Zoe saw the a large monster almost three times her size in front of her. Actually, this was the same beast that chased them in the other room. Acid-like drool escaped his mouth as he approached his next 'meal.'

"Stay back!" ordered Zoe.

But the creature wouldn't listen. He backed the frightened girl into a mirror behind her. Once the monster has her cornered, he opened his jaw to show the Bearer of Wind his sharp, pointy teeth. All of the sudden, he unleashed a powerful roar and snapped his head toward the young woman. The terrified girl shielded her face and braced herself for the...

"ZOE!" Someone shouted.

She recognized that voice. In fact, just hearing him call her name symbolized a glimmer of light shining in the darkness around her. While the zoned-out girl stood there, Takuya ran and tackled his best friend to the ground. The couple rolled on the floor until the crashed into another glass panel. As for the beast, it ended up hitting his face against the mirror. He chewed on the crunchy glass for a while before spitting it back out. The monster glared at the humans and reposition himself for the next attack.

"Are you alright?" said Takuya as he helped Zoe back to her feet.

"Oh Takuya! I was so worried!" Zoe embraced her boyfriend.

"I miss you too, Z. But we still have a problem."

The couple turned and saw the scaly, thorny monster stomping towards them, looking more angry than hungry. Normally, the appearance, smell and noise would frighten any child, teen or adult. But not Takuya or Zoe. They had each other, and that was all they need to overcome their fears. Feeling like it's time to give the monster some payback, the Chosen Children reached into their pockets and grabbed their D-Tector.

"Together?" asked Takuya.

"Always!" Zoe replied.

"EXECUTE! SPIRIT EVO..."

"Hahahahahahaha! Tis too rich! Mwahahahahaha!" Another familiar voice laughed.

Suddenly, the scary monster faded from sight. And standing from a distance was a Legendary Warrior covered in green armor and equipped with mirror shields.

"Mercurymon?" Zoe said in confusion.

"What's going on? Where's the monster?"

"Foolish children! There hath been no monster in thy house of horrors!"

"Eh?"

"Tis I be the one who scared thou humans like weeping welps with thine illusions! Hahahaha! Nothing speaks my amusement than seeing thy saps tremble in fear! Tis be my ultimate work, making the so called Chosen Children afraid! Hahaha!"

"So, all this time..." Takuya gritted his teeth.

"... that was you trying to scare us?" Zoe asked, with her fists clenched.

"Don't be such a pouty face, my lady. Today be the Autumn Leaf Festival! Tis a time to have fun; which was precisely thy have accomplish. Hahahahahahaha!"

But neither Takuya nor Zoe found Mercurymon's practical joke funny. They were nearly eaten twice in the past ten minutes or so. And here is the Legendary Warrior laughing like an evil maniac. Sure, he's not evil anymore. But then again, something's never change.

"He's right, Zoe." Takuya said to his beloved, which earned him an awkward stare. "This is the Autumn Leaf Festival. He was just having fun! No harm in that, right?"

When she saw him winking at her, Zoe instantly got the message. She and Takuya walked toward the Warrior of Steel, coincidently at the same time.

"You're right, Takuya." She nodded. "Mercurymon's had his fun... I'd say we should have ours too!"

"Say what?" The armored Digimon wondered.

"One..."

"Two..."

"THREE!"

*pow*

Mercurymon didn't see it coming. Before he had time put up his defenses, Takuya and Zoe unleashed a vicious punch to Mercurymon's facial mirror. The Legendary Warrior fell back to the ground and lost consciousness. While the blow did hurt their hands a little bit, it sure felt good. Takuya and Zoe smiled at each other and grabbed each other's hands.

"Jerk!" huffed the blonde.

"Forget about him. Let's get out of here." said Takuya.

It turns out that the maze's exit was directly in front of them. After exchanging a kiss or two, the couple walked out of the Haunted House of Mirrors like a romantic couple, ready to continue their fun a the festival.

"Ugh, humans lack the humorous sense thy possess." Mercurymon stood up and rubbed the center of his face. "Why is that every time I have fun, it's wrong? Woe to those wimps who can't take a..."

"Mommy? Where are you" Mercurymon heard the voice of a child calling his mother.

A fiendish grin appeared on his face at the sound of new victims to scare. As the Warrior of Steel snuck quietly into the shadows, he started to think of ways how to make the new participants cower in fear.

"Excellent! Just what I was looking for; more Digimon to scare! Tis be the best Autumn Leaf Festival ever! Haha! Hahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter fifty-six. <strong>

**The festival is just getting started. What else does this grand event have in store for our heroes? Find out on the next chapter when Takuya and Zoe continue their date at the Autumn Leaf Festival. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	57. The Autumn Leaf Festival: Part 2

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**It seems like every Digimon was enjoying themselves at the Autumn Leaf Festival. The same thing could be said about Takuya and Zoe. Both of them were having so much fun on their first date in the Digital World. They tested their strength by playing the High Striker game with Grumblemon. Afterwards, they watched Arbormon dominate the Hamburger Eating Contest by setting a new record. Next, they watched Ranamon danced in 'The Colors of Water.' Then, they entered the Haunted House of Mirrors, where Mercurymon gave them a scare. And the best part is... the night's just getting started.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter fifty-seven!**

* * *

><p><strong>The Autumn Leaf Festival<br>(Part 2)**

**Normal POV:**

"Want to get something to eat, Z?" The goggle-head asked his girlfriend as they walked away from the Haunted House of Mirrors.

"Sure thing, Takuya!" Zoe replied by rubbing her cheeks against his for warmth.

"What would you like then?"

"Something... sweet." She said as the couple entered the northern part of the festival, where majority of the booths sold all kinds of tasty desserts.

To their right, Digimon offered the visitors an assortment of pies, cakes and tarts. Each baked dish has its own unique feature, smell and color. The flaky crusts and whipped cream on the pies concealed the contents filled with various sweets, juicy fillings and other savory ingredients. As for the cakes, the frosting and stacks of baked layers were delectable to the eyes. Finally, there were the tarts. While not as big as the pies and cakes, the combination of color and assortment of fruits and cream covering the pastry base made this treat just as popular.

On the left side were sweets that came in smaller portions. This included cookies, ice cream and different kinds of candies. While some stations only offered one of these treats, there were some booths that gave the visitors the option to mix and match their favorite desserts into one. For example, when Takuya and Zoe walked passed a Frigimon, they saw him carrying a big bowl of ice cream with colorful button-shaped candies and a chocolate chip cookie on top.

"Wow, that looks delicious." Zoe pointed out, still staring at the sundae even as the iced Digimon left the area.

"Is that what you want? A giant bowl of ice cream? We can get that if you like." said Takuya.

"No. I'm actually in the mood for something else."

"Like what?"

The blonde gave the goggle-head a huge smile; like the kind a little girl would give to her daddy when she really wants something.

"Snow cones!" She responded.

Without wasting anytime, the young woman grabbed her beloved by the wrist and lead the way to a snow cones station she had her eyes on. Obviously there were a lot of booths that offered Zoe's choice of dessert. But there was one particular reason why the Bearer of Wind wanted to get snow cones at the booth just a few feet in front of her.

"Kumamon!" Zoe waved toward the Legendary Warrior working at the station.

"Hey Zoe! How are you? It's good to see you again!" The bear-like Digimon said.

"Same to you too!"

"I'm guessing you would like some snow cones as well, huh?"

"_Corretto_!" The young woman giggled.

"Hey Kumamon?" The goggle-head came from behind the blonde.

"What's up, Takuya? You two enjoying the festival?" asked the Warrior of Ice.

"Yes, we are." The girl said, wrapping her arms around Takuya's.

"What are you doing here, buddy? Why aren't you having fun with the other Digimon?" The Bearer of Flame wondered.

"I was. But while I was here, a few of my friends called me over to help them make some snow cones. Apparently, they ran out of ice. So here I am, using my powers to make iced treats for the visitors. Speaking of which, would you two like some?"

"Yes, please!" Zoe beamed at the Legendary Warrior.

"Very well then. What kind of flavors would you like?" Kumamon pointed toward a chalkboard sign to his left.

On the blackboard was a list of all of the types of syrups the station has. It comprised mostly of fruit flavors; such as coconut, mango, strawberry and honeydew. Takuya and Zoe conversed with each other what kind of syrups they were going to put on their snow cones. When the couple checked the chalkboard again, they noticed they could also add vanilla ice cream to the bowl as well.

"Alright. Zoe and I will have one cherry-grape flavored snow cones with ice cream, please." Takuya requested.

"Coming right up!" The enthusiastic Kumamon shouted.

The couple embraced each other lovingly and watched the Warrior of Ice get to work. First, Kumamon went to a cooler filled with water. He scooped up a bucket of liquid and brought it to the counter. The bear then used his Crystal Freeze to turn the water into ice. Afterwards, Kumamon placed the frozen block into a special machine designed to make snow cones. When he turned the machine on, loud squeaks and rings filled the area.

Kumamon then scooped some rich vanilla ice cream into the bowl just before the crushed ice fell from the spout of the machine. Takuya and Zoe looked on as the Legendary Warrior retrieved a couple bottles of cherry and grape syrup. He colored the first half of the bowl red and the second half purple. The Warrior of Ice was about to bring the snow cones to the humans, when he stopped about midway.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Would you two like to add some snow cap to your snow cones?"

"Snow cap?" Takuya asked.

"You'll love it. It's sweetened condensed milk drizzled on top." replied the bear.

"Yes, please!" giggled Zoe.

Kumamon grabbed a bottle underneath the table. He squeezed what appears to be some kind of whitish liquid on the red and purple portions of the snow cones. After placing two plastic spoons in the treat, he handed his human friends the finished product. Takuya and Zoe stared at the snow cones with sparkles in their eyes and drool dripping out of their mouths.

"Thanks, Kumamon!" The young woman smiled.

"No problem, Zoe." The Warrior nodded.

"We'll see you soon, buddy." Takuya saluted to the bear.

"Have fun on your date!" Kumamon waved goodbye to his friends before moving on to the next customer.

The couple sat down at a nearby table to enjoy their dessert. As expected, it was sweet and delicious. Takuya ate most of the cherry flavored portion, while his girlfriend took care of the grape. Occasionally, the Bearer of Flame would offer some of a bite to Zoe, and she gratefully accepted. The young woman enjoyed the combination of cherry, vanilla and condensed milk all in one. Oh, and not to mention taste of her boyfriend too.

When it was her turn, Takuya ate the grape flavored snow cones and relished in the richness and sweetness of the treat. And just like Zoe, his favorite part was that the spoon had Zoe's taste all over it. The couple finished the rest of their snow cones, while enjoying the gorgeous view of the festival. The lights, music and the sounds of other Digimon having a good time made the humans smile.

"Oh Takuya. This is the best night of my life."

"Same here, Zoe. And the best part is we still have so much to do before the festival ends."

"You're wrong, baby. The best part is that I get to spend it all with you. Who could ask for anything more?" Zoe corrected with a cheeky grin.

"Fine, you win."

"I know... I always do."

Moments later, the couple finished their dessert. Takuya grabbed the bowl and tossed in a nearby garbage can. He then held his hand out and helped Zoe to her feet. The humans resumed their date by strolling to the western part of the festival. According to the map, this area was also filled with plenty of carnival games; similar to their first stop.

Bright lights, loud noises and a bunch of Digimon cheering filled the vicinity. Takuya and Zoe looked around to see other creatures try their luck in various games and challenges. They also noticed a number of Digimon carrying different prizes. Whether it's a stuffed animal, toys, balloons or candy, it did not matter. For they were just thrilled to be a winner.

"You want to play some more games, Takuya?" The girl asked.

"Not really. Let's walk around to see if we can find any of our frie..."

"Hahahaha! Loser!" An arrogant voice chuckled.

It came from up ahead. Curious about what had happened, the humans strolled toward the source of the noise. They saw a bluish rabbit laughing and point his finger at a dejected Kokuwamon. The poor insectoid had his head hung down like he had lost all of his money. The couple could clearly see the depressed look in his eyes. Unfortunately, the Digimon running the game had no remorse. After hearing the host humiliate him for too long, the Kokuwamon turned and slumped out of the area. As he walked pass the humans, Takuya and Zoe could hear the machine-type Digimon sniveling.

"Poor little guy." Zoe said, silently hoping Kokuwamon would be okay soon. Even something like losing a carnival game shouldn't be the reason not to smile. But even so...

"I wonder." Takuya grumbled.

Instead of walking in another direction, the goggle-head marched toward the game booth the insectoid Digimon was just at. He glowered at the rabbit-like Rookie, who was still busting a gut after embarrassing his last victim. Takuya took a long look at the cruel Digimon. Unlike most rabbits, this one can stand on two feet. He had long ears, a pair of claws, blue fur and black rings around his tail.

Upon further inspection, Takuya noticed the kind of game the Rookie was running. It was the traditional Balloon Dart game. There were a bunch of different colored balloons attached to board in the center of the station. He also saw plenty of darts, which are used to pop the balloons.

"Ah! So you've come to try Gazimon's Challenge! Isn't that right, human?" The Rookie grinned.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Gazimon**

**Level: Rookie**

**Attacks: Electric Stun Blast; Pit Fall**

**Description: Gazimon may be small, but sure isn't cuddly. Often times, this creature will do whatever means necessary to win. That also includes lie, cheat and steal. Combine that with his Electric Stun Blast, and it results in one tough Digimon.**

"What did you do Kokuwamon?" Takuya asked, motioning his arm toward the direction where the dejected Rookie ran off to.

"Me? I have no idea what you're talking about!" snickered Gazimon.

"You made him cry! We saw you making fun of him a while ago!" Zoe approached the booth and stood next to Takuya.

"Why are you humans blaming on me? It's not my fault that the poor guy's terrible at this game!"

"It's not right to tease others like that, especially at a time like this! Today is the Autumn Leaf Festival! Everyone should be having a good time! You, on the other hand, had just made our friend miserable!" The blonde continued.

"I think you owe Kokuwamon an apology!" demanded Takuya.

"Me apologize?" Gazimon stared innocently at the humans. "Oh please. Why should I say 'sorry' to that loser? Hahahahahahahaha!"

"Why I oughta..." Takuya rolled up his sleeve, ready to pound some sense into the Rookie.

But before he could start a fight, Zoe quickly grabbed her beloved's arm. Takuya turned to his girlfriend to object. However, he noticed the blonde beauty silently shaking her head. As much as she wanted to see this Digimon get what he deserves, violence isn't the answer. Then again, she had an even better idea.

"How about we make a deal, Gazimon?" The Bearer of Wind said.

"I'm listening..." The Rookie raised an eyebrow.

"Takuya and I will play your little game. If we win, then you will apologize to Kokuwamon."

"And what if you lose?" Gazimon leaned in closer, interested in what the humans have to offer him.

"If we lose..." Zoe gulped, before pulling something out of her pocket. She showed the rabbit-type Digimon her purple and pink D-Tector.

"... then you get these."

"Say what?" Takuya stared awkwardly at his girlfriend.

"Done!" The rabbit quickly replied before the Bearer of Flame could make his case. "I hope you humans are ready to lose! Your Spirits are going to make me a very rich Digimon! Hahahaha!"

The challenge has been accepted. It was too late for either Takuya or Zoe to back out or reconsider. Judging by the fiendish grin on Gazimon face, he knew the situation couldn't be any better for him. Not only he's very confident that he will walk out as the winner, but the Rookie also believed he's got nothing to lose and everything to gain.

As Gazimon got the Balloon Dart game set up, Takuya dragged Zoe toward the side of the booth so he can have a little talk with his girlfriend.

"Zoe, please tell me you didn't just gamble our D-Tectors." The teenage boy asked with frustration in his tone.

"Sorry, baby." Zoe shrugged her shoulders, like she has no idea how else to answer is question.

"Are you crazy? What are you thinking?" Takuya placed his hands on his beloved's shoulders and gazed into her emerald eyes filled with guilt.

"I just... I felt really bad for Kokuwamon. Everyone here should be having a good time, Takuya. After seeing the way Gazimon treated the poor guy, I just had to do something."

"I know..." The goggle-head sighed. At least he understood what his girlfriend's feeling. Whenever someone's unhappy, he'd expect nothing less from Zoe to lend a hand to those in need. "But did you have to put our Spirits on the line? What if we lose? What are we supposed to..."

He was quickly silenced with a long kiss on the lips; thus also ended any other objections Takuya had left over. This kiss, on the other hand, wasn't a romantic gesture like he's used to. Instead, it was a sign of confidence and trust. By making contact with his lips, Zoe wordlessly told her boyfriend that she's not worried at all. Not only she believed in him, but she also is more than confident that they will win.

"We won't lose, Takky. Not unless we have each other. That's all we need. Trust me. No matter what stands before us, you and I can overcome it together." said Zoe.

"Alright, if you say so." Takuya nodded before embracing the blonde once again.

"Hey, you humans! Hurry up! I'm getting bored out here!" Gazimon shouted from his position toward the couple. Takuya and Zoe broke apart and glowered at the Rookie.

"How rude." The girl huffed with her hands on her hips.

"Don't worry, Z. He'll get what's coming to him sooner or later." said Takuya. The two held hands and made their way back to the front of the Balloon Dart station.

"Is it just me, or does Gazimon has a very 'punchable' face?" Zoe wondered.

"Yeah... I noticed that." nodded the goggle-head.

Moments later, the humans stood at the front and waited for Gazimon to start the challenge. He grabbed six darts from a basket nearby and placed them on the counter in front of the challengers. Takuya and Zoe grabbed a dart and took some time to scan it's features. Based on appearance, there doesn't seemed to be anything wrong with the hand-held arrows.

"Four tickets, losers! Two from each of you." Gazimon held his hand out and waited for the humans to cough up their tickets.

Of course, Takuya and Zoe wanted to beat the stuffing out of the Rookie for such a unnecessary remark. But, they managed to control themselves, not letting the name calling get the best of them. The teenage boy reached into his pocket and pulled out four tickets. He reluctantly handed them over the host. Finally, Gotsumon placed the tickets in a box and grinned at the humans.

"Excellent! Now, let me explain how this works." The blue rabbit finally said. "Each of you are given three darts. All you have to do is pop _one_ balloon. You do that, then both of you win! However, if neither of you can get pop a single balloon, then both of your D-Tectors will be mine! Any questions?"

"One balloon? That's it? Easy!" Takuya laughed. He took a step forward, indicating to Gazimon he will be the first to throw.

The goggle-head held the dart at eye level and gauged the distance between him and the helium-filled inflatables. He had his eyes on a yellow balloon located at the center of the backboard. After estimating how much force he needed to pop the balloon, Takuya got in position and was ready to unleash his first dart. All it took was a flick of the wrist to send the mini missile flying toward the backboard.

"Uh-oh!" Takuya gasped.

He knew his first throw wasn't good enough. He didn't use enough power in his wrist. The hand-held bolt hit the floor, a few feet short of the board. Takuya sighed, disappointed at himself for attempting such a bad throw. Unfortunately, Gazimon was busy laughing at the young man's failure. Even with angered Takuya towering above him, he still didn't care.

"Wow! You humans sure are weak! Hahaha!"

"Shut up!" growled the goggle-head. But Zoe grabbed his arm to stop the argument before it could escalate.

"Forget about him, Takuya." The girl requested.

"Yeah, but..."

"Well? Are you gonna kids throw your darts or you gonna stand there and waste my time?" The Rookie smirked.

"I'll slap you if you don't be quiet!" Zoe threatened before stepping up to the front.

She looked toward the backboard and decided to go for the white balloon on the first row up top. The blonde carefully calculated the distance and how much force she needed to make sure the dart hits its target. Afterwards, Zoe brought the mini missile towards eye level and aimed at the white inflatable on the top of the board. Unlike Takuya, the girl ached her back slightly. By using forward momentum, she could add more power to the throw. Finally, the girl released the dart and sent it flying toward the balloon.

"There we go!" Zoe beamed, satisfied with her throw.

"I don't think so." Gazimon said to himself.

Just like Takuya, the Bearer of Wind failed to pop the balloon. While the dart did manage to reach the backboard, it missed its target a couple of inches to the left before falling down to the ground. Zoe shook her head and sighed with disappointment.

"Ooh, so close!" The rabbit chuckled. "Now both of you humans are down to two darts! Make it count, or else your Spirits will be mine!"

"Not gonna happen!" The young man proclaimed.

Takuya was ready to throw his second dart. This time, he was ready. He remembered the mistakes he made on his and Zoe's previous throw. Although neither were able to hit any of the balloons, at least he knew what to do. Takuya held the dart out in front and decided to aim for a black balloon on his right side. Next, he took a step forward and torqued his body to heave the handheld arrow, throwing it like a baseball.

"That should do it!" Takuya thought when he finally saw the dart flying toward his intended target.

As he predicted, the mini missile darted straight towards the black balloon. Gazimon widened his eyes at Takuya's second attempt. For what seemed like the first time, he feared that the humans might pop the balloon and win his challenge. The closer the dart drew toward the balloon, the faster his heart pounded and the more nervous he became.

*voom*

The good news was that Takuya was able to hit the balloon, just like he wanted. He saw the sharp point of the dart nailed the inflatable dead in the center. But instead of popping, the balloon deformed and kept its shape. There wasn't a single puncture to be found on the helium-filled bag. As for the dart, it bounced off of the balloon and fell to the ground, just like the others.

"SERIOUSLY?" Takuya grunted loudly.

"Oh Takuya." Zoe sighed.

"Very impressive, human! You were one of few challengers who managed to hit the balloon! But we agreed that you have to pop it, not just hit it!" Gazimon laughed once again.

"We know that!" huffed the teenage girl.

"Did you rigged this game or something?" Takuya slammed his hand on the counter.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." The Rookie said as innocently as he could.

"I'm serious, Gazimon! What did you do? Underinflated the balloons? Dulled the tip of the darts?" asked the goggle-head.

"Hehe, I'm not telling you losers!"

"So, this game _is_ fixed!" Zoe gasped at the realization.

"Great! How are we supposed to beat a game that's rigged?" Takuya grumbled.

"Did someone say _rigged_?" Someone shouted from behind the humans.

The Bearers of Wind and Flame turned and saw another Legendary Warrior standing before them. An armored, humanoid beetle walked toward the humans. He was more than happy to see his friends again, just like Takuya and Zoe.

"Beetlemon!" They shouted together.

"What seems to be the problem, guys?" The Warrior of Thunder asked.

"It's a long story, Beetlemon." Zoe admitted.

"In that case, start at the beginning." spoke Beetlemon.

And so, the humans told the story about how they saw Gazimon making fun of a poor Kokuwamon. They mentioned how they made a deal with the host, as well as the stipulations. It made the Legendary Warrior a little tense when the teenagers mentioned they betted their D-Tectors, but it was all in the heat of the moment. Finally, Takuya concluded by retelling his and Zoe's failed throws and how they believed Gazimon was running a fixed game.

But that made Beetlemon laugh.

"This isn't funny! We could lose our D-Tectors for good if we don't beat this game!" Takuya argued.

"But how can we win if it's rigged?" Zoe gulped.

"I'll let you guys in on a little secret..." Beetlemon said, bringing the humans closer together.

"There is no such thing as a 'rigged game.'"

"EH?" Takuya and Zoe stared awkwardly at the Legendary Warrior.

"Trust me. I would know. Throughout the whole day, I've been going around the festival and beating every carnival game available. That includes the so-called 'fixed' games. The Balloon Dart is no exception. Not only it is the easiest game to rig, but it's also the easiest game to win."

"Are you sure? Because I hit the balloon hard and it still didn't pop." Takuya pointed out.

"Let me see one those darts." requested Beetlemon.

Zoe handed the Warrior one of hers. Beetlemon first examined the tip of the dart to see if it was dull. While the edge wasn't as sharp as the darts he had thrown, this one still has the potential to pop a balloon. So, a dulled tip doesn't seemed to be the problem. Next, the Warrior of Thunder tossed the missile up and down in his hand, carefully examining the fall, as well as him catching it.

"I knew it."

"What is it, Beetlemon?" Zoe asked.

"These darts are weighted." said the Legendary Warrior. "No wonder you two are having trouble popping the balloons."

"Say what?" The goggle-head wondered.

"The way these things are designed, they won't generate enough force and momentum to go through the balloon. Instead, it will just bounce off of it. See?" Beetlemon explained as he prepares to throw the dart.

"No, wait!" Zoe tried to stop the humanoid from chucking her own dart. But it was too late.

Beetlemon had already released the mini missile and sent it towards a blue balloon. While the Legendary Warrior was on target with his throw, it was just as he said. The dart bounced off of the inflated rubber instead of popping it. Takuya and Zoe sighed disappointingly. Not only they failed to pop a balloon for the fourth time, but they had also wasted another dart.

"Thanks a lot, Beetlemon. Now, Takuya and I are down to our last two darts!" Zoe complained.

"Great. Now we'll never win this rigged game." grumbled Takuya.

"No, not rigged. More like... 'house advantage.'"

"Even so, how are we supposed to pop the balloon if Gazimon has the edge?" Zoe wondered.

"Relax, Z. I'll show you the trick." replied the beetle.

"You will?" The blonde gasped.

"Finally!" Takuya grinned.

"Here's the problem. You two were throwing in a straight line directly toward the balloon. No matter how hard you throw it, it won't pop that way. However..." Beetlemon grabbed Zoe's third and final dart. But instead of objecting or retrieving her last hand-held arrow, the young woman remained quiet so the Legendary Warrior can show them the secret. "... if you throw in an arc, then you're adding gravity to the mix. That in turn will give you the momentum and force you need to pop the balloon."

Beetlemon held the dart toward his face again. But this time, he aimed a little higher to get the arc he wanted. When the Warrior of Thunder released the dart, the humans watched it fly in a curving trajectory. On the way down, the mini missile picked up speed due to gravity. As it dove towards a purple balloon, a grin of satisfaction formed underneath Beetlemon's facemask.

*pop*

"Nice shot!" Takuya cheered by pumping his fist.

"You did it, Beetlemon! You popped the balloon! We won!" Zoe clapped her hands.

"Not so fast!" Gazimon held his hand out, stopping the teens from celebrating. "The deal was that _you_ humans have to be the ones to pop the balloon! Sure, your friend helped out. But unless either one of you kids beat my game, I still win!"

"What? That's cheating! You can't bend the rules like that!" growled the goggle-head.

"No sweat, Gazimon. Takuya will definitely make this next throw count. I can assure you." The confident Beetlemon said.

"Huh? Why me?" Takuya turned and stared at the insect.

"Because I know you can do it. I taught you the secret, Takky. Now all you got to do is execute." The Warrior replied.

"Gee, thanks. You make it sound so easy. But if you haven't noticed, I'm down to my last dart. If I miss, then Zoe and I will have to..."

He was quickly silenced when a warm hand grabbed his. Takuya stared into the girl's beautiful, emerald orbs. All Zoe ever wanted was to build up her boyfriend's confidence. After seeing his facial expressions changed, she knew she had done just that. Before the young woman released her boyfriend's hand, she gave Takuya a quick wink for good luck.

"I believe in you, Takuya." She said, handing him his final dart before taking a few steps back.

"Thanks, Z." nodded the goggle-head.

Takuya stepped up with confidence in himself. Thanks to Beetlemon's advice and Zoe's support, he knew what he had to do to win this game. He wasn't worried about accuracy or what's at stake. Takuya just kept his focus on his target. He held the last missile near his head and eyed a red balloon at the center of the backboard. With a flick of the wrist and by aiming high, the boy launched the dart toward the top of the booth.

This was it. Everyone looked on with anticipation. Gazimon started to feel a little tense the moment he saw the dart descending. Beetlemon eyed the mini missile and tried to judge if the boy made a good throw or not. Zoe put her hands together and prayed for her beloved to succeed. But as for Takuya, he was smiling from cheek to cheek. He knew, right when the dart left his hand.

"Got it!"

*POP*

Sure enough, the tip of the dart pierced through the red balloon and made a small hole in it. But that was enough to make the inflatable explode. Gazimon stared at the popped balloon with his mouth dropped. But as Zoe and Beetlemon, they were already bombarding Takuya with pats on the back and kisses on the face.

"YOU DID IT, TAKUYA!" The young woman cheered. "I JUST KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!"

"Not bad, Takky." The Warrior of Thunder nodded.

"This can't be happening! How... How did you... No! It's impossible! You must've cheated!" Gazimon glowered and pointed at the boy.

"First of all, the only cheater here is _you_, Gazimon." Takuya swatted the Rookie's arm out of his face. "And secondly, I won fair and square!"

"He's right! You know what that means?" Zoe approached the booth with both hands on her hips. "Now, you have to apologize to Kokuwamon for humiliating him!"

"You must be kidding!" grumbled the Digimon.

"A deal is a deal!" Takuya reminded the sore loser. But Gazimon was as stubborn as they come. He shifted his attention to the Legendary Warrior standing behind the couple.

"This is all your fault! If you hadn't helped those pathetic humans, their D-Tectors would've been mine!"

"Let me tell you something, Gazimon!" Beetlemon slammed his fist on the counter, creating a huge hole on the desk. "I didn't come here to help out Takuya and Zoe. I'm here because very special friend of mine told me everything what happened. I was about to confront to you about it, when I spotted them."

"Beetlemon? You don't mean..."

The Legendary Warrior turned around and smiled at the Digimon hiding behind a trash can in the middle of the road. When Gazimon and the humans looked, they saw machine-type creature who resembled similarly to an insect. Another thing they noticed about this Digimon was that he was glowering daggers at the game booth's host.

"It's Kokuwamon!" exclaimed Zoe. The insectoid Rookie flew towards the front of the counter and stared at Gazimon.

"Well? I'm waiting!" Kokuwamon demanded.

"For what, loser?" The blue rabbit countered.

"For your apology!"

"Why should I?"

"We had a deal, remember?" Takuya reminded the arrogant host.

"Yeah, right! What makes you think I'm going to do that, kid? Just because you beat my game, you think I'm going to say 'sorry' to this sucker? No way!"

"Gazimon!" Zoe grunted with annoyance.

"This is your last warning, you big bully!" Beetlemon grabbed the rabbit by the collar, lifted him off of the ground and gazed into his eyes. "You better apologize to my friend here, or else!"

"Or else what, huh? You gonna hurt me? Trash my game station? Haha! Not very wise of you, Beetlemon! Do you know what will happen to your reputation if you were seen attacking an innocent Digimon like me? In front of a huge crowd like this? Well, go ahead! Give me your best shot!" The cocky Gazimon smirked.

Beetlemon pulled his arm back with his fist surging with electricity. He, as well as the humans and Kokuwamon, wanted nothing more than to give this lousy host exactly what he deserves. Temptation was knocking at his door. But the Warrior of Thunder shook his head and lowered his fist. Afterwards, he dropped Gazimon to the ground, landing with a thud.

"Nah. I'm not gonna do that. You're right, though. Hurting a supposedly 'innocent' Digimon isn't really my style. Then again..." The Legendary Warrior stepped to the side so Kokuwamon can have his shot at the cocky Rookie. "... I can't say the same thing about him."

The stun guns at the end of the insect's arms charged up. Kokuwamon took a step forward, trying to intimidate Gazimon. But the self-confident Rookie smirked at the insectoid. He literally got in Kokuwamon's face, daring him to attack. But instead of using his Power Surge attack on the rabbit, the Rookie kicked Gazimon in between the legs. The host eyeballs shot open before he collapsed on the ground, panting for air.

"Ouch." Takuya gulped.

"Oh my." Zoe gasped.

"Why you..." gagged the breathless Gazimon. He tried get back on all fours, but immediately fell on his stomach. As the poor Rookie tried to recover, the insecotid turned to the humans, shrugged and smiled with a small blush on his face.

"Kokuwamon!" The blonde beauty spoke, trying to hold back her laughter.

"Feel better?" Takuya patted the Rookie on the head.

"Screw the apology! That felt pretty good!" Kokuwamon laughed.

At least he got his revenge. And boy, did it taste good. The insectoid then fluttered out of the area to enjoy the rest of his night at the Autumn Leaf Festival.

Before Beetlemon took his leave, he cradled the semiconscious Gazimon underneath his arms. Obviously, no Digimon deserves to get kicked in the groin, regardless how nasty their attitudes are. Even though Gazimon had it coming, the Warrior of Thunder thought it would be best to get this Digimon some treatment. He saluted to the Chosen Children before flying off to the nearest health center.

"I sure hope he's alright." Zoe spoke.

"I'm sorry. Did you just say that out loud? With a straight face?" Takuya gazed at his girlfriend with a funny face.

"Oh stop it, you!" The blonde replied by punching his arm playfully.

"Anyway, what do you want to do now, Z?"

"Well, first things first..."

Zoe approached Takuya and planted a long kiss on his lips. Although it caught the Bearer of Flame off guard, he never protested. Happily, he accepted the kiss like he always has. After breaking for air, the confused look remained on his face; which the blonde beauty thought was adorable.

"What was that for?" asked Takuya.

"Your prize, silly."

"For what?"

"For winning the game. And for believing in yourself, just like I believe in you."

"Man! I must be the luckiest guy in the world, having you as my girlfriend!"

"Oh Takuya." Zoe beamed.

She then wrapped her arms around her beloved's and the two continued their date at the Autumn Leaf Festival.

By now, the wind has started to pick up, producing a mild chill in the air. Poor Zoe's outfit wasn't enough to keep herself warm. She wrapped her arms around her slender body and shivered. Takuya shifted his attention to the freezing girl and saw her breath coming out of her mouth. Realizing that she was cold, the goggle-head took off his jacket and handed it toward her.

"I... It's okay, T... Takuya. I'm fine... really." Zoe chattered.

"Don't worry about. You need it more than I do." The young man offered.

"_Grazie_!" said Zoe before taking Takuya's jacket.

The extra layer of clothing provided the young woman warmth and comfort. She looked back at the boy to see if losing the jacket made him even more cold. But Takuya toughened it out. He wrapped an arm around his girlfriend and brought her close. He didn't need a jacket or a sweater to keep himself warm. Just standing next to the girl he loves is enough to keep out the chills.

"Well, look at you two, being so close and all." Someone called out to the humans.

By now, Takuya and Zoe have already recognized the pattern. Everywhere they go, there was a Legendary Warrior nearby. And this part of the festival was no exception. The humans approached the somewhat isolated part of the festival and spotted a couple of Legendary Warriors separated from everyone else. One of them was a humanoid, wolf-like Digimon. The second was dressed in black armor, had golden hair and a black mask covering his face.

"We were wondering when we would run into you guys." The teenage girl waved to the Warriors of Light and Darkness.

"It's good to see you again, Zoe." Lobomon greeted his human friends.

"And to you too, Takuya." said Lowemon

"Likewise." said the Bearer of Flame. "Are you guys enjoying the festival as well?"

"Oh please. I didn't come here to have fun. I'm just here to relax. That's all." The Warrior of Light replied.

"Same here. These games are too easy. Some of the attractions are boring. Unlike you two, we enjoy the quiet. Don't take this the wrong way, but we prefer to be left alone." spoke the Warrior of Darkness.

"But you guys..." Zoe objected. "... this is a festival! And festivals are supposed to be enjoyed by everyone! You two shouldn't be cooped up in the corner like this!"

"She's right! You should be out there having fun with the rest of us! Mingle with other Digimon, spend some time with your friends, laugh, and enjoy yourselves!" Takuya recommended. But the Legendary Warriors shook their heads.

"I'm afraid we'll pass." Lowemon answered.

"Thanks for your concern, but we rather stay here." Lobomon muttered.

Takuya and Zoe stared at each other. No doubt, these two Digimon share the same personality like the twins back at the Human World. Whenever the gang does something fun, Koji and Koichi find an excuse to hang out in the back. It's sad, when they think about it. As much as the humans want to respect their wishes of being isolated from the others, the Autumn Leaf Festival only comes once a year. If this is the only time for Lobomon and Lowemon to come out of their shells, then so be it.

After exchanging winks, Zoe and Takuya took a step back.

"Forgive us, you guys." The blonde giggled.

"For what?" The humanoid wolf wondered.

"For _this_..." Takuya snickered.

All of the sudden, he and his girlfriend spotted a group of young In-Training and Rookie Digimon nearby.

"HEY, EVERYBODY! LOOK! IT'S THE LEGENDARY WARRIORS OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS!" The humans' voices echoed throughout the area.

Every child from within a hundred yard radius heard the announcement from Takuya and Zoe. Judging by the gasps filled with excitement, the squeals from the girls and the wide eyes from the boys, it's obvious that every child was dying to meet two of their favorite Legendary Warriors. They quickly scurried to the spot where Takuya and Zoe were until they spotted the humanoid wolf and lion.

On the other hand, Lobomon and Lowemon weren't too thrilled with what their human friends had just pulled off. Being social with others isn't really their thing. But before they could escape, the Legendary Warriors were already surrounded by a pack of In-Trainings and Rookies. Their exits have been cut off and the crowd of children only got bigger with each passing second.

"Takuya? Zoe?" Lowemon grunted at the couple.

"Come on, guys! Time for a change of pace!" beamed the blonde.

"This is so stupid." Lobomon sighed.

"You'll thank us later!" Takuya chuckled before facing the children gathered around the Warriors.

"ALRIGHT, KIDS! WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE THESE TWO DIGIMON IN ACTION?"

"MEEEEEEEE!" ||| "YAAAAAAAY!" ||| "I DO!" The In-Training and Rookies went berserk. It's a rare treat for them to meet a Legendary Warrior in person. But now, they get to see some of their cool moves. How can they not feel excited about this?

"Now, what do we do?" Lowemon asked his partner.

"How should I know? I'm not good with kids!" complained Lobomon.

They want nothing more than to get out of here. But there seemed to be a problem. Say they do manage to leave without entertaining the kids. How will that make the children feel? They came to watch their favorite Legendary Warriors show of some skills. If they do leave, the children will leave the festival with tears and disappointment. Definitely a blow to their reputation if Lobomon and Lowemon chose to do so.

"Alright, that's it!" The humanoid wolf stepped forward, which made the young Digimon back up to give him some room.

Suddenly, Lobomon took out his signature light swords and dropped in his stance; holding one regularly and the other in a reverse grip. What he did next could be best describe as dancing with his weapons. The kids watched in awe as the Warrior of Light thrust and swung his weapons around, pretending to fight an army of evil Digimon at once. The way he moved his body, twirled his swords around and constantly changing from one move to the next is like poetry in motion. Even Takuya and Zoe were impressed with the impressive display of swordsmanship. But it wasn't the form or the demonstration the humans were looking at. They saw something from Lobomon they've been wanting to see for the longest time.

A smile.

Lobomon struck a pose, crossing his arms and holding his swords in front of his shoulders. That was Lowemon's cue to take his turn. With his long spear in hand, he began twirling and spinning his staff on his hands and over his shoulders. The Warrior of Darkness mixed in a couple of thrusts with the sharp and blunt edge of the staff. Just like the Warrior of Light, Lowemon imagined himself surrounded by a large number of evil Digimon. By displaying various, powerful moves with artistic rhythm and grace, the humanoid lion felt invincible. The humans, Rookies and In-Training watched the demonstration of skill with their mouths drop.

And although his mouth was covered, Takuya and Zoe knew he was smiling.

After the exhibition, Lowemon and Lobomon put their weapons away to get ready for the grand finale. The Warrior of Darkness gathered energy in his chest, until it doubled in size. As for the Warrior of Light, he aimed the blaster attached on his left toward the sky. The two Digimon exchanged glances and a nod before lighting it up.

"SHADOW METEOR!" Lowemon shouted, discharging a fireball filled with dark energy toward the sky.

"HOWLING LASER!" Lobomon hollered, pointing his blaster toward the sky before unleashing a powerful laser.

Takuya, Zoe and the young Digimon watched as the two attacks drew closer toward one another. At about a thousand feet above the air, the high speed laser collided against the dark meteor. It exploded like a firework, just like everyone has anticipated.

But then came the best part.

After the explosion, hundreds of sparks filled the night. The combination of light and dark painted the sky with awestruck wonder. "Oohs" and "Aahs" escaped the In-Trainings' and Rookies' mouths. Their eyes twinkled as they gazed at the sparks danced with the stars above. While the actual fireworks show hasn't even started yet, everyone still enjoyed the show.

"YAAAAAAAAAAY!" The children cheered with smiles and thunderous voices.

They immediately gathered around their two favorite Legendary Warriors and bombarded them with praise and even more cheers. At first, Lobomon and Lowemon felt nervous. It's rare for them to be around so many happy kids, let alone interact with them. But after that little weapons demonstration and the fireworks displayed, they warmed up to children and gave them their own smiles, laughs, handshakes and pats on the head. Many of the Rookies and In-Training requested for their autographs, which both Legendary Warriors happily complied.

"Our work here is done." Takuya said, pulling his girlfriend away from the scene so the Warriors of Light and Darkness can have their moment.

The next few minutes of strolling was filled with satisfaction and enjoyment. On their right were more Digimon playing a bunch of different carnival games and coming out the winner. The way the kids hugged their prizes with victory on their faces made the festival that much enjoyable. On the humans' left side were long lines of Digimon eagerly waiting to get on their favorite rides. The many twists and turns on the Roller Coasters, the intense speed of the Space Shot and the hundred foot drop on the Log Rides were enough to make anyone excited.

"Got the time, Takuya?" Zoe asked. Takuya looked around to see if there's a clock nearby. He quickly spotted one on a lamppost to his left.

_7:45pm_

"We got about fifteen minutes until the Scavenger Hunt!" The goggle-head replied.

"You really want to participated in that event, do you?" The blonde giggled.

"You bet! We better head to the central part of the festival, so we're not late."

"But we have a few minutes to spare. How about if we..."

*click*

Bright lights flashed in the eyes of the humans, temporarily blinding them. It took a while for their vision to clear. But when it finally did, they saw a strange Digimon taking a picture of then. This creature was dressed in black, with bluish boots and chest armor. His helmet was made of glass, seemingly looking like a flash unit from a camera. Even his elbows, knees and the center piece of his body had flashlamps attached on him.

"Oh ho! _C'est parfait_, my children! Monsieur Souriremon would love to take a commemorative photo of you two at the Digital World's most glorious event! _S'il vous plait_?" The creature spoke in a French accent.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Souriremon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Flash Grenade, Photo Chop**

**Description: Nothing makes Souriremon happy than take pictures of the fame and beauty of the Digital World. Many Digimon can assure that this creature is guaranteed to capture a lot of images with the highest quality and bests effects. But when threatened, his Flash Grenade can blind his opponents, allowing him to escape.**

"What do you think, Zoe? Would you like to take a picture?" The goggle-head asked.

"I would definitely like to something to remember this wonderful night with you, Takuya! Of course I would!" nodded the young woman.

"_Magnifique_!" The photographer clapped before motioning the couple toward his direction.

First, Souriremon brought the humans to a computer resting on a desk. Next to that was a large, green blanket. Takuya and Zoe were familiar with what this special type of screen. Apparently, they were supposed to stand in front of the greenish sheet when the photographer takes their picture. But the finished product wouldn't be a lime-colored background. It would be any kind of image the humans chose.

The camera-type Digimon offered Takuya and Zoe a variety of choices for backgrounds. Some of them were different colors of the rainbow with many kinds of shades. But there were also some backgrounds feature some of their favorite places, like the beach, the city and the suburbs. Eventually, Zoe chose a background of the park. There was a tree on the right and a wide lake on the left.

Once the background was selected, Souriremon ordered the humans to stand in front of the green screen. Zoe and Takuya stood next to each other and wrap their arms around their loved one's shoulder. This is one of their favorite positions to be in. Whether it's the warmth provided the embrace or the secure feeling they get when they're around each other, it made the couple very happy.

But the only one that wasn't happy was the photographer.

"Non, non. Something is... not right." Souriremon critiqued. "_Avant et arrière_?"

While Takuya and Zoe had no idea what the Digimon had just said, they adjusted their positions as Souriremon had requested. This time, the goggle-head stood in front of the girl with his hands in his pockets. Zoe came from behind and wrapped her arms around the boy's shoulder. This position happened to be better, compared to the last. The camera can capture most of the scenery, and the humans can still display their affections for one another.

"Eh... _Changer_?" Again Souriremon requested.

And so, the couple switched positions. Now, Zoe was in front with Takuya with her hands behind her back. As for Takuya, he kept it simple and put his hands on the girl's shoulder. The blonde felt a little disappointed. She wanted her boyfriend to do a little more with his position. But instead, Zoe remained silent.

What she didn't know was that Takuya already had an idea in mind on what he wanted to do.

"_Ah, voilà_!" Souriremon nodded before heading to his camera. He placed the curtain above his head and signaled to the humans he was ready to take the picture.

"_Êtes-vous prêt_?" The Digimon asked the couple.

Takuya smiled at Souriremon and nodded. Zoe, on the other hand, shrugged. She looked happy, but something seemed... off. She wanted to ask her best friend to wrap his arms around her shoulder, just like she did to him earlier. Either that or have him kiss her cheeks during the picture. But before she could speak, the photographer had already started the countdown.

"Here we go... _Trois_! _Deux_! _Un_!"

The goggle-head had less than a second to get in position. Hopefully, his girlfriend would react accordingly. Just when before the flash was about to go on, the young man revealed his scheme. His hands that had been resting on Zoe's shoulders suddenly gave the girl a light yank, pulled her into his body. The blonde beauty was off balanced and immediately fell backwards, landing perfectly in her boyfriend's chest. Takuya hugged her around the front and pressed his cheek against hers, making the goofiest face he could possible make. Zoe had a split second to react. And when she saw the expression on Takuya's face, she giggled playfully.

That was the moment when Souriremon captured them on film.

Takuya winked toward his best friend and showed off his toothy grin. Zoe, on the other hand, returned with a sweet smile. With one hand near her mouth, this girl obviously enjoyed the way the goggle-head embraced her. After seeing the final product, even he had trouble holding his excitement. Souriremon squealed with delight at what appears to be his masterpiece.

The Digimon came out from underneath his curtain with a big smile.

"_Merveilleux_! So lovely! I have never seen anything so beautiful in my entire life! This image will truly signify zee glory of zee Autumn Leaf Festival!"

"May we see it, please?" Zoe asked eagerly.

"But of course, _ma chère Mademoiselle_!"

He lead the couple toward his computer. The Digimon opened up a certain file, where all of the taken photos would be uploaded to. After sorting through the images, he finally found the one with the humans in it. Souriremon double-clicked on the file and the picture displayed on the screen.

It was perfect.

The way Takuya and Zoe smiled at each other was just adorable. And when put together with the background image of the park, the results were exceptional. They say a picture is worth a thousand words; and this image is no exception. That one captured moment can tell many tales of the relationship between two best friends that eventually became lovers.

"Oh, Takuya! Look! You're so cute!" Zoe smiled.

"Me? Look at you! You're beautiful!" Takuya replied, which made the young woman blush.

"Can we get a copy please, Souriremon?" The Bearer of Wind then asked the photographer.

"_Certainement_! But it will take some time to finish developing. Come back before zee fireworks show starts, and I will have it ready for you."

"Thank you so much!" The teens said together.

"_De rien_, my children!" said the Digimon before leaving.

"Don't forget Takuya." Zoe reminded. "We need to pick up our picture before the we leave."

"I know. Don't worry. We'll get it before..."

Suddenly, the intercoms and speakers attached to various pole turned on. After a few buzzes and beeps, a Digimon cleared his throat to make an announcement to all of the visitors at the Autumn Leaf Festival.

_Attention! The Scavenger Hunt will begin in exactly five minutes! If you wish to participate in this fun event, then please report in front of the large furnace at the center of the festival! Once again, the Scavenger Hunt will begin in five minutes._"

After the announcement, most of the Digimon surrounding the humans immediately stopped what they were doing. The ones playing at the games dropped their stuff and dashed toward the central part of the festivities. As for the Digimon waiting in line for the rides, they too relinquished their spot so they can participate in the Autumn Leaf Festival's most popular event.

"We better move, Zoe! We got less than five minutes to get there!" Takuya exclaimed, tugging a little harder on Zoe's hand. The couple picked up the pace as much as they could and headed toward the vicinity where the giant furnace was located.

From the beginning, Takuya had wanted to participate in this event. Funny as it seems, it's one of his favorite games. But neither of the Chosen Children had anticipated how big of turnout the Scavenger Hunt would be. By the time they've reached their destination, there were a lot of Digimon all gathered together. It's safe to bet that at least half of the creatures in the festival will be participating in this event.

But regardless of the huge competition they're going up again, the humans remained confident; especially Zoe. She never mentioned it in front of her boyfriend, but she's just as excited for the Scavenger Hunt as well. It's something she can truly excel at. With her brains and Takuya's eyes, Zoe's certain that they will be the winners of this contest.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMON! WELCOME TO THE AUTUMN LEAF FESTIVAL'S SCAVENGER HUNT!" An angelic Digimon announced to the crowd as he landed on the center of the stage. Takuya and Zoe recognized the host as Piddomon, the one who welcomed them to the festival when they had arrived not too long ago.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAY!" Everyone shouted, filling the area with thunderous noise.

"Before we begin, I shall explain the rules." The angel continued. "First off, this is not a solo event! Participants must work in pairs! Anything more will not be accepted! However, you can choose whoever you like to be your teammate! Please take the time to find a partner!"

The participants spent the next couple of minute finding a Digimon they can team up with for the Scavenger Hunt. Many of them chose their closest friends or family members. On the other hand, a handful of Digimon had already backed out of the event at the mention of the word 'partner.' Some just hated working with others., while a number of Digimon prefer to work alone. But there were a few who gave up simply because everyone else was taken. By the time the pairings concluded, only about five percent of the total population had left. Even so, there were a lot of teams competing.

As for the humans, there was no doubt that they would end up with each other. It was pretty obvious to almost all of the Digimon around them. Some of the creatures tried their luck and requested Takuya and/or Zoe to be their partners, figuring that having a human on their side would give them an advantage. But the teenagers politely declined and stayed together with their hands locked.

"Excellent! Now, on to the next part! Each group of two must report to the podium to receive an envelope that will contain a list of objects they will have to find! Once you have received your list, you may scatter throughout the festival. However, do not open the envelope until the start of the event! Any team tries to cheat will get caught and will be automatically disqualified! Do you understand?"

After Piddomon's explanation, the participants formed a long line in front of the stage. One by one, each team of Digimon received their own envelope. They then exit the platform and scurried off to a specific area where they believe should be the best place to start. And there were a few that decided to stay put, just in case the one of the items they have to find is by the furnace.

Of course, a few pairs tried to be sneaky. After they got their envelope, they hid behind a dark corners, inside booths or underneath tables so they could peek at the list without getting caught. But Piddomon was true to his words. The very moment a Digimon pierced through the top flap of the envelope, a bright light shot through the opening. An interesting thing about this light is that it acts as a spotlight, signaling to nearby officials that someone has broken the rules. The cheaters tried to cover up their mistakes, but were unsuccessful. As a result, they were (literally) kicked out of the Autumn Leaf Festival.

Zoe and Takuya, fortunately, followed Piddomon's instructions. As much as they love winning, doing so in a fair matter is more important. Once they received their envelope, the humans exited the stage and returned to their original spot. Regardless how tempting it was to open the envelope, they abided by the rules. They gave each other quick nods, indicating to each other that they were ready.

It was a ten minute process. But at last, everyone has received their lists.

"Wonderful! Now for the rest of the rules! You will all have two hours to find everything on the list! There are ten items total! The first team to find the correct items and bring them to front of the stage, will be declared the winner! Any indication of cheating or unfair play, and that team will be disqualified! Also, each pair shall not be allowed to ask anyone else for assistance, except your partner! Are we clear?"

Each Digimon and human nodded. There were a few exchanges of looks to see if any of the teams have any questions. But it seemed like everyone has a firm grasp of the rules.

It was now time to start the event.

"Very well, then! The Scavenger Hunt will commence when the sky lights up in flames!" declared Piddomon.

He feathers on his wings ablaze and shot them toward the night. Every Digimon in the festival watched with awe as the fireballs soared above their heads and toward the stars. Takuya and Zoe held each other tight as the angel's meteor-like attacks exploded like fireworks in the night.

"LET THE SCAVENGER HUNT BEGIN!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter fifty-seven. <strong>

**What items will our heroes have to find? Will Takuya and Zoe come out on top? Or will there be an unpleasant surprise waiting for them around the corner? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	58. Scavenger Hunt

****Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising ****

**Takuya and Zoe continued their date by getting some snow cones, courtesy of Kumamon. Afterwards, our heroes ran into Gazimon, a dishonest Digimon who almost won their D-Tectors when he challenged them to play his 'rigged' Balloon Dart game. Fortunately, Beetlemon was there to help the couple come out victorious. Next, the Chosen Children helped get Lobomon and Lowemon involved. Nothing speaks volumes than having a bunch of kids idolizing their favorite Legendary Warriors. Later, Souriremon took a picture of our favorite couple, which turned out perfectly. Now, start your engines, everyone. For the Scavenger Hunt is about to begin.**

****So, without further ado, here's chapter fifty-eight!****

* * *

><p><strong>Scavenger Hunt<strong>

**Normal POV:**

Each pair of Digimon dispersed throughout the festival to search for the first item they have to find on their respective list. Judging from the looks on their faces, neither one of them couldn't wait to get started. The same thing could be said about Takuya. He was so anxious, he immediately tore the seal flap off of the envelope at the sound of Piddomon's fireworks.

"What's the plan, Takuya? Should we divide the list in half? You know, I search for the first five objects while you take the other half?" His girlfriend asked.

"Nah, I think it's best if we stick together. After all, four eyes are better than two." The goggle-head replied.

"Well, you're the leader."

"Anyway, let's see what we got here." Takuya said as he unfolded the list. "I believe we should start off with something easy. What I mean by that is we skim through the entire list. And if we spotted an item we've seen somewhere before, then we'll retrieve that first. How does that sound?"

"Sounds stupid, if you ask me!" A voice of another woman answered the boy's question, before Zoe could.

The humans turned to see another a pair of Digimon smirking at them. On the left side was a humanoid creature with long, dark hair and a mask that concealed everything but her eyes, mouth and face. A long, leather cape draped along her back, with the letter 'H' embedded on the center. This Digimon had dark purple boots that reached her thighs. She also wore black, elbow length gloves with violet bands on her wrists and arms. This creature had black shorts with a purple utility belt clamped against her slender waist. And attached to her belt was a holster that held her crossbow pistol.

Sitting next to this Digimon was another creature that resembled closely to a wolf. This four legged animal had gray fur all over his body and bright, yellow eyes that reflect the moonlight. Fangs as sharp as knives displayed itself before the humans. The wolf unleashed an intimidating growl that made Takuya and Zoe step back in retreat.

"So, these are the humans that saved our world from destruction. Hmph, not very impressive, wouldn't you agree, Canisumon?" The female Digimon spoke, as she patted her pet on the back.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Canisumon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Frozen Fang; Threatening Roar**

**Description: Canisumon usually travel in packs and spend their time hunting and gathering food. But there are some who stick with other Digimon, acting as their loyal companion or partner in crime. This wolf is quick and can freeze his opponents using his Frozen Fang attack.**

"And who might you be?" Zoe glowered at the humanoid. Canisumon stepped in front of his master and snarled at the teenage girl. But the female Digimon gently massaged the wolf's head, silently ordering her pet to not attack... yet.

"My name is Huntressamon! And I'm here to wipe out the entire competition!" She declared.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Huntressamon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Paralysis Bolt; Poison Arrow**

**Description: Huntressamon has not once let a prey out of her sights. She's extremely accurate when she launches her Paralysis Bolt. Combined that with various traps she uses on her prey, this deadly hunter is someone you do not wish to meet in the wild.**

"Hey, isn't that who I think it is?" ||| "That's Huntressamon, the three-time champion of the Scavenger Hunt!" ||| "Uh-oh, this is bad." Other spectating Digimon conversed with each other about the infamous hunter standing before them.

Huntressamon approached the unfazed humans and gave them a fiendish smirk. She was trying to get either Takuya or Zoe to back down, which doesn't appear to be working.

"I got some advice for you humans." said the female hunter.

"And what's that?" asked Takuya.

"Stay out of my way! For I, Huntressamon, am on a quest to win the Scavenger Hunt for four straight festivals in a row! And I'm not going to let some filthy humans ruin it for me! You understand?"

"Sorry, Miss. But I got news for you and your little mutt. If you think that threatening me and Zoe is going to work, then you're sorely mistaken!" Takuya boldly claimed.

"Excuse me?" Huntressamon growled as she placed her hands on her holster, ready to shoot both humans if further threatened.

"You heard me! My girlfriend and I are going to win this event, and there's nothing you and your puppy can do about it!" The goggle-head smirked. Zoe joined in the action as she embraced her beloved's arm tightly.

Instead of covering the humans with arrows, Huntressamon flipped her hair and trotted the other way.

"We'll see about that! Come, Canisumon! It's hunting time!" The masked Digimon whistled to her companion. The wolf growled at the humans one last time before following his mistress toward the northern parts of the festival.

"I guess we do have some competition." The boy laughed.

"That was very brave of you, Takuya. I can see that you really want to win, huh?" Zoe stifled a giggled.

"Of course! Now, let's get started! We don't want the others to get ahead of us, right?"

"True. So, what's the first thing we have to find?"

"Well..." Takuya said as he unfolded the list. "How about we start with... um... uh-oh..."

"Hmm?" The girl wondered.

"Zoe? I think we have a problem."

"What's wrong, Takuya?"

"This isn't a list of items! It's just a bunch of riddles!"

"Let me see." Zoe requested as she took the paper from her boyfriend.

"Come on! I thought this was a Scavenger Hunt, not a brain teaser! How are we supposed to win, with list full of riddles?" Takuya threw his hands up in the air in frustration.

"Hold on a minute, Takky. That's probably it. In order to find the things we need, we have to first solve the riddle. The answer will probably be the item we're looking for."

"Really? Oh..." Takuya pondered, trying to grasp the challenging concept. "But I hate riddles!"

"Aw, you poor thing." Zoe tried to hold back her laughter. Realizing that they were in the middle of a competition, she showed her beloved the first riddle on the top of the page. "Here Takuya. Start off with this one."

The goggle-head took the paper from his girlfriend and read the first clue.

**I'm a small little object,**  
><strong>That's affixed to certain orders, <strong>  
><strong>I can travel the around the world,<strong>  
><strong>But still remain in one corner.<strong>

Takuya raised his gaze from the typed page to Zoe. In a matter of seconds, he looked completely lost.

"This is so stupid! How am I supposed to figure this out?" Takuya exclaimed.

Zoe giggled at his slight exaggeration. "Come on, baby. All you have to do is think. I know how difficult of a task that can be for you, but it wouldn't hurt to..."

"Are you helping me or making fun of me?" The boy eyed his best friend.

"What? Can't a girl do both at once? Teehee!"

"I'm serious, Zoe! I don't even know where to start! This riddle is like reading another language!"

The blonde could only stare. An amazed expression reappeared on her face. She had read the riddle once and had already figured it out. Then again, she wanted to see if her best friend can do the same thing. Time has passed, yet the confused look in his eyes remained.

"Here, Takuya. Let me help you out." The teenage girl spoke. "Why don't you break down the riddle bit by bit? Who knows? The answer might come to you."

Takuya shrugged before taking on his girlfriend's advice. His face scrunched up in concentration as he focused on the riddle once again. Then for a second time, and a third.

"Hmm... it's a _small little object_... and it _affixes to certain orders_... whatever that means. Let's see..."

"Don't forget the rest." Zoe added.

"Right." nodded Takuya. "Hmm... this guy can _travel around the world_... but _remain in one corner_... AAAHHHHHH! I DON'T GET IT!"

"Oh, Takuya! It's not that hard! Don't you see? The answer is right in front of you! I mean... you're practically holding it!" suggested the blonde.

The Bearer of Flame stared at his girlfriend strangely, wondering about what she had just said. He then shifted his attention to the objects in his hand. On the left was the list of riddles they have to solve to find the item they're searching for. But on the right hand was... the envelope that initially concealed their respective list.

"This is our answer? An envelope?" Takuya asked, looking more confused than ever. "That doesn't make sense. Envelope's aren't tiny. And they can't attach to other things."

"No, silly. I'm not talking about the envelope. Take a look on one of the edges." Zoe directed.

Takuya did what he was told and scanned the envelope again. Only this time, his eyes caught a small, squared object stuck to the upper-right surface of the enclosed cover. Unfortunately, the lost expression on his face remained.

"A stamp? I don't get it?"

"'Think about it! Stamps are usually small, and they're mostly found on the corners of envelopes or other postal covers." Zoe explained.

"But what about the last part of the riddle? It doesn't seem to fit!"

"Sure it does! You can attach a stamp to any kind of envelope and have it mailed to any part of the world you like! So, in a sense, no matter what part of the world the mail goes, the stamp will remain on that one corner!"

"So... a stamp is our answer?" Takuya thought. It was beginning to make sense now. His confused expression changed to utter joy. Takuya wrapped his arms around Zoe and swung her around, feeling as happy as a clown.

"Zoe, you're a genius! I can just kiss you right now!"

But before Takuya got too excited, the Bearer of Wind held her hand up. She smiled, but shook her head from side to side.

"Save it for later, baby. We're not the only ones who had figured it out." Zoe mentioned.

Sure enough, other teams were already ahead of the couple. While the items they carried varied from other pairs, it seems as if the stamp is the only thing most group had in common.

"We better get moving! We're way far behind!" Takuya said, detaching the stamp on the envelope and placing it in his pocket. He then grabbed his beloved by the arm and scurrying into the eastern part of the festival.

"By the way, Zoe. If you already knew the answer, why didn't you just tell me? We could've saved valuable time."

"I know! You should've seen the look on your face when you were thinking so hard! It was priceless! Teehee!"

"Come on, Z! Keep doing that and we're going to lose!" Takuya stared at his girlfriend.

"Fine. I'll stop. Just read the next riddle, while you're ahead."

"Alright... let's see what we got."

**I have sunk mighty ships,**  
><strong>Made holes on many roofs,<strong>  
><strong>But hold me in your hands and,<strong>  
><strong>I'll eventually submit to you.<strong>

"Hmm... any ideas, Z?" asked Takuya as he came to a stop.

"I'm thinking." said his girlfriend. Zoe pondered for a few minutes. She broke the riddle down line by line, hoping that the answer might reveal itself. But after rereading it a few more times, she still came up with nothing.

"Oh my. This is hard." Zoe sighed.

"Don't tell me you're stumped too." The boy groaned.

I'm sorry, Takuya. But I have never heard of this riddle before. I'm trying to come up with every answer I can think of. However, nothing's ringing a bell."

"Let me see." The Bearer of Flame requested. He grabbed the other half of the paper and the couple read the second riddle once again. Together, they thought long and hard, trying to come up with the right answer.

"I know! It's a cannonball!" Takuya exclaimed confidently.

"A cannonball?" Zoe repeated, though a little unsure of her boyfriend's answer.

"Yeah! It totally make sense! _I have sunk mighty ships_ probably refers to cannonballs ripping through the hulls, filling the vessels with water. And thus, making the ships sink. And of course, you can _make holes on many roofs_ by aiming cannonballs at them! It's perfect!" The goggle-head explained.

Sadly, Zoe shook her head.

"But Takuya, you're forgetting about the second part of the riddle: _hold me in your hands and, __I'll eventually submit to you_. How can a cannonball submit just by us holding it?"

After hearing Zoe's argument, Takuya rethought about his previous answer. Now that he thinks about it, a cannonball doesn't seem to be the answer. Not because of the second part of the riddle, but he has no idea where to find a cannonball in the Autumn Leaf Festival. To Takuya's dismay, he tossed out his last answer and tried to come up with a new one.

"What about a scepter?" suggested Zoe.

"What's that?" Takuya wondered.

"It's a small rod-like weapon kings and queens carry around to symbolize power. Think about it, Takuya. Whoever holds the scepter is in charge of an entire kingdom. Hundreds of loyal subjects to cater to the ruler's every whim; which takes care of the second part of the riddle."

"And the first?"

"Well... a king can give a command to wage war on other countries... and use his power to... um... Well, he could... never mind."

Zoe's reluctantly confirmed her unfortunate suspicion: her answer was also wrong. She gave her beloved an apologetic shrug. But Takuya smiled and patted Zoe on the back for trying. And so, the humans went right back to thinking, as the first ten minutes of the contest elapsed.

"Hmm... what could it be?" pondered the blonde.

"Grrrrrr..." Takuya rubbed his empty stomach. Zoe heard the noise the boy's tummy made and sighed.

"Really, Takuya? We just ate a while ago!" groaned the Bearer of Wind.

"I can't help it! I'm hungry! I can't think on an empty stomach!"

"You're hopeless."

"Whatever. Listen, I'm going to get another snow cone. Would you like some?" Takuya offered.

"That's alright, Takky. You go ahead and... wait a minute... Say that one more time?"

"I said, 'Would you like a snow cone?'" Takuya repeated his statement. He motioned his hands to his left, where booth that offered snow cones was located. A few Digimon lined up to get their own favorite treat.

Apparently, that's what Zoe had her attention. She watched as a Rookie passed by, carrying a giant bowl of crushed ice, drenched with all kinds of flavors. But what's interesting was the way this Digimon was eating his treat. Instead of a spoon, he was using his own two hands. As he devoured the dessert, some of the ice remained on his hand. It took a few seconds, but the ice finally turned into water.

That's when Zoe gave her boyfriend a great big hug.

"Takuya, that's it! You got it! You solved the riddle!"

"I did?" The goggle-head stared blankly at her.

"Yes! It's ice!"

"Ice? I don't get it."

"'_I have sunk mighty ships_' refers to icebergs. And what kind of ice can create holes on roofs? Hail!"

"But what about the last part?" Takuya wondered.

'Well, what happens to an ice cube when you hold onto it?"

"It will, uh... melt. Hey! You're right!" His eyes widened when he realized it makes perfect sense.

"All thanks to you, Takuya... and your stomach." Zoe lightly patted the boy's tummy.

Takuya quickly dashed to the snow cones booth closest to him and asked for an ice cube. The moment he mentioned it's part of the Scavenger Hunt, the Digimon gladly gave the human a plastic bag with a few ice cubes in it. Takuya thanked the creature before returning to his beloved.

"What's the next riddle, Z?"

"Another hard one." The girl sighed. She showed the list to Takuya so he could get a crack at it.

**My life is often filled with grief,**  
><strong>Yet, I can help you turn a new leaf,<strong>  
><strong>Stiff is my spine, and my body so frail,<strong>  
><strong>Sit down and I will tell you my tale.<strong>

"Well, that's as clear as mud!" complained the Bearer of Flame.

"What do you think it could be?"

"My guess... It has to be a Digimon."

"Really?" Zoe asked, interested in his input.

"I mean, the clue is practically describing one. _Life filled with grief_, _a stiff spine_, _a frail body_, and _a tale to tell_. We just have to find a Digimon who fits those requirements. An old one, I think."

"You honestly believe it's a Digimon, Takuya?" Again, Zoe asked. This time, her tone implied that she wasn't sure of her beloved's reasoning.

"What were you thinking of, Z?" The boy asked, waiting for her answer.

"Well, maybe it could something else. Digimon aren't the only ones that have weak bodies and hard spines, you know."

"Like what?"

"Hmm..."

As it turns out, she had heard of this riddle before. Zoe knew it wasn't an old Digimon, even though Takuya's idea wasn't a bad one. She knew of another object that also has _a stiff spine_, just as the riddle suggests. The _frail body_ clue through her off a little bit. But when she reread the last line, an imaginary light bulb above her head turned on.

"... Like a book!"

"A book, huh?" Takuya pondered about his girlfriend's answer.

Slowly, the pieces came together. The spine and body referred to the texture of the book. The first two lines could imply that the story is either sad or motivational. However, when Takuya read the last few words of the riddle, he smack his head for not thinking about it in the first place.

"Duh! It's so obvious! Man, I'm such an idiot!" grumbled the Bearer of Flame.

"Don't say that, baby. I'm sure you did you best." Zoe consoled her beloved.

"Thanks, Z. Now, where are we supposed to find a book, since it appears to be the answer?" He asked.

"Just leave that to me." The blonde said confidently.

Zoe didn't have to travel far to find what she was looking for. For she knew one certain Digimon that always carries a book, regardless where he went. Luckily, he was at the right place at the right time.

"Bokomon!" Zoe cried out to her friend.

"How are you doing, my dear?" The Rookie waved. He then noticed that Zoe was holding a list of riddles in her hand. He couldn't help but smile. "Ah, I see you two are participating in the Scavenger Hunt!"

"Uh-huh. Say, can I ask you a favor?" The girl continued.

"Sorry, Zoe. But the rules say that I can't assist you in..."

"No, not that. Takuya and I have solved one of the riddles. We need to borrow your book, for it's one of our answers."

"My book?" Bokomon repeated. He took out his signature, green book and showed it to the human.

"_Grazie_!" thanked the young woman as she grabbed Bokomon's prized possession. She turned the other direction, grabbed Takuya's hand and dashed toward another part of the festival.

"Hey, wait!" Bokomon shouted to his friends. But it was too late. They were already gone, just before he could protest.

"Great! What am I supposed to do now? I was going to document what a wonderful and magical day it was at the Autumn Leaf Festival. Now that Takuya and Zoe have my book, I got nothing to..."

"Step right up, folks! Hurry, hurry!" A Gekomon hollered to the crowd with his signature raspy voice. He was standing next to another game that featured a target, a tub full of water and an Otamamon waving at random Digimon resting against a seat.

"Test your accuracy and skill at the one and only 'Dunk Tank!' That's right! All you have to do is throw the ball and hit the target; which will then drop my good friend, Otamamon, into the tub of water! It's that simple, folks! Everything to gain and nothing to lose! Come one, come all!"

As the Gekomon continued to advertise, a spectating Bokomon felt himself being drawn toward the game. Usually, he's not a competitive Digimon, letting either the humans or his partner, Neemon, have all the fun. This would be a time where he would record all of the memories of the festival in his green book. But since Zoe and Takuya needed it for the festival, he's got nothing to do for the next hour and a half.

"Meh, why not?" Bokomon said to himself.

The Rookie made his way toward the back of the line and waited patiently for his turn.

l - l

"Alright, Zoe. We got a stamp, some ice, and now, a book for the Scavenger Hunt. What does the next riddle say?" The excited goggle-head asked.

"Hmm, let me take a look." Zoe said, unfolding the list and scrolling down to the fourth riddle.

**A hundred colors smile toward the sky**  
><strong>It's present of affection, or to just say goodbye<strong>  
><strong>Whether it's one, or a simple few<strong>  
><strong>We can bring happiness; to her and to you.<strong>

"Wow, this is a tough one." The blonde spoke.

"You don't know what it is?" The Bearer of Flame asked.

"No, not really. I'm rereading the riddle, one line at a time. But every time I come up with an answer, it just doesn't fit."

"Oh, I see."

I'm sorry, baby. I really am trying my best. I hope I'm not disappointing you whe... Takuya?"

Zoe looked up and noticed her beloved was smiling. More accurately, he was snickering. What made the girl even more curious is that Takuya had his hands behind his back, potentially hiding something. At first, she thought that her boyfriend was trying to pull a prank on her. But after Takuya took control of his muffled laughing, he gazed into her emerald eyes.

"Alright, Takuya. Spill it. What's are you hiding?"

"Nothing... except the fact that I had already solved the riddle." The goggle-head answered.

"You did? What is it?" Zoe wondered.

"Close your eyes. And no peaking."

After sighing once, the blonde beauty did what she was told. Her eyes shut, concealing her vision with pitch black. She loves surprises and was anxious to know what he has in store for her. At first, nothing. She didn't feel or hear anything.

But then she smelled something. A sweet, delicate scent entered her nostrils. It smelled like a nice, spring breeze blowing against her face. Without a doubt, this was her favorite smell. The fragrance made the girl curious on what Takuya was hiding. Was it perfume, candy or candles? Zoe thought hard, wondering what the potential answer could be.

"Alright. Now open."

Zoe opened her eyes and unleashed a huge gasp.

Takuya held his hand out in front and presented his girlfriend a bouquet of flowers. Zoe had a hand over her mouth, which was precisely the reaction Takuya had wanted. Six flowers of different colors waved toward the blonde. Zoe happily accepted the plants and gave it a big whiff. They smelled lovely, making the girl's smile even brighter.

Sure enough, flowers seem to be the answer. They come in different colors and are a perfect _g__ift of love_. It didn't matter if it's _one or a dozen_. The flowers brought Zoe joy and happiness, just like the riddle says. She wrapped her arms around her best friend and planted a well deserved kiss on his cheek.

"Oh, Takuya! They're beautiful!" Zoe beamed, giving the bouquet another smell. But she couldn't help but wonder. "Where did you get them?"

"While you were asking Bokomon if you can borrow his book, I took the liberty in trying to solve the next riddle; which turned out to be pretty easy. I spotted a couple of Palmon close by carrying some flowers. And I thought, 'Zoe is definitely going to love this.' Was I right?"

"You were, Takky. Thank you so much."

After sneaking one more kiss, the couple ventured to the southern part of the festival. As they strolled together, Takuya and Zoe noticed that a few teams have already given up. They crumpled their list of riddles and tossed it in the trash. Some used their attacks to shred or burn the piece of paper. For the rest that remained, the number of items the teams carried varied from theirs. Either they had completely different lists, or the same ones but were holding the wrong items.

"Next riddle, Takuya?" Zoe asked.

The goggle-head stared down at the sheet.

**North and south, east and west.**  
><strong>I'll point every direction, without having to rest.<strong>  
><strong>My face with no eyes or a mouth to talk<strong>  
><strong>I can go on for ages, and still won't stop.<strong>

"I know, a compass!" Takuya answered quickly.

"What makes you so sure?" The blonde asked, taking the list from her boyfriend so she can read it.

"Think about it. _North south, east and west_ are all directions, right? So, a compass seems to be the best answer."

"Hang on, Takuya. It says that this item will _point in every direction._ A compass only points north, which is why I believe it's not the answer."

"Aw man. I thought I had this one." grumbled the boy.

"Don't get too upset. That was a really good try though."

"What do you suppose it could be?"

'Well, I'm stuck on the third line. It has a _face with no eyes or mouth_. Not to mention hands for pointing, if you add the second line."

"Then, what could it be?"

"How about a clock?" Zoe asked, pointing to one attached to a nearby lamppost.

The boystared at the clock for a while and study its features. It matched the riddle perfectly. No eyes or a mouth, but a face and two hands. And when it mentioned _pointing_ it probably meant the hands moving through different times of the day. The Bearer of Flame smiled at Zoe and nodded, confirming that a clock could be their answer.

But there was one problem.

"Where are we supposed to get a clock?" Takuya asked.

"Datamon's Electronics! I'm pretty sure we can find a watch and that will still count." The Bearer of Wind replied.

It turns out that Datamon's shop was only a few yards away. The couple entered the store and saw the machine-type Digimon repairing an old computer. After exchanging hellos, Zoe requested the creature a watch they could use for the Scavenger Hunt. Datamon rummaged through his drawer of small devices and found what the humans were looking for. While there were a few scratches on the digital watch, it was still in working condition. Takuya and Zoe thanked the Digimon for their assistance before heading back out to continue the competition.

As time passed, more and more competitors dropped out of the Scavenger Hunt. It was either because they had lousy teammates, or because they're so far behind, it'll be hard to catch up at their current pace. But not human couple. They weren't concerned about how the other teams were doing or how far ahead (or behind) they were from the competition. Takuya and Zoe were having lots of fun going around the festival, solving riddles and collecting their respective items.

The humans spent the next hour trying to solve the remaining half of their list. Takuya and Zoe caught a break when they read the next riddle.

**I have two arms and a mouth,**  
><strong>But I always got your back,<strong>  
><strong>Feed me your books or your clothes,<strong>  
><strong>I'll consider it my snack.<strong>

It only took the teens a few seconds to figure out the easiest riddle on the paper. While the first two lines almost threw the humans for a loop, it was the third line that gave it away. Not only that, they spotted a Togemon taking her small group of students on a field trip to the Digital World's most prominent event. A few of the In-Training were wearing small knapsacks on their backs. Zoe quickly hustled toward the closest Digimon carrying one of those bags; which happened to be a Tsunomon. After explaining the situation to the small creature, the In-Training Digimon eagerly gave the blonde beauty the supposed answer to the riddle.

The young woman returned to her boyfriend with a backpack around one of her shoulders. As the goggle-head placed all of the collected items inside the knapsack, Zoe read the next clue.

**Ten or a thousand,**  
><strong> Different colors and shapes,<strong>  
><strong> Let's see if you can,<strong>  
><strong> Put me in my place.<strong>

The humans needed a minute to solve this riddle, but at least they got it. The trick is knowing where to look. Takuya and Zoe raced through the carnival, searching for the next object. After hustling through the one of the quadrants of the festival, the couple found themselves in front of a minimart that sold games, playing cards and puzzles. Takuya and Zoe walked inside and spotted a Wizardmon at the counter. The couple informed the magician that they needed something for the Scavenger Hunt.

After searching most of the shelves, Wizardmon kindly gave the humans what they were looking for: a jigsaw puzzle piece. Takuya and Zoe thanked the storeowner and walked outside. Looking through the list once again, they need to find three more items to complete the Scavenger Hunt. The fact they were almost done motivated the couple to keep going.

On the other hand, the next riddle proved to be quite a challenge for Takuya and Zoe.

**Force and strength will not do, **  
><strong>But a gentle touch can get you through,<strong>  
><strong>Cold are these daggers when they touch the skin,<strong>  
><strong>But choosing the right one will kindly let you in.<strong>

This took some time to brainstorm some ideas. Takuya thought it was weapon of some kind, since the words _cold_ and _daggers_ caught his eye. For example, a multi-tool pocket knife. It has more than one blade, and the metal can be cold like ice. But Zoe had to disagreed. While a knife could work, something about the first two lines made the girl curious. _Not by force or strength_, but a _gentle touch_ instead.

As the couple ventured into the southwestern part of the carnival, they passed by a few shops that appeared to be closing. Since it was the Autumn Leaf Festival, most Digimon were shutting down earlier so they can catch the fireworks show. The storekeepers closed the doors to the entrance and locked it up tight.

Fortune smiled down upon the humans when the sound of bells jingling entered their ears. Takuya and Zoe looked to their right, where the source of the noise came from. But it wasn't bells that they heard. A Monzaemon nearby had closed the doors to his Toy Store. But he was having trouble locking the doors because there were so many different kinds of keys he had to sort through.

Takuya quickly deduced that a key is exactly what they're looking for. He approached the teddy-like Digimon and kindly asked if he could have one key for the Scavenger Hunt. Monzaemon broke apart one of his unused keys and handed it to the teenage boy. After thanking the Champion, Takuya returned to his beloved, who was already working on the next riddle.

**With different styles, shapes, sizes, and colors,**  
><strong> I can last through generations, and be admired by others, <strong>  
><strong>Put me on forwards or back, or either side for impressing,<strong>  
><strong>This hard and heady riddle, will keep you guessing.<strong>

Both humans spent thirty minutes trying to solve this difficult puzzle. Unfortunately, neither one of them had any luck. As Takuya and Zoe walked through the festival, they kept their eyes open trying to spot whatever the next item could be. The humans also saw a lot of teams calling it quits already. If they were to hazard a guess, the Digimon were having just as much trouble as they were.

This turned out to be the hardest riddle on their list. It's like each line was describing something different, even though it wasn't. The first line sounded too general of a clue. This item apparently comes in various _styles, shapes, sizes and color_s. On the other hand, that can apply to almost everything: paper, crayons and magnets. But thanks to Zoe's keen mind, she ruled out the possibility of repeating answers. In other words, the item they have to find isn't any of the objects they previously have: flowers, puzzle piece, or a book.

Not only that, but the blonde also narrowed down the selection after reading the second line. The object they're looking for has to be some kind of clothing, since they're one of few things that can _last for a long time_. After sharing her thoughts with her boyfriend, the couple began to think of different types of clothes that best fit their riddle. Takuya assumed the answer is a shirt, while Zoe decided to go with shoes.

It wasn't until they reread the third line of the riddle. Apparently, this object can be worn _forwards, backwards or from either side_. That pretty much shot down Takuya's and Zoe's suggestions. It's not practical to wear a shirt backwards. The same thing can be said about shoes. Actually, this applied to all kinds of clothing; from pants to socks and mittens.

Even though there's fifteen minutes left of the Scavenger Hunt, the Chosen Children weren't making any progress. Tired from all of the searching, the blonde sat down on a nearby bench to take a break. Takuya sat on the other side and placed the backpack filled with items in between. The goggle-head took off his hat and wiped the sweat off of his forehead with his shirt. But when the Bearer of Wind saw her beloved putting his cap back on, she gasped and widened her eyes.

"Silly me! Of course! We had the answer the whole time!"

"Huh, what are you talking about?"

"It's a hat! You can wear it regularly, with the brim backwards or tilted sideways! It's perfect!"

"Well, how do you like that?" Takuya chuckled. He took off his hat and stared at it. They spent this whole time searching for the answer, they didn't realize was on their heads from the beginning.

"Guess what, Z? We only have one more riddle to solve!" Takusa said, putting his hat back on.

"Alright! Let's finish this!" The girl giggled.

Takuya unfolded the list and gazed down at the bottom of the sheet.

**Raw power determines how far I travel,**  
><strong>With good accuracy, I can even hit an apple,<strong>  
><strong>To take on my partner, you need to be skillful,<strong>  
><strong>Together, we can vanquish the forces of evil.<strong>

The goggle-head snapped his fingers, letting his girlfriend know that that he already figured it out.

"It's an arrow!" exclaimed Takuya. Zoe replied by clapping her hands.

"Very good! You got it!"

"Come on, Z. It's not that hard. I mean, it was going to say a 'bow and arrow.' But the entire riddle only described one half of the weapons system."

"Impressive, Takuya! I knew you could do it! You've come a long way since we started the Scavenger Hunt!"

"Thank you. But there's still one problem. Where the heck are we supposed to find an arrow?"

"Hmm..."

As Zoe recalled, they haven't spotted an arrow anywhere. She and her boyfriend had walked around the entire festival. They visited all kinds of bazaars and shops, but not one of them sold any weapons, let alone arrows. Even though this riddle was pretty easy to solve, knowing where to find it presented another challenge.

"We're running out of time." said Takuya. He and his beloved got up from their seat. "We better keep looking. Who knows? Maybe we'll find one somewhere aroun..."

"ZOE, LOOK OUT!" Takuya yelled with his eyes wide like saucers.

The boy's sixth sense, alerting him that something was fast was approaching her. Sure enough, his intuition was right. An arrow was coming at the couple at a tremendous velocity. If Takuya hadn't tackled his girlfriend to the ground, the speeding projectile would've pierced through both humans' torsos. But instead, the arrow missed Takuya's back by several inches. It lodged itself into the bench they had just sat on, producing a loud 'thunk'.

"Are you okay?" Takuya gazed into her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine. But who was shooting at us?" The teenage girl wondered.

"That would be me, weaklings!" A voice declared.

As the humans quickly scrambled to their feet, they saw a nasty pair of Digimon approaching them. A wolf-like creature growled at the Bearers of Flame and Wind, showing them his sharp teeth that will freeze anything it touches. The second was a female Digimon. As she took another step toward the couple, the humanoid reloaded her crossbow with another arrow.

"Huntressamon?" Zoe gasped.

"Watch where you're pointing that thing, crazy lady!" hollered Takuya.

"My apologies. I'll make sure the next arrow will go through your heads."

"Why are you doing this?" The blonde beauty demanded to know.

"It's simple, my dear! This is how I won the Scavenger Hunt the past three festivals! I let everyone else do all the work for me! Once when they've completed their list, I spring my trap and snatch the items from those pitiful Digimon! This festival will be no different!"

"Yes, it will! You only win by cheating! You're not going to get away with this! Not while we're here!" Takuya said.

"We'll see about that, you little brats!" Huntressamon smirked, point her crossbow at the humans.

*TWEEEEEEE*

The sound of the whistle captured the female's attention. A Numemon wearing a striped uniform had heard about Huntressamon's actions nearby. He glided toward the female Digimon and her partner. The Numemon then took out a black card out of his pocket, which meant that the team has been automatically disqualified.

"Zip it! Paralysis Bolt!" said Huntressamon, changing her target from the teens to the referee.

The arrow glowed in yellow light before the masked humanoid pulled the trigger, hitting Numemon in the chest. He fell on his back and laid motionlessly on the ground. While the attack wasn't lethal, it fulfilled Huntressamon's purpose: to make sure this Digimon doesn't rat on her. After reloading her weapon, the humanoid turned back to the humans.

But not only they were gone.

"You're not getting away from me!" She grumbled. Huntressamon bent down and patted her trusty pet on the back.

"Sick em'!"

Canisumon unleashed a thunderous howl before chasing after the couple.

l - l

Elsewhere, Takuya and Zoe were racing through the festival, trying to get away from Huntressamon. They maneuvered around oncoming Digimon and made sharp turns around the corners. It can't be helped. Some Digimon would rather win, than to do it with honor.

"Hurry! Back to the starting point!" Takuya commanded.

"But Takuya, we're still missing the arrow!" Zoe objected.

"We can't worry about that now! We need to find Piddomon and tell him about what Huntressamon..."

"HOWLING ROAR!"

A powerful wind force zoomed toward the scurrying humans. The couple turned and saw the attack getting close to them. They dove out of the way, just before the blast could reach them. Takuya quickly got to his feet, took out his D-Tector and leered at Canisumon. Before confronting the wolf, he handed the knapsack to his girlfriend.

"I'll hold him off. You head over toward the furnace area." He told her. Zoe took the backpack and nodded.

"Be careful, Takuya." She said before taking off with the items.

Canisumon got in position, ready to pounce at the teenager. But Takuya wasn't going to let a couple of cheaters ruin their first date at the Autumn Leaf Festival.

"EXECUTE! SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

A line of Fractal Code surrounded his body. The teenage boy felt a surge of energy taking over his body as he became one with the Spirits of Flame. It wasn't long before the transformation was finally complete. The Legendary Warrior uncrossed his arms, creating giant flames on both of his fists. He gave a hook with his left arm and another powerful punch with his right arm, sending the fireballs flying.

"AGUNIMON!"

Canisumon ran as fast as he could toward the Warrior of Flame. Agunimon started off the fight by throwing a couple of Pyro Punches. But the wolf was too quick. It wasn't long before he reached striking distance. Agunimon tried getting his defenses up, but Canisumon pounced on the Legendary Warrior, knocking him to the ground.

"FROZEN FANG!" The wolf growled.

He jaws glowed light blue. Suddenly, he snapped his fangs forward. This meant that Canisumon will freeze whatever his teeth touches, even if it's just a nick. Agunimon quickly grabbed the wolf's upper and lower lip and pushed with all his might, trying to create some distance between himself and the fangs. But since Canisumon was on top, he had the advantage in leverage and strength.

"Gotta do... something." Agunimon thought, searching for something to get him out of this predicament.

Suddenly, his eyes spotted a teddy bear on the ground nearby, probably dropped by a small child. With one hand still on the wolf's mouth, Agunimon reached out and grabbed the animal. He then stuffed the toy into the Canisumon's mouth. As expected, the teddy bear turned to ice. This worked to Agunimon's favor, since the wolf can't seem to get the frozen toy out of it's jaw. The Legendary Warrior kicked Canisumon's belly and sprang back to a vertical position.

"PYRO TORNADO!" screamed Agunimon, spinning around to create a fiery cyclone. Once he was in range, he unleash a vicious roundhouse kick across the animal's cheek. Canisumon's body flew toward the side and crashed into a stack of wooden boxes, where he immediately lost consciousness.

With his opponent down, Agunimon dashed toward the furnace area.

"I'm coming, Zoe!"

l - l

Meanwhile, the Bearer of Wind was drawing closer toward the Scavenger Hunt's starting point. Every now and then, she would look behind to check if any of the cheaters were following her. So far, neither the wolf, nor Huntressamon were on her tail.

"I sure hope Takuya's alright." She said to herself.

"Where do you think you're going?"

A familiar voice entered the girl's ear. Zoe turned just in time to see Huntressamon pull the trigger on her crossbow. The good news was that there wasn't an arrow or a bolt coming her way. But instead, a long rope wrapped itself around the slender girl's body. Zoe lost her balance and fell to the ground, landing hard on her stomach. Unfortunately, this also caused her to drop the backpack filled with stuff. As the Bearer of Wind struggle to break free, Huntressamon approached her captive with her crossbow reloaded.

"I'll take that, thank you very much!" She laughed, picking up the knapsack.

"You're a cheater, Huntressamon! You won't get away with this! Once when I tell Piddomon about this..."

"I don't think so, pretty girl! You're not going anywhere, nor telling Piddomon anything!" The female Digimon said, point her crossbow at the helpless girl. Her fingers rest against the trigger, ready to annihilate the blonde beauty at any moment's notice.

"Say goodbye, young lady!"

"'Wait! You can't shoot me now! There's still one more riddle we haven't figured out yet!" Zoe argued, hoping Huntressamon wouldn't suspect that she's bluffing.

Thankfully, it did.

"Is that so? Very well, then. Tell me!"

It's a good thing the blonde had already thought of a riddle to buy some time. Needless to say, she spotted something that gave her inspiration. Zoe smirked at the dishonest Digimon and revealed her riddle.

"**You and your dog had ruin our fun,**  
><strong>But don't you dare think you've already won,<strong>  
><strong>For cheaters like you will share the same fate...<strong>"

But Huntressamon didn't even get to hear the rest of the riddle. Just before her captive could finish, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. The female Digimon turned around and saw the Warrior of Flame glaring at her with a fiery fist pulled back. Before Huntressamon could defend herself, Agunimon unleash a powerful uppercut to the dishonest creature's chin. Huntressamon grunted as the punch sent her flying from one side of the festival to the other. Zoe grinned before saying the last line.

"**That's what you get for ruining our date!**"

Fractal Code surrounded the Agunimon's body, transforming the Legendary Warrior back to Takuya. The goggle-head made his way toward his girlfriend and began to untie her. Moments later, Zoe was free. She thanked her beloved by giving him a great big hug.

"Are you alright, Z?" Takuya questioned.

"I am now. Thank you so much." The goggle-head helped the young woman to her feet.

"Ooh, look at that! Huntressamon has left us a gift!" The blonde exclaimed.

Resting by Takuya's feet was the masked humanoid's crossbow and an arrow; the answer to the final riddle on their list. Zoe picked up the projectile and trotted to the backpack with items. She gently placed the arrow inside the bag, thus completing the entire Scavenger Hunt.

"The finish line is not far away. We better hurry before time runs out." Takuya said.

"Right." nodded the blonde. The two continued their journey toward the center of the carnival.

Although they couldn't help but wonder. Where is Huntressamon now?

l - l

"Alright, Bokomon! You got one throw left! Make it count!" Gekomon said.

The Digimon with the pink waistband stared at the small target in front of him, as well as Otamamon waving to him above the Dunk Tank. He had already wasted his first two throws, and they were both off target. With one more throw left, Bokomon started to feel the pressure. Regardless of the crowd of Digimon cheering him on, he still felt nervous.

"Well, here goes nothing." Bokomon said to himself.

With the last ball in his hand, the mutant Digimon took aim at the target about twenty inches away. From such a short distance, it seemed so far. But Bokomon composed himself and was ready to throw. He lifted one leg up and took a huge stride, mirroring the same mechanics as a pitcher in baseball. The moment his foot hit the ground, Bokomon snapped his arm forward and released the ball in his hand.

"AARRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

A voice from above captured everyone's attention. The crowd, plus Bokomon and Gekomon looked up and noticed a female humanoid tumbling in the sky. Gravity grabbed a hold of the masked Digimon, causing her to fall toward the Dunk Tank. When Otamamon noticed saw the plummeting toward her direction, she panicked and leaped out of her seat.

"Take cover!" Gekomon cried as he dove out of the way.

Huntressamon crashed hard into the seat of the Dunk Tank. Her eyes looked like she was lost in a daze, unsure which direction is up or down. But just when things couldn't get any worse for the female Digimon, Bokomon's ball collided against the target. This unlatched the seat, where Huntressamon was lying on. The platform tipped over, causing the semiconscious Digimon to splash fall into the freezing, cold water.

"'HURRAY!" The crowd of Digimon behind Bokomon cheered. They lifted the creature on their shoulders and chanted his name.

"BOKOMON! BOKOMON! BOKOMON! BOKOMON!" They screamed, growing louder with each repetition. The mutant Digimon couldn't help but blush. But at least he was smiling. This was much better than going around the festival and recording the events that happen. Finally, it was his turn to have his moment at the Autumn Leaf Festival.

"This is the best day ever!" Bokomon said joyfully.

l - l

Zoe and Takuya hurried as fast as they could toward the central part of the festival. It wasn't long before the giant furnace in the middle of the vicinity came into view. But that wasn't the only thing the humans saw. Thousands of Digimon were all gathered in that very spot. The place was so crowded, it seemed almost impossible to see the center of the stage. But every Digimon in the area was so busy conversing with each other, they didn't even notice the presence of the humans.

"What's going on here?" Zoe asked.

"I have no idea." said Takuya with a disheartened look on his face. "Could it be that... we lost the Scavenger Hunt?"

"Oh Takuya..."

She saw Takuya clenching his fist, as if he's trying to hold back his tears. It's like he really wanted to win this event. If it wasn't for Huntressamon and her pet wolf, maybe they could've been the first team to arrive. Then again, Zoe believe that it's partially her fault. If she had figured out some of those riddles a little faster... who's to say? But nevertheless, she has let Takuya down; something that made the poor girl upset.

"I'm so sorry..." sniffed young woman. The flood gates had opened up and the tears streamed down her cheek. Takuya was surprised to see his beloved crying. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close.

"What's wrong, Z?"

"It's all my fault. If I hadn't been so slow in solving the riddles, we... we could've... *sniff*"

"Aw, don't say that. It's not your fault. Besides, it's no big deal. Don't cry."

"But Takuya, you were so anxious to participate in this event. I thought you really wanted to win the Scavenger Hunt. So I made a promise to myself to make sure we'd win. I'm sorry I let you down."

"Don't be." Takuya said, wiping the tears of her face with his finger. "Of course I wanted to win, Zoe. I love to win more than I hate to lose. But, do you know what's better than winning?" The blonde shook her head. which made Takuya chuckle.

"It's that I had so much fun with you by my side. Seeing my beautiful Zoe smile, laughing, working as hard as she can to help us both come out on top; that's what makes participating in the Scavenger Hunt so worthwhile. Sure, winning the competition means a lot to me. But spending so much time with you... I'll take that over anything else in the world."

"Takuya..."

It made her heart soar just hearing those words. The wetness on her face was quickly replaced with a great big smile. She knew her best friend can be such a sweetie. But after listening to that speech of his, the Bearer of Wind found herself loving Takuya even more. She gazed into her chocolate orbs and slowly closed the distance. Takuya instantly received the message and followed suit. Their lips drew closer to one another, ready to...

"Look, there they are!" Someone shouted toward the couple's direction.

The humans broke apart before their lips could meet. They turned back to the center of the festival, only to find that every single Digimon in the area was staring at them. But moments later, the crowd began to move toward the sides of the vicinity, creating a path for Takuya and Zoe to walk through. One of the Digimon started clapping his hands. Seconds later, ten more joined in; followed by a hundred. Finally, every Digimon were cheering and applauding the Bearers of Flame and Wind, who looked more confused than surprised.

"What is this?" Zoe wondered.

"Why is everyone cheering for us?" asked Takuya.

"What are you two waiting for? The finish line is just ahead of you!" A Palmon said.

"According to my sensors, you humans are the only team left in the competition!" replied a Datamon nearby.

"No way!" Takuya and Zoe gasped.

"Hurry, children! Time's running out!" A Togemon encouraged.

"You still have time, if you want to win the Scavenger Hunt!" said a Wizardmon.

"Go! Go! Go!" The closest Monzaemon cheered on.

The couple exchanged glances, smiles and a nod. They grabbed each other's hand and dashed through the path that lead toward the center of the stage, where Piddomon was waiting. The applause and cheers grew louder and louder, the closer the humans drew toward the finish line. With less than a minute left remaining in the contest, Takuya and Zoe walked on the stage.

It was so loud, the noise itself was causing the entire festival to shake. Apparently, every single Digimon was rooting for the humans to win this event. Even the previous teams that had already pulled out were supporting the Bearers of Wind and Flame. A few seconds later, the couple had reached the host of the Scavenger Hunt.

"The items, please." Piddomon requested. Zoe placed the back on the ground.

Together, the pair took out the objects on their list: a stamp, ice, a book, flowers, a clock, a jigsaw puzzle piece, a key, and an arrow. After Zoe threw the backpack in the pile, Takuya took off his hat and placed it on top. As Piddomon carefully examined the items, the humans held each other tight and waited for the angel-type Digimon to make the announcement.

"'LADIES AND GENTLEMON, I GIVE YOU THE WINNER OF THE AUTUMN LEAF FESTIVAL'S SCAVENGER HUNT: TAKUYA AND ZOE!"

"YEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Confetti, balloons and streamers burst from the audience. Everyone Digimon in the crowd was going crazy, celebrating like the Digital World has been saved once again. As the audience showered the couple with cheers, praises and applause, Takuya and Zoe relished the moment by giving each other a long, yet passionate kiss. Minutes had passed, before the applause died down.

"Congratulations, you two! For winning the Autumn Leaf Festival's most prominent competition, you will receive three prizes!" Piddomon declared. The humans couldn't believe their ears.

"Three?" Takuya repeated.

"_Mio Dio_!" exclaimed Zoe.

"Now, here is your first prize!" The angel stated. A Toucanmon walked on the stage and handed the humans a pair of tickets. As Takuya and Zoe gazed at their prize, Piddomon began to explain what they've won. "That's right, folks! They have won an all-expenses paid, five-night trip for two at the newly renovated 'Toucanmon's Resort!' This includes a one hour, full body special treatment at the spa, free snorkeling gear, plus dinner and table services at the Love Boat Seafood Restraunt!"

"OOH!" awed the audience.

Takuya's and Zoe's eyes were as wide as anyone has seen before. They looked at each other, thinking the same thing: "All of this for winning the Scavenger Hunt?"

"Your second prize is this!" Piddomon continued. He held a closed fist in front of the blonde beauty. When the angel opened his hand, Zoe had both hands over her mouth. Inside was a silver ring with dark, spiral engravings on it. "Behold, the Ring of Wishes! With this, you will be granted one wish; anything your heart desires and it's yours! Use it well, for a single wish is all you get."

"It's beautiful!" Zoe beamed. It look like she was going to cry, especially after what Takuya did next. He took the Ring of Wishes from Piddomon and gently placed it around Zoe's finger.

It fits perfectly.

"Go ahead, Zoe. Make a wish for anything you like." The Bearer of Flame said. But the young shook her head.

"All I ever want is right here." She replied, pulling her boyfriend in for another long kiss.

"AW!" The crowd chanted. After a time too long yet too short, the couple broke apart and shifted their attention back to Piddomon.

"You said there were three prizes?" Takuya asked. The angel replied with a nod.

"What could it be, Piddomon?" Zoe wondered.

But instead, the Champion held his hand up.

"You will see, children. For the third prize won't come until later. When the time is right, I shall reveal to you what it is, okay?"

"Alright!" Takuya and Zoe said in unison.

"ONCE AGAIN, LADIES AND GENTLEMON! LET'S HEAR IT FOR OUR WINNERS!"

As the humans walked off the stage, the audience gave them one more thunderous applause. A few Digimon were delighted to shake their hands as they passed by. It took the couple a few minutes get through the crowd of Digimon. At last, they reached one of the far edges of the group. As much as they love the attention they were getting, both Takuya and Zoe needed a break. Finally, the audience began to make their way to the center of the area, filling up as much space as they could.

Piddomon took flight so that every Digimon could see him when he made his next announcement.

"The Scavenger Hunt has concluded, folks! We are a couple of hours away from the fireworks show! Let's hear it, Ladies and Gentlemon! Are you all having a good time?"

"YYEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

"Execellent! Then, without further ado... IT IS TIME FOR THE FESTIVAL DANCE!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter fifty-eight. <strong>

**One more activity before the fireworks start. What surprises await our two heroes at the Festival Dance? Will Takuya have the guts to ask Zoe to dance with him? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	59. A Night To Remember

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**The humans ventured throughout the festival to collect items for the Scavenger Hunt. Some of the objects they had to find required a lot of thinking, since the clues were in forms of riddles. It got even more challenging for Takuya and Zoe when two other characters showed up: Huntressamon and Canisumon. They used dishonest and unfair methods to beat the competition. Thankfully, Agunimon took care of those cheaters. In the end, Takuya and Zoe won the Scavenger Hunt and received some really cool prizes. With the festivities coming to a conclusion, it is now time for the Festival Dance.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter fifty-nine!**

* * *

><p><strong>A Night To Remember<strong>

**Normal POV:**

If the Scavenger Hunt was the Autumn Leaf Festival's most prominent event, then the Festival Dance would be a close second. Digimon big and small have all come together to take part in this social gathering. All of the shops, booths and rides have closed. In the beginning, Digimon were scattered throughout the area, enjoying their time at the festival. But with the Autumn Lead Festival drawing to a close, the guests and visitors made their way to the center of the festivities, where the Festival Dance was taking place.

Even Takuya and Zoe were surprised by how many Digimon were all gathered around in one place. A good estimate would be somewhere in between five hundred and a thousand. From In-Training to Mega, almost every Digimon that ever existed can be found in the central area of the carnival. While the humans have never seen some of these creatures, it was exciting for them to see everyone together in one place.

But there is a reason why the Digimon hold this particular event at the very end. The Festival Dance is more than a momentous occasion where everyone in the Digital World come together and move their bodies to a variety of music. It is a celebration of the planet they live on. These Digimon dance throughout the night to rejoice how thankful and lucky they are living in such a wonderful place.

"Dance?" Takuya eyed the girl standing next to him.

"Oh wow!" Zoe said with excitement.

She has waited a long time for this event. From the moment she saw it on the list of activities, it was like a dream come true. Zoe loves dances. Whether it's the music, the sounds, the lights, or everyone else having a good time, there are many reasons why this girl's so passionate with these kinds of events. Not only that, she can also spend time with Takuya doing something she loves. Zoe couldn't wait to wrap her arms around her boyfriend and dance with him all through the night.

"And we've got performers from all across the Digital World! That's right, folks! All of your favorite bands and artists will provide the music for you as you dance throughout the night!" Piddomon continued.

"OOH!" The audience gasped with awe.

"Now, grab a partner and start dancing!" The angel concluded. As the crowd applauded, the first band set to play have already finished setting up.

There were three Gazimon standing on the stage each ready to play a different instrument. The was one sitting behind a drum set, while the other two were holding two different guitars. Finally, monkey-type Digimon wearing sunglasses and with a purple electric guitar around him hopped toward the front. That's when the audience screamed.

"YEEAAAHHHH!"

"Well, thank you! Thank you very much!" The Digimon addressed the crowd using a famous, southern rock and roll accent. "Ladies and Gentlemon, boys and girls, we are going rock this festival so loud, your mommas will be complaining about the noise! But that's okay! Because Etemon's says the party won't stop, unless he says so! Uh-huh-huh!"

"WOOOOOHOOOOO!" The enthusiastic crowd cheered.

Etemon and his band strum their guitars wildly, creating a 1950s rock and roll music. The drums pound to the quick beat of music. Digimon from all over gathered around the open space in the middle of the area and started to dance. The moves from the creatures vary from shaking their hips to jumping like wild animals. However, everyone was having fun; especially when the monkey started singing.

"_You ain't nothin' but a Doggymon,_  
><em><em>Howlin' all the time!<em>_  
><em><em>You ain't nothin' but a Doggymon,<em>_  
><em><em>Howlin' all the time!<em>_  
><em><em>Well, you can do whatever you want,<em>_  
><em><em>But you ain't no friend of mine<em>_!"

Meanwhile, Takuya and Zoe were standing with the audience, watching the other Digimon dancing. Even from afar, the music was able to make its way to the spectators in the back. The goggle-head moved his head from side to side every time the drummer struck the snare drum. Also, the way Etemon pranced on the stage as he played his guitar was nothing less than spectacular.

Zoe, on the other hand, was tapping her foot and snapping her fingers with every beat of the song. She would glance at her boyfriend, anxiously waiting for Takuya to ask her to dance with him. As Etemon sang the chorus for the second time, Zoe saw her best friend nervously approaching her. His hands were behind his back and his eyes would shift from her to a random object in the festival.

"Um, Z?"

"Yes, Takuya?" Zoe beamed. A light gasp escaped her mouth when she saw him with a hand out towards her.

"Would... Would you like to..."

"Ah, there you are Sonny! I've been looking all over for you!" A voice shouted from the side.

Takuya then saw an pint-sized elderly Digimon quickly coming in his direction. She was dressed in a greenish, long sleeve blouse and had grayish shoes. Her gray bangs covered her eyes, revealing on her face and her pointy ears. Finally, this Digimon wielded a broom as tall as her. The grandma-type creature grabbed Takuya's hand and dragged him toward the dance area.

"Come on, young man! Old Babamon's got about three hundred years left on this world, and she ain't going to waste a minute of it! Now, let's get dancing!"

"Hey, wait a minute! I..."

Takuya looked behind him and spotted her best friend. Instead of being mad or jealous, the girl stifled a giggle. Although she was a little disappointed that she'll be alone for a few minutes, Zoe didn't mind her boyfriend dancing with another Digimon. Takuya shrugged and mouthed the words "I'm sorry" to his girlfriend before he and Babamon disappeared into the crowd.

Once they were in a good spot, the elderly female Digimon tossed her broom back over her head and into a group of spectators. She then grabbed the goggle-head's hands with her ancient ones. It disturbed Takuya seeing the dead nails on her fingertips and the many wrinkles on her skin. He could've sworn he saw a cockroach enter and exit Babamon's sleeve. But out of respect, he didn't complain.

"Thank you very much!" Etemon said after finishing the first song. A few Digimon gave the entertainer an applause. "It's so nice to be appreciated! Uh-huh-huh! Here's a little song dedicated to yours truly... ME!"

"HAHAHAHAHA!" The crowd laughed.

Etemon started the song with a measure of him strumming his guitar. Next, the drums accompanied the lead, followed by the bass and the backup guitarist. This time, the song was much faster, encouraging the dancers to puck up their feet and swing to the music. The song's about to begin. So the trio of Gazimon moved toward their microphones and sang the intro.

"_ET-E-MON,_  
><em>OH ETEMON-MON-MON,<em>  
><em>OH ETEMON-MON-MON,<br>_ _OH ETEMON-MON-MON_!"

The lead vocalist grabbed his microphone and was ready to light it up.

"_Etemon is here to stay, I will never die,_  
><em><em>It was meant to be that way, you can't argue why,<em>_  
><em><em>I don't care what you all say,<br>__ _Etemon is here to stay_!"

"_He don't care what you all say,__  
><em>Etemon is here to stay<em>_!"

With such a lively tempo, there was more energy to the dancing. Digimon left and right were moving their bodies to the wild music created by Etemon. It didn't matter if they were tired or sweating profusely. It is a requirement to have fun at the Festival Dance. Judging by the smiles on the faces, almost everyone was having a blast.

Except for Takuya.

The moment the music began, Babamon took control of the dancing. She swung the poor human around, pretending he's a hammer throw. Takuya had no idea how much strength this Digimon had. Up and down, all around his body swung. But Babamon had no intention of letting go. As the song changed key, Takuya grew dizzier by the minute. He prayed that the song would end soon so he can catch a break.

"Oh dear. Poor baby." Zoe couldn't help but laugh. She could see Takuya and Babamon dancing from where she stood. Well, to be accurate, it was the elderly Digimon that was doing all of the dancing... if you consider swinging the human around dancing.

"Excuse me, young lady? But have you seen my ugly wife? She disappeared before old Jijimon could ask her to dance!" Someone called out to Zoe.

The teenage blonde turned and saw another strange Digimon before her. Bushy gray hair and a thick beard covered his face. His ragged outfit made him look like an ancient caveman. But what made Zoe smile was the fact that this Digimon was holding a staff with a cat's paw at the end. It took Zoe a few seconds to put the pieces together.

"Um, isn't that her dancing with my friend?"

"She's what? Why that evil little shrew! She thinks she's too good to dance with an old Digimon, eh? Well, I'll show her!" The old Digimon grumbled.

He dropped his stick and stomped onto the dance floor. Any dancing Digimon that were in Jijimon's way courteously stepped aside, so the old creature can have a clear path to his wife. Meanwhile, Babamon was so busy twirling Takuya around in circles, she has no idea her husband was standing behind her with his arms crossed and steam coming out of his ears.

"Having fun, little missy?" Jijimon huffed.

Hearing her husband's voice made Babamon stopped dancing, and thus, stop swinging her human partner. She set Takuya down and glowered at her spouse. Then again, Takuya was more than thankful his feet were back on the ground again. However, he was too dizzy to find his balance. Takuya would've fallen on his face, if Zoe wasn't there to catch him in time. The blonde carried her beloved to the edge and sat him down so he can rest.

"What do you think you're doing, you old hag?" Jijimon howled.

"I'm dancing, you hairball! Surely you can see that, or are your eyes as dead as your body."

"What? I'm not good enough to dance with ya, crazy woman?"

"Bah, you never were the past three hundred years!"

"I'll show you honey!"

Jijimon grabbed his wife by the hands and swung her around in circles, just like Babamon did to Takuya. But the old woman regained leverage and returned her husband with the same twirling. Back and forth these two Digimon danced... or whatever others thought they were doing. But everyone can tell the old couple was having fun, just by the way they were smiling at each other, regardless how rough their dancing may seem.

Elsewhere, Zoe has brought a glass of water to her best friend, hoping that would ease his dizziness. Although she kept to herself how silly Takuya looked when Babamon whipped him around like a lasso. The way he screamed for help made the young woman laugh. Then again, it saddened her that she didn't get to dance with him when Etemon played. Plus, she wanted to show some moves Takuya has never seen before.

"Feeling better?"

"I guess so." Takuya nodded, his dizziness finally gone. "But the next time an old lady wants to dance with me, remind me to run away."

"You're so dramatic, Takuya."

"C'mon. You weren't there when she tossed me around like a ragdoll. I thought that hag was going to release me at any point in..."

"Well, thank you! Thank you very much!" Etemon spoke, thanking the audience for listening to his performances. The crowd showed their appreciation by giving the monkey and his band a huge applause.

"You've all been such a kind audience! Uh-huh-huh! I wish I can play for my wonderful fans all night, but we got other performances coming up that's bound to be a real treat!"

"OOH!"

"Ladies and Gentlemon, boys and girls, put your hands together for Deputymon's Wild Gunmen!"

"WOOOOOOOOOOO!" The dancing Digimon rejoiced.

As Etemon trotted off the stage, three new Digimon walked on with their instruments. They were dressed up like cowboys, wearing jeans, boots, gloves, red scarves and a ten gallon hats, But the instruments they possessed were different from the last band. One was carrying a banjo while the other had an old fiddle in his hand. The third made his way to the snare drum in the center of the stage with his drumsticks in hand.

"YEEEEEHAAAAAW! HOWDY, Y'ALL! YOU FOLKS HAVING A SWELL TIME?" The lead Deputymon asked the audience.

"YAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Well, it's that time again, everybody! Time to grab a partner and make your way to the center of the stage! For it is time for... DEPUTYMON'S TRADITIONAL SQUARE DANCE! YAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOO!"

As the Digimon inside and outside the dance floor partner up, Takuya got up from his seat and held his arm out. Zoe delightly wrapped hers around his and the two skipped toward the central area. They found a good spot in the middle, where no other Digimon could get in their way. But the humans stood a few feet from each other, mimicking the same position as the other couples.

The fiddle played in a fast 2/4 time, closely resembling a country jig. The drummer pounded his instruments with his sticks. As the lead singer used his fingers to make his banjo sing, the square dance routine began. The males bowed to their partner, while the females curtseyed. Even though Zoe was wearing a shorts, she still responded with elegance. The Digimon outside the dance floor clapped with the music as Deputymon sang.

"_Yee-hoo!_

_One, two, three, four,  
>Everybody on the floor,<em>  
><em>Five, six, seven, eight,<br>Keep on dancin', you're doing great!_

_Pick your partner off the ground,_  
><em>Hold her high, then bring her down,<em>  
><em>Turn 'em round quick by the right elbow,<br>_ _Grab a new partner, here we go_!"

Takuya, Zoe and the other Digimon did what the lead singer had instructed. The quick movements of their feet produced thunderous noises on the dance floor. When Deputymon vocalized the second set of verses, the dancers obeyed the musician's commands. Takuya and the male partner pick their dates up and held them high off the ground. After rotating 180°, the boys gently set the females down.

Unfortunately, Takuya and Zoe had to part after a couple measures of elbow turning. But since this was all part of the dance, they gave each other one last smile as an indicator that they will reunite again. The humans trotted to their left to meet with their new partners. Zoe's new partner was Kumamon. Takuya, meanwhile, found himself standing in front of Ranamon. The humans and their new partners grabbed hands and continued to move with the music.

"_Bow to your partner, circle right,  
><em>_Be at ease, don't get tight,_  
><em>Now circle round the other way,<em>  
><em>That's it y'all, you're doin' okay!<em>

_Hands behind, and now you know,_  
><em>Break it down with a do-si-do,<br>__Stick together to and fro,_  
><em>Grab a new partner, here we go<em>!"

Even though Zoe's partner was clumsy, the girl didn't mind. She remained patient and obeyed what the lead singer has requested. The problem was that the Warrior of Ice had no idea what a do-si-do is. So when Zoe moved backwards, she collided against her partner's backside instead of passing him on the left shoulder.

But when she spotted Takuya and the aquatic Digimon dancing in perfect harmony, she felt a hint of jealousy. Their circle pathways were exact mirrors of each other. On the do-si-do, Takuya and Ranamon didn't have to look behind to make sure they didn't crash into one another. Their shoulders barely grazed their partners without touching.

After completing the rotation, each dancer had to search for their new partners. Zoe tried to get the goggle-head to be her partner again. Takuya was also thinking the same thing the moment his eyes locked on to hers. But before he could approach his girlfriend, he felt someone grabbing his arm. He turned and saw a Lillymon giving the young man a cute wink. The Ultimate then yanked Takuya by the arm and dragged him to other side of the dance floor.

With her boyfriend gone, Zoe had to find someone else to dance with. But what surprised her was that there were a lot of Digimon eagerly waiting to dance with the beautiful blonde. It brought a lot of pressure to the young woman, having to choose one and decline everyone else. But with the next set of verses coming up, Zoe selected a Veemon to be her next partner. She grabbed the Rookie's paw and the two trotted to the edge of the dance floor.

As the dancers formed a circle in the center, Deputymon sang the next part of the song.

"_Promenade around the ring,_  
><em>Follow through with an elbow swing,<em>  
><em>Big foot up and little foot down,<em>  
><em>Make that big foot jar the ground!<em>

_Form two circles here and now,_  
><em>Gals inside, and their partner's out,<em>  
><em>Don't be shy and grab a hand,<em>  
><em>Follow through the right an' left grand!<em>"

As Deputymon suggested, the dancing Digimon created two circles on the floor. The males were on the outside and the females were on the inside. Then the dancers turned to their respective corners. Half were facing one way and the second half looked the other. While it was a complicated concept to process, it seemed like almost everyone has got it.

However the Digimon also performed the traditional right and left grand movements. Each dancer moved ahead and around the circle. As they trotted, they gave their left hand to the next Digimon they met; then their right hand to the next. Around the dancer went, exchanging right and left hand grabs to each passing Digimon. As the circles continued rotating, the Deputymon playing the fiddle aggressively attacked all four strings of his instrument.

As Zoe continued with the right and left grand movements, she searched for her best friend. Since the circles were so big, she couldn't tell how many more Digimon she has to pass before she meets up with him. Measures of fiddling and banjoing go by, and still no Takuya. Zoe wondered if she'll ever meet up with her beloved before the song is finished.

At last, she saw him. Just nine dancer ahead was a goggle-headed boy with cheeky smile on his face. It turns out that he too was also looking for her. There was a point when their eyes met, silently telling each other that they couldn't to reunite with on another. Closer and closer the couple approached. If everything goes right, they will be in front of one another.

The right and left grand had stopped when the humans were finally together. The inner and outer circles converged into one giant group. On the other hand, there was an open space in the center of the ring; specifically made for a pair to dance in.

"_Two dancers at a time,_  
><em>Great job folks, you're doing fine,<em>  
><em>Four measures is all you get,<em>  
><em>But if you're skipped, then don't you fret!<em>

_It's time to see what you can do,_  
><em>The stage now belongs to you,<em>  
><em>Dance until the music's done,<br>_ _C'mon y'all, let's have some fun!_"

As the country instrumentals played, a pair of dancers took the center of the stage first. A male and female Numemon did an elbow swing with each other, while hopping around the floor until their four measures were up. It wasn't the most exciting routine the audience saw, but at least it deserved an applause. Soon, the slimy Digimon playfully left the ring.

A Mummymon and a humanoid Arukenimon were the next to dance. Well, to be more accurate, it was the female Digimon that did all the dancing. As the turquois haired creature spun her body around and shook her slender hips, her date was on one knee clapping his hands and encouraging his beloved to dance for him. Even the crowd joined in with the clapping and cheering.

When their time was up, the next two Digimon made their way to the center of the circle. This time, it was a Vajramon and a Pajiramon. While their footwork and dancing seemed a bit rougher than the others, no one was there to judge. As long as the Digimon were having fun, that's the only thing that mattered. The pair of four-legged creatures stomped the grounds hard, symbolizing their feelings of enjoyment.

When their four measures came to an end, it was Floramon's and Mushroomon's turn. They grabbed each other's hands and pranced around the circle, twirling around in circles every four steps. Their dance was smooth and somewhat beautiful. Although not as intense as the other Digimon who danced before them, the pair of plants had their moment nevertheless.

After seeing the four couples dancing, Zoe felt motivated to be part of the action. With her beloved standing behind her, the blonde grabbed her best friend by the hand and dragged him to the center of the ring. As for Takuya, he wasn't as confident as Zoe. His cheeks were turning red and knees were somewhat shaking. But that's probably because every single Digimon had their eyes on them.

Takuya stood nervously on the dance floor, having no idea what to do. He turned to his girlfriend, who was blissfully smiling at him. Zoe gave her best friend a quick nod. To others, it was a sign of reassurance. But to Takuya, there was a message in that small gesture. He sensed that Zoe wanted him to make the first move, and she will do her best to follow.

So, Takuya quickly thought up some moves he can do. The humans stood side by side, with the boy on one side and the girl on the other. The goggle-head started with the grapevine to the right. But the young woman repeated her beloved's movements in perfect unison. Their steps, footwork and speed were mirror images of each other, which received many praise from the audience.

Using that as a confidence builder, Takuya followed up with a basic weave step to his left. Like the last time, Zoe mimic her boyfriend's movements perfectly. Nothing came to her by surprise. She was one with her partner. The crowd watching the humans, however, were more than impressed. Never before had they seen such beautiful dancing. Many were dying to see more.

Next, the goggle-head grabbed his Zoe by the hands and continued with a simple dance. It was then the young woman felt Takuya lifting his right arm up a bit, which indicated that he's requesting her to turn. Zoe complied and turned 90° on each beat of the drum. Upon completing the circle, the blonde found herself in Takuya's arms once again.

Sadly, Takuya and Zoe had already reached their four measures of dancing. So it was only fair for them to give others a chance. But when they're about to leave, the audience rooted the humans on. They wanted to see the Chosen Children dance even more. Even the Deputymon playing their instruments didn't mind that the humans were getting all of the attention. Zoe smiled at her beloved and nodded. There were a few moves she wanted to try, and what perfect time to do so?

Takuya separated from his girlfriend, giving her control on what to do next. With her eyes closed, Zoe pretended she's twirling a lasso. Every two steps, she would turn slightly to her left. Meanwhile, Takuya was in a crouched position, moving counter-clockwise in opposition to his partner. From the audience's viewpoint, they see a cowgirl trying to rope in a raging bull. When the couple met face-to-face, Zoe threw her imaginary lasso toward her partner. Takuya pretended to get nabbed by the rope by squatting to a lower base.

But now it's time to finish in style. The goggle-head returned to a standing position, still with the imaginary rope around his body. He removed the lasso around his waist and started to pull. Takuya wanted to engage his girlfriend in a tug of war. Instead, he got something better. Zoe allowed her boyfriend to pull her in with her rope. The closer she drew, the wider her smirk grew. At that point in time, Takuya knew exactly what she was thinking.

The fiddler was the only one playing the music. He had four more measures to go. As he drew the bow across all four strings, the human couple were ready for the grand finale. Zoe fell into Takuya's arm when she was close enough. The goggle-head place his right palm on the girl's back, using his hand to support her. Takuya then held his girlfriend's right hand with his left, giving her something to hold. He rotated his body and brought one leg forward to maintain his balance. Takuya bent his knee and gently lowered your Zoe backwards until her head was almost touching the ground.

Deputymon ended the song as the human couple completed the dip.

"WOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!" The crowd cheered. It was an ovation unlike any other.

Takuya and Zoe quickly parted with redness on their cheeks. Both humans took a bow as the crowd of Digimon clapped, whistled and howled for witnessing such a marvelous performance. The ovation lasted for at least three long minutes.

Finally, the goggle-head took his girlfriend by the hand and kindly escorted her off of the dance floor. They were both tired from the last number. Zoe was breathing heavily while Takuya felt his knees shaking. But once they made it to the edge, the couple sat down at a nearby table. Takuya went to get some water for himself and his date. As the two watched the other Digimon dance, they gave each other a huge smile.

"Takuya, I never knew you could dance like that."

"Neither did I." The young man winked.

"Is there anything else I should be aware of? Or are there more surprises you have in store for me?" Zoe asked.

"To be honest, I was just going with the flow. After the first few measures of music, I guess my confidence increased."

"Teehee! You sure know how to impress a woman, don't you?"

"Only if it's you."

The two teenagers giggled and continued to relax in their spot. Moments later, the band has changed. An Apemon, a Baromon, a Gorrilamon and a Sepikmon were playing music that produced a jungle vibe theme. The sounds from the ancient drums, maracas, and piccolos created an intensity that transformed the dancers into wild creatures. The Digimon howled to the sky, their love for the world they live in.

After that, four Volcamon took the stage along with their electric guitars. The band played heavy metal music, making all of the dancers jump and scream to the deafening noise. Takuya and Zoe had to cover their ears for the majority of this performance. But they've agreed to return to the dance floor once a new band takes over.

Sure enough, the Volcamon band finished their number and exited the stage. But just when Takuya and Zoe were about to reenter the dance floor...

"May I have your attention please?" A voice shouted.

Up in the sky, Piddomon fluttered above the audience, making sure that everyone saw him. It took the huge crowd of Digimon a minute to give the angel their undivided attention.

"Thank you! I hope all of you are having a wonderful time tonight! But now... it is time to crown the King and Queen of the Autumn Leaf Festival!"

"YEEAAAHHHH!" The audience rooted.

"King and Queen?" Takuya repeated. "What is this? Prom? Since when do festivals have kings and queens?"

"Duh! The Autumn Leaf Festival does, silly!" Zoe responded.

"Fine. But who could it be?"

"I believe Piddomon's about to tell us."

Piddomon flew to the center of the stage. But he wasn't the only one standing on the platform. Another band of Digimon filled the stage. Behind the drums was a Vegiemon. Behind the keyboards was a Swanmon. A Mojyamon stood next to the keyboardist with a bass guitar strapped around his body. Finally, a Shamanmon and a Pandamon took the front of the stage with their guitars.

"Tonight, the selection is obvious!" Piddomon continued. "They are both kind and courteous to other Digimon in the festival! Everyone here had fun, but these two seems to have most fun out of everybody! Not only that, but they were also the winners of the Scavenger Hunt! Oh, and let's not forget that they've also saved our precious Digital World from destruction as well!"

The Digimon in the crowd had already knew who were the King and Queen of the Autumn Leaf Festival, especially after the way Piddomon described them. The audience looked around to search for tonight's winners. A spotlight shone down on to a specific part of the dance floor, revealing an embarrassed goggle-head and his date.

"That's right, folks! So, put your hands together! For I give you, the King and Queen of the Autumn Leaf Festival... TAKUYA KANBARA & ZOE ORIMOTO!"

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The loud cheer caught both teenagers by surprise. Before they knew it, hundreds of Digimon showered them with praises and applause. The crowd politely formed a path toward the center of the dance floor. Both humans were nervous, but walked together to where they had to go. The applause grew louder as the couple reached their destination.

Just then, an Agumon and a Biyomon approached the humans. The orange dinosaur was carrying a gold crown for Takuya, while the pink bird had a silver tiara for Zoe. The Rookies placed them on their heads before quietly stepping back into the crowd. The couple stared at each other and shrugged. While they were thrilled to be named King and Queen of the Autumn Leaf Festival, what were they supposed to do now?

Fortunately, Piddomon was there to help guide the humans.

"Remember when I said there was a third prize for winning the Scavenger Hunt?" The angel asked. Takuya and Zoe smiled and nodded. "This is what it is! Congratulation, you two! You deserve it!"

"Thank you so much, Piddomon!" Zoe said, wiping a tear off of her eye.

"Yeah, but now what?" Takuya wondered, adjusting his headwear.

"Now, comes the best part." Piddomon faced the Chosen Children and smiled. "It is time for the King and Queen of the Autumn Leaf Festival to have their solo dance!"

"OOOOOOOOHHHH!" The entire audience gasped with awe.

Both teenagers couldn't believe their ears. Takuya and Zoe? Dancing all by themselves together? In front of the entire festival? What an opportunity for them. But for the humans, their reactions were different from each other.

The blonde felt excited to be dancing with her one true love. It's been so long since she has last done it. But back then, they were just friends still trying to figure out their feelings for one another. Nonetheless, Zoe was more than glad that she will be dancing with Takuya once again. And what better place to do it than at the Autumn Leaf Festival?

Takuya, however, hasn't been this nervous since the time when he tried confessing his feelings to Zoe. Dancing with his best friend is usually nothing for the courageous goggle-head. But now he's got to do it in front of almost every Digimon that existed. Even all of the confidence in the world couldn't prepare Takuya for an event such as this.

But before the goggle-head could even think about backing out, the lights around the festival dimmed. Only a single spotlight shone down upon the crowned King and Queen of the Autumn Leaf Festival. Every Digimon in the area has stopped talking so the only noise that could be heard were the music provided by the band on stage.

*Insert Song: An Endless Tale (Karaoke Version)*

The keyboardist started with a chord of notes on her instrument. Each measure, the music crescendos from soft to moderately loud. Meanwhile, the drummer, bassist and the guitarists eagerly waited for the keyboard player to give them the signal. Once she felt that the notes were held long enough, the Digimon nodded to her fellow band members.

Slow and steady was the tempo provided by the drums. The guitars strummed and sang toward the audience, creating a relaxing, F Major tune. As the five instruments played, all of the attention shifted toward the humans standing in the middle of the circle. Zoe had her hands behind her back, anxiously waiting for her boyfriend to start. Then again, she saw his timid body language. If he was that scared of something like this, it wouldn't surprise the blonde if Takuya doesn't make the first...

"Zoe?" The boy stepped forward and extended a nervous hand out.

"Takuya?"

"May I... *gulp*... May I have this dance?" His eyes were looking at the ground instead of her. But then he met her emerald orbs the moment Zoe took his hand.

"I'd be delighted, young man." The girl replied happily.

As the music started playing the main part of the song, Takuya gently pull the woman close to him. He put his right hand on the small of her back, while the left delicately wrapped around her hand. Zoe also held on to Takuya's back for support, but drew a little closer so she could be dancing with him. From that position, every Digimon could tell that those two were deeply in love.

Together, the humans move elegantly and leisurely around the dance floor, letting the music dictate their movements. The world spun around the couple as they twirled on their spot. Their footwork was as smooth as floor they were dancing on. Occasionally, Takuya would lift Zoe's arm, giving her the signal to do a spin turn; which she performed beautifully. There was no need to glance around to see where they were going. It's like there were the only ones there, dancing slowly in each other's arms.

That's when the chorus began. With this newly found confidence in himself, Takuya thought of another move he would like to try. He requested his beloved to do another spin move. But when her back was facing him, Takuya dropped his arms and captured Zoe in a loving embrace. The blonde melted in her beloved's arms, like it's one of her favorite positions to be in. When Takuya allowed her to escape, she did it in style by executing two quick spins. The goggle-head brought her back in and gently dipped his girlfriend just as the first chorus ends.

As the band transitioned to the bridge of the song, the crowd were awed at the humans dancing. Two bodies sharing one heart and one soul waltzed before their eyes. There are no words for this special moment. A sea of emotions flooded the festival. Some Digimon were crying, while others had big smiles on their faces. A few hugged and kissed their loved ones to show their affection. Overall, it was one of the most powerful scenes ever recorded in the Digital World.

Even the other eight Legendary Warriors were there to witness this amazing moment. Grumblemon had temporarily stopped his spree of smashing when he heard the beautiful music. The moment he saw the humans dancing, two things had dropped: his hammer and his jaw. Arbormon also enjoyed watching Takuya and Zoe dance. Before, he was stuffing his mouth with some food. Now, he was putting his eating on hold just to enjoy the sounds and the sights before him.

Ranamon and Mercurymon were standing together when the humans waltzed. Such an emotional scene brought the Warrior of Water to tears. But then, she heard the metallic Warrior next to her sniffing. What also surprised her was that Mercurymon was rubbing something off his cheek. While the Warrior of Steel denied such foolishness, Ranamon couldn't help but giggle.

Elsewhere, Lobomon and Lowemon were observing from an isolated corner away from everyone else. But they still got a good view of their two friends dancing. Now, these Legendary Warriors aren't known for sharing emotions to anyone, even each other. But tonight was an exception. Underneath Lowemon's mask was the biggest smile he has ever put on. Lobomon had his head turned the other way. Although no one ever saw it, there was a small stream of wetness that ran down his face.

Kumamon and Beetlemon were in close proximity with one another when they saw their human friends dancing with one another. Out of the eight Warriors, the humanoid insect probably showed the most emotion. He couldn't stop crying for he was so happy for Takuya and Zoe. Kumamon offered Beetlemon what seemed to be his fifth tissue. But even so, the Warrior of Ice was happy, just like everyone else.

As the band softly played the second verse of the piece, Takuya and Zoe continued with their solo dance. It wasn't until later when the boy noticed some wet streams on his girlfriend's cheeks. He also heard a coupled of muffled sniffs. The goggle-head knew Zoe was crying, but couldn't figure out what. On the other hand, what made Takuya even more curious was the fact that the blonde was smiling, giggling every now and then.

"Zoe? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Takuya."

"Then, why are you crying? Is there something bothering you?"

"No, of course not." Zoe shook her head. After perfectly executing another spin turn, she pulled herself closer to her beloved and wrapped her arms around him.

"Z?"

"I'm just... *sniff*... I've never been so happy in my entire life."

"I feel the same way too. I can't remember the last time I had this much fun."

"I know, right?"

"Not bad for our first date, huh?"

"What are you talking about? It was perfect."

"Really?"

"Yes, Takuya. This is a night I will never forget. All of the wonderful memories we've shared here at the festival will be kept in a safe place inside my heart. Takuya... thank you so much."

"No. Thank you, Zoe."

Their solo dance was almost over. The band has just played the chorus for the second time. But the lead had decided to give the humans some extra time for each other. By nodding to his band members, the team got the message. They played the chorus of the song one last time.

"Hey, Z?" Takuya held his best friend tight.

"Yes, baby?"

"Would you like to this again when we get home?"

"Nothing would make me happier." beamed the blonde. "As long as I'm standing beside you, in your arms or kissing you, it doesn't matter where we go."

"You promise?"

"Absolutely."

It was the perfect way to end the dance. As the keyboardist held onto the final chords, the humans sealed their promise with a kiss on the lips. Their eyelids closed and the sensations ran through our bodies, feeling the wetness of each other's mouths. As Takuya gently dip his partner, Zoe lets her body loose, focusing all of her energy on the passionate kiss. It was sweet, just the way they like it. A taste neither one of them will never get enough of. Time stood still, waiting for the couple to part.

"WOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO" ||| "YEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

The roar of applause made the humans break the kiss. They looked around and saw every single Digimon cheering and clapping their hands. Some of them had tears in their eyes while others were almost at that point. The ovation was long and loud. But the teens couldn't be any prouder. Still holding each other's hands, Takuya bowed while Zoe curtseyed.

But once when the crowd was under control, Piddomon returned to the stage.

"What a marvelous dance from the King and Queen of the Autumn Leaf Festival! One last time folks, let's here it!" said the angel.

Again, the Digimon showed the humans their appreciation. Takuya waved to the crowd and displayed his goofy smile. As for Zoe, she had to wipe the rest of her tears off of her sleeve before addressing the audience. Nevertheless, she was so happy to share this special moment with none other than the boy she loves.

With their dance done, Takuya grabbed Zoe by the hand an escorted her off of the dance floor. Behind them, the festivities continued. Another band of Digimon took the stage, ready to play their music to the crowd. But it seemed like the couple has danced their final number. Plus, the fireworks were about to start soon. Zoe guessed that Takuya wanted to get a good spot for the fireworks while everyone else was still dancing.

"Where are we going, Takky?" Zoe wondered.

"I have to pick something up first."

"Pick up what?"

"Just follow me." said the goggle-head.

Almost every Digimon was by the furnace area for the Festival Dance. Those who weren't were either busy cleaning the roads or closing their shops. It was strange to find the festival almost deserted and quiet. The lights were still on, but all of the sounds were coming from the central vicinity. Still, the humans walked around the carnival, searching for a certain Digimon.

""Hey! Souriremon!" Takuya pointed to a camera-like creature.

"Oh ho! _Juste à temps_!" The photographer exclaimed when he saw the humans.

He grabbed one of his files and pulled out a couple of 2x3 pictures Takuya and Zoe had been looking for. The blonde gasped with awe seeing the adorableness of the photo. Even Takuya was more than satisfied on how the picture turned out. Souriremon handed the humans their own personal souvenir. Takuya and Zoe happily accepted the photos and bowed to the Digimon.

"Thank you, Souriremon!" The couple beamed before parting.

"My pleasure, friends! Farewell!_ Au revoir_! Enjoy zee fireworks!"

Again, Takuya took the front and lead his beloved around the empty parts of the festival. While Zoe had no idea where her boyfriend was taking her, she remained silent. Regardless of where they're going, it's bound to be a surprise.

It wasn't long before the goggle-head had reach his destination. In front of the Chosen Children was one of the biggest Ferris Wheels they've ever seen. For this monumental structure was almost as big as the furnace located in the center of the festival. Approximately, the Ferris Wheel was about four hundred feet tall; just as big as the ones back at the Human World.

"Oh, Takuya." Zoe giggle.

"I knew you'd be impressed." The boy smiled. "I heard from other Digimon that this is the best place to watch the fireworks. What do you say, Z?"

"_Facciamolo_!" exclaimed the blonde.

The couple skipped hand-in-hand toward the tall carnival ride. Lucky for them, there was no one waiting in line. Of course, Takuya and Zoe have considered the thought that all of the rides, including the Ferris Wheel, were closed for the night. But there's no harm in checking it out. After all, Takuya wanted to make his first date in the Digital World with his beloved perfect; not that it already isn't.

"Halt! Who goes there?" A Digitamamon shouted. Apparently, he's the one in charge of running the Ferris Wheel.

"Excuse me, sir. But can we watch the fireworks at the top of the Ferris Wheel?"

"No!" The egg-shaped creature answered in an impolite tone.

"Oh, please?" Zoe begged with both her hands together. "We've heard that it's the best place to see the fireworks."

"Didn't you hear me? I said 'NO!' Now, get lost! The ride's closed!" Digitamamon answered again.

"How rude!" The blonde gasped.

"Closed? What do you mean _closed_?" Takuya grumbled.

"For the exact reason why you humans are here! In the past, almost every Digimon requested me to bring them to the top of the Ferris Wheel to watch the fireworks! I've learned the hard way that you can't make everyone happy! So while a few lucky Digimon get to enjoy the fireworks, the rest of those sad saps spent the remainder of the festival pounding me until I was as soft as a hard-boiled egg!"

"Poor thing." Zoe sympathized with the Digimon.

"Can't you make an exception? Please? Just for tonight?" Takuya tried one last time.

"Hmm... Let me put it in a word you both can understand... NO!" Digitamamon screamed to make his final point.

He turned away and trotted back to his station. Both humans left the area without another word. As they turned the corner, Zoe could see how depressed her boyfriend was. He really wanted to enjoy the fireworks with her on this beautiful night. But thanks to Digitamamon, they probably won't get that chance.

"Sorry, Zoe. I tried." Takuya sighed.

"It's not your fault." Zoe placed a warm hand on his cheeks.

"I just wanted to make this date special. I thought watching the fireworks from the top of the Ferris Wheel would do just that."

"You're sweet, baby. But we don't have to watch it from up there. We can watch it here or from anywhere here in the festival. The point is it doesn't matter where we are as long as we see the fireworks go off. And besides Takuya, even if we do miss the fireworks, that doesn't mean our date won't be special. Why, from the moment we arrived, it was already special to me."

"Aww, thanks Z." Takuya smiled before planting a kiss on her forehead.

Suddenly, the wind picked up. While it wasn't strong enough to knock the humans off their feet, it did manage to blow Takuya's hat off of his head. Zoe laughed to herself as she watched her boyfriend retrieved his favorite headwear thanks to her favorite element.

Then, an idea came to her head.

"Silly me! Of course!" Zoe snapped her fingers.

"What is it?" wondered Takuya.

"You really want to watch the fireworks from up there?" She asked her boyfriend, pointing to the very top passenger component of the Ferris Wheel. Takuya nodded.

"Good! Then leave everything to me!" Zoe grinned as she pulled out her D-Tector.

"EXECUTE! SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

A line of Fractal Code surrounded the girl's body. The young woman felt a surge of energy taking over her body as she became one with the Spirits of Wind. At last, the transformation was complete. The Legendary Warrior spun around quickly, creating strong, turbulent winds around her. Finally, she unleashed a huge sidekick before striking a pose.

"KAZEMON!"

Takuya smiled from ear to ear, considering that he had already figured out what his girlfriend was thinking. The butterfly the boy's hand, flapped her wings and fluttered toward the Ferris Wheel they were just at. Below, she and Takuya spotted the same Digitamamon rudely rejecting a couple more Digimon to get on the ride.

With him distracted, Kazemon flew toward the top of the Ferris Wheel with Takuya in her grasp. There, an empty passenger compartment was waiting for them. The Warrior of Wind gently lowered her beloved onto the open cabin. Takuya then scooted to the left to make room for his girlfriend to sit. Fractal Code surrounded Kazemon's body, transforming her back to Zoe. The blonde landed smoothly on the right side of the passenger compartment and sat next to Takuya.

"You're a genius, Z!" The boy beamed. But Zoe placed a finger over her lips.

"Quiet, Takky. We don't want Digitamamon to know we're here."

"Oops, my bad." Takuya scratched the back of his head.

It turns out that the top of the Ferris Wheel was the perfect place to enjoy the fireworks. The passenger cart faced the central part of the festival, where the fireworks were supposed to go off. From there, the humans don't have to crane their necks or deal with noisy children. There was only a minute left before the fireworks signal the end of the festivities. During that time, Takuya and Zoe cuddled in each other's arms and exchanged kisses.

"You like fireworks?" Takuya asked.

"I love them! The color, the sound! It makes me feel happy to enjoy such a beautiful sight! And what makes it even better is that I'm watching it with you!"

"Thank you, Zoe." He was about to pull her in for another kiss.

*BOOM* *POW, POW*

It was then that the fireworks began. It starting off with the smaller rockets, filling the sky with sparks, light and a variety of colors. Even from the distance, the sound of the fireworks going off was pretty loud. Then came the bigger explosions, almost matching the size as the three moons from above. Unlike the little rockets, these boomed thunderously throughout the farthest parts of the Digital World. Zoe leaned forward and gasped in amazement. The combination of colors twinkled in her eyes.

The boy gazed at his beloved, who was giggling like a small child. The explosions of vivid colors reflected off of her pale flesh, making her lovelier than ever. It brought him joy and happiness seeing his girlfriend smile. As the fireworks continued, Takuya focused his thoughts on this beautiful young woman sitting next to him, wondering what has he done to deserve her kindness, patience and affection.

Takuya has seen many things throughout his young life. He has seen a marvelous world, trains with eyeballs and teeth, a talking rabbit, a creature who wears a pink waistband and all kinds of monsters. He has seen what it's like to be in the heat of battle and what's it like to be a Digimon; not just in this world, but in the Human World as well. He thought he has seen it all.

But as he sat there with his mouth open, he realized that he wasn't just looking at his best friend. What he saw was unlike anything he could ever imagined.

An angel.

There was an angel sitting beside him. Takuya was awed by the strength, grace and beauty she has possessed, and also the fact that he knew her name.

"Zoe?" He said softly, sighing in pure contentment. "I had an awesome time with you tonight."

Zoe, even though she was captivated with fireworks, turned toward her boyfriend when she heard his voice. He was giving her such a sweet look, that made her heart soar.

"Me too, Takuya. This is the most fun I've ever had. I can't thank you enough..."

As the last set of firework launched into the air, it happened. Takuya attacked her lips with his own, pushing her against the side of the seat. Zoe was completely shocked at first, but soon melted into the kiss, reciprocating it just as fiercely. As their lips explored each other's mouth, Takuya wrapped his arms around her, pulled her into him as closely as possible.

It was the ultimate cherry on top to complete this marvelous and unforgettable date they had. They were in each other's embrace and their lips were locked. Hundreds of fireworks colored the sky with their color, radiance and beauty. The night was warm and lovely. Thousand of stars winked down at the couple below them.

Many have dreamed of their own romance scene with their loved one. But Takuya and Zoe didn't have to dream anymore. They were in the moment. True love isn't just found in fairy tales or even in the wildest of imaginations. Ask these two. They are living proof that true love exists.

When the finale of the fireworks show was over, so was the kissing. But the couple still remained in their loved one's arms.

"Oh, Takuya, what a beautiful night! I hope it would never end."

"Me too, Z. I want to with you like this forev... HEY!"

Suddenly, the Ferris Wheel started moving all the way around until the compartment on the top was at the bottom. When the ride stopped, Takuya and Zoe found Digitamamon with a heated look in his yellow eyes. Apparently, he wasn't happy about something; and the humans know why.

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU HUMANS THAT THE FERRIS WHEEL IS CLOSED! NOW, GET LOST BEFORE I USE MY NIGHTMARE SYNDROME ATTACK ON YOU!" The angry eggshell shouted.

"Okay, okay! We're gone!" The goggle-head snickered.

"Thank you so much, Digitamamon!" The young woman beamed.

But even his threats weren't enough to wipe the huge smiles off of the humans' faces. Takuya wrapped his arm around Zoe's shoulders and escorted her away from the cranky Digimon. The Autumn Leaf Festival had officially ended. But for Takuya and Zoe, they will forget all of the magical moments and memories they've shared on this night.

By now, almost all of the Digimon have left the premises. Many were saddened that the Digital World's most glorious event was over. Unfortunately, all good things have to come to an end. Then again, at least everyone had fun. From there, the Digimon went their own ways to go home. As the minutes pass, the crowded Autumn Leaf Festival slowly turned into a ghost town.

While Takuya and Zoe had the time of their lives, they were both pretty tired. They would like nothing more than to return to the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters and crash on the first bed they see, wrapped in each other's arms for comfort and security. Hand-in-hand, the loving couple made their way to the Digiporter a couple yards away from their current location.

"I sure miss our friends and family. As much as I love being in the Digital World, there's no place like home. I really can't wait to see Koji, Koichi, Tommy, J.P., my mom and da... Takuya?"

The goggle-head had abruptly came to a stop about twenty feet from the Digiporter. Apparently, he had his eyes toward the starry night above. Zoe hustled to her beloved and tried to get his attention once again. Curious as to what he was looking at, the blonde looked toward the sky. She saw a thousand stars and even the three moons above.

"Baby, what are you looking at?" Zoe wondered.

"That." Takuya pointed to the sky. Zoe trailed a path from the boy's fingertip to wherever he was looking at.

Sure enough, her eyes caught something mysterious up above. It looked like a large fireball ready to make a crash landing down to earth. The speed of the flaming projectile was unbelievable. While neither of the Chosen Children had any idea what that thing in the air was, one thing's for certain is that it's heading right for them. And if they don't get out of the way soon, the results would be devastating.

"ZOE, MOVE!"

Both humans dashed out of the line of fire. The supposed meteor crashed just a few meters short of their previous position. There was a huge explosion, which almost sent Takuya and Zoe flying from one side of the Digital World to the other. But thankfully, they were able to hold their ground and withstand the impact. After awhile, the earthquakes died down and the humans regained their balance.

"What was that?" Zoe wondered.

"Come on! Let's check it out!" said Takuya.

Both humans hustled toward the crash sight as quick as they can. They stood along the edge and gazed down at the impact zone. Takuya and Zoe were expected to see a large meteor some kind of strange rock formation that fell from outer space. But strange as it seems, that is not what dropped from the sky. It wasn't an asteroid or anything massive.

It was a Digimon.

At the bottom of the impact zone was a creature that resembled a wizard. Except this Digimon was dressed in a white cloak clipped with a skull emblem and with strange inscriptions along the inside. He wore a pointed hat and his brown boots matches the color of Takuya's hair. Laid beside the magician was his magic staff with a large snowflake on the one end. However, this Digimon was covered in burn marks and all kinds of scrapes. His muscles twitched to symbolize the pain he was in.

"Hey, isn't that... Sorcerymon?" Takuya's eyes widened when he recognized the injured Digimon.

"He's in bad shape! We have to help him!" Zoe exclaimed.

The humans slid down the crater toward where Sorcerymon laid. They wrapped both of the wizard's arms around their shoulder and helped him out of the crash sight. They could hear Sorcerymon moaning in agony each time they moved. Realizing that they don't have much time, the humans carried the injured Digimon toward the Digiporter. Once they returned to the Battlefront Headquarters, maybe they can ask a few Blisseymon to heal his wounds.

"Ugh... where am I?" The weak sorcerer groaned.

"Hang in there, Sorcerymon! We'll take you to safety and..."

"No..." The wizard brushed off the humans' hands and collapsed on the ground. The pain in his body returned, making Sorcerymon hiss in agony. But the Champion made it back to on all fours and reached his hand out toward the sky; specifically the bluish moon above.

"I must... save him..."

'Sorcerymon, what's wrong?" Zoe asked.

"Save who? Who's in trouble?" Takuya questioned.

"I have found him... Patamon."

"Patamon? You mean one of the three Celestial Digimon?" gasped Zoe.

"No way! Where is he, Sorcerymon? Sorcerymon? Hey, Sorcerymon?"

But it was too late. Sorcerymon had passed out.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter fifty-nine. <strong>

**What has happened to Sorcerymon? Where is Patamon and what sort of danger is this young Celestial Digimon in? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	60. Blast Off

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**With the Autumn Leaf Festival drawing to a close, the Digimon celebrated with the traditional Festival Dance. Things got even better for Takuya and Zoe when they were crowned King and Queen of the festival. As a reward, they danced underneath the stars together like a happy couple. And to finish it all off, the two of them watched the fireworks from the top of the festival. It's like things can't get any worse for our two heroes. That is, until they returned to the Battlefront Headquarter with another new mission that could determine the fate of the Digital World.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter sixty!**

* * *

><p><strong>Blast Off<strong>

**Normal POV:**

Morning came once again in the Digital World. Dark gray clouds covered the sky, preventing the golden sun to shine its radiant light upon the planet. Every now and then, small raindrops fell on the ground, creating puddles on the dirt. Today felt like it's going to be a sad day. But it wasn't because of the dark and gloomy weather clouding over the Digital World.

Takuya stared out the window of the Medical Wing. He too saw the dark clouds blanketing the sky. It's safe to say that the weather was a perfect reflection on how he's feeling; more specifically about last night. Even though the date at the Autumn Leaf Festival was one of the happiest moments of his life, what happened afterwards changed everything.

"Mmm... Takuya?" His girlfriend called from behind him.

The goggle-head turned and saw his blonde beloved waking up. At least she had no problems falling asleep last night. Zoe Orimoto stretched her arms and rubbed her eyes. She looked toward to her left to find her boyfriend standing beside the window, half-smiling at least. The Bearer of Wind removed the covers off of her legs and jumped into Takuya's arms.

"Morning." She said softly, embracing her boyfriend.

"Hey." The Bearer of Flame replied, not as lively as Zoe wanted.

"You feeling alright?" The young woman titled her head with concern.

"I'm just thinking about what happened last night. You know... about Sorcerymon. And then what Eldestmon said to us afterwards."

*Flashback*

_Bright lights shined in the Digiporter Room. When the teleportation was complete, Takuya and Zoe helped the semiconscious magician off of the platform. Neither one of them knew how Sorcerymon ended up like this. But time was of the essence. If they don't get this Digimon to the Medical Wing quickly, the wizard-type creature might never make it._

_The humans entered the halls with each of Sorcerymon's arms around their shoulders. It's quite a bit of distance away from the Medical Wing from their current position. But with this poor creature's life on the line, they wasted little time to get to their destination. Together, the Bearers of Flame and Wind carried Sorcerymon through the hallways until they had arrived at the Medical Wing._

_When the doors opened, Takuya and Zoe were thankful to see a couple of healing Digimon inside._

_"Hey Blisseymon! We need your help!" The goggle-head shouted to get the nurses' attention. The Blisseymon turned and saw a pair of humans and a barely conscious Sorcerymon almost looking like he's past out._

_Quickly, the healing Digimon signaled the Chosen Children to bring the injured magician to the nearest hospital bed. Takuya and Zoe helped Sorcerymon to the first gurney they came across. The Bearer of Flame then rested the wounded wizard on the bed and stepped away so the Blisseymon can get to work on their patient. While the first nurse assessed all of the possible injuries Sorcerymon had suffered, the second began to use her powers to heal the wounded Digimon._

_Meanwhile, the humans watched from nearby as the Battlefront's medical experts worked as hard as they could to help the poor Sorcerymon. On a normal basis, these Digimon could heal any type of injury with no problem. It's their specialty and one of the main reasons why Takuya and Zoe has survived even the most brutal of assaults. Both of them were confident that the Blisseymon could heal Sorcerymon._

_"What's going on here?" A voice called from the entrance of the Medical Wing. The humans turned and saw an elderly Digimon standing at the front. Behind him was the Battlefront's second-in-command._

_"Eldestmon! Swiftmon!" Zoe gasped._

_"Thank goodness you're here!" Takuya said as he approached the two. "Zoe and I were on our way back from the Autumn Leaf Festival, when out of nowhere, Sorcerymon fell from the sky and crashed a few feet ahead of us! He's in real bad shape! So, we brought him here to the Medical Wing, hoping that the Blisseymon can treat him!"_

_"That's not all!" The blonde added. "Before he passed out, he told me and Takuya that he has found Patamon!"_

_"He what?" Swiftmon exhaled deeply._

_The leader of the Digimon Battlefront was also shocked upon hearing the news. Nevertheless, his reaction was nothing more than a mere eyebrow raise. With that in mind, Eldestmon approached the hospital bed where Sorcerymon was resting on. Swiftmon and the two humans followed closely behind. He quickly observed the injured magician's condition, as well as the nurses' progress._

_But then, one of the Blisseymon looked toward her superior with a sad expression on her face and started to shake her head from side to side. Obviously, the news she had for him was not good. Even though not a single word was spoken, the leader of the Digimon Battlefront had already got the message. Still, Eldestmon stepped forward and placed a hand on Sorcerymon's forehead._

_"Ugh... who are you?" The wounded Digimon spoke weakly._

_"Everything's going to be alright. My name is Eldestmon, leader of the Digimon Battlefront. Just relax. I'm here to help you. Everything's going to be alright."_

_"No... *cough*... You don't understand. Patamon... ugh... is in trouble. I must... save him." Sorcerymon grunted._

_"Patamon? You mean one of the three Celestial Digimon?" Swiftmon asked._

_"Where is he, Sorcerymon? And what about Ophanimon and Cherubimon? Are they alright? Where are they?" Zoe bombarded the injured Digimon with questions._

_"Calm down, Zoe. One at a time." Takuya suggested, thinking about Sorcerymon's condition._

_But regardless how bad of a shape the weakened wizard was, he mustered enough strength to answer the Bearer of Wind's first question; but not verbally. Sorcerymon turned his head toward his left and spotted an open window. His arm weakly rose from his side as the wounded Digimon pointed his finger towards something outside the opening on the wall._

_Takuya hustled toward the open window to see exactly what this Digimon was looking at. With Sorcerymon's finger slightly angled upwards, he was apparently pointing towards something in the sky. But when Takuya craned his neck, he saw nothing but the dark sky as well as the thousands of stars that decorated it. There were also a few clouds above too. Unfortunately, the goggle-head couldn't seem to find a legitimate location as to where Patamon might be._

_That is, until the clouds disappeared. All of the sudden, three planets in the sky appeared in Takuya's vision. The closest sphere was blue, with a red and yellow objects not far behind._

_"Up there? On the moon? No way!" The Bearer of Flame objected. But Sorcerymon nodded his head._

_"It's the truth. I didn't believe it at first. But when I arrived, the presence of Patamon was at its strongest. Therefore, I knew he was up there."_

_"But how did Patamon get up there?" Zoe wondered._

_"Hmm, my guess is that after Malevomon has captured the three Celestial Digimon, he must've ordered one of his cronies to take them to a place where none of us would expect to look. Perhaps the Seraphimoon was a good place." Swiftmon hypothesized._

_"Seraphimoon? You mean the blue moon?" Takuya asked. The second-in-command replied with a nod. "Great. If that's true, then the other two might be on the red and yellow moons as well."_

_"Yes, that is correct... *cough*..." Sorcerymon confirmed, much to everyone's dismay._

_"How terrible! Three of our friends all alone and thousands of miles away from everybody." The blonde shuddered._

_"Sorcerymon, you still haven't told us how you came back to the Digital World all battered and bruised." Eldestmon reminded the injured wizard._

_"My apologies." Sorcerymon groaned. "When I arrived, I was about to search for Patamon. But then, I was viciously attacked by an unknown, evil Digimon. He was so strong, I couldn't defend myself. I knew I was no match for him, so I used the remainder of my strength to teleport myself back to the Digital World."_

_"Another evil Digimon? Could it be one of Malevomon's mind controlled servants?" Zoe wondered._

_"But that's impossible. When I defeated Malevomon, the evil powers of the Chaos Spheres were also neutralized." Takuya pointed out._

_"Then who could it be, Sorcerymon?" The blonde asked again._

_"It's... UGH! AAAHHHHHH!"_

_All of the sudden, Sorcerymon squealed from the top of his lungs as the pain inside his body intensified. His limbs twitched and fidgeted in agony unlike ever before. Upon hearing the wizard's fierce screams, a couple more Blisseymon entered the Medical Wing to join the other nurses in healing Sorcerymon. A total of eight glowing hands hovered above different parts of the magician's body. Beads of sweat fell off of their faces as they worked as hard as they could to heal their patient's injuries._

_Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like their efforts were making an impact. Even four Blisseymon were having trouble keeping Sorcerymon alive. The poor wizard's wailing increased in volume as the pain got worse. Zoe made her way toward the hospital bed and held Sorcerymon's hand tight. Takuya stood behind his beloved and silently prayed that the injured Digimon will be alright._

_"Listen to me, Legendary Warriors..." Sorcerymon fought through the agony and called out to the humans._

_"Hang in there, Sorcerymon! Everything's going to be alright!" Zoe held the magician's hand, while fighting her tears at the same time._

_"It is all... up to you now..." groaned the weakened Digimon. With his strength fading fast, Sorcerymon was able convey his final message to the Chosen Children._

_"Save Patamon and others... and the Digital World."_

_Slowly, his eyes closed. Sorcerymon's grip on Zoe's hands loosened as his arm fell by his side. His fidgeting and twitching had ceased before the wizard breathed his last breath. Sorcerymon was gone. There was nothing the Blisseymon could do. They had used all of their power, and still couldn't heal him. Moments later, Sorcerymon's body disintegrated into pieces. All that remained was a white Digi-Egg with teal marks on it._

_"Oh no! Sorcerymon!" Zoe sobbed. She grabbed the Digi-Egg with both arms and embraced it tight, never wanting to let go._

_"Zoe..." Takuya placed a soft hand on the girl's shoulder, hoping that would console her. But after losing another friend, it's going to take a while for Zoe to return to normal._

_"Orders, sir?" Swiftmon turned to his superior. After pondering for several minutes and waiting for the teenage girl to stop crying, the leader of the Digimon Battlefront approached the Chosen Children._

_"Well? What are we waiting for? If what Sorcerymon said is true, then Zoe and I have to get to the Seraphimoon right away to save Patamon!" Takuya said._

_"Indeed. I will have your next mission for you tomorrow. But for now, you should get some rest." The wise Digimon commanded._

_"But Eldestmon..."_

_"I know how you feel, my boy. But you need to conserve your energy. For we need you and your friends at full strength when we send you up to the Seraphimoon. Tomorrow, I want you two to report to the Digiporter Room first thing in the morning. You understand?"_

_"Alright. Whatever you say." Takuya reluctantly nodded. Although he wanted to find Patamon and the others right away, it would be pointless to potentially go into battle exhausted._

_"I'll take that." Swiftmon said as he approached Zoe and retrieved the Digi-Egg from her. After saluting to the Chosen Children, he and his superior exited the Medical Wing with the four Blisseymon following behind._

_With them gone, Takuya helped the depressed Zoe to her feet and wrapped her in a warm hug._

_"Everything's going to be alright, Z. We'll find Patamon and save him from whoever's up there. You'll see. Trust me."_

_"I know." Zoe nodded. She faced her beloved again and was finally able to crack a smile after seeing that goofy grin on his face._

_"Come on, let's get some sleep. We got a big day ahead of us, tomorrow. I'm pretty sure the Blisseymon won't mind if we borrowed a couple of hospital beds for..."_

_"Takuya?" The Bearer of Wind spoke softly._

_"What's up, Zoe?" asked the teenage boy._

_"I'm just thinking about Sorcerymon. He was hurt pretty bad when we found him by the Autumn Leaf Festival. Whoever did that to him must be a really powerful Digimon. Do you really think we can beat him?"_

_"Of course we can. With the two of us together, there's not a single evil Digimon out there we can't beat. We've defeated Malevomon as a team. I'm positive that we can deal with whoever's up there with no problem."_

_"I hope you're right." Zoe said, before yawning and collapsing into Takuya's arms. Before the goggle-head could say anything, she was already fast asleep._

_After planting a small kiss on her forehead, Takuya carried to the closest hospital bed and gently set her down. Nothing made him happier than seeing that cute smile on her face. He gently stroke his girlfriend's soft cheek one last time before making his way toward an open window on the other side of the Medical Wing. He stared outside and gazed at the blue moon above, the predicted location where Patamon might be._

_"I hope so too..."_

*End of Flashback*

Takuya stared blankly at the clouds and sighed. Zoe approached her boyfriend and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Next she wrapped her arms around him and pulled Takuya closer to her chest. The goggle-head placed his hands behind Zoe's head, feeling a little bit better.

"You said it yourself last night. We can handle anything as long as we're together."

"I know that. But say I do have to fight a really strong Digimon when we're up there. I don't want to see you get hurt. I almost lost you when Malevomon captured you. I don't want to make the same mistake again."

"You won't. With you protecting me, I have nothing to fear when we arrive at the Seraphimoon. Besides, when you think about it, I'm protecting you as well; always watching your back and ready to fight alongside of you."

"Thanks Zoe." Takuya nodded. "I guess I'm still a little nervous about going up there, regardless of all the things I said last night."

"It's only natural to react like that when facing danger, Takuya. So you're not alone. But we'll face those dangers as a team. No matter what happens, I will never leave you." Zoe smiled again.

"Alright." The goggle-head then grabbed his girlfriend's hand. "C'mon. Everyone's waiting for us at the Digiporter Room."

And so, the Bearers of Flame and Wind walked out of Medical Wing and toward their destination with a newly built confidence in each other, as well as themselves.

It was silent on the way to the Digiporter Room. Because it's so early in the morning, there wasn't a single Digimon roaming around the hallways. While the humans expected the facility to be somewhat empty, the fact that they were the only ones there made the walk at little more nerve-racking.

A minute later, Takuya and Zoe had arrived at the appointed place.

"You ready?" The blonde asked her beloved.

"Let's go." responded the teenage boy.

The doors to the Digiporter Room opened up. As expected, Takuya and Zoe found the leader and the second-in-command of the Digimon Battlefront inside. Bokomon and Neemon were also waiting for them as well. But then there were other Digimon standing on top of the Digiporter. When Takuya and Zoe entered the room, the other eight Legendary Warriors were there to greet them.

"It's about time." Lobomon smirked.

"What took you two so long?" asked the Warrior of Darkness.

"Sorry we're late." Zoe apologized as she and her best friend made their way toward the platform.

"Yeah. Zoe and I were just thinking about our upcoming mission." Takuya added.

"That all?" snickered Grumblemon.

"Or is it perhaps the reason why you guys took so long is because you wanted to get mushy with each other before heading over here?" The humanoid insect joined in the teasing. He knew he was on the right track when he saw Takuya's and Zoe's face turned a small hue of red.

"Hmph. Does thou carest to show some decency?" grunted Mercurymon.

"Now that's disgusting, right?" Arbormon spoke

"Honestly. We're waiting for you kiddie pies to show up, and here we find you two having trouble getting out of bed, let alone each other's arms." complained the watery Digimon.

"It's not like that!" Zoe and Takuya argued, with their volumes a little bit louder than what they wanted.

"That's enough, everyone." Bokomon said to get the Legendary Warriors' attention. "Please be quiet, so Eldestmon can brief all of us on our next assignment."

"And why are you still talking?" Neemon asked, which earned him another painful wedgie.

"Alright, settle down; all of you! Lord Eldestmon is about to speak" The swordsman announced. Eldestmon waited until he had everyone's attention.

"Last night, the Chosen Children brought an injured Sorcerymon to the Medical Wing. Before he was deleted, Sorcerymon gave us some vital information regarding the whereabouts of the three Celestial Digimon. Gotsumon, if you please?"

While the Legendary Warriors mumbled amongst each other, the Rookie typed on his keyboard and pressed the command button. On one of the larger screens behind Eldestmon, three round planetary objects appeared. Takuya, Zoe and the other eight Digimon observed the blue, red and yellow moons on the screed. The leader of the Battlefront then pointed his cane on the screen; specifically on the blue moon.

"This is the Seraphimoon. The red moon behind it is the Cherubimoon. And finally, the yellow moon at the very back is the Ophanimoon. According to Sorcerymon's information, these are the locations where the three Celestial Digimon are held prisoner."

"Question!" Neemon raised his hand like a student in class. "Why did we name the moons after the Celestial Digimon?"

"NEEMON!" Takuya, Zoe and Bokomon shouted at their friend.

"What?" The rabbit laughed while scratching the back of his head.

"As I was saying..." The old Digimon continued, drawing his cane to back to the blue moon. "... this is where you will be heading. Your job is to find all three of the Celestial Digimon and rescue them from whatever powerful force is up there."

"So it's off to the hungry lion's den, right?" Arbormon complained.

"He does have a point, you know. Can't you send someone else to do the hard work?" requested the Warrior of Water.

"Dost thou fear what awaits us, my lady?" Mercurymon chuckled, which earned him a heated glare from Ranamon.

"We have to, you guys. We're the Legendary Warriors. We're the only ones who have the power to stop this evil Digimon and save Patamon and the others." Takuya simplified.

"He's right. We gotta go before it's too late." Zoe agreed.

"But how are we supposed to get to the Seraphimoon? Unless we have our own spaceship, we're practically grounded." Kumamon mentioned.

"Quite right." nodded Eldestmon. "That's why we're sending you to the Cosmo Dome, located in Steel Town. Once there, you must find MegaStarmon. He is the only Digimon that can take you twelve to the Seraphimoon."

"Not to worry!" Bokomon spoke confidently. "With the ten Legendary Warriors finally together again, I'm positive they will find the Celestial Digimon in no time! Piece of cake!"

"Cake? I love cake!" Neemon gasped with delight.

*bam*

"OW!"

As the rabbit laid on the platform in a daze, Bokomon put away his book and faced Eldestmon once again as he proceeded with his commands.

"It is up to you now! You must find and save the three Celestial Digimon before it's too late! If whoever's up there destroys them, it could spell the end of the Digital World! Time is of the essence! You know what you must do!"

"Got it!" Takuya said, giving the Eldestmon the thumbs up. The leader of the Digimon Battlefront nodded one more time before exiting the room.

"Gotsumon, turn on the Digiporter!" Swiftmon ordered.

"Yes, sir!" The Rookie saluted. He pushed a red button on the wall. The room was then filled with buzzing noises. The group looked at the platform below and noticed it starting to glow.

"Digiporter's at 50%, sir!" said Gotsumon a few seconds later.

"Aren't you coming with us, Swiftmon? We could use your help in saving Patamon and the others." Zoe asked.

"No. My services are required here back at the headquarters. But you should all be fine without me. And besides, we are still in the middle of rebuilding the Digital World. I will stay here and coordinate the reconstruction, while you find the Celestial Digimon. But if you ever need help, you know how to reach us."

"Digiporter's power at 100%, sir!" The Rookie confirmed. "Ready to teleport on your command, sir!"

"Good luck! The fate of our world is once again in your hands!" The second-in-command said. "Take it away, Gotsumon!"

"Entering coordinates to the Cosmo Dome." Gotsumon said, typing the numbers on the computer.

"Coordinates are set, ready for teleportation. Teleporting in three, two..."

All eight Legendary Warriors were more than pumped up to get back into action. With the two humans on their side, nothing can stop them. It's been a long time since all ten Legendary Warriors fought together. The last time that happened was when they combined their powers to defeat the evil Lucemon once and for all.

"One..."

Takuya and Zoe held each other's hands tight as Gotsumon ended the countdown. They looked into each other's eyes and smiled. Obviously, this next mission isn't going to be easy; just like all of their other missions. Then again, as long as they have each other, both humans believe that they can overcome any obstacle.

"Commence teleportation!" Gotsumon shouted, slamming his fist on a blue button.

A white light shot out from the bottom of the Digiporter, engulfing the ten Digimon and two teenagers with its bright light. Finally, the room was covered with white, blinding light, teleporting everyone else to the assigned location.

* * *

><p>Moments later, the teleportation was complete. Takuya, Zoe, Bokomon, Neemon and the eight Legendary Warriors stepped off of the Digiporter and scanned their surroundings. They found themselves in front a highly populated town where almost everything's made of metal. While there were some greeneries in the area where fruits and crops were produced, the buildings and grounds had steel-like properties.<p>

"There's nothing half so pleasant as Steel Town! Dost thou agree with me?" Mercurymon grinned.

"Ugh! All of this metal is ruining my complexion!" complained Ranamon.

"Quit clowning, you two. This is serious. We got to find the Cosmo Dome. That's where we'll find MegaStarmon." said Takuya.

"According to Eldestmon, he's the only one that can send us to the Seraphimoon, where one of the Celestial Digimon is located." Zoe added.

"So, where do we start?" Kumamon asked.

"How about over there?" answered Beetlemon, pointing his finger towards the east.

Everyone else turned to where the Warrior of Thunder was pointing to. Their mouths dropped at the sight of the large facility before them. The building was shaped like a dome, just like its name suggest. In fact, it was over three hundred feet tall. Like most structures in Steel Town, this giant building was made of metal. That includes the white, circular roof.

"Well... you don't see that everyday." grumbled Lowemon.

"You sure this about this place?" Grumblemon wondered.

"Let's check it out. C'mon, you guys!" Takuya commanded.

The goggle-head took the lead, with Zoe and the other Digimon following behind. As they approached the domed facility, it seemed to get bigger and bigger. By the time they reached their destination, a large shadow casted over them. Needless to say that the Legendary Warriors were surprised that such place actually exist.

"Hey, there's a door over there!" Lobomon exclaimed, pointing toward his left.

"Last one in's a rotten Digimon!" Neemon sang as he rushed toward the entrance.

"No way, I'm rotten Digimon, right?" Arbormon stepped up to the challenge and raced after the Rookie.

Before long, everyone was running as fast as they could toward the front. Kumamon got to the entrance first and opened the door for the others. One by one, the Legendary Warriors walked inside the building.

"WELCOME TO THE COSMO DOME!" A voice shouted.

The lights in the room turned on, revealing the contents inside the dome. To everyone's shock, this place was actually a space museum. There were all kinds of large aircrafts scattered throughout the facility. From warplanes to rockets, machines of various shapes and sizes filled the room.

"Hey, who's that?" Zoe pointed toward the aircrafts in the center of the room.

A Digimon leaped off on of the wings and walked toward the Legendary Warriors. His body was in the form of a star, made entirely out of platinum. He also wore dark sunglasses shaped like an ''M'. This creature also wore a silver and black jumpsuit with matching gloves an boots. Each attire had a star emblem on it. And finally, the Digimon and emerald gem on his forehead and a blue scar on his back.

"Greetings, Legendary Earthlings! My name is MegaStarmon. I've been wondering when I will make first contact with you all." The Digimon spoke with an extraterrestrial tone.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: MegaStarmon**

**Level: Mega**

**Attacks: Galactic Storm, Celestial Coffin**

**Description: MegaStarmon is the fully Digivolved form of SuperStarmon. He can travel from one end of the universe to the other in the blink of an eye. His love for stars and outer space is beyond this world. Try not to get caught in his Galactic Storm attack.**

"What kind of a Digimon are you?" Kumamon asked.

"I'm not just a Digimon. I'm an adventurer; an explorer of the universe and a traveler of..."

"Alright, we get it!" groaned Arbormon with his arms crossed.

"Listen, Honey. Are you gonna keep blabbering about your stupid credentials? Or are you going to do what you're supposed to do and take all of us to the Seraphimoon?" Ranamon complained. MegaStarmon was a little confounded that his intro had to be cut short. But the Warrior of Water had a point.

"My sincere apologies. Please, this way." said the star-shaped creature, leading the humans and Legendary Warriors toward the northern part of the museum.

The group walked passed the ancient aircrafts and down a long starwell. Before long, they found themselves in an underground dark tunnel, lit up by a row of light fixtures from the ceiling. There were no were no other Digimon except them in this long hallway. While the confined space and dimness didn't bother any of the Legendary Warriors, Bokomon and Neemon showed some signs of fear. Zoe stayed close behind Takuya; finding warmth and comfort being next to him. The group of continued to walk through the long, dark tunnels; wondering where they might be heading.

"Are we there yet?" The yellow rabbit groaned.

"No!" Bokomon huffed.

"How about now?"

"NEEMON?" The humans shouted.

Moments later...

"Little further?" An impatient Grumblemon asked.

"Will you stop that?" howled Mercurymon.

"We are almost there, my friends!"

Just as MegaStarmon said, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. It was much brighter than the light fixtures over their heads. A few seconds later, the Legendary Warriors were in front of a large window, about twenty feet tall. But what was on the other side of the looking glass was more spectacular than any of the timeless aircrafts they saw back in the old room.

A two hundred foot space shuttle rested at the base of the silo. A pair of white, solid rocket boosters were attached to both wings of the spacecraft. In between the thrusters was a brownish external tank. Upon further inspection, a bunch of SuperStarmon and Starmon were finishing up the last minute preparations of the space shuttle; making sure all of the controls were online and their fuel source was at capacity. Based on the astonished looks on the Legendary Warriors' faces, it was a truly a remarkable sight to behold.

"That's our mode of transportation?" Takuya was the first to speak.

"Indeed it is!" MegaStarmon exclaimed. "Ladies and Gentlemon, this is the DF-4000!" This baby will get you to the Seraphimoon faster than you can say 'Blast Off!' She is a one of a kind beauty, my pride and joy!"

"You mean... we're all going to ride in that?" Beetlemon asked with a mild amount of hesitation in his voice.

"Sorry, Sugar! But there's no way I'm getting in that thing!" Ranamon complained.

"Me thinks likewise, my lady." nodded Mercurymon.

"Judging from its appearances..." Lobomon spoke.

"... it doesn't look pretty safe." Lowemon finished.

"What do you mean? Of course, it's safe! I designed it myself! The DF-4000 is made of Chrome Digizoid, the strongest metal in the Digital World! Rest assured that you are all in good hands, even when the rocket fuel ignites at over nine thousand degrees!" MegaStarmon said to the Legendary Warriors. However, the Digimon weren't buying it.

"And there lies our problem, right?" The wooden android grunted.

"Me pass, thanks." Grumblemon turned the other way.

"That reminds me... I never liked rockets in the first place." Kumamon sighed.

But the humans stepped forward to make their case.

"Come on, everybody! MegaStarmon is kind enough to lend us a space shuttle we can use to get to the Seraphimoon! And we're running out of time! Patamon and the other Digimon need our help!" Zoe argued.

"She's right! We can either stay here and try to find another spacecraft, or we can stop all of this complaining and get in the cockpit right now! What's it going to be?" concluded Takuya.

The Legendary Warriors exchanged glances. The teenage humans had a point. Eldestmon has sent them on a mission to find and save the Celestial Digimon. Standing around and bickering to each other wasn't helping anyone at all. Regardless of how they felt about the large spacecraft before them, there were lives currently at stake. Reluctantly, the eight Warriors nodded their heads, confirming that they will carry out their mission.

"Most excellent! Now that that's settled, allow me to escort you to the Boarding Dock!" The star-shaped creature instructed.

And so, the Legendary Warriors followed MegaStarmon around the underground facility. But there were a lot of windows on their right so everyone can see the other Digimon working and fixing up the spacecraft. Eventually, they came across another steel door with the letters 'BD' labeled on the front. He opened the door and lead the group through the bridge.

On the other side was an open hatch, allowing access for the Legendary Warriors to board the spacecraft. There was also ladder that will lead the humans and Digimon into the cockpit. Twelve seats in two rows awaited the passengers. One by one, the humans and Digimon entered the hatch and climbed onboard the rocket. Since the shuttle was standing upright, some of the Legendary Warriors were having trouble finding their bearings. Not only that, but most of them weren't comfortable sitting in an awkward position.

Nevertheless, Takuya, Zoe and the Legendary Warriors found their seat and waited for the remaining three Digimon to board. Unfortunately for Bokomon and Neemon, they had to share a seat since there weren't enough for everyone. Their elbows bumped against each other as the two Rookie pushed and squeezed to get the most room they could obtain. Finally, MegaStarmon took the pilot's seat and closed the hatch.

"Fasten you seat belts, everybody! This is going to be one ride you'll never forget!" The star-shaped Digimon turned and gave the passengers the thumbs-up sign. Even though the Legendary Warriors were still pessimistic about the liftoff, they followed his instructions and strapped themselves in.

MegaStarmon then flipped a few switches and checked the gauges at the front of the controls. Next, he grabbed a microphone attached to the bottom of his seat.

"This is DF-4000! All systems go! Prepare to launch when ready!" The Mega Digimon spoke.

"_This is the control tower! Onboard computers report a green light for all ignition systems. All personnel, clear the path for launch_!"

Upon command, the Starmon and SuperStarmon quickly evacuated the premises and headed to safety so they're not in the way when the boosters ignite. But not after finishing up the final touches on the repairs and cleaning of the rocket. Once when all of the Digimon were at safe proximity, all of the doors, gates and opening to the silo were shut tight.

"Roger that, control tower! Commence ignition sequence and start the countdown!" MegaStarmon said before putting the microphone away.

"_Affirmative! T-minus twenty seconds for launch_!"

MegaStarmon grabbed the control wheel in front of him tightly. Based on the way he was bouncing up and down in his seat, the star-shaped Digimon was more than excited to get this spacecraft off of the ground and into outer space. Meanwhile, Neemon and Bokomon were still trying to get comfortable in their chair. There was so little room for two Digimon to share a seat. Then again, it was tough to tell which Rookie is winning or losing.

"_Ten, nine_..."

Ranamon and Mercurymon sat in the very back of the shuttle. This will be their first time leaving the Digital World's atmosphere. But each Legendary Warrior showed a different kind of reaction. The Warrior of Water had a neutral look on her face. While she was thrilled to get back into action again, the aquatic Digimon wasn't too excited for a mission away from home. As for Mercurymon, his grin pretty much summed up what he was feeling. No matter what task he and his comrades were assigned, it was bound to be a waste of time.

"_Eight, seven_..."

It was hard to tell how Arbormon was feeling as the intercom counted down to launch. His eyes and mouth remained the same since the beginning. However, the only thing on this wooden android's mind is his stomach. He felt his tummy rumbling and cursed himself for not eating a hamburger or two before starting this mission. Meanwhile, Grumblemon was the only Legendary Warrior that showed some signs of apprehension. Since his element was earth, it's only natural for him to be in love with the soil and grounds on the Digital World. Then again, who knows what kind of rock and crust he might find up there?

"_Six, five_..."

In the next row of seats, Kumamon and Beetlemon were both smiling for this upcoming mission. In fact, it's been a long time since all ten Legendary Warriors worked together. The Warrior of Ice had the urge to bounce in his seat, just like the pilot was doing. But then he thought wisely of it and remained calm. However, he couldn't seem to stop his foot from tapping with excitement. Beetlemon, on the other hand, squeezed the armrests on his chair tightly. Any harder and he could potentially support piece of his seat.

"_Four, three_..."

As for Lobomon and Lowemon, both had their eyes closed like they were lost in meditation or something. With a brand new challenge (and possibly new enemy) coming up, the Warriors of Light and Darkness had to be at their best if they want to take this potential threat down. With the lives of the three Celestial Digimon at stake, neither one of them could afford to lose focus. The humanoid wolf and lion decided to remain this way until the spacecraft was off of the ground.

"_Two, one_..."

And then there was Takuya and Zoe. Business as usual, once again. It's off to another dangerous area to save their friends from another evil Digimon. They first stared out the window, prepared to leave the Digital World and enter unfamiliar territory. For most, it would be a frightening experience. But not these two. There was nothing to fear when they're together. Takuya reached out and grabbed Zoe's hand. The blonde responded by tightening her grip, never letting go until after they land.

"_IGNITION_!"

There was a thunderous sound coming from the rear. Outside, the thrusters attached to the spacecraft ignited. High-pressure gas ejected out of the nozzle of the tanks boosters, producing thrust in the opposite direction. In this case, the open sky above. The spacecraft left the ground and zoomed toward the air at speeds unimagined. As for the crew down at the control room, they were celebrating and cheering for a successful liftoff. But for some, it was a last effort of support to send to the Legendary Warriors on their way.

Meanwhile, the humans and Digimon inside the DF-4000 felt themselves being sucked into their seats. That's what happens when traveling at the speed of sound. The passengers managed to look out the window to see their beloved world below them. With velocities over twenty thousand miles an hour, the shuttle escaped the Digital World's atmosphere and entered into outer space.

Now, the Legendary Warriors could see the thousands of stars twinkling all over the black void. It was much more beautiful when the Digital World came in to view. For some of the Digimon inside, the sight was nothing short than spectacular. It seemed as if everything's going smoothly. In a matter of moments, the Legendary Warriors will arrive at the Seraphimoon to...

"UGH!"

It's like the spacecraft came to a sudden halt, sending the passengers out of their seats and into the back of the ones in front. As for Bokomon and Neemon, they banged their heads into some of the controls of the rocket. The impact was similar to that of a car crash.

"What's going on?" Lobomon grunted.

"Hang on tight, my friends! We're about to enter the Electromagnetic Stream!" The pilot told the passengers.

"The Electro-what?" asked Kumamon.

"It's a current of electricity that acts like a barrier to keep influences out of the Digital World!" MegaStarmon said.

"Try speaking in English, Sugar!" commanded Ranamon.

"And didn't thou say that this rocket ship is safe?" Mercurymon recalled from the back seat.

"Fear not, everyone! The DF-4000 will get through the barrier with no problem! In the meantime, brace yourselves for some rough turbulences and irregular bumps!"

"Sheesh! Talk about an understatement of the century, right?" Arbormon groaned, closing his eyes so he doesn't get dizzy from all of the shaking.

"Me going be sick!" coughed Grumblemon. His head shook from left to right, indicating that he was feeling woozy. If the chaotic turbulence keeps up, he's bound to puke on the Digimon siting next to him.

"I'm warning you, MegaStarmon! If this spacecraft blows up, I'm gonna toss you into the deepest ends of space!" Beetlemon threatened.

"Not if I get there first!" Lowemon nodded. Even though some of the Legendary Warriors trust the pilot, they knew something's bound to go wrong sooner or later.

"Takuya?" Zoe eyed her beloved as the bumps grew rougher.

"It's alright, Z! Everything's going to be okay!" He smiled and nodded at the blonde.

Of course, that was all he could say since he didn't want to worry her. Takuya then stared out the window. The bright lights and surges of electricity looked beautiful and dangerous at the same time. He recalled the incident a couple of years ago, when he and his friends had to break through the same barrier to reenter the Digital World. As the rocket passed through the roughest parts of the turbulence, the teenage boy silently prayed that he and his friends would make it out of the Electromagnetic Steam safely.

"ALMOST... THERE!" MegaStarmon shouted.

Suddenly, he pulled on the switch next to the control wheel. Outside, a compartment on the backside of the rocket opened up. Another set of thrusters appeared out of the hatch and immediately turned on, giving the rocket ship and extra boost of speed. Thanks to this new contraption, the DF-4000 burst through the Electromagnetic Stream, and was set for orbit. At the same time, the rocket boosters and external fuel tank detached from the shuttle. The used up parts of the spacecraft floated away into the dark ends of space.

"We've made it through the barrier, my friends! From here on out, it's smooth sailing all the way to our destination!" The star-shaped Digimon announced happily. He looked over his shoulder to see how the rest of the passengers were doing.

"Oh..."

Some of the Legendary Warriors were still sick from that horrendous ride they were just on. Arbormon appeared to be knocked out. As for Mercurymon, he was slumped in his chair, more than relieved that they were finally through the dangerous Electromagnetic Stream. Ranamon, meanwhile, rested her head on the Warrior of Steel's lap, also trying to fight off the dizziness in her head. But Grumblemon was the most nauseous out of the whole group. He had both hands over his mouth and searching desperately for a motion sickness bag.

The other Warriors were feeling better, compared to the ones in the back. Although MegaStarmon was true to his words about the spacecraft holding up, Beetlemon would like to get a shot or two on the pilot for not telling them about the barrier. Lobomon and Lowemon were thinking the same thing too. The Warriors of Light and Darkness weren't fond of extreme rides, so some payback was in order. Kumamon, however, was just thankful that that everyone's still alive. If it weren't for MegaStarmon's actions, the rocket ship would've blown to pieces.

Zoe was also glad that her friends were okay, including Takuya. She was about to give her boyfriend another one of her signature smiles, when she noticed that his grip on her hand was much tighter than when they first entered the Electromagnetic Steam. The Bearer of Wind smirked at the goggle-head, wondering if the courageous Takuya was afraid. Thankfully, the Bearer of Flame loosened his grip before the young woman can proceed the matter.

"Are we there yet?" Neemon groaned while he and his partner readjusted their position.

"You nitwit!" complained the Digimon wearing the pink elastic waistband. "If you ask that question one more time, I'm going to..."

"Do not fret, young Digimon! The Seraphimoon is just up ahead! See for yourself!" The Mega level creature confirmed, pointing toward the front.

All of the Legendary Warriors have heard the good news coming from MegaStarmon. Outside the front windshield was a bluish round planet decorated with all kinds of mountains and craters. Just like the pilot had said, they had arrived at their destination. Many of the Digimon sighed with relief, while others cheered and applauded that they will be back on solid ground soon. By pushing on the control wheel, the shuttle began to move downward.

Moments later, the pilot reduced the airspeed and rate of descent of the spacecraft to allow for a gentle touchdown. As the space shuttle slowly approached the surface of the Seraphimoon, MegaStarmon flipped a switch on his right. Outside, the flaps adjusted its position to decrease the speed even more. Simultaneously, another compartment up to activate the undercarriage of the spacecraft. The landing gear with a pair of six-wheel bogies protracted and touched the rocky surface of the Seraphimoon.

"HOLD ON, EVERYONE! THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE NASTY RIDE!" declared the Mega level Digimon.

"NOT AGAIN!" Bokomon and Neemon complained.

All ten Legendary Warriors made sure their seat belts were nice and fastened. As an extra line of safety, the humans and Digimon grabbed their armrests. It seemed as if the moon's surface was nowhere near smooth. As MegaStarmon applied pressure on the footbrakes, the spacecraft experience extremely rough bumps like it was treading over an infinite number of potholes.

Thankfully, the pilot was able to control the shuttle's speed. He managed to make the spacecraft to come to a full stop. But even after successfully landing, MegaStarmon still had a strong grip on the wheel controls. After taking several moments to catch his breath, the star-shaped Digimon looked over his shoulder and smiled at the tense passengers.

"This is your pilot speaking!" He laughed. "We have successfully land at the Seraphimoon. I hope you all have enjoyed the..."

"NO, WE DIDN'T!" The humans and Digimon shouted. Almost all of the Legendary Warrior looked at MegaStarmon as if they're dying to get their hands on him.

"Well, at least we're here." Takuya said.

"Now, it's up to us to find Patamon." Zoe reminded her friends. "I just hope that Sorcerymon's information is correct."

"Very well then! I'm opening the airlock right now!" said the pilot.

"Hey, wait a minute! Do we need some kind of spacesuits or helmets for safety?" The humanoid insect pointed out.

"We're not gonna suffocate when we step outside, are we?" Kumamon hesitantly asked.

"Fear not, my friends! Just like the Digital World, there is an atmosphere on the Seraphimoon! While not as dense, all of you can still breathe! According to our researchers, the atmosphere on the Seraphimoon is very similar from the very top of the Icicle Mountains!"

"Isn't that a good thing or a bad thing?" Ranamon crossed her arms.

"Sorry, guys. But I don't trust him." grunted Lowemon. Some of the other Legendary Warriors also agreed with the humanoid lion.

That is, until Takuya got up from his seat.

"Listen to me, everyone! We can sit on our butts and argue with each other, or we can get started on this mission and rescue Patamon! I don't know about all of you, but I'm going out there to save our friend!"

"Takuya..." The blonde gasped as the goggle-head continued motivating the other Warriors.

"I don't care what kind of danger or evil Digimon is waiting for us! We're Legendary Warriors! As long as the ten of us work together, nothing can stop us! Now, who's with me?"

One by one, the Warriors conceded and stood up from their seat. Takuya's words manage to get into their heads, reminding the Digimon who they were and what they had to do. After getting confirmation from everyone, the goggle-head turned toward the pilot and gave him the thumbs-up sign. As a response, MegaStarmon pushed a square-shaped button on his left side to open the airlock.

The doors opened and the beautiful view of the Seraphimoon appeared before their eyes. Takuya was the first to leap out of the spacecraft. Since the gravity is less on the Seraphimoon than on the Digital World, the teenage boy found himself temporarily floating in the air before coming down with a soft landing. He turned back to his friends with a huge grin on his face.

"Come on! You guys have try this!" The Bearer of Flame encouraged.

Filled with excitement, the blonde hopped out of the shuttle and hovered above her beloved. She displayed her grace and elegance by performing a few twirls in midair before landing smoothly on her feet. Bokomon and Neemon also followed suit. The thrill of flying was short, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Other Legendary Warriors like Kumamon, Beetlemon, Ranamon and Arbormon also had their fun flipping and floating once they exited the spacecraft. But Mercurymon, Lobomon and Lowemon preferred taking the traditional way off of the shuttle instead of making big fools out of themselves. The last Legendary Warrior to leave the rocket was Grumblemon. The look in his eyes told the others that his motion sickness still hasn't left him yet. The gnome-like Digimon hobbled down the steps and fell on all fours.

"You okay, buddy?" Takuya called out to the Warrior of Earth.

"Grumblemon gonna hurl..." He groaned.

"Oh, tough it out, thy pathetic creature!" Mercurymon sighed.

"Don't worry, Grumblemon! I'm sure you'll feel better before you know it!" Zoe provided the gnome with some encouragement.

"Hey, MegaStarmon! Aren't you coming with us?" Bokomon shouted toward the direction of the spacecraft.

"Alas, I must stay to make some repairs on the ship! But if you ever need my assistance, you know where to find me! I bid you Legendary Warriors the best of luck! The fate of the Digital World is in your hands now!"

As the pilot waved goodbye, the airlock came down and sealed MegaStarmon inside. The ten Legendary Warriors faced the other direction and gazed at their surroundings. So far, only rock formations and different sized mountains were the only things that could be found on the Seraphimoon. But according to Sorcerymon's intel, one of the three Celestial Digimon is somewhere on this planet.

"Let's go!" Takuya said, leading the group toward the dark parts of the moon. Zoe and the rest of the Legendary Warriors followed, unaware of what kinds of danger is waiting for them.

* * *

><p>Only one light fixture from the ceiling dimmed from above. However, it won't be long before the final light bulb would give in, covering the Containment Room in pitch blackness. Not only that, but temperature inside was below freezing. Ice formed on the titanium bars, on the ceiling, floor and almost every inch of the wall. But one thing that's worse than the darkness and coldness combined was the isolation. The cruel emptiness of this room would make any Digimon go crazy.<p>

Many had speculated that being locked in this torturous prison was worse than death itself. The leader of the Digimon Battlefront didn't just use this facility to contain even the wildest of Digimon. Eldestmon used this special type of prison as a form of punishment to other evil creatures or to even his own subordinates who had consistently broken the rules or disobeyed his commands.

Needless to say that a special female Digimon was already suffering the negative effects of this treacherous room. All alone, with not a single human or Digimon to interact with to pass the time.

"Blondie. Me. Blondie. Me... Blondie."

*POW*

That was the fifty-ninth flower Beautymon blasted. It was supposed to be a simple, romantic game which involves removing the petals off of a flower. But for Beautymon, it was different. For each petal the olive haired creature plucked off, she would alternately chant herself and a certain teenage girl; the very reason why she's locked up in this empty unit; the one who's having fun with her 'Cutie' while she's all alone, going insane.

Hoping that the next flower could be the charm, Beautymon held the stem with her thumb and index finger. The female warrior gently plucked the petals off of the flower while repeating the same process she had been doing ever since her comrades locked her up.

"Me. Blonde. Me. Blondie..." sobbed the broken Digimon.

As she continued to remove the petals off one by one, Beautymon recalled all of the wonderful memories she had shared with her Cutie. She thought about how that handsome goggle-head came to her life. From the moment their eyes met, the female Digimon knew that they were destined to be together. It didn't matter what obstacles came their way. The two of them would face them together, hand-in-hand.

Beautymon also remembered the many battles they had fought together. She recalled how amazing her Cutie looked when he used the Spirits to transform into one of the ten Legendary Warriors. Not only that, but memories of Agunimon and/or BurningGreymon displaying his power and dominance on the battlefield was pleasure to her eyes. Whether it was against the army of Gomamon, the squad of Chamelemon, or any of Malevomon's evil goons, none of them stood a chance against the two of them.

Next, the olive haired beauty thought about those moments where she was so close to making the teenage boy 'hers.' She loved the way how his chocolate colored hair would tickle her soft cheeks, making her stifle a giggle every so often. Beautymon also liked how warm the goggle-head's hands were. It was a perfect fit around hers, like a sign of fate. The female Digimon stared blankly at her own hands, waiting and yearning for her Cutie to feel them once again.

Still, it wasn't just her hands that made the young man attracted to her. It was also her gorgeous body. The way she shook her slender hips while dancing earned Beautymon a couple of stares from the Bearer of Flame. She also loved how it would make her Cutie smile every time she would seductively walk up to him. Oh, how she longed to show that boy her well-developed breasts. Either that or at least allow him a squeeze or two.

But what made this Digimon even more hot was thinking about the last time she and Cutie were so close to becoming one with each other. It was the perfect plan. While two of her subordinates took care of Blondie, she would bring the Bearer of Flame to her room and give him the time of his life. On that night, she was going to turn that innocent boy into a brave, naughty young man. That moment was supposed to be the next step in their relationship. Sure enough, it was.

However, it was toward the opposite direction instead. From there, Beautymon realized how everything went wrong. As the anger inside builds up, the female Digimon didn't even realize she was down to her last few petals on her very last flower.

"Me. Blondie. Me. Blonde. Me..."

Only one flower petal remained. And much to the female's display, it was for the one human she absolutely despised. That was the final straw. She couldn't take it any more. Beautymon had reached her breaking point.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The olive haired Digimon threw the stem toward the ceiling and blasted it to dust with her lasers. Unfortunately, Beautymon was far from finished in relieving her anger. The former third-in-command would scream as she tried to blast every inch of her small containment unit. However, these cages were designed by Eldestmon. When the beam made contact with the bars, it absorbed all of its energy. In other words, Beautymon can shoot as many lasers as she likes, and the results would be the same.

It's rare for Beautymon to display any kind of emotions. Whether it's being confronted by an evil Digimon or getting scolded by her superiors, the female warrior would flip her hair and disregard the situation. But there are only a couple times when Beautymon would voluntarily show her emotions in front of others. One of them was whenever her favorite goggle-head boy was around.

The second was whenever a certain blonde haired girl was with him.

It wasn't long before Beautymon had ran out of energy. The female Digimon collapsed on her knees and fell on the cold floor. The third-in-command may be one of the most mentally tough warriors in the Digimon Battlefront. Now, she couldn't stop her tears from falling. Thanks to the Bearer of Wind, her reputation has been ruined. Her most prized possession has been taken away from her. Because of that teenage girl, her stunning looks and beautiful powers had were now on the decline.

"This is all Blondie's fault. She is the one who ruined everything for me; the reason why I'm here all alone, while she's having fun with Cutie... _my_ Cutie. I would like nothing more than to have him back in my arms, never to let go ever again. But as long as that ugly girl's in the way, Cutie will keep falling for her instead of me. Oh, how I would give anything to get rid of that stupid Blondie for good and make Cutie 'mine' forever. ANYTHING!"

"**Anything?**"

Beautymon's head shot up the moment she heard a dark voice echoing in the Containment Room. She looked left and right, searching every inch of the dark prison for the source of the noise. This is the second time the female Digimon has heard that very same noise. She knew she wasn't alone. Then again, there was no one else in the Containment Room besides her...

... and the black Digi-Egg floating in the stasis tube in the center of the facility.

The olive haired warrior leaned toward the edge of her cell and gazed at the egg. Memories of a former enemy played back in her mind. She knew all of the evil deeds this Digimon has committed. Beautymon would like nothing more than to get rid of that black Digi-Egg once and for all.

But, there was something higher on her priority list. It sounds crazy. But maybe... just maybe this could be the answer to all of her problems. The Digi-Egg floating in the stasis tube could give her the two things she wanted most: to have that teenage boy all to herself, and to have that blonde haired girl never see the light of day again.

"Yes... _anything_." Beautymon replied to the voice supposedly in her head. She waited for something to happen; anything out of the ordinary. Either for her cell to come apart or to have some other Digimon release her from her prison.

Instead, she saw a small crack traversing across the black Digi-Egg.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter sixty. <strong>

**Will our heroes find Patamon at the Seraphimon? What sort of danger is awaiting the Legendary Warriors? Who is this strange voice inside the Containment Room that's communicating with the broken Beautymon? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	61. Going Seperate Ways

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**Before Sorcerymon was deleted, he told Takuya and Zoe where to find Patamon, one of the three Celestial Digimon. The following morning, the humans and the eight Legendary Warriors were teleported to the Astro Dome, where they met MegaStarmon. He took the entire group to an underground facility, where a space shuttle was waiting for them. They boarded the rocket and were all ready for liftoff. While there were plenty of turbulence and bumps during the trip, Takuya, Zoe and the others had finally made it to the Seraphimoon. Let's hope finding Patamon won't be as bumpy as the ride.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter sixty-one!**

* * *

><p><strong>Going Separate Ways<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"WOOHOO! HEY, EVERYBODY! LOOK AT ME! I'M FLYING! I'M FLYING!" An excited Neemon shouted as he spread his arms out wide, pretending that they are wings.

Once he landed on the rocky surface, the yellow rabbit sprang up and tumbled in the air. Needless to say that he was having a blast flipping and soaring in the low gravity environment that is the Seraphimoon. Ever since he and the other Digimon left the space shuttle, Neemon couldn't seem to keep his feet on the ground. Since he's not able to float in midair back in the Digital World, the Rookie wearing red trousers planned to make the most of his time in space while he's here.

"Will you get down, you imbecile?" Neemon's partner shouted from below.

Running out of patience, Bokomon grabbed the yellow rabbit by his ankle and yanked him back down to the moon's surface. Neemon's head slammed against one of the rocks, temporarily knocking him out in a daze. Once the Rookie regained consciousness, he and the rest of the group continued their adventure through the dark, unknown territory.

"Ugh. How does thou manage to work with thine pair of airbags? Troublesome bunche, are they." Mercurymon groaned, implying the strange and annoying behavior coming from the two comic reliefs.

"You'll get used to it, eventually." Takuya from the front grinned at the Warrior of Steel.

"But these guys have been more helpful to us more than we give them credit for. I'm sure you all will become great friends once when you get to know them." Zoe added to her boyfriend's response.

"Sheesh! Listening to these two clowns argue gives me a huge headache, right?" complained the wooden android.

"I agree with you, Sugar. Those nitwits are as useless a fish in the desert." The aquatic Digimon concurred with the Warrior of Wood.

"Come on, you guys. Be nice. Bokomon and Neemon are our friends. At least try to get along with them." Kumamon eyed the two Warriors behind him.

"Easy to get long with Digimon wearing pink belt. Difficult to stand next to loudmouth rabbit." Grumblemon argued.

"Hey! I heard that!" The Rookie in red trousers shouted from the front.

"Ignore them, Neemon." Beetlemon smiled at his friend. "You're an important member to the team."

"Really? Does that mean I'm special like everyone else?" Neemon beamed.

"Of course you are. Everybody here has something to bring to the table." Zoe nodded. "Takuya has his leadership qualities. Lobomon and Lowemon are two of the best skilled fighters I know. Beetlemon, Grumblemon and Arbormon can bring the pain to any evil Digimon. And Ranamon... well, she... uh..."

"Well?" The Warrior of Water placed her hands on her hips and waited for the Bearer of Wind to compliment on her abilities.

"Hmmm... This is a tough one!" Zoe winked at the aquatic Digimon.

"Hey!" Ranamon huffed.

"I'm serious, guys. Enough messing around." The goggle-head reminded the others. "Don't forget we're on a mission to find Patamon. Keep your eyes open, for he could be anywhere. Also, make sure you are all on the lookout for any signs of evil Digi..."

"Hmph! And who anointed thee as thine leader of this comedy of errors?" The metallic Warrior grunted from the rear.

"Nobody did, Mercurymon. I was just trying get all of us focused. I mean, you heard what Eldestmon said: The entire Digital World is at stake if we don't..."

"We already know what the old geezer said, right?" The Warrior of Wood interrupted Takuya's explanation.

"Honestly, Honey. It's rather annoying how you treat us Digimon like a bunch of kids!" Ranamon agreed with her fellow Legendary Warrior.

"Maybe that's because you _are_ acting like one." Zoe eyed the Warrior of Water.

"I wasn't talking to you, you little brat!" Ranamon glowered at the human.

"You are now!" The blonde countered.

"GRRRRR!" ||| "GRRRRR!" Both females leered deeply into each other's eyes, ready to go at one another at any moment's notice.

"Break it up, you two! Knock it off!" The Warriors of Light and Darkness intervened, separating Zoe and Ranamon from each other. Lobomon pushed the Bearer of Wind to one side while Lowemon stood in front of the aquatic Digimon, making sure she doesn't get any ideas.

"Boo! Me want to see girls fight!" Grumblemon expressed his disappointment.

"I can't believe you just said that! Why would you want to see our friends duke it out, you wackjob?" Beetlemon growled at the Warrior of Earth.

The humanoid insect used a little too much force, almost shoving the gnome into a deep crater. But Grumblemon didn't appreciated being pushed around like that. He took out his signature sledgehammer and took charge at Beetlemon. The two Legendary Warriors engaged in a test of strength, wondering which of them is the strongest.

Meanwhile, Lowemon was having trouble trying to keep Ranamon back. Regardless of his size and strength advantage, the Warrior of Water was more tenacious, refusing to quit until she got back at the teenage human for insulting her. Zoe, on the other hand, wasn't making the situation any better. Although Lobomon was doing a good job making sure she doesn't have a path toward Ranamon, he wasn't able to prevent the girl from getting closer toward the aquatic Digimon.

It got worse when the Warrior of Water finally got within reach of the blonde haired girl. With one of her hands free, she grabbed a fistful of Zoe's hair and started yanking on the young woman's head. As the blonde shrieked, she grabbed one of Ranamon's ears and pulled as hard as she could. The Warriors of Light and Darkness had already lost control, unable to break up the two wildcats.

"Takuya, do something! This is getting out of hand!" Kumamon nudged the young man.

"Or we can all just sit back and enjoy the show, right?" The Warrior of Wood chuckled.

"You're not helping, Arbormon!"

"Hey! Watch it, shrimp! I do not like it when small fries like you push me around, right?"

Behind Takuya, the Warriors of Wood and Ice engaged in a fierce stare down. Kumamon had his bazooka out, ready to blast his comrade with a barrage of snowballs. On the other side, the center compartment on Arbormon's body opened up. Inside, a powerful explosive already loaded and ready for firing upon the wooden creature's command.

"That's enough, you two! Break it up" Takuya stepped in between Kumamon and Arbormon.

But Takuya inadvertently knocked Kumamon's finger back, which caused him to pull the trigger on his weapon. In turn, hard balls of ice plastered Arbormon's face. The wooden android wiped the ice off of his face and opened fire at the Digimon who had attacked him, regardless if it was an accident or not. Kumamon pushed the teenage boy out of the way and skied out of the line of fire. The Warriors exchanged projectiles, completely disregarding the others around them.

Meanwhile, the goggle-head returned to his feet to break up another fight. He stepped forward with his hand up, trying to get his girlfriend and the other Legendary Warriors to stop fighting. But no matter how loud he yelled, no one appeared to be listening.

"Everybody, stop! Now's not the time for this! Zoe, cut it out! Ranamon, please! Calm down! Beetlemon! Grumblemon! That's enough!"

But alas, his words fell on deaf ears. Takuya couldn't control the chaos and commotion within the group. His girlfriend and the Warrior of Water continued to go at one another, yanking each other all over the area. As for Lobomon and Lowemon, they couldn't stop these two feisty females. Elsewhere, Beetlemon had just snatched away Grumblemon's sledgehammer and started chasing the little gnome around in circles.

"Such pity. Thy poor excuse of a leader can't even manage a simple quarrel such as this. Hmph. If this be the way thine clowns will be acting, tis I shall take my leave then." groaned the Warrior of Steel. Unable to stand hanging around with the other Digimon much longer, he turned the other way and marched away from the group, not caring where he was going or where he might end up.

"I agree!" Ranamon huffed, after throwing Zoe to the ground. The aquatic Digimon glowered at the teenage girl before walking in the same direction as Mercurymon. "As long as that rotten, waterlog is here, I refuse to be a part of this group."

"Yeah? And who needs you, anyway?" Zoe shouted at the female Warrior.

"Hey, Ranamon! Mercurymon! Come back!" Takuya cried toward the wandering Legendary Warriors. But it was too late. They disappeared into the dark parts of the Seraphimoon.

"You know what I always say: Too many chefs spoil the hamburger, right?" Arbormon grunted, dropping Kumamon to the ground.

After wiping the ice off of his entire body and face, he went in the opposite direction of the other two Warriors. But even he had the same thing in mind. Maybe sticking together in one group might not be a good idea after all. Although he had no idea where he was going, the wooden android had no intention on sticking with the group any longer.

"Wait for Grumblemon!" The gnome Digimon shouted to the wooden android as he grabbed his weapon from Beetlemon's hands. After exchanging glares from the humanoid insect, the Warrior of Earth jogged in Arbormon's direction.

Just like that, the team of twelve had already lost a third of their number.

"Why did everybody go away?" The yellow rabbit asked Takuya, who appeared to be a loss for words.

"I don't know, Neemon. I can't think of an explanation why those four would even think of separating at a time like this." The goggle-head replied.

"We have to stick together. It's the only way we can find Patamon and the others." Bokomon supported his friend.

"Oh well. I guess we're gonna have to continue the mission without them." Takuya concluded before taking the lead once again. "I mean, so what if we're down a few Legendary Warriors. The eight of us can still can get the job done. Right?"

He looked back toward the four Warriors, two Rookies and his best friend, waiting for a reply. However, only Zoe, Bokomon and Neemon gave the leader the response he was hoping for. Lobomon, on the other hand, had his attention somewhere else. The same thing could be said for the Warrior of Darkness. Beetlemon gave Takuya a small shrug and Kumamon said nothing.

"Come on, you guys! Say something!" He requested.

The Warrior of Light was the first to step forward.

"Listen, Takuya. I respect you as the leader. I really do. But I honestly think that we'll be more effective if we split up into smaller groups instead of staying clustered in one giant group."

"Huh? What are you saying?" Takuya wondered.

"We'll be able to cover more ground that way." clarified the humanoid lion. "I'm not sure if Mercurymon and the others were thinking the same thing. But who knows? Maybe they'll have better luck finding Patamon than we will."

"Lobomon. Lowemon. You can't be serious about splitting up." Bokomon objected. "What if you guys encounter a very powerful Digimon? You might need our help to..."

"Don't worry about us. We can take care of ourselves." chuckled the humanoid wolf before trotting toward the west. Lowemon also joined with his counterpart.

"And besides, even if we do run into an evil Digimon, like we would need your help. Well, catch you later."

Like the other four Warriors, Lobomon and Lowemon vanished from sight. Just when things can't get any worse...

"I best be heading off too. I'm gonna go search through the air. You know, to cover more ground." Beetlemon said. Without saying another word, he took the starry skies and flew toward another direction completely different from the Warriors of Light and Darkness.

Kumamon was the only one left. He had no idea what to do. A part of him was concerned for the Warrior of Thunder. He is the only Digimon without a partner. There is the definite possibility that a potentially powerful creature could attack and Beetlemon would have no one to back him up. Then again, the polar bear doidn't want to leave the humans all alone. He agreed with Takuya that it's critical for everyone to stick together. Even though the majority of the group thought otherwise, he still wanted to stay.

"It's alright, Kumamon. Zoe and I will be fine. You go ahead and follow Beetlemon, just in case he runs into trouble." The teenage boy reluctantly gave the Warrior of Ice the green light.

"Are you sure, Takuya?" Kumamon asked, a little hesitant about the leader's decision.

"It's fine." Takuya replied with a mild amount of frustration in his tone. "Everyone's already gone their separate ways. Just make sure you stick with Beetlemon and protect each other."

"Well... alright." The polar bear sighed. He activated his skis and used his Crystal Freeze to create an ice path toward the Warrior of Thunder's direction. Zoe, Bokomon and Neemon watched as Kumamon glided along the icy surface and disappeared over the mountain formations.

With them gone, all that's left were a pair of humans and Rookies.

"I'm sorry, everybody." The blonde apologized. "I shouldn't have fought with Ranamon earlier."

"It's not your fault, my dear." said Bokomon.

"Even so, I wasn't being much of a help when... Takuya?" Zoe turned to her boyfriend. She had just caught him kicking a small rock into crater in anger.

"Some leader I turned out to be, huh Zoe?" grumbled the Bearer of Flame. "I'm supposed to keep the entire group together. And in turn, I managed to do just the opposite. Jeez, I'm such a lousy leader."

"Don't say that. You did the best you could. That's all anyone could ask for." The girl said.

"She's right, my boy. Even though it may not look like it, you already have the qualities of a great leader." Bokomon agreed.

"Oh yeah? Like what?" asked the teenage boy.

"Well, you greatly trust the other Warriors' decisions when they went against your decision. You're able to adapt in even the toughest of situations. You put the safety of your friends before yourself. And most of all, you have more confidence than anyone I know."

"He's right, Takky. You're the only one that can turn a group of misfits into an unstoppable force." His girlfriend added.

"Hmph. I just wish I get the chance to do so."

"You will eventually, Takuya. The time will come before you know it." Bokomon reassured his friend.

"Thanks guys. I needed that." Takuya said, finally cracking a smile after all of this time.

"Can we go now?" complained Neemon.

"Sure we can, buddy!" The goggle-head was back, and so was his positive energy.

"Lead the way, Takuya." giggled Zoe.

"Alright! Follow me!"

Takuya and the others continued their journey on their original path. So far, they have the biggest group out of everyone. Although they have no knowledge of the territory they're venturing through or what unknown Digimon may be waiting for them in the shadows, each one of them had pretty good feeling that they were all in good hands. They trust Takuya's decision... regardless of it possibly being wrong.

l - l

It was mostly silent as the metallic and aquatic Digimon journeyed through the unfamiliar parts of the blue planet. Every now and then, Ranamon would stop and gaze at the marvelous view before her. The ginormous Digital World looked so small from where she was at. But while the Warrior of Water was sightseeing, Mercurymon kept marching through the rocky terrain of the Seraphimoon. He didn't care about waiting for his comrade, let alone leaving her behind.

"Hey! Slow down, metal head! Can't you let a girl catch her breath?" Ranamon shouted at the Warrior of Steel, trying her best to catch up with the Digimon at the front.

"I did not ask thy queen of puddles to follow me." Mercurymon reminded the female Digimon.

"Hey, I wasn't following you! I was about to go in this direction, but you left before I could!"

"Surely, tis I find that hard to believe."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"So what if I am?"

"Honestly, you're just as annoying as that brat from earlier." groaned Ranamon.

"Hmph. How pathetic. Out of all of the ten Legendary Warriors, why must I be the one stuck with this chatterbox? " The metallic Digimon spoke underneath his voice.

"Did you say something about me, Mercurymon?"

"I would never, my lady."

It turns out that neither of these two Digimon had a clue of their current location. But they just had to get away from the group. Mercurymon just couldn't accept that a mere human would have the gull to take charge. He knew that he was more qualified to be a leader than either than him or any of the Legendary Warriors. As for Ranamon, she wanted to be as far away from the teenage girl as possible. After all this time, that brat was still as annoying as ever. Why was that goody two-shoes nice to everybody, but mean to her?

"Mercurymon, do you have any idea where you're going?" The aquatic Digimon asked the Warrior up front after passing their fiftieth rock formation.

"Does thou doubt the intuition thy possess?" grinned Mercurymon.

"I'm doubting your direction. That's what." Ranamon growled.

"And what makes thee say that?"

"Do you see that boulder over there?" The Warrior of Water asked, pointing to the next one up front. Upon further inspection, there was a small wet spot on the side of the rock. "I made that a while ago to mark a trail on where we've been."

"If there is a point to this, now would be a good time to get right to it, my lady."

"Oh! Why can't you just admit that you're lost, tin head?"

"How unfortunate. Thy presence is becoming somewhat of a nuisance to me."

"Watch your mouth, metal head! I can turn you into rust any time I like!"

"Then what is thou waiting for, my lady? Do it! I dare thee!" The Warrior of Steel turned and smirked at the female Digimon.

Ranamon was steaming like mad for Mercurymon's arrogant behavior. For as long as she's known him, the metallic Digimon was known for being disrespectful to others, especially his comrades. Sure enough, some things never change. The female Warrior aimed her hands at the mirror-like Digimon, ready to drench him with a hundred gallons of ice cold water.

But Mercurymon wasn't fazed. He knew exactly what buttons to push when it comes to annoying this loudmouth. Seeing Ranamon drop in her fighting stance was precisely the reaction he expected from her. The Warrior of Steel lets out a subtle yawn of boredom before dropping in a defensive position, placing his signature mirror shields in front of Ranamon.

"What's wrong, Mercurymon?" The Warrior of Water spoke. "Afraid to hit a pretty lady like me?"

All of the sudden, Mercurymon's cocky grin had vanished. It was quickly replaced with a tense glare, like something was bothering him.

"DARK REFLECTION!" The Legendary Warrior shouted, unleashing a large, green beam at the Digimon in front of him.

Ranamon was taken by surprised with the sudden attack. Thankfully, she used her flexibility and quickness to nimbly spin out of the line of fire. She and Mercurymon watched as the greenish laser sailed across the rocky terrain and collided into a larger rock formation, shattering it to pieces.

"You creep! How dare you attack me when I wasn't ready? You lousy, lying, piece of..."

*ding*

"YEOW! OW, OW! OUCH!"

Apparently, it was a stupid idea for Ranamon to kick Mercurymon's shin with her bare foot. She massaged her swollen toe and hopped in one place. When the pain had subsided, the Warrior of Water glowered at the metallic Digimon, demanding an explanation on his actions. But then, she noticed Mercurymon staring blankly at something ahead of him.

More specifically, the giant boulder he had just destroyed.

"What in blazes has gotten into you?" Ranamon asked her partner. "I swear, Mercurymon! If you do anything to mess up my beautiful looks, it will be the end for you! I won't rest until..."

"Hush, woman!" commanded Mercurymon. The female Digimon was about to object, when the metallic Warrior beat her to the punch.

"We're not alone."

The Warrior of Water scanned the dark surroundings of the blue Seraphimoon and waited for any unknown Digimon to appear out of its hiding place. The whole environment was quiet, which bothered both Legendary Warriors. Ranamon and Mercurymon stood back-to-back, ready to anticipate any type of attack. A whole minute passes, yet the only Digimon in the area were those two.

"Are you sure, Honey? Maybe you're being a little paranoid."

"Afraid not. Have a look over there." Mercurymon pointed toward his left.

Standing before the Legendary Warriors was an alien-type Digimon. The very sight of him gave Ranamon the creeps. The way his tentacles slapped against each other produced a sound that would make any Digimon sick to their stomach. A pair of big, yellow eyes stared deep into her soul. But that's doesn't appear to be the main feature of this creature. In fact, his giant-size brain stood out more than anything.

"Well... tis be a worthy surprise." The Warrior of Steel said, dropping his shields a little bit.

"And just who might you be, Sugar?" pouted the Warrior of Water.

But the alien responded by pulling out a handheld ray gun from his holster and took aim at the two Legendary Warriors. The Digimon pulled the trigger and unleashed two beams of heated energy.

The surprise attack caught both Ranamon and Mercurymon off-guard. Ranamon tried spinning out of the way, but reacted a bit too late. The beam nailed the Warrior of Water in the chest, sending her flying into a nearby boulder. As for the metallic Warrior, he tried to deflect the projectile with his mirrors. But the second laser was aimed at his feet; an area unprotected by his shields. The blast also sent Mercurymon straight into Ranamon, breaking the rock formation upon impact. The two Warriors laid on the ground in a daze.

"How humiliating!" Mercurymon groaned after shaking the dizziness in his head.

"Would you get off of me, you idiot?" Ranamon shouted, feeling the entire weight of Mercurymon crushing her body.

"Terrific. Even when we're attacked, thou art just as annoying as ever." The Warrior of Steel grunted. But he complied with Ranamon's wishes and returned to a standing position. He offered a hand to the female Digimon, but the Warrior of Water slapped it away and got up on her own power.

"Next time, I'll be on top of the pile!" complained Ranamon.

"Will you stop bickering, woman? Or has thou forgotten that we're being attacked?" Mercurymon reminded his partner.

The two Digimon saw this strange, alien-type Digimon approaching them with his ray gun still pointing at them. The Legendary Warriors got back in their defensive stance and prepared themselves for battle. They had no idea who this unknown creature was or why he was attacking them. But Ranamon and Mercurymon agreed on one thing. This Digimon needs to be taught a lesson.

"Let me ask thou this, my lady. Does thou think she can take care of thyself? Or does thou request my assistance?" The Warrior of Steel snickered, giving the female Digimon an awkward look.

"Mercurymon, do you have to really ask? I can handle this sick, ugly freak all by myself! If I ever need your assistance, it would be to help me clean up the mess after I'm finished with him!" smirked the Warrior of Water.

"Hmph. Do as you like, my lady."

l - l

Meanwhile, Arbormon and Grumblemon were wandering the dark and lonely parts of the Seraphimoon. Occasionally, the Warrior of Earth would smash a boulder or two to mark where he and his comrade have been. Not only that, the gnome was still trying to take his frustration out after his little commotion with Beetlemon. Even though they were miles apart from each other, Grumblemon vowed to pay the humanoid insect for embarrassing him like that.

Arbormon was also thinking the same thing. Although he had the size and strength advantage against the pint-sized polar bear, the Warrior of Ice did manage to humiliate him by painting his face with his wretched snowballs. Regardless of the fact that Kumamon's attacks had little to no impact, Arbormon was a little mad that a smaller Digimon got the best of him.

"So, uh... you know which way you's going, right?"

"Sure me do! Me insulted you don't trust Grumblemon's direction!" smirked the gnome Digimon.

"Hmph. Sorry I asked."

"We go further!"

"How much further are we talking about, huh?"

"Little further!"

"How's about you define how far is 'further' while you're at it?"

.

.

.

"Further!" The gnome replied without answering the wooden android's question directly

"You're not even listening to me, are you Grumblemon?"

"Noisy Arbormon complain too much! Need learn to shut mouth!" The Warrior of Earth leered at the wooden android taking the rear.

"I'm complaining because some punk with no sense of direction is too stubborn to admit that he's lost. Am I right?" The Warrior of Wood groaned.

"Bah! Me never lost! Now, hush and follow Grumblemon!" The gnome commanded.

Needless to say that Arbormon was right on the button. Grumblemon has no idea where he was going or even the slightest clue as to where the potential location of the Celestial Digimon could be. For all the wooden android knew, the Warrior of Earth was running on instincts alone. And heaven knows how reliable his intuition is. Even asking a rock for directions would provide better results than having this Legendary Warrior continue as the leader.

Even Arbormon believed he would be a better leader than Grumblemon. At least he was smarter than his comrade, so he's more qualified than him. On the other hand, there was one particular reason why the Warrior of Wood decided not to press the matter. If there's any reason as to why Arbormon would refuse to take the leadership role, it was because he was hungry. Every few minutes, his tummy growled like an angry lion. He cursed himself for not grabbing a bite to eat before coming to the Seraphimoon.

"Hey Grumblemon!"

"What now?"

"I'm starving." Arbormon complained.

"Yeah? Then bite your tongue already!"

"Can we take a break and find something to munch on? Can't fight on an empty stomach, if you know what I'm talking about."

"Eh? There be no place to eat here. We in outer space!" Grumblemon turned to the wooden android and stared blankly at him.

"What do you mean? There must be life on this planet, right? And if there is, I bet they have restaurants here or something."

"Impossible. Only life that exist is in Digital World."

"So, what you're telling me is that you don't believe in aliens, right?"

"Uh-uh. Me don't believe in any that stuff."

"In that case, care to explain to me one thing?" Arbormon came to a halt.

"Yeah? What is it?" The Warrior of Wood groaned. He was getting sick and tired of stopping for no apparent reason.

"If there is no such thing as aliens, then why don't you tell me what in the world is that thing?" The wooden android pointed to something up ahead.

Grumblemon turned toward the direction Arbormon was pointing at. At first, he saw nothing but craters, boulders and strange rock formations he's never even seen before. Beyond the horizon was the red and yellow moons. The gnome scanned his entire surroundings, but couldn't seemed to find exactly what the Warrior of Wood was looking at. He was beginning to wonder whether or not the Arbormon has seen anything at all.

But then his eyes spotted something hiding behind one of the rocks. It looked like a long, peach-colored tentacle. That's when Grumblemon and Arbormon realized that they were not alone. The two Legendary Warriors hurried toward that same boulder so they could get a better look at the alien. But just to be on the safe side, the shorter Digimon had his sledgehammer out, just in case this creature wasn't friendly.

Finally, Grumblemon and Arbormon got a good view of the alien. This creature was standing on about a dozen tentacles. His body may be on the scrawny side, but he sure had muscles on his forearms. His big, yellow eyes were about as lifeless as a fish out of water. On the other hand, this alien's most prominent feature was his incredibly large brain that had several wires sticking out of it.

"Ooh! What you suppose that is?" asked the Warrior of Earth.

"An alien! See! I told you there's life on other planets besides ours! And you thought I was crazy, right?" The Warrior of Wood placed his hands on his hips and laughed. Grumblemon, on the other hand, was shocked since it's his first time seeing an alien.

"You right, Arbormon! Me never seen strange creature in entire life!

"So, uh... what are we going to do with it, huh?"

"Hmm... maybe we bring little guy back home so we can show others what we discovered! Think how much money you and I make! We'll be rich beyond wildest dreams!"

"Yeah!" The wooden android said with his eyes sparkling at the potential Digi-Dollars he and Grumblemon could make. "I can buy all of the hamburgers I want!"

"Sheesh! You ever think of anything else beside food?"

"Not unless I have to, right?"

"Whatever. Just help Grumblemon bring alien back to rocket.'

Both Legendary Warriors moved in toward the creature slowly with their hands up, ready to capture him. The alien with the large brain was well aware that these two Digimon were slowly drawing near him. And yet, he showed no signs of resistance. Even though his back was against a rock, this creature displayed his bravery, and a little bit of cockiness by blowing Arbormon and Grumblemon a kiss.

"Hey, what is this guy doing? Trying to make friends?" The Digimon of Wood objected.

"Relax, Arbormon! Alien puny! What could it do to us both?" The cocky and confident gnome snickered as he approached the cornered creature.

What both Legendary Warriors didn't realize was that small little gesture from the alien was his way of calling forth one of his attacks. Large rocks the size of houses appeared above Arbormon's and Grumblemon's heads. It was traveling at an intense velocity, totally unaffected by the low gravity environment of outer space. The Legendary Warriors saw the creature smirking at them and pointing toward the sky.

But when they looked up...

*CRASH*

l - l

On the opposite side of the blue planet, another meteor shower was occurring. An identical invader type creature with a large brain, numerous tentacles and big, yellow eyes blew a kiss toward the Digimon of Light and Darkness. That, in turn, caused a bunch of larger rocks to appear out of the dark sky, which then descended on the two Legendary Warriors. For now, the only thing Lobomon and Lowemon could do was run and dodge as many asteroids as they could.

"What is that thing?" The humanoid wolf grunted.

"An alien who doesn't like visitors?" Lowemon guessed.

"You think?" Lobomon juked left and right to avoid the set of falling rocks "Or maybe he just didn't like the way your face looked."

"You sure picked a lousy time to joke, huh?" The Warrior of Darkness huffed. With more rocks coming at him, Lowemon stabbed one end of his spear into the ground and used the surface as leverage to spring himself out of harm's way.

"Do you think that thing is some kind of Digimon?"

"I don't know and I don't care!" The Warrior of Light replied. He reached for the handles of his light energy swords and activated them to get ready for battle. "That guy is attacking for no apparent reason! I say we send him back to the deepest ends of space!"

"Sounds good to me! Just do me one quick favor while you're at it!"

"And what's that?"

"Don't get in my way!" Lowemon smirked underneath his facemask.

"Right back at you!" Lobomon returned with an even bigger grin.

The alien-type Digimon blew another kiss at the Warriors of Light and Darkness. Just like last time, large quantities of boulders and rocks fell from the sky. But Lobomon and Lowemon had no intention of backing down. This time, they're bringing the fight to their opponent instead of dodging and defending. No matter how many asteroids were coming at them or how big they were, running away from a fight was something these two Legendary Warriors weren't good at.

"LOBO KENDO!" Lobomon shouted. He took a couple of swings with his short-range weapon to slice a few large boulders in half.

"SHADOW LANCE!" Lowemon cried! After twirling his spear a few times, he thrust his rod at the first set of rocks to greet him, breaking them upon impact.

The Digimon of Light and Darkness used their weapons to turn all of the oncoming asteroids into moon dust. With that out of the way, both Warriors could focus on attacking the alien-type creature standing on top of one of the rock formations. Unfortunately, the invader Digimon still had that cocky grin on his face, unfazed of the fact that his opponents were about to close the distance.

Lobomon leaped in the air with his Kendo sword raised high. Once he was close enough, the humanoid wolf brought his signature weapon down with all of his might. But the alien shifted his body to the side, easily avoiding the first strike. The Warrior of Light followed up with a horizontal swing with his second sword. But as the invader-type Digimon leaped over next attack, he slapped Lobomon in the face with one of his tentacles, sending him back on the ground.

With his partner down, it was the Warrior of Darkness's turn to fight this unknown Digimon. Lowemon started off by throwing a mixture of hacks and slashes at the creature. He also spun his weapon a few times to catch his opponent off guard. On the other hand, the alien was ready for any kind of attacks the humanoid lion had in store for him. A simple twist, turn and shift of his body enabled the creature to easily avoid the oncoming attacks delivered by Lowemon. After a while, the invader Digimon finally found an opening and gave the Warrior of Darkness an uppercut to the chin.

Meanwhile, the Warrior of Light came up from behind with his Lobo Kendo raised above his head. Lobomon unleashed a violent roar before bringing his signature weapon down, targeting the alien's brain. However, the invader Digimon sensed the attack coming, like he has the eyes on the back of his head. He sidestepped toward his left to avoid the powerful, downward swing.

Lobomon went quickly on the offensive. Again, he threw all kinds of slashes at the alien. Unfortunately, his opponent easily dodged every attack. The humanoid never came close to hitting the invader Digimon. On the other hand, Lobomon noticed that the creature's arrogant smile was getting bigger every time he missed another swing. Of course, this was insulting to the Warrior of Light. He hated when his opponent didn't take him seriously, completely disrespecting his abilities and fighting skills. That made Lobomon pick up the pace in his attacks. Too bad that wasn't enough for him to score one hit. A few seconds later, the creature found an opening. He swept the Legendary Warrior off of his feet and knocked him off of the rock formation.

That was Lowemon's cue to make his move. He jumped over his descending partner and landed on the same plateau as the multi-tentacle creature. The Warrior of Darkness wasted little time going to work on his opponent. He barraged the alien with rapid thrusts from the sharp end of his lance. However, his opponent was too quick. He sidestepped the tenth failed thrust and grabbed the lance with a couple of his tentacles. A tug-of-war ensued for several minutes with neither side winning.

All of the sudden, the creature readjust his position. He grabbed the spear with two more tentacles, followed by four, and finally the rest. Lowemon was shocked to see this strange being balancing himself on his weapon. His leer reminded the enemy this wasn't even funny. The Warrior of Darkness tried shaking the Digimon off of his lance, but he was stuck on it like glue. The alien snickered at the humanoid lion before slapping him on the cheek with his tentacles, sending Lowemon flying into Lobomon. Because of the high impact, both Legendary Warriors tumbled a long ways on the rocky surface.

"What are you doing, you idiot? I said not to get in my way!" complained Lobomon.

"I was not in your way, you moron! You were in mine!" Lowemon groaned.

The Digimon of Light and Darkness quickly got back to their feet. And just in time too. Because their opponent had just leaped off of his original platform, ready to pounce on the proned Warriors. Realizing the enemy was coming back for a second attack, Lobomon and Lowemon dropped in their stances and prepared to retaliate. The humanoid wolf took aim with his blaster while the humanoid lion brought his arms to his chest.

"HOWLING LASER!"

"SHADOW METEOR!"

Upon declaring their attacks, both Warriors of Light and Darkness unleashed their attacks at the same time. The energy beam and massive fireball collided against the alien's chest. The combined attacks sent the invader Digimon flying into another rock formation. The boulder gave in and toppled on top of the poor creature. Clouds of dust covered the spot.

"Nice shot!" Lowemon commented his partner.

"Thanks! You too!" Lobomon replied as the two Warriors exchanged high-fives.

But their celebration was cut short. When the dust settled, the same alien rose out of the rock pile. The Digimon of Light and Darkness unleashed a frustrated groan, unhappy that they had to go work once again. They aimed their long-range attack at the recovering invader. But little did they know that this creature had a long-range weapon of his own.

With a pair of ray guns aimed at the Warriors, playtime was over.

l - l

Elsewhere, the very same alien-type creature was barraging Kumamon and Beetlemon with his own barrage of heated, energy lasers from his ray gun. The polar bear retaliated by taking out his bazooka and responded with his own barrage of snowballs. Unfortunately, the Warrior of Ice's attacks had no effect on this strange creature. Half of the snowballs were obliterated by the energy rays. While the other half did manage to hit the alien, its impact was nothing more than a light tap.

Beetlemon figured they weren't getting anywhere in long-range combat. But when he tried bringing the fight to the invader Digimon, he was unsuccessful due to the rapid onslaught of laser beams coming at him. Although he did manage to get a couple of yards away from his opponent, that was as close as he would ever get. As long as this creature kept firing his gun, the Legendary Warrior couldn't land one of his powerful Thunder Fists attacks.

"Okay, that's it!" Beetlemon grunted.

The humanoid insect has had enough of getting pushed back by this unknown Digimon. Beetlemon retreated behind a boulder about twice his size. The Warrior of Thunder grabbed the ginormous rock with both hands and lifted it off of the ground. Finally, the Warrior of Thunder flew toward the attack invader Digimon. He maneuvered left and right to avoid the oncoming laser beams.

Suddenly, Beetlemon chucked the three hundred pound rock at his opponent. The alien took aim at the oncoming projectile and blasted it easily with one shot. But that was just a distraction. The next thing he saw was the humanoid insect diving at him with his horn surging with electricity.

"LIGHTNING BLITZ!"

However, the smirk on the alien's face remained the same. The strange Digimon had a second ray gun in his arsenal. He pointed at the approaching Beetlemon and unleashed a vicious blast. The heated energy ray nailed the Warrior of Thunder squared in the chest plate. The good news was that his armor stood strong and protected Beetlemon. However, the attack sent the humanoid insect tumbling in space. But he quickly regained his bearings and rejoined his comrade.

Realizing they weren't getting anywhere, both Digimon took cover inside of the craters.

"Nothing's working!" Kumamon told the humanoid insect.

"You think I don't know that?"

"Well, you got any better ideas? Because my attacks are useless against this guy!"

"We have to hit him while he's distracted! That means one of us should be the bait while the other one goes for the knockout punch!" Beetlemon suggested, eying small Digimon keenly. Unfortunately, Kumamon took notice of his comrade staring at him.

"Huh? Why are you looking at me like that?" The polar bear asked.

"Come on, Kumamon! You're the only one here who is fast enough to dodge the alien's lasers while attacking him at the same time! While you're distracting him, I'll sneak in and finish him with one punch!"

"Are you crazy or something? That's not gonna work!"

"It will! Trust me! Now, stop complaining and let's get going!"

Kumamon sighed with defeat. Although Beetlemon's plan was ludicrous, it was the only plan they have so far. Might as well do something and fail instead of sit on their butts all day and do nothing.

The Legendary Warriors sprang out of the crater at the same time and staggered into different directions. Kumamon activated his skies and glided around the attacking alien. Both Digimon exchanged their own projectile attacks. Like last time, the bear's attacks weren't inflicting any damage on his opponent. But at least he wasn't having a tough time dodging the oncoming lasers. Kumamon kept up the distracting, trying to buy enough time for Beetlemon to make his move.

Up above the alien, the Warrior of Thunder was waiting for the right time to strike. He had to act soon though. Regardless how fast Kumamon was travelling on his skis, the alien's attacks would catch up to him eventually. Then again, he didn't want to rush in right away. This was probably the only chance they have in attacking. In other words, messing up was not an option.

Beetlemon finally caught a break when the invader Digimon ceased his firing to cover his face. Apparently, Kumamon's snowballs did manage to hit a couple of the creature's sensitive places: his eyes. The alien dropped his weapons and wiped his big, yellow eyes with his tentacles. Kumamon skidded to a halt and nodded at the Legendary Warrior up above.

"THUNDER FIST!" The humanoid insect shouted with his hand surging with massive volts of electricity.

Beetlemon then dove toward the defenseless alien, taking aim at the invader's large brain. By the time the alien had recovered from the eye shots, the Warrior of Thunder was already in striking distance. He unleashed a powerful punch at the creature's head. The impact sent the creature flying into one of the deeper craters of the Seraphimoon. Beetlemon landed beside Kumamon and the two Warriors exchanged high-fives.

"Nice work!" The polar bear said.

"Told you my plan would work!"

"I never doubted you for a second!"

"Uh-huh! Yeah, right! Like I haven't heard that one befor..." The humanoid insect stopped his chuckling when his intuition told him that something was wrong.

"Oh, great."

"What? What's wrong?" Kumamon tilted his head in confusion.

"I don't think we're finished yet!" Beetlemon pointed to the crater where the creature had fallen.

Sure enough, the invader Digimon was back on his tentacles, staring daggers at the two Legendary Warriors. There was a small bruise on the right side of his head, the same spot where humanoid insect landed his attack. But both Kumamon and Beetlemon knew that the fight wasn't over. It's gonna take more than a couple of cheap tricks to beat this Digimon.

"Now what do we do?" The Warrior of Ice asked.

"Isn't it obvious? We finish what we started!" The Warrior of Thunder replied. Beetlemon and Kumamon returned to their defensive positions, ready to resume their battle against this strange alien.

After marching several feet toward the Legendary Warriors, the invader Digimon came to a halt. At first, Kumamon and Beetlemon thought their opponent was going to surrender. Suddenly, they saw the creature wearing the biggest smirk on his face. Afterwards, the alien with the large brain blew a kiss toward the Warriors of Ice and Thunder.

All of the sudden, boulders and asteroids about the size of blimps came down on the two Digimon. Beetlemon and Kumamon dove out of the way, barely avoiding the avalanche of giant rocks. They managed to get back to their feet, only to see the alien blowing another kiss at them. This time, the number of boulders and rocks above their heads doubled.

"Actually, I have an even better idea." Kumamon gulps.

"Yeah? And what's that?" Beetlemon had to ask just as the asteroids began to descend on them.

"RUN!"

l - l

Back at the central part of the Seraphimoon, a pair of Humans and Rookie Digimon searched left and right, high and low for the Celestial Digimon. They checked every crater and under every rock they've come upon. But no matter where they looked, their friend, Patamon, was nowhere to be found.

"PATAMON? OH, PATAMON?" Zoe screamed from the top of her lungs.

"WHERE ARE YOU, BUDDY? COME ON OUT NOW! PRETTY PLEASE?" Takuya also shouted.

"PATAMON? IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, SAY SOMETHING!" Neemon yelled, a little too close to Bokomon's ear. Of course, that earned him another wedgie for his stupidity.

"PATAMON? IT'S ME, BOKOMON! COME ON OUT WHEREEVER YOU ARE!" pleaded the Digimon wearing the pink elastic waistband.

"Ugh. I'm tired. Can we take a break?" The yellow rabbit requested. Takuya, Zoe and Bokomon turned to find their friend slumped against a nearby boulder.

"Seriously, Neemon?" Takuya groaned.

"But I'm exhausted! I'm hungry! I'm thirsty! And my legs hurt! We've been walking for almost an hour!"

"Neemon, we've only been on the Seraphimoon for ten minutes." Zoe corrected her collapsed friend.

"And besides, buddy. We don't have to sit around and rest. Patamon is in big trouble. We have to find him before something bad happens to him." added the goggle-head.

"Oh, where can my poor baby be? I mean, he's somewhere on this deserted planet, all alone with no one to care for him!" Bokomon hoped. He can only imagine what's happening to his beloved Patamon right now. And it hurts him even more that he's not there to comfort or protect him.

"Don't worry, Bokomon. We'll find Patamon, no matter what." Takuya reassured.

"Yeah!" said Zoe. "Even if we have to search every mountain and crater of this place, we're not leaving until we fi..."

Suddenly, the entire Seraphimoon began to shake. The Rookie Digimon fell on all fours, while Zoe collapsed into Takuya's arms. The quakes lasted for several moments. What the four of them didn't realize was that their friends were engaged in a fierce battle against some type of strange Digimon. The many rock falls and impacts caused the entire planet to rumble.

"Are you alright, Zoe?" The Bearer of Flame asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. But that sure was one rough earthquake." The blonde replied.

"Earthquake? Don't you mean _moonquake_?" Neemon asked.

*bam*

"Oh, hush." Bokomon groaned after hitting his partner with his book.

"I sure hope the other Legendary Warriors are doing okay." The blonde wondered.

"Don't worry about them, Z. I'm sure they all can take care of themselves. Even though there isn't a lot of group cohesion, the others do have their individual strengths." The Bearer of Flame said.

"Yeah, maybe you're right. I hope they're having better luck than we are in finding Patamon." Zoe mentioned.

"I know what you mean. This place is ginormous. At our current pace, it'll take months to search the entire Seraphimoon." Takuya agreed.

"Or years!" Neemon gasped.

"Or maybe... Hey, what's that?" Bokomon pointed towards something down below one of the craters.

The other three rejoined with the Rookie and gazed down the one hundred foot circular depression. While it was dark down there, the humans and Digimon could see a couple of things at the bottom of the crater. The first looked like a tiny cage, capable of imprisoning any kind of small Rookie level Digimon. From their point of view, the Bearers of Flame and Wind couldn't tell if there was someone inside the cage or not.

But standing next to the cell was a strange creature with a massive head, encasing its gigantic brain. If that wasn't creepy enough, there were quite a few wires lodged inside the monster's brain. A dozen ginormous tentacles slapped the rocky and rough surface of the Seraphimoon. His big, yellow eyes never left the small cage in the center of the crater.

"Take this, you little vermin!" The alien smirked. He jabbed one of his tentacles inside the cage and continued tormenting the poor Digimon inside.

"Hey, wait a minute! Isn't that..." Takuya's eyes widened when the prisoner stepped out of the shadows and into the light.

"Oh no! It can't be!" Zoe gasped when she finally got a good look at the Digimon inside the cell.

It was a mammal-type creature with four legs. While his underbelly had somewhat of a whitish color, it was almost orange on top. His main characteristic was the big ears he has that could also be used as wings for flying. But what captured Takuya's and Zoe's attention was the fear and terror written all over the poor mammal's eyes. As the alien continued torturing the Rookie, tears started to form in the winged creature's eyes.

"Hold on a second! I know that Digimon!" Takuya immediately recognized the prisoner.

"THAT'S PATAMON!" Neemon exclaimed.

"We have to do something! He's in trouble!" said the blonde.

"HANG ON, BABY! MOMMA'S COMING!" Bokomon cried down the crater. He slid down the circular depression, completely disregarding his safety.

"Bokomon! Wait up!" Takuya shouted as he became the second one to enter the crater.

"Takuya!" Zoe hollered, following her boyfriend.

"Hey! Don't leave me all alone!" Neemon screamed, diving head first into the hole.

Meanwhile, the invader creature with the large brain continued to make the prisoner's life miserable, rubbing his slimy tentacles all over Patamon's face. The Rookie cringed in fear. He was scared out of his life, for he has no idea what this Digimon has in store for him. The alien could've destroyed him a long time ago. But he wanted to enjoy this moment by inflicting pain and misery to one of the Celestial Digimon.

"STOP!" Someone yelled. The creature ceased tormenting poor Patamon and turned to the source of the noise. A pair of angry humans came into his line of vision.

"Well, well. Look who decided to stick their noses where it doesn't belong!"

"Let Patamon go! Right now!" Takuya commanded.

"Hmph! How can such a lowly human give Vademon orders?" The alien huffed.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Vademon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Alien Ray; Cosmic Kiss**

**Description: Vademon is living proof that there is life outside the Digital World. It is said that his brain contains vast knowledge of the cosmos that no other Digimon can comprehend. He uses his Alien Ray blaster to take over other planets and destroy unwelcomed guests.**

"This is your last warning! Release our friend, or else!" threatened Zoe, which made the creature laugh.

"Foolish girl! You dare to challenge me and my massive power?"

"What are you planning to do with my poor baby?" Bokomon barked at Vademon.

"Isn't it obvious you annoying gnats? I'm going to dissect the little creep and eat his brain! His unselfish contribution will make me one of the strongest Digimon to rule the universe! HAHAHAHAHA!"

"That's disgusting!" Neemon said, almost puking.

"But have no fear, my friends! I haven't forgotten about you either! After I defeated the famous Legendary Warriors, I will devour your brains as well, one at a time! I've never had human brains before, but I bet your kind donation will prove to be quite invaluable! That is... right after I finish eating the prisoner's brain first!"

"MAMA, HELP ME!" Patamon shrieked toward Bokomon.

"SILENCE, YOU FIEND!" Vademon howled. He took aim at Patamon's head and was ready to blow the poor Rookie to smithereens.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Bokomon screamed toward his baby.

That was the final straw. The Bearers of Flame and Wind has had enough. It was time to take action and save their friend. With their D-Tectors in one hand and a ball of Fractal Code in the other, both humans sprinted toward the invader Digimon. From the corner of his eye, Vademon saw the pair of teenagers coming at him with the intent on defeating him and rescuing their friends.

And he couldn't be any happier.

"EXECUTE, NOW! FUSION EVOLUTION!" ||| "EXECUTE! BEAST SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

A long stream of Fractal Code spiraled around Takuya's and Zoe's bodies as the Spirits of Flame and Wind awakened inside them awakened. The teenage boy could feel the two Spirits coming together, while the blonde felt the wind's power and energy flowing through her. At long last, the transformations were finally complete. A pair of powerful Digimon appeared, ready to fight.

"ALDAMON!" ||| "ZEPHYRMON!"

On the other hand, the invader Digimon wasn't the least bit intimidated by the presence of the Legendary Warriors. In fact, he was excited about fighting both of them all at once.

"Ooh, so the Chosen Children think they have what it takes to defeat me? This will prove to be very interesting indeed!" Vademon smirked after seeing the humans transform into Legendary Warriors.

"This is your last chance, Vademon! Back away from Patamon right now, or else!" snarled the Beast of Wind.

"Or else, what?"

"Grr! We'll tear off every tentacle off of your body if you don't let him go!"

"Your threats mean nothing to me, worthless humans! If you want me to spare your friend, then you must first surrender your brains to me!" The alien snickered.

"WHY YOU..." growled the Hybrid Digimon.

The cannons on his arms made a 180° turn and opened up to commence firing mode. His blasters glowed with a fiery red color and gathered energy inside. The awesome powers of heat and flame assembled in the fiery Warrior's weapons. Finally, the cannons reached its full capacity and Aldamon locked on to the invader Digimon with anger in his eyes.

"ATOMIC INFERNO!" The winged beast hollered. He rapidly punched toward the creature in front of him, which sent hundreds of fireballs flying at his opponent.

"HURRICANE GALE!" Zephyrmon joined alongside her partner. By throwing her arms forward, the Beast Warrior of Wind unleashed a powerful, purplish cyclone filled with pinkish projectiles.

The two attacks merged together at once. Every one of Aldamon's collided with Zephyrmon's throwing blades. But instead of vaporizing the projectiles, the flames combined with it to form numerous heated blades filled with energy. Add that with the intensity and force of the cyclone, resulted in one of the most deadly, combined attacks these two Digimon had ever unleashed.

But the alien sighed and shook his head. Afterwards, he shifted his ray gun from the helpless Rookie to the fiery cyclone coming at him. The creature cranked the setting on his weapon to maximum.

"How boring." Vademon said as he pulled the trigger.

He fired a large laser, almost the same size as Mercurymon's when he launches his Dark Reflection beams. The energy ray collided against the flaming tornado. A huge explosion filled the crater, followed by large clouds of smoke. On the other hand, the blast sent Aldamon and Zephyrmon flying out of the circular depression. The Legendary Warriors slammed again a nearby rock formation before falling down to the ground.

But when the dust settled, Vademon was the only Digimon left unscathed. A fiendish grin remained on his face, knowing very well that he has this matchup in the bag. The creature grabbed the small cage next time him with three of his tentacles. He gave the poor Patamon an intimidating glare, frightening the Rookie.

"Come, little one!" said Vademon as he hopped out of the crater. He landed smooth on top of one of the boulders and gently set the cage down. As Zephyrmon and Aldamon struggle to get back to their feet, Vademon landed by the fallen Legendary Warriors and kept his eyes on the terrified Patamon.

"Enjoy the show, you vermin! For you will take pleasure in watching your friends perish!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter sixty-one. <strong>

**Can the ten Legendary Warriors defeat this powerful, invader Digimon? Or will their come to an unfortunate end on the desolate, lonely Seraphimoon? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	62. X-Vademon's Invasion

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**So far, it's not really a good start on the quest to finding Patamon. Poor cohesion has caused some of the Legendary Warriors to fight with each other. As a result, the Legendary Warriors split up into teams of two. But each group had encountered a strange creature with a large brain and nasty attitude. Meanwhile, Takuya and Zoe had found Patamon locked inside a cage, guarded by the same Digimon, who goes by the name of Vademon. He plans on eating Patamon's brain to gain more power. But not unless the Chosen Children have something to say about that.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter sixty-two!**

* * *

><p><strong>X-Vademon's Invasion<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Zephyrmon cried after one of Vademon's rays nailed her in the stomach. The blast sent the Beast of Wind flying across the rocky terrain and into another large boulder.

"ZOE!" Aldamon cried when he saw his partner ricochet off of the large rock. The hybrid then glowered at the invader Digimon, determined to make him pay for what he did to his best friend.

With his cannons in the firing position, Aldamon flew toward the alien with fury in his eyes. He rapidly punched his arms toward his opponent, which sent hundreds of fireballs at Vademon. But the alien used his slipperiness and flexibility to nimbly avoid all of Aldamon's attacks. The Hybrid Digimon watched helplessly as his opponent dodged every single one of his fireballs with ease.

But the winged creature quickly closed the distance, hoping he would have a better chance at close range; which was exactly what Vademon wanted. As the invader Digimon returned to a vertical base, he had his blaster already locked and loaded. Vademon shot Aldamon with one of his laser beams. The Hybrid arced in the air before crashing into the ground.

"What a pity. All of that firepower in the hands of a pathetic human. What a disgrace."

"PLASMA PAWS!" A voice shouted behind Vademon.

The alien turned around and saw Zephyrmon diving towards him with her claws and talons covered with red energy. However, the Beast of Wind came in a little too slow, which gave Vademon enough time to react. After sidestepping out of harm's way, the invader Digimon extended his tentacles and grabbed Zephyrmon by the throat. The energy on her hands and feet disappeared as the female Warrior gasped for air.

"Foolish girl! You can never surpass my power!"

He brought his tentacle down and viciously slammed poor Zephyrmon on the rocky surface. The Beast of Wind moaned in agony. But Vademon wasn't done. He lifted her up again and threw her down on the canvas. With such strength and gravity on his side, Zephyrmon thought her spine was going to break. Her eyes widened like saucers, indicating how much pain she was in.

Vademon then picked the weakened Zephyrmon off of the ground and tossed her aside, sending her straight toward Aldamon, who was busy trying to recover from the alien's last attack. But when he heard his best friend screaming, he turned and saw the winged beast tumbling in midair. Before Aldamon could get in position to catch her, Zephyrmon crashed into her partner. Both Warriors bounced on the rocky surface and rolled into a crater.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" laughed the victorious Vademon.

Inside the circular depression, Aldamon was the first to regain consciousness. His head still hurts from all of the tumbling on the ground. As for Zephyrmon, she's just lucky her back wasn't broken. While her ribs felt like they were on fire, she's still able to fight. The Beast of Wind got on her knees and hobbled toward the Hybrid.

"Zoe, are you alright?" Aldamon asked.

"I'm fine." replied Zephyrmon. She peeped her head over the crater to see if where Vademon is position. But to her dismay, the invader Digimon was in the exact same spot, still in close proximity from the Patamon.

"How are we going to defeat Vademon? He's way too powerful!" pondered the Beast of Wind.

"First things first! Our top priority is to rescue Patamon! We'll deal with Brainiac later!" Aldamon commanded.

"But Takuya, how can we save our friend if we can't get near him?"

"I don't know. Until the other Legendary Warriors come back, we'll have to make do with what we have."

"Well... alright." Zephyrmon said hesitantly.

She and her partner leaped out of the crater to resume their battle. Again Vademon aimed his blaster at the two Warriors and waited for his opponents to strike first. He wasn't in a rush to destroy them. Vademon has all the time in the world. His cocky attitude told both Digimon he was going to win this fight.

"I hate it when he makes that face" Zephyrmon huffed.

"I know what you mean." Aldamon shook his head. "I just hope that the other Warriors are doing alrigh..."

"GANG WAY!" Someone cried from the right-hand side.

From the Chosen Children's viewpoint, they saw another Vademon chasing two other Digimon while taking target practice with his signature ray gun. The Warrior on the right was a nomadic beast with white fur and long strands on his head that closely resemble sharp arrowheads. He also had two double-edge axes, which he used to block the oncoming lasers. The Legendary Warrior next to him was a tank with a long cannon on of his head. The caterpillar treads pushed into the max as the mechanized Digimon tried to escape another blast from the alien.

"Hey, isn't that..." Aldamon asked.

"MetalKabuterimon? KoriKakumon?" Zephyrmon gasped.

"HEY, TAKKY! A LITTLE HELP HERE?" The Beast of Thunder shouted to the Hybrid.

"WHOA! WATCH OUT!" The fiery beast shouted.

Suddenly, the Warriors of Ice and Thunder crashed into Aldamon. The three Digimon fell back into the crater, leaving Zephyrmon all alone against the two aliens.

"Blast her!" The supposed leader ordered.

The Vademon unleashed a barrage of lasers at the defenseless Beast of Wind. Zephyrmon used her agility to avoid as many beams as she could. For a moment, she was doing fine holding her own. Her speed allowed her to dodge all of the oncoming projectiles, regardless how many there were.

Suddenly, one of the beams nailed Zephyrmon's right wing while a second one hit the left. As the Digimon of Wind tried to endure the burning sensation, another laser collided against her chest. The blast sent the helpless Warrior tumbling in space. It wasn't long before the Zephyrmon started to descend into the same crater where her other fellow Warriors have fallen.

"Got ya!" The Warrior of Ice said, catching the slender Digimon before she hit the ground.

"Thanks, KoriKakumon!" said Zephyrmon.

"Great! Another Vademon to deal with!" Aldamon sighing with frustration. "Can this get any worse?"

"TAKE THIS, PINKY!" Another voice shouted from their left side.

The four Warriors peeped their heads out of the circular depression to find the Beasts of Light and Darkness engaged in another battle against a third Vademon. As the two Digimon backed up, they unleashed a barrage of Lupine Lasers and Ebony Blasts. Their Vademon countered by discharging heated energy rays from his pair of firearms.

Knowing that they weren't getting anywhere, KendoGarurumon and JagerLowemon took cover inside a crater.

"Nice of you two to show up." grumbled Aldamon.

"Well then... I thought you two didn't need our help to defeat that guy!" MetalKabuterimon reminded his comrades.

"Who asked you?" growled KendoGarurumon.

"Yeah! I don't see you guys having better progress than us! So, shut your mouths!" JagerLowemon commanded.

"Stop fighting, you guys. We need to work together to save Patamon!" objected Zephyrmon.

"Patamon? He's here?" KoriKakumon said with his eyes widened. Even the other three Warriors were shocked. They looked out of the crater and saw the winged Digimon trapped inside a steel cage. In front of that were a trio of Vademon with their ray guns locked and loaded.

"Terrific! How are we going to rescue Patamon when those freakshows are in the way?" KendoGarurumon complained.

"I'm working on it!" Aldamon replied. "In the meantime, we need to..."

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

The six Legendary Warriors heard a noise coming from behind them. They all turned and saw two more Digimon bouncing off of the ground and rolling towards them. An ogre-type Digimon landed on top of the Beasts of Light and Darkness, while a leafy lizard inadvertently body slammed the nomadic creature and the armored tank. The Warriors laid on the ground in a daze.

But it took Aldamon and Zephyrmon a moment to recognize the newcomers.

"Gigasmon and Petaldramon?" The fiery Digimon spoke.

"Let me guess! A Digimon with a large brain chased you guys?" Zephyrmon wondered.

"Eh? How you know?" The Beast of Earth asked, surprised that the female Warrior was correct.

"We too have the same problem!" Aldamon filled the others in.

"More aliens to deal with, right?" sighed Petaldramon. "This sure ain't a good day, isn't it..."

"HEY! GET OFF OF ME YOU LOUSY LIZARD?" MetalKabuterimon screamed from underneath the pile.

Upon hearing the noise beneath their bodies, the Beasts of Wood and Earth rolled to the side, revealing four barely squashed Digimon. After taking a second to catch their breath, MetalKabuterimon and KoriKakumon sprang to their feet and glowered at Gigasmon and Petaldramon.

"You got a lot of nerve showing your face again!" growled the Digimon of Thunder.

"Like you one to talk!" countered the ogre.

"Mmm! Me hungry! Feed me!" Petaldramon stepped towards the icy creature.

"Oh, I'll give you something to eat right here!" KoriKakumon said with both axes in hand.

Just like last time, the Legendary Warriors were engaged in another intensive stare down.

"Come on, you guys! Back away from each other!" Aldamon intervened. He stepped in between the four Digimon, forcing them to back off.

"You boys aren't helping anyone!" Zephyrmon said. "Stop fighting each other and..."

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

The Beast of Wind looked up and saw two more Digimon falling from above. The first one was a network of orbs that closely resembled eyeballs. Next to that, a large squid-type Digimon was on a collision course with the winged ninja. Both Warriors crashed hard in the crater, with the Beast of Water landing on top of the slender female.

"Egads, what has happened?" Sakkakumon grunted.

"Oh! My beautiful face is ruined!" Calmaramon groaned.

"Mmph! Mmm!" The Beast of Wind moaned as she kicked her legs about, trying to get the huge Digimon off of her body. Calmaramon was aware that someone was underneath her shell-like body, but made no effort in releasing the poor Zephyrmon.

"What's wrong, Honey? Too weak to get up? Hahaha!" laughed the squid. After several seconds of savoring this moment, the Beast of Water stood up. Zephyrmon coughed up some air before leering deep into Calmaramon's eyes.

"Well, look who decided to show her butt-ugly face!"

"Can it, you little nit! One more word out of you, and I'll tear your wings off feather by feather!"

"Bring it on, you witch..."

"TAKE COVER!" Aldamon shouted, capturing everyone's attention.

A large number of asteroids appeared above the Warriors and started to fall inside the crater. Everyone quickly darted out of the circular depression to avoid the rock fall. As the Digimon dove to safety, they watched as their previous hiding place began to fill with over a dozen boulders three times their size.

It took the Legendary Warriors a few moments to get back to their feet and face the five Vademon standing on the other side of the area. Behind them was the helpless Patamon, trapped and heavily guarded by the aliens.

"Perfect! The famous Legendary Warriors are finally together!" The leader of the group chuckled. "What do you think, boys? Shall end this once and for all?"

The other four Vademon nodded. Each of the creatures joined tentacles and formed a circle. Aldamon and his friends dropped in their stances, ready for any kind of surprises these Digimon may have for them. If one Vademon can easily take out two Legendary Warriors, they could only imagine what would happen if they joined forces.

Suddenly, a large column of Fractal Code surrounded the group of aliens. The Vademon unleashed a might roar as they began to change.

"What's going on?" Neemon asked, peeping from his hiding place behind a boulder.

"Oh no! This is not good!" A frightened Bokomon gulped.

Seconds later, the pillar of data had vanished. Standing before the Legendary Warriors could be described as a gaudy monstrosity. This monster had a larger body, almost as big as the rock formations on the Seraphimoon. He also had a hundred tentacles at his disposal. The creature's head has also increase in size, capable of fitting five brains. Ten eyeballs opened up all over his humongous head.

"I... AM... X-VADEMON!" The large alien shouted.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: X-Vademon**

**Level: Mega**

**Attacks: Brain Drain, Cosmic Crush**

**Description: X-Vademon is the most dangerous alien to roam the cosmos. This Digimon uses his Brain Drain to absorb the knowledge and soul of every living creature on the face of the earth. After eating everyone's life force, he then proceeds to devouring the entire planet.**

"What do we do now, Takuya?" Zephyrmon looked at her best friend and waiting for his commands.

"I have a plan. But in order to defeat Brain Head, we all have to..."

"Bah! I have had enough following orders from the likes of you! Tis be my time to take charge!" Sakkakumon said. He reverted his body back to his original shape and approached the front of the group, shoving Aldamon aside in the process.

"You sure you know what to do, metal head?" Calmaramon asked.

"Trust me, thy sea witch!" The Beast of Steel snickered. "The human wants to use complex strategies to annihilate such a creature! Well, I say forget all that... AND ATTACK!"

Most of the Legendary Warriors didn't seem to have a problem with the shift in authority. Upon command, almost all of the Digimon charged toward the ginormous beast standing before them. KoriKakumon stayed behind for a while to see if it's okay with Aldamon to proceed with Sakkakumon's orders. But after seeing the Hybrid shrug, the Beast of Ice sprinted toward the enemy with his axes in hand.

"Takuya?" Zephyrmon remained by her partner's side. She knew very well that her boyfriend's a much better leader than Sakkakumon will ever be.

"Forget about it! Let's just fight!" Aldamon responded. With his decision made, the final two Digimon joined the others.

Calmaramon started the assault by spewing gallons of her Acid Ink all over the alien's body. Meanwhile, MetalKabuterimon got in position and fired his powerful Electron Cannon on the creature's backside. JagerLowemon pounced from boulder to boulder, plastering X-Vademon with his Ebony Blasts while KendoGarurumon wheeled around the alien and blasted him with his Lupine Laser.

KoriKakumon managed to get within close distance of his opponent. A bunch of tentacles darted towards the nomadic Digimon. But the Beast of Ice cleaved the oncoming organs with his weapons easily. The only problem was that the sliced tentacles grew back into new ones. It got worse when four regrown tentacles got through the beast's defenses and wrap around each of his limbs, trapping the Legendary Warrior.

"LUNCH TIME!" Petaldramon shouted.

The leafy lizard saved his comrade by chomping on the tentacles that snared KoriKakumon. Unfortunately, aliens weren't known for their taste. Petaldramon spat out the slimy organs and rubbed his tongue to wipe away the bitterness in his mouth. Too bad he didn't see a dozen more tentacles wrapping around his large body. X-Vademon lifted the lizard off of the ground and tossed him aside.

Elsewhere, Gigasmon got on top of the creature and unleashed a fury of punches. While it did caused the Digimon to flinch, the hand strikes had no effect. Ten tentacles tangled around the ogre's body and slammed him hard on the canvas. X-Vademon was about to finish Gigasmon off, but something in the sky caught his attention. A winged ninja with red energy balls on her hands and feet dove toward. Of course, this never bothered the alien at all. He took his attention off of the semiconscious Gigasmon to face the Beast of Wind. All ten of his eyes locked on to their victim.

When Zephyrmon was in range, the Mega shot a few of his tentacles at the female Digimon, ensnaring both of her arms and legs. Before the Beast of Wind could think about breaking free, X-Vademon pulled the helpless Warrior close until she was inches away from the creature's massive brain. Zephyrmon could not break free from X-Vademon's grip.

"You will be the first to go!" laughed the alien. "BRAIN DRAIN!"

The ten-eyed Digimon then launched a bright purplish beam at his captive, enveloping the Beast of Wind with his mental powers. Zephyrmon shrieked with intense agony. She felt her energy and life force were being drained right out of her. But regardless how hard the helpless Warrior struggled, X-Vademon would not let go until he absorbed every ounce of her soul. It wouldn't be long before Zephyrmon's body becomes nothing more than an empty shell.

Suddenly, four fireballs came out of nowhere and collided against the tentacles wrapped around the helpless Zephyrmon's arms and legs. The heat of the flames incinerated the slimy organs, which in turn released the Beast of Wind. She would've landed hard on the unforgiving canvas, if Aldamon hadn't been there to catch her. The Hybrid flew away to take his partner to safety.

"Ugh... Takuya?" Zephyrmon groaned as she opened her eyes.

"Are you okay, Z?" Aldamon asked.

"I'm alright! Just give me a minute to get my strength back!" The Beast of Wind nodded.

The fiery Digimon landed softly on the ground and set his best friend. He could tell how weak she was after suffering X-Vademon's ultimate attack. But as much as he wanted her to sit this fight out, Aldamon needed her if they wanted to defeat the alien. It took a while, but Zephyrmon finally made it back to her feet.

And just in time too.

That's because X-Vademon had just knocked away another Digimon toward their direction. Aldamon and his best friend leaped out of the way, so Sakkakumon's body didn't roll over them. The Beast of Steel crashed into boulder and was almost knocked unconscious. However, he quickly got back up with each of his eyeballs still intact.

"Nothing's working!" Zephyrmon reminded the Digimon 'in charge.'

"Hmph! Does thou think I don't know that?" Sakkakumon growled at the Beast of Wind. The angry Zephyrmon was about to demand the metallic Warrior to give her boyfriend his leadership role back, when KoriKakumon stepped in.

"Well, Sakkakumon? What now?"

"Get back in there, you frosty fool!" The Beast of Steel commanded.

"And do what?"

"Go for his eyes! Thou cannot hit what thou can't see!"

"I tried that already, but I can't get through!"

"Then... get through!" Sakkakumon said before reentering the battlefield.

"Oh, sure! This will be the third time already! I bet he won't see that coming!" KoriKakumon complained, but reluctantly followed Sakkakumon's wishes.

"KoriKakumon, wait!" Zephyrmon shouted. However, he cries fell on deaf ears. She then looked back at Aldamon, awaiting his orders.

"Takuya?"

"You heard him! Go for the eyeballs!" groaned the fiery Digimon.

Both Warriors got back in the fight, along with the other eight. Apparently, everyone else was still trying to hit X-Vademon with their attacks. Too bad none of them appeared to be working. No matter how much Acid Ink Calmaramon sprayed or how powerful KendoGarurumon's lasers were, not a single attack could scratch the alien.

"Listen to me, thy followers! We attack together! Aim for the eyes!" ordered Sakkakumon.

"That's a stupid idea!" The Beast of Water whined.

"She's right! This ain't gonna work! That guy's too strong!" MetalKabuterimon concurred.

"Ugh! Stop complaining and do as I command! Now... ATTACK!"

Sakkakumon and other Legendary Warriors ran at full speed at the humongous alien. Each of them picked an eyeball to target. But it turns out that a few of the Legendary Warriors were going for the same pupil. That resulted in them crashing into each other. As for the other Warriors, they never had a chance to begin with. X-Vademon grabbed JagerLowemon, Gigasmon, Zephyrmon and Sakkakumon with his tentacles and tossed them toward the others. Bodies collided against one another. Before long, a pile of beaten Legendary Warriors laid before the victorious Digimon.

"You're through, Legendary Wimps!" X-Vademon hollered as he sprang toward the sky. "COSMIC CRUSH!"

Suddenly, he dove toward the Legendary Warriors, ready to body slam them all into one giant pancake. Fortunately, all ten Digimon regained consciousness in time to see a gigantic Digimon about to squash them. They quickly got to their feet and dashed out of harm's way. The Legendary Warriors retreated and dove into another deep crater for cover. X-Vademon landed face first on nothing but hard rock. The impact made the whole planet to shake, almost shattering the entire Seraphimoon to pieces.

"That... was close!" panted JagerLowemon.

"No thanks to you!" The Beast of Light growled at the armored jaguar.

"Me? You were the one who interfered! I was going after the eyeball on his right side!"

"There were two of them, you idiot! You didn't tell me which one you were going for!"

"Why? Cause you're too stupid to know?"

The Beasts of Light and Darkness circled each other. Both eyes glowered at one another. It wouldn't be long before the two start fighting.

"The same thing goes for you too, you brainless ogre! I told you to not to get in my way! I had a clear shot at X-Vademon! Thanks to you, I lost it!" MetalKabuterimon said, getting in the face of Gigasmon.

"Clear shot! Ha! You couldn't hit alien at point-blank range!" The Beast of Earth countered.

"Oh really? I bet I sure blast your fat nose at point-blank range! In fact, I can do that right now!" The armored tank shouted. He got in position and aimed his horn at Gigasmon's head.

"Give best shot!

MetalKabuterimon charged up his weapon and was ready to fire. However, the ogre stood his ground. It's like he wanted the Beast of Thunder to shoot him. Either he's confident that he'll avoid the blast, or he'll counterattack before MetalKabuterimon can get his shot off.

"And you! You're the worse leader ever!" Calmaramon protested.

"And exactly howst I be a terrible leader, thy clumsy wench? You can't even do something as simple as follow orders!"

"If your orders were so simple, then explain why we're losing?" KoriKakumon demanded.

"That's because I be cursed with such pathetic followers!"

"Hey, watch who you calling pathetic, Sakkakumon! Or else, I'll flatten you's like a raw patty!" threated Petaldramon.

"Get in line, you overgrown lizard! If anyone's getting first dibs, that would be me!" said Calmaramon

"Who asked you, you big klutz?" The Beast of Wood huffed in the squid's face.

But Calmaramon shoved Petaldramon back before he could strike. The lizard fell back and landed on top of KoriKakumon. That made his really angry. With all of his strength, he pushed the leafy reptile off of him. He then wrestled Petaldramon to the ground, wrenching one of his limbs and isolating the joints.

"My plan would've worked if thou insolences would do what I asked!"

"Oh, so you think you're better than me! Huh, metal head? THEN TAKE THIS!"

The Beast of Water wasted little time. She tackled the metallic Digimon to the ground and wrapped her giant tentacles around his body. Sakkakumon tried to change shape to break free. But the putrid squid had vengeance on her mind and was not going to let him get away that easily.

"You guys, stop!" Zephyrmon cried. But it was no use. None of the Legendary Warriors would listen.

KendoGarurumon stared down JagerLowemon. The Warriors of Light and Dark were on their hind legs, ready to pounce on each other. Meanwhile, Gigasmon taunted the charging MetalKabuterimon to blast him in the face. In a few seconds, that's exactly what the Beast of Thunder was going to do. Zephyrmon looked to her right and saw the other four Warriors wrestling each other like crazy.

The cohesiveness of the entire group had collapsed. There's no way she could regain control of...

*BAM*

"ENOUGH!" Aldamon shouted after he slammed his tail on the ground. All of the arguing and fighting had instantly stopped. The Legendary Warriors turned toward the fiery Digimon, who did not look happy.

"Takuya?" Zephyrmon gulped. She had never seen her boyfriend this angry before.

"Everybody, listen to me! This is exactly what X-Vademon wants! Instead of fighting him, we're wasting our time fighting each other! If this continues, then we'll lose our only chance in defeating X-Vademon!" declared the Hybrid.

"What do mean 'our only chance?'" MetalKabuterimon asked. "If you haven't noticed Takky, none of our attacks have any effect against that guy!"

"He's right! That creep's a Mega level Digimon! Even we, the ten Legendary Warriors, couldn't defeat him!" concurred KoriKakumon.

"Alone, maybe not!" Aldamon sadly nodded.

Then he smiled at his comrades.

"But what about 'together?' If we combine our strengths, I know we have what it takes to take down X-Vademon!"

"Pardon me for asking, Honey..." interrupted Calmaramon. "But how can you be so confident at a time like this?"

"You forgot we losing fight!" Gigasmon reminded.

"So what makes you so sure we can defeat the humongous freak, right?" Petaldramon asked.

"I have a plan! One that will utilize all of our abilities! If everything goes right, we should come out on victorious!" Aldamon said with confidence.

"And what do you mean 'If everything goes right...' huh? What if something goes wrong?" asked JagerLowemon.

"We all tried attacking him at once, but even that doesn't work!"

"Look, we can argue about this all day! You all can go back out there and try to do things your way... which hasn't been working since!" Aldamon argued, which earned him growls from the Beasts of Water, Wood and Earth. But before they could protest, the Hybrid continued.

"Or, we work together and try out this plan I came up with! I know this will work, but I will need your help! What do you say, guys? Are you with me?" The fiery Digimon asked.

"I'm with you, Takuya!" Zephyrmon said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

The other eight Legendary Warriors conversed with each other, wondering whether they should trust Aldamon or continue to go with their own ways. Sure enough, KoriKakumon, MetalKabuterimon, JagerLowemon and KendoGarurumon made their decision. They gathered around their friends and agreed to go along with Aldamon's plan. Gigasmon shrugged before he joined with the others, followed by the Petaldramon.

All that remained was Calmaramon and Sakkakumon.

"Hmph! If thou is requesting me to surrender thy leadership role, thou art sorely mistaken!" said the Beast of Steel.

"Seriously?" Zephyrmon complained.

"Silence, you little runt! What makes you think your friend's plan will work?" Calmaramon complained.

"It _will_ work! But only if you two will help us!" Aldamon said to the squid before turning to the Digimon next to her. "Listen, Sakkakumon! I'm asking for your cooperation! Please, help us defeat X-Vademon! That's all I ask! After we defeat Vademon, I'll relinquish my role of leader to anyone who wants it!"

"Oh Takuya..." The Beast of Wind shook her head and gulped.

"Very well then! But if anyone of us gets annihilated, the fault will be on thee!" Sakkakumon threated.

"Whatever!" shrugged Calmaramon.

"Alright! Everyone gather around! Here's what we're going to do!"

As Aldamon revealed his plan to the other Legendary Warriors, X-Vademon has already returned to a vertical base! Apparently, he was sort of dizzy after falling on his face. But after shaking off the migraines in his head, the alien unleashed a mighty roar that was strong enough to shake the entire planet. He then searched left and right, trying to find the Legendary Warriors.

"Everybody all clear on what you need to do?" Aldamon asked.

"Excuse me! But you's call that a plan?" whined Petaldramon.

"I don't know, Takuya! That idea seems kinda wacked!" argued MetalKabuterimon.

"Are you sure about this?" KoriKakumon asked.

"Trust me, you guys! I know it's going to work!" The Hybrid nodded.

At first, the other Legendary Warriors looked at each other, wondering if going with Aldamon's plan was a good idea. But then again, they were getting nowhere just by attacking X-Vademon head on. So, what do they got to lose? One by one, the Beast Warriors gave Aldamon their nod of approval.

"In that case... LET'S GET X-VADEMON!" howled KendoGarurumon.

"YEAH!" The other Warriors agreed. The eight Digimon hopped out of the crater and got into their positions. Zephyrmon and Aldamon were the only ones left. She gave the Hybrid a nod, reminding him that she'll be by his side until the end.

"Takuya?" She asked him.

"Well... at least I hope it works..." Aldamon shrugged. Soon, the final two Warriors got into position.

Meanwhile, X-Vademon destroyed everything his eyes laid upon. Not a single boulder or giant rock formation stood a chance against the mighty strength of the Mega level Digimon. Still, he continued to search every crater and behind every rock, looking for any signs of the Legendary Warriors. So far, not a single eye was able to locate any one of them.

That is, until...

"PLASMA PODS!"

The Beast of Wind dove toward the unsuspecting alien with her hands and feet filled with red energy. Unfortunately, one of X-Vademon's eyes caught the female Digimon coming right towards him. He got four of his tentacles in position, ready to ensnare the Legendary Warrior once again. But Zephyrmon proceeded with her attack. After all, it was part of the plan.

*Flashback*

"_We're going to follow Sakkakumon's previous orders and go for his eyes." Aldamon said._

_"Um... Takuya? You're not serious, are you? That plan never worked." MetalKabuterimon reminded._

_"But that's because X-Vademon saw you guys coming, giving him time to launch a counterattack. This time, we're going to have two Digimon attacking at once."_

_"But how can any of us attack when Brain Head sees us coming?" asked Calmaramon._

_"We have to come in on his blind spots." The fiery Digimon answered._

_"You think it's that easy, Takuya? It's hard enough to know where X-Vademon's blind spots are, let alone find them!" complained KendoGarurumon._

_"I know." Aldamon sadly nodded. But then he gazed at the other nine Warrior. His look of confidence silently told everyone that his plan will work. "But this is our only chance. If we can take out one of his eyes, then everything will take care of itself._"

*End of Flashback*

"AVALANCE AXES!"

Above the Warrior of Wind, a nomadic Digimon descended with both his arms behind his back. Zephyrmon moved out of the way, just before the tentacles can capture her. But by the time the pupil caught the Beast of Ice in its vision, KoriKakumon had already closed the distance. He brought both axes down, targeting the defenseless eyeball.

"AAAHHHHHH!" X-Vademon cried when the blades dug into the circular organ. Not only did the attack rendered the eyeball useless, but it also increased the alien's blind spots. KoriKakumon sprang off X-Vademon's body before the creature could counter.

"LEAF CYCLONE!" Petaldramon shouted. It was his turn to go for one of the eyeballs. The only problem was that he was out in the open he declared his attack. One of X-Vademon's nine eyes saw the leafy lizard. A dozen tentacles shot out of the alien's body and took aim at the Beast of Wood.

"ACID INK!"

X-Vademon didn't realize that a large squid was sitting on top of his disabled eyeball. Calmaramon took aim at a nearby pupil and spewed a gallon of her signature ink. The black, poisonous liquid splashed all over the ultrasensitive organ of vision. Just like last time, the alien unleashed a shriek of pain as Calmaramon's attack burned the creature's eyeball.

"AUTOMIC INFERNO!" Aldamon cried after his cannons got in position and charged up with energy. Finally, the Hybrid Warrior unleashed a rapid barrage of fireballs. All one hundred projectiles darted toward a pupil on the creature's side. X-Vademon tried to protect himself by covering the eyeball with almost fifty percent of his tentacles.

"TECTONIC SLAM!"

Once again, there was another Legendary Warrior hanging around near one of X-Vademon's swollen eyeballs. Gigasmon bend his body backwards and clutched his hands together, interlocking each of the fingers. Next, the Beast of Earth brought both his hands down like a giant sledgehammer. The ogre slammed his fists against one of the alien's pupils, rendering it useless.

"HOWLING STAR!"

From X-Vademon's blind spot, the Beast of Light positioned the blades on his back and crouched down so the wheels on his leg can touch the ground. He then gained a burst of speed and darted toward another one of the creature's unprotected pupil. KendoGarurumon quickly passed by the eyeball before X-Vademon could react. But not before slicing through the organ of vision.

"EBONY BLAST!" ||| "ELECTRON CANNON!"

The Beasts of Thunder and Darkness discharged their projectiles toward a couple more eyeballs. X-Vademon made a crucial mistake when he gathered most of his tentacles to block Aldamon's attacks. That meant he left a couple of his weak points wide open. JagerLowemon's energy attack collided against a pupil on the creature's left side while MetalKabuterimon's electrical shot blasted an eyeball on the right side.

"TAKE THIS, YOU NIT!"

Being the greedy Digimon he is, Sakkakumon fired a barrage of attacks at the four remaining eyeballs. Of course, the pupils captured the Beast of Steel launching a bunch reflected techniques at him. This time, X-Vademon went on the defensive and covered the remaining eyeballs with every tentacle on his body. He could not afford to risk another to the wretched Legendary Warriors.

"Hehe! That boy is a lot smarter than I thought!" Sakkakumon snickered to himself.

*Flashback*

"_Right. Now once we take out enough of his weak points, X-Vademon will change tactics and do whatever he can to protect the rest his eyeballs." Aldamon guessed._

_"And then what, Takuya?" Zephyrmon wondered._

_"Sakkakumon?" The Hybrid turned toward the network of eyeballs._

_"Hmph." The Beast of Steel huffed, still annoyed that he's taking orders from a human._

_"How would you like to take out the remaining eyeballs at once?" Aldamon smirked._

_To everyone's surprise, Sakkakumon replied with the same suit._

_"Go on..." grinned the metallic Digimon._

_"How come he get to do it?" Gigasmon complained._

_"Because he's the only one that CAN do it!" The fiery Digimon responded._

_"Even if he could, how can he hit any of the eyeballs if X-Vademon's protecting them?"_

_"Haven't you all forgotten?" Aldamon laughed. "We're a team! Alone, we can do so much! But together, we can do anything! Come on! Let's fight, not as ten Digimon, but as one team!_"

*End of Flashback*

"ATTACK!" Aldamon shouted from above the alien. Because more than half of his pupils were disabled, X-Vademon had no idea that the other nine Warriors were directly above him.

"EBONY BLAST!" ||| "TITANIC TEMPEST!" ||| "QUAGMIRE TWISTER!" ||| "LEAF CYCLONE!"

The four Digimon unleashed their attacks, cleaving off as many tentacles as they could. Calmaramon and Gigasmon tore through the slimy organs while JagerLowemon and Petaldramon used their projectiles to take out the remaining tentacles they missed.

"BOLO THUNDER!" ||| "LUPINE LASER!" ||| "AVALANCE AXES!" ||| "HURRICANE GALE!"

Meanwhile, the next four Legendary Warriors fired their attacks at the other half of tentacles. MetalKabuterimon's rotating projectile shredded through any of the slimy organs that got in the way. KendoGarurumon tried to outdo his counterpart by blasting as many tentacles as he could. KoriKakumon got in close and chopped of the organs like they were trees. But Zephyrmon kept her distance and attacked from afar.

At last, every single one of X-Vademon's tentacles had been destroyed.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

With all of his eyeballs and tentacles removed, the creature unleashed an intense howl of agony. Never in his life had he felt this much pain before. He collapsed onto the ground, shaking the entire Seraphimoon upon impact. X-Vademon couldn't believe it. Ten Digimon who weren't even at the Mega level defeated him just by working together.

"Now, it's time to finish this!" Aldamon declared. "GET HIM, GUYS!"

"EBONY BLAST!" ||| "LUPINE LASER!"

JagerLowemon and KendoGarurumon fired their signature projectiles from their mouths at the same time. The two attack combined to form a massive beam with the power of light and darkness inside. The projectile collided against X-Vademon's massive body, which sent the defenseless creature straight in the air.

"UP YOU GO!" Calmaramon and MetalKabuterimon shouted as they hoisted Gigasmon and KoriKakumon in the air. The Warriors of Earth and Ice darted passed the flying alien until they were directly above him. Finally, KoriKakumon grabbed Gigasmon's arms and threw him down toward X-Vademon.

"TECTONIC SLAM!"

The ogre Digimon brought his ginormous fists down on the alien's body. With such power, Gigasmon sent the creature back down toward the blue planet. He landed hard on the rocky canvas, creating a crater upon impact. But X-Vademon was so big, only the first half of his body got stuck underneath the surface. As the Mega tried to get out of the hole, the final four Warriors took their position.

"HURRICANE GALE!" ||| "LEAF CYCLONE!"

Zephyrmon and Petaldramon launched their respective tornados at the helpless alien. The both attacks combined into one giant, pinkish cyclone with throwing blades and razor leaves swirling inside the vortex. As the tornado approached X-Vademon, Aldamon and Sakkakumon positioned themselves in front of the cyclone. They exchanged grins before finishing off the enemy.

"SOLAR WIND DESTROYER!"

The Hybrid gathered all of the heat energy around him to create an extremely dense, yet powerful fireball. He then chucked his pyro attack at the Beast of Steel. As for Sakkakumon, he shifted body to get the right eyeball in place. Finally, the metallic Digimon absorbed the ginormous fireball with his large pupil. But instead of launching it back at Aldamon, he changed his target to the cyclone ahead of him.

"SOLAR WIN DESTROYER... REFLECTION!"

Sakkakumon unleashed Aldamon's powerful move with double the energy. The fireball mixed itself with the pinkish tornado. The result was a devastating, fiery cyclone with the combined strengths of the Legendary Warriors. The tornado blasted the alien, scorching his entire body from every conceivable direction. In fact, anything that was in the tornado's path incinerated to nothingness.

"YEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

When the attack subsided, a ring of Fractal Code surrounded the silhouette's body of the nearly lifeless X-Vademon. The Legendary Warriors rejoined one another and observed their defeated opponent. Aldamon stepped forward to finish off the Mega level Digimon.

"Evil Digimon have no chance against the combine powers of the teamwork!" Aldamon said before taking out his D-Tector. "That includes you, X-Vademon!" The scanner of the top of the device lighted up and the symbol of Flame appeared on the screen.

"FRACTAL CODE... DIGITIZE!"

He swung his arm out, absorbing the Fractal Code around X-Vademon's body. When all of the data has been absorbed, the body of the Mega level Digimon also digitized until there was nothing left.

The fight was over. More Fractal Code surrounded the Legendary Warriors. Eight of them returned to their Human Spirit forms. The other two reverted back to their human forms. Takuya faced his girlfriend and smiled. Zoe wrapped her arms around her best friend, overjoyed with their recent win. Afterwards, the two exchanged a quick, loving kiss.

"Nice work, Takky!" Beetlemon complimented.

"Yeah! Way to go!" said Kumamon.

"Not bad." Lobomon smirked.

"Yeah." nodded Lowemon.

"I guess that means it's over, right?" asked Arbormon.

"Victory ours!" Grumblemon cheered.

"Well, I'll be! His plan actually work, don't you agree Mercurymon?" Ranamon giggled.

"Hmph! Thou got lucky, that's all!"

Takuya separated from his beloved and approached the Legendary Warriors. They all stared at the boy, waiting for him to make a speech about how he was right all along. Either that or reminding them how their teamwork made the difference. But he didn't do any of that.

He just said one thing that almost made time stop.

"If anyone else wants to be the leader, speak up now."

Again, the other eight Legendary Warriors gave each other blank stares. After all that fighting and finally defeating X-Vademon, this young man kept true to his word and put his role as leader up for anyone who's willing to take it. For a whole minute, nobody said a word.

Then, the first Warrior stepped up.

"What are you talking about, Takuya? _You_ are our leader." Kumamon confirmed.

"I agree. There's not a single Digimon here that can do what you had just did." concurred Lowemon. Lobomon also nodded.

"You are more qualified to be a leader than anyone of us, especially this guy." Beetlemon laughed, pointing a finger at the metallic Digimon.

"Grumblemon never had such fun before." said the Warrior of Earth.

"Don't fix what ain't broken, right?" Arbormon also pitched in.

"I got to admit, Sugar. I underestimated you." Ranamon giggled.

The others then turned toward the Warrior of Steel, who had his arms crossed and his attention away from the boy.

"Well, Mercurymon? It's all yours if you want it." Takuya stared at the facial mirror.

"Hmph. Don't mock me, boy. Thou must know I despise taking orders lowly human like thyself."

The goggle-head was about to object, when the Warrior of Steel continued.

"However... I must congratulate thee for a job well done exterminating that lousy excuse of an alien. Thou has clearly demonstrated superior skills. Therefore, I will relinquish the role of leader to thee."

"Well, what do you know? Mercurymon's being humble. You don't see that every day." snickered Ranamon.

"But beware, young man. If thou decisions cost the lives of any of the Legendary Warriors, then thou will be properly dealt with by me." threatened the metallic Digimon.

"Not if I get there first, right?" Arbormon joined in.

"Well, Takuya? Is there anything you would like to say?" Zoe asked.

"I can only think of one thing... Thanks everyone." The goggle-head nodded. "I know we all had a rough start when we started this mission. But the most important thing is that you are all safe, and we're finally together again."

"Cut speech already." complained Grumblemon. "Can we go now?"

"Okay, fine." The Bearer of Flame groaned. "Jeez, I become the leader once again and the first thing I hear is complainin..."

"TAKUYA! A LITTLE HELP HERE, PLEASE?" The voice of Bokomon shouted.

The humans and eight other Warriors turned and saw a pair of Rookies trying to open the steel cage Patamon was trapped in so they can set him free. Neemon tried bashing the metal bars with some rocks while Bokomon consoled his baby. Takuya and the others hurried as fast as they could toward the other Digimon. By the time they had arrived, Neemon was already on his butt, feeling incredibly exhausted.

"Hang on, Patamon. We'll get you out." said Takuya before shifting his attention to the Warrior of Light. "Lobomon, do you think you can break the bars?"

"Piece of cake." The humanoid wolf responded, taking out a single light sword.

All it took was a couple swing of his weapon. The energy blade sliced through the steel bars like a hot knife cutting butter. The Warrior of Light created an opening large enough for the Celestial Rookie to fly though. Once he was finally outside the cage, his eyes were filled with tears of happiness.

"MAMA!" Patamon cried as he flew toward Bokomon.

"MY BABY!" The other Rookie sobbed. Patamon flew in his surrogate mother's arms. The flood gates opened for Bokomon as he wrapped his baby in a warm embrace.

"Hey, what about me? I helped too!" Neemon objected. But apparently, no one paid attention to him.

"Mama?" Arbormon scratched his head.

"Baby?" Ranamon also wondered.

"It's a long story." replied Zoe.

A whole minute has passed, yet Bokomon and Patamon kept their arms around each other. When Beetlemon cleared his throat, that's when the embracing had stopped.

"How are you feeling, my boy? Did that nasty alien hurt you?"

"I'm okay, Mama. Really.''

"Are you sure? Did you get an owie? Or a boo-boo? Or..."

"Relax, Bokomon. Patamon said he's fine." Kumamon said.

"Well, now that everyone's _fine_, let's get out of here already. I have had enough of this place." said Mercurymon.

"I guess, you're right." Takuya agreed. "We came here to the Seraphimoon to rescue Patamon. And that's exactly what we did. Now that he's free, come on everyone. Let's head back to the space shutt so we could..."

"Wait! What about the others?" Patamon exclaimed.

"Others? What others?" Lowemon asked.

"My friends!" The Rookie answered with a worried look on his face.

"Patamon, are you saying that the other Celestial Digimon are captured too?"

"Yes! The last thing I remember was that some evil Digimon took them to the other moons after leaving me behind on this one!"

"Do you have any idea who did this to you, my boy?" Bokomon asked. But sadly, Patamon shook his head.

"Sorry, Mama. I do not."

"Hmm... I think I know who's behind all this." The goggle-head stepped forward.

"What are you talking about, Takuya?" His girlfriend asked.

"Look." The Bearer of Flame said, pointing toward the spot where X-Vademon had fallen.

Just outside the circular depression was a blackish orb surging with energy. Takuya knew what it was. Zoe knew what it was. Bokomon and Neemon knew what it was. Even the Legendary Warriors knew what it was. The dark device radiated some kind of evil energy. But moments later, the energy inside the orb depleted to zero. When that happened, the black circular object burst into pieces.

"Don't tell me." growled Lobomon.

"Was that..." Kumamon gulped.

"... a Chaos Sphere?" Beetlemon finished.

"I bet that was. This could only mean one thing... Malevomon." grumbled the goggle-head.

"Oh no. It can't be." Zoe gasped.

"How's that possible, Takuya? You've defeated Malevomon already! Not only that, the Chaos Spheres' powers were also gone!" asked Bokomon.

"It could be Malevomon behind all this. Or maybe someone associated with that jerk. But whoever this evil Digimon is, he's got the other two Celestial Digimon captured. So it is up to us to save them. WHO'S WITH ME?"

"YEAH!" Everyone in the group yelled, including Patamon.

"THEN, BACK TO THE SPACE SHUTTLE!"

Takuya took the lead. He and his friends rushed as fast as they could to their original landing spot. It took them a few minutes to get there, but neither Digimon nor human stopped for a break. Moments later, the space shuttle they took to get to the Seraphimoon came into view. A star-shaped Digimon was outside, finishing up the last minute repairs.

"MegaStarmon!" Takuya shouted and waved toward the pilot. His voice was loud enough to capture the creature's attention.

"You have returned, my friends! I take it the mission was successful!"

"Yes, we got Patamon back!" Bokomon replied.

"Excellent! I shall set coordinates to the Digital World! Eldestmon will be pleased when he finds out the Legendary Warriors have once again..."

"Change of plans, MegaStarmon! We need you to take us to that moon over there!" Takuya requested as he pointed toward the red planet.

"What? The Cherubimoon? Sorry, my boy! No can do! The DF-4000 only has enough fuel to take you all back to the Digital World! If we fly to the Cherubimoon with the fuel we have left, there's no way we can get home!" The pilot argued.

But Takuya shook his head.

"It doesn't matter! Patamon said that the other two Celestial Digimon were taken to the other planets! We gotta head over there and find our friends before something terrible happens!"

"Please, MegaStarmon?" Zoe also requested.

"Well..." That's when the pilot's eyes met Patamon's. He sensed the Rookie's desperation and desire to save his friends. And as protocol and common sense told him not to, MegaStarmon knew what must be done. "... Alright, everybody inside now!"

The entire group didn't have to be told twice. One by one, they entered the spacecraft and returned to their seats. As the Legendary Warriors and humans buckled up, MegaStarmon turned on a few switches to activate the spacecraft's controls. It took almost a minute for the shuttle to ignite. Loud whistles and screeches echoed throughout the area.

"Fasten your seatbelts, everyone! Next stop, the Cherubimoon!" said MegaStarmon.

"Oh boy. Here we go again." complained Neemon.

"Hang on tight, Patamon. This could get ugly." said Bokomon.

That was the understatement of the century. High-pressure gas ejected out of the boosters, lifting the space shuttle off of the ground. The takeoff was a success. But as MegaStarmon set course for the red moon, Takuya and Zoe could only imagine what kind of evil awaits for them when they arrived. If there's a Digimon as strong as X-Vademon on the Cherubimoon, who knows if they have enough strength to defeat it?

* * *

><p>*crack, crack*<p>

The crackling noise echoed throughout the Containment Room. The female Digimon crawled on all fours and faced the stasis tube with the egg inside. More signs of life started to show as the black Digi-Egg started to glow, temporarily blinding the third-in-command. Beautymon watched as a Digievolution occurred before her eyes.

Moments later, the light subsided. The Digi-Egg was gone. An infant creature awoke inside the stasis tube. It was blackish ghost with a gray underbelly and a red 'M' on his forehead. His small eyes made him look as innocent as a baby. Too bad his mouth hasn't fully developed yet, just being no more than an inch long with a couple of teeth.

Ironically, Beautymon has already fallen in love with this new creature.

"AW! IT'S SO CUTE!" She shrieked. The Baby level Digimon gazed at the female's eyes and smiled.

"Ma... Mala..." The creature gasped. "Malamon!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Malamon**

**Level: Baby**

**Attacks: Dark Bubble; Hypno Sing**

**Description: Be careful. Malamon may look cute and harmless, but no one knows what's going on inside that mischievous mind of his. Whether it's creating havoc or destroying things with his Dark Bubble, this Baby Digimon is always around when trouble's nearby.**

Beautymon reached out toward the infant creature, wanting to pet it or brush her delicate fingers against his cheeks. Who would've thought that the former third-in-command of the Digimon Battlefront has a soft side for the young monster? The ghost-like creature looked at the olive haired warrior and floated toward her direction.

That is, until his face smacked against the glass of the tube. However, this Digimon couldn't comprehend that he was a prisoner. He gazed at Beautymon with his cute eyes, telling her how much pain he is in. The olive haired warrior placed a hand over her mouth when he heard the ghost whimpering. Something told her she had to do something to make this poor Digimon feel better.

Sadly, Beautymon has forgotten the identity of this creature. With not much energy left, she took aim at the stasis tube. After charging up, Beautymon unleashed her signature attack toward the central contraption of the Containment Room.

*CRCK*

She smiled when her Beautiful Beam nailed the sweet spot of the tube. The sound of glass breaking bounced throughout the chamber. The liquid substance poured out of the tube and spilled on the floor. But the infant Digimon was finally free. So relieved to be out of that treacherous prison, Malamon floated toward his rescuer.

"That old geyser. How can he do such a terrible thing to a poor, helpless Digimon like you?" Beautymon asked as the ghost-like creature approached her cell. Malamon gave the female warrior the biggest smile it can muster. It's like his own way thanking her, since he's speech hasn't developed yet.

"Well, aren't you adorable?"

Beautymon then started poking all of the creature's features. She touched his belly and his back with her index finger. The olive haired beauty trailed a circle on Malamon's head. Like a baby enjoying the treatment provided by his mother, this tiny Digimon loved the way the female warrior caressed his body.

That's when Beautymon slowly made her way toward the creature's mouth, which made Malamon smirk.

*chomp*

"YEOW!" shrieked Beautymon.

She was caught off guard when the young Digimon bit her finger. Beautymon pulled her digit out of Malamon's mouth and gave it a small wag. The sting only lasted for a few seconds. But then again, this mischievous creature had the gull to bite her delicate finger. Even though his teeth didn't penetrate her skin, Beautymon saw the marks and a little bit of saliva on her digit.

"WHY YOU..."

Malamon continued laughed like he's being tickled. The third-in-command stared at the young Digimon who had bit her finger. She wanted to blast the infant right in the face for his rude behavior. Nobody attacks her like that and gets away with it. It didn't matter how young this poor Digimon was. He needed to be taught a lesson.

Beautymon aimed her hands at the defenseless creature.

However, before she could obliterate Malamon, the Baby level Digimon flew into the warrior's arms and rubbed his cheeks against her developed chest. He smiled at the shocked Beautymon. It was unclear to her that this creature was aware of what he was doing. However, one thing is for certain: she could not bring herself to destroy this Digimon.

"You are just full of surprises, aren't you?" Beautymon removed the youngster off of her breasts and held him up high.

"What am I supposed to do with you? I should destroy you right now. It won't be long before you become that Digimon everybody hates. And yet, for some reason, something is telling me that I should keep you alive."

The baby titled his head sideways in confusion.

"Alright, listen to me you little runt. I have no idea if you understand what I'm saying. So, we'll keep it nice and simple; blink once for 'yes', blink twice for 'no'. Got it?"

Malamon shut and open the eyes quickly one time.

"Should I destroy you or not?"

This time, the creature blinked two times.

"Do you have any idea why I'm locked in this wretched place?"

Again, twice.

"Well, let me tell you! I'm here because of something I didn't do! I just don't understand! I wanted to give my Cutie something very personal to me; something that I would never give to anyone else but him! I was about to make him a man! And, what happened? That stupid monstrosity barged into my room and kicked me in the face! That rotten thief! Blonde was the one who attacked me and stole what was rightfully mine! She should be the one behind bars! Not me! I was innocent in all of this!"

Beautymon then looked back at the infant. "You believe me, right?"

On the other hand, Malamon had something else on his mind. His eyes caught the hundreds of petals scattered on the floor. He leaped out of Beautymon's arms and began to devour colorful flower parts. The infant loved the taste of the petals. He continued to eat to satisfy his hunger.

"Wow. I must be going insane. I'm having a conversation with the creep that almost took over the Digital World. You know... I can never forgive you for everything that you've done all this time. Nothing would make me happier than to blast you into smithereens right now." Beautymon threatened. Again, she aimed a charging hand at the Baby level creature, hoping that would intimidate the infant.

Malamon stopped eating and smirked at Beautymon who was ready to attack. The grin on his face told the female Digimon two things. First of all, he wasn't intimidated by Beautymon's actions. Secondly, the creature knew that she wasn't going to obliterate him. This female warrior can pour all kinds of threats on the young Digimon, and he wouldn't be afraid.

"But you know something?" Beautymon dropped her hand and embraced the young creature. "My intuition tells me that you could help me get my life back. So, how about this? Since I freed you from your prison, you will help give me the two things I want the most: For Cutie to be all mine, and for that stupid Blondie to never, EVER see the light of day again! What do you say, little guy? Care to help a poor, defenseless, innocent and _beautiful_ Digimon like me?"

Poor Beautymon didn't realize that seeds of wickedness has already been planted in her heart. But she didn't care. The olive haired Digimon had already reached rock bottom. She couldn't bear to see that teenage blonde cuddle in her Cutie's arms any longer. Something had to be done. Either she takes back what's rightfully hers, or so help anyone that dare stand in her way.

Moments later, Malamon's body began to glow once again. But Beautymon did not look away. She watched this young creature Digivolve to the In-Training stage. When the light subsided, a small and round Digimon appeared. He had a gray body with silver horns on his head. This creature also wore a black hood that barley covered his crimson eyes.

The In-Training Digimon met Beautymon's eyes and smirked.

"You sure drive a hard bargain, lady!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter sixty-two. <strong>

**Now that Patamon's been rescued, can our heroes find the other two Celestial Digimon? What kind of evil creatures will they encounter on the Cherubimoon? And has Beautymon formed with an alliance with this mischievous Digimon? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	63. Double Trouble

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**X-Vademon had no problems beating the pants out of the Legendary Warriors, although it was ten on one. They were too busy fighting and arguing with each other. Aldamon had enough and reminded the group who they were and why they're here. Thanks to him, X-Vademon was finally defeated. The Legendary Warriors rescued Patamon, who told the others that his friends were captured on the other planets. While things are getting interesting up in space, the same thing could be said in the Digital World. It looks like Beautymon has a new friend. Is this a good thing? Probably not.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter sixty-three!**

* * *

><p><strong>Double Trouble<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"WHOOOOOOOOOOA!" Every Digimon in the rocket screamed as MegaStarmon brought the DF-4000 down for landing.

Apparently, it was a repeat of the touchdown back at the Seraphimoon.

"Fasten your seat belts and hang on tight, everyone! This is going to be one rough landing!" The pilot shouted.

"ROUGH?" The Legendary Warriors gasped.

As the spacecraft approached the red moon, the compartment that encased the wheels extended to its original position. It wasn't long before the wheels came out of the hatches and touched the ground. The friction of the tires scrapping the rough surface of the Cherubimoon produced a screeching sound so loud, it's possible that everyone else in the Digital World could hear it. After a few yards of scrapping the terrain, the space shuttle came to a complete stop.

"Here we are, my friends! We have arrived at the Cherubimoon!" The Mega level Digimon announced after completing the landing. "How's everyone doing... oh."

The pilot turned to check how his passengers were doing. But what he saw sort of surprised him.

Almost half of Legendary Warriors were out of their seats. A couple of them were on the floor with dazed looks on their faces as if they were seeing stars. While the humans and a few Digimon remained in their seats, most of them weren't sitting in the correct position. As for the Rookies in the front row, they were dizzy like the passengers in the back.

"Ugh... what happened? Where are we?" The Warrior of Steel was the first Digimon to wake up. He tried to stand up, but was unable to because another Legendary Warrior was resting on his lap. The aquatic Digimon had her arms and legs elevated. Unfortunately, she was dizzy like everyone else.

"Hey y'all! Are all my adoring fans excited to see me?" The spacey Legendary Warrior spoke.

"BAH! GET OFF ME, THY OVERWEIGHT OAF!"

The metallic Digimon bucked his hips upward and sent the Warrior of Water up toward the ceiling. The impact brought Ranamon back to reality. When the aquatic Digimon landed on her respective seat, she glowered into the metallic Warrior's facial mirror. From the look in her eyes, she had either figured out who sent her flying or remembered what Mercurymon had called her.

"Who you calling 'overweight', metal head? How dare you say such horrible things to me?" Ranamon complained.

"Hmph! I have no problem repeating myself, thy annoying little wretch!"

"Mercurymon, how about I shut that fat mouth of yours up for good? How does that sound?"

"Oh, shut it woman." Mercurymon huffed.

On the ground, Grumblemon had already regained consciousness. The wild ride to the Cherubimoon sent the Warrior of Earth flying out of his seat and onto the floor of the space shuttle. But when the gnome-like Digimon tried to stand up, he realized that someone was already was sitting on him. Grumblemon tried to remove the wooden android off of his body, but to no avail.

"Do mind you? With you on me can't breathe!" The Warrior of Earth groaned.

"After the star show is over, right?" said the groggy Arbormon.

"Seriously, Arbormon! Get off! Me can't breathe with you sitting on me!"

"You know what I always say, your problem ain't my problem, right?"

The Bearer of Flame was the next one to open his eyes. He looked toward the passenger sitting next to him to make sure she was okay. While Zoe looked like she was still in a daze, at least she wasn't unconscious. The blonde haired girl shook the dizziness out of her head before facing Takuya. She saw the concerned look on his face. Zoe then gave her beloved goggle-head her signature smile, letting him know that she was fine.

"Hey." The young woman beamed.

"You alright, Z?" The goggle-head asked. The blonde nodded.

"A little airsick, but not to worry, Takuya. I'm okay." Zoe confirmed.

"That's good." He said, placing a hand on top of hers. The leader of the group turned around to check on the others.

"Is everyone okay back there?"

"Define _okay_." The Warrior of Light complained.

"Hey, MegaStarmon! Who taught you how to fly?" Beetlemon shook his fist at the pilot.

"My apologies, everyone! I promise to make the landing a little smoother next time."

"Next time... yeah, right." The Warrior of Darkness said with a mild amount of sarcasm.

"Cut it out, you guys. At least we made it to the Cherubimoon in one piece." defended Kumamon.

Meanwhile, in the front of the spacecraft, Neemon was sitting in the upside-down position. His feet faced the ceiling while his head rested on the ground. As for Bokomon, he was able to remain upright. He also had Patamon in a tight embrace. It's like his arms acted as a seatbelt for his baby. Once Bokomon came to, he checked on the Celestial Digimon, who appeared to be knocked out.

"Patamon? Oh, Patamon! Speak to me!" The surrogate mother begged. It took a while for the young Digimon to open his eyes. Patamon then showed the worried Rookie the biggest smile he's ever seen.

"WOO! THAT WAS FUN! LET'S GO AGAIN! LET'S GO AGAIN!" The cheerful Digimon replied.

"Ooh... Not again..." said the nauseated Neemon.

As Bokomon tried to calm down the young Digimon, Takuya got out of his seat and made his way toward the flight deck. On the pass, he saw Bokomon tossing Patamon up and down. Just hearing the Celestial Rookie roaring with laughter made the goggle-head smile. Of course, Neemon ruined the mood when he stuffed his head into another brown paper bag. Nevertheless, Takuya made it to the front and saw the pilot playing with the spacecraft's controls.

"Any news, MegaStarmon?" The Bearer of Flame asked.

"The DF-4000 has less than forty percent of fuel remaining. If we're lucky, that should be enough to get you all back home." The Mega replied.

"What sort of juice does this ship take? Maybe we can find something here." Takuya suggested.

"Negative. The DF-4000 runs on liquidize Digitonium, only found in the Digital World. I'll try contacting the Astro Dome to see if they can send another tanker for us. But the chances of that happening are slim."

"Great. Just great."

"In the meantime, shall I come with you for assistance?" MegaStarmon asked. But the goggle-head shook his head.

"You stay here and guard the space shuttle. It's our only ticket out of here."

"As you wish. Best of luck to you and the rest of the Legendary Warriors." The pilot said. He then pushed the button that opened the airlock doors.

"Come on, everyone! Let's get moving!" Takuya said to the others.

One by one, the passengers got up from their seats and exited the spacecraft. Bokomon and Neemon were the last to leave ship. When every Digimon and human were present and accounted for, they all took the time to gauge their surroundings. It was pretty much the same thing as the Seraphimoon. The planet was filled with massive boulders, deep craters and strange mountain formations. The only difference between the Cherubimoon and the Seraphimoon was that the color of the planet.

"Well, Takuya? Where do we start?" Zoe asked.

"I'm not sure. I don't have the slightest clue where to look first." The goggle-head shrugged.

"Wait, I do!" Patamon flapped his wings and flew from Bokomon's arms to Takuya's face.

"Really? Where Patamon?"

'It's this way! Follow me!" The young Digimon said cheerfully and confidently. Before anyone could object, the Rookie was already on his way.

"Patamon, wait up!" Bokomon cried before following his baby.

"Don't leave me behind!" Neemon shouted.

"Guys?" Kumamon yelled to the other Rookies.

"And, they're off..." Lobomon sighed.

"You sure he knows where he's going?" Lowemon asked.

"I don't know about y'all, but I don't think it's a good idea to follow him."

"What are you saying, Ranamon? Patamon's our friend. Besides, he's a Celestial Digimon. I bet he has some kind of connection with the others as well." defended the Bearer of Wind.

"I'm not too comfortable having the little runt lead the way, right?" Arbormon groaned.

"Alas, I have the suspicious feeling there's a trap waiting for us when we get there." argued Mercurymon.

"Maybe. But so far, it's the only lead we have. So, we're going to follow Patamon and hope that he's taking us in the right direction." The leader of the group decided.

With his choice made, the other Legendary Warriors agreed and hurried as fast as they could to catch up to the three Rookies.

It was awfully quiet on the Cherubimoon. So quiet, it's even possible to hear a pebble rolling down a slope. Nobody liked the quiet, especially in a place like this. If Takuya and Zoe learned anything about this strange dimension, it's to never trust the silence. The humans and the rest of their friends kept their eyes open for any evil Digimon ready to attack. Even in a peaceful environment like the Cherubimoon, danger was always potentially afoot. Thankfully, there wasn't any sign of life on the red planet.

"_Ninety-nine bottles of pop on the wall,  
>Ninety-nine bottles of pop!<em> _  
>Take one down, pass it around,<br>Ninety-eight bottles of... _OW!"

"Please stop!" Bokomon said to Neemon after bopping him on the head with his book.

"Oh Neemon." Zoe stifled a giggle. Even Patamon couldn't help but laugh at the poor rabbit's misfortune.

"Are we there yet?" Ranamon asked.

"I think so!" Patamon looked at the Warrior of Water behind him and smiled.

"Ugh, can thoust travel any faster? This speed bores me." Mercurymon complained.

"Of course! Here I go, everybody! Watch me fly at the speed of light!" The Celestial Rookie declared. He flapped his wings harder and at a faster rate at the metallic creature's request. And by thrusting his body forward, Patamon felt himself picking up speed.

Too bad his acceleration was still a leisure pace for the Digimon in the back.

"This no speed of light." Grumblemon smacked his forehead.

"I hate to see what the kid go at the speed of molasses, right?" Arbormon complained.

"Patamon, my boy? I believe we'll go much faster if I carry you instead." Bokomon suggested.

"That's okay, Mama! I got this! Bet you can't catch me! Watch me go, go, go!" The Celestial Digimon giggled. Even though his surrogate mother was within reach of Patamon, Bokomon kept his hands to himself.

"If this keeps up, I'll die of old age by the time we reach our destination." said Lobomon.

"Stop it. Your whining is giving me a headache." Beetlemon said to the Warrior of Light.

"Who asked you?" Lowemon growled at the humanoid insect.

"Knock it off, you guys. Now's not the time for fighting." The polar bear reminded the other Legendary Warriors.

"Kumamon's right. We'll get there." Zoe agreed.

"Yeah. Let's just keep moving and be on the lookout for any potential threats." said Takuya.

And so, the entire group continued their journey. As they ventured deep into the unknown parts of the Cherubimoon, the view of outer space slowly became more and more spectacular. Thousands of stars sprinkled the black sky. On the left side a yellow moon, about the size of a cantaloupe from their point of view. On the right was the Seraphimoon with the marvelous Digital World peeping behind. Again, silence filled the area.

Until...

"UGH!" The Celestial Rookie fidgeted before falling into Bokomon's arms.

"Patamon, what's wrong?" His surrogate mother asked.

"Screams! I can hear someone crying!"

"What do you mean?" Zoe patted the Rookie's head.

"He's in pain! I can sense it! This way!" Suddenly, Patamon flew out of Bokomon's arms and towards the unknown parts of the Cherubimoon.

"Hey! Wait for us!" Takuya shouted, rushing after the worried Rookie.

For the first time, the winged Digimon kicked it up into high gear. The humans and Legendary Warriors had to sprint in order to catch up with the worried Rookie. Patamon had a feeling someone is in trouble; specifically one of his friends. He couldn't help but wonder if the other Celestial Digimon were alright. But as the seconds passed, the screams of agony grew louder.

Finally, two different kinds of Digimon appeared before the group. The first one was a brown rabbit with three short horns on his head and pink bands at the end of his long ears, neck, wrists and ankles. The poor Digimon was trapped in a clear bubble, crying and writhing in pain. That's because there was a sorceress outside radiating greenish lightning spells on her captive. The pale skinned witch had a pharaoh-typed headdress, long crimson robes and sharp nails that made this creature as nasty as a witch.

"YEEEOOOOOWWWWWWW!" The poor brown rabbit cried.

"Hahahahaha!" The evil Digimon laughed as she continued torturing the Rookie.

"A humming bird's wing and eyes from an eel,  
>Go on, little one! I love to hear you squeal!"<p>

"LOPMON!" Patamon shouted toward his friend.

"Hey! Stop it!" The Bearer of Wind hollered.

"Let him go!" Takuya shouted toward the witch. The sorceress ceased her lightning spell and hissed at the humans and Legendary Warriors.

"Ooh! Legs of a spider and head of toad,  
>Now, what do my two eyes behold?"<p>

"Come on, Patamon! Let's get out of here!" Bokomon said, dragging the Rookie and his partner to safety so they wouldn't get in the way for the next fight. They hid inside a crater that's a good distance apart from the others.

"Who are you? And what have you done to our friend, Lopmon?" growled Zoe.

"I was wondering when you would show,  
>Took way too long, but now you will know,<br>I am more than the master's faithful pawn,  
>But you can call me... Hexamon!"<p>

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Hexamon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Eldritch Blast, Spirit Summoning**

**Description: Do not underestimate the mystic powers of Hexamon. Her magical abilities allow her to generate and manipulate any kind of element and energy at will. She's can also summon creatures from other dimensions. Try not to get hit with her Eldritch Blast. Who knows what might happen?**

"She must be one of Malevomon's cronies!" Kumamon thought.

"That's not good news." said Lowemon.

"I'm going to say this one more time! Release our friend, now!" Takuya ordered.

"Hmm, humans come with high demands,  
>But tonight, you will be destroyed by my hands!"<p>

"I hate to break it to you, lady! But how can you defeat all ten of us at the same time? We have you outnumbered!" Beetlemon reminded the sorceress.

"I suggest you give up now to save yourself the humiliation!" Lobomon suggested.

"Agreed! Thou must be foolish to think thy have a slim chance against thy fellow comedy of errors!" Mercurymon snickered.

"You know? It really hurts to listen to you sometimes!" Ranamon groaned after hearing the Warrior of Steel's failed attempt of an insult.

"Enough talk! Let's take her, right?" Arbormon said, dying to get back into action.

"Yeah! Ten vs. one? Them odds me like!" Grumblemon said, pulling out his sledgehammer. The other Legendary Warriors dropped in their stance and were ready to battle.

But Hexamon just sighed. She raised her hands to the sky and wiggled her fingers, like she's conjuring up some kind of spell.

"The odds are overwhelming, that I can see,  
>But soon, you weaklings will fall to me!<br>I call upon the spirits of evil and appall!  
>Give me the power to the destroy them all!"<p>

Suddenly, the whole Cherubimoon began to shake. The Legendary Warriors tried to keep their balance, regardless how rough the moonquakes were. Meanwhile, green electricity gathered and surged from the sorceress's hands. The malicious look on her face told the Warriors and humans they will perish here on the red planet; all alone so no one could hear them scream.

Suddenly...

"SPIRIT SUMMONING!"

The electricity on her hands started to glow with white lights. It was so bright, the Legendary Warriors had to cover their eyes so they wouldn't go blind. Too bad they couldn't see what was happening on the other side. Behind Hexamon, a dimensional rift appeared, acting as an opening for whoever was on the other side. The enchantress then pointed toward the Warriors. As a result, ten more creatures entered through the rift and stepped onto the battlefield.

When the Takuya, Zoe and their friends finally saw their opponents, they were more than shocked. Ten Legendary Warriors that looked exactly like them appeared out of the dimensional rift. Each one of them looked precisely like the original. Even though their colors were a bit different, there was only one thing these ten Legendary Replicas shared: the evil grins on their faces.

"No way!" grunted Beetlemon.

"Are those... us?" Kumamon gulped.

"This can't be!" gasped Ranamon.

"I have one of those things called 'a bad feeling' about this, right?" Arbormon added his input.

"Pff, so what? Thou thinkest a doppelganger of myself would terrorize us?" Mercurymon held his ground.

"He's right!" Lobomon chuckled. "We're the originals! Those wannabes aren't so tough!"

The Warrior of Light wished he took those words back. In one second, his clone had left his original position and was finally in Lobomon's face. The humanoid wolf tried to get his defenses up, but he was too late. The evil Lobomon kicked his duplicate in the stomach, sending him flying into another boulder. Of course, he wanted to have fun with him instead of destroying the others. The malicious Warrior took out one of his light swords and sprinted toward the original.

But the fight has already started. The evil Digimon went after their originals and took the fight to another part of the Cherubimoon. After all the commotion, only Takuya and Zoe were left to face the evil Agunimon, Kazemon and the witch who summoned them. The humans had their D-Tectors in hand, ready to defend themselves and fight their evil doppelgangers.

"What's the point in all of this, Hexamon? How come you're letting us fight clones of ourselves? Why aren't you fighting us, huh? Not strong enough?" Takuya growled.

"Of course, my boy! I'd like to have fun,  
>But you'll all be destroyed by the time they're done!<br>For there is a saying that's has truth and severity,  
>And goes like this, 'You are your own worst enemy!"<p>

The sorceress then pointed towards the humans, ordering the evil Agunimon and Kazemon to attack the Bearers of Flame and Wind. But Takuya and Zoe remained in their spot, determined not to leave each other behind, even though the other Legendary Warriors were busy dealing with their own duplicate. The goggle-head faced his beloved and grinned.

"Don't worry, Zoe! You're fast and strong! There's no way some copy of you can beat the original!" The Bearer of Flame nodded.

"Same to you, Takuya! It doesn't matter who you're fighting! Because I know you will come out on top in the end." The Bearer of Wind smiled.

The exchanged of words was enough to build their beloved's confidence up. No matter what kind of evil stood in their way, they will defeat them together. As for the evil Warriors of Flame and Wind, they were determined to annihilate the humans that stood before them. Nothing will make their mistress happier. Hexamon used her magical powers to create a throne made of rocks and boulders scattered throughout the Cherubimoon. She sat next to the imprisoned Lopmon, who was very weak after taking the sorceress's torturous attack. Hexamon smirk grew, knowing very well she's going to enjoy the show.

"EXECUTE! SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

* * *

><p>Mercurymon's fell on the ground after his counterpart elbowed him in the stomach. The evil Warrior of Steel looked just like him. But instead of green, his metallic armor was teal and his mirrors were black instead of the traditional color. Still, Mercurymon could still see the malicious grin on the doppelganger's face. The evil Digimon planned to break this Legendary Warrior bit by bit.<p>

But the real Mercurymon wasn't going to let that happen.

"DARK REFLECTION!" The metallic Digimon shouted, firing a pair of green beams from his mirror shields.

Unfortunately, his duplicate saw the attack coming from a mile away. He held his set of mirror shields up to absorb the attack. However, the real Mercurymon wasn't surprised. If this Digimon really was a copy of him, then he would defend himself the same way the original would. After giving the Legendary Warrior a cocky grin, he aimed his shields at the real Mercurymon.

"Prepare thyself for the more powerful version, thy imposter!" The evil Warrior smirked. "DARK RELECTION!"

The doppelganger unleashed a couple of teal lasers at the real Warrior of Steel. Mercurymon sighed with annoyance. He knew that this will result in a never ending cycle. After he absorbed his opponent's attack, he'll send it back to the metallic fake. Still, he had to protect himself. The Warrior of Steel held his mirror shields up, ready to absorb and reflect the beams at the evil duplicate.

What he didn't see was the teal Warrior widening his smirk.

While the lasers did hit Mercurymon's mirror shields, the metallic Digimon wasn't able to absorb the attack. It was too powerful for him to control. The beam knocked the Warrior of Steel off his feet and sent him tumbling on the canvas. As the real Mercurymon struggled to return to his feet, the evil imposter chuckled at his opponent's misfortunes.

"Hahahaha! It takes not a genius to see the weakest of the two of us is thee!"

"Don't get cocky with me, thy phony!"

"Phony? Ha! Don't make me laugh! Surely thou must agree, that the strongest is the original! Thou cannot defeat me!"

"We'll see about that! DARK REFLECTION!"

Again, the Warrior of Steel discharged another pair of beams at his opponent. The evil Mercurymon held his defenses in front of him and easily absorbed the attack. The doppelganger was ready to unleash his powerful version of the Dark Reflection at the original and destroy him for good, when the Legendary Warrior snapped his fingers and disappeared from sight.

The evil Digimon dropped his arms to the side to scan his surroundings for his opponent. He's well aware that Mercurymon could teleport himself from one side of the battlefield to the other. Normally, this would cause others to panic and frantically search for the metallic Digimon. In the meantime, Mercurymon could stalk Hexamon's servant and strike when they least expect it.

But judging from the smile on the duplicate's face, he knew exactly where the original was hiding.

"Dark Reflection!" The teal Warrior murmured. He supinated his forearm until his shields were aimed at his backside. Suddenly, the evil Digimon launched his lasers without even looking.

"UGH!" Someone grunted, which made the doppelganger chuckle.

Sure enough, the metallic fake was correct with his predictions. The teal beams nailed Mercurymon in the chest and sent him crashing into a nearby boulder, almost shattering it into pieces upon impact. The Legendary Warrior fell to the ground, almost knocked in a daze. As the Digimon of Steel recovered from the powerful twin laser attack, his evil counterpart marched toward his helpless opponent, still with that cocky grin on his face.

"Thou shall understand it is pointless to defeat me! I know thy every move and everything thou is thinking of! In other words, thy fate was sealed the moment I challenged thee!"

l - l

Elsewhere, Ranamon was on her hands and knees, panting heavily. As the Warrior of Water tried to catch her breath, her evil counterpart approached with a wicked grin on her face. This Digimon possessed almost every characteristic the original Legendary Warrior has, from height to her southern belle accent. The only difference was her color. She was as green as a poisonous pond.

"Come now, Sugar! Is that the best you got?" The evil Warrior giggled.

"Can it, faker!" Ranamon gnarled.

"Faker? You honestly believe that, Hon? I'll have you know that you're on your knees while I'm ready to annihilate you!"

"We'll see about that! DRAINING RAIN!"

The aquatic Digimon raised her arms to the sky to create a grayish cloud above the enemy. Suddenly, gallons of blue water fell out of the cloud and on top of the duplicate. Ranamon kept her arms in the same position, using her energy to increase the water flow and power of her attack. From the angry look in her eyes, she's determined to drown the fake Warrior of Water standing before her. Finally, Ranamon ceased her attack to check if the imposter was still alive.

Sure enough, she was.

"Not very impressive, you little water log!" The evil Warrior of Water shook her head with disappointment.

"This can't be! How are you still standing?" gasped the original.

"Simple, Honey! Your pathetic attacks have no effect on me! You're as weak as the other Legendary Warriors... probably the weakest out of all of them!"

"Weak? Watch who you're calling weak, you little brat! I can kick your scrawny butt all the way to the other side of the Digital World!"

"Hmph! In your dreams, Sugar! If I were to lose to a weakling like you, I don't think I can live with myself!"

"Shut up! I'm tired of listen to you talk!"

"Can't really blame you! Everyone here hates the sound of your voice!"

"I SAID, ZIP IT!"

That was the last straw. Ranamon formed another cloud above her opponent's head and commanded the water inside to pour on top of the doppelganger. This time, she doubled the energy and amount of water used for her attack. But the evil Warrior remained unfazed. No matter how much water the original Legendary Warrior poured on her, it wasn't enough to get her on her knees. Inside the downpour of water, the evil Digimon smirked. Moments later, Ranamon ran out of energy, forcing her to cancel her attack.

It was her doppelganger's turn to have fun.

"DRAINING RAIN!"

Like the original, the fake Warrior created a cloud above her counterpart. Raging waters rained down upon the aquatic Digimon. But the water was murky and dark like from the deepest parts of the ocean. The difference of power was obvious. The real Ranamon couldn't stay on her feet. Gallons of salt water forced the Legendary Warrior to fall.

It got worse when the evil Warrior entered her own column of water and grabbed the aquatic Digimon by the neck with both hands. She then lifted Ranamon off the ground so there was a few feet of space between her toes and the ground. The duplicate squeezed tighter on the Warrior's throat, cutting off her air supply.

"You may be able to breathe underwater, Sugar! But not anymore! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" The evil Warrior chuckled inside the watery prison.

The original Ranamon kicked and fought to get at least one breath of air. But the more she struggled, the tighter her opponent squeezed. This was a new situation for the Legendary Warrior. Normally, she never thought about the possibility of not being able to breath underwater. Now here she was, fighting with every ounce of energy left in her to stay alive. As time passed, her muscles started to fade and her eyes began to close. Time was running out for Ranamon.

It wouldn't be long before the Warrior of Water drowned in her own element.

l - l

Meanwhile, Arbormon was also having trouble against the evil wooden android. The Warrior of Wood was able to get a few strikes in with his elongated limbs. But the doppelganger took each attack like it was nothing. It's as if his entire body was made of the strongest wood in all of the Digital World. Plus, his cedar color gave off a nice polish to his solid armor.

"Hey, what gives? My punches and kicks should've knocked you's flat, right?" The original complained to the imposter.

"You think so, right? Please! You're attacks are as light as a plain cheeseburger!" The evil Digimon responded.

"Light? I'll show you's light! BLOCKADE SEED!"

He opened his central compartment and fired three seed-like bombs at the enemy. The grenades landed several feet away from its target and rolled toward the counterpart's feet. But that still didn't faze the evil Legendary Warrior, even when the explosives detonated and filled the area with debris and smoke. The blast sent the duplicate flying toward the blackness of space.

Then again, Arbormon wasn't finished yet.

"ROUNDHOUSE PUNCH!"

The wooden android shot his hand upward and wrapped his cabled limb around evil Warrior's torso. Arbormon then yanked his arm downward as hard as he could. With his enemy at the edge of the radius rotation, the Digimon of Wood brought the doppelganger down with maximum angular velocity. Upon landing, another crater was made on the Cherubimoon's surface.

"No one calls Arbormon weak and gets away with it! Nothing's more gratifying than shutting up your opponent's mouth for good, right?" The wooden android chuckled after retracting his elongated limb. With one evil Digimon down, now would be a good time for the Warrior of Wood to make his leave help the others.

Suddenly, he felt something grabbing his shins. Arbormon lost his balance and fell on his stomach. The wooden android turned and saw his duplicate standing, using his cabled arm to pull the real Arbormon towards him. No matter how much the original struggled, he could not break free from the enemy's grip. The cedar colored Digimon dragged the wooden Warrior back to his feet.

"Um... you know I was only kidding about shutting your mouth, right?" The captured wooden android said.

"That was some tasty combo attack you's did there! But now, it's time I show you how the real Warrior of Wood fights, right?" The doppelganger laughed.

"What are you's talking about? The real Warrior of Wood is me! You's just a cheapskate replica!"

"Not after I'm finished you, right?"

The original Arbormon has had enough. It's one thing for him to be insulted. But it's a completely different thing when he's being insulted by... himself. The Warrior of Wood flipped on his back and shot one of his arms at the enemy. But the evil Digimon caught the wooden android's hands easily. Underneath his armor, the malicious Digimon chuckled.

It was time to give his opponent a taste of his own medicine.

He helped the wooden Digimon to his feet before giving him a vicious uppercut to the jaw. The powerful strike sent the Warrior of Wood toward outer space. But the cedar colored android reached out with his elongated arm and used his hand to grab his opponent by the head. When Arbormon was in range, the evil Digimon unleashed another uppercut, sending him back in space. Again, the malicious Warrior brought the original down and gave him another uppercut to the jaw.

"Hehe! This be more fun than tenderizing my own hamburger patties, right?" The evil Digimon laughed.

With the enemy treating him like a paddleball, the Warrior of Wood was rendered helpless.

l - l

"NGH!" The Warrior of Earth groaned when the gnome he was fighting punched him in the face. Grumblemon was on his back for the sixth time. From the dirt all over his skin, it's obvious that he was fighting to stay alive. He tried to return on his feet, but the evil Digimon had already pounced on top of him.

His evil duplicate was on his chest of him with the handle of his sledgehammer pressed against the original's neck. The real Legendary Warrior scowled at his opponent, using all of his strength to keep the weapon off of his throat. But there was one problem. This quartzite colored Warrior was equal to him in terms of strength. Either that or he could be even stronger.

"Pathetic! Smashing you much easier than smashing rocks!" The imposter spoke.

"Is that so? Well, me no finished with you yet!" The Warrior of Earth declared.

The gnome used his legs to push the faker off his body. After taking a second to catch his breath, Grumblemon took out his own sledgehammer, ready to get back at the doppelganger. The two Digimon collided once again on the battlefield, exchanging powerful swings with their own signature weapon. Each blow has the potential to crush armor and break limbs. Both Digimon were careful not to get hit by their opponent's hammer. One mistake could cost them the battle.

As the fight dragged on, tide slowly shifted toward the evil duplicate's side. Not only Grumblemon's attacks were getting slower, but they were also decreasing in power. On the other hand, the malicious imposter sensed his opponent weakening. This made him increase the speed, frequency and strength of his own attacks. Every time the original blocked another sledgehammer strike, he felt the energy being transferred to his arms.

"You done now!" The evil Digimon proclaimed.

He quickly made his way toward a nearby boulder. With his weapon in hand, the quartzite colored Warrior pulled his arms back and rotated his hips, striking the large rock like he's swinging a golf club. The force of the hammer, combined with the torque provided by the wielder, caused the boulder to tumble toward the exhausted Grumblemon at a high velocity. His legs were too weak to move. With dodging not an option, the Warrior of Earth had no choice but to defend himself.

"SEISMIC SLEDGE!"

With the remaining strength he had left, Grumblemon swung his sledgehammer at the rolling boulder. The good news was that the Legendary Warrior was able shatter the large rock into millions of pieces. Some of the fragmentations scrapped Grumblemon's skin, causing the gnome to collapse on one knee. But at least the boulder didn't crush him.

The bad news was that distraction gave the evil Digimon the perfect opportunity to strike.

He ran as fast as could toward the Warrior of Earth. The quartzite colored copy extended his arm out, ready to level the gnome with a vicious clothesline. Grumblemon had no time to defend himself. His opponent's bicep collided against the original's chest, causing him to flip in the air a couple times before crashing down on the back of his neck. His body folded in half the moment she landed on the ground. The impact of the lariat knocked him unconscious.

As for the evil Digimon, he stood with one foot on the Warrior's back and raised his arms up with a look of satisfaction written all over his face.

"VICTORY MINE! ALL MINE! HAHAHAHAHA!"

With his opponent out of the fight, the imposter took out his sledgehammer. He then gently placed one of the spiked ends on top of Grumblemon's head. The evil Digimon continued to laugh maliciously as he brought his weapon back and took aim at his defeated opponent's skull. If he has the power to turn boulders into dust, imagine what he could do to a Legendary Warrior's head.

l - l

As for the Beetlemon, he was engaged in a test of strength with the evil Legendary Warrior wearing black and gold armor. Both Digimon locked hands and butted heads, trying to get the other to submit. For the first few minutes, neither one gave an inch to one another. The two humanoid insects lived up to their reputation as being one of the strongest Warriors. But several moments later, the original Beetlemon had managed to get the doppelganger on one knee. Underneath his facemask, the Warrior of Thunder was laughing.

"What's so funny, huh?"

"There's no way I'm going to lose to a fake like you!"

"In terms of arrogance, yes!" The evil Digimon said, smirking beneath his facemask.

Suddenly, the Digimon in black armor slowly rose to his feet on his own power. The appalled Beetlemon tried to push harder down on his opponent. But even with all of his strength, he wasn't able keep the evil Warrior on the ground. It was even more shocking when the imposter easily returned to a standing position to resume their contest.

"But when it comes to power, I am superior!"

That's when the duplicate unleashed a vicious headbutt on Beetlemon's skull. He then followed up with a knee to the gut, forcing the Warrior of Thunder to collapse on his knees. As a result, the imposter has won the battle. He continued the assault by using his fists as a sledgehammer, pounding his opponent's back. Beetlemon managed to get on all fours before the enemy banged him to the ground.

"Whatcha gonna say now, punk? Told ya I'm better than you!" The evil doppelganger laughed.

"I don't think so!" declared the original. He rolled on his back and kicked both of his legs into his opponent's chest, pushing the enemy backwards. Beetlemon got to his feet and raised a closed hand to the sky.

"THUNDER FIST!" The Warrior of Thunder shouted as he gathered vast amount of electricity in his hand.

"You never learn, do you? Remember! Anything you can do, I can do better!" His counterpart replied. Like his opponent, he too brought his fist up to gather electricity to use for another attack.

The two ran towards each other with their fists surged with lightning. Each Legendary Warrior took aim at their opponent's head, hoping that this move will be the finishing blow. The original would like nothing more than to get rid of this phony excuse of a Digimon once and for all. But for the duplicate, bringing his mistress Beetlemon's head will bring him eternal glory.

Both Warriors collided in the middle of the battlefield and unleashed their attacks. The humanoid insects brought their Thunder Fists toward their opponent, ready finish each other off. But the evil Digimon ducked underneath the real Beetlemon's punching arm to avoid the hit. At the same time, the imposter went low and aimed for the midsection. The Warrior of Thunder grunted in pain as if the enemy's punch knocked the air out of him. He fell on his knees and collapsed on the ground.

"Well, that was a waste of time!" The evil insect chuckled with his fist once again charged with electricity. "I told you before! Nobody beats me in a contest of power! Not even _you_!"

l - l

On another part of the battlefield, a pair of polar bears skied alongside each other. As the real and phony Warriors of Ice maneuvered around large rock formations and boulders, they exchanged firing snowballs at each other. Both Digimon were so quick, that neither one of them were able to score a hit. For a while, this fight went back and forth.

"How am I supposed to beat this guy if he won't hold still?" The original Kumamon asked himself.

"What's wrong? Is your accuracy that bad? Or am I so quick you can't even touch me?" The polar bear with the gray vest and boots smirked.

"Quiet! You're just a big faker!"

"Who's the faker? I see we fight to settle this once and for all! The winner will be become the real Kumamon, and the loser... well, you know! Hahahaha!"

"Trust me, you half-pint wannabe! I would never laugh like that!"

"Here's another thing! Your attacks aren't as strong as _this_! BLIZZARD BLASTER!" The imposter aimed his bazooka and unleashed another barrage of snowballs at his opponent.

"We'll see about that!" The Warrior of Wind grunted as he maneuvered around another boulder. He pulled out his long range weapon when he turned the corner.

"BLIZZARD BLASTER!"

Instead of around or away from his opponent, the polar bear skied toward his doppelganger. He figured that going for a frontal assault will be more effective, since he wasn't getting anywhere with his previous tactic. As he approached the phony Legendary Warrior, Kumamon increased the firing rate of his weapon. The evil Digimon was surprised with the strategies his opponent was employing. In fact, he had to move out of the way so that the original Warrior of Ice didn't run him over.

"Not bad! You got a lot of guts to for a little guy!"

"Thanks! But you just got a taste of what the real Kumamon can really do!"

"Is that so? Well, let me tell you something, shrimp! Only the _real_ Kumamon would do whatever it takes to win! Even do something like... THIS!"

Now, it was his turn take charge. Like the original, he skied toward his opponent at maximum velocity. Kumamon reacted by shooting more snowballs at the oncoming Digimon. But that was exactly what the evil Warrior wanted. He maneuvered left and right, avoiding the oncoming ice balls coming his way. Once when the imposter was in range, a malicious smile formed across his face.

"CRYSTAL FREEZE!"

The fake Warrior took a deep breath and exhaled to release a cold, icy wind from his mouth, towards his opponent's bazooka. Before Kumamon could react, all four holes on his weapon were sealed by a barrier of ice. Thus, his long range weapon was rendered useless. Just when things couldn't get any worse, the duplicate unleashed a ferocious uppercut toward the chin, knocking his opponent flat on his back.

"I'll ask again... Who's the fake, now?" The evil Digimon chuckled.

He placed a foot on top of the bear's belly so he couldn't escape. The last attack knocked out the original Legendary Warrior. He couldn't see the enemy taking his bazooka out, ready to fire at point blank range. He couldn't hear him laughing maniacally, like he has already won the battle. In a matter of seconds, he will never see the light of day again.

l - l

Even Lowemon was struggling against his doppelganger. With his long spear in hand, the Warrior of Darkness delivered a flurry of swings and thrusts. But the humanoid lion dressed in dark grey had his Shadow Lance out as well. The evil Digimon grinned as he unleashed his own set of attacks on his opponent, trying to cut the Legendary Warrior in half or impale him with his weapon.

"Is that the best you got?" The evil Digimon mocked.

"You haven't seen anything yet!" The real Legendary Warrior replied, increasing the speed of his attacks.

"OOF!" grunted the imposter when Lowemon successfully landed a spinning sidekick to the ribs, sending the enemy flying into a boulder. A triumphant grin appeared underneath his facemask when the rock formation crumbled and fell on top of his counterpart.

Unfortunately, his victory was short-lived when the evil Digimon sprang out of the pile of rocks and returned to his defensive position.

"You're good..." He chuckled.

"Hmph." Lowemon huffed, since it's not his nature to speak.

"... but predictable."

Suddenly, the evil Warrior charged toward his opponent. Lowemon got in his stance, ready to anticipate any kind of attack the enemy has in store. He wasn't surprised when he saw his duplicate chuck his spear at him like a javelin. A simple sidestep was all it took to avoid the projectile. Since the enemy has threw away his weapon, one would believe that the fight had already shifted in Lowemon's favor.

But he was wrong.

"SHADOW METEOR!" The doppelganger shouted, releasing a huge fireball from his chest.

With little time to defend himself, Lowemon used the sharp part of his lance to slice through the meteor. Unfortunately, the follow-through left the Warrior of Darkness vulnerable for another attack. Once he was a few feet away, the evil duplicate unleashed a vicious right hook across his opponent's face. Not only he knocked the Legendary Warrior on his back, he also made him drop his weapon as well.

"Time to finish you off!"

He picked up Lowemon's spear off of the ground and pounced on the dazed Digimon. The evil Warrior pressed the long portion of the weapon hard against his opponent's throat, cutting off the humanoid lion's air supply. Lowemon fought hard for air. But the more he struggled, the harder the enemy pressed the spear on his neck. Seconds passed, and the Warrior of Darkness was running out of time.

"Shadow... Meteor!" Lowemon summoned enough energy to release a shadow beam.

His opponent quickly leaped out of the line of fire to avoid the attack. The Warrior of Darkness was finally able to breathe again. Sadly, he only managed to get back on his hands and knees. Lowemon coughed profusely, trying to regain the air he had lost. That left him wide open for another attack. The evil Digimon gave his counterpart a huge soccer kick to the exposed midsection, forcing him to roll on his stomach. As Lowemon clenched his belly and coughed for air, Hexamon's servant approached his opponent's left side.

"Victory is mine!" The doppelganger smirked underneath his facemask.

He turned his Shadow Lance around so that sharp end was pointing toward its victim. The weakened Warrior of Darkness looked up and saw the enemy with his weapon raised up, ready to deliver the finishing blow at any given moment. Lowemon could hear the evil Digimon chuckling. It's like he enjoyed seeing the real Legendary Warrior being defeated. With no energy left in his body, Lowemon closed his eyes and prepared for the end.

l - l

"LOBO KENDO!" The duplicate shouted as he delivered another horizontal swing.

"UGH!" Lobomon grunted as the enemy slashed him across the chestplate. He lost his balance and collapsed on one knee.

Two humanoid wolves stared at each other with a single light sword in hand. The original Lobomon was almost out of breath. There were a few scratches on his armor and some dirt marks all over his body. Meanwhile, the evil Warrior dressed in dark blue towered over the real Lobomon with a malicious grin on his face. Unlike his opponent, there wasn't a single dent or scratch on his armor or on his body.

"Not bad, but I've seen better!" The imposter huffed.

"Hmph. With one sword, maybe!" replied the Warrior of Light. He returned to a standing position and took out his second weapon. Lobomon returned to his stance and glowered toward the enemy. "But not with two!"

"It doesn't matter how many swords you use! I'll still defeat you!" The doppelganger responded by unsheathing his other Lobo Kendo.

"Has anyone told you that you're really annoying?"

"What makes you think you have a chance, you fool?"

"Who's the fool? You're challenging me?" Lobomon grinned.

"Grr! Enough of this! LET'S FIGHT!"

Again, the Warriors of Light met on the battlefield once again and exchanged their own sets of hacks and slashes. Even though the original Lobomon was a bit winded, he refused to give in, let alone lose to this copycat. Then again, his opponent was right. The Legendary Warrior's attacks were much weaker and slower, compared to the enemy.

As for imposter, he couldn't help but enjoy such a winnable fight. Not only he blocked all of Lobomon's attacks with ease, but each one of his swings did some kind of damage to the Warrior of Light. The evil Digimon was able to score a few hits all over Lobomon's chestplate and other body parts not protected by armor. And even when the original blocked the other attacks, the transfer of energy was enough to stun the humanoid wolf.

"Take this!" The evil Digimon declared. He rotated his body and delivered a double slash to his opponent. Lobomon tried to defend himself by using both of his swords to intercept the attack. Instead, the duplicate knocked the Legendary Warrior's weapons out of his hands. That left him unarmed and wide open.

"I got you now! HOWLING LASER!"

The evil humanoid wolf aimed his blaster at Lobomon and fired a dark bluish beam at his chest. At such a close range, the Warrior of Light had no time to react. The energy blast sent him tumbling across the rocky surfaces. His body fell into a shallow crater. After coming to a complete stop, Lobomon rolled on his back immediately loss consciousness.

Too bad he didn't see the enemy towering above him once again.

"Hmph! How pathetic!" The imposter smirked as he gazed at his defeated opponent.

It was time to destroy the Warrior of Light. The evil Digimon took aim with his blaster for the second time. He changed his target from his midsection to his unprotected head. He could hear Lobomon groaning like he was slowly coming to. The dark blue Warrior decided to wait until the real Legendary Warrior was awake. He want to see the look on his face before finishing him off.

His wish finally came true when the Warrior of Light opened his eyes.

l - l

Both humanoid butterflies circled around each other, waiting for their opponent to make the next move. The original Kazemon gazed at the enemy. This lavender colored phony's no pushover. The evil Digimon not only knew every single one of her techniques, but she's able to do the same moves with equal or more power. As for the imposter, the wicked smirk on her face told the Warrior of Wind exactly what she was thinking.

"You're strong!" Kazemon acknowledged, which made her the lavender haired butterfly giggle.

"I know!" Her opponent replied.

"Hmph! And cocky too! But regardless how strong you are, you cannot defeat the original!"

"And regardless how pathetic you are, you cannot defeat someone who's _better_ than you!"

"Oh, really? HURRICANE WAVE!"

The last insult really made Kazemon angry. She threw her arms forward, sending a bunch of swirling, pink tornados at the faker. But the evil Warrior of Wind had the perfect counter in mind. She somersaulted in midair until her feet was facing the oncoming cyclones. Next, she quickly spun her body around on its axis. As she continued the rotation, a dark purplish drill appeared.

"You're through!" The evil butterfly proclaimed as she dove toward her opponent. All of the Kazemon's tornadoes broke apart when it made contact with the drill.

"NO WAY!" The Warrior of Wind gasped.

By the time she thought about dodging, the imposter plowed both of her feet into Kazemon's midsection.

"GUH!" exhaled the humanoid butterfly.

The evil Digimon somersaulted again and delivered a vicious axe kick on the Legendary Warrior's stomach. Kazemon crashed hard on the unforgiving canvas of the Cherubimoon. Her ribs felt like they were on fire. The pain intensified when she tried move, let alone breathe. She somehow managed to flip on her stomach. With not much energy left in her, Kazemon tried to back on her hands and knees.

"KYYAAAHHHH!" groaned the Warrior of Wind when her opponent landed hard on her spine.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Don't tell me you've had enough!" The evil Digimon laughed maniacally. She then stomped hard on the butterfly's back.

"YEOW! Can't... move..." Kazemon cried. But her opponent didn't care. She continued to attack on the poor Warrior's back with each insult she said.

"Face it, you pesky insect! I'm faster!"

*stomp*

"Stronger!"

*stomp*

"Tougher!

*stomp*

"Meaner!

*stomp*

"And like I said before, I'm _better_ than you!"

The last stomp was the hardest. Kazemon's arched her back in the shape of the letter C. There was no way she could win. She was clearly out matched. The way Kazemon fidgeted on the ground symbolized how much pain she was in. If her ribs and spine weren't broken, it's at least on the verge of it. Her mouth was open, but not a single sound escaped out of her lips.

That is, until her the evil Warrior placed a foot on Kazemon's head and applied pressure to her skull.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! YYYEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

Her squeals echoed across the entire red planet. White hot tears streamed down her face. Kazemon tried to remove the enemy's foot off of her skull with her hands. Unfortunately, it was no use. Not only did the humanoid butterfly had the advantage in leverage, but this merciless Warrior would not stop until she turned Kazemon's head into mush.

"That's it! Scream! Scream as loud as you can so all of your pathetic friends can hear you! But it won't matter! They can't save you! Nobody can! HAHAHAHAHA!"

"KYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

l - l

"PYRO TORNADO!" The original Agunimon shouted. With fireballs at the end of his knuckles, the fiery Digimon rotated his body as fast as he could. The result was a scorching tornado, twice as big as his entire body.

"Oh please!" The Legendary Warrior sighed. Like the Digimon standing before him, he two spread his arms out wide and spun around. The duplicate created a fiery cyclone, matching Agunimon's heat intensity and size.

The two flaming tornados collided with one another, producing a giant blazing hurricane in the middle of the battlefield. Inside the inferno, both Warrior of Flame were locked in close range. The original Agunimon unleashed a barrage of powerful punches and fierce kicks to the enemy's head and torso. On the other hand, the doppelganger matched the Legendary Warrior blow for blow. Not only he was able to block all of Agunimon's strikes, but his punches and kicks had more power than his did.

Suddenly, the evil Digimon unleashed a vicious uppercut to the fiery fighter's chin. The Warrior of Flame flew out of the blazing cyclone and bounced on the rocky canvas. Although nothing was broken, his armor had plenty of scratches on it. As he sprang to his feet, he saw his opponent walk out of the inferno. The two returned to their stance, ready to resume their fight.

"KYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Someone shrieked.

"ZOE!" Agunimon shouted when he saw the Warrior of Wind getting crushed by her doppelganger. He changed direction and rush toward his girlfriend to save her.

Unfortunately, his counterpart refused let him get any further.

"Pyro Punch!"

A pair of orange and yellow fireballs appeared on the evil Warrior's hands, the same color of his armor. He punched his hands forward, sending the balls of fire toward his opponent. The Warrior of Flame turned his head and saw the two fireballs coming his way. However, the speed of the projectiles were so great, Agunimon didn't have enough time to react.

"AAAHHHHHH!" The fiery Digimon screamed when the fireballs nailed his backside. He landed on his stomach, still a hundred yards away from his girlfriend.

"Hahahaha! How naïve! You were more concerned about her instead of me! I'm your opponent, buddy! Get that through your head!" mocked the phony fiery Digimon. He grabbed Agunimon's leg and dragged him to their original position.

"Sorry, not interested!" The Warrior of Flame growled. He flipped over and used his free leg to kick the enemy in the face, causing him to fall on his back. The original Agunimon quickly got to his feet. It didn't take him long to find Kazemon still on the ground with tears running down her face.

"Zoe! I'm coming... UGH!"

The doppelganger grabbed Agunimon by the ankle, which made him stumble to the ground. Next, Hexamon's servant pounced on the proned Warrior and sat on top of his chest. Once again, a pair of orange fireballs appeared at the end of his knuckles. The evil duplicate then threw both of his hands forward, aiming at the Legendary Warrior's face.

"Say goodbye!" He smirked.

All Agunimon could do was let instincts take over. With little time to react, he grabbed the enemy by the wrists with both hands. While he did stop the attack, the fireballs on his opponent's fists were only an inch away from his feet. It was so close, the heat made the fiery Digimon sweat. Agunimon tried to push the duplicate off of his body, but he didn't have enough energy or leverage to do so. It wouldn't be long before the fireballs incinerate his entire face.

He wasn't the only one in a precarious position. In fact, all the other Legendary Warriors were either losing or had already lost. Mercurymon was about to be on the receiving end of a double Dark Reflection. The aquatic Digimon was about to suffocate inside a watery prison. Arbormon probably wouldn't last another minute of the paddleball treatment. The Warrior of Earth was knocked out, unaware that his duplicate's about smash his skull with his hammer. Beetlemon had already lost in a contest of power against his opponent, and was about to lose his life as well. The Warrior of Ice was out cold, while his doppelganger's about to fire his bazooka at point blank range. Lowemon's about to be impaled by the enemy's spear. The humanoid wolf's about to get a faceful of his own attack.

And Agunimon's only moments away from seeing the last of his beloved Kazemon.

"Oh dear, this is bad!" Bokomon gasped.

"It's worse than bad!" Neemon corrected his partner

"It's horrible! Hide me, Mama!" Patamon cried before diving inside Bokomon's waistband.

"HAHAHAHA!" The evil sorceress laughed out loud. A frightened Lopmon couldn't bear to watch his friends suffer. Agunimon glowered at the witch. But the look on her face told him that she was enjoying the show.

"Murky ponds and green, green grass,  
>Hear me, young man; you cannot last!<br>Nose from a boar and antlers from a deer,  
>You and your friend shall perish here!"<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter sixty-three. <strong>

**Can the Takuya and the others find a way to defeat their evil counterparts? Or will Hexamon's Legendary Warriors destroy them all? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	64. Perfect Mismatch

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**After crash landing on the Cherubimoon, the Legendary Warriors set off to find the next Celestial Digimon. They soon found Lopmon, who was being held prisoner by an evil enchantress named Hexamon. This witch planned to drain the life force out of the poor Rookie. Before Takuya and his friends could prepare for battle, Hexamon used a spell that created evil clones of the Legendary Warriors. One by one, our heroes were defeated by their doppelgangers. In order to rescue Lopmon, Takuya and the others has to find a way to defeat themselves; a task that's deemed to be impossible. **

**So, without further ado, here's chapter sixty-four!**

* * *

><p><strong>Perfect Mismatch<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"I got one chance!" Agunimon said to himself. If he didn't act quickly, all of his friends would be destroyed.

With little energy left in his body, Agunimon bucked his hips upward and went along with the tumble. For a brief moment, he found himself on his feet. Still gripping the enemy's forearms, he lifted his evil clone up and swung him around like a hammer throw. Agunimon found his target and released the doppelganger's wrists, with perfect timing.

Before the evil Warrior of Steel could finish his opponent off, a fiery Digimon crashed into metallic duplicate. And just in time too. That's because the steel Warrior was about to finish the original Mercurymon off with a double Dark Reflection. The very moment the teal Digimon slammed on the canvas, he inadvertently discharged his green lasers.

One of the beams zoomed towards an unsuspecting Lobomon, who had his blaster in his opponent's face. The doppelganger was so busy relishing this moment, he failed to see the oncoming laser. The energy beam nailed the humanoid wolf's side. Once the evil Lobomon hit the ground, his Howling Laser went off; just not in the direction he wanted.

In one second, Lobomon's attack hit the evil gnome's blindside. The accidental impact saved the real Warrior of Earth from getting his head turned into mush. Elsewhere, the Howling Laser forced the duplicate to drop his sledgehammer to the canvas. The quartzite colored Digimon rolled across the battlefield, unable to control where he was going.

Moments later, Grumblemon crashed on the ground and tumbled toward the evil Warrior of Darkness. Once when the doppelganger saw the quartzite Warrior approaching him, the gnome slammed into the humanoid lion's side. The two fell on the canvas. Upon landing, Lowemon accidently unleashed a Shadow Meteor from the center of his chest.

Meanwhile, the evil Warrior of Thunder was in the air with volts of electricity surging on his hands. The black Digimon then dove toward the unconscious Beetlemon, ready to finish him off with a devastating Thunder Fist attack. Suddenly, a Shadow Meteor hit the insect's wing. With one of his flying mechanisms out, the duplicate tumbled in midair.

Arbormon's doppelganger tried to help his comrade. But with one arm available, it was impossible for him to catch the humanoid insect. It wasn't long before Beetlemon crashed into the evil wooden android's side. Thanks to the collision, the real Warrior of Wood went from linear to angular. With a long moment arm, no one knew where he would end up.

Meanwhile, the evil Ranamon didn't see Arbormon flying towards her. The wooden android slammed into the aquatic Digimon, which also made the greenish Warrior release her captive. The weakened Ranamon fell on her knees and coughed profusely for air. What she didn't see was her evil counterpart tumbling toward the direction another Warrior.

Just when the evil Kumamon was about to pull the trigger, the aquatic Digimon nailed him on his blindside. The polar bear woke up just in time to see his doppelganger rolling on the rocky canvas uncontrollably. It took the Warrior of Ice a while to get to a standing position. But once he returned his feet, the polar bear went to look for his friends.

Kazemon's body was covered with grime, scratches and bruises. Tired of the ruthless stomping, the evil duplicate's rose her foot above the butterfly's skull, ready to crush it. That is, until Kumamon's doppelganger entered the picture. The polar bear slammed into the lavender colored Warrior's midsection, sending both Digimon into a nearby boulder.

"Alright!" The fiery Digimon said to himself.

Precise timing and plenty of luck were required in order for the Warrior's plan to work. Fortunately for Agunimon, he had both. When all of his comrades were saved, the Warrior of Flame crawled toward the lavender haired butterfly. Kazemon was on all fours, panting heavily. She sure took a good beating, just like the others.

"Zoe, are you alright?" Agunimon asked.

"I... I guess so!" Kazemon nodded as the other Warriors gathered around them. Each had their own bruises from fighting their doppelgangers.

"What's the plan now, Takuya?" Beetlemon asked.

"And it better be good, Sugar! I will not tolerate being a punching bag ever again!" complained Ranamon.

"I'm working on it!" The fiery Digimon gritted his teeth while staring at Hexamon.

"Great! Just the words I wanted to hear!" Lobomon sarcastically groaned.

Meanwhile, the evil duplicates had already recovered from the set of blindside attacks. They quickly regrouped with one another in front of their mistress. As for Hexamon, she couldn't be happier. Summoning doppelgangers to do her bidding was brilliant on her part.

"Hahahaha!" laughed the enchantress.

"Trunks of an elephant and fangs of a snake,  
>My servants know every move you make!<br>Wings of a pigeon and hair from an elf,  
>Tis be impossible to win against yourself!"<p>

"Enough with the rhymes already!" Arbormon groaned.

"Hmph! But thy sorceress doth make a good point!" Mercurymon conceded.

"Me agree with Mercurymon!" clarified Grumblemon.

"Same here!" Lowemon grunted.

"Come on, you guys! We can't give up now! There's gotta be a way to defeat these phonies... regardless how tough they are!"

"Easier said than done, Z!" Beetlemon protested.

"Those duplicates know what we're going to do before we do it!" nodded Lobomon.

"What do we do now, Takuya?" Kumamon said.

Agunimon had his eyes closed, like he was deep in thought. One thing's for certain. There was no way the Warrior of Flame or any of his friends could take down their own counterparts. Because their opponents matched (or even exceed) them in skills and fighting ability, victory was impossible.

"Hexamon is right, guys. We can't defeat ourselves." Agunimon sighed.

"Takuya..." Kazemon gasped, thinking her boyfriend has given up.

But before anyone could protest, the leader showed his friends a look of determination.

"If that's the case, then our only choice is to defeat _each other_!" The fiery Digimon concluded.

"Eh? What mean that?" Grumblemon protested.

"He means we gotta switch things up! Fight someone else, instead of our counterparts!" Beetlemon clarified.

"Exactly how does thy propose that would work?" Mercurymon questioned.

"I agree, Honey! If we can't beat our duplicates, what makes you so sure this change in tactics will work?"

"Of course it'll work, Ranamon! Besides, everyone knows I can kick your butt anytime, anywhere!" Kazemon laughed to the Warrior of Water.

"Say that again, girly girl! How about if I drown you on the spot right now? Don't think I won't do it!" The aquatic Digimon barked, which made the other female Warrior smirk.

"If you can, then do it against _her_!" She nudged toward her doppelganger.

Ranamon and the other Warriors also gazed at their next opponents. Not a word was spoken, but they knew who was fighting who. Elsewhere, Hexamon's servants kept their eyes on their enemies. Unlike the originals, they had no intention of switching opponents. They were going to win by defeating their counterparts for the glory of their mistress.

"ATTACK!" Agunimon shouted.

"KYYYYAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Suddenly, the Warriors charged toward the doppelgangers. In response, the duplicates ran toward them as well. It seemed like an imminent collision was about to happen once again on the battlefield.

That is, until the Legendary Warriors scattered, which caught their opponents off-guard. They soon took off in running toward their originals. However, none of them realized that this was all part of the plan. Almost simultaneously, the originals came toward their new enemies' blindside with running low-angled shoulder block, knocking them to the ground.

Thus, the second round has begun.

l - l

Agunimon was matched up against the evil Warrior of Light. Lobomon never expected that he would be fight against the fiery Digimon. In fact, just behind the Warrior of Flame was his original opponent. He was supposed to destroy him instead of Agunimon. But in order to destroy the original humanoid wolf, the doppelganger has no choice but to take out the fiery Digimon.

"HOWLING LASER!" Lobomon fired a dark blue laser at his opponent.

The Warrior of Flame dove to his left to avoid the speeding projectile. He got out of the way just in time. Instead of hitting his original target, Lobomon's energy beam nailed another large boulder, causing it to explode into tiny pebbles. Again, the humanoid wolf took aim and fired another rapid barrage of lasers, making it more difficult for Agunimon to dodge.

"PYRO TORNADO!" The fiery Digimon hollered as he rotated his body, creating a cyclone made of fire.

Agunimon's tornado acted as a shield, deflecting all of Lobomon's lasers. Since the flames were so dense, the beams bounced off the cyclone and zoomed toward another direction. Some lasers got lost in outer space. Others destroyed more boulders and rock formations. There were also a few that almost hit the evil doppelgangers in the middle of their fight.

Since long range attacks weren't working...

"LOBO KENDO!" The phony Warrior took out both of his light sabers and charged at Agunimon. The fiery Digimon ceased rotating his body and returned to a defensive stance.

Lobomon unleashed a barrage of horizontal and vertical swings to his unarmed opponent. The evil Digimon also increased the velocity of each attack every time he missed. But regardless of the humanoid wolf's relentless strikes, Agunimon had no problems reading the enemy's every move. The way Lobomon's wrists supinated and pronated before attacking was all the information he need to avoid each move.

"Now!" Agunimon said to himself when he anticipated an attack to his chest.

Sure enough, he was right. The Warrior of Light pulled his arms back and executed a double thrust toward Agunimon's sternum. As the fiery Digimon sidestepped to his right, a pair of fireballs appeared at the end of each knuckle. He threw his right arm forward, which released the first ball of fire from his hand. Lobomon howled in pain when the fireball connected with both of his forearms, thus making him drop his weapons.

"PYRO PUNCH!" The Warrior of Flame shouted.

With the remaining fireball on his left hand, Agunimon unleashed a powerful left hook to his unarmed opponent's cheek. His fist connected with Lobomon's face. There was small *crack*, indicating that the punch had potentially fractured the jaw. Lobomon didn't see the attack coming. The evil Warrior of Light collapsed on his back and lost consciousness.

With Lobomon knocked out, his body burst into millions of pieces, symbolizing his defeat.

l - l

Now that his duplicate was down and out, the real Lobomon can focus his attention his opponent, which happened to be the fraudulent Grumblemon.

The evil Digimon of Earth had two sledgehammers in both hands, ready to pound the humanoid wolf's skull into pudding. In order to protect himself, the Warrior of Light countered by showing Grumblemon his signature Lobo Kendos. With both Warriors armed and ready for battle, Lobomon and his opponent wasted little time in getting the fight started.

Obviously, the gnome had the advantage in power. Every one of Grumblemon's swings has the potential of breaking boulders and limbs. If the Warrior of Light wasn't careful, he could lose an arm _and_ the fight as well. Then again, the confident grin on Lobomon's face told the doppelganger that he wasn't afraid of his overwhelming strength or his terrifying weapons.

What the Warrior of Light lacked in strength, he made up for in speed. Even though his Lobo Kendos didn't have the power like his opponent has, Lobomon's attacks were much faster. As the battle progressed, the gnome found himself being on the defensive end of the fight. The humanoid wolf picked up the pace of his attacks, forcing Grumblemon back.

Things got even better for the Warrior of Light when one of his horizontal swings cleaved one of the duplicate's sledgehammer in half. The head of the weapon dropped to the ground with a *thud*, strong enough to cause a small moonquake. Lobomon then gave the enemy a spinning sidekick to the stomach, knocking him to the rocky canvas of the Cherubimoon.

But instead of landing on his back, the fraudulent Warrior rotated his body and quickly dug underground.

"Great, where did he go now?" The Warrior of Light growled. He scanned the entire area for his opponent, but Grumblemon was nowhere to be found.

"Come on out and fight!" Lobomon ordered. Once again, no response. He backed into a boulder and returned one of his swords to its original position.

Unbeknownst to the Warrior, Grumblemon was already in position to finish off the humanoid wolf. His body reappeared out of the rock formation behind Lobomon. So far, the Digimon of Light hasn't suspected that the enemy was above his head with his sledgehammer raised high. Just one hit and Lobomon's head would be turned into mashed potatoes.

"Thanks!" The Warrior of Light chuckled as if he knew where his opponent was. Lobomon quickly turned around and aimed his blaster at the rock.

"HOWLING LASER!"

The energy beam destroyed the boulder Grumblemon was hiding in. With his hiding place completely gone, the doppelganger started to fall. He rotated his body again to dive underground for safety. Unfortunately, the Warrior of Light wasn't having any of it. He sprinted toward the falling gnome and intercept with a mighty slash of his light saber.

Grumblemon did hit the ground, but digitized to bits the moment he made contact with it.

l - l

On another side of the battlefield, the real Warrior of Earth was thrilled that his duplicate was gone.

Too bad he didn't see the metallic Digimon fired his Dark Reflection attack towards him while he wasn't looking. Grumblemon did manage to catch the beam in his peripheral vision just in time. He held his sledgehammer out in front of him to protect himself. Still, the evil Warrior's attack did manage to push the gnome backwards until he crashed into another rock formation.

"Hahahahaha! How pathetic!" The teal Warrior laughed.

Grumblemon removed a rock off of his body, returned to his feet and charged toward the enemy with his sledgehammer in hand. The gnome swung as hard as he could, aiming to break the Warrior of Steel in half. But Mercurymon read him like a book. He readjusted his shield so the gnome would hit that instead. The moment Grumblemon's hammer collided against the shield, the transfer of energy reflected back to him, causing the Digimon to fall on his back.

"DARK REFLECTION!"

Again, Mercurymon blasted a greenish laser to the spot where Grumblemon had fallen. Since blocking and dodging were out of the question, the gnome reverted to digging his way out of trouble. The laser blasted the ground, sending a bunch of pebbles to the sky. But alas, the metallic Warrior failed to finish off the Warrior of Earth. He dropped in his stance and waited for Grumblemon to reappear.

"Thou cannot harm me! With my unbreakable shield, I am invinci... HUH?"

Suddenly, a pair of hands grabbed Mercurymon's legs and pulled him down into the ground. No matter how much the metallic Digimon struggle, he couldn't muster enough strength to pull himself back up. It wasn't long before Mercurymon's entire body was buried underneath the rock surface of the Cherubimoon, leaving his head out in the open.

Grumblemon appeared out of the ground and pulled on his sledgehammer.

"Without shields..." The Warrior of Earth laughed. "... YOU DONE NOW!"

"NO! WAIT!" Mercurymon pleaded.

"SEISMIC SLEDGE!"

The gnome brought his arms forward, bringing his signature weapon down with an incredible amount of velocity. It was like the High Striker carnival game back at the Autumn Leaf Festival. Grumblemon pretended that Mercurymon's head was the part his hammer was supposed to hit. With no mirror shields to protect himself, the Warrior of Steel had no choice but to take the powerful blow to the head. Not only Grumblemon crushed the enemy's top, he also shattered the facial mirror into pieces.

With no life energy left in him, the defeated metallic Warrior's entire body was deleted.

l - l

"Such impudence." groaned the real Mercurymon after seeing his counterpart get destroyed.

"FROZEN TUNDRA!" A voice shouted from his right.

The metallic Digimon shuffled to the side to avoid the speeding icicle coming from his blindside. With his eyes still on the other Legendary Warriors fighting their opponents, Mercurymon failed to notice his enemy crashing into another boulder. Once again, the polar bear was back on his feet, ready to launch another attack.

"BLIZZARD BLASTER!" The fraudulent Warrior of Ice aimed his bazooka and fired at his newest opponent.

Although the Warrior of Steel sensed the attack was approaching him, he made no effort in blocking it or getting out of the way. The snowballs collided against Mercurymon's legs, chest and some parts of his head. But the reason why the metallic Digimon was so confident was because his entire armor was more than strong enough to withstand the evil Kumamon's attack.

"This be the best thou hast to offer? Hmph! Not very impressive!" Mercurymon chuckled

"Grrr! Don't mock me, you big meanie!" The Warrior of Ice objected, shaking his fist at the metallic Digimon.

"Would thoust shut up? Just hearing thou talk gives me a serious migraine! Maybe I should do thee a favor and stomp on thy diminutive body into slush!"

"Can it, you ugly freak! I may be small, but I sure can beat the stuffing out of you!"

"Ugh! Why must I be faced with this lousy excuse of a faker? Even the self-proclaimed 'Queen of Puddles' is less annoying than him."

"Annoying, am I?" He dashed toward the Warrior of Steel with anger in his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to shut this rude creature's mouth up for good.

"FROZEN TUNDRA!"

Kumamon then leaped toward the sky and transformed his entire body into a giant icicle. The Warrior of Ice then allowed gravity to accelerate him toward the arrogant Mercurymon. With the speed he was going, the polar bear should provide enough penetrating force to break through the toughest of armors; even Mercurymon's.

"Hehe! Did thou forget this?" The metallic Digimon grinned.

He placed one of his mirror shields above his head to protect himself from Kumamon's attack. The tip of the icicle crashed into Mercurymon's defensive weapons. With the power of reflection on his side, the Warrior of Steel redirected the force of the attack back to his opponent. Kumamon was sent flying toward outer space.

In a weakened state, his body reverted back to his original shape.

"DARK REFLECTION!"

This was the blow that decided the outcome of the fight. Instead of one, Mercurymon pointed both of his mirror shields toward the tumbling Warrior of Ice and fired two greenish beams at the defensive Digimon. While Kumamon manage to regain his consciousness to see the attack coming, there was little he could do to protect himself.

Both of Mercurymon's cylinder-like lasers combined into a giant energy beam. The large projectile attack covered Kumamon's entire body. Inside the laser, the Warrior of Ice felt like his body was on fire. Thunderous squeals of agony echoed throughout the entire Seraphimoon. As time passed, his life energy depleted all the way down to zero.

When Mercurymon ceased his attack, the evil Warrior of Ice was no more.

l - l

Seeing his doppelganger get destroyed by the metallic Digimon was encouraging, and a bit scary for the original Kumamon.

While the first four Legendary Warriors had no problems defeating their opponents, that wasn't the case for the Warrior of Ice. He was pitted against the evil humanoid lion, which wasn't the matchup he was hoping for. Whether it's quickness, strength or viciousness, the dark Digimon has the polar bear outmatched in almost every category.

"BLIZZARD BLASTER!" Kumamon hollered, firing a barrage of snowballs at his opponent.

"SHADOW METEOR!" countered with a powerful blast from his chest. The beam melted every snowball that came his way.

With them out of the way, the humanoid lion took out his spear and charged at the bear-like Digimon. When the evil Lowemon approached his opponent, he used a combination of vertical, horizontal and diagonal swings, as well as thrusts with the sharp end. But thanks to his small size and quick reactions, Kumamon was able to avoid all of the enemy's attacks.

That is, until the Warrior of Darkness delivered a spinning sidekick to the polar bear's sternum, sending him toward a nearby rock formation.

"FORZEN TUNDRA!" Kumamon shouted. His body transformed into a bunch of different icicles, which allowed him to stick onto the boulder, cushioning his fall.

"Gotcha!" Lowemon declared, throwing his lance at his opponent like a javelin. The Warrior of Ice reverted his body back to its original form and fell to the ground, just in the nick of time. He would've been a frozen kabob if he was a millisecond late.

"How am I supposed to beat this guy?" Kumamon asked himself.

"Time to finish you once and for all!" The dark Digimon said, bringing his arms and chest in toward his chest to charge up for another Shadow Meteor.

This gave the Warrior of Ice an idea.

"Here goes nothing!"

Instead of retreating, Kumamon skied toward his opponent. While Lowemon was amused that the pint-sized polar bear was entering dangerous territory, he wasn't interested in what he was planning. One blast of his beam would send the Warrior of Ice into oblivion. When he was close enough, the humanoid lion opened his arms and legs to...

"CRYSTAL FREEZE!" Kumamon exhaled to release cold icy crystals towards his enemy, more specifically inside the open mouth on the Warrior's chest. The insides of Lowemon's firing compartment turned to solid ice, thus sealing the only way out for his attack.

As the Digimon of Ice continued to solidify the ice on his opponent, the humanoid lion found himself in a precarious position. His body was overflowing with all kinds of dark energy. If he didn't release the beam soon, the results for him would be deadly. But Lowemon couldn't discharge his Shadow Meteor, no matter how hard he tried. Beads of sweat fell from the Warrior's forehead.

Sure enough, the overload of energy caused Lowemon's body to explode.

l - l

"Not subtle at all." The original Warrior of Darkness complained about the way Kumamon defeated his duplicate.

"BLOCKADE SEED!" The cedar colored Warrior opened his central compartment and fired a pair of bomb at Lowemon.

With his Shadow Lance in his possession, the humanoid lion used his weapon as a baseball bat to hit the oncoming explosives out of the planet. He made contact with the first bomb, sending it toward the direction of the blue moon. It exploded before it could leave the atmosphere. But when Lowemon swung at the second bomb, he sent it zooming toward Arbormon. The evil Warrior of Wood had to move out of the way to avoid the explosion.

"You's boring! I want to fight that lousy puppet that looks exactly like me, right?" The wooden android complained.

"Hmph, I don't know what's more annoying: Hearing you talk or fighting a lunatic that says 'right' at the end of every sentence." Lowemon countered.

"You better watch your mouth or else it's big trouble for you's, right?"

"I rest my case."

"That does it! ROUNDHOUSE PUNCH!"

The Warrior of Wood extended his elongated arms out and grabbed the long pole of Lowemon's weapon. Both Digimon pulled as hard as they could, trying to gain control of the Shadow Lance. The humanoid lion dug his feet into the ground for more leverage. But Arbormon was persistent. Even from afar, the wooden android's strength made it hard for Lowemon to fight back.

Suddenly, Arbormon used his power to lift the Warrior of Darkness off the ground and slammed his torso on the canvas. Again, the wooden Digimon treated his opponent like a hammer, ruthlessly slamming Lowemon's body repeatedly on the rocky surface. The humanoid lion felt that his ribs were on fire with each slam. It finally ended Arbormon threw him into a boulder, breaking it into pieces.

"You's goin bye bye! BLOCKADE SEED!" The Warrior of Wood screamed, firing a powerful explosive from the center of his chest.

A grin underneath Lowemon's facemask symbolized that his opponent played into his hands.

The Warrior of Darkness kipped up and threw his spear at the bomb like it was a javelin. The lance zoomed across the battlefield. Lowemon didn't just made contact with the explosive. He skewered it. With the explosive in the middle of the pole, the flying weapon reached its target. The spear went through the wooden Digimon with the Blockade Seed stuck in the middle of the Warrior's body.

"GUH! Im...possible... right?" coughed the impaled enemy. The Shadow Lance destroyed significant pieces that made up the android. But what's even worse was that one of Arbormon's explosive was still active, ready to go off at any...

*BOOM*

The doppelganger's entire body burst into pieces when the bomb exploded. Lowemon retrieved his lance and waited for the others to finish.

l - l

"That's gotta hurt, right?" The real Arbormon laughed after seeing his duplicate explode into splinters.

"TAKE THIS!" The evil Beetlemon came from the wooden android's side and shoulder blocked him to the ground.

"Hey, you know it's unsporting to attack an unready opponent, right?"

"Do you think I care about formalities? Destroying you and taking your Spirits is all that matters to me! So quit your yapping and hold still so I can obliterate you!"

"Hehe! If you's think I'm gonna sit on my bum and allow that to happen, you's got another thing coming! You know what I always say, you's can lead an opponent to Arbormon, but you's can't make him _think_, right?" The Warrior of Wood chuckled before returning to a standing position.

"Make a fool out of me, huh?" The Digimon of Thunder growled.

"THUNDER FIST!"

Beetlemon raised his arm up toward the black sky and gathered vast amount of electricity in his hands. Suddenly, the humanoid insect slammed both fists into the ground, allowing the electricity take its course toward the Warrior of Wood. But Arbormon stood his ground, even as the lightning approached him. The look on his eyes told the enemy that he wasn't afraid.

It turned out that Beetlemon was a good matchup for Arbormon. Even though all of the insect's electricity collided against his opponent, it had no effect on the Legendary Warrior. The wooden android stood there with his arms crossed, taking the full blast of the attack. Arbormon knew that even the strongest lightning wouldn't cause any damage to him. Wood was not a good conductor for electricity.

"Mmm! that feels good, right?"

"Don't you dare mock me, you ignorant fool?" Beetlemon growled with his horn surged with electricity.

"LIGHTNING BLITZ!" The Warrior of Thunder shouted. He flew toward the wooden android, ready to pierce a giant hole through his body.

"This be too easy!"

Once the humanoid insect was close enough, Arbormon moved to his side, cleanly avoiding charging Beetlemon. As for the doppelganger, he couldn't control his speed. The evil Warrior ended up crashing head first into a rock formation. His head got stuck in the boulder. Even with his entire strength, the Digimon of Thunder was unable to get himself out.

"This be more fun than swatting flies... or beetles in this case!" The wooden android said before lifting the giant rock off of the ground.

"ROUNDHOUSE PUNCH!"

Arbormon reached his elongated arms up and grabbed a hold of both Beetlemon's legs. Next, the Legendary Warrior threw his arms down, sending the large boulder back to the canvas of the Cherubimoon. At the end of the radius, the duplicate was traveling faster than the speed of sound. Once when the rock hit the ground, it shattered into tiny pebbles. But the transfer of energy toward Beetlemon's head was massive.

Unable to stand any longer, the evil Warrior digitized to nothingness.

l - l

"DRAINING RAIN!" The teal colored duplicate cried.

She raised a hand toward to sky, which summoned a dark cloud of the original Beetlemon's head. Before the Warrior of Thunder could react, hundreds of gallons poured on the humanoid insect's head, causing him to fall on all fours. Beetlemon tried using all of his strength to return to a vertical base. But the aquatic Warrior's power was overwhelming.

"Face it, Sugar! You can't beat me! I'm out of your league! Well... twenty thousand leagues that is! HAHAHAHAHA!" Ranamon laughed with a combination of cuteness and cruelty.

"Ugh! We'll see about... that!" The Warrior of Thunder declared.

Determined not to be defeated by water, Beetlemon dug deeper and summoned enough strength to fight off the powerful rain. Each drop he felt acted like fist pounding him back to the ground. Then again, Beetlemon was one of the most powerful Legendary Warriors of all. Regardless how many energy draining droplets hit his body, the Digimon of Thunder refused to go down.

"Ooh! Not bad, Honey! You might actually be a challenge!" complimented the evil Warrior. "Now, let's see how you hand _this_! WHIPPING WAVES!"

She gathered all of the water scattered throughout the Cherubimoon to create a rising tidal wave almost half the size of the planet. The doppelganger then threw her arms forward, commanding the water to topple on top of the humanoid insect. Beetlemon flew behind a boulder for cover. However, that wasn't enough to protect him from the raging waters. The Warrior of Thunder tumbled in depths of the tidal wave.

But Ranamon wasn't done there.

The evil Warrior pounced on top of the humanoid insect and tackled him to the ground. She grabbed his neck with both hands, determined to squeeze the life out of Beetlemon. Based on the evil look in her eyes, she wouldn't let go until this Legendary Warrior ran out of air. Half a minute passed and Ranamon felt her opponent's energy decreasing.

What she didn't see was the smirk underneath his facemask.

"Sorry, lady! But it appears I have to cancel this date!" Beetlemon chuckled, like his strength never left him.

"THUNDER FIST!"

He called upon the power of lightning to do his bidding. Suddenly, jolts of electricity appeared on his fists. Instead of punching his opponent in the face, Beetlemon spread his arms out, allowing the lightning to do all the work. Apparently, water was a bad matchup with electricity. And Beetlemon couldn't be any happier.

Ranamon felt her pain receptors going off like crazy. The large voltage of electricity fried the poor Warrior's outsides and insides. As her life force depleted, the water level began to disappear. Moments later, the tidal wave was gone. Ranamon had no strength or energy left to continue the fight. She collapsed next Beetlemon and lost consciousness.

The Warrior of Thunder got up and walked away without seeing his opponent burst into pieces.

l - l

Too bad the real Ranamon was struggling against the evil Warrior of Wind. She wasn't able to connect with any of her water attacks. Just before she could get some offense going, the humanoid butterfly delivered a rapid barrage of kicks to the face and midsection. The last sidekick to the jaw sent the aquatic Digimon flat on her back.

Behind her, the lavender haired Warrior laughed at her beaten opponent.

"Give it up, Sugar! You can't win!" Kazemon snickered.

"Why you..." The Warrior of Water growled. She clenched her fist tight, trying hard not to let the mockery get to her.

But from the corner of Ranamon's eye, she saw the original Warrior of Wind staring at her. It wasn't a look that said, 'I told you so.' Wordlessly, Kazemon challenged the aquatic Digimon that if she has what it takes to beat this phony, now would be a good time to prove it.

Not wanting to let her rival get the best of her, Ranamon sprang back to a vertical base to resume the fight with her opponent.

"Back for more, Hon? Excellent! I promise to make your demise as quick and painful as possible! Teehee!" The evil Digimon chuckled.

"Laugh all you want, you water log! Because at the end of the day, you won't be laughing any longer!" countered the Warrior of Water.

"Hmph! We'll see about that! KYAH!" Kazemon smirked before diving towards Ranamon with her feet out in front.

The aquatic Digimon spun out of the way and regained her footing. Now it was her turn to attack. She charged toward the duplicate and unleashed her own set of punches and kicks all over her opponent's body. Regardless of her small size and limited reach, this Legendary Warrior was as feisty as ever. Then again, Kazemon avoided and block each strike with ease. Obviously, this Digimon was desperate to try anything.

But the butterfly had no idea all of this was part of Ranamon's plan.

When Kazemon's back was close to a boulder, the Warrior of Water took a step back and threw both her arms forward. A pair of hands made of water pushed the lavender haired Warrior into the rock by her wings. But it didn't stop there. Before Kazemon could react, the aquatic hands ripped the Warrior's wings off of her back like it was paper.

"YEEOOOWWWW!" screamed the doppelganger.

"Who's laughing now, huh Sugar? Teehee!"

Ranamon called upon the waters and commanded them to enter her opponent's mouth. The high pressured water went down the poor Warrior's throat, forcing her body to inflate like a balloon. Unfortunately, the aquatic Digimon was no mood of showing mercy. Never again will she lose to anyone who dared to make fun of her. That included this lousy duplicate.

The battle was finally over when the humanoid butterfly's body exploded when she couldn't handle any more water.

l - l

"Hmm, not bad." Kazemon commented.

"Zoe, look out!" Kumamon shouted to get her attention.

Realizing she was still in the middle of a fight, the Warrior of Wind turned and ducked underneath a fiery fist delivered by the last doppelganger remaining. Without a doubt, he saw his other comrades fell one by one. With him being the only duplicate left, the evil Agunimon was determined to destroy all of the original Legendary Warriors, starting with the lavender haired Warrior.

"OOF! NGH!" grunted Kazemon when her opponent connected with a punch to her midsection and a hook to her cheek. The female Warrior fell on her back and rolled on the rocky canvas.

"NO! ZOE!" Kumamon cried when he saw his comrade got knocked down.

He was about to run toward Kazemon's aid, when the real Agunimon grabbed him by the arm.

"Takuya? What are you doing? Zoe's in trouble!" Agunimon objected. But the polar bear shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, buddy. Have faith in her." The confident leader smiled.

Kazemon got back on one knee. She wiped her jaw, checking if anything was broken. But her eyes remained the enemy. The Warrior of Wind knew everyone was watching her, including her beloved. Kazemon refused to let her friends down. If all of the other Digimon were able to beat their opponents, then so could she.

"KYAAAAAAAAH! PYRO PUNCH!" The fiery Warrior charge toward the butterfly with fireballs at the end of his knuckles.

Instead of shooting them toward his opponent, Agunimon planned to punch a hole through Kazemon's chest. Once when he was in range, the Warrior of Flame unleashed a barrage of jabs, crosses, hooks and uppercuts. But the butterfly was ready. Her agility and grace allowed her to dodge every attack. Agunimon's anger increased when he noticed the Warrior of Wind smiling.

"Hold still, you stupid..."

"Okay!" The female Digimon giggled

Kazemon performed a small backflip with her feet hitting the opponent's jaws one shortly after the other. Her kicks were powerful enough to damage Agunimon's jaw. The Warrior of Flame flew about ten feet in the air before crashing hard on the ground. He created a large crater upon impact. As her opponent laid motionlessly on the canvas, the humanoid butterfly flapped her wings and took the skies.

Suddenly, the Warrior of Wind dove toward the semiconscious Agunimon with her feet out in front. The speed she was traveling at was remarkable. By the time the fiery Digimon opened his eyes, it was already too late. Kazemon entered the crater and drove both of her feet into the exposed Warrior's stomach, crushing the enemy's armor and his entire body. Agunimon breathed his final breath.

As the butterfly flew out of the circular depression, the final duplicate burst into millions of pieces.

The humanoid butterfly rejoined her boyfriend and greeted him with her signature smile. Agunimon, of course, responded with a grin of his own.

"So... I guess that means you can kick my butt anytime now, huh?"

"I know, I know. You would've countered that easily." Kazemon sighed before punched the fiery Warrior's arm.

"Nope. You're wrong, Z. I _wouldn't_ have." Agunimon scratched the back of his head, which made the butterfly stifle a giggle.

"Um, guys?" Kumamon quickly entered the scene. "I hate to interrupt another one of your 'moments', but look!"

With all of her loyal servants defeated, it was time for Hexamon to get involved in the battle. Her hands glowed in shining, white lights. While she was disappointed that Warriors had made it this far, the look on her face told them she wasn't afraid of any of them.

"Surrender now, you Legendary gnats!  
>Against me, none of you can stand a chance!"<p>

"There's _ten_ of us and only _one_ of you, Hexamon! You can't win!" Agunimon declared.

"Then what are you waiting for, young man?  
>Go ahead! Attack me... if you can! Hahahaha!" laughed the enchantress.<p>

"So, a good kick in pants you want?" The Warrior of Earth grinned before taking out his sledgehammer.

"One flattened witch, coming right up!" Beetlemon grinned with his fists surging with electricity.

The Warriors of Thunder and Earth charged toward enchantress.

"ELDRITCH BLAST!"

Hexamon aimed her free hand toward Grumblemon and Beetlemon. She shot a whitish beam toward them, knocking the two Digimon to the canvas. Before the Warriors could recover, the witch fired another blast at the ground. Her magical abilities allowed her to create a circular prison made of rock, trapping both Warriors. Inside the sphere, Grumblemon and Beetlemon tried breaking free using their strengths, but to no avail.

"Haha! Annoying Warriors make me vexed!  
>Now, which one you pests would like to go next!"<p>

"Egad! Thy mistress of magic's more powerful than we realized!" Mercurymon said.

"Well, someone's gotta bring her down, right?" Arbormon suggested.

"Agreed!" The metallic Digimon agreed.

Suddenly, the Warriors of Steel and Wood charged toward the witch.

"Ooh, so these two Warriors are the most interesting of the cast,  
>Too bad none of you weaklings can withstand my ELDRITCH BLAST!"<p>

Again, the sorceress shot a white beam toward one of the Legendary Warriors. Arbormon tried to get out of the way, but he reacted too late. The blast nailed the wooden android in the chest. While the Warrior of Wood didn't feel any pain, Hexamon's attack did cause Arbormon's limbs to elongate without his command, wrapping himself and the metallic Digimon with the cables.

"Can't... move!" grunted Mercurymon.

"Well, at least you got me around, right?" joked Arbormon. The metallic Digimon groaned with annoyance.

"Hmph! What fools you Warriors be!  
>To think you can actually beat me!" Hexamon sighed.<p>

"LOBO KENDO!" ||| "SHADOW LANCE!"

From Hexamon's blindside, the Digimon of Light and Darkness were in the air with their weapons behind their heads. They're would've sliced the sorceress in half, if she hadn't countered with Eldritch Blasts to the airborne Warriors. Lobomon and Lowemon successfully blocked the oncoming projectile.

Suddenly, the sword and spear hopped out of their wielders' hands and combined into one. When Lobomon and Lowemon landed on the ground, they watched helplessly as their weapons transform into a twenty-foot dragon with a white and black head. With this beast in the way, the Warriors of Light and Darkness had their hands full.

"PYRO PUNCH!" ||| "BLIZZARD BLASTER!"

The Warriors of Flame and Ice unleashed their attacks toward the enchantress. But Hexamon responded by shooting her attack toward the oncoming projectiles. The fireballs and snowballs curved 180º and zoomed toward the other way. Agunimon's face was plastered with the snowballs while Kumamon got nailed with the fireballs. Both Digimon were knocked unconscious.

"Takuya! No!" Kazemon cried.

"Great! What do we do now, Honey?" Ranamon questioned.

"Eight Warriors down, and two more to go!  
>Give up now, ladies! And mercy I will show!<p>

"There's no way we'll surrender to you! We'll keep fighting to the end! Right, Ranamon?"

"Huh?"

"ELDRITCH BLAST!"

Hexamon discharged two more whitish beams to the final Warriors remaining. But the female Digimon rolled out of the way. With tremendous speed, Kazemon quickly approached the sorceress and unleashed a rapid barrage of kicks. Hexamon tried to dodge them all, but the butterfly connected a few to her head and side, causing the witch to stumble.

"Beak, talons and feathers from a crow,  
>You shall be the first to go! KYAH!"<p>

This time, when the sorceress shot another blast, it transformed into a giant hand that grabbed Kazemon's slender waist. The hand squeezed tight on the female Warrior's body, making the poor Digimon scream. Ranamon called upon the waters and created a large tidal wave to take out the witch. But Hexamon used Kazemon's body as a shield to protect herself from the raging waters. When the huge wave subsided, the butterfly coughed profusely for air.

Hexamon laughed and commanded the hand to apply more pressure on Kazemon's body.

"How pitiful, being attacked your friend.  
>Say goodbye, Warrior! This be the end!"<p>

"For you, Sugar!" Ranamon declared.

"WHIPPING WAVES!"

By the time the witch realized she was standing on water, the Warrior of Water manipulated her element to create a hydro tornado around Hexamon. The cyclone sent the sorceress tumbling in the air, which also broke the spell she had on Kazemon. Once when the Warrior of Wind recovered, she took the skies and flew to where Hexamon was.

"NOW!" Kazemon ordered once she reached the enemy. Ranamon ceased her attack and the watery tornado disappeared.

But the butterfly had Hexamon right where she wanted.

"TAKE THIS! KYAH!"

The Warrior of Wind somersaulted forward and delivered a brutal axe kick to the sorceress's midsection. The kick was so powerful sent the witch back down to the Cherubimoon, making a huge crater when she crashed. To finish the evil Digimon once and for all, Kazemon dove down toward the semiconscious witch and planted both of her feet into the witch's ribs.

Hexamon gasped her last breath before passing out.

"GUH... This can't be...  
>How can I lose... to thee."<p>

After Kazemon stepped off of the enemy's body, a ring of Fractal Code appeared around the sorceress.

"Evil Digimon like you, I despise!" The lavender haired Warrior proclaimed before taking her D-Tector. The Symbol of Wind appeared on the screen. She spun once and was ready to finish Hexamon off.

"FRACTAL CODE... DIGITIZE!"

She swung her arm out, absorbing Hexamon's data. When all of the Fractal Code was absorbed, the watch digitized to bits. Since the sorceress was defeated, her spells began to fade. That included the two headed dragon and the rocky, spherical prison that contained Beetlemon and Grumblemon. As the group reunited, Fractal Code surrounded Agunimon's and Kazemon's body, turning them back to their human forms.

"Well done, Z!" Takuya smiled. Zoe replied with a giggle.

"Lopmon!" A voice from behind them cried. Patamon flew past the humans and toward his friend. With Hexamon gone, the Rookie was also free from his prison. The two Celestial youngsters gave each other a warm embrace.

"Finally! They're back together again!" Bokomon sighed.

After a minute of hugging, the two Rookies released each other.

"Say, where's Salamon?" Patamon asked.

"Yeah, Lopmon. Is she here on the Cherubimon too?" wondered Zoe.

Sadly, the rabbit shook his head.

"No, I'm afraid not. But I do remember some other Digimon taking her to that planet over there." Lopmon answered, pointing to the yellow moon out in the distance. Almost everybody groaned.

"Thou must be joking we have to embark on another ridiculous journey." complained Mercurymon.

"Like we have a choice?" Lobomon reminded his comrade.

"Can we let someone else do it, Sugar?" asked Ranamon.

"We gotta go, you guys! It's our mission to rescue Salamon!" Takuya said.

"Lopmon? Do you happened to know who did this to you? Or who was it that captured Salamon?" Zoe questioned.

"Not really." Lopmon again shook his head. "However, I do remember that the Digimon who took her away carried one of those things over there!"

The Rookie again pointed toward something on the ground. The two teenagers and the other Warriors looked in the same direction and noticed a black sphere on the ground, still flowing with energy. But since the host was no more, the power in the dark orb decreased until there was nothing left. With that, the black device shattered into dust.

"Another Chaos Sphere? Great! Why do I get this feeling Malevomon's involved?" Lowemon huffed.

"We'll worried about that later! Right now, we better hurry back to the space shuttle and get to that yellow planet as soon as possible!" Takuya commanded.

"YEAH!" Everyone agreed.

"COME ON! LET'S GO!" The goggle-head commanded.

Upon command, Takuya and his friends ran as fast as they could to their original landing spot. It was quite a distance from their current position. But with Salamon's life in danger, this group wasn't going to stop for anything. A minute has passed until finally, their mode of transportation came into view. Sure enough, their pilot was waiting for them, happily waving for their return.

"Excellent work, my friends! You have rescued another Celestial Digimon!" MegaStarmon complimented.

"Yes, we did!" replied Zoe.

"But now, we need you to take us to that moon over there! Lopmon said that's where the last Celestial Digimon was taken!" Takuya requested as he pointed toward the yellow planet.

"Wait! You want me to take you Legendary Warriors to the Ophanimoon? The moon furthest away from the Digital World?" The pilot shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't, my boy! The DF-4000 is terribly low on fuel. I don't think the spacecraft has enough juice to get to the Ophanimoon! If we set course for the Digital World, we'll be lucky enough to reach the atmosph..."

"Please?" Patamon flew toward MegaStarmon and begged with watery eyes.

"You gotta help us, sir!" pleaded Lopmon.

"What do you say, MegaStarmon? Their friend is in danger! If we don't get to the Ophanimoon soon, Salamon could be in really big trouble." Zoe added.

"I don't know..." sighed the pilot. If he followed through with their request, getting back to the Digital World would be impossible. They all would be stranded on the Ophanimoon with no way of getting back.

But even that wouldn't stop this group from accomplishing their mission.

"This is definitely against protocol, but... EVERYONE INSIDE NOW!"

Happy that MegaStarmon has changed his mind, the humans and Legendary Warriors quickly entered the DF-4000. Once everyone was in their seats and all buckled up, the pilot pressed a few buttons and flipped some switches to ignite the space shuttle. The fuel gauge was really close to empty. It took the pessimistic Digimon a lot of courage to achieve ignition.

"Next stop... *sigh* the Ophanimoon!" said MegaStarmon.

High-pressure gas burst out of the boosters, lifting the DF-4000 off of the canvas of the red planet. Once the space shuttle was out of the atmosphere, the pilot set coordinates for the Ophanimoon. Inside the spacecraft, the Legendary Warriors were pumped up to get to their next destination. Meanwhile, Bokomon and Neemon watched the two Celestial Rookies play like they haven't seen each other in a long time.

Takuya and Zoe looked at one another and locked hands. Every time they arrived on one of the moons to rescue their friends, a Digimon controlled by the Chaos Sphere tried to stop them. While they were able to defeat X-Vademon and Hexamon, it wasn't easy. It's not a bad guess that their toughest challenge could be on the Ophanimoon.

As the spacecraft pushed forward toward the yellow planet, not a single Digimon realized that the one responsible for all of this chaos was anxiously waiting for them.

* * *

><p>"And who might you be?" Beautymon spoke to the In-Training in front of her.<p>

A pint-sized Digimon shaped like a ball bounced all around the former third-in-command. A pair of silver horns gave this creature an intimidating personality, even for an In-Training. His overall body had a grayish color, which described the boldness and fearlessness this young Digimon possessed. Finally, this creature also wore a black hood that barley covered his crimson eyes.

The In-Training level Digimon smirked at the female warrior toweling above him.

"The name's Maligumon! At your service, Beautymon!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Maligumon**

**Level: In-Training**

**Attacks: Maligu Bite; Toxic Spit**

**Description: There's nothing cuddly about Maligumon. This young Digimon is always on the lookout for causing trouble and harm to others. While he may be small, Maligumon has the potential to destroy Digimon even on the Rookie level with his Maligu Bite.**

"Maligumon, you say? Hmph, how disappointing." The olive haired beauty turned her head away.

"Huh? What is?" The young Digimon tilted his head in confusion.

"Well... for an In-Training Digimon, you're definitely on the _ugly_ side of the spectrum. Teehee!" Beautymon giggled. Of course, Maligumon took offense to unnecessary comment provided by the prisoner.

"Is that so, you big fat meanie?" The In-Training Digimon countered.

"Fat?" Beautymon gave the young creature the evil eye. Apparently, Maligumon didn't seem to be paying attention to the fact that the female Digimon was stomping toward him.

"I gotta tell you, Beautymon! Being in prison has definitely made an impact on your looks! Rumor has it that you're supposed to be one of the most gorgeous Digimon in all of the land! But after seeing that hideous look on your face, I guess the experts have to reconsider in... YEOW!"

The third-in-command has had enough with this Digimon running his mouth about her looks. His impudence has earned him a good kick in the behind. Maligumon bounced off the bars of the titanium cage. But Beautymon didn't care how young or powerless the In-Training creature was. This Digimon has said all of those mean things about her.

For almost a minute, Beautymon treated the poor creature like a soccer ball.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Maligumon shouted when the third-in-command kicked him toward the western side of the cell.

Whether it was perfect timing or sheer luck, Beautymon sent the youngster through the titanium bars and out of the cage. Maligumon continued to bounce all around the Containment Room, ricocheting off the walls, tubes and anything his round body made contact with. Back inside her cell, a satisfying smirk appeared on Beautymon's face.

"Hey! What did you do that for?" Maligumon snapped at the prisoner.

"_That_, you rotten little toad, was for calling me 'fat!' No one calls me that and gets away with it; not even a shrimp like you!" The third-in-command replied.

"You sure have anger issues, don't you lady?"

"Hmph!" Beautymon turned away from the In-Training Digimon and huffed.

After shaking the dizziness in his head, Maligumon bounced toward cell, producing an exasperating *boing* sound every time his body sprang off the floor. This Digimon was desperate for attention. Unfortunately for Beautymon, the bouncy noise was starting to get to her. She tried covering her ears and doing whatever she can to ignore the annoying sound.

"Oh, will you stop that bouncing you little troll? It's getting on my nerves! Ugh!" Beautymon complained to the Digimon outside her cell.

"You're very angry, aren't you? You gotta learn to cheer up, Beautymon! I know you've been told this, but you're kinda ugly when you're angry!" The In-Training level creature giggled.

"Ugly, am I?" The olive haired beauty whispered to herself.

Suddenly, the former third-in-command extended an arm out of her cell and pointed toward Maligumon. Her hand charged up with pinkish energy. She was ready to give the young creature a mouthful of her signature attack at point blank range. Beautymon did not care how small, powerless or mischievous this Digimon was. He need to be taught a lesson in respecting her superiors.

But Maligumon stood his ground. He did not move a single inch from his current spot. Not only that, the arrogant smirk on his face remained. Although not a single word came out of his mouth, he silently told the olive haired warrior to give him all she got. Either this Digimon was out of his mind, or confident that Beautymon would not obliterate him.

A whole minute has passed, yet the female beauty has not once called upon her devastating attack.

"Come on, B! Turn that frown upside-down! Smile! It's good for you! Because if you want to feel better, the first thing you have to do is smile!" Maligumon advised the Champion.

"Shut up! The name is _Beautymon_! Get it right, you dumb worm!"

"Whatever you say, B!" chuckled the horned creature.

"Ugh!" Beautymon ceased charging up and pulled her arm back in her cell. She made her way back toward the far corners and curled up into a ball. She buried her face in between her legs and began to cry.

This was a new sight for the young Digimon. For as long as he knew Beautymon, she has not once broke down in front of anybody, let alone him. The former third-in-command was known for being strong both physically and mentally. Maligumon has no idea how to react or what to say to this broken Digimon. It's not like he felt any sympathy for the olive haired beauty. Then again, seeing her cry was driving him crazy.

The In-Training level creature squeezed through the bars of the cage and hopped onto Beautymon's lap.

"Go away!" sobbed Beautymon.

"Hey! How come your eyes are all puffy?" Maligumon questioned.

"None of your business!"

"Why are you all alone in this cold, dark cell?" The youngster continued to ask.

"I'm here because of something I _didn't_ do" Beautymon complained. She got back to her feet, causing the In-Training Digimon to fall to the ground. As the olive haired Beauty paced back and forth in her chamber, the young creature took the liberty in eating the remaining flower petals scattered across the floor.

"It's because of the stupid, flat-chested Blondie! She had the nerve to barge into my quarters, physically assault me and steal what was rightfully mine! And to top it all off, she made up lies after lies saying how it's all my fault when I never did anything wrong! Yet Swiftmon and that old geezer chose to believe her instead me! I mean, really? _HER_?"

"Mmhmm!" Maligumon nodded as he continued to munch on Beautymon's flower petals.

"And Cutie... _my_ Cutie! He would've come to my aid and save me, if it hadn't been for Blondie's stupid lies! What does she have that I don't? My attacks are stronger than hers! I'm a better fighter than she is! I can make Cutie laugh more than she ever could! I got a _bigger_ chest than her! More importantly, I'm much better looking than that ugly beast!"

"Yummy!" The In-Training gobbled more of Beautymon's petals.

"How can I go on if Cutie is not by my side anymore? How can I live another day if Blondie's gonna have her hands all over my Sweetie? How can I..."

She paused and gazed at the young Digimon. To her dismay, Maligumon was more interested in his meal than her rants.

"Oh, who am I kidding? I can't believe I'm pouring out my problems to a little shrimp who doesn't have the brains to know what I'm talking about! I mean, let's face it, you bothersome bouncer! You and I are going to be in here for the rest of our days while life in the Digital World goes on, and Cutie will live happily ever after with _her_!"

"Huh?" The youngster tilted his head in confusion.

"And there's _nothing_ we can do about it!" Beautymon dropped to her knees in defeat.

"Oh?" The In-Training Digimon resaid before his body glowed in bright, white light. Beautymon watched as this creature Digivolved before her very eyes.

When the light subsided, a humanoid child appeared in the center of the cell. He wore a black, long sleeve shirt with tears and rips at the end of each sleeve. White, fingerless gloves covered the Rookie's hand. This creature had black casual pants with patches on both kneecaps and shoes black as night. Finally, a black hood covered his head and his evil red eyes.

The child placed his hands on his hips and chuckled.

"Hmm, I wouldn't say that!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter sixty-four. <strong>

**Now that Lopmon's free, can our heroes find the last Celestial Digimon? What dangers await them on the Ophanimoon? And what does this foul Rookie have plans for himself, and for Beautymon? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	65. Lunar Labyrinth

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**In order to defeat their doppelgangers, the Legendary Warriors switched the matchups for more compatible opponents. One by one, the real Digimon defeated the phony ones. Later on, Hexamon got involved and took out almost all of the Legendary Warriors. But Kazemon and Ranamon worked together to save the day. It turns out that the sorceress was controlled by another Chaos Sphere. After Lopmon was freed, he told Takuya and the others where Salamon was taken. Who knows what evil Digimon is waiting for them on the Ophanimoon? And who knows what's going on between Beautymon and her mischievous cellmate?**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter sixty-five!**

* * *

><p><strong>Lunar Labyrinth<strong>

**Normal POV:**

The landing gear appeared out of the space shuttle, ready to touchdown on the yellow moon. Unfortunately, the Ophanimoon had the rockiest surface out of all the other planets. When the wheels made contact with the canvas, the intense loading on the compartments caused it to snap off. The bottom of the DF-4000 skidded along the rough terrain.

Moments later, the frictional surface made the space shuttle come to a screeching halt. The state of the DF-4000 was pretty bad. There were scratches all over the spacecraft's wings and bottom. The nose of the shuttle was slightly dented. Also, the entire spacecraft was buried under a few feet of rocks, not to mention even scratches on the windshields.

"Well, we have arrived at the Ophanimoon, as requested." MegaStarmon spoke.

Behind the pilot, almost half of the Legendary Warriors were piled on top of each other at the very end of the spacecraft. Kumamon and Beetlemon remained in their seats, but were too dizzy to figure out where they were. As for the humanoid wolf and lion, they laid motionlessly with their heads against the windows. While Takuya held Zoe's hand the entire trip, the blonde felt her boyfriend's grip was much tighter than normal. The only Digimon that enjoyed the ride was Patamon and Lopmon. The Celestial Rookies bounced in their seat while Bokomon and Neemon did their best keep them under control.

"YEOW! WHO PINCHED ME?" Grumblemon shouted when he felt a stinging sensation on his butt.

"Oops! Sorry, Sugar! I thought you were Mercurymon!" apologized Ranamon.

"Why you..." The metallic Digimon grunted before throwing an elbow to his backside, hoping to hit the aquatic Warrior.

"OUCH! HEY, WATCH IT!" complained Arbormon when he felt someone hit his side.

"Apologies! I thought you were the loudmouth!" said Mercurymon.

"That was the worst landing ever!" Beetlemon criticized.

"I'm sorry, my friends. But it seems like the landing gears have snapped off due to the Ophanimoon's terrain." replied the pilot.

"Just when things can't get any worse!" Kumamon groaned.

"Hehe... Again, my apologies." MegaStarmon rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, at least the spacecraft hasn't blown up yet." Lobomon groaned.

"Is that supposed to be good news or bad news?" Lowemon responded to the Warrior of Light's comments.

"Your choice." said the humanoid wolf.

Meanwhile, both Takuya and Zoe could hear the other Legendary Warriors arguing in the back. Of course, why wouldn't they be after that terrible excuse of a landing, courtesy of MegaStarmon? While the passengers continued to bicker, the couple smiled at each other. The important thing was they had finally arrived at the Ophanimoon safe and sound.

"Um... Takuya?"

"Yeah? What is it, Z?" The goggle-head asked.

"Is there any reason why you're squeezing my hand?" The blonde asked.

"Huh? Oops, sorry. I guessed I was a little scared."

"Oh brother." Zoe giggled.

After releasing his girlfriend's hand, Takuya walked to the front of the spacecraft. To his right, Patamon and Lopmon were cheering like little kids, repeating the phrase, "LET'S GO AGAIN! LET'S GO AGAIN!" As the motherly figure, Bokomon did his best to keep the Celestial Rookies calm. Neemon, however, had puked in his brown paper bag for the third time.

To his left, the Bearer of Flame saw the pilot twiddling with the space shuttle's radio.

"Anything, MegaStarmon?" Takuya asked.

"Negative. I'm trying to get in contact with the Astro Dome, but no one's picking up. I fear that the signal is weaker here on the Ophanimoon."

"In other words?" The goggle-head questioned.

"Until I can reach my crew back in the Digital World, I'm afraid we're stranded here." The pilot relayed the bad news.

"Wonderful!" Takuya complained.

"Takky? We're all ready to go now." His girlfriend said. Realizing that he and his friends still had a mission to complete, the Bearer of Flame nodded toward Zoe.

"Okay, MegaStarmon. You know what to do." Takuya said.

The pilot pushed the button that opened the airlock doors. One by one, the Legendary Warriors hopped out of the space shuttle and landed smoothly on the yellowish terrain. Patamon and Lopmon also exited the spacecraft with Bokomon and Neemon following behind them. Zoe kissed her boyfriend on the cheek before leaping through the opening.

"MegaStarmon, I suggest you stay here and try to repair the space shuttle. And also, while you're at it, try to get that radio working to get in touch with the Astro Dome. If we're going to get out of here, we're gonna need the crew to send us another tanker." commanded the leader.

"I'll do whatever I can." saluted the pilot. "In the meantime, stay safe and protect each other at all times. It is up to you to save the final Celestial Digimon."

After giving the pilot the thumbs up sign, Takuya hopped out of the opening to join his friends. Half of the Legendary Warriors were scanning the uncharted territory, while the remaining Digimon played around with the Celestial Rookies. The goggle-head took a minute or two to observe his surroundings. There were boulders, mountains and craters as far as the eye could see. The only differences between this planet and the others were the color and bed full of a variety of flowers.

"So, anybody know where we should start?" Beetlemon spoke first.

"To be honest... my guess is as good as yours." Takuya chuckled.

"Just the words I want to hear from the 'great leader.'" complained the Warrior of Steel.

"Wait! I know where to look!" Patamon flew in front of Mercurymon's face and smiled at his own reflection.

"Where, Patamon?" Zoe wondered.

"It's... THIS WAY! FOLLOW ME!" The winged Rookie declared, pointing toward the east. With a direction in mind, Patamon flapped his wings and flew forward.

"So the little runt is taking the lead once again, right?" Arbormon questioned.

"How insulting, taking orders from a Rookie!" The Warrior of Water groused.

"Say what you want, Ranamon. But Patamon did lead us to Lopmon last time." Zoe defended her Digimon friend.

"I agree. Let's follow him and see where he's taking us." Takuya commanded.

Soon after, the other Legendary Warriors complied.

For minutes, the large group ventured eastward. Patamon continued to fly forward with a determined look on his face. It's like he's positive that the final Celestial Digimon was in that direction. Most of the Warriors walked in silence. As for Patamon, he hummed a happy tune to past the time. Bokomon and Lopmon moved their head from side to side with the music. Takuya and Zoe, however, just laughed.

"Are we there yet?" Neemon asked.

"Almost!" Patamon responded. He pressed onward in a leisurely pace, much to the vexation of almost half of the Legendary Warriors.

"Little further?" Grumblemon groaned after walking for nearly ten minutes without finding anything.

"'Hey, keep it down back there! Your complaining is really grinding my gears, right?" Arbormon glowered at Warrior of Earth.

"Hmph, if thoust go any slower, my entire body will turn into rust!" bickered Mercurymon.

"Teehee! You're saying like that's a problem, Sugar?" The aquatic Digimon smirked toward the metallic Warrior.

"Hmm, noisy bunch are they?" Lopmon looked eyed the group of Digimon in the back.

"You'll get used to it." Bokomon sighed before shifting his attention toward Patamon. "So... any luck, my dear boy?"

"Not yet! But we're almost there! I can feel it!" The winged Digimon ecstatically replied.

"Why do I get this feel that, underneath that happy exterior, he's actually lost?" Takuya sarcastically questioned, which earned him an elbow to the gut by Zoe.

"UGH!" The Celestial Rookie in front grunted in pain before collapsing one the canvas.

"YAH!" The brown rabbit also shouted in agony. He fell next to Patamon, clutching his head.

"LOPMON!" Zoe gasped before embracing the Digimon.

"PATAMON!" Bokomon cried. He got on one knee and cradled his baby in his arms. "SPEAK TO ME, PLEASE!"

"What's wrong, guys? Are you alright?" Takuya asked the Celestial Rookies.

"It's... It's Salamon! She's nearby!" Patamon replied after shaking off his dizziness.

"Are you sure?" Bokomon massaged his baby's head.

"But there's no one around here!" Beetlemon said after scanning the surroundings from the skies. So far, they were in the middle of nowhere. All that's around them were giant rocks and more craters.

"He's right! She is here!" Lopmon confirmed. 'I can sense her pain!"

"That's not good." Lobomon sighed.

"Where are they, you guys?" Kumamon asked.

"Are they close?" questioned Lowemon

The Legendary Warriors sighed when the Celestial Rookie shrugged their shoulders.

"Hey, everybody! Look what I found!" The Digimon wearing red trousers waved and shouted toward the group.

"What is it, Neemon?" Zoe asked.

"Did you find a clue to where Salamon is located?" Takuya questioned. However, the yellow rabbit shook his head. He held his hand up and showed the goggle-head what appeared to be a small, silver ball.

"Lucky me! I got a new toy to play with!" Neemon cheered, tossing the gray sphere up and down like a little kid.

"Hey, Bokomon! Catch this!"

The rabbit threw the silver ball toward his partner. Even though Bokomon was busy taking care of his baby, he had enough time to react and catch Neemon's new toy. But based on the angry look on his face, the Rookie was not in the mood for his partner's antics. Instead of returning the sphere back to Neemon, Bokomon threw it hard on the ground.

"You idiot!" He complained. "We don't have time for fun and games! Stop playing around and get your act togeth..."

*CHING*

The loud noise came from the gray orb Neemon had recently found. But this was no ordinary ball. The sphere opened up like an egg, revealing a projected image of another strange creature. Even though he was no bigger than the humans, he wore a long, black cloak with a hood concealing his entire face. The others gathered around to obverse the figure.

The image spoke in a deep, dark voice.

"**Well... It looks like the famous Chosen Children and the other Legendary Whimps have finally arrived!**"

"Who are you?" Lobomon asked.

"Some kind of Digimon?" wondered Lowemon.

"**Hehe! Wouldn't you like to know?**"

"Why you ignorant, little troll! THUNDER FIST!"

Beetlemon gathered vast amounts of lightning in his hands and unleashed a powerful punch toward the figure. But he has forgotten that it was only a projected image. The humanoid insect flew through the creature and landed on the other side. The other Legendary Warriors got in their defensive stance, ready to take on the hooded figure. However, Takuya stepped forward and spread his arms out, preventing his friends from attacking.

"Wait, you guys! Save your energy for later!" He commanded. One by one, the Warriors reluctantly stood down and put away their weapons.

"**Hahahaha! You humans are a lot smarter than you look! Still, it wasn't a very smart decision coming here to this place!**"

"Enough! Just tell us who you are!" Zoe demanded.

"**Hehe! That's not important!**"

"Are you working for Malevomon?" asked Kumamon.

"**Why don't you figure it out, you pint-sized teddy bear?**"

"Teddy bear?" The Warrior of Ice grumbled.

"Let me ask you something... whoever you are!" The leader spoke. "Are you the one responsible for the kidnappings of the Celestial Digimon?"

"**Hmph! And I thought X-Vademon and Hexamon would've destroyed them by now, along with a few of you Legendary Warriors! Man, it's hard to find decent help nowadays!**"

"So you're the one who put the Chaos Spheres inside X-Vademon's and Hexamon's bodies!" The aquatic Digimon gasped.

"**Wow! You are smart, Ranamon! I can see your brains hasn't left you ever since you were returned to normal. However... I can't say the same thing about your looks though! HAHAHAHA!**"

"Why I never..." The Warrior of Water clenched her fist in anger. "Of all the nerve! How dare you talk to me like that, you despicable toad! How about if I rearrange your face... HEY, LET GO OF ME!"

"Now's not the time for unpleasantries, my lady!" Mercurymon had his arms wrapped around Ranamon so she wouldn't blow a gasket.

"Look! What do want from us?" Bokomon asked the hooded Digimon.

"**Silly fools! It's not about what _I_ want from _you_! It's about what _you_ want from _me_!**"

"Are you the one who has kidnapped Salamon?" asked Neemon.

"**Took you idiots that long to figure that out? Hahahaha! How pathetic!**"

"Grrrr! Listen, you big meanie! Tell us what you have done with our friend, right now!" Patamon glowered at the projection.

"Me too!" Lopmon concurred.

"**As you wish!**"

The hooded creature stepped to the side to reveal his captive. Behind him was a steel cage that held a poor Digimon prisoner. Upon further inspection, the creature looked like a small dog with whitish fur and pink spots on both of her cheeks. She also wore a Holy Ring around her neck. But this mammal-type Digimon laid motionlessly on the ground.

Tears formed in Patamon's and Lopmon's eyes when they saw their friend covered with scratches and bruises.

"SALAMON!" The Celestial Rookies cried.

"What have you done to her, you big bully?" Kumamon growled at the hooded Digimon.

"**Relax, fools! She's alive... for now!**"

"Where is she? Tell us, right now!" Lowemon demanded.

"**The weakling's with me! Sheesh!**"

"And where that be?" Grumblemon grunted.

Moments later, the entire Ophanimoon began to shake. Fortunately, the tremors weren't as violent. All of the Digimon and humans were able to keep their balance. Still, they had no idea what was causing the moonquakes. The Legendary Warriors scanned their surroundings, but could not find the source of the tremors.

Suddenly, a doorway appeared out of the ground. It was almost as big as the boulders on the Ophanimoon. Once when the opening was fully submerged, the tremors had also stopped. The entire group scanned the passageway before them. However, all they could see was a set of stairs leading them into a dark abyss, lit by a few torches on the side walls.

"Hey, what is this?" Arbormon asked as he examined the entranceway.

"Thou must not like any visitors!" Mercurymon snickered.

"What is this, you weirdo?" Zoe glowered at the hooded projection.

"**If you want to rescue your friend, you freaks must enter: The Warriors' Tomb!**"

"That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!" Lobomon complained.

"What is? The name of the dungeon, or the fact that we have to go inside?" Lowemon questioned his counterpart.

"**Say what you want, you fools! But as of right now, I hold all of the cards! And I'm running out of patience! If you want to see your precious Salamon again, then you will find her at the center of The Warriors' Tomb!**"

"Listen, you!" Takuya growled. "You better let our friend go, right now! If you lay one finger on her, my friends and I will beat you so bad, your former 'master' will be getting bruises in his..."

"**And you have one hour! Hahahaha! Oh, by the way, you Legendary Punks! Time starts... NOW!**"

Suddenly, the projected image of the hooded Digimon faded away. At the same time, the silver ball that displayed the creature had broke apart into tiny pieces. The only thing that remained intact was the doorway to The Warriors' Tomb. Takuya, Zoe and the others stood in front of the entranceway and stared down the long, dim passageway.

"So, what's the plan?" Beetlemon asked the group.

"Plan obvious, no?" The Warrior of Earth cracked his knuckles.

"Thou has spoken true! We must enter the hallway of horrors!" Mercurymon chuckled.

"Seriously, do you ever shut up?" Ranamon groaned to the metallic Digimon.

"I'm itching for some action, right?" The wooden android snickered.

"For once, I agree with you!" Kumamon nodded.

"Hmph, it's got to be a trap." The humanoid wolf grumbled.

"I hate it when you say stuff like that!" exclaimed Lowemon.

"We have no choice, you guys! Salamon's life is in danger! If we don't do something now, it might be too late!" The Bearer of Wind reminded.

"You're right, Z!" Takuya placed a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder and smiled. "What do you say, everyone? LET'S GO SAVE THE LAST CELESTIAL DIGIMON!"

"YEAH!" The rest of the group agreed.

With their goal already set, the humans and Digimon sprinted inside The Warriors' Tomb.

l - l

The mysterious passageway had sharp turns, staircases and paths that weren't lit by torches. Other times, the large group came across a bunch of forks in the dungeon that broke off into two, three, and sometimes four directions. Takuya let his instincts take over to make his decision where to go. But Zoe and the rest of the Warriors never questioned their leader's choices.

"How much further?" Neemon groaned.

"We'll get there when we get there!" Bokomon shouted to his partner.

"Then we better get there soon, right? My feet are killing me!" Arbormon complained.

"Anything, Takuya?" Kumamon asked the human up front.

"Yeah, up ahead! There's a light at the end of the tunnel!" The goggle-head replied.

"Hmph! That's so cliché!" grunted the metallic Digimon.

"He's right! We're getting close, you guys! I bet Salamon's on the other side!" Zoe guessed as she and her friends picked up the pace.

Moments later, the group exited the long, dimmed hallway and entered the chamber.

It was square-shaped room. The walls and ceiling were made of rocks. As for the floor, it was a sandpit so large, a child could build a hundred sandcastles in it. The Bearer of Flame looked left and right to see if there were any kind of evil Digimon or traps waiting for them. However, the only unique feature about this particular room was the sand floor.

"Now what, Sugar?" Ranamon asked.

"Look! Up ahead!" Beetlemon pointed to the opposite end of the chamber. To everyone's delight, there was another entrance that lead to another part of the dungeon.

"So, I'm guessing all we have to do is go over this sandpit to get across. How bad can that be?" Kumamon smirked.

"Right! Let's go!" The leader commanded.

So Takuya, Zoe, and all of the other Digimon hopped off of the ledge and sprinted across the sand. It was as smooth as the sand on the beach. Though not as warm, the group had no trouble moving across the terrain. It wouldn't be long before they reached the other side to continue their quest to save the final Celestial Digi...

"Um, guys? Why are we sinking?" Lobomon suddenly asked.

The closer the Legendary Warriors approached the exit, the deeper their bodies sank. Soon, almost their entire lower extremities were buried under the minerals. The group tried to retreat, but even that wasn't working. The more they move, the more they sank. At this point in time, the sand has reached up to the Warriors' waistlines.

"What be this?" Mercurymon inquired.

"It's quicksand!" Takuya quickly analyzed. "Hold still, everybody! The more we struggle, the faster we will sink!"

"But if we don't move, we're still sinking!" Lowemon said.

"Hmph, I don't know about you dorks, but there's no way I'm going to be buried alive today, right?" Arbormon said before pointing both of his arms towards the walls on the opposite end of the room.

"ROUNDHOUSE PUNCH!"

He shot his cable hands toward the opposite walls and punched a couple of holes in the rocks. Arbormon grabbed the edges for support. The Warrior of Wood pulled himself out of the sand and toward the end of the chamber. However, he didn't go alone. A few of the Legendary Warriors hopped on as the wooden android passed by. Kumamon and all of the other Rookies climbed on board the Digimon of Wood. Lobomon, Lowemon grabbed Arbormon's legs and waited for their comrade to pull them to the opposite side.

"I agree!" Beetlemon said.

The humanoid insect opening his wing compartments and using his strength to pull himself out of the quicksand. Once he was out of the surface, he grabbed Zoe's and Mercurymon's hand. The Digimon of Water, however, wrapped her arms around Beetlemon's legs. While the weight was a bit overwhelming, the Warrior of Thunder carried his friends to safety.

"Zoe! Help..." The goggle-head cried. Only his head, neck, and parts of his arms remained above the sand.

"Hang on, Takuya! I'm coming!" The blonde cried with her D-Tector in one hand and a ring of Fractal Code around the other.

"EXECUTE! SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

A line of data wrapped the teenage girl. Zoe felt a surge of energy taking over her body as she became one with the Spirits of Wind. When the transformation was complete, the humanoid butterfly spun around to create strong, turbulent wind forces around her. Finally, she unleashed a huge sidekick to disperse the tornado.

"KAZEMON!"

The Warrior of Wind flew over the pit toward where her beloved was. She lowered herself toward the quicksand and grabbed his forearm. Kazemon pulled the goggle-head out just before he was completely buried underneath the sand. With her boyfriend out, the humanoid butterfly flew to safety and set Takuya down on the tiled floor.

"Thanks, Z!" The Bearer of Flame smiled after coughing up sand in his mouth.

"Are we all here?" asked Lowemon.

"I guess so... Wait! Where's Grumblemon?" Ranamon spoke.

"Me over here!"

The group turned toward the sandpit and saw the gnome-like Digimon easily swimming through the minerals like it was a pool. Grumblemon had an arrogant look on his face, silently telling his comrades how easy it was for him to move through his element. While his antics did annoy some of the Legendary Warriors, Takuya and Kazemon couldn't help but smile.

"Wouldst thou hurry up?" Mercurymon grunted.

"Sheesh! Me never get to have fun..."

*BOOM*

A huge explosion appeared behind the Warrior of Earth in the sandpit, almost reaching the ceiling. Grumblemon looked behind and saw a pair of crab-like claws appeared out of the sand. They grabbed both of the Legendary Warrior by the shoulders. Regardless how strong Grumblemon was, he couldn't break free.

"HEY, WHAT THE... AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

The others watched helplessly as the claws dragged their comrade down below the depths. The last thing Takuya and his friends saw was Grumblemon's large nose disappearing underneath the surface. But before the Warriors could do something, stone floorings appeared from the sides of the container and came together, permanently sealing the sandpit.

"GRUMBLEMON, NO!" Kazemon cried.

"What happened to him?" asked the Warrior of Ice.

"Something must've dragged him down to the bottom!" Beetlemon analyzed.

"We have to rescue him!" Takuya commanded, pulling his D-Tector out of his pocket. However, before he could Spirit Evolve, the goggle-head felt someone grabbing his wrist.

"We can't stop, Takuya!" Lobomon said.

"Haven't you forgotten what that hooded creep told us?" Lowemon questioned.

"He said we's got about an hour to get to the center, right?" Arbormon replied.

"But we can't just leave him!" Kazemon argued.

"Not to worry, Honey! Grumblemon may have a small brain! But he's got a strong head to protect it! He'll be fine!" Ranamon consoled.

"For now, we must keep moving!" said Mercurymon.

"I guess you're right!" Takuya nodded his head in defeat. "Let's just hope Grumblemon will join up with us soon before it's too late!"

So the group left the first room to continue their quest to find Salamon.

l - l

It turns out that there was something at the bottom of the quicksand. The mysterious Digimon dragged the Warrior of Earth all the way down until they reappeared out of the ceiling. Grumblemon landed on his feet on the iron floor and scanned his surroundings. It was just like the chamber he and his comrades were in last time. However, the floors and walls were made of iron. The gnome got in his stance when he finally got a glimpse of the Digimon who brought him here.

This creature was a large, silver crab with six legs. The claw on his left hand was significantly larger than his right. Bloodshot eyes leered deep into his opponent's, symbolizing that he's being controlled by a Chaos Sphere. On the back was the number 69 written sideways, or the astrological sign of the Cancer. The evil Digimon moved toward Grumblemon with a cruel chuckle coming out of his mouth.

"Who you, dorkus?" The gnome asked as he took out one of his sledgehammers.

"A loyal servant to the one in charge! No one can stop the colossal Canceramon!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Canceramon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Cancerous Claw, Crab Hammer**

**Description: Canceramon is a Digimon that roams from galaxy to galaxy. He may be moody and very oversensitive when others tease him, but that would only make him angrier and more dangerous. He can squeeze his opponent into submission with his deadly Cancerous Claw.**

"Hehe! Me no afraid of crummy crustacean! After done with you, me bathe you in hot butter with pinch of salt!" The unintimidated Grumblemon smirked.

"Hey! How dare you speak to me like that? You're gonna pay for your..."

"Oh, can I use one leg as toothpick too?" The Warrior of Earth laughed.

"THAT'S IT! CRAB HAMMER!"

The crustacean transformed his giant claw into a ginormous mallet. He then brought his weapon down on his opponent. Grumblemon dove out of the way, barely avoiding the first strike. But Canceramon was back on the attack. Again, he threw his arm toward the ground, hoping to flatten the Warrior of Wood. Grumblemon had to move his side to avoid being crushed. For minutes, Canceramon played his little game of Whack-A-Grumblemon. His cruel laughter told his opponent that he was having fun doing it.

Grumblemon connected with some of Seismic Sledges. But even his strongest hammer shot didn't leave a dent on Canceramon's shell. The Ultimate level Digimon had him outmatched in defense and reach. The gnome knew he needed to regroup with the others if he wanted to defeat the crustacean. However, when he tried to dig his way out of the chamber, he was unsuccessful. Grumblemon could burrow through earth, but not through iron.

"No escape from me, Legendary Gnat! CANCEROUS CLAW!"

Canceramon transformed his hammer into its original claw. He thrust his weapon toward his opponent and wrapped the pinchers around Grumblemon's body. The Ultimate level Digimon lifted the gnome off the ground and slammed him into one of the iron walls. The Warrior of Earth groaned in pain before Canceramon slammed him into another wall. After a couple more slams, he held Grumblemon up high and tightened his grip.

"LET GO, YOU!" The Digimon of Earth commanded. But Canceramon refused.

"Not a chance! Now, beg for mercy, you little runt!" The Ultimate level Digimon commanded, tightening his squeeze.

"ME... NEVER... SURRENDER TO YOU!" Grumblemon groaned. His entire torso's about to be crushed. Still, he refused to submit.

"If that's the case, YOU SHALL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!"

With his patience running out, Canceramon grabbed the Warrior of Earth with his second claw to double the force of the grip on Grumblemon's body. This time, the gnome lets out an intense scream with agony. He kicked his legs about and fought with everything in him. But the louder he screamed, the tighter Cancermon squeezed. He was determined to crush this Digimon like a grape.

"Hehe! Master will be very pleased after I destroy a Legendary Warrior!" laughed the evil Digimon. "Those fools have no idea who they're messing with! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

l - l

Meanwhile, the rest of the group had reached the end of the long hallway and came to another chamber that was purposefully set to throw the Warriors off. Takuya, Zoe and the others stood on a ledge. On the other side of the room was another ledge about thirty feet above their current position. Below was a pit of darkness. Not one of them knew what was at the bottom of the abyss. Then again, they never wanted to find out anyway.

"Sure is a long way down!" Kumamon said.

"How are we going to get across?" asked Ranamon.

"Simple! We fly!" Patamon happily replied. The young Rookie flapped his wings and effortlessly sailed from one side of the room to the other. He landed on smoothly on all fours and waved toward the others.

"Come on, everybody! It's not that far!" The Celestial Digimon spoke.

"Patamon! Stay there! Mommy's coming!" Bokomon shouted.

He, Neemon, and Lopmon climbed on top of Beetlemon's back. The Warrior of Thunder carried the three Rookies to the opposite end of the chamber. Bokomon quickly got off of the humanoid insect and wrapped Patamon in a warm embrace.

"Takuya?" Kazemon smiled toward her beloved. The goggle-head nodded and grabbed the butterfly's hand. The two flew over the pit and landed on the ledge.

"Move aside, you guys!" The Warriors of Light and Darkness commanded the other Digimon.

Lowemon had his Shadow Lance out. Like an Olympic pole vaulter, the humanoid lion used his weapon as an aid to propel himself over the abyss and on to the ledge. Lobomon used the same technique with his Lobo Kendos. With them connected at the ends, the humanoid wolf stabbed the light swords into the ground, vaulted upwards and soared over the pit.

"Did thou forget us?" Mercurymon shook his fist toward the others.

"How are we supposed to get to the other side if we can't fly?" Ranamon questioned.

"A bird without wings is easy prey, right?" Arbormon chuckled sarcastically.

"Don't worry, you guys! Leave it to me!" Kumamon smirked. "CRYSTAL FREEZE!"

The Warrior of Ice took a deep breath and blew as hard as he could. Thanks to this added energy, the polar bear was able to create a long bridge made out of ice, connecting the ledge they stood on to the ledge the others were at. Kumamon then activated his skies and effortlessly glided on the platform. But the remaining three were still skeptical about the bridge.

"Is this supposed to be safe?" Ranamon huffed.

"Methinks this contraption will lead us to our demise!" bickered Mercurymon.

"And that's supposed to make me feel better, right?" Arbormon groaned.

"HURRY UP!" The whole group told the others.

Realizing that they're wasting time, the three Warriors shrugged and walked on the bridge one by one. Mercurymon took the lead and Arbormon picked up the rear. The contraption was slippery, which was why the Digimon took a long time to get from one side of the chamber to the other. A minute later, Mercurymon reached the opposite ledge. Ranamon also successfully made it across.

That only left Arbormon, who was at the halfway point.

*crack, crack*

"ARBORMON, HURRY UP!" Kumamon shouted. "THE ICE IS ABOUT TO..."

*KEEEEEEEEEEK*

"... break."

With no surface to stand on, Arbormon began to plummet into the darkness. He tried to save himself by shooting his cabled arms toward the ledge. Unfortunately, the Warrior of Wood wasn't able to grab onto the platform, even with his upper extremities fully elongated. The others try to reach out toward the wooden android, but not one of them could rescue their comrade.

"ARBORMON!" Kazemon cried.

"It's not the fall I'm worried about! IT'S THE SUDDEN LANDING IN THE END, RIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT?" The Warrior of Wood voice went from a thunderous roar to a shrinking echo.

"Great! We lost another one!" Ranamon grunted.

"It just keeps getting better, right guys?" Lobomon shrugged.

"Should I go after him?" Beetlemon asked.

"Nay! Even a towering fall such as this cannot harm thee!" Mercurymon smirked.

"Do you really think he'll be alright?" wondered Kumamon.

"He will be! But right now, we have to keep moving!" Takuya informed the others.

Without another word, the Legendary Warriors resumed their journey through the dungeon.

l - l

"Ugh... what happened?" Arbormon groaned after waking up from his long fall.

When his vision cleared, the Warrior of Wood noticed he wasn't surrounded by darkness anymore. He was in another chamber with vines covering the walls. He also wasn't lying on stone. Instead, smooth grass tickled his back. On each corner was a small fountain that poured out clean, fresh water. For a brief moment, the wooden android thought he was in paradise.

"Lovely place, isn't it? But I'm afraid this wonderful garden of mine will be your grave." A voice of an angel spoke to him.

"Huh? Who's that?" Arbormon sprang to his feet and drop to his stance.

The melodic tune of a harp echoed across the room. When the Warrior looked up and saw the source of the noise, he lets out a small whistle. Above was angel-like creature with white wings and blonde hair tied in a ponytail. She wore white garments with a strange 'm' symbol that looked like the astrological symbol of the Virgo, and with a palm leaf tucked underneath one of her sash. The harp she played was bright gold and sang the most beautiful music.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Legendary Warrior. My name is Virgomon!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Virgomon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Virgate Magic, Rapturous Rhapsody**

**Description: Virgomon is one of the most powerful spellcasters in the entire galaxy. She makes every witch and wizard in the Digital World envious of her power. With the wave of her palm leaf, she could unleash her devastating Virgate Magic attack. **

"Ooh, pretty!"

The sight of this remarkable Digimon almost made Arbormon fell in love. But the keyword is 'almost.' A pair of devilish horns suddenly appeared out of the angel's forehead. The Warrior of Wood also noticed the creature's red eyes when she flew a little closer toward him. Arbormon groaned, knowing that this Digimon has a Chaos Sphere inside her body.

"AND IT'S MY DUTY TO DESTROY YOU!" The angel's voice grew darker and her personality flipped. "RAPTUROUS RHAPSODY!"

Virgomon violently strummed the strings on her harp to produce a deafening, screeching sound. The noise entered Arbormon's ear, which caused the Legendary Warrior to fall on his knees. It was so loud, the awful music gave the wooden android a serious migraine. But Arbormon fired a Blockade Seed at the instrument, turning the angel's weapon into a bunch of pieces. Unfortunately, no damage was done to Virgomon.

"Hey, what gives? I give you a compliment, and my thanks is you trying to destroy me? That's what I call rude, right?" objected the wooden android.

"It's simple, really. My master has ordered me to annihilate you in this dungeon." Virgomon spoke once again with her soft, sweet voice.

"And how about you tell me who your master is?" Arbormon commanded.

"Oh, I'm afraid I can't do that." Virgomon replied.

However, as the angel shook her head, her cute smile quickly changed into a malicious smirk.

"BUT WHAT I CAN DO IS MAKE YOUR DESTRUCTION RELATIVELY PAINFUL!"

"Oh boy!" gulped the Warrior of Wood.

"VIRGATE MAGIC!"

Virgomon took out her palm leaf and fanned it toward her opponent. A powerful tornado appeared out of nowhere. It spun toward Arbormon and lifted the Warrior off of his feet. Inside the vortex, the Digimon of Wood grew sicker by the minute. The faster he spun in the air, the dizzier he got. It wasn't long before the wooden android flew out of the cyclone and slammed into the wall.

"THERE'S NO ESCAPE!" laughed the psychotic angel.

With another wave of her palm leaf, the grass on the ground levitated. The plants combined together to form a giant stake. Virgomon then pointed toward her opponent. At the same time, the sharpened, leafy post took aim at the defenseless Warrior and zoomed toward their target. Meanwhile, Arbormon had already regained consciousness in time to see the projectile coming his way. Too bad he was too weak to defend himself.

"Uh-oh! This is definitely gonna hurt, right?"

l - l

"I'm worried about Grumblemon and Arbormon, you guys! What if something bad happened to them?" The Warrior of Ice asked.

"We can't worry about them now! Our mission is to rescue the last Celestial Digimon!" Lobomon responded.

"Even so, why do I get this feeling that all of these traps were set up to slow us down or to separate us from our friends?" analyzed Beetlemon.

"Thou hast made a good point!" Mercurymon laughed.

"And what's so funny about that, metal head?" Ranamon argued.

"Hush, my lady! We don't need thy nincompoops to complete our mission!"

"But I can't help but wonder if our friends are alright!" Kazemon thought.

"After we find Salamon, we'll come back for them!" suggested Takuya.

Before long, the Warriors came to the end of the hallway. The good news that there was no room with some kind of trap on the other side. Instead, eight greenish tube openings appeared on the sides of the wall. Above the fourth and fifth tubes was a note attached to the wall by a piece of tape. Takuya removed the paper, unfolded it and began to read it.

"What does it say, Sugar?" Ranamon asked.

"_There are eight slides for you Warriors to choose,_  
><em>When you reach the bottom, one more you shall lose.<em>"

"Well, that's reassuring." Lobomon moaned.

"I hate to think about what '_one more you shall lose_' actually means." huffed Lowemon.

"Then I suggest we all go down one slide, instead of all of us picking one! Since our chances of success are pretty high, it seems like the most logical choice!" Beetlemon debated.

"But what if the one we choose is the wrong one? Then what?" countered Kumamon.

"We're wasting time doing nothing but arguing!" Takuya reminded his friends.

"Bah! Then thou shall cut the chit-chat and decide already!" Mercurymon grunted, stepping in between the human and his beloved. He chose the second tube on the right and slide down the side.

Suddenly, the tube closed up, sealing all access to that slide.

"Hey, what the..." The goggle-head gasped when one of the tubes had been blocked.

"So much for staying together!" said the humanoid insect.

"Takuya?" Kazemon looked to her boyfriend, waiting for his directions.

"Kumamon's right! There is a chance we all could go down the wrong slide! Our only chance is for all of us to choose one and just hope that we'll meet at the bottom! Anyone who objects, speak now!"

The other Warriors remained silent. A few were pessimistic about the situation. They believed that they might be 'sliding' into a trap either way. However, they had to get through this obstacle, one way or another. With their decision made, the group chose which tube they will enter. As for the Rookie, they each picked their which Warrior they will travel with. At last, everyone stood before the entrance of the slide.

"NOW!"

After Takuya gave the signal, the group swung forward and went down the tube. Behind them, the entrance had already sealed up.

Lowemon and Bokomon were the first to reach the bottom. They scanned the surroundings and were both disappointed to find themselves in another hallway with torches hanging on the side. Kumamon was the next to appear out of his slide. Seconds later, Lobomon arrived with a nauseated Neemon on his lap. Next was Kazemon, who carried Lopmon in her arms. Ranamon and Beetlemon came afterwards.

"Where's Takuya?" The butterfly wondered.

"WEEEEEEEEEE!" The voice of Patamon echoed through one of the tubes. The Warriors turned to see the human and the Celestial Digimon laughing like they had just been on a roller coaster ride.

"What kept you?" Lobomon chuckled.

"This isn't a race, you know!" Takuya argued.

"Hey, y'all! Where's Mercurymon?" Ranamon asked.

The group suddenly realized that everyone was here, except the metallic Digimon. They looked around, but saw nothing but torches and another long hallway. Some of the Warriors tried calling their comrade's names, but to no avail. It took them a while to figure out what had just happened.

"Could it be that metal head went down the wrong slide?" The Warrior of Water gasped.

"It sure looks like it!" nodded Beetlemon.

"Perfect! We lost another Warrior!" Lowemon groaned.

"Then again, it is Mercurymon! So... it's not a huge loss!" joked Lobomon, which earned him a few snickers from his comrades.

"It's not funny, Lobomon! What if Mercurymon's in trouble?" questioned Kazemon.

"Don't worry, Zoe! Mercurymon can take care of himself!" Kumamon reassured.

"I agree! In the meantime, the seven of us should keep going!" Takuya commanded.

The rest of the group nodded and followed their leader through the dungeon.

l - l

Mercurymon had reached the bottom of the tube. But the room he ended up in was much different. He was standing on a bronze platform suspended by iron chains. Not only that, but even more chains appeared from the bottom and wrapped around the Warrior's legs. Below the platform was another ledge with a doorway that could potentially lead the Warrior out of this confine. And underneath that was a pool of lava.

"What atrocity be this?" The metallic Digimon asked.

"Life is about balance! When balance is achieved, anything is possible!" A voice broke the Warrior's thoughts.

Standing on the opposite, chain-suspended platform was an elderly, humanoid creature with a pair of eye patches that concealed both of his eyes. He also wore a white wig and a long, black robe that had the astrological sign of the Libra embedded in the center. To Mercurymon's surprise, his opponent looked like a court judge. But instead of a gavel, the Digimon had a scale in his hand.

Like the other previous creatures, this one had reddish eyes, which meant a Chaos Sphere was controlling him.

"Identify thyself!" commanded Mercurymon.

"You shall address me as Liberamon!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Liberamon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Libra Scale, Counter Balance**

**Description: Liberamon is a strong believer in equality. According to mythology, he is the one that controls the balance of good and evil. But if threatened, do not expect a fair trial from him. With his Libra Scale, he can bring judgment onto his subjects.**

"Let's play a game, Legendary Warrior!" The judge suggested. "As you can see, we are standing on a scale! At the bottom is the passageway out of this chamber! Unfortunately, there is only way down is to defeat the Digimon on the opposite side of the scale! Fair enough? I'll even give you the first..."

"Bah! I have no time for games! DARK REFLECTION!"

Tired of listening to the judge talking, Mercurymon aimed one of his mirrors at his opponent and unleashed a powerful beam. The laser nailed Liberamon in the chest, which made the judge fall on his back. The Warrior of Steel chuckled. He knew that this lousy Digimon didn't have the power or skills to defeat him. Unfortunately, the platform scale hasn't dropped an inch, which meant that the fight wasn't over yet.

"Hahaha! Very impressive!" Liberamon laughed. "Your attack actually hurt me!"

"Of course it did, you nit! I'm not as weak as those other welps!" proclaimed Mercurymon.

"Indeed... but haven't you forgotten that life is about balance?"

"And what's thy point?"

"Simple, Legendary Warrior! Allow me to return the favor!" The Ultimate declared, showing Mercurymon his scale.

"LIBRA BALANCE!"

When the Warrior of Steel saw the weighing tool, he noticed that one side was more tipped over than the other. But before he could ask any questions, a dark blue beam at his opponent. The cocky Mercurymon held his mirror shields in front to protect himself. All he had to do was absorb Liberamon's attack and he would be able to reflect it back at his oppon...

"UGH!" Mercurymon grunted when the blue laser went through his shields and hit him in the chest.

"There! Now, we both took the same amount of damage! Oh, how I love balance!" grinned Liberamon.

"How can this be? My shields should've absorbed thy technique!" The metallic Digimon wondered.

"Foolish Warrior! I told you already! Balance is the key to this world! And for lacking the knowledge to comprehend such a concept, I sentence you to an agonizing and immediate destruction!"

"Thou is not the judge of me!" The Warrior of Steel rose to his feet and glowered at his opponent.

"DARK REFLECTION!"

"Hehe! When will you learn? I am not just the judge!" proclaimed Liberamon. He not only took Mercurymon's attack head on, but also easily endured the pain. The Ultimate level Digimon then pointed his scale at the angry Legendary Warrior.

"I am also the jury, and... THE EXECUTIONER!"

l - l

"CRYSTAL FREEZE!" The Warrior of Ice shouted.

In front of the remaining group was another chamber with a large body of water separating them from the other side. Kumamon blew as hard as he could, using the power of ice to transform the huge lake into a frozen pond. The polar bear then stepped on the icy surface to make sure it safe to stand on. Finally, Kumamon turned and waved toward his friends.

"You're not serious, are you?" Lowemon asked.

"Hey, it beats swimming across!" Kazemon argued.

"I'll have you know that I prefer swimming!" objected Ranamon.

"Enough bickering! Let's hurry before the ice breaks!" Takuya ordered.

He took the lead while the other Legendary Warriors followed. However, only Kumamon, Lobomon, Lowemon and Ranamon ran across the ice. Beetlemon carried the four Rookies on his back and Kazemon followed behind. Even though the entire chamber was about three hundred feet in length, the group was able to get the halfway point without any problems or confrontations.

*BOOM*

Suddenly, a giant tentacle appeared out of the ice and grabbed Ranamon by the ankle. The aquatic Digimon fell forward and landed hard on her stomach. Kazemon put on the brakes and turned toward the Warrior of Water. She double stomped on the tentacle, which freed Ranamon from the creature's clutches. But just when the aquatic Digimon could get to her feet, a second tentacle burst out of the frozen canvas and wrapped around the butterfly's torso.

"YAAAAAAAAAAH!" Kazemon cried when the tentacle lifted the female Warrior off of the ground and tightened its grip around her body.

"ZOE!" Takuya yelled as he rushed toward his beloved with his D-Tector in hand and a ball of data in another.

"EXECUTE, NOW! FUSION EVOLUTION!"

A long stream of Fractal Code spiraled around the goggle-head. Takuya screamed during the transformation, as he felt himself become one with the Spirits. Soon, the cocoon of data exploded, revealing a powerful creature ready to fight. The Hybrid Warrior stood tall and firm as the flames surrounding his body subsided.

"ALDAMON!"

He darted towards the tentacle and shot his Atomic Inferno at the creature's organ. Aldamon had to land about sixty-five fireballs, but the tentacle finally released the Warrior of Wind. She would've landed on the unforgiving ice, if the Hybrid Warrior hadn't been there to catch her. The two were soon joined by the Digimon of Ice, Light and Darkness. Beetlemon, on the other hand, brought the Rookies to safety on the opposite side of the chamber.

"Alright, guys! Let's teach this monster a lesson!" declared the leader. The six Warriors got in their stance and were ready to fight.

"Everyone, back off!" The aquatic Digimon stood in front of her comrades.

"What do you think you're doing Ranamon?" Kazemon asked.

"This creep is mine! I'll take care of him! The rest of you go on without me!" said the Warrior of Water.

"But what if that creature's too powerful for you to handle?" Kumamon wondered.

"Huh? Are you saying that I might lose?" Ranamon gave the other Warriors a sinister glare.

"Calm down, lady! We're just worried, that's all!" said Lobomon.

"Thanks for your concern, Sugar! But I'll be fine! Just go and I'll catch up as soon as I done with this guy!"

"Alright! Be careful!" Aldamon nodded before turning to the opposite side. "Come on, you guys! Let's get out of here!

Reluctantly, the other Warriors agreed. They rejoined with the Rookies and took off down the dark passageway.

l - l

"Now that they're out of the way, how about you and I play for a little bit, Honey?" snickered the Digimon of Water.

Ranamon charged toward the pair of tentacles. Both organs attacked the Digimon of Water. But the female Warrior played jump rope with the tentacles. She saw an opening in the ice and dove down. Now that she was underwater, she felt right at home. There's not a Digimon alive that could defeat her when she's within her element. Ranamon believed that her battle with this unknown Digimon would only take about a minute.

That is, until she saw the creature she's about to fight.

There were more than one Digimon waiting for her underwater. Two terrifying fish with sharp teeth and a bunch of tentacles for tails smirked at the female Warrior. The one on the left was as green as the swampy waters. The fish on the right had lavender colored scales. However, there were a few of features both Digimon shared. The first was that they had actual arms and hands instead of fins. Also, they had the letter 'H', or the astrological symbol of the Pieces on their sides.

On top of all of that, they had reddish eyes, indicating that they were under the control of a Chaos Sphere.

"On the contrary! You will have the honor to go swimming with the Pisecemon, Legendary Warrior!" The fish spoke in unison.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Pisecemon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Piscis Power, Reef Ravager**

**Description: Mighty when alone, unstoppable when in a school. Pisecemon are the dominators of the deep. They can swim around the Digital World in less than a minute. But they're fighting skills in the depths are unbelievable. Their Piscis Power attack make this pair a powerhouse underwater.**

"Two against one is not fair, boys! You're going to need a lot more of your fishy friends if you want to beat me in my home turf!" Ranamon declared.

"Hehe! Cocky one, isn't she?" The green Pisecemon turned toward his partner and smirked.

"Indeed! The infamous Ranamon believes that she can defeat the both of us all by herself!" The purple fish chuckled.

"Are you nitwits making fun of me?" The Warrior of Water leered.

"So what if we are? What are you going to do about it, huh?" The Pisecemon on the right asked.

"According to our boss, you're one of the weakest out of the ten Legendary Warriors! How disappointing! Fighting you would be a complete waste of our powers!" The fish on the left added.

"Alright... THAT'S IT!"

She has had enough listen to these two belittle her. Without thinking, the Digimon of Water swam as fast as she could toward one of the Pisecemon. She pushed her opponent by the shoulders and shoved him into the wall. However, the fish used his strength and leverage to kick the female Warrior out of the way. Ranamon tried to slow herself down, but it was too late. The second Pisecemon came from behind and hooked both of his opponent's arms from the sides. The Ultimate level Digimon then placed his hands palm down flat against the Ranamon's upper back, so she couldn't escape.

"Let me go, you ugly water log!" demanded the Warrior of Water.

"But I didn't hear you say 'please!'" Pisecemon snickered.

"That's because I _didn't_!"

Ranamon tried to kick the fish behind her. Unfortunately, her opponent wrapped is tentacles around the Digimon of Water's ankles and legs. A third tentacle ensnared the hips and a fourth bounded her torso. Meanwhile, the green Pisecemon swam toward Ranamon and opened up his jaws. The aquatic Warrior couldn't protect herself when her other opponent bit in her.

"YEEOOOWWWW!" shrieked Ranamon.

"Oh, we just love it when you scream!" The purple Pisecemon laughed before sinking his teeth into his captive's other arm.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Again, the Warrior of Water balled.

Pisecemon released the aquatic Digimon and threw her toward the bottom of the pond. Ranamon's body darted toward the depths until she slammed into the hard canvas below. Her back was in serious pain. Then again, she did not have much time to recover. Both Ultimate level creatures moved through the water like a guided missile toward their opponent.

"PISCIS POWER!"

They both made a fist and throw a punch at the defenseless Warrior. The first one collided against Ranamon's stomach, making the Digimon of Water gasp. The second fist connected with her face, almost knocking the female Warrior in a loop. To Ranamon's surprise, both of their punches had so much power in them. It's a miracle that she was still alive and moving.

It got worse when the two Pisecemon went back on the attack. One of them swam toward Ranamon's head and wrapped the first tentacle around her mouth. He then ensnared the Legendary Warrior's neck and arms with the other organs. As for the second Pisecemon, he immobilized Ranamon's legs with the first two tentacles and her body with the last two. The two Ultimate level Digimon exchanged nods before pulling as hard as they could.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Ranamon screamed when she felt her body was only a few moments away from being ripped in half.

"Had enough yet?" The green fish grinned.

"Or do you want some more?" asked the purple fish.

"LET... ME... GO! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

It was no use. The Warrior of Water could not free herself, nor fight back. Her movement was limited. With almost no energy lift in her body, Ranamon couldn't summon the power of her element to assist her. Her only option was to wait under the depths until these two Digimon finished her off. The female Warrior could feel herself fading. The dim light underwater slowly turned black.

"We told you already, Ranamon!" Both Pisecemon said at the same time. "We had you overmatched!" However, the Warrior of Water said nothing. When they didn't get a response from her, the Ultimate level Digimon grinned at each other.

"A fish out of water?"

"Nah! A Legendary Warrior out of her league!"

l - l

An injured Salamon fidgeted inside her steel cell. The cringed look on her face symbolized how much agony she was in. On the other hand, the Celestial Rookie couldn't move a single inch. If she tried, massive jolts of pain would vibrate throughout her tiny body. Her best course of action was to remain still and do whatever she could to ignore the pain.

"Ugh... where am I?" The weaken Rookie asked herself.

Salamon moved her head from side to side to gauge her surroundings. She could feel the cold sensation of the steel floor on cheek. Even though the entire room was dark, there were a few dimly lit torches hanging from the walls. The only furniture that could be found in this desolate chamber was a throne on a ledge for a creature her size.

"I don't like this place at all!" gulped the Celestial Rookie.

Even though she told herself she wouldn't cry, a tear or two fell out of her eyes. Then again, how could she not cry at a time like this? She was hurt and all alone. Her two best friends were millions of miles apart from her. And that's not all. The evil Digimon who has captured her has abused and humiliated her ever since they arrived on this isolated planet.

Moments later, the sound of footsteps woke up the young Digimon. She managed to turn her head toward the entrance and saw her captive approaching her. Regardless of the creature's small stature, his dark cloak made his presence very threatening. Thanks to the hood concealing her captive's face and the absence of light in the room, Salamon was unable to identify the evil Digimon on the other side.

"**Ooh! You're still alive? Very impressive... for a weak Rookie like you!**"

"What's going on out there? Wh... Where are my friends?" The weaken Digimon asked.

"**Hmm... That's an excellent question, my little furball! Hahahaha! Actually, I got you good news and bad news! What would you like to hear first?**"

Instead of replying, Salamon glared at the hooded Digimon. But her captive chuckled at the pitiful sight of her facial expression.

"**You know something? I bet you can use some bad news right about now!**"

"You're sick!"

"**Anyway, the bad news is that half of those Legendary Dorks have been annihilated by my faithful followers! HAHAHAHA!**"

"No..." Salamon gasped with tears forming in her eyes.

"**And the good news, well...**"

"Yes?" The Celestial Digimon gulped. She prayed that whatever her captive was about to say would bring her hope.

Boy, was she wrong.

"**The good news is that your other friends are about to meet the same fate! One by one, they shall fall by my hands! No matter how strong those Legendary Freakshows are, none of them have the power to defeat me! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**"

The hooded figure's maniacal laugh echoed throughout the chamber and across the dungeon. The sheer sound of evil would give anyone the chills, including Salamon. The poor Rookie cringed into a ball and silently let her tears out. As the young Digimon cried her little heart out, she silently prayed for her friends to rescue her.

"Somebody... help me..."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter sixty-five. <strong>

**With half of the group occupied, can the remaining Legendary Warriors get through this wacky dungeon and save Salamon? What other challenges awaits our heroes? And who is the responsible for all of this chaos? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	66. Dungeons And Digimon

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**When the gang landed on the Ophanimoon, they came across a hooded figure who revealed himself to be Salamon's captive. In order to rescue the last Celestial Rookie, the mysterious Digimon told the group they had to venture through The Warriors' Tomb to find her. Inside the dungeon, a series of traps took out the Legendary Warriors one by one. Grumblemon, Arbormon, Mercurymon and Ranamon all had to defend themselves against other Digimon being controlled by Chaos Spheres. Too bad the fights weren't going the good guys' way. Who knows if the others could find Salamon in this wretched place?**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter sixty-six!**

* * *

><p><strong>Dungeons And Digimon<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"Come on! Let's move it!" Aldamon stood on the entrance toward another passageway and ordered the other Legendary Warriors.

"RIGHT!" Kumamon, Lowemon and Lowemon nodded.

The group followed their leader toward the depths of the dungeon. Bokomon, Neemon and the other Celestial Rookies rushed as fast as they could toward the other Warriors. Only two Digimon remained. One of them was Kazemon, who was on one knee and covered in grime. She quickly sprang back to her feet and flew toward the passageway to rejoin her friends.

But the humanoid butterfly stopped at the entrance when she realized someone was missing.

"BEETLEMON!" She turned and shouted to her fellow Legendary Warrior.

In the middle of the room, the humanoid insect was in his fighting stance. His horn surged with electricity. On the other side of the chamber was what appeared to be giant, brown ox. There were large muscles on all four of his legs. The beast had three tails with iron spearheads on each end. The Digimon had a pair of horns on his head made of silver. He also had the astrological symbol on Taurus on his chest.

Lastly, a pair of reddish eyes indicated he was being controlled by the Chaos Sphere.

"Get out of here, Zoe!" The Warrior of Thunder told the lavender haired butterfly.

"No! You can't take him on by yourself!" Kazemon objected.

"Don't worry about me!" Beetlemon gave the female Digimon the thumbs up sign. "I'll be fine! I can take on Filet Mignon over here! You go on and help the others! Remember, rescuing Salamon is the main priority! Not me!"

"But I... Alright!" The Warrior of Wind agreed before catching up to her friends.

With the others safely out of his way, Beetlemon could now go all out in this fight.

"Hahahaha! Foolish Digimon! Even with all six of you combined, it wouldn't be enough to topple me!"

"Don't forget who you're dealing with, pal! When it comes to strength, there is no one that can surpass me!" proclaimed the humanoid beetle.

"That's because you have never faced Taurasomon before, you pesky insect!" The ox huffed.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Taurasomon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Taurus Trounce, Bull Rowdy**

**Description: There is no one physically stronger than Taurasomon. He is a one Digimon stampede. Once this beast gets moving, it's nearly impossible to stop him. No one wants to be underneath this creature's hooves when he uses his Taurus Trounce attack.**

"Ooh! I'm so scared... NOT!" Beetlemon declared.

"You better be! And when I'm through with you, I'll be going after your pitiful friends! They won't get far! I think I'll start with the little runt with wings! Then I'll move on to the chocolate rabbit! And after I destroy them, I'll go right for..."

"Alright, that does it! THUNDER FIST!"

With jolts of lightning in his hands, the Warrior of Thunder punched the ground hard. The electricity took its course toward the giant ox. But Taurasomon was not intimidated. In order to display his physique and strength, the beast took the Beetlemon's attack head on. High voltage electricity surged throughout the Ultimate level creature's body. But that only made the ox chuckle.

"Hahahaha! Oh, I'm going to have such a good time making you scream for mercy!" Taurasomon laughed.

"Never! If you're going to hurt my friends, then you're gonna have to go through me first!" said the Warrior of Thunder.

"Go _through_ you, huh?" smirked the Ultimate level Digimon. He crouched on his hind legs and pawed the ground like he's ready to charge toward the humanoid insect.

"Bring it on, Beef Cake!" Beetlemon said, dropping back to his stance once again.

"You asked for it!" Taurasomon growled before running toward the Legendary Warrior.

"BULL ROWDY!"

The ox charged at the armored insect at over sixty miles an hour. Beetlemon was so surprised at the speed his opponent was traveling, he didn't have enough time to defend himself. All he could do was grab the bull by the horns and use his own strength to push back Taurasomon. Beetlemon's feet skidded on the floor as the ox drove him into the wall.

While the wall did stop the juggernaut force that's known as Taurasomon, the fight has only begun for the Digimon of Thunder. With the bull pressing his head against the Warrior's torso, Beetlemon was having trouble finding his breath. Even with all of his power, he could not get this rampaging ox off of him.

"What's wrong? Am I too much for you?" The bull asked.

"Ngh... Not a chance, pal!" Beetlemon shook his head. "I'm just getting warmed up!"

Unfortunately, all of the Legendary Warrior's muscles were being pushed to their limits. Beads of sweat fell from Beetlemon's face, indicating how hard he's working. On the other side, Taurasomon wasn't having any problems. The smug grin on his face meant that he knew he had won this battle the moment this pathetic Digimon challenged him.

"Stubborn, aren't you? Very well then!"

Taurasomon quickly snapped his head upward, sending his opponent toward the ceiling. Beetlemon crashed back first into the upper surface of the room, creating a visible dent. Seconds later, gravity brought the Warrior of Thunder down hard on the canvas. Meanwhile, the bull trotted toward his fallen opponent. Beetlemon laid motionlessly on the ground, even though mild grunts of agony escaped his throat.

"Surrender now, you annoying pest? Admit it! I'm stronger than you!"

"Ugh... Never!" The Warrior of Thunder pounded his fist into the ground to show his opponent his toughness.

"Persistence will get you nowhere against me!" Taurasomon huffed. He approached the weakened Digimon and placed his front hooves above him. "This is your last chance, Legendary Weakling! Give up now, and I shall make your demise quick and painless!"

"Forget about it, Hamburger Patty! I would rather be lost forever in this weird dungeon than submit to you!" replied the humanoid insect.

"Fine! If that's how you want to play, then it's your lost!" declared the ox.

"TAURUS TROUNCE!"

The large beast ruthlessly and relentlessly stomped both of his hooves on Beetlemon's back. Every single downward kick produced a large amount force that could potentially break bones and shatter armor. It didn't matter how tough and thick the Warrior of Thunder's armor was. The transfer of energy was immense. Each stomp was more powerful than the last.

"What was that you said about no one could surpass you in strength?" Taurasomon repeated the same words Beetlemon had said earlier before the fight got underway. "Let me tell you something, you gnat! There is not a single Digimon alive that beats me in terms of strength!"

"No... *cough*... You haven't... won yet..." The humanoid insect declared.

There were hoof marks all over the Warrior's wing compartment, on the back part of his thighs, on his thick shoulder plates, and on his arm bracers. But despite the beating he took, Beetlemon still managed to get back on all fours. Of course, he had to endure a lot of pain just to get that far. At this moment, the humanoid insect was more focused on surviving than winning.

"You're wrong!" said Taurasomon before giving another his opponent another vicious kick to the ribs. Beetlemon rolled on the ground while clutching his midsection.

While the Legendary Warrior tried to recover from the cheap shot, the bully placed one of his hoofs on top of Beetlemon's skull.

"I have already won, puny weakling! TAURUS TROUNCE!"

Taurasomon lifted his leg up before bringing it down, ready to crush the Digimon of Thunder's skull like a melon.

l - l

"Somebody do something!" Bokomon panicked.

"And hurry!" said Neemon.

The moment the group entered the next room, the doorway behind them closed. Immediately, the chamber began to flood with water. Unlike the other rooms, this one had no exit. The Warriors tried to feel around the walls, hoping that one of the stones would activate a secret passage. Unfortunately, the water level had filled up half the room. It wouldn't be long before the whole chamber's filled and the Warriors run out of air.

"Any luck?" asked Lobomon.

"None!" Lowemon replied.

"If this keeps up, we'll drown!" said Kumamon.

"Now what?" Kazemon groaned.

"We'll be fine, guys! Just don't panic!" Aldamon suggested.

Meanwhile, Bokomon looked left and right, trying to search for his baby.

"Patamon, where are you? Patamon?"

"SURPRISE!" The Celestial Rookie appeared out of the water and beamed at his surrogate mother.

"Don't scare me like that, my dear boy! Where have you been? And where's Lopmon?" Bokomon asked.

Seconds later, Lopmon emerged above the surface.

"Listen, everyone! There's an opening just below us! I think it's our only way out!" The brown rabbit spoke.

"Are you sure? What if it leads to a dead end? We'll be done for!" Kazemon wondered.

"It's better than staying here! Come on! Let's dive!" Aldamon ordered.

The others agreed and dove down. And just like Lopmon said, the group found an opening just beside one of the bottom corner of the chamber. Too bad that the hole was only big enough for one Digimon at a time. The Rookies went first, followed by Aldamon, Kazemon, Lobomon and Lowemon. Kumamon picked up the rear.

For almost a whole minute, the group swam as fast as they could through the tunnel. They're almost out of oxygen. Sooner or later, they would have to breathe. Either that or suffocate underwater. Thankfully, the end of the passageway was only a few yards ahead. The gang could see a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. One by one, the Digimon resurfaced and climbed out of the water. The Rookies and Warrior collapsed on the ground and gasped for air.

"That was... *cough*... too close!" said Kazemon. Her chest heaved with every breath.

"We sure picked a lousy time to go swimming!" Lobomon grunted.

"You said it!" agreed Lowemon.

"Well, the important thing is that we made it!" Aldamon said. The Hybrid stood up and checked to see if everyone's here.

But his eyes widened when he noticed someone was missing.

"Wait! Where's Kumamon?" He asked. The others glanced around and they too realized that the Warrior of Ice was gone.

"You don't supposed he's still down there, right?" Bokomon gulped.

"He sure can hold his breath long!" Neemon pointed out.

"This isn't funny, you guys! What if something bad happened to him? We have to find him!" Kazemon said.

But before she could dive back in, Aldamon grabbed her arm.

"No, Zoe! We have to keep going!"

"But Takuya! We can't just leave him! If you hadn't noticed, we lost more than half of the Legendary..."

"I know that!" The Hybrid rose his voice, which frightened his girlfriend a little bit. Aldamon sighed before releasing Kazemon's arm.

"Look! Our duty is to rescue Salamon! The others have sacrificed themselves so we can continue our mission! We cannot let their sacrifice be in vain! Do you understand?"

"Yes, Takuya." Kazemon reluctantly agreed.

"Okay! Let's move!"

l - l

A hand grabbed Kumamon by the leg and dragged him below. The Warrior of Ice kicked about, trying his best to break free. But whoever got him sure had a strong grip. The polar bear searched for the others, but soon realized that they were gone. That meant that he was on his own. Unfortunately, Kumamon couldn't hold his breath much longer.

Just before he was about to drown, a hole in the floor opened up. The hand brought the Warrior through the opening. At last, Kumamon was out of the water. He could breathe again. As he coughed for air, the polar bear looked around to gauge his surroundings.

Kumamon found himself on a glass platform. Below, he could see another large pool of murky water. It's so dark that the polar bear could not see the bottom. On the sides were a lot of pipes spewing out even more water into the pool. Up above, Kumamon could feel droplets of water leaking from the ceiling.

"Man, talk about wasting water!" said the Legendary Warrior.

"Isn't it fabulous? I just can't get enough water! It's sooooo addicting!" A feministic voice echoed.

Moments later, a humanoid Digimon leaped out of the pool and stood before the polar bear. He had short, blue hair and wore a white toga. There was also the astrological symbol of Aquarius in the center of his wardrobe. The creature also carried an orange urn around his shoulders. Upon further inspection, Kumamon could see water inside the vase.

He also had red eyes, which meant that there's a Chaos Sphere inside him.

"And who are you? The Watery Weirdo?" asked the Warrior of Ice.

"Silly teddy! I am no weirdo! But as long as I'm near water, not a single Digimon can withstand the all-powerful Aquarimon!" The humanoid replied.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Aquarimon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Aquarius Aggression, Hydro Blaster**

**Description: As long as Aquarimon is around water, his offensive abilities exponentially enhance. Give this Digimon a small puddle and he can manipulate it into a giant tsunami capable of wiping out an entire city. With his special urn and his Aquarius Aggression attack, his power is infinite.**

"You don't scare me! Now, let me out of this place or else!" declared Kumamon.

"I'm afraid I can't do that!" The humanoid flamboyantly denied.

"Then don't say I didn't warn you! CRYSTAL FREEZE!"

The Warrior of Ice blew chilled winds from his mouth toward his opponent. Aquarimon sidestepped out of the way to avoid getting frozen. But Kumamon's attack made contact with the flowing waters. The water bearer was greatly horrified when he saw his precious water turn into ice. Everything from the pipes to the pool below them instantly froze.

"My... My water! My beautiful water!" He sniveled before glowering at the polar bear. "What have you done to my gorgeous water, you monster?"

"The same thing I'm going to do to you if you don't tell me how to get out of here!"

"Grrr! Forget it! You have crossed the line, you pretentious fool!" Aquarimon's gaily voice had changed into dark, angry howl.

The water bearer set his vase down and put his hands together like he was praying. Kumamon got in a defensive position and took out his bazooka. While he has never seen this Digimon in action before, he could not let his guard down. The Warrior of Ice aimed his weapon at his opponent.

"This is your punishment for disturbing my lovely water! AQUARIUS AGGRESSION!"

The humanoid's eyes began to glow. Aquarimon focused all of his mental and spiritual energy into the water inside his urn. Suddenly, the murky liquid danced out of the water and fluttered over the water bearer's head. The more Ultimate level Digimon mediated, the wider and sharper his element became.

"I better do something before it's too late!" Kumamon said to himself.

He took aim at the water dancing above his opponent and fired his Blizzard Blaster at the liquid. But Aquarimon smirked like he knew Kumamon's plan of attack. He manipulated his water to move toward the polar bear. Just when two elements were about to collide, Aquarimon broke the water apart into four sections. As a result, Kumamon hit nothing but thin air.

As for the broken sections of the humanoid's water, Aquarimon used his manipulation skills to make four sets of claws. The aquatic creations zoomed toward the Legendary Warrior and grabbed both of his wrists and ankles. When Kumamon fell on his back, the claws dig into the canvas to immobilize the polar bear.

With his opponent down, Aquarimon brought out some more liquid out of his urn. He commanded his element to create a large ball of water around the Warrior's head. Because of this, Kumamon was forced to keep his mouth shut and hold his breath. One wrong move and Aquarimon would force the water down his throat, which would be deadly. With all four limbs immobilized, the Warrior of Ice couldn't resist.

"Behold, my power! Mwhahahaha!" laughed the evil Digimon.

"Gotta... keep... fighting..." The polar bear thought with his energy fading fast.

Sooner or later, Kumamon would be the next Legendary Warrior to fall.

l - l

"I'm guessing this room is just like the other ones, huh?" Lobomon wondered.

"This is seriously getting old!" grumbled Lowemon.

Again, the group of Digimon came across another chamber. There was nothing on the walls except more lit torches. But it was the tiles on the floor that looked most suspicious. There were nine panels on the ground, marked with a question mark on it. On the other side of the room was a passageway, sealed by metallic gate.

"Takuya, look! There's a note on the wall!" Bokomon said, pointing to a piece of paper pinned. The Hybrid retrieved the note and read it.

"What does it say?" asked Neemon.

"_Match the correct panels and you shall leave this room,_  
><em>Make one mistake and it will lead you to your doom!<em>"

"What does it mean?" Kazemon questioned.

"It's probably a trick!" Lowemon suggested, grabbing the note from Aldamon and tearing the note apart. "Let's just get to the other side before..."

But when the humanoid lion stepped on one of the slabs, it rose up and revealed the picture of a circle. Lowemon then touched the center tile inadvertently. Again, the panel emerged and displayed an image of a triangle. Since both tiles didn't match, the tile he stood on opened up like a trap door. Just like that, the group lost another Legendary Warrior.

"LOWEMON, NO!" Bokomon gasped. Just before the other Warriors could move, the panel closed up and returned to its normal position.

"Some trick, huh?" Lobomon huffed.

"We don't have time for games! Salamon needs us!" Kazemon spoke.

But when she tried to fly through the chamber, a white beam shot out of the walls and hit Kazemon's stomach. Thankfully, Aldamon caught her before she could crash on the floor. The Hybrid set his best friend down and examined the panels on the ground.

"Looks like we have no other choice!" He concluded. Aldamon stepped on a different panel, which showed a picture of a triangle. The Hybrid nodded, knowing what he had to do next.

"Alright! I want all of the Rookies to grab on!" Aldamon ordered, showing them his tail.

The four small Digimon did what they were told and held on to the Hybrid's tail. Aldamon then touched the tile in the middle, causing it to display the very same shape. Since the Hybrid successfully found two matching panels, the fiery Digimon flew to the other side of the chamber without any problems. Once he landed, the touched slabs were replaced with sharp spikes.

"I guess that means I'm next!" Lobomon said.

The Warrior of Light leaped into the room and landed on the top-right panel. The tile displayed the picture of an 'X'. Lobomon glanced at the remaining six tiles, trying to determine which one would be the matching slab. But he never got a chance to guess. The panel he stood on suddenly opened up like a trap door. The humanoid wolf could do nothing as he fell into the abyss.

"What the... A fake?" gasped the butterfly.

"Terrific! There goes Lobomon!" Bokomon grunted.

"How's that terrific?" Neemon tiled his head sideways in confusion. That earned his another wedgie.

"I'm going after them!" Kazemon told her boyfriend.

"Zoe, don't!" Aldamon howled, stopping his beloved.

"We have to, Takuya! You and I are the only Legendary Warriors left that could save Salamon!"

"You're right! And if we go after the others, then there will be no on left to rescue her! You remember what that creep said! We have to get to the center of the dungeon to find her, or else!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right." sighed Kazemon.

The Warrior of Wind refocused her attention to the panels on the ground. Her boyfriend managed to get across by finding two matching tiles. She tried to fly across, but that didn't work. Thus, she had no choice but to play this stupid game. If she's successful, then she and the rest of her friends could get out of this place.

Kazemon took a chance and landed on the bottom-right panel. The tile rose a couple inches and displayed a picture of a diamond. The humanoid butterfly then observed the remaining slabs on the ground. She knew one of them was the trap door and another had the image of a circle. That meant she has four panels to choose from.

"Which one is it?" Kazemon thought. If she touched the wrong one, then she could say 'good bye' to her friends.

"Pick this one!" ||| "No! This one!" ||| "That one's the right one!" The four Rookies encouraged the Legendary Warrior.

"You can do it, Zoe! I know you can!" Aldamon smiled toward his girlfriend.

Thanks to the Hybrid, the lavender haired Digimon confidence grew. She executed a perfect backflip and landed on the very top panel. The Rookies gathered around to see if Kazemon has selected the slab that matched the one she selected. As for the Warrior of Wind, the confident grin on her face told Aldamon everything. When he looked down, he saw the matching picture of the diamond.

"Does that mean I have permission to pass?" giggled the female Warrior.

"Granted!" chuckled Aldamon, stepping to the side so his girlfriend could come aboard.

Moments later, the steel gate behind them opened up, allowing the remaining two Legendary Warriors to move on into the next part of the dungeon.

"We should get going!" The fiery Digimon told everyone.

"I hope Salamon is in the next room!" Bokomon prayed.

"I hope we find some food in the next room! I'm starving!" added Neemon. Of course, his unnecessary comment made his partner slam his green book on the head.

"Come on!" Kazemon took the lead. "Salamon's life is in jeopardy!"

With that, the six remaining Digimon sprinted through the hallway and toward the heart of the dungeon.

Although Kazemon never admitted it out loud, she still wanted to go back and save the other Legendary Warriors. However, she had no idea where they were or if there's a way to rescue them. And Aldamon did remind her earlier about their mission. They had to save Salamon first. They could come back for the others later. Then again, she had a feeling they could take care of themselves, despite the dangers this dungeon possessed.

l - l

"Ngh... Where am I?" groaned the Warrior of Darkness. Lowemon sat up and glanced around to see where he was at.

He was standing on a bridge in another chamber. The walls, like this entire dungeon, were made of stone. Below the bridge was a large pool of black water. It was a so dark, Lowemon couldn't even see what kind of creatures lurk beneath. The humanoid lion got back to his feet and searched for a way out of this room.

"So, you're finally awake! Hmph, took you long enough!" A cranky voice spoke behind Lowemon. The humanoid lion took out his spear, turned around and dropped in his stance.

Before him was what appeared to be a goatfish type of Digimon. Half of his body looked like a goat while the other half looked like a fish. His sharp horns were made of bronze. He also wore a steel chestplate, which had the astrological symbol of the Capricorn embedded on the center. Despite having four legs, the fishtail at the end was his most prominent feature. The caudal fin had razor-sharp blades to act as an offensive weapon.

Lowemon groaned when he saw the goatfish Digimon had reddish eyes, which meant that there's a Chaos Sphere in his body.

"Great! Now, I've seen everything!" the Warrior of Darkness said before pointing the sharp part of his lance toward the enemy. "Alright, who are you?"

"Get that stick out of my face or you'll be sorry! You don't want to make ol' Capcornomon mAAAAAAAAAAd!" The evil Digimon utterly harshly.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Capcornomon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Capricornal Punishment, Headbutt Impaler**

**Description: Capocornomon is half goat, half fish. But get one side mad and you're in a world of trouble. This Digimon can travel fast on land and on sea. His Capricornal Punishment releases screeching noises to get his enemies on their knees like their asking for penitence.**

"Tell me how do I get out of this place first!" Lowemon commanded. He moved in a little closer to let the goatfish Digimon know he wasn't fooling around.

On the other hand, that only made the Ultimate level creature angrier.

"Well, I can see that you Legendary Warrior have no manners whatsoever, huh? Fine! I'll have you begging for mercy, you insolent brat!" Capcornomon lowered his head. The bronze horns turned until they were facing the Digimon of Darkness.

"HEADBUTT IMPALER!"

Suddenly, Capcornomon charged at full speed toward the Lowemon. With his horns aimed at the Legendary Warrior, he planned on destroying his opponent with no remorse. Thankfully, the Digimon of Darkness pole vaulted out of the way, forcing the beast to slam his head into one of the walls. The chamber shook a little due to the hard impact. The goatfish was a little disoriented after ramming his head into the wall.

Too bad it's going to take a lot more than that to defeat Capcornomon.

"Annoying little gnAAAAAAAAAAt!"

"I've faced Digimon a lot tougher than you! Believe me when I say you're not going to win!" Lowemon warned the Ultimate level Digimon.

"Is that so? You haven't seen my true power yet! Now, prepare to submit! CAPRICORNAL PUNISHMENT!"

The Capricorn symbol on his armor started to glow. Next, the horns on his head vibrated like a tuning fork. But the vibrations produced a loud, screeching noise. The sounds made the Warrior of Darkness drop his weapon and collapse on his knees. He tried to cover his ears to block the deafening noise. But Capcornomon's attack has left the humanoid lion incapacitated.

With his opponent down, the goatfish Digimon kicked Lowemon in the back. The Warrior of Darkness grunted in pain before rolling off of the bridge and falling into the water. Capcornomon smirked when the humanoid wolf entered his second sanctuary. He quickly dove in and tucked in his legs so he could he easily move within the water. The beast searched around to find his opponent.

Capcornomon found the Digimon of Darkness trying to swim back toward the surface.

"You're not getting away from me!" The goatfish zoomed at an incredible speed.

Fortunately, Lowemon got out of the murky water before Capcornomon could impale the Legendary Warrior with his horns. Instead, the Ultimate level Digimon couldn't put on the brakes in time, which resulted in him crashing into the wall. Because he was traveling so fast, his horns were stuck against the wall. Capcornomon tried to pull his horns out, but he was unsuccessful.

That also left him wide open.

"SHADOW METEOR!"

The Warrior of Darkness unleashed a dark blast into the pool. Lowemon was on target with his attack. There was a huge splash, which sent most of the water out of the pool and toward the walls and other parts of the chamber. The humanoid lion checked below to see if his opponent was down.

"HAAAAAAAAAAA! GOT YAAAAAAAAAA!" Capcornomon leaped out of the hole and caught the Warrior of Darkness by surprise.

Lowemon tried to get his defenses up, but Capcornomon closed the distance in a flash. The goatfish Digimon rammed his head into his opponent. The good news was that the humanoid lion was able to turn his body to the side so that his opponent's horns couldn't pierce through his body. But that also meant that he was not in position to use his strength to push back Capcornomon.

The Ultimate level Digimon rammed the Warrior of Darkness into the wall. Jolts of pain surged throughout Lowemon's spine. Unfortunately, he was unable to fight back fight. His weapon was quite a distance away from him. Not only that, Lowemon couldn't unleash a second Shadow Meteor to free himself because his chest was facing sideways. Blasting one of the horns was out of the question too, since it was out of the crossfire.

Capcornomon had his opponent right where he wanted him.

"This is your punishment for your insolence!"

With Lowemon defenseless, the goatfish aimed his long fishtail and Lowemon's head and shot it at point-blank range.

l - l

Meanwhile, the Warrior of Light found himself in another room completely different than the ones he had been in. As Lobomon took out one of his Lobo Kendos, he walked around to get an idea of his location. There was a small fire in the center of the room. There were also velvet curtains hanging on the walls, as well as dimly lit lanterns next to them.

And of course, there was another Digimon dancing around the fire.

A female humanoid dressed in in brown drab clothing appeared before his eyes. She also wore a ram's skull for a helmet. The Digimon also looked very tribal with the various paint on her face and body. But there was also the picture of the astrological symbol of the Aries on her navel. As she pranced around the fire, she spun her long staff with a crescent moon blade on one end.

"Hey, you there! How do I get out of here?" Lobomon tried to get the creature's attention. But the Digimon continued to dance like the humanoid wolf wasn't there.

"Excuse me?" The Warrior of Light spoke again. Just like before, no answer.

"Man, I hate being ignored! Oh well! I guess I'll have to... WHOA!"

Suddenly, the tribal Digimon spun toward the humanoid wolf and swung her weapon at Lobomon's head. The Warrior of Light reacted just in the nick of time, using his light swords to block the first attack. Again, the strange creature went for another strike to the Warrior's side. Thankfully, Lobomon took out his second weapon and blocked the next attack.

"Not much of a talker, huh?" The Digimon of Light wondered.

"Must destroy Legendary Warrior!" The tribal fighter groaned. She backed off a bit and bounced on her toes as if she's challenging the humanoid wolf.

Lobomon could see the red and evilness in her eyes. Of course, that could only mean that she's under the control of a Chaos Sphere.

"Sorry, lady! But I don't dance, especially with someone who's trying to destroy me!" The Warrior of Light refused as he also got in his stance.

"Name not lady! Me Ariesemon!" The female Digimon huffed.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Ariesemon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Aries Artistry, Crescent of Mars**

**Description: Ariesemon attire and speech may be tribal. But that doesn't mean her fighting skills are. Her unorthodox tactics has made her one of the deadliest Digimon in the Digital World. This warrior's style may be wild, but her Aries Artistry attack could be described as poetry in motion.**

"Whatever!" chuckled Lobomon. "You know, it's not my style to hit a lady..."

"CRESCENT OF MARS!" The tribal Digimon roared.

Her blade was suddenly covered in fire. With one big swing, she sent the fireball toward her opponent. The Warrior of Light was impressed when he saw that flames manipulate into a crescent. Lobomon leaped out of the way just before the projectile could cleave him in half. But Ariesemon quickly closed the distance and kicked her opponent in the stomach, sending him crashing into the wall.

"Well... that is, unless she hits me back!" smirked the humanoid wolf.

"HOWLING LASER!"

Lobomon aimed his blaster at the Ultimate level Digimon and fired an energy beam at his opponent. Ariesemon blocked the projectile with her weapon easily. However, that gave the Warrior of Light plenty of time to connect the ends of his swords together. With an energy staff in hand, he can now even the playing field. Lobomon spun his weapon and sprinted toward the tribal warrior.

Both Digimon clashed in the center of the room.

"Fool! Resistance futile!" spoke Ariesemon.

"Yeah? That's what everyone says to me! And yet I still beat them in the end! And you are no different, you crazy wackjob!" Lobomon growled.

"Name not 'wackjob!'" The female Digimon spoke. Her body became outlined in red and then started to glow in a fiery orange color, symbolizing an increase in power.

"It's... ARIESEMON!"

With this newly found strength, the tribal fighter shoved Lobomon backwards. As the humanoid wolf regained his balanced, Ariesemon slammed her weapon on the ground. Her body was then surrounded by a fiery column. The Warrior of Light remained in his stance. He could only image what's going on inside the flaming tower.

Suddenly...

"ARIES ARTISTRY!"

Upon calling her most powerful attack, the flamed pillar broke apart. Lobomon then saw the female Digimon spinning her weapon around and doing some kind of ritual dance. Still, he had a feeling that this was all part of her technique. If he let his guard down, Ariesemon could easily destroy him. His best course of action was to strike now.

"LOBO KENDO!"

The Warrior of Light went for a diagonal strike across his opponent's shoulder. But Ariesemon spun out of the way. Again, Lobomon went for her legs. The tribal Digimon executed a beautiful jump spin to avoid the second strike. When she landed, the humanoid wolf tried thrusting his weapon at the fighter's midsection. Unfortunately, Ariesemon bent her body backwards to dodge the attack.

Every one of her evasive techniques were done gracefully with no effort. As she returned to her regular position, the female Digimon deliver a fierce spinning heel kick to Lobomon's face. The Warrior of Light fell to the ground and dropped his weapon. He rubbed his jaw, checking for anything broken. Unfortunately, he never had time to get back to his feet.

Ariesemon finished her dance by planting her foot on Lobomon's body, preventing him from getting up.

"Last words, Legendary Warrior?" The female Digimon asked with the bladed part of her weapon inches above Lobomon's neck.

"You do realize that anyone who asks that question ends up losing the fight?" The humanoid wolf glared at his opponent.

"We shall see!"

At that point, she pulled her arms back, took aim at Lobomon's throat.

l - l

"We're getting close!" replied Patamon.

"How close?" Aldamon wondered.

"She's nearby! I can feel it!" Lopmon agreed.

"Then I guess that means Salamon's in the room up ahead!" The fiery Hybrid pointed to the light at the end of the hallway.

Moments later, the group entered the next chamber. To their disappointment, the Digimon inside the room wasn't Salamon.

Instead, a pair of twins stood in the center of the chamber with their arms wrapped around each other's shoulders. Both of them were huge giants with three eyes and large muscles. One of the enormous Digimon had the astrological symbol of the Gemini on his right bicep while his brother had the same image tattooed on his left arm.

"HALT! NONE SHALL PASS!" The two giants held their arms up in front of the small group of Digimon.

"Wow! They're huge!" gasped Neemon.

"And who's going to make us?" Kazemon countered.

"US! THE GENIMON BROTHERS!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Genimon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Gemini Genocide, Dual Threat**

**Description: The Genimon are a pair of powerhouses. When these terrorizing twins cause mayhem, they do it together. Their chemistry and teamwork is undeniable. Once they unleash their Gemini Genocide, it's double trouble for their opponent.**

"Um... I think I hear my mom calling me!" Neemon turned the other way and tried to tiptoe out of the room. But Bokomon grabbed him by the pants, preventing him from leaving.

"Don't worry, guys!" Aldamon said confidently. "Zoe and I can beat these two losers! No sweat..."

"NGH!" Patamon cried before falling in his surrogate mother's arms.

"My baby! Are you alright?" Bokomon asked with worry in his tone.

"It's Salamon! She's very close! I can feel her pain!" The Celestial Rookie replied.

"Same here! Our friend is around here somewhere!" Lopmon concurred.

"But, of course she is!" The giant on the right spoke.

"Say what?" Kazemon gasped.

"The Digimon you seek is at the end of the passageway behind us, where the center of The Warriors' Tomb is..."

*slap*

The behemoth on the left quickly smacked his twin in the face before he could finish.

"Quiet, brother!"

"Ow! What was that for?"

"You just told them the location of the prisoner!"

"So? It's not like it matters! They won't even get passed us!"

"Hmm... I guess you have a point!"

The Genimon broke away from their embraced and marched toward the remaining two Legendary Warriors. With each step they took, the muscles on their arms, legs and body doubled in size. The very sight of these behemoths terrified the four Rookies. Even the Hybrid Warrior was a little intimidated with the size and strength these two Digimon possessed. Still, Aldamon was ready to take on the twins.

That is, until Kazemon stepped in front of him.

"Stand back, Takuya! I'll deal with these jerks!" She declared.

"What? Zoe, don't tell me you're going to take on these two all by yourself? That's crazy!" Her beloved objected.

"Are you saying I can't?" The butterfly eyed the fiery Digimon.

"Zoe, no! You don't stand a chance! Two against one is suicide!" Aldamon reasoned. He then stepped forward and grabbed Kazemon's hand. "Let's fight them together! We can defeat the Genimon as a team!"

"Aw, Takuya! You're sweet!" giggled the Warrior of Wind.

Then she pulled her hand out of Aldamon's.

"But, no thanks! I'll keep Dumb and Dumber busy, while you and the others rescue Salamon!"

"Zoe, you can't! What if I lose you?"

"I'll be fine! You know I can take care of myself! And besides, remember what you told me earlier? Our mission is to save Salamon!"

"I know, but..."

"DUAL THREAT! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

Without warning, the Genimon dashed toward the two Legendary Warriors. Since they had so much time to react, Kazemon and Aldamon flew over the two goliaths. The Genimon brothers couldn't stop themselves as they crashed into the wall. Meanwhile, the Rookies couldn't help but laugh at the enemies' mishap.

"Don't worry about me! You guys go on without me! I'll catch up after I kick these losers to the curb!" The lavender haired Warrior smiled at her boyfriend. Despite the fact that Kazemon's two opponents were very big and strong, Aldamon had faith in her.

"Be careful, Zoe!" The fiery Digimon said. He turned the other way and exited the chamber with the other four Rookies following behind him.

With her friends out of harm's way, Kazemon refocused her attention back to the two giants. Their previous collision gave the Genimon brothers a mild headache. But the twins shook off their dizziness and leered at the Warrior of Wind. It didn't take long for the Ultimate level Digimon to realize that the fiery Legendary Warrior and the four Rookies were gone.

"HEY! WHERE'D THE OTHER TWERPS GO?" The Genimon spoke in unison.

"They're off to rescue Salamon!" Kazemon replied before dropping in a defensive position.

"No!" The Digimon on the left howled. Instead of attacking the lavender haired Warrior, he shoved his twin to the ground.

"This is all your fault, brother!"

"And what do you mean by that?"

"You had to open your big mouth and tell those fools where the prisoner's located!"

"Well, it's your fault for you not stopping me!"

Elsewhere, Kazemon tried to hold back her laughter as she watched the two brothers argue. This would be the perfect opportunity to sneak away and rejoin the others. But then again, the Genimon would eventually catch up to her and her friends. Even with Aldamon by her side, she could not risk the safety of Bokomon, Neemon and the Celestial Rookies.

"Oh, boys?" She called out to her opponents. Once she had their attention, she ascended above the ground.

"Nah, nah! You can't catch me!"

"OH, YEAH?" The behemoths growled. The Genimon got a running start and leaped toward the butterfly.

"Yeah! You're slow! You're clumsy! You're stupid... Whoops!"

All it took was an elegant twist in midair. With her speed and natural flexibility, she managed to evade both her opponents' frontal attack. Once again, giants missed the Warrior of Wind and crashed into the wall for the second time. Kazemon stifled a giggle.

"But on the bright side, you dorks sure know how to make a girl laugh! Teehee!"

Unfortunately, her fun came to a halt when the Genimon rose to their feet with angry scowls on their faces. The twins nodded towards each other. Without saying a word, they knew that now's not the time for pointless arguing. They had a job to do. And it starts with obliterating the lavender haired butterfly.

"Impressive!" The giant on the right commented.

"Now, it's our turn!" said the one on the left.

"Not a chance! HURRICANE WA... GUH!"

No one told the humanoid butterfly that these goliaths had incredible speed. Kazemon never got a chance to release her attack. The Genimon brothers had already closed the distance and gave the Warrior of Wind a double punch to her stomach, making the female Digimon gasp heavily.

The humanoid butterfly crashed hard into the walls, creating a huge dent. Her back was incredibly stiff after impact. Then again, her midsection was in worse condition. It was a miracle her ribs were still intact. Either Kazemon's really lucky, or the two behemoths had something else in store for her.

Before the Digimon of Wind could get back in the fight, the twins pinned her shoulders against the wall with their large hands.

"I have an idea, Legendary Warrior! Let's to play Clash of the Twins!"

"We'll each take turns attacking! Whoever gets you to submit, wins! Simple?"

But Kazemon didn't answer. It was probably because she was still recovering from the previous attack. Still, she glared at the giants to show her disproval.

Suddenly...

"NGH!" The Warrior of Wind grunted when the first behemoth gave her a vicious hook across the jaw.

"Give up?" Her assailant smirked.

"N... No!" The dazed Kazemon shook her head, which widened the giant's smirk.

And then...

"OOF!" groaned the butterfly when the second Digimon kneed her in the gut.

"Say it!" The other twin commanded.

"Ne... *cough*... Never!"

But her resistance made the brothers laugh. Next, one of them unleashed a ferocious uppercut to her belly while the other punched Kazemon's other cheek.

"It's just three words, you pesky insect!"

"Say 'I. Give. Up!' It's that easy!"

The Genimon had to wait a few moments since they did quite a number on the Legendary Warrior. Kazemon was breathless and seriously hurt. She wasn't sure how much more punishment she could take. However, surrendering was something she wasn't really good at. She then spat at both of their faces and defied their orders.

"_Fottiti_!"

l - l

Aldamon and other Rookie kicked it into high gear as they sprinted down the stairs. Just up ahead was another opening. According to the Genimon brothers, Salamon was being held prisoner in the center of The Warriors' Tomb, which was on the other side of the passageway. Not only that, but the Celestial Rookie's captor was also waiting for them.

At last, the group had reached the heart of The Warriors' Tomb.

There were lit torches on all four of the stone walls of the room. The dancing chains and shackles that were scattered throughout the chamber produced an eerie sound that made Bokomon and Neemon tremble in fear. As for Patamon and Lopmon, their attention was on the steel cage in the middle of the room.

Inside the cell, the final Celestial Rookie fidgeted in pain.

"SALAMON!" Patamon and Lopmon shouted. They rushed as fast as they could toward their friend.

"Oh dear! Is she alright?" Bokomon gulped.

"'She don't look too good!" Neemon said.

"Everyone stand back!" Aldamon ordered. The four Rookie complied and moved behind the Hybrid Warrior.

By the time all of his friends were safe, the cannons on Aldamon's arms made a 180° turn and opened up.

"ATOMIC INFERONO!"

The fiery Digimon rapidly punched toward the steel cage. Hundreds of fireballs shot out of the Warrior's weapon and zoomed toward the cell. The cage was no match for the intense heat the Hybrid Warrior's attacks. Moments later, the cell was destroyed. Aldamon quickly moved in to rescue the unconscious Rookie.

"Salamon! Are you alright?" The fiery Warrior spoke. But there was no answer.

"Come on, Salamon! Please open your eyes!" begged Patamon.

"You just gotta wake up!" Lopmon pleaded.

Sure enough, mild moans escaped the mammal-like creature's throat. Slowly, her eyes opened. Tears fell when she saw the other two Celestial Digimon. Even though she was in a lot of pain, the fact that her best friends were here for her made Salamon smile.

"You've came back!" She sniffed.

"How are you feeling, Salamon?" asked Aldamon.

"I'm much better, now that my friends are with me." Salamon replied.

"'Come on!" Aldamon said, carrying the wounded Salamon in his arms. "Let's get out of this crazy..."

A tingling feeling at the base of his skull alerted the Hybrid that danger was nearby. Suddenly, a large number of bombs appeared out of the darkness and rained down on the center of the room. Aldamon and the other Rookies dove out of the way just when the grenades went off. The explosion filled the chamber with thick clouds of smoke, making the smaller Digimon gasp for air.

"Who's there?" Aldamon spoke. When the fog cleared, a small creature wearing a hooded cloak appeared.

"**So, you come at last!**"

"Hey! It's him! That's the Digimon who kidnapped us!" Patamon pointed toward the unknown figure.

"You!" The Hybrid Warrior growled.

"**Yes! It's me, you weakling!**"

"I'll make you pay for hurting my friends!" Aldamon declared before dropping in his stance.

"**Then, what are you waiting for, Legendary Whimp! Here I am!**"

Aldamon was about to unleash another Atomic Inferno when...

"**Wrong! I'm over here!**"

Suddenly, a clone of the hooded Digimon appeared behind the Hybrid Warrior and the other Rookies.

"**Or am I here?**"

Again, another duplicate stepped into the light from the left side and smirked at the intruders.

"**Or here! Hahahaha!**"

A fourth doppelganger appeared on Aldamon's right side.

"How is he doing that?" Bokomon wondered.

"They're everywhere!" Neemon gasped.

"**That's right, fools! I could be anywhere! Even above you!**"

Aldamon and the other Rookies looked up and saw the very same hooded Digimon sitting on a small throne on a tiny ledge. The creature snapped his fingers, which commanded the other figures to take out another set of explosives out of their cloaks. While the Rookies stumbled back in fear, Aldamon's eyes remained neutral.

"Hold on. There's something very familiar about that Digimon." The Hybrid said to himself.

The hooded figure up top then pointed toward the small group in the center of the chamber.

"**Destroy them!**"

Upon command, the duplicates pulled their arms back and took aim.

"**MINI BOOMER!**"

All at once, the doppelgangers heaved their explosives at the group. Bokomon, Neemon and the Celestial Digimon took cover as the bombs drew closer. But Aldamon was ready. He used his orange wings to swat all of the grenades away. The bombs slammed into the walls and exploded out of the range of the other Digimon.

"ATOMIC INFERNO!"

The Hybrid Warrior unleashed a barrage of fireballs toward the four hooded figures surrounding him. Neither one of the duplicates stood a chance against the intense heat of Aldamon's attack. One by one, the hooded Digimon fell to the ground or collided against the wall. They disappeared in a puff of smoke, signaling their defeat.

All that remained was the unknown creature sitting on his throne at the top of the room.

"**Still as annoying as ever!**"

"Enough games! There's no need to hide your face anymore! I know who you are!" Aldamon pointed to the Digimon above him.

Taking his statement as an invitation, the unknown creature got up from his throne, hopped off the ledge, and landed smoothly on his feet. The Rookies were surprised that a small creature like the one in front of them could survive a fall like that without hurting himself. However, Aldamon knew the identity of this Digimon

After a while, the figure removed his hood to reveal himself. Before the group was a familiar imp-like creature. The repugnant smirk on his face had nothing but malicious intent on it. The Rookies hid behind Aldamon's leg. But the look on the Hybrid's face told the imp that he was not happy to see him.

"It's been a while! Hasn't it, you pathetic human!"

"... Sinistromon!"

l - l

"Terrific. He Digivolved again, and into something even more ugly too." Beautymon spoke with almost no enthusiasm.

A humanoid Rookie stood before the olive haired warrior inside her cell. He wore a long sleeve shirt that was as black as the night sky. There were tears at the cuffs and rips at the neck. He had white, fingerless gloves he each hands. The black pants he wore had small patches on both of the kneecaps. His shoes were also dark like the rest of his attire. Finally, his reddish eyes were concealed by a black hood.

"I am not ugly! The name is Malicemon, you old hag!" The Rookie screamed.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Malicemon**

**Level: Rookie**

**Attacks: Malice Portal; Terror Leer**

**Description: Don't be fooled by his size and level. Malicemon can wreak havoc and cause destruction all over the Digital World. With his Malice Portal, this Digimon can create mayhem in two different places at once. That's why he's one of the toughest creatures to catch, let alone defeat.**

"Old? Hag?" Beautymon repeated in disgust.

Apparently, calling Beautymon names was another form of suicide.

"Oh boy!" The Rookie gulped before snapping his fingers behind his back.

Suddenly, a portal appeared behind Malicemon. The humanoid quickly darted toward the opening just when the olive haired Digimon unleashed her Beautiful Beams. Both projectiles also entered the elaborate gateway before it disappeared. Moments later, another portal reopened in the center of the Containment Room. A satisfying grin appeared on Beautymon's face when she saw her pink lasers ruthlessly push Malicemon out of the portal. The poor Rookie skidded on the steel floor while the female warrior's beams created a pair of holes on the wall.

"Hey! What's your problem? I'm just trying to help!" The Rookie wiped the dust off of his body before trotting toward the occupied cell.

"Go away! Your presence annoys me!" Beautymon huffed. She crossed her arms and turned toward the opposite wall.

"Oh, come now, babe! Don't be such a pouty face!" snickered Malicemon.

"I am not being a pouty face!" Beautymon glowered toward the Rookie with her cheeks all puffed up. "And don't you dare call me 'babe!' There is but _one_ who can address me like that! And that person is none other than _my_ Cutie!"

"Is that so... babe?"

"THAT'S IT!" The female warrior shouted, charging up her hand and discharging another Beautiful Beam.

But Malicemon sensed the attack coming the moment Beautymon had screamed.

"MALICE PORTAL!"

He snapped his fingers again to create another dimensional in the middle of the room. The lasers zoomed into the portal. A second later, another opening appeared behind Beautymon. Before she could react, it was too late. The female Digimon was blindsided by her own attack. Beautymon fell on the floor with a small burn mark on the backside of her white dress.

"That's what you get for messing with me earlier, you crazy woman! HAHAHAHAHA!" Malicemon laughed as he walked toward the cell. He wanted to see the pathetic look on Beautymon's...

*slap*

The female Digimon caught Malicemon by surprise with a five-finger strike across the cheek. Again the Rookie skidded on the floor and collided against one of the walls. Of course, she wanted to blast him into oblivion. However, a slap to the face made Beautymon smirk.

"Ow! Hey, what's the big idea?" complained the humanoid child.

"What do you mean? You started it!" giggled the olive haired beauty.

"I did not! You were the one who tried blasting a hole through my chest!"

"Yeah? Well, you were the one called me an old hag! If you asked me, you deserved to get shot!"

"Come on, now! I was just trying to help! Isn't that so wrong?"

"You? Help me out? That's absurd! What can _you_ possible do to help me?" Beautymon asked the Digimon outside her cell.

"Hello? Haven't you forgotten who I am? You know very well what I'm capable of, Beautymon?"

"I sure do! Chaos and utter destruction of the Digital World! What's your point?"

"True..." The Rookie paused before grinning at the Champion. "But what if I tell you that I can give you what your heart's desire?"

"Oh, please! Trust me, you repugnant fool! My heart's desire is already impossible to get, as long as that ugly blonde's in the picture!"

"Is that so? Explain, Beautymon!"

"No!"

"Come now, B! Tell me! What is your heart's desire? What is the one thing your soul craves for? I can make your wishes and dreams come true, Beautymon! All you have to do is tell me what it is!" Malicemon suggested. The look in his eye told the female Digimon that he was interested in what she was going to wish for.

As much as she hated doing business with the evil creature, Malicemon had offered a once in a lifetime opportunity for her. This was Beautymon's chance to get her Cutie back. She had done everything in her power to make the goggle-head hers, and yet she was unsuccessful. And now, this Rookie claimed that he could give her exactly what she wished for. It could be a trick for to lower her defenses. Then again, what other option did Beautymon have?

If making a deal with him would make the Bearer of Flame hers, then so be it.

"Alright, Malicemon!" Beautymon said, finally addressing the Rookie by his name. "You want to know what I wish for?"

"I'm all ears, B!" snickered the humanoid child, much to the annoyance of the female Digimon.

"Then listen up, you little brat!" She spoke. "My heart desires for two things! Here is the first! Do you remember that ugly girl who possess the Sprits of Wind?"

"Of course, I do! She was that human I captured a while ago, huh? Oh yeah! I had such a fun time bringing that pathetic girl pain and miser..."

"Ehem!" Beautymon huffed. Malicemon sighed before allowing the prisoner to continue.

"As I was saying, I wish for that stupid Blondie to never see the light of day again! I want her to suffer; feel the same pain and anguish I felt when she stole my Cutie from me! I want to hurt and humiliate her! I want to see a beaten, battered and bruised Blondie on her knees, begging for mercy and forgiveness before I crush her and complete my revenge!"

"Very interesting! Is that all?" Malicemon rubbed his chin.

"No, of course not! The second thing I want is for Cutie to be mine! All mine! I want him to dump that dumb, ugly blonde so he could be with me! I want to be the one holding Cutie's hands, hugging him, kissing him, engage in foreplay with him! I want to him to take away my purity... and I want to return him the favor! Oh, that would be such a dream come true!"

"Ew, how disgusting!" said the Rookie.

"DISGUSTING?"

"Whoa! Take it easy, B!" Malicemon held both of his hands up. "No need to get feisty! I'm just saying! Who would've thought that the self-proclaimed world's most beautiful Digimon could be rejected by a mere human!"

"He didn't reject me! Cutie just has no idea what he's... _missing_!" Beautymon said, momentarily playing with her chest.

"I see..."

"Well, there you go, Malicemon! I already told you what my wish is! Now... make it happen!" demanded the olive haired warrior.

"Of course, Beautymon! But first..."

Suddenly, his body started to glow in white light. Beautymon knew what that means. The creature before her was Digivolving again.

When the light vanished, Beautymon saw another humanoid Digimon twice as tall and twice as large as Malicemon. He wore a dark purplish tunic and chocolate brown long pants that had tears and rips at the ends. His poisonous green cloak was extremely big; it made the creature look like a hunchback. He also had a silver mask that concealed a little bit of his ghostly white face.

His crimson red eyes starred directly at the female Digimon, like he has her under his control.

"You're gonna have to do something for me!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter sixty-six. <strong>

**With the Legendary Warriors out of the picture, can Aldamon take on the Malevomon's most faithful servant? Or does Sinistromon have something up his sleeve that will give him the edge? And what does this evil Digimon back at the Containment Room have in store for Beautymon? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	67. Hidden Power

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**The traps in The Warriors' Tomb took out the Legendary Warriors one by one. Kazemon stayed behind to keep the Genimon brothers busy, while Aldamon and the others go after Salamon. When they reached the center of the dungeon, they rescued the final Celestial Digimon. But it turns out that the one behind all of this was Sinistromon, Malevomon's most faithful servant. Speaking of which, it seems like Beautymon's willing to do anything to make Takuya hers, and to make sure Zoe never sees the light of day again; even if it means making a deal with an evil Digimon.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter sixty-seven!**

* * *

><p><strong>Hidden Power<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"Hey! You recognized me! I'm flattered! I assume you and your friends have missed me after all of this time!" The imp grinned. But Sinistromon's assumption only made the Aldamon return the favor with smirk as big as his.

"Oh, please!" The Hybrid Warrior countered. "After my friends and I kicked your master's butt, all of us were glad that both of you were gone! And now, Sinistromon, the time has come for you to answer for your crimes, just like Malevomon!"

"Is that so?" The devil-like creature slowly moved toward the group in front of him.

As he approached the fiery Digimon, the Rookies hid behind Aldamon's legs. They could hear a low grumble coming from the imp. Aldamon was the only one who realized that Sinistromon was laughing. Despite his short stature, the fiery Digimon could detect the foulness and maliciousness underneath the imp's voice.

"Has he lost it?" Bokomon peeked his head and gazed at the mischievous Digimon.

"He's as nutty as a squirrel!" analyzed Neemon.

Meanwhile, the three Celestial Rookies were trembling in fear. Their eyes remained focused on the faithful servant of the malicious ruler. Bokomon glanced at Patamon, Lopmon and Salamon and saw the terror written in their faces.

"W... We have to get out of here, Papa-mom!" sniveled the winged Digimon.

"Aw, do we have to? He doesn't appear to be that strong! If my math is correct, Takuya has clobbered that lunatic about a hundred times!" Neemon recalled, despite his inaccurate estimation.

"That guy is bad news!" Lopmon shook his head. "He may seem small on the outside, but he's big and scary on the inside!"

"I agree!" concurred Salamon. "I sensed the presence of a great evil radiating throughout his entire body!"

"If he's as dangerous as you say he is, then I suggest you all find a place to hide!" Aldamon told the others.

Not wanting to get in the way, the Rookies hustled to the nearest corner and hid behind a rock big enough to conceal the group. Now that his friends were safe, Aldamon refocused back toward Sinistromon. The strange thing was that the imp-like Rookie continued to approach to the Hybrid. It's possible that this creature was out of his mind.

Or he could have something up his sleeve that would give him the edge.

"This is your last warning, Sinistromon! Walk away while you still can!"

"And if I refuse?"

"Then you'll share the same fate as Malevomon!" threatened Aldamon.

"Shut up! How dare you talk about my master? You and your friends are going to pay for what you did to him!" Sinistromon yelled. The Hybrid must've struck a nerve when he mentioned the malicious emperor's humiliating defeat. His sudden outburst made Aldamon drop to his battle stance.

"Lord Malevomon was _this_ close in ruling the Digital World! Every pathetic creature would be slaves to the Malevolent One for all eternity! And with the Legendary Warriors under the control of the Chaos Spheres, not a single being could stop him! That is..."

The fiery Digimon cracked a smirk when Sinistromon got to the best part of the story.

"... until you humans showed up! You stole half of the Legendary Spirits that belonged to Lord Malevomon! One by one, you took out the master's strongest fighters! You even trespassed into the Dark Kingdom and obliterated our beloved castle that took us months to build! But worst of all... YOU'VE DESTROYED THE FUTURE RULER OF THE DIGITAL WORLD!"

"And good riddance! Now that Malevomon's gone, the whole Digital World's now free! Never again will they be under his control nor be forced to hurt the ones they love!" Aldamon refuted.

"Wrong, Legendary Warrior! Mark my words! I will avenge Lord Malevomon! I will not rest until every single creature in the Digital World is destroyed! That includes you, the Celestial Digimon, the Legendary Warriors..."

"Enough! I won't let you hurt my friends! If you going to take vengeance on all of those innocent Digimon, you'll have to answer to me first!" declared the Hybrid.

"Then... SO BE IT! AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

The evil Rookie was determined to make the fiery Digimon pay for destroying his master, despite the strength difference between him and his opponent. Sinistromon ran toward the Legendary Warrior carrying two bombs. From the look in his eyes, he would stop at nothing until he has his revenge.

"MINI BOMBER!" The imp-like creature shouted, chucking both of his explosives.

Aldamon effortlessly knocked the first bomb out of the way. Next, he caught the second explosive and threw it back. The bomb bounced toward its Sinistromon and exploded. The blast sent Malevomon's servant crashing into the stone walls behind him, leaving behind a small depression. Sinistromon was badly hurt after that impact. Even though he got back on all fours, the imp didn't have the enough strength to stand up.

"That was sure quick!" gasped Bokomon.

"Hooray! We won!" Neemon cheered.

Unfortunately, the Rookies didn't think so. While Aldamon did take out Sinistromon with one hit, they knew that this battle was far from over. If this creature was serious about getting his revenge, even a bunch of bruises wouldn't keep him down. It took Sinistromon some time, but the evil Digimon was back on his feet.

"Be careful, Aldamon!" Patamon shouted.

"There's more to him than meets the eye!" added Lopmon.

"He's hiding something! Watch out!" warned Salamon.

"Don't worry, you guys!" Aldamon smiled at the Celestial Rookies. "There's no way I'm going to let this lunatic beat me!"

"Who are you calling 'lunatic', you weakling?" growled the bruised Digimon.

"I'm not the one fighting a Legendary Warrior!" The Hybrid countered. Once again, the cannons on Aldamon's arms turned and switched to firing mode.

"Surrender now and leave my friends alone, Sinistromon! If you refuse, then you leave me no choice!"

"NEVER! DOUBLE GANGER!"

Eight angry clones of the faithful servant surrounded the Legendary Warrior. But Aldamon wasn't the least bit intimidated. It didn't matter if Sinistromon created eight or eighty-eight clones of himself. The numbers game wouldn't be enough to swing the fight back in his favor.

And Sinistromon's going to learn that the hard way.

"ATOMIC INFERNO!"

Aldamon rapidly punched toward the eight clones around him. All it took was a couple of fireballs to make the lookalikes disappear in a puff of smoke. One by one, the clones fell. A few seconds later, only the original Sinistromon remained. The imp charged forward and unleashed a vicious punch to Aldamon's chest.

To the fiery Digimon, the impact was as light as Kazemon's Love Tap.

"Please! Allow me!" Aldamon said to Sinistromon as he pulled his arm back.

With both Spirits of Flame giving him power, the Legendary Warrior gave his opponent a vicious punch to the Rookie's left cheek. Sinistromon spiraled in midair before crashing into the wall. The former servant of Malevomon was fell on his bottom. Needless to say that he was severely injured. Most Digimon wouldn't get up from that kind of beating.

But Sinistromon was not most Digimon.

"Hehe... Hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Um, why is this guy so happy about losing?" A confused and slightly spooked Neemon asked.

"Beats me!" shrugged Bokomon.

"Stay down, Sinistromon!" The fiery Digimon ordered. But the Rookie refused to listen

"Hmph! You think your lousy attacks can stop me? Don't make me laugh!" The imp chuckled. Despite the soreness in his body protesting, Sinistromon ignored the pain and limped toward the Legendary Warrior.

"What's going on? Why does this guy continue to get up, even though he's no match for me?" Aldamon asked himself.

For the first time, Sinistromon made his opponent take a step back with a hint of uneasiness lurking inside him.

"What's wrong? Don't tell me you were holding back this whole time! That would be considered rude, you know!" snickered the Rookie.

As much as Aldamon hated to admit it, he wasn't holding back. When he attacked Sinistromon with his Atomic Inferno or when he punched him across the face, he used one hundred percent of his energy. But Sinistromon's data hasn't revealed itself yet. To Hybrid's surprise, Sinistromon was back on his feet and ready to resume their fight.

"Let me ask you a question, Legendary Fool!" The evil Digimon stopped in his tracks and asked. "Do you know why Lord Malevomon has chosen me to be his 'right-hand mon?'"

Aldamon remained silent, which made the imp chuckle.

"Allow me to rephrase the question! Each creature who has served Lord Malevomon had a Chaos Sphere inside his or her body! Every Digimon was under the master's control... except _me_! Why is that?"

"Wait a minute! All this time, you were working for Malevomon on your free will? Not because of a Chaos Sphere?" roared the fiery Hybrid.

"Surprised, huh? I know what you're thinking! How can a lowly Rookie like myself can become the master's faithful servant?"

"You sure picked a rotten time for a pop quiz!"

"But the answer is obvious, you moron! There is a reason why Lord Malevomon has given me prestigious position of being his indispensable assistance! Underneath my puny exterior, I possess a hidden power that Lord Malevomon finds extremely useful against any type of resistance!"

"What kind of hidden power?" Aldamon growled. His tone told the imp that he demanded to know, which made the evil Digimon laugh.

"Simple! I can acquire any type of ability I like, making me the second most powerful Digimon ever... behind the Malevolent One, of course!"

"You're bluffing! We've fought you so many times, Sinistromon! Not once have my friends or I saw possess such a skill!"

"Very perceptive! But Lord Malevomon was very specific with his orders! He told me to _never_ use my special powers unless the situation absolutely calls for it!"

After making his declaration, Sinistromon dropped his black backpack to the ground. The Rookie opened a secret compartment on the front portion of his sack and calmly dug inside. Meanwhile, Aldamon had already released another barrage of his Atomic Inferno. Despite all of his outlandish claims, it would be unwise for the Hybrid to give the evil Digimon an opportunity.

As the imp pulled something out of his backpack, dozens of fireballs exploded around the area.

"Well, that takes care of him!" The Hybrid nodded.

"I'm sorry! We're you saying something?" A voice echoed throughout the chamber.

When the smoke cleared, Aldamon was shocked to see Sinistromon standing on his two feet without a single scratch. While his backpack may have been incinerated, the Rookie didn't care. He didn't need his trusty sack anymore; not with what he's holding. The Hybrid, as well as the five Rookies, gazed at what Sinistromon had in his hand, which appeared to be half the size of a regular Chaos Sphere.

Judging from the malicious smirk on his face, the black capsule he was holding was all he needed to have his revenge.

"Behold! The Chaos Pill! The key to your destruction! I alone hold the only power capsule manufactured by Lord Malevomon himself!" Sinistromon proudly announced. "Once I consume this, my true form will be unleashed; which means the end for all of you!"

"Never! I'll still beat you, even with your little boost!" declared Aldamon.

"In that case, how about I show you what this _little_ boost can really do?"

And with that, Sinistromon popped the Chaos Pill in his mouth.

Normally, it would take hours for any kind of tablet to take effect. But for Sinistromon's Chaos Pill, all he needed was a few seconds. His entire body was outlined in silver lining, which radiated some kind of evil energy. Next, the lining turned white. Aldamon could feel the energy surrounding the enemy increasing. Who would've thought that there was so much power held inside such a small capsule?

Sinistromon maliciously smirked at the Legendary Warrior as tons of Fractal Code surrounded his small body.

"SINISTROMON... DIGIVOLVE TO... **HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**"

The cocoon of data around the Rookie grew and expanded ten times its original size. The Hybrid stumbled backwards as he watched the mischievous Rookie transform into something huge. Aldamon had a strange feeling that he was not going to like what's hiding inside the large chunks of data. Meanwhile, Bokomon was trembling in his waistband. Neemon and the other Celestial Digimon were hiding right behind him.

It wasn't long before the Fractal Code dispersed, signifying the completion of the Digivolution.

Standing in the very center of the chamber was a humongous and fearsome dragon. His black and gray scales reflected the terrified faces of his victims. His massive wings spread from one side of the room to the other, puncturing the walls with his material made of Chrome Digizoid. Embedded on the central part of his metallic wings were black orbs. He had razor-sharp claws and feet that could pierce through anything. Crimson eyes glowered at Aldamon.

"Talk about taking your vitamins!" Neemon chose to terrible time to make a comment.

"I knew there was something fishy about that guy!" Salamon gulped.

"He's... *gulp*... big!" stammered Lopmon.

"Papa-mom!" Patamon cried as he tightly embraced his surrogate parent.

"What have you done to yourself, Sinistromon?" Aldamon roared at the leviathan.

"**I'm not Sinistromon anymore, puny Warrior! Call me... AKUIMON!**"

The dragon spoke in a deep voice that sent chills down everyone's spine.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Akuimon**

**Level: Mega**

**Attacks: Chaos Absorption, Ruination Rage**

**Description: Many have traveled far and wide, seeking to slay the gruesomely terrifying Akuimon. But none have returned. Only a Digimon as cruel and malicious as Malevomon can tame such a powerful beast. His Chaos Absorption allows him to absorb the skills of his opponents and use it against them.**

"Please! Whatever you do, don't you dare harm me or my baby!" Bokomon shouted toward the dragon. But when Akuimon snarled at the Rookies, they cowered in fear.

"Hey, you ugly fiend! Leave my friends alone!" Aldamon stepped in between the Rookies and the almighty dragon.

"**How foolish! You think you have what it takes to beat me and my superior power?**"

"You know what they say! The bigger they are, the harder they fall!"

"**Then by all means, Legendary Warrior! Give me your best shot!**"

Aldamon took the invitation by gathered as much energy as he could. The Hybrid combined all of the heat he had assembled and formed it into a large fireball. The more he focused, the bigger it grew. By then, the fireball was about five times his size. Once the pyro sphere had reached full capacity, Aldamon glared at his opponent.

"You wanted my best? Well, here it comes!" He howled.

"SOLAR WIND DESTROYER!"

The Hybrid Warrior chucked the fireball at the ginormous dragon. But Akuimon stood his ground and allowed his entire body to be consumed by the flames. Bokomon, Neemon and the three Celestial Digimon danced and cheered, believing that the Legendary Warrior has defeated the great leviathan.

But when the flames died down, Akuimon was still standing.

"Uh-oh!" Patamon gasped.

"We're doomed!" Neemon sniveled.

"It's no use! My attacks aren't working!" growled the Hybrid.

"**Impressive! Now it's my turn!**"

Before Aldamon could react, Akuimon grabbed the fiery Digimon by the torso and flew toward the ceiling.

"Come on! We got to help Takuya!" commanded Patamon. The winged Rookie darted forward and wrapped all four of his limbs around Akuimon's long tail.

"Wait for me!" Lopmon yelled, wrapping one of his ears around the dragon's lower appendage.

"And me!" said Salamon as she grabbed Lopmon's other ear.

"Patamon! Wait! Come back!" Bokomon cried.

"Last one there's a rotten Digimon!" Neemon sang, joining the Celestial Rookies along for the ride. "Come on, Bokomon! You don't want to be left behind, do you?"

"Ugh! I know I'm going to regret this..." His partner grumbled. Bokomon made it just in time as he grabbed the end of Akuimon's tail.

The great leviathan used the fiery Digimon to crash through the overhead and through the layers and layers of rock that encased The Warriors' Tomb. Even though the Hybrid was covered in armor, the transfer of energy started to affect his body. Aldamon wasn't sure how long he could last. Meanwhile, the Rookies held on tight to the dragon's tail like their lives depended on it.

Moments later, the group burst through the surface of the Ophanimoon. Akuimon shook off the Digimon latched on to his appendage. But as for Aldamon, he ruthlessly slammed his back into one of the largest boulders that was in the area. The huge rock shattered to pebbles upon impact. The Hybrid groaned as he felt the pain vibrating throughout his spine. Akuimon then threw Aldamon to the ground.

"Takuya!" The Rookies rushed toward their friend.

"**HAHAHAHA! Pathetic Warrior! You have sealed your fate by challenging me!**"

"You haven't... ngh... beaten yet, Akuimon!" Aldamon grunted, mustering up every strength he had left to get back to a vertical base.

"**In that case, why don't we fix that? CHAOS ABSORPTION!**"

Akuimon spread his wings out wide, showing the fiery Digimon the black orbs attached to the central part of the dragon's forelimb. Aldamon only had time to shove his friends out of the line of fire. Suddenly, a blackish beam shot out from both orbs and consumed the Legendary Warrior with its dark illumination. However, the Hybrid didn't feel any pain inside the shadows. It wasn't long before Akuimon ceased his attack.

"Ha! I'm still standing, Lizard Breath!"

The Hybrid wished he could take back those words. The Mega level Digimon transformed his dragon-like claws into arms covered in crimson armor with golden blasters attached; very similar to Aldamon's. Akuimon then put his hands together to create a giant fireball. The great leviathan threw the pyro sphere toward his opponent and consumed the Legendary Warrior with his own Solar Wind Destroyer.

"KKYYYYAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Aldamon cried in agony.

"TAKUYA!" The other Digimon screamed toward their friend after helplessly watching their friend get hit by his own attack.

The pain was too much. Moments later, the Warrior's body was surrounded by a cocoon of Fractal Code, transforming the fiery Digimon back to the teenage goggle-head. Takuya laid flat on his stomach with most of his clothes covered in dirt. There were also a few scratches on his face and on his arms.

"Takuya! Are you alright?" Bokomon and the other Rookies gathered around the bruised human to check on his condition.

"Ngh... Never felt better!" The Bearer of Flame groaned. "Man! I can't believe I was hurt by my own attack!"

"**Fascinating, is it not?**"

"AKUIMON!" The three Celestial Digimon gasped in unison.

"**This is my true form! With the Chaos Absorption in my disposal, my power is absolutely limitless! There's not a single Digimon alive that can stop me! HAHAHAHAHAHA!**"

"Now what do we do?" Neemon gulped.

"I cannot defeat this guy alone! We need the combined strength of the Legendary Warriors to take Akuimon down! But the problem is that they're all somewhere lost in The Warriors' Tomb!" The goggle-head huffed.

"**Wrong again, weakling! Allow me to show you what has become of your friends! RAAAAAAAAAAWRRRRR!**"

The thunderous roar caused the entire Ophanimoon to shake. Everyone, except Takuya lost their balance. Even though the whole area was trembling, the Bearer of Flame noticed the ground began to open up. Takuya didn't have to wait long to see what has happened to the other Legendary Warriors. A platform rose from the opening, which featured nine, identical cylinders spread across the surface.

Because the shapes were made of solid, clear material like glass, it allowed Takuya to see the Digimon inside.

"GUYS! NO!"

The leader couldn't believe that all of the Legendary Warriors had been captured. Most of them were covered with bruises. Six of the Warriors were still standing. They tried using their attacks to break free, but to no avail. Although Ranamon and Kumamon were conscious, the Digimon of Ice and Water were too exhausted to fight back.

"What's going on here?" Beetlemon pounded his Thunder Fists into the glass.

"Why there no escape?" shouted Grumblemon as he ruthlessly pounded his capsule with his sledgehammer.

"Enough. Thy measly attempt of wasting energy brings soreness to thine eyes." grumbled Mercurymon, not doing anything to break free.

"What he said, right?" nodded Arbormon.

Takuya then noticed one of the Legendary Warriors hasn't woken up yet. But based on large number of scratches and grime all over her body, the humanoid butterfly was in worse condition than everyone else.

"HANG ON, ZOE! I'M COMING!" The teenage boy rushed toward the elevated platform with his D-Tector in hand.

But before Takuya could Fusion Evolve, other Digimon leaped out of the opening and landed in front of the cylinders. Upon further inspection, all nine of these Ultimate level creatures had a different astrological symbol embedded somewhere on their bodies. Takuya recognized a couple of those Digimon back at The Warriors' Tomb. Of course, the Legendary Warriors weren't happy to see the Digimon that had defeated them in battle.

"Look what we have here, brother!" The Genimon on the left snickered.

"Only one Legendary Warrior left!" chuckled the giant on the left.

"Let my friends go, right now!" Takuya angrily demanded.

"Hmph! And what's a powerless human like you going to do about it?" snarled Taurasomon.

"Takuya! They're too strong! Get out of here while you still can!" Lobomon shouted toward the human.

"I'm not going anywhere without you guys!" The goggle-head replied, refusing to abandon his friends. Unfortunately, he was outnumbered and outmatched. Unless he could free the other Warriors, he was at his opponents' mercy.

"**Hahahaha! Excellent! My master plan has worked to perfection!**"

"Hey! Where did he come from?" Lowemon suddenly noticed the great leviathan nearby.

"I don't know about you guys! But this guy's even scarier up close!" trembled Kumamon.

"What's this all about, Akuimon?" Takuya howled at the dragon.

"Akuimon? What kind of name is that, Sugar?" Ranamon mumbled to herself.

"**Allow me to explain! I knew it was a matter of time before you would come to outer space to rescue the Celestial Digimon! So, I ordered Vademon and Hexamon to guard two of them, while I held one of them captive. This gave me plenty of time to capture some of the powerful Digimon that roamed the galaxy to do my bidding!**"

"That was us! Hehe!" Canceramon proudly nodded.

"Silence, fool! Or you'll make the master mAAAAAAAAAAd!" ordered Capcornomon.

"**While you and your friends were busy rescuing Patamon and Lopmon, I spent the remaining time scheming and building The Warriors' Tomb labyrinth! And I must say that it was the perfect trap! Each chamber was designed to separate the Legendary Warriors from the group, one at a time! Originally, the plan was to have my loyal servants capture all of you before you reached the center of the dungeon! Still, nine out of ten is not bad... if I do say so myself! HAHAHAHAHAHA!**"

"You're sick!" Takuya clenched his D-Tector in anger.

"T**hank you! Now all I have to do is capture the rest of you weaklings and destroy you all! Then I will have my revenge!**"

"I don't think so, Akuimon! I'm going to ask you one more time! Release my friends, or else!"

"Such impudence! How can someone like you make outrageous demands when the balance of power is not on your side?" Liberamon showed the teenager his signature scale.

"How about this, little one? If you want your friends back..." Virgomon spoke with a sweet, angelic voice.

Suddenly, her cute smile was replaced with a smirk filled with malicious intent.

"... THEN GO ON AHEAD AND TAKE THEM FROM US, IF YOU DARE!"

"Wow! She's scarier than Beautymon!" Neemon randomly commented.

"Enough talk! Must destroy last Warrior!" The tribal Ariesemon suggested.

"What shall we do, master?" Both of the Pisecemon turned toward their master and asked.

"**Not to worry! I shall have my revenge! But first, a little demonstration of my superior power!**"

The nine Ultimates obliged and moved out of the way. Once again, Akuimon spread his wings so that the Legendary Warriors could see black orbs in the center of his forelimb. Meanwhile, Kazemon had finally regained her consciousness. She sat up straight with her head and midsection still in pain. It wasn't until she caught sight of the giant dragon.

"What the..."

"**CHAOS ABSORPTION!**"

Akuimon shot his dark rays at the nine prisoners. Each of the Legendary Warriors flinched as the great leviathan scanned and absorbed their abilities. While a few of the captives were relieved that Akuimon's attack didn't harm them, the rest had a strange feeling that there was more this technique than they thought.

All of the sudden, the ginormous dragon started to transform.

Besides Aldamon's arms with the powerful cannons attached, the Mega had at least one feature from all of the Legendary Warriors. While his face remained the same, the headwear of Ranamon appeared on the dragon's head. Lobomon's blonde hair also came to view from behind the helmet. An insect horn similar to Beetlemon's erupted from the creature's forehead. Akuimon also had Grumblemon's large nose, and Kazemon's silver visor. There were lion shaped shoulder pads on both of the leviathan's upper joint. A central mirror, like Mercurymon's, appeared on Akuimon's stomach. Finally, the dragon had Arbormon's thick legs, and Kumamon's boots.

The only parts that haven't changed were Akuimon's wings. But even so, the various and composed parts of this creature equaled one terrifying Digimon.

"**AT LAST! THE ABILITIES OF ALL TEN LEGENDARY WARRIORS ARE MINE TO COMMAND! I AM NOW THE MOST POWERFUL DIGIMON OF ALL!**"

"No way!" A surprised Lobomon growled.

"That guy stole my thunder... I mean, my horn!" Beetlemon shook his fists at the synthesized dragon.

"Talk about ugly! Only I can look good in that sort of headwear, Sugar!" Ranamon huffed.

"Indeed, my lady!" groaned Mercurymon after hearing his fellow Warrior's self-praise.

After seeing Akuimon transform, Takuya stepped back in retreat. Now that the evil Digimon has the power of the ten Legendary Warriors at his disposal, how can he possibly defeat him? All of his friends had been captured and could not break free. Besides the giant dragon, he also had to deal with nine other powerful Digimon. Oh, and there's also the priority of protecting the Celestial Digimon.

Once again, Takuya was all alone.

"What do we do now, Takuya?" Neemon asked the last Warrior standing.

"I... I have no idea, you guys..." murmured the goggle-head.

"You have to fight and save your friends! It's the only way we can defeat that big bully and his gang!" Patamon confidently suggested.

"But how am I supposed to beat Akuimon and those other creeps all by myself?" Takuya eyed the Rookies, silently telling them that his defeat was more than likely immanent.

"**HAHAHAHAHA! Your destruction will be certain, you insignificant pest! It's only a matter of how long do I want to prolong your suffering, just like Lord Malevomon! Do yourself a favor, human! Submit to me and relinquish the Celestial Digimon, and I will consider releasing your friends!**"

Given the situation he was in, there was no way Takuya could win. Even if he were to fight back, there's not much he could do all by himself. The way Takuya clutched his D-Tector tight told everyone else that he was considering the only option that would make him sick to his stomach. This made the Celestial Rookies gasp with terror and sadness.

The goggle-head was about to throw his D-Tector down, when...

"DON'T GIVE UP, TAKUYA! YOU CAN STILL WIN!" A voice stopped the boy.

Takuya looked up and saw Kazemon on her feet with both of her hands against the transparent, impenetrable wall. Although he couldn't see her eyes, the Bearer of Flame recognized that look on the butterfly's face. If he did surrender, she would never forgive him.

"But Zoe, how? Akuimon has all of our power! Even if I do Fusion Evolve, none of my attacks wouldn't have any effect on him!"

"So when does that stop you, huh?" argued Beetlemon.

"He's right! You've never given up once! Not ever!" Kumamon agreed.

"It doesn't matter how stacked the odds are against you!" nodded Lobomon.

"You keep fighting until the very end!" Lowemon finished.

"You guys..." Takuya widened his eyes. With each word of encouragement spoken by the Legendary Warriors, his confidence grew.

"You better not quit, Sugar!" Ranamon pointed toward the human.

"Quitters never win, winners never quit, right?" added Arbormon.

"Me pound your face if quit you!" Grumblemon roared as he continued to pound his cell with his hammer.

"Would thou hurry up and make a decision? The stalling from thee provides utter annoyance to me!" complained Mercurymon.

"You know something? You guys are right!" Takuya smiled. "You hear that, Akuimon? I'll never surrender to you or any of those circus animals you got on your side!"

"Circus animals? Me! How appalling!" Aquarimon gasped flamboyantly.

"**HEHE! So you refused to take my offer, huh? Fine! I have other ways to ensure my victory! Observe!**"

Takuya was about to Fusion Evolve, when the mixed up Digimon fluttered toward the transparent cell on the far left; the one that held Kazemon hostage. Despite putting on a brave face, the dragon could sense her fear. Plus, her knees trembling was also a dead giveaway. After smirking at the helpless Digimon of Wind, Akuimon shifted his attention back to the human.

"You better not hurt her, you monster!" The Bearer of Flame growled.

"**You're in no position to give me orders, boy! Now, I'm going to give you a choice! Surrender and hand me all three Celestial Digimon! Or...**"

Akuimon snickered as he placed a hand on Kazemon's prison. Suddenly, blackish waves of electricity surrounded the Digimon of Wind, zapping the lavender haired butterfly's energy. Takuya and other eight Legendary Warriors watched helplessly as the cruel dragon continued to torture Kazemon. Seconds felt like an eternity for the Warrior of Wind.

"KYYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Kazemon screeched in agony.

"NO, ZOE!" The goggle-head extended his handed out toward his girlfriend.

"**HAHAHAHAHA! Yes! Squeal for me, my darling! Squeal!**"

"STOP IT! LEAVE HER ALONE, AKUIMON!" A furious Takuya snapped.

After giving the Bearer of Flame an arrogant smirk, the Mega pulled his hand away from the capsule prison. Thus, the black energies that electrocuted the humanoid butterfly had stopped. The weakened Kazemon collapsed on her stomach, in pain and out of breath. Fractal Code surrounded the female's body, transforming her back to the teenage blonde.

"Zoe..." Takuya swallowed the lump in his throat after seeing his beloved in so much pain. His worry turned to anger when the goggle-head glowered at the evil Digimon.

"AKUIMON, I'LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR THIS!"

"**Silence! What I did to your friend was just a warning! Now, I'm going to ask you once again! Give me the three Celestial Digimon and admit your defeat! And if you don't give me the answer I want, then your precious girlfriend will be the first to go!**"

"That's dirty! Fight fair, you coward!" Kumamon shouted toward the leviathan.

"**Have patience, Legendary Warrior! You will all get your turn! After I destroy her, I'll move on to the next Digimon and destroy you one by one, until the human obeys my commands!**"

"You lousy creep! You'll get what's coming to you! I guarantee it!" threatened Takuya.

"**The only thing that's coming to me is _victory_ and _revenge_! Now, do what I say! Or you can kiss your girlfriend goodbye!**"

The goggle-head hated being in this position, making choices that will cost a number of Digimon their lives. Zoe told him she didn't want her beloved to give up. But that would mean that Akuimon would destroy her. On the other side, Takuya could surrender and hand the evil dragon the Celestial Rookies in exchanged for Zoe and the Legendary Warriors.

But who's to say that Akuimon would keep his word? Takuya may not be a genius, but he knew the mixed up creature's plan. It didn't matter what choice he made. In the end, Akuimon will have his revenge.

He fell on all fours and bowed his head.

"Akuimon! Leave my friends out of this! Take me instead! I'm the one you want! I was the one who defeated Malevomon! If you want your revenge, then do as you like with me! But spare everyone else!" The Bearer of Flame begged.

"Takuya, no!" Bokomon gulped nervously.

"I can't believe it! He's giving up!" Neemon shook his head vigorously.

As for the Celestial Rookies, they were practically speechless. Their last hope has thrown in the towel. Even the Legendary Warriors remained silent; some with their mouths agape.

"**Hmm! You do have a point! While I do find pleasure in annihilating your pitiful friends, eliminating the one who has slayed Lord Malevomon will bring me ultimate satisfaction! Very well, pathetic human! You shall be first! And not to worry! I will take great pleasure in making your suffering slow and relatively painful!**"

Akuimon flew away from the captive Warriors and landed in front of Takuya. He grabbed the teenage goggle-head with his giant Aldamon-like hands and lifted him of the ground. Just to make the boy suffer, the evil Digimon tightened his grip, making the Bearer of Flame groan in pain. Hearing Takuya scream made Akuimon widen his grin.

"**It's a shame that Lord Malevomon isn't here to witness your destruction! But, no matter! I'm sure the master would be most pleased! Farewell, puny human!**"

The great leviathan opened his mouth to unleash his deadly attack. The Celestial Rookie embraced each other and opened their floodgates, too afraid to see their human friend get destroyed. As for Bokomon and Neemon, they were running around in circles in a state of panic. But neither were looking at where they were going, which resulted in the two of them crashing into one another.

"TAKUYA, GET OUT OF THERE!" Lobomon screamed.

"FIGHT BACK!" Lowemon also cried.

"Typical. Thou art willing to sacrifice himself to delay our destruction." Mercurymon crossed his arms and shook his head with disappointment.

"Some help you are, Sugar!" groaned Ranamon.

"LET HIM GO, YOU BIG MEANIE!" Kumamon ordered the Mega level Digimon.

"WHEN I GET OUT OF HERE, YOU'LL BE SORRY!" Beetlemon aggressively pounded the inside of his capsule.

"Or you'll be the next to go, right?" Arbormon eyed the Warrior of Thunder strangely.

"All this talk give Grumblemon huge ache in head!" complained Grumblemon.

"Ta... Takuya... no." A barely conscious Zoe sobbed, feeling helpless to save her boyfriend.

"**TIME TO FINISH YOU OFF ONCE AND FOR ALL! RUINATION RAG...**"

"GALACTIC STORM!" Someone shouted.

The voice made the evil dragon look up above his head. He saw a big tornado with a bunch of asteroids and meteorites spiraling inside. Moments later, the twist spewed out the large rocks toward Akuimon. The asteroids collided against the great leviathan's body and burst into smaller pieces. Still, the transfer of energy caused the synthesized Digimon to wince in pain, forcing him to drop his captive.

Before the goggle-head could hit the ground, another Digimon caught him and broke his fall. It didn't take long for Takuya to recognize his rescuer. And boy was he happy to see him.

"MegaStarmon? What are you doing here?"

"When I saw that nasty Digimon came off the ground, I had a feeling something was up! So I came here as fast as I could! And when I saw that evil beast has captured you, I couldn't just stand there and let my friends get eaten!" said the pilot.

"Thanks, buddy! You came just in time!"

"Don't mention it!"

"WELL, IT'S ABOUT TIME YOU SHOWED UP!" Beetlemon hollered from his capsule.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, SUGAR? COLLECTING MOON ROCKS?" Ranamon angrily pointed at the Digimon who saved the human. The remarks caught Takuya's attention.

"MegaStarmon! We have to rescue the others!" said the goggle-head.

"Just leave everything to me!"

The star shaped Digimon levitated above the ground and raised both of his arms. He focused his mind on all of his power. Before long, MegaStarmon created another powerful cyclone that sucked up any nearby boulders and huge rocks. Once the tornado was big enough and had plenty of material inside, the pilot took aim at the nine capsules a few yards ahead of him.

"Galactic Storm!"

Upon command, the twister spat out the boulders like a bolt-action rifle. With perfect precision, the large rocks rained down on the area. Some of the Ultimate level Digimon got out of the way while the others stood their ground. But the ones who stayed behind weren't strong enough to withstand the meteor shower. When the dust settled, Ariesemon, Taurasomon, Liberamon, Capcornomon, Aquarimon and the Pisecemon duo were destroyed.

With the remaining Ultimates out of position, the boulders crashed into the glass chambers that held the Warriors captive. Even though the impact only created a small crack, that was exactly what they needed to break free and to escape. While the other Warriors quickly regrouped with Takuya, Lobomon and Lowemon hustled to the capsule on the far left. Since Zoe was too weak, the two Digimon had to break the prison open and carry the teenage girl out.

"Zoe!" Takuya cried when the humanoid wolf and lion approached the group. They set the girl down on the ground and gave her some room.

"Are you alright, Z?"

"Ta... Takuya?" The blonde opened her emerald eyes and gazed at her beloved.

"How are you feeling?" Her boyfriend asked.

"I think I can still fight... ngh!" The Bearer of Wind tried to stand, but as a sharp pain shot throughout her torso, decided against it.

"You have to rest. We'll take care of that messed up creep." Takuya told his girlfriend.

He was about to head back into battle, when he felt someone grabbing his wrist. The teenage boy turned around and saw the beautiful Orimoto smiling at him, despite how hurt she was.

"Takuya, wait!" said Zoe. "Before you go, I want you to take my Spirits! Only EmperorGreymon can defeat someone that big!"

"Zoe does have a point! If we're going to beat this guy, then we're going combine the Legendary Spirits!" Kumamon concurred.

"Eh, me no know! Me still want payback on crabby Digimon for humiliating Grumblemon!" argued the gnome.

"Ah, shut up Grumblemon! There's more satisfaction in winning the war than a lame battle, right?" Arbormon supported the others.

"Alright!" Takuya nodded. But first, he turned toward the pilot and the other Warriors. "Here's the plan! You five will work together with MegaStarmon to take out Akuimon's remaining cronies!"

"If you say so, Sugar!" Ranamon reluctantly agreed.

"Those pathetic welps may have gotten the best of us before, but round two shall be their doom!" snickered Mercurymon.

"We'll do our best, Takuya! But you better do your job and take out that creep!" Beetlemon gave the leader the thumbs up.

"Don't worry! I will!" Takuya chuckled before turning back to the pilot. "MegaStarmon, please take care the others and make sure no one gets hurt!"

"You can count on me, my friend!"

"Excellent!" Takuya then removed Zoe's grip off of his wrist, but enveloped her warm hand with his very own. "Zoe, I want you to protect Bokomon and the others! Take them somewhere safe!"

"I'll do the best I can!" The blonde beauty stifled a giggle.

"Good! Now... LET'S MOVE!"

Upon command, the group dispersed. MegaStarmon and his group quickly made their way toward Akuimon's remaining cronies for one last showdown. Arbormon, Grumblemon and Kumamon stayed behind, ready to give the goggle-head their Spirits.

"WOOD INTO FLAME... RIGHT?"

"EARTH TO FLAME!"

"ICE INTO FLAME!"

Massive streams of data spiraled around the Warriors', which allowed them to return to their Spirit forms. Three long strips of data connected in between Takuya's device and the Legendary Spirits. One by one, the goggle-head brought the Spirits into his D-Tector. That's three down and one to go. Before Zoe gave her beloved her Spirits, she placed a soft kiss on his lips for good luck.

"Go get him, baby." She nodded. Afterwards, she showed Takuya her D-Tector.

"WIND INTO FLAME!"

With the combined power of the Legendary Spirits on his side, Takuya was ready to give Akuimon a fight he'll never forget.

*Insert Song: The Last Element*

The five Human and Beast Spirits converged on the center figure inside Takuya's device. With his D-Tector in his right hand, Takuya extended his left hand out. An orb of Fractal Code suddenly appeared. The goggle-head then brought the ball of data together with his D-Tector.

"UNITY EXECUTE…" He screamed swiping the Fractal Code with his device. "... UNIFIED SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

The Human and Beast Spirits of Flame, Wind, Ice, Earth and Wood awakened and gave Takuya their power. The teenage boy felt a massive surge of energy flowing throughout his body. The boy spread his limbs so he could unite himself with the Spirits. One by one, the relics offered Takuya their strength. At last, a powerful Digimon appeared. The Mega Hybrid unleashed two strong slashes with his broadsword, and a thrust for good measure.

"EMPERORGREYMON!"

As the Mega Hybrid levitated toward the great leviathan, Zoe ran to the five Rookies and took them to safety. She and the others ran a few yards away from the battlefield and hid inside one of the biggest craters they could find. After making sure that all of the Digimon were present and accounted for, the blonde peeked her head out of the circular depression to check the rest of her friends.

l - l

"Slide... EVOLUTION!" The Warriors of Light and Darkness screamed as they changed from their Human Spirit form to their Beast Spirit form.

"KENDOGARURUMON!" ||| "JAGERLOWEMON!"

"Ooh! Two against one! I am so scared... NOT!" Canceramon chuckled, unafraid of the numbers game.

"You better be! I suggest you run away..." told the Beast of Darkness.

"... or suffer the consequences! The choice is yours, Crabby!" finished the armored wolf.

"Then I choose to... DESTROY YOU ALL!" The crustacean snapped as he advanced toward his opponents.

The two Beast Warriors saw Canceramon clenching his giant claw and brought it down like a large hammer. KendoGarurumon and JagerLowemon dove out of the way just in time. The Ultimate level Digimon missed his initial attack, creating a small crater on the canvas. But Canceramon wasn't worried. He knew that if he could he land at least one of his attacks on the Beast Warriors' heads, the results would be the same.

"Time to play Whack-A-Warrior! CRAB HAMMER!"

This time, the crustacean-like Digimon used both of his claws to increase the chances of him landing a successful hit on one of the Beast Warriors. But despite possessing incredible strength, the Ultimate lacked in speed; something that both KendoGarurumon and JagerLowemon excelled at. The Digimon of Light and Darkness spent a couple of moments dodging Canceramon's attacks, trying to wear down the crustacean. Unfortunately, the evil Digimon kept on attacking like he wasn't losing any stamina.

"Any idea on how to stop him? He's not getting tired!" The armored jaguar huffed at his partner.

"I got a plan! But I'm gonna need you to keep him busy for a while" KendoGarurumon spoke.

"You got it!"

JagerLowemon made a bold move and dashed toward Canceramon. Again, the crab swung his claw at the dark Digimon. Fortunately, JagerLowemon had plenty of time to react. He juked left and right, successfully avoiding all of his opponent's attacks. The Beast of Darkness countered by firing a few Ebony Blasts, but the crustacean blocked the lasers with his large claw.

Because Canceramon's attention was focused on him, KendoGarurumon didn't have to wait long for his chance to strike.

"HOWLING STAR!"

The Beast of Light gained a burst of speed toward his opponent. By the time Canceramon saw KendoGarurumon approaching him, the armored wolf spread his bladed wings out wide and circled around the evil Digimon, clipping off the crab's legs one by one. With all of his legs gone, Canceramon was immobilized and defenseless.

"DARK MASTER!"

From her blindside, JagerLowemon came in with shadowy animal figure surrounding him. Since he couldn't use his thick claws to block the attack, Canceramon was all but done. There was little he could do as the ebony beast consumed the crustacean with shrouding darkness.

"KYYYAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

When the animal faded away, Canceramon was gone.

l - l

"Oh dear! I'm outnumbered! What should I do?" Virgomon nervously gulped in her sweet voice. "Please don't hurt me! I'm innocent!"

"Oh please! You think your little cutesy wootsy act of yours will save you? You're even dumber than I thought, Sugar!" Ranamon sighed.

"Enough chit-chat, my lady! We can finish this welp off quickly! She lack the strength us Legendary Warriors possess!" Mercurymon spoke as he and his partner took a step toward the angel.

"Welp..." The angel-like Digimon repeated what the Warrior of Steel had called her.

Ranamon and Mercurymon were caught off guard at what happened next. Virgomon giggled to herself. Her laughs then became loud and somewhat obnoxious, like she was in a state of hysteria. The Warrior of Steel and Water stared blankly at each other, wondering how this sweet little angel can suddenly turn into a psychotic creature.

"HOW DARE YOU CALL ME A WELP, YOU LITTLE TWITS! FEEL MY WRATH!" Virgomon snapped. She then took out her signature palm leaf.

"VIRGATE MAGIC!"

With a wave her plant, she sent a strong wind force toward her opponents. Mercurymon struggled to hold his ground, while Ranamon cartwheeled out of harm's way. The aquatic Digimon then created a pair of fists made of water and threw them at the hysteric angel. But Virgomon swung her fan once again. Instead of blowing them away, the water turned into solid ice.

"Got a plan, Spiky?" Ranamon turned toward her companion.

"Just keep her off me for a few moments!" The metallic Digimon commanded.

Having faith in Mercurymon's plan, the Warrior of Water charged toward her opponent. Virgomon ruthlessly swiped her palm leaf like a fan. Each swing produced a new kind of attack, ranging from thunderous sound waves to raging fireballs. Thankfully, Ranamon was known for being quick and light on her feet. Regardless of what surprises her opponent had, she dodged each one with ease.

"HOLD STILL, YOU! VIRGATE MAGIC!" This time, Virgomon unleashed a beam of light at Ranamon.

"Any time now, metal head!"

"With pleasure, my lady!"

This was what Mercurymon was waiting for. He suddenly appeared in between his comrade and the beam. The metallic Digimon held his mirror up and absorbed Virgomon's attack. Mercurymon then took aim at the deranged angel before him.

"GIVE ME YOUR BEST SHOT, YOU UGLY HUNK OF META..."

She was so focused on Mercurymon, the winged creature failed to see Ranamon coming in from behind. As quick as a wink, the aquatic Digimon snatched Virgomon's weapon.

"Looking for this, Sugar?" She giggled, waving the plant toward the angel.

"Time for thou to say 'farewell!' DARK REFLECTION!"

The Warrior of Steel sent the attack right back at Virgomon with double the speed, size and power. Without her magical palm leaf, the psychotic angel couldn't defend herself. In a flash, her entire body was consumed by the energy attack.

"THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING! NOOOOOOOOOO!"

Just like that, Virgomon was obliterated.

"Ooh! Nice work, Mercurymon! I knew we make a great team!"

"Ah, zip it! Thou has done nothing but tumble around thy opponent, while didst most of the work!"

"Can it, Sugar!" Ranamon stuck her tongue out.

l - l

"CLASH OF THE TWINS!"

After the Genimon brothers sandwiched the Warrior of Thunder, they pulled their arms back and charged at the humanoid insect. But while the twins had the speed, they weren't very swift upstairs. Beetlemon took advantage of their witlessness and took to the skies when the giant siblings were close enough. The Genimon brothers collided into one another and fell on their backs.

"You guys may have the brawn, but definitely not the brains!" chuckled the Warrior of Thunder.

"Hey! You better watch your tongue, Legendary Warrior!" The twin on the right huffed.

"Or else we'll yank it right out of your mouth!" said the Genimon on the left.

"Bring it on!" Beetlemon dropped in his battle stance.

"GEMINI GENOCIDE!"

The siblings sprang back to their feet and ran toward the humanoid insect with malicious intent in their eyes. They would like nothing more than to rip off all of their opponent's arms and legs and use them to senselessly beat up the Legendary Warrior. From the look in Beetlemon's eyes, he wasn't the least bit intimidated with the Genimon brothers' advancement.

"You think you boys are so tough when it's two against _one_, huh?" smirked the Digimon of Thunder. Vast amounts of lightning charged up in his fist. "In that case, let's see how you punks like it when it's two on _two_!"

On cue, a star shaped Digimon leaped over the armored Warrior and pounded his fist into the ground.

"Celestial Coffin!"

Suddenly, multiple arms made the Ophanimoon's surface erupt from the ground and wrapped their fingers around both of the twins' body, pulling them below the surface. As strong as the Genimon brothers were, the large amount of hands bringing them down were too much to overcome. When MegaStarmon pounded his fists together, the arms coiled around the giants and solidified.

"Nngh! I'm stuck, brother!"

"Ugh! So am I!"

"Good! Time to finish this!" said Beetlemon before vast amounts of data cocooned his body.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!" Once the transformation was complete, the Fractal Code dispersed.

"METALKABUTERIMON!"

The armored tank lowered his head, aiming the gun turret toward the immobilized twins. A compartment on his back popped open, and a targeting sight appeared on the screen. His weapon charged up, gathering as much energy as it can hold. The Genimon brothers tried to use their strengths to break free from their rocky clutches. But it was no use.

"ELECTRON CANNON!"

MetalKabuterimon fired a powerful positron laser at his opponents. At maximum power, everything in the line of fire was completely destroyed. That included a couple of large rock formations, as well as the helpless giants.

"BROOOOOOOOOOTHERRRRRRRRRR!" The twins cried before disappearing into nothingness.

l - l

"TAKE THIS!"

When EmperorGreymon was in range, he unleashed a fury of slashes with his ginormous broadsword. But Akuimon used the Aldamon cannons on his arms to block each strike with ease. He then retaliated by opening blasters and firing a barrage of Atomic Infernos at the Mega Hybrid. EmperorGreymon used his weapon to shield himself from his own attacks.

"**Taste my power!**"

Akuimon then showed the armored Digimon the central mirror on his torso. The reflective piece glowed for several moments before unleashing more attacks from the Legendary Warriors. First it was a lightning bolt from Beetlemon's Thunder fist. Next it was swirling pink tornados courtesy of Kazemon. After releasing Kumamon's Blizzard Blaster, he fired Lobomon's Howling Laser and Lowemon's Shadow Meteor. The Light and Darkness attacks intertwined in and out like a strand of DNA.

Even though the techniques were stolen from his friends, the power behind them was equivalent to that of a Mega level Digimon. In other words, EmperorGreymon was having trouble dodging and blocking the attack coming at him. He couldn't find an opening, nor find a way close the distance. Figuring that short range wasn't going to work, the armored Digimon backed up several meters and pointed his blade at his opponent.

"Here's something you can't copy!" declared the Mega Hybrid. When the energy on his sword reached its peak, EmperorGreymon placed his fingers on a small mechanism on his weapon.

"DRAGONFIRE CROSSBOW!"

He pressed the triggers on the cross-guard, which fired a massive bolt toward the dragon. Instead of dodging, Akuimon took the hit head on, making sure that the mirror on his body absorbed the hit. Despite having so much power in that projectile attack, there was not a single scratch on the great leviathan.

"**And I quote from one of your fellow Legendary Warriors... DARK REFLECTION!**"

Suddenly, an energy-filled bolt shot out from the mirror and nailed EmperorGreymon in the chest. There was so much force on the impact, it sent the Mega Hybrid crashing hard on the canvas. The landing caught everyone's attention. While some were shocked that Akuimon has copied their attacks and used them on their own, others were surprised that almighty EmperorGreymon was outmatched.

"TAKUYA!" Zoe shouted from her hiding place.

"This isn't good!" grumbled KendoGarurumon.

"Now what?" JagerLowemon growled.

"He tossed EmperorGreymon around like salad!" MetalKabuterimon gasped.

"**Indeed! And after I'm done with him, you're all next!**"

Akuimon towered above the defeated Digimon. He opened his large mouth, ready to release possibly his most devastating move. The insides of his jaw started to glow crimson red. Unfortunately for EmperorGreymon, he was too weak to get up. The last attack he took drained nearly most of his energy.

"EMPERORGREYMON! GET OUT OF THERE!" Bokomon cried toward his friend.

"Why won't he move?" Neemon gazed at the beaten Digimon, and then at the dragon, who was about to finish his opponent off.

"Only EmperorGreymon has the power to defeat that monster!" said Lopmon.

"If he doesn't do something..." gulped Patamon.

"... then Akuimon will destroy him with his next attack!" Salamon finished.

"I believe in you, Takuya! I know you can do it!" Zoe prayed with all of her might.

But as Akuimon charged up, the blonde closed her eyes and wished for a miracle.

"**This is for Lord Malevomon! RUINATION RAGE!**"

The great leviathan released a huge blast of fire from his mouth. The flames expanded the closer it approached the Mega Hybrid. In other words, there was no way for EmperorGreymon to evade the powerful attack. And with so much energy and intensity within the expanded burst of fire, even blocking the flames with his broadsword would surely do damage to himself.

"TAKUYA!" Everyone shouted.

"WATCH OUT!" screamed his girlfriend.

EmperorGreymon shut his eyes and waited for his life to come to an end. He couldn't believe that the fight was already over. Internally, he hated the fact that he has let everyone down: his friends, all of the Digimon who has counted on him, even Zoe. The entire Digital World's going to be destroyed, and it's all because he has failed to slay the...

"HANG ON!" A voice interrupted EmperorGreymon's thoughts. The Mega Hybrid opened his eyes and was shocked to see a star shaped Digimon taking the blast for him.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"MEGASTARMON, NO!" The armored Digimon gasped as he quickly sat up straight.

When Akuimon closed his jaw, the pilot fell on all fours, not having any more strength left to fight. By the time EmperorGreymon was back to a vertical base, the dragon-like creature grabbed the weaken MegaStarmon and help him up high. The great leviathan tightened his grip, trying to squeeze whatever life's left out of the Digimon who sacrificed himself to save the Mega Hybrid.

"**Insolent worm! How can such a powerless little Digimon, like yourself, have the nerve to interfere?**"

"Do what you like with me! But I will not allow you to harm the Legendary Warriors!" MegaStarmon scowled boldly at his captor.

"**Fools! Not even you could stop me from fulfilling my revenge! And I will destroy anyone who gets in my way! Even you! Now, BEGONE! RUINATION RAGE!**"

The dark dragon released the star shaped Digimon and fired his destructive technique at point blank range. MegaStarmon groaned in pain as the flames consumed him. His lifeless body acted as a meteorite that sailed from one side of the Ophanimoon to the other. Unbeknownst to the other Digimon, MegaStarmon crashed into the parked spacecraft. The impact caused the DF-4000 to explode, taking the star shaped Digimon with it.

"Egads! Tis be impossible to defeat such an opponent!" Mercurymon grunted.

"Not helping at all, Honey!" said Ranamon.

"If anyone's got any ideas on how to stop this guy, let's hear them!" MetalKabuterimon growled.

"I'm out!" KendoGarurumon shook his head.

"Same here!" sighed JagerLowemon.

"WHAT DO WE DO? WHAT DO WE DO?!" Neemon ran around in circles and in a state of alarm.

"Be quiet, you nimrod!" Bokomon gave his partner a wedgie to shut him up. "As long as EmperorGreymon is on our side, we can still win..."

"WE'RE DOOMED! WE'RE DOOMED!" The Celestial Rookies mimicked what Neemon had previous did. It didn't take long for the yellow rabbit to join in the panicking parade.

"Oh beans..." Bokomon smacked his head in dismay.

"I know it's tough you guys, but we'll have to believe in Takuya! We cannot let MegaStarmon's sacrifice be in vain!" Zoe told all of her friends before refocusing her attention back to EmperorGreymon.

"Come on, Takuya! Please be alright."

EmperorGreymon retrieved his weapon and returned to his defensive stance. He positioned himself in between his friends and the giant dragon towering above him. Meanwhile, Akuimon laughed maniacally as if he had already knew he had won the battle; which could very well be the case.

"**HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! VENGENCE WILL BE MINE!**"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter sixty-seven. <strong>

**Can the Legendary Warriors stop the ruthless and revengeful Akuimon? With MegaStarmon and the spacecraft destroyed, how will our heroes get back home? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	68. Akuimon's Revenge

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising **

**In order to get his revenge on the Legendary Warriors for destroying Malevomon, he revealed his true form by swallowing a Chaos Pill, which made him Digivolve into Akuimon. With the other Warriors captured, he absorbed each of their abilities to use as his own. Before Akuimon could destroy Takuya, MegaStarmon came in time to rescue the others and destroyed most the generals. Just when Akuimon's about to finish EmperorGreymon for good, MegaStarmon took the full blast of the attack, sacrificing himself to save the Legendary Warriors. With the pilot and his spacecraft destroyed, how can things get any worse?**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter sixty-eight!**

* * *

><p><strong>Akuimon's Revenge<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" EmperorGreymon shouted, charging toward Akuimon while spinning his sword around.

The Mega Hybrid jumped and pulled his weapon back. When he was in range, Aldamon went for a big slash across the dragon's neck. With a simple flexion of the neck, Akuimon used the horn of Beetlemon on his forehead to block the blade. Despite having so much power in that one gigantic swing, the Mega Hybrid couldn't scratch the enemy.

"**You fool! It is useless! None of your attacks can harm me!**"

Suddenly, Akuimon snatched his opponent and slammed him into the nearest boulder he could find. Obvious, the huge rock broke into pieces upon impact. But the energy transfer was immense on EmperorGreymon's body. The Mega Hybrid grunted in pain, feeling like a building crashed on top of him. Akuimon then tossed his opponent aside. EmperorGreymon bounced on the canvas and skidded into a crater where Zoe and the five Rookies were hiding.

"Takuya!" The Bearer of Wind gasped when she found her best friend covered with scratches and grime.

"Does that mean we're losing?" Neemon gulped as he peeped his head out of the circular depression.

"Does it even look like we're winning, you imbicle?" Bokomon yelled in his partner's ear.

"**HAHAHAHAHA!**"

Akuimon's shadow hovered above the group, causing the five Rookies to tremble in fear. Zoe, however, stood her ground. The great leviathan may be tall and scary. But she refused to budge, even though she didn't have her Spirits with her.

"**Move aside, young lady! Unless you want me to blast a whole in your chest! And I will do it!**"

"You're going have to go through us first, pretty boy!" Someone else told the evil Digimon.

MetalKabuterimon, along with KendoGarurumon and JagerLowemon, entered the scene, stepping in between their friends and Akuimon. Zoe was happy to see the other Legendary Warriors still willing to fight, although their opponent was much stronger. Perhaps they'll have a chance if they worked together, rather than have EmperorGreymon do all of the work.

"Say! Where's Ranamon and Mercurymon?" Zoe asked.

"Over here, Sugar!" The Warrior of Water's voice spoke. But when the blonde found the Digimon of Water and Steel, she was not thrilled to see them standing off to the side like they had already given up.

"What are you guys doing? Help us!" The Bearer of Wind ordered.

"Yeah... about that, Honey." Ranamon eyed the teenage girl like she didn't want to be here.

"Thy brethren can handle such a beast without the assistance from us." The Warrior of Steel added.

"You're quitting?" KendoGarurumon growled at the pair of slackers.

"You guys can't walk away like this!" said the Warrior of Darkness.

"Yeah! If we all work together, we can take care of Akuimon without breaking a sweat!" MetalKabuterimon declared.

"Oh please! You think I'm going to risk my beautiful face to fight _him_? Forget it, Sugar! I'll pass!" objected the Warrior of Water.

"Indeed! I may be a Legendary Warrior like thee, but I am surely not stupid!" Mercurymon made his point.

"**HAHAHAHA! You know, I was going to take my time and destroy you all one by one! But now, I've decided to annihilate you altogether!**"

"Not a chance!" said EmperorGreymon. The Mega Hybrid rose to his feet and joined the other Warriors for battle. "With the power of the ten Legendary Warriors on our side, there's no way you can win!"

"More like eight, if you count those two clowns out!" MetalKabuterimon groaned, nudging his head toward Ranamon and Mercurymon standing on the sidelines.

"**Even combining all of the Spirits won't be not enough to stop me! You are all finished!**"

"You're the one who's finished, Akuimon!" EmperorGreymon declared, pointing his broadsword at the enemy.

"**Then by all means! Attack me, you fools!**"

"With pleasure! EBONY BLAST!"

The Beast of Darkness released a burst of energy from his mouth. The pistons on his back recoiled, allowing JagerLowemon to launch more of his projectile attacks. He was also careful not to aim his shots at the central mirror on the creature's chest. But the evil Digimon smirked. Faint chuckles could be heard as Akuimon took each of JagerLowemon's attack without suffering any kind of damage.

"LUPINE LASER!"

KendoGarurumon fired a long, white laser beam toward Akuimon's face. Once again, the Mega level Digimon stood his ground. He took the attack head-on. There was a huge explosion upon impact, making KendoGarurumon smile. But when the smoke cleared, Akuimon remained standing, not a single scratch on him.

"Alright! Everybody stand back!" The Beast of Thunder told the other Warriors.

As he comrades got out of the way, MetalKabuterimon got down and aimed his cannon at Akuimon. A compartment opened on his back, displaying the Mega level Digimon as his target. With his opponent in his sights, the armored tank charged up his weapon. On the other side, Akuimon remained in the same position, inviting the Digimon of Thunder to hit him with his best shot.

"ELECTRON CANNON!"

The Beast of Thunder fired a powerful laser at the great leviathan. The energy blast collided with Akuimon's neck, resulting in another explosion. MetalKabuterimon nodded, satisfied with the potential damage he had caused. It took a while for the dust to settle. Unfortunately, MetalKabuterimon caused about the same amount of damage as JagerLowemon and KendoGarurumon combined.

"What's with this guy?" JagerLowemon gnarled.

"Akuimon is a Mega level Digimon! Attacking him individually isn't enough!" suggested the Beast of Light.

"He's right! We all need to attack together!" EmperorGreymon commanded. The other three Warriors nodded in agreement.

"Did you hear that, you two? We need your help!" MetalKabuterimon gazed at Ranamon and Mercurymon standing at a distance.

"Thou must be joking." groaned the metallic Digimon.

"Even if we do combine our attacks, what difference will it make, Honey? He'll flatten us like pancakes! I don't know about y'all, but I refuse to go down like that!" Ranamon complained.

Her comments made Akuimon chuckle maniacally.

"**Rest assure, Warrior of Water! After I finish dealing with these insolent pests, I'll make your demise even more painful than theirs! Oh, and your hood ornament friend too!**"

"Is that so, Sugar?" Ranamon glared at the dragon upon hearing his outlandish proclamation.

"A hood ornament, am I?" Mercurymon shifted his attention toward the evil Digimon.

"**You don't like it? Then, why don't make something out of it, you pathetic weaklings! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**"

"THAT DOES IT! NO ONE TALKS TO ME LIKE THAT AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!" The Warrior of Water shouted.

What she didn't see was EmperorGreymon and the others nodding toward one another. Thanks to the great leviathan's arrogance, the Digimon of Steel and Water were ready to join the fight. Now, they have a chance to take down this giant beast once and for all.

"I'LL SHOW YOU WHO'S THE WEAKLING!" Ranamon yelled before raising her arms above her head.

"DRAINING RAIN!"

Because she screamed from the top of her lungs, she put in a lot more energy than usual in her technique. This caused the rain cloud above Akuimon's head to expand and grow thicker. When the Warrior of Water brought her arms down, hundreds of gallons of water poured on top of the evil Digimon. The large dragon was wet from head to toe.

"NOW!" EmperorGreymon commanded.

"EBONY BLAST!" ||| "LUPINE LASER!"

The Digimon of Darkness and Light unleashed their own set of projectile attacks at the same time. Both KendoGarurumon's beam and JagerLowemon's blast formed into one, creating a shaded color filled with tons of energy.

"ELECTRON CANNON!" ||| "DOUBLE DARK REFLECTION!"

Mercurymon aimed both of his mirrors at the great leviathan and discharged a pair of green, cylinder beams. Meanwhile, MetalKabuterimon released another, positron laser, apparently more powerful than his previous attack. The Digimon of Thunder and Steel combined their attacks with KendoGarurumon's and JagerLowemon's, resulting in a humongous laser almost the same size as Akuimon.

Unfortunately, combining attacks never made a huge difference. Although the impact pushed the dragon back several feet, he remained unscathed. Everyone couldn't believe that Akuimon was still standing, despite taking the full force of the blast.

"**It's useless, you insignificant maggots! None of your attacks can harm me! Now, it's my turn! RUINATION RAGE!**"

Akuimon released his ultimate attack, spewing red flames toward his opponents. Since the leviathan was at a distance, the Legendary Warriors had plenty of time to move out of the line of fire. But the only Digimon stood his ground was EmperorGreymon. With his blade pointed at the evil dragon, the Mega Hybrid pressed the trigger on his cross-guard.

"DRAGONFIRE CROSS... WHOA!"

Before EmperorGreymon could finish, Akuimon's flames forced him to maneuver out of harm's way, resulting in him changing the trajectory of his attack. Instead of the creature's head, EmperorGreymon's laser went for Akuimon's left wing; more specifically, the black orb embedded on his appendages.

But rather than taking the attack, the great leviathan brought his wing closer to his body so it wouldn't get hit.

"**Ha! You missed!**"

"Huh?" The Mega Hybrid thought to himself. "That's strange. All this time, Akuimon has done nothing but took all of our attacks head-on. Yet, this is the first time he has made any effort in dodging any of our moves. Could it be that the gems on his wings are his..."

"TAKUYA, WATCH OUT!" His girlfriend's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

Thanks to Zoe's cries, EmperorGreymon was able to see Akuimon launch another attack just in time. Out of the central mirror of his body, the huge dragon fired a barrage of techniques he had absorbed from the Legendary Warriors. He used his sword to deflect Kumamon's Blizzard Blaster and Beetlemon's Thunder Fist. He leaped out of the way before Kazemon's Hurricane Wave could hit him.

"Everybody, gather around!" He told his comrades.

It took a few seconds for the three Beast Warriors to regroup with EmperorGreymon. They converge in a nearby crater to hide themselves from the enemy. Surprisingly, even Ranamon and Mercurymon joined the group. The Mega Hybrid also saw the Bearer of Wind part of the huddle, along with the five Rookie.

"Listen up, I think I know how we can beat this creep!" said the leader.

"Your brain's all wet, Sugar! I don't think we can defeat him!" Ranamon objected.

"If memory doth serves, neither of thine attacks could cause such harm to thee!" concurred Mercurymon.

"Are you sure, Takuya?" asked Zoe.

"Yes! Everyone look at his wings!" EmperorGreymon commanded. Sure enough, the group complied. It didn't take long for the Legendary Warriors to notice the attached black orbs.

"And your point is, Takky? The guy's got stuff on his wings! So what?" grunted MetalKabuterimon. The Mega Hybrid rolled his eyes at his friend's inability to comprehend what he sees.

"Look! Every time we strike, Akuimon doesn't move out of the way, nor defend himself. He takes our attacks like it's nothing! But when I accidentally misfired my Dragonfire Crossbow toward Akuimon's wing, he dodged it for the first time!"

"Ooh, I get it! He wants to keep his wings nice and clean! Just like my pants!" Neemon beamed.

"Too bad your brain's full of cobwebs." Bokomon groaned with annoyance after listening to his partner's comments.

"As I saying..." The Mega Hybrid continued. "... those orbs on his wings must be Akuimon's weak spot! If we can get those orbs out of the picture, I bet he'll lose some of his powers!"

"Which could give us a chance to take him down!" KendoGarurumon concluded.

"Definitely sounds like a plan, but how is any one of us gonna hit his wings if he's constantly moving?" wondered JagerLowemon.

"I never said it was easy, but this could be our only shot! I need all your help, if we're gonna win! Now, who's with me?" EmperorGreymon asked the group. Everyone looked at each other, before smiling back and sounding off one by one.

"Count me in!" MetalKabuterimon nodded in agreement.

"Us too!" KendoGarurumon and JagerLowemon spoke simultaneously.

"Sounds like fun, Sugar! I can't wait to make the big guy fall flat on his back!" Ranamon squealed with delight.

"This plan of yours better work!" The metallic Digimon eyed the Mega Hybrid.

"And what about us?" Bokomon stepped forward with Neemon behind him.

"It's too dangerous, you guys! I want you to find MegaStarmon! See if he's alright!" EmperorGreymon commanded.

"You got it!" saluted Bokomon. Afterwards, he and Neemon sprinted toward the opposite direction, where they believed MegaStarmon was.

"Alright! Now, all we need is some bait!" said the Mega Hybrid. "Someone has to keep Akuimon busy while the rest of us..."

"Leave that to us!" Patamon bravely spoke with the other two Celestial Digimon smiling behind him.

"No, Patamon! You can't!" disapproved Zoe. "You could get hurt, or worse! Akuimon won't hesitate to destroy any of you guys!"

"Exactly! Don't you see? He wants to get rid of us! He'll be so focused on us, he won't notice the Legendary Warriors!" Salamon argued.

"'Are you sure? Because I don't want to you to risk your lives just so we could get a shot!" EmperorGreymon debated.

"We refuse to sit by and let our friends do all of the work! We're going to help you guys, whether you like it or not!" Lopmon's words drove the Celestial Rookies' point home. After hearing their arguments, the leader smirked.

"If that's how you guys feel, then let's see what you got!"

With everyone knowing what to do, the group dispersed and scattered themselves across the battlefield. As the Legendary Warriors and Celestial Digimon got in position, Akuimon looked on in amusement.

"**Excellent! Which one of you weaklings should I destroy first?**"

"How about me?" Patamon boldly flew in front of the evil dragon's face.

"**What is this? A Celestial Digimon has come to challenge me?**"

"I'm not afraid of you, you big meanie! Now, take this!" The winged creature shouted. "BOOM BUBBLE!"

*pow*

Patamon took a deep breath until his entire body expanded like an orange balloon. The Rookie then spat out all of the air from his mouth. The shot nailed Akuimon in the nose, doing as much damage as a finger tap. The evil dragon glowered at Patamon, totally unfazed with the attack.

"**You pesky insect think you can harm me?**"

"Yes, we can!" Lopmon screamed from Akuimon's left side. The great leviathan turned and saw the brown bunny spinning around in circles.

"TINY TWISTER!"

At the velocity he was spinning at, the Rookie was able to generate a small, brownish tornado. Lopmon then redirected her attack toward Akuimon. Unfortunately, the rabbit did same amount of damage as Patamon did with his Boom Bubble. Thankfully, Lopmon's attack served as a distraction to give Patamon the chance to fly away.

"**This is a waste of time! You pathetic Celestial Digimon do not have what it takes to defeat me!**"

"Wanna bet?" Salamon stepped up to the challenge. Akuimon spotted the third Celestial Digimon running toward him at full speed.

"PUPPY CRASH!"

From the dragon's vantage point, it looked like a whitish bullet was coming at him. Salamon gathered all of the courage she could muster and rammed her head into the enemy's body. To everyone's surprise, the impact pushed the dragon backwards a few inches. Too bad, that was all of Salamon could do.

"**ENOUGH! IF YOU ALL WANT TO BE DESTROYED SO BADLY, THEN SO BE IT!**"

The leviathan opened his jaw and was ready to release his Ruination Rage attack, when...

"HOWLING LASER!" ||| "EBONY BLAST!"

Out of nowhere, KendoGarurumon and JagerLowemon ran around the enemy and fired their energy blasts around Akuimon's feet. Apparently, the Beast of Light and Darkness weren't trying to hit the dragon. Instead, each of their shots hit the ground around the Mega level Digimon, creating a thick cloud of dust. From Akuimon's eyes, he could not see through the smoke. Despite firing his Ruination Rage all around the area, he didn't know if he was hitting his targets or not.

"ELECTRON CANNON!"

Suddenly, a huge positron laser appeared out of the dust. Because the great leviathan didn't see it coming, he had no time to react. Then again, Akuimon stood his ground and was ready to take on the oncoming attack. With his incredible power, the Beast of Thunder would not make a dent anywhere on his body.

Unfortunately, that wasn't what MetalKabuterimon was aiming for.

From the armored tank's targeting screen, he had his blaster aimed at the orb on Akuimon's right wing. Thanks to the enemy's cockiness, MetalKabuterimon was able to get a good shot at the black orb embedded on his appendage. It was a direct hit. Not only did the gem shatter to pieces, but it also made Akuimon roar in agony; the first signs of pain from the Mega.

But that wasn't all it did. With one of his orbs gone, so did most of the powers he had absorbed half from the Legendary Warriors. Kazemon's visors around his eyes and Mercurymon's central mirror on his body quickly disappeared. The same thing happened to the nose of Grumblemon, the shoulder plates of Lowemon and the thick legs of Arbormon.

"Takuya was right! That is Akuimon's weak spot!" Zoe gasped. "'If we destroy the gems on his wings, then he loses all of his power!"

"Good to know, Sugar!" Ranamon smirked. Tons of data surrounded the aquatic Warrior's body.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!" Finally, the Fractal Code vanished, revealing the Beast of Water.

"CALMARAMON!"

The squid used her large tentacles to propel herself upward. Soon, she was above Akuimon. The Beast of Water then spread her extremities out wide and spun her large body around on its axis like a top.

"TITANIC TEMPEST!" shouted Calmaramon as she aimed her attack at Akuimon's head.

"**You Legendary Gnats got lucky destroying one of the orbs! But you'll never destroy the other one! I'll obliterate all of you maggots before that happens!**"

Akuimon has had enough playing around. It was time for him to get serious. Even though the Legendary Warriors were able to score a lucky hit on one of his wings, he couldn't afford to let it happen a second time. The great leviathan glowered at the oncoming Beast of Water. She will be the first one to be destroyed. Despite losing half of his power, Akuimon knew his next attack would finish her off for good.

"**RUINATION RA...**"

"Did thou hast forgotten me?" Mercurymon's voice recaptured Akuimon's attention.

"DARK REFLECTION!"

The Warrior of Steel targeted both of his mirror shields at the orb on his opponent's left wing. Without hesitating, the metallic Digimon fired a pair of green beams at the black gem on the dragon's appendage. Sadly, most of the dust KendoGarurumon and JagerLowemon created earlier had already cleared up, allowing Akuimon to see the oncoming attack. He slightly tilted his body downward. As a result, Mercurymon missed, which made the leviathan chuckle.

"**Nice try, you little insect! But you'll have to do better than that to defeat me!**"

"Very well, then! You asked for it, Honey!" Calmaramon shouted from above Akuimon's head.

When the dragon refocused on the Beast of Water, he noticed that she wasn't spinning around in her Titanic Tempest anymore. The squid-like Digimon was diving at the Mega with head first. As she approached the enemy, Calmaramon pulled her head back and was ready to unleash her attack at point-blank range.

"ACID INK!"

The squid spewed blackish liquid out of her mouth and toward Akuimon's eyes. Since his eyes wasn't protected by the silver visor of Kazemon, Calmaramon scored a direct hit, blinding the Mega. Despite not being a lethal blow, the Beast of Water did make the great leviathan howl in pain for the second time. As the squid dove back to the ground, EmperorGreymon aimed his broadsword at the gem on Akuimon's left wing.

"DRAGONFIRE CROSSBOW!"

He pressed the triggers on his weapon and released a solarized bolt of heat at the dragon. Akuimon was bouncing up and down trying to get the acid off of his eyes, which could potentially affect EmperorGreymon's shot. But it didn't matter. The Mega Hybrid destroyed the final orb on Akuimon's appendage with precision and power.

When the gem was obliterated, the remaining features of the Legendary Warriors on the great leviathan's body began to disappear. Ranamon's helmet and Lobomon's hair were gone in a flash. The same thing happened to Beetlemon's horn on his forehead and Kumamon's boots on his feet. Aldamon's arms with the cannons attached to the forearms were the last to disappear.

At last, Akuimon has reverted back to his original form.

"**NOOOOOOOOO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!**"

"It's over, Akuimon! Without those gems, you can't absorb any of our abilities! You're finished!" EmperorGreymon declared.

"**NEVER! YOU MAY HAVE DESTROYED MY SECRET WEAPON, BUT I STILL HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO DESTROY ALL OF YOU!**"

"Can we please shut this guy up? His voice is getting on my nerves!" complained MetalKabuterimon.

"**I WILL NOT STOP UNTIL I HAVE AVENGED LORD MALEVOMON! RUINATION RAGE!**"

Suddenly, Akuimon released red flames from his mouth. He first targeted EmperorGreymon, who barely had enough time to leap out of the way. Next, the dragon shot his flames at the Beasts of Darkness and Light. Fortunately, they had enough speed to dive for cover. MetalKabuterimon fired a Bolo Thunder at Akuimon's blindside. But that only angered the great leviathan. The armored tank hid behind a boulder so he wouldn't be spotted.

"Thou does not scare me! I'll use my shields to reflect thy... HUH?"

Mercurymon would've been turned into liquid metal if Calmaramon hadn't wrapped her tentacles around his body and pulled him out of the line of fire.

Meanwhile, Zoe was trying to get to safety. Once Akuimon began his rampage, she didn't have to think twice about taking cover. But it was only seconds before the Mega spotted the human scurrying for her life. He immediately took aim at the teenage girl and opened his jaw.

"**FOR LORD MALEVOMON! AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!**"

The great leviathan unleashed a vicious blast of molten flames at the defenseless Bearer of Wind.

"ZOE, LOOK OUT!" EmperorGreymon cried.

By the time the young woman noticed the inferno approaching her, it was too late. She couldn't escape. Plus, Zoe was helpless without her Spirits protecting her. Before long, the dragon's Ruination Rage had covered all of the teenage girl's slender body. The Legendary Warriors watched on with terror in their eyes, hoping that the Bearer of Wind would be alright. As for Akuimon, he couldn't be more delighted.

"**HAHAHAHA! NOT EVEN A MERE HUMAN CAN WITHSTAND MY MIGHT!**"

"Are you sure about that?" A voice that sounded like Zoe forced the great leviathan to change his expression.

When the flames cleared, a teenage blonde appeared, standing tall without a single burn mark on her body. EmperorGreymon and the others were relieved to know that the Bearer of Wind was alright. Some wondered how she was able to survive. That's when they noticed that Zoe was surrounded by some kind of force field, generated by the three Celestial Rookies.

"Forgetting about us, you big bully?" Lopmon growled.

"You can't win, as long as we're around!" declared Patamon.

"We'll never let you hurt any of our friends again!" Salamon proclaimed.

"**YOU LITTLE MAGGOTS! HOW DARE YOU INTERFERE?**"

"Surrender, Akuimon! There's no way you can beat us! Give up now while you have the chance!" said EmperorGreymon, pointing his weapon at the enemy.

"**NEVER! IF I GO DOWN, I'M TAKING YOU ALL WITH ME! LORD MALEVOMON WILL BE AVENGED! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**"

Consumed by rage, the evil Digimon rushed toward EmperorGreymon. But the Mega Hybrid wasn't afraid. As Akuimon got closer, the other Legendary Warriors moved out of the way, giving the leader some room to finish off the great leviathan. With both hands gripping the hilt, EmperorGreymon stabbed his weapon into the ground and summoned the power of his natural element.

"PYRO DRAGONS!"

Eight fiery trails ignited from the blade. There was a massive earthquake before the blazing lines came to life. Eight dragons covered in flames burst out of the ground and zipped toward Akuimon. The evil Digimon countered with by releasing his Ruination Rage at the oncoming lizards. But the fiery dragons slithered around the flames and continued their path toward Akuimon.

A pair of the burning salamanders wrapped around both of the creature's arms while a couple more immobilized the legs. Two more dragons coiled around Akuimon's wings so he wouldn't fly away. Lastly, one of the lizards bound the great leviathan's entire body, while the remaining dragon secured Akuimon's neck. No matter how hard he struggled or how loud he roared, the Pyro Dragons wouldn't let go.

"**NGH! LET ME GO! I COMMAND YOU TO RELEASE ME!**"

"It looks like you will be sharing the same fate as your master, Akuimon! For putting the lives of the Celestial Digimon in danger, and for hurting my friends, I cannot forgive you!" EmperorGreymon told the enemy.

"**IMPOSSIBLE! I CAN'T LOSE TO THE LIKES OF YOU! MY POWER IS LIMITLESS! ABSOLUTE! UNBEATABLE!**"

"Too bad you are not! KYYYAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

The Mega Hybrid leaped toward the sky with his broadsword back. Once he was in range, EmperorGreymon brought his weapon down in a powerful downward slash, cutting the evil Digimon symmetrically in half.

"**NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!**"

A large explosion filled the area, signaling Akuimon's defeat. EmperorGreymon absorbed the dragon's data to conclude the ferocious battle. Meanwhile, Zoe and the other Digimon sighed with relief. The fight was over and everyone has made it safe and sound.

Moments later, all of the Beast Warriors reverted back to their Human Spirit forms. As Zoe and the three Celestial Digimon hustled toward the others, Fractal Code surrounded EmperorGreymon's body, transforming him back to the goggle-head. The Spirits of Wind made their way back to Zoe's D-Tector. Arbormon, Grumblemon, and Kumamon reappeared before the group.

"Well, that wasn't so hard!" Beetlemon was the first to comment.

"Speak for thyself." Mercurymon grumbled.

"At least won't have to worry about the lunatic again." said Lobomon.

"You can say that again. Look." Lowemon pointed toward the side.

In the exact spot where Akuimon had fallen was a grayish Digi-Egg. Many of them had already figured out who was inside the egg. Normally, the Digi-Egg would've been on its way back to the Digital World so it could be reborn. But upon further inspection, there was a large crack from the top of the egg to the base. Before the Legendary Warriors could react, the Digi-Egg digitized to nothingness.

And so, the faithful servant of Malevomon was no more.

"Poor guy. I almost felt sorry for him." Ranamon shook her head.

"He was trying to destroy all of us." The Warrior of Ice reminded the aquatic Digimon.

"I said 'almost', didn't I?" The Warrior of Water eyed the bear.

"Takuya!" The blonde beauty rushed toward her boyfriend with a huge smile on her face. Suddenly, Zoe wrapped her arms around her beloved and planted a small kiss on his cheek.

"Zoe, take it easy. I'm still sore, you know." The goggle-head smiled, enveloping his girlfriend with his arms.

"Sorry. I was worried, that's all." giggled Zoe.

"You're worried? I was scared half to death when Akuimon blasting you with his flames." Takuya argued.

"Oh. Well, I'm sorry for worrying you." The blonde turned away with her cheeks puffed up.

"Aw, Zoe. There's no need to apologize. I'm just glad you're here by my side." The goggle-head gave Zoe his goofy grin, which made the young woman smile. Afterwards, his lips joined hers in a loving kiss.

"Ugh! Get room, you two!" Grumblemon made a disgusted sound, glancing away from the couple.

"He that is jealous is the lonely one, right?" Arbormon patted the gnome on the shoulder.

"Alright, you guys. That's enough." Beetlemon stepped in to cut the kissing short.

After exchanging smiles, Takuya faced the rest of the group.

"Well, now that Akuimon's gone, let's check to see who's missing." The leader announced.

He spotted Lobomon and Lowemon standing on the far left side. Next to them, Beetlemon and Kumamon stood next to each other, waiting for Takuya's next orders. Arbormon's still trying to console the Warrior of Earth, while Mercurymon and Ranamon gazed out toward the Digital World, which looked like a small, bluish sphere from where they're standing. Last of all, he saw Lopmon, Salamon and Patamon working together to make their own Digimon totem pole.

But there were still a few that were missing.

"Hey. Hasn't anyone seen Bokomon and Neemon?" The goggle-head asked.

"Don't you remember, Takuya? You told those two to go search for MegaStarmon." Kumamon reminded the teenage boy.

"Oh yeah, that's right." Takuya remembered. "But that was a while ago. And neither one of them have returned yet."

"Alright, now I'm worried." added Zoe.

"Relax, Z. I bet those two clowns will be running down that hill any time now!" The confident humanoid insect predicted, pointing towards one of the hills around the area at random.

"Wow. How do you do it, Sugar?" Ranamon's eyes widened at Beetlemon's lucky guess.

The group turned to where the Warrior of Thunder was point at. Sure enough, they spotted yellow rabbit and a Digimon wearing a pink elastic waistband scampering as fast as they could toward the group. However, both Rookie looked very terrified. It's as if they had returned with some very discouraging news.

"Bokomon? Neemon? What's wrong?" The Bearer of Wind questioned her friends when they had arrived.

"Oh, Zoe! It's terrible! _Terrible_!" Bokomon panicked.

"Yes! Terrible with a capital T!" Neemon waved his arms around like a maniac.

"Hey, you two! Calm down!" Takuya raised his voice to get the Rookies' attention. Bokomon and Neemon did what they were told and tried to relax, despite showing signs of nervousness.

Seconds later, the goggle-head spoke again. "Now, tell us what's wrong. And where's MegaStarmon?"

"You're not going to like this, Takuya! But I'm afraid MegaStarmon is _gone_!" answered Bokomon. More than half of the group was shocked upon hearing the horrible news.

"Does thou care to explain thy definition of _gone_?" Mercurymon asked, not really comprehending Bokomon's meaning.

"Don't tell me that lousy pilot left without us!" Ranamon gritted her teeth thinking about the possibility.

"No! That's not what I meant! Neemon and I searched everywhere for him! But all we found was _this_!" clarified Bokomon. He reached inside his waistband and pulled out a blue scarf. Everyone recognized the piece of fabric, since it belonged to the star shaped Digimon.

"You mean he's..." Kumamon gulped, too afraid to finish his thought.

"I'm afraid so." Bokomon lowered his head.

"Great. Now, how are we supposed to get off of this planet? I don't suppose any one of you guys piloted a space shuttle before, huh?" Lobomon grunted.

"Haven't you forgotten what MegaStarmon mentioned earlier?" asked Lowemon. "Before we left, he told us that the spacecraft is out of fuel. So, even if one could fly the space shuttle, there's no way we can get it off of the ground."

"That's the least of our worries! Look at this!" said Neemon.

The yellow rabbit reached into his pants and pulled out what appeared to be the DF-4000's control wheel. To get their point across, Bokomon also showed the group another scrap of metal that's seemingly part of the rocket.

"What are you talking about, you guys?" questioned Beetlemon.

"It's the space shuttle! It's been destroyed!" Bokomon said.

"Destroyed? How could that happen?" Takuya gasped.

"Maybe pilot went bye-bye after evil Digimon turned him to fireball." Grumblemon guessed.

"Yeah... what he said, right?" Arbormon scratched his helmet before agreeing with the gnome's prediction.

"Let me get this straight, Sugar." A very unhappy Ranamon stepped towards Bokomon and Neemon. "You mean to say that we're stranded on this planet _forever_?"

"Tis best for thee to remain calm, my lady." Mercurymon instructed the aquatic Digimon.

"How can I be calm at a time like this, metal head? Our only way back home has been obliterated, not to mention the pilot has already kicked the bucket! So, don't you go telling me to calm! Until one of us comes up with a solution, I'm gonna go crazy!" complained the Warrior of Water.

"So... this is not crazy?" Kumamon questioned Ranamon's strange behavior.

"Come on, you guys. That's enough." Takuya tried to keep the group on track. "We'll find a way to get home. We just have to use our brains."

And so, the Legendary Warriors pondered for ideas. Most of them were coming up empty. While a few of the Warriors had some ideas in mind, they shook their heads with disappointment, unconvinced that it might work. Even the Rookies joined the brainstorming. Everyone, except Neemon, who was busy tossing rocks into deep craters.

"Hey, I got it!" Beetlemon was the first to speak, his eyes beaming with enthusiasm.

"Rebuilding the rocket from scratch? No thanks." Lobomon quickly shot down the humanoid insect's idea. Beetlemon sighed and crossed his arms in dismay.

"Anyone else have any bright ideas? Or are we gonna have to make ourselves home here?" said Lowemon.

"That's more depressing than what I was about to say." Kumamon sat down, feeling defeated.

"Don't give up, guys. I'm sure we'll think of something eventually." Zoe encouraged the Legendary Warriors.

"Meaning we stuck here for days or weeks, maybe months." said Grumblemon.

"If we can last that long, right?" Arbormon grunted.

"Come on. There's gotta be some way we can get off the Ophanimoon and back to the Digital World." Takuya told the rest of the group. Everyone, except Zoe, were not buying the boy's enthusiasm.

"Um, excuse me?" One of the Celestial Digimon tapped the blonde's leg.

"Yes? What is it Lopmon?" Zoe got down on one knee and gazed at the three Rookies.

"Perhaps, we can help." Salamon and her friends smiled.

"Oh please. What could you three possibly do?" An unconvinced Ranamon huffed.

"They saved my life, in case you don't remember." The Bearer of Wind defended the Celestial Digimon. After the aquatic Warrior rolled her eyes, Zoe faced the Rookies once again. "Anyway, do you three have some kind of plan to get us all home?"

"We sure do!" Patamon happily replied, flying around in circles.

"Everybody gather around each other!" commanded Salamon.

Without making another argument, the humans and Legendary Warriors scooted closer together, their shoulders practically touching one another. Once Neemon and Bokomon were with the group, the Celestial Rookie stood in a triangle formation around their friends.

"You all ready?" Lopmon asked.

"Just get on with it! Tis place be vexing to mine eyes." Mercurymon groaned.

"Alright! Here we go!" said Patamon.

The three Rookies shut their eyes and focused their energy toward one another. The group stared at the young Digimon, waiting for them to do something. Suddenly, Patamon and the others started to glow in white light. It was so bright, it blinded every Digimon and human in the area. It took a while for the light to subside. When Takuya opened his eyes, he found himself inside a clear prism generated by the Celestial Rookies.

"Whoa! This is unbelievable!" The goggle-head gasped.

"Hey, look! We're floating!" Zoe looked down and noticed that they were off of the canvas, getting higher by the second.

"Oh yes! I'm so proud off you Patamon!" Bokomon said with tears forming in his eyes.

"Are you sure this thing is safe?" asked Ranamon, looking at the Ophanimoon, which now was a small rock from her viewpoint.

"It better be. So far, this is our only way back home." Lowemon spoke.

"Are you guys feeling alright? That must take a lot of energy to keep it going." Kumamon wondered, concerned about the overall well-being of the Celestial Digimon.

"Don't worry about us!" Salamon spoke with a lot of enthusiasm.

"Besides, it's the least we can do for you brave heroes for saving us!" Patamon said.

Before long, the Celestial Rookies set course toward the direction of the Digital World. Everyone was ready to go home. With the three working together, they pushed the force field forward. While the ride was much smoother than the space shuttle, some of the Warriors were still pessimistic that the prism would give in sooner or later. The humans kept their eyes on the yellow Ophanimoon until it was completely out of their sights.

Minutes later, the passed by the red Cherubimoon. While the group was still far away from the planet, they could still see some of its craters. Most of them were there naturally. And of course, the vicious battle they had with Hexamon and their doppelgangers definitely left a lot more circular depressions behind. The Cherubimoon was a lot messier now than it was when they first arrived.

Next, the group spotted the moon closest to the Digital World. Because it's much bigger than the previous planets, the Legendary Warriors got a clear view of the Seraphimoon. The humans spotted the crater where they found Patamon. The Legendary Warriors also found spot where they worked together to defeat X-Vademon. It wasn't the prettiest of fights, but a win's a win nevertheless.

Then came the part almost every Digimon was afraid of: the Electromagnetic Steam. The Legendary Warriors remembered how bumpy the ride got on their way to the Seraphimoon when they tried to pass through the current of electricity. As they approached the barrier, most of the group feared that this force field might not make through the stream. But prism phased through the barrier easily.

"Impressive. Me underestimate you shrimps." Grumblemon snickered.

"I'll take this over that cramped up space shuttle any day, right?" said Arbormon.

"Ooh, I can't wait to get back home again. I really need a shower. All of this space traveling has ruined my complexion." Ranamon cheered.

"Tis fun, while it lasted." nodded Mercurymon.

The force field entered the Digital World's atmosphere. It dove through the layers of white clouds. Finally, the Legendary Warriors spotted land. They were glad to see the green grass and trees of their beloved home once again. Despite being gone for several hours, they whole group was glad to be back.

"I can't believe we made it." Beetlemon smiled.

"I guess the old saying's true: There's no place like home." beamed Kumamon.

"You can say that again." Lobomon and Lowemon spoke in unison.

Once the force field was about three hundred feet above the ground, Takuya spotted a large facility about a few miles due east.

"Hey, you guys! The Digimon Battlefront Headquarters is just to our right! Could you drop us off there?" The goggle-head told Patamon and the others.

"Digimon Battlefront? What's that?" The Celestial Rookies stared blankly at each other.

"It's a long story. We'll have Eldestmon explain it to you guys when we get there." Zoe sighed.

The landing was as smooth as the takeoff. Once the prism was close to the ground, the Celestial Digimon relaxed, making the force field disappear. Everyone inside landed on their feet. Neemon, however, landed on the back of his neck. Nevertheless, the entrance of the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters was only a hundred yards away.

Takuya took the lead and the others followed behind him.

"Come on. We got to report our success to Eldestmon."

* * *

><p>"Just when he can't get any uglier." The olive haired warrior crossed her arms and turned away from the Digimon standing on the other side of her cell.<p>

A humanoid creature, slightly taller than Beautymon, smirked at the prisoner. His purplish tunic was as dark as the night sky. The pants had rips and tears at the end. His big cloak was green, drenched with the deadliest of poison. Even the slightest touch can make a Digimon incredibly ill. He also wore a silver mask, which concealed quite a bit of his pale face.

"The name's Malefimon! At your service!" The creature bowed.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Malefimon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Maleficent Gaze; Destiny Bind**

**Description: Malefimon can utilize the power of suggestion to have other innocent Digimon do his bidding. Even the toughest warriors fall victim to his Maleficent Gaze. He can make your wildest fantasies come true, or even turn them against you.**

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Beautymon pouted at the hideous creature. "You said you could make my Cutie fall for me all over again, as well as get rid of that flat-chested Blondie for good! Now, make it happen!"

"Indeed. You shall get your heart's desire." nodded Malefimon.

He then leaned his forehead on the titanium bars with a smug grin on his face.

"How about you and I make a deal?"

"I'm listening." Beautymon raised an eyebrow with some interest.

"I will give you the boy of your dreams. I will also make sure that the girl you're referring to never sees the light of day again. But under one condition."

"And that is?"

"Hehe!" The creature snickered. Despite how annoying his laugh was, the sound of his voice sent chills down the olive haired beauty's spine.

"Two words: World. Domination."

"Hmph! You must be kidding me!" groaned Beautymon.

"The bargain is simple, my dear! You will assist me in taking over, not just the Digital World, but the Human World as well!"

"The Human World? Oh please! Is taking over the Digital World enough of a task for you?"

"My last fight with the humans has given me new perspective! Losing to those kids has opened my eyes to the potential limits and powers humans can possess! That is why I've added taking over the Human World on my To-Do lists! Why be ruler of _one_ world, when you can conquer _two_?"

"You're sick! You know that? Like I'm going to help you take over either the Digital World or the Human World! Find someone else to do your dirty work!" huffed the third-in-command.

"Ah! So I'm guessing you don't want to be with that boy anymore, huh? You would rather spend the rest of your life, cursing yourself for letting my generous opportunity go to waste! Isn't that what you want, my dear?"

The female warrior froze. But the evil Digimon caught her reaction. He went on, trying to persuade his cellmate.

Beautymon was horrified thinking about the unthinkable possibility. What if he was right? What if this was her only chance to be with Cutie again? It mortified her greatly thinking about how the boy of her dreams was with someone else, instead of her. Vivid images of her Cutie smiling with Blondie, holding her hand, hugging her, kissing her...

As the flashbacks went on, Beautymon felt her spirit crumble little by little. It was so traumatizing, she was unable to stand. The olive haired warrior fell on her knees, deep sobs erupting from her throat. She had reached her breaking point, a sight that Malefimon relished. However, it wasn't because he enjoyed the suffering of other Digimon. The evil creature knew that he had the former third-in-command in his grasp.

"Tough choice, isn't it my dear?" chuckled the evil Digimon.

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" Beautymon snapped, much louder than intended. She stared daggers at the creature on the other side of her prison. But that made Malefimon widen his grin. After several moments of teasing, the evil Champion cleared his throat.

"Close your eyes, Beautymon." He requested.

"Why?" The female Digimon barked.

"Just do it!" Again, Malefimon ordered. This time, his tone was more forceful.

As stubborn as Beautymon was, she gave in with a sigh. After all, what more does she have to lose?

"Fine..."

The olive haired beauty did what she was told and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and entered a relaxed state. From behind, Malefimon reached his arms through the metallic bars and placed his large hands around the warrior's head. The evil Champion's eyes glowed with a flash of purple. He then softly chanted his trademark technique.

"Maleficent Gaze."

The evil Digimon entered the female warrior's mind with no restrictions. Inside her mental boundaries, the relaxed Beautymon felt Malefimon's eyes piercing down on her. But she could only resist for so long. Soon, the penetrating eyes vanished, leaving the olive haired warrior all alone in a completely white background.

"_Relax, and listen to the sound of my voice._"

"And it sounds annoying."

"_First, I want you to imagine that girl you mentioned earlier._"

"Whatever..."

It made her sick to do so, but Beautymon used her imagination to see Blonde the way she dreamed her to be. She pictured the teenage girl beaten, battered and bruised. The sight of her swollen cheeks, broken nose and black eyes would make anyone throw up. Almost every inch of her face were covered in cuts and scratches, making her even more hideous. Not to mention numerous bruises on her arms and legs. The way her clothes were torn and ripped in some parts made her look like a homeless person on the verge of starvation.

Her wildest imaginations were able to put a smile on her face. But Malefimon could do more.

"_Now, I want you to picture her with chains on her wrists, on her ankles, around her neck, bounded like helpless prisoner. Watch her struggle to break free, calling for anyone to help her. But alas, all of her friends are gone, and so are her Legendary Spirits. Nobody can save her. No one will._"

Those were the words she wanted to hear. Beautymon did as she was told, picturing Blonde in some kind of dark building, chained to the floor, waiting for someone to end her misery. The passing of time made her struggling subside. The nearly lifeless girl collapsed on her knees and broke out in intense sobs, already accepting her fate.

"How wonderful! Do I get to finish her? Oh please, let me finish her!"

"_Not yet, my dear. There's more. Now, I want you to do the same thing again, but this time, with that boy you've been dreaming about._"

At last, this what Beautymon was waiting for. She imagined her Cutie standing in front of her with his handsome face with that smile of his that made her heart melt. Her knees weaken whenever his gorgeous brown eyes met hers. It was sweet listening to him laugh, but it's even sweeter when he made her laugh. Oh how she longed to brush his smooth hair. Beautymon wanted to feel the warmth of his hands, to have his body against hers in a warm embraced. She wanted to plant her sweet lips on to his once again.

Her fantasies would've gotten sensuous, if Malefimon hadn't interrupted her.

"_Now I want you to imagine that same boy. But this time, he's in a suit. A fully length button, white long-sleeved shirt with a black jacket made completely out of satin. Matching pants and shoes that shine in the moonlight. Yes, the boy looks fine in a tuxedo, does he not?_"

By the enchanted expression on the female's face, the evil Digimon guessed that she also agreed.

"_Next, I want you to put him in the same setting as that other girl you mentioned._"

The evil Digimon could see Beautymon's face tense at such a ridiculous request. It pierced her heart seeing the two of them together. Evert time they looked at one another, it would tear her apart.

Beautymon would've had another breakdown, if Malefimon hadn't proceeded.

"_Fear not, my dear. The girl begs and pleads for her friend to rescue her. However, her puny cries falls on deaf ears. He turns to her and shakes his head, signaling to her that he is done with their friendship. He doesn't want her anymore; need her anymore... That's because he found someone much better._"

The smallest glimmer of light shone within Beautymon's heart at Malefimon's words.

"_Now, imagine yourself in the same scene, standing next to the boy of your dreams in an elegant, white dress that you picked out for this momentous occasion. When the boy spotted you in that fabulous outfit, his mouth dropped as he gaze at the most beautiful creature the world has ever seen. He grabs you by the hand and the two walk up to the sanctuary._"

Beautymon relished every moment of her fantasy come true. She didn't care how Malefimon discovered what her biggest dream was. Oh how she would do anything to make her dream a reality.

"Yes. Yes, go on."

"_As I as saying, after I take over both the Digital World and the Human World, I will be standing before the two of you. I will say, 'Attention everyone! We are all gathered here today to witness the matrimonial bonding of this young human and this beautiful Digimon! So, if anyone present has just cause why these two should not be wed, let them speak now or forever hold their peace!' The only one who objects is the beaten young girl, desperately pleading for her friend to hear her cries. But of course, you blast her in the chest to silence her!_"

"Ooh! Don't stop! Please, get to the good part!"

"_The ceremony continues. I turn to the boy and asked him, 'Do you take this... lovely Digimon to be your lawfully wedded wife?' And he responds, 'I do.' without averting his gaze away from you, Beautymon._"

When Malefimon uttered the two words, the female Digimon felt like she was on top of the world. She couldn't wait to take her turn.

"Don't forget me!"

"_As you wish. I then turns the bride and asked the same question. 'Beautymon, do you take this young man to be your lawfully wedded husband?_"

"Yes! Yes, I do! I do!"

The evil Digimon could detect the happiness and joy when she responded.

"_Then, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you human and Digimon. You may now..._"

Before he could finish, Beautymon had full control of her imagination. She pictured her Cutie sweeping her carefully into his arms. Then he pressed his lips firmly to hers, both of them enjoying the taste, touch and smell of each other. Beautymon could feel her well-developed breast pressed against his body. Nothing seemed to matter anymore. She could relive this day for the rest of her life. It's a dream come true.

From the distance, Blondie's heart exploded, tearing itself into shreds. She couldn't stop her tears from falling. The broken teenage girl shook her head, trying to wish that what she's seeing is all just a terrible nightmare. But the more Beautymon and Takuya intensified their kiss, the frailer she became. If it weren't for the chains, the silent wind would've carried her soulless body away.

Beautymon changed the scene again. The church has suddenly became her bedroom. Blondie was gone, leaving the newly wedded couple all alone. This time, Beautymon is going to finish what she started; and she's going to enjoy every moment of it. She quickly removed her elegant wedding dress, revealing her white undergarments. Beautymon shoved the boy on her bed and kissed him once again.

As she helped him remove his tuxedo, she added her tongue to the mix, savoring the sweet and intoxicating taste of the boy of her dreams. He was hers, and hers alone. Finally, the teenage boy was completely shirtless. The olive haired Digimon licked her lips and purred like a wildcat. She then removed the boy's belt and was ready to turn this innocent boy into a grown man.

"Yes! YES! OOOOOHHHHHHHHHH YEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!"

This was everything she dreamed of. The world could end right and she wouldn't care. She is finally with her Cutie. And with that ugly Blondie out of the way, there is not a single thing that could prevent her from taking away this boy's...

*snap*

The sound of Malefimon snapping his fingers ended the dream. Beautymon opened her eyes and found herself covered in sweat. She looked around and was displeased to see she was back in her cell inside the cold, dark Containment Room. The olive haired Digimon turned around and was shocked to see the evil Champion standing outside her prison. What scared her even more was the wide smirk on his face.

He didn't have to say another word. Malefimon knew that this Digimon was at his mercy.

"What you just saw, my dear? I can give it to you. All of your hopes, dreams, and your wildest fantasies. I can make it a reality. All you have to do is accept my offer and join me."

"You can make it all come true? Everything? Me and Cutie?" Beautymon desperately asked.

"Yes. But only if you choose to help me. Or... you can say 'no', and be alone for the rest of your miserable life. What's it going to be, Beautymon?" Malefimon asked, slowing down with each word.

It was obviously a trap. Beautymon had a feeling that this Digimon will do whatever's necessary to get what he wants; including tempting her. Still, she had no other choice. Working alongside this ugly creature is bad enough. But going on one more minute without her Cutie by her side was probably an even worse punishment than a lifetime sentence in this forsaken Containment Room.

With her mind made up, Beautymon gazed into Malefimon's eyes and nodded.

"Yes! I'll do anything! _Anything_! Just please, make Cutie mine!" She begged with tears in her eyes.

"Excellent! Hehehe... Hahahahaha..."

Suddenly, the evil creature's body began to glow. Beautymon watched as Malefimon Digivolve into his Ultimate level form. But she could care less if the Digital World's most hated being is about to make his entrance. What matters is that the Digimon standing before her has guaranteed her an opportunity of a lifetime. If getting what her heart's desire meant cooperating with the Malevolent One, then the consequences are irrelevant.

Before long, the Creator of the Chaos Spheres appeared.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Malevomon's maniacal laugh bounced all over the chamber.

"Alright, you sick freak! I agreed to help you! Now, get me out of here!" Beautymon demanded.

The malicious Digimon nodded and aimed his hand at the olive haired beauty's cell. He was about to use his telekinetic abilities to set Beautymon free. But then, he changed his target and focused on the sealed entrance to the Containment Room. Effortlessly, he barged the doors open. The Andromon that were supposed to be on guard found themselves on the ground with a large, heavy door on their backs.

*BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP*

The busting of the doors triggered the facility's alarm system. Malevomon could hear the sounds of Digimon all around the area panicking and rushing toward the Containment Room. He couldn't wait to make his triumphant return. Malevomon was itching to destroy something or someone. What better place to start than the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters?

"Come, my Chaos Sinners!" commanded Malevomon.

The Ultimate then used his powers to open a mystical portal in the middle of the room. Beautymon watched four other Digimon exiting the dimensional rift. But because she couldn't get a clear picture of these new creatures. All she could see was a fat blob, a female, long-haired serpent, a flabby sloth and a one-eyed Digimon.

"The time has come to put my master plan into action! Now, go! Destroy every Digimon in this area! Gather as much data as you can hold! Leave no one behind!"

"YES, MY LORD!" The four creatures responded in unison. One by one, the unknown Digimon left the Containment Room to follow their master's orders.

Malevomon then gazed back at Beautymon and widened his smug grin.

"Now if you excuse me, I have some work to do! So much to destroy, so little time!"

"Hey, wait a minute! What about me? We had a deal! Remember?" Beautymon objected. However, Malevomon replied with an arrogant chuckle.

"Sorry, my dear! But there are some things I need to take care of, before I begin my domination for the Digital World and the Human World!" chuckled the evil Digimon.

"Why you lousy, lying, rotten snake! You can't do this to me! You can't leave me here! I'm the one who set you free!" The female warrior complained.

"Indeed! And you have my utmost gratitude, Beautymon! You shall get what's coming to you as soon as I become ruler of both worlds! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

With that, the malicious Digimon escaped the Containment Room, leaving behind a huge chunk of metal resting in the hallway, and a lonely, olive haired beauty who had just made the biggest mistake of her life. The former third-in-command curled into a ball and buried her eyes in her knees, contemplating what she had done.

The Digital World's most ruthless creature was on the loose once again, and it was all thanks to her.

"Cutie's not going to be happy about this."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter sixty-eight. <strong>

**Malevomon's finally on the loose. Can our heroes stop him before he reaches the Human World? Or will Malevomon become ruler of both worlds? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	69. Calamity

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**Even with EmperorGreymon on their side, our heroes still couldn't defeat Akuimon. But when the Legendary Warriors found his weak spots, Akuimon lost all of his power and was finally beaten. Thanks to the Celestial Digimon, the Legendary Warriors made it back home with no problems. Meanwhile, Beautymon has agreed to help the evil Digimon conquer both the Digital World and the Human World, if it meant her and Takuya becoming a couple. Once the deal was made, Malevomon returned and escaped from the Containment Room; without Beautymon. Talk about backstabbing. How's she going to explain herself to the others? **

**So, without further ado, here's chapter sixty-nine!**

* * *

><p><strong>Calamity<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"And that's how these brave humans saved the Digital World once again!"

The Celestial Rookies eagerly listened as the Digimon wearing the pink waistband retold the story of how the humans and Legendary Warriors defeated the malicious Malevomon. Of course, Bokomon needlessly exaggerating almost every detail, turning the mind controlled Digimon into vicious creatures. Some of the Warriors rolled their eyes at the obvious overemphasis. But Takuya and Zoe didn't mind.

"OOOOOHHHHHHHHHH!"

"So, what are we? Chopped liver?" The Warrior of Water huffed for being ignored.

"Chill, Ranamon. You helped. We all did." Kumamon smirked at the female Digimon.

"Yeah. And the best part is we'll never have to deal with that bozo ever again." nodded Beetlemon.

"Thank goodness." Lobomon and Lowemon spoke together.

"Now we's can take a vacation, right?" Arbormon chuckled.

"I'm surrounded by buffoons!" Mercurymon groaned.

Moments later, the humans and Legendary Warriors had reached the front entrance of the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters. The leader reached for the door handle.

"Well, we're here you guys. Now, we got to find Eldestmon and give him our..."

*BOOM*

No one saw it coming. There was a huge explosion inside the facility, causing the front doors to burst outwards. The blast waves also caught Takuya and Zoe by surprise, sending them flying backwards. Thankfully, Lobomon and Lowemon caught the humans before either of them hit the canvas.

It was horrible sight. There were flames blazing inside the facility. Digimon left and right were running around, screaming and panicking. Some of them were also covered in flames, scurrying frantically around in circles to get the fires off of their bodies. Elsewhere, a bunch of Baby and In-Training Digimon were found crying for help.

"What's going on?" Zoe gasped at the horror.

"Come on! We gotta help the others!" commanded Takuya.

The Legendary Warriors quickly rushed inside the facility.

Ranamon called upon the waters to douse most of the flames by the entrance and on some of the Digimon. There were a few other Rookies and In-Training creatures stuck underneath a pile of metal or pieces of the ceiling that fell on top of them. But thanks to Grumblemon and Beetlemon, they were able to rescue all of trapped Digimon.

As the Arbormon and Mercurymon directed traffic at the entrance, the others explored the blazing facility. Every single room was engulfed with red, hot flames. Sadly, there were a few unfortunate creatures trapped inside the blaze. The hazardous smoke in their lungs caused the helpless Digimon to suffocate. Others, weren't as fortunate. The scorching flames consumed their entire bodies, leaving nothing behind.

Kumamon tried using his Crystal Freeze to blow out some of the flames, or at least keep it contained. Unfortunately, it was like a furnace inside the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters. Because it was so hot, Kumamon couldn't create a layer of ice thick enough to stop the fire. It would evaporate too fast, making his efforts all for not.

"What do we do now, Takuya? I can't put out the fire!" The Warrior of Ice told the leader.

"Where's Ranamon?" The goggle-head asked.

"You called?" The aquatic Digimon rushed toward the teenage boy, waving her hand to let him know she's coming.

"Can you do something about this fire?" questioned Takuya.

"Must I do everything myself?" The Warrior of Water groaned.

Once again, she used the power of her element to put the flames out. While the blaze was large and intense, not a single fire could withstand the large amounts of water. Of course, there were still plenty of flames to douse. But at least the ones in this area were contained. When Ranamon felt like she had everything under control, all ten Legendary Warriors regrouped.

"What do we do now?" Zoe asked her boyfriend.

"Our priority is to get everyone out safely!" Takuya responded.

"Yeah, but this place is huge! There are plenty of areas we haven't checked yet for survivors!" growled Lobomon.

"Not only that, we have no idea who's causing all of this!" added Lowemon.

"I guess we have no choice but to split up into groups!" replied the teenage goggle-head.

"If I may, Takuya? I think it would be best if we stick together!" objected Bokomon.

"We'll get a lot done faster if we divide into teams! First, let's focus on rescuing the other Digimon that are still trapped!" Takuya countered.

"He's the leader!" Neemon nodded in agreement.

The Bearer of Flame quickly assessed the situation and carefully picked out the teams.

"Kumamon! You and Mercurymon cover the southern part of the headquarters!"

"You got it, Takuya!" saluted the Warrior of Ice.

"How wonderful to be accompanied by this shrimp?" Mercurymon grunted.

"Hey! I'm still here!" Kumamon leered at his partner.

"Oh! Therefore you art!" The metallic Digimon smirked.

"Enough arguing, you guys! Now, get moving!" The leader ordered. After rolling their eyes with disbelief, the bear and metallic Digimon made their exit.

Takuya then refocused back to the group; more specifically, eyeing the Warriors of Wood and Thunder.

"Arbormon and Beetlemon will cover the northern part of the facility!"

"Finally, some action!" The humanoid insect pumped his fist with excitement.

"I hope this mission won't be as boring as ones in outer space, right?" shrugged the wooden android.

And so, the Digimon of Thunder and Wood were off.

"Lobomon will take the east part of the facility with Lowemon!" The Bearer of Flame continued with his orders.

"Looks like it's you and me again!" The humanoid wolf smiled at his partner.

"Yeah! Let's just get this over with!" agreed the Warrior of Darkness.

Takuya waited until Lobomon and Lowemon were out of sight.

"Ranamon? You and Grumblemon will check the western part of the headquarters!"

"What? You got to be kidding me, Sugar! Why must I be paired with this imbicle?" Ranamon complained once again, pointing toward her partner.

"Hey! Watch it, Ranamon! You got problem working with me?" Grumblemon scowled at the aquatic Digimon. The two Legendary Warriors were engaged in a vicious stare down.

"Hey, you two! If you don't mind, sometime today we really most appreciated!" Zoe shouted toward the two Digimon arguing. Ranamon and Grumblemon gazed at the blonde and then back at the teenage boy.

"Come on, you guys! We don't have much time! And standing here arguing is not going to help the others! So, stop complaining and get going!" commanded the Bearer of Flame.

The tone in his voice drove his point home. Finally, the gnome and aquatic Digimon sprinted as fast as they could toward the western part of the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters.

With that, only Takuya, Zoe and the five Rookies remained.

"Now what, Takuya?" The blonde beauty asked her boyfriend.

"How about we get out of here as soon as we can? I have a bad feeling that this entire place is going to come crashing down on top of our heads sooner or later!" Bokomon suggested, dodging a piece of metal that fell from the ceiling.

"We can't leave until the whole premise is clear!" Takuya told his friend.

"Then what's the plan?" Zoe wondered.

"You and I are going to find Eldestmon or Swiftmon! Maybe they will know what has happened to this place!" The leader replied. His girlfriend nodded in agreement.

"I'm coming with you guys!" Patamon stepped forward.

"So am I!" Salamon was the next to speak.

"Me too!" Lopmon agreed with his friends.

Unfortunately, the Bearer of Flame shook his head.

"It's way too dangerous in here you guys! I can't take any chances with you guys around!" Takuya said as blunt as he could.

"Oh, please! We want to see you guys fight!" Patamon begged. Again, the leader refused.

"Bokomon! Neemon!" The goggle-head turned to the other Rookies. "Get them out of here and find a place to hide!"

"We won't let you down, Takuya!" Bokomon saluted. Neemon also mimicked his partner's actions, but ended up smacking his own forehead in the process.

Soon, the two gathered the three Celestial Digimon and escorted them out of the premises. Patamon kept his eyes on the remaining two humans. As much as he wanted to stay and help his friends, he gave Takuya and Zoe one last nod to support them. The Bearers of Wind and Flame waited until all five Rookies disappeared down the hallways.

"I'm ready, Takuya?" The blonde beauty smiled at her boyfriend.

"Good! Because we have no idea who's responsible for this fire or all of this chaos!" warned Takuya.

"I know! But as long as we're together, there's nothing we can't handle!" Zoe giggled as she took the lead. The teenage goggle-head stayed for several moments, taking one more good look at the devastation surrounding him.

"I hope so." He said to himself.

l - l

"Help! Somebody please help us!" A Mamemon cried.

He and his family were trapped underneath a pile of heavy steel. A bunch of other Digimon passed by, and not one of them offered to help. Instead, they were more concerned for their lives, running as fast as they could toward the nearest exit. Moments later, the trapped Digimon were surrounded by scorching flames, which grew hotter by the second.

"Mommy, I'm scared!" One of the kids cried.

As the mother comforted her children, the father tried to lift the collapsed steel off of him and his family. But because he was so small, it was no use. The fire was getting closer. The smoke made it difficult for the whole family to breathe. The father could hear his loved ones coughing profusely. He closed his eyes, ashamed that he couldn't help his family when they need him most.

"Dark Reflection!" A voice from one of the Legendary Warriors shouted.

Before the Mamemon family could react, the metal on top of them were instantly destroyed, thanks to Mercurymon's attack. Kumamon moved in and helped the family to their feet one at a time. So far, most of them walked out unharmed. Kumamon quickly turned a small piece of metal into ice for the father to use.

"Bless you, Legendary Warriors! We are forever in your debt!" The mother bowed.

"Don't mention it!" Kumamon smiled before motioning the Mamemon family to keep moving. "But it's dangerous here! You guys need to leave as soon as possible and get to some place safe!"

The father nodded. Without another word, he and his family hustled down the halls as fast as their little legs could carry them.

The Warriors of Ice and Steel scanned the area to check for other remaining Digimon. Unfortunately, they were surrounded by a wall of fire before any one of them could escape. Once again, Kumamon tried to put the flames out by using his Crystal Freeze. But the chilled air would only vaporize the moment it got too close to the fire. No matter how hard the Warrior of Ice exhaled, he couldn't put out the blaze.

"I could use a little help here, Mercurymon!"

"And what does thou expect me to do?"

"Hello? I can't extinguish the flames all by myself! The air is too hot! If we don't do something soon, we'll all be consumed by the flames!" The polar bear argued.

"Hehe! At last, thou has asked for my assistance! Stand back, you little runt and let me show you how it's done!" The Warrior of Steel chuckled.

Fractal Code surrounded his body, causing the Legendary Warrior to change forms.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!"

When the cocoon of data vanished, a network of eyeballs made his grand entrance.

"And now, feast your eyes on this, graciously contributed by Ranamon." The Beast of Steel laughed. "Whipping Waves REFLECTION!"

Gallons of water shot out of one of his orbs like a fire hose. Sakkakumon rotated his body to douse all of the flames within the area. The polar bear shielded himself as the Beast of Steel drenched him with water. While Kumamon didn't appreciate getting soaked, at least the flames in the south side of the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters had been extinguished.

"A little warning next time you're about to spray me!" The Warrior of Ice growled, not impressed that he got soaked during the process.

"Thou surely cannot take a joke!"

"Does it look like I'm laughing, Sakkakumon!"

"Alas! Fate has cursed me once again pair with thee." The metallic Digimon grumbled underneath his voice.

"Anyway, I think we're done here! The flames have already been extinguished and it seems like everyone in the southern part of the facility has been rescued! I guess we should head back and find Takuya and Zo..."

"Feed me!" A voice echoed from the hallways, growing louder by the second. "Feed me! FEED ME!"

"What's this? Another foe?" The Beast of Steel glowered at the empty lobby.

"I don't like the sound of that!" Kumamon dropped in his stance. Both Legendary Warriors waited for the unknown Digimon to appear.

Suddenly, a huge, purple blob-like mass glided down the hallways, leaving behind a trail of slime in his path. This Digimon closely resembled an incredibly bloated invertebrate. A dozen of stubby tentacles slapping the walls, the ceiling and the floor. This strange creature also had large mouths in a bunch of random places all over his body. A single eyeball glowered through the Warriors of Steel and Ice.

"Feed me!" The blob groaned.

"Egad! How disgusting!" Sakkakumon trembled at the grotesque sight.

"Who are you?" Kumamon bravely stepped forward, aiming his bazooka at the bloated invertebrate. "Are you the one who caused the fire and all of this chaos?"

"Feed me! Must eat more! Me hungry!" moaned the creature. "Feed Gulutomon!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Gulutomon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Digi Devour, Muck Launcher**

**Description: Gulutomon loves to eat Digimon. But his hunger will never be satisfied. Thanks to his inordinate desire to consume every Digimon on the planet, Gulutomon is on a mission to devour the entire Digital World clean. His Muck Launcher serves his enemies as a sticky appetizer.**

"Who is this guy?" Kumamon asked his teammate.

"Why does thou ask me? My eyes have never beheld such a hideous creature! Even the beastly Calmaramon wasn't as grotesque as this!" The network of eyeballs quivered.

"FEED ME!" Gulutomon whined as he continued to approach the Legendary Warriors. It's not clear if the blob saw either Kumamon or Sakkakumon. But one thing is for certain. This giant mass would not stop sobbing until he eats his fill.

"Freeze!" Kumamon ordered. Unfortunately, his commands fell on deaf ears. The Warrior of Ice rested his finger on the trigger of his weapon. "I'm warning you! Stop right there or else!"

"Bah! Give it a rest, thy frozen shrimp! Such a grisly creature cannot comprehend such complex orders! I prefer to use force instead!" The Beast of Steel responded. He adjusted himself until a specific eyeball was aimed at the oncoming blob.

"Wildfire Tsunami REFLECTION!"

BurningGreymon's signature attack burst out of the pupil and zoomed toward Gulutomon. Even though the flames were scorching hot, the blob did not stop. He responded by sucking every all of the flames like a giant vacuum cleaner. Sakkakumon couldn't believe that his opponent walked away from that attack without getting burned once.

"Gadzooks! Not a single scratch on him!"

"I'll handle it!" Kumamon volunteered with his bazooka locked and loaded. "BLIZZARD BLASTER!"

The polar bear unleashed a barrage of snowballs at the purple mass-like creature. Most of the iced spheres nailed Gulutomon's body and tentacles. But Kumamon caused as much damage as Sakkakumon. No matter how many snowballs hit their target, the Ultimate level blob continued to move forward, not caring who's in his way.

"FEED ME! FEED GULUTOMON! GULUTOMON MUST EAT DIGIMON!" The creature sobbed.

"Stay back, you miserable fiend!" Sakkakumon trembled.

"We have to attack together! It's the only way we can beat this guy!" Kumamon instructed his partner.

"If thou insists!" The Beast of Steel reluctantly agreed, repositioning himself to set up his next attack.

"Blizzard Blaster REFLECTION!" ||| "BLIZZARD BLASTER!"

The Warriors of Steel and Ice released over a thousand snowballs, plastering Gulutomon with a bunch of highly dense frozen spheres. Since the firing rate had doubled, Kumamon and Sakkakumon were able to stop the hideous vertebrate in his tracks. But that was only temporary. After a while, Gulutomon pressed forward like the juggernaut he is.

"MUCK LAUNCHER!"

Purplish ooze-like substance shot out of the creature's mouths. Kumamon dove out of the way just in time. Unfortunately, Sakkakumon wasn't so lucky. The ooze hit one of the Beast Warrior's eyeballs, sending the metallic Digimon into the wall.

"Ngh! Can't move!" grunted Sakkakumon as he tried to break free.

"Hang on!" The Warrior of Ice said.

But when his hand made contact with the gooey substance, he was instantly stuck. Kumamon tried to pull his hand off, but the ooze was too sticky. As the Warriors of Ice and Steel tried to get out of their current predicament, Gulutomon slowly approached the helpless Digimon. It looked like the purple blob would get his two helpings of Legendary Warriors for dinner.

Suddenly, the creature turned the corner and ventured toward the center of the facility, leaving Kumamon and Sakkakumon stuck to the wall.

"Feed me! Feed me!" His voice slowly faded.

"Um... What was that?" The polar bear tilted his head in confusion. "That guy sure is strange! How come he didn't finish us when he had the chance?"

"Would thou stop asking stupid questions and get me down from here?" The metallic Digimon complained.

Kumamon rolled his eyes and sighed.

l - l

"Up we... GO!" Beetlemon grunted, using his unmatched strength to lift a piece of the ceiling off of some Digimon underneath.

Alright! Everybody out! You don't want to be flattened like a hamburger patty, right?" Arbormon instructed the Rookies at the bottom of the pile.

One by one, the young Digimon crawled out and dashed down the hallways. Apparently, some of the Rookies had hurt themselves when the ceiling collapsed. A few of them were hobbling on one leg or clutching their midsection. Nevertheless, the most important thing was that there were no fatalities so far. Once everyone was out, Beetlemon dropped the heavy ceiling panel.

"You know, just because I'm the muscle of this team, that doesn't mean I have to do all of the heavy lifting!" The Warrior of Thunder pouted toward his partner.

"Putting pointless effort into a task ain't my style, if you know what I'm talking about!" The wooden android countered with another notorious sayings.

"Good to know! So the next time we come across some more trapped Digimon, I expect you to help me!"

"Hey, I don't appreciate you telling me what to do! I'm helping out the way I help out, right?"

"Jeez!" Beetlemon sighed. He and Arbormon continued exploring the blazing inferno in the northern part of the facility, searching for others that need rescuing.

While getting the other Digimon to safety was their main priority, both Warriors of Thunder and Wood really wanted some action. So far, they haven't encountered any evil Digimon, nor figured out who's responsible for starting the fires. Although Beetlemon and Arbormon were itching for someone to fight, they remained focused on their mission.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Someone cried. The sudden noise caught the both Warriors' attention.

"Did you hear that? It came from over there!" Beetlemon pointed to corridor a few yards from their current position.

"More punks to rescue, right? Oh well!" Arbormon sighed with disappointment.

The Digimon of Wood and Thunder rushed toward the room where they believe the cry for help came from. The closer they approached the corridor, the louder the noise got. Upon further inspection, it sounded like someone was in a lot of pain, pleading desperate for someone to rescue him.

"STOP! LEAVE ME ALONE! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

When Beetlemon and Arbormon entered the room, they were already too late. A female serpent had sunk her fangs into a Hawkmon's neck. The poor Rookie gasped in agony before his entire body turned into data. Meanwhile, a horrified Palmon watched on. Without any remorse, the snake absorbed Hawkmon's data, swallowing in one gulp. She licked her mouth with her black, forked tongue. The viper then leered at the other Rookie remaining.

"That'sss what happiness when I don't get what I want! Now, tell me! How come I don't have a pretty flower on my head, like you?"

"Please! I can't!"

"And why not?" The female serpent leaned in toward the helpless rookie. Her black tongue just inches away from the petrified Palmon's face.

"My flower is stuck to my head! I can't give it to you, even if I wanted to! Please, take my money! My belongings! My..."

"NO! I WANT A PRETTY FLOWER ON MY HEAD! IF NOT, I SHALL DESSSTROY..."

"Hey, you there! Leave her alone!" Beetlemon entered the room and pointed at the serpent. The snake glowered at the Legendary Warriors, which gave Palmon the opportunity to escape.

When Arbormon stepped into the corridor and got a glimpse of the snake, he felt a cold chill down his spine. While she wasn't as large as a python, the very sight of her almost made the Warrior of Wood jump out of his boots. She was coated in white and purple scales, with silver armor melded into her skin. Green eyes portray insatiable desire to consume the data of these two new Digimon in front of her. Unlike other serpents, she had two arms with snake heads for hands.

"A talking puppet and a bug dressed in armor! I'm not amusssed!" groaned the viper when she laid eyes on the humanoid insect and wooden android.

"Who are you calling puppet?" Arbormon questioned.

"Alright, whoever you are! What's the big idea, going around destroying innocent Digimon?

"Why point fingers at me? I'm the innocent Digimon! It's the ressst of the creatures here that are anything but innocent! How dare they show off the sssuperior qualities or possessions in front of my face? It should either belong to me, or no one!"

"That is just sick!" The humanoid insect shook his head in disgust.

"Cut the chit-chat already!" Arbormon stepped in "You's better slither back to your tiny, little hole and no one get hurt! Although personally, I won't mind dishing out some punishment of my own, right?"

"You think you can ssstop the almighty Envidamon? Ha! Don't make me laugh!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Envidamon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Acid Fang, Venom Shield**

**Description: Envidamon may be one of the most feared creatures in the Digital World. But if she finds another Digimon more fearsome than her, she'll fall into a jealous rage. At night, she'll slither toward her slumbering foe and inject her Acid Fangs into their neck to claim their energy and her title.**

"Boy! She ranks pretty high on the crazy chart, right?" Arbormon grunted.

"Never mind that! We're Legendary Warriors! We can take her out easily!" said Beetlemon.

"Legendary Warriorsss?" gasped Envidamon. Just hearing the name of that prestigious title really made the reptilian creature angry. "How come I'm not a Legendary Warrior? I want to be a Legendary Warrior!"

"Sorry, lady!" The humanoid insect apologized. "But we don't take applicants! Besides, we're all booked up and..."

"NO! I WANT TO BE A LEGENDARY WARRIOR! AND IF I CAN'T, THEN NO ONE CAN!"

"Now you made her mad, right?" Arbormon eyed his teammate.

"ACID FANG!

Envidamon sprang toward the Legendary Warriors, displaying her front teeth. Her fangs dripped with poisonous, green acid. Even a single nip would be deadly. But Arbormon and Beetlemon leaped out of the way. With the wooden android on Envidamon's left side and the insect on her right, the Legendary Warriors had the pink viper surrounded.

"I suggest we give this worm the Thunder Bomb, right?" requested Arbormon.

"Sounds like a great idea!" The armored insect nodded. His entire body was surrounded by Fractal Code, transforming the Warrior of Thunder.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!"

When the loads of data dispersed, MetalKabuterimon had his head down with his cannon aimed at female serpent. The targeting sight displayed Envidamon's arrogant smirk, inviting the Beast of Thunder to blast her with everything he's got. Once the armored tank's weapon had reached full capacity, MetalKabuterimon was ready to go.

"ELECTRON CANNON!"

"BLOCKADE SEED!"

Upon declaring his attack, the Beast of Thunder unleashed a vicious blast. At the same time, the Warrior of Wood opened his central compartment and fired a wooden explosive at the snake. Both attacks were set to collide with the viper in the middle of the room.

"Venom Shield!"

Clear fluids seeped out of the reptile's scales, coating the cold-blooded Digimon with a special kind of ooze. But the liquid acted as a barrier, protecting Envidamon from the combined attacks of the Legendary Warriors. Despite having so much power in that one explosion, the viper remained unscathed.

"Great plan, genius! MetalKabuterimon leered at his partner.

"Hey! Why you's putting the blame on me? You agreed to it, right?" argued Arbormon.

"You fools don't have what it takes to be Legendary Warriorsss! How about I relieve those titles from you weaklingsss?"

"We're not finished yet!" declared the Beast of Thunder, who was ready to unleash another Electron Cannon attack.

"What he said, right?" Arbormon agreed. He had both of his arms detached, prepared to take the fight to his opponent.

"Excccelent! I'm going to enjoy annihilating you pathetic Legendary War..."

"Hey, you creep! Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" A voice shouted, catching Envidamon's attention.

The viper saw another Digimon standing at the entrance. He was covered in some kind of golden armor, protecting his bluish body. While Magnamon was no Legendary Warrior, something about his gold armor and massive muscles peaked Envidamon's interest. She licked her lips, curious about how does a strong Digimon like him taste like. The female serpent released her captive and slithered toward the Magnamon, who has no idea how overmatched he was.

"Gold! Golden armor! I mussst have it!" Envidamon roared as she dove toward the armored Digimon and buried her fangs into the unprotected vitals of Magnamon, making him howl in pain.

"Come on! We better do something before she goes on a destructive fest with every Digimon she sees!" MetalKabuterimon ordered.

"She's nuts, if you know what I'm talking about! Somebody needs to remind her that, 'You can't have everything you want', right?" concurred the wooden android.

And so, the Warriors of Wood and Thunder went after the covetous snake. They had no idea who she was or where she came from. But they agreed that this was no ordinary Digimon. Her resentfulness and insatiable desire has made Envidamon a very dangerous creature. Add that with her slipperiness and unusual techniques, she poses a threat to every Digimon in the facility, including themselves.

l - l

"That's it, you guys! Keep on moving! Don't panic! Everything's going to be fine!" The humanoid wolf instructed the Digimon toward the exit.

"You're all going to be alright! Just follow the Digimon in front of you and keep your heads down!" spoke the humanoid lion.

The eastern hallways were crowded with all kinds of Digimon. But with the Warriors of Light and Darkness there to direct traffic, everyone else felt like they're going to be fine. There may be flames all over the area and smoke clouding the ceiling, but the rest of the Digimon did what they were told and quickly made their way toward the exit in an orderly fashion.

"Mama, where are you?"

A tiny Poyomon stuck in the middle of the crowd searched left and right for his mother. Too bad the other Digimon didn't see the Baby crying in the middle of the hallways. The frightened Poyomon wiggled his body from side to side, hoping that he wouldn't get squashed by the tree-like legs of other Digimon scurrying past him.

"Gotcha!" The voice of Lobomon entered the slimy creature's ear.

Before Poyomon could react, he found himself in the arms of one of the Legendary Warriors. The baby looked toward his rescuer and noticed a warm smile on the humanoid wolf's face. Lobomon then leaped out of the chaos and landed smoothly nearby the walls. Lowemon was already there with a Frigimon, who was wearing an apron. The moment she spotted her baby, the frozen Digimon broke into tears.

"POYOMON!" Frigimon ran toward her child.

"MAMA!" Poyomon gasped the moment he spotted his mother.

The two Digimon leaped towards one another in a warm embrace, unable to stop their tears from falling. Meanwhile, Lobomon and Lowemon gave each other a quick nod, silently congratulating one another on a job well done.

"Thank you so much, Legendary Warriors! How can I ever repay you?" Frigimon wiped her eyes and asked the Digimon of Light and Darkness.

"Just keep an eye on your kid!" Lowemon instructed.

"Yeah! In the meantime, you two should get to some place safe!" said Lobomon. Frigimon bowed, silently thanking both Legendary Warriors once again. She then faced the opposite direction and dashed down the halls.

"Bye-bye!" Poyomon squeaked to his rescuers.

Once the mother and child were gone, the eastern lobby was completely empty. Unfortunately, the flames grew bigger and much hotter.

"Any idea who's causing all of this?" The Warrior of Darkness asked his partner.

"Not a clue!" Lobomon sadly shook his head.

The two Digimon rolled out of the way to avoid a piece ceiling that almost fell on top of them. All around, the facility was in really bad shape. If this keeps up, the whole Digimon Battlefront Headquarters would come down on their heads. The Warriors of Light and Darkness searched the inferno, checking to see if everyone has left.

"Hey! What's that?" Lowemon pointed towards something beyond a few feet of flames.

"Where?" The humanoid wolf squinted his eyes to get a better view of what his partner was looking at.

In the middle of the floor was what appeared to be a sleeping sloth. Based on the smile on his face, he was having a good dream. But from Lobomon's and Lowemon's point a view, the fires were getting closer to the slumbering Digimon. They leaped over the flames and landed near the resting Digimon.

But for a slot, this mammal sure was with flabby arms and legs. Even his tail was as slim as a mouse. He had a red hard hat on his head and gloves with matching color. A green, dirty vest concealed his toned body. His black pants were messier than his tank top, consisting of rips on the kneecaps and brown stains on both sides of the fabric.

"Naptime's over, bud! You got to leave this place now!" But the furry Digimon laid fast asleep.

"Get up! This isn't a time for snoozing! You have to get out of here!" Lowemon shook the sloth. Sadly, the mammal snored louder, turning on his side and mumbling something incoherent.

"Leaving... such a pain..." rambled the furry creature.

"We're not kidding! This place is going come down on if we don't leave!"

"Eventually... after nap..."

"What kind an idiot falls asleep in a burning building?" Lobomon shook his head.

"Now what?" The Warrior of Darkness asked his teammate. After rolling his eyes, Lobomon lifted the sloth on his shoulders.

"Come on! Let's move!" He commanded.

Both Legendary Warriors hustled down the hallways with Lowemon taking the lead. Unfortunately, it was much harder for them to make their escape, since there were flames all over the area. It got worse when even more ceiling panels began raining down on the Warriors of Light and Darkness. Lowemon knock out away the falling metal with his spear. Meanwhile, Lobomon had to use his quickness to avoid getting hit.

What he didn't see was that a small piece of the ceiling actually clonked the sleeping creature's head. Deep, but angry moans escaped the sloths throat. Lowemon turned to check on his partner. But when he saw the red angry eyes of the sloth, he immediately dropped to a defensive position, pointing his lance at the creature.

"Hey! What are you doing?" A surprised Lobomon asked his partner.

"Grrr! RAAAWWWWWRRRRRRR!"

The furry Digimon had awoken and shoved the Warrior of Light into the humanoid lion. When he landed on the ground, he immediately began to transform. His skinny arms grew into thick muscles, making him twice as large as what he was before. His teeth not only were sharper, but more rotten and dirtier. Black claws on all four limbs capable of slicing through solid steel.

"WHO DISTURBS CEDIAMON'S SLUMBER?"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Cediamon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Sonic Yawn, Giga Impact**

**Description: Cediamon is known to be the laziest Digimon ever. He sleeps almost a hundred percent of the day. But once disturbed, he becomes an uncontrolled beast that's almost impossible to stop. His Sonic Yawn attack sends the Digimon who had awoken him to sleep for all eternity.**

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed!" Lobomon joked after taking out both of his weapons.

"You could've just left him alone, huh?" Lowemon glanced at his partner, wordlessly telling him that this was his fault.

"WHY DID YOU WAKE ME UP? I WAS HAVING A NICE DREAM!"

"Jeez! Sorry!" apologized the Warrior of Light, still pointing one of his swords at the crazed sloth.

"If you like, go back to sleep!" The humanoid lion ordered. "We're just trying to get you to safety..."

"TOO MUCH WORK! THANKS TO YOU IDIOTS, NOW I CAN'T GO BACK TO SLEEP YOU SHALL PAY DEARLY!"

"I was afraid of that!" groaned Lobomon.

"SONIC YAWN!"

The mammal unleashed a terrifying roar, releasing powerful sonic airwaves at his opponents. Both Legendary Warriors tried to stand their ground, but the force was too strong. Lobomon and Lowemon dropped their weapons and were sent flying into the wall behind them. On the other side, Cediamon dashed toward his opponents with his sharp claws out, ready to slice both Warriors into threes.

Thankfully, the Digimon of Light and Darkness moved out of the way just in time. Cediamon missed both Warriors by only a few inches. On the other hand, the muscular monkey left behind three deep cuts on the walls. Although Lowemon and Lobomon didn't show it, they were relieved they had evaded that last move. If they had reacted any slower, it would've been a fatal hit.

"Alright! Now it's our turn!" Both Warriors declared. Large amounts of data cocooned their body. Inside, Lobomon and Lowemon started to change.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!"

Moments later, KendoGarurumon and JagerLowemon appeared before the cranky Ultimate.

"LUPINE LASER!" ||| "EBONY BLAST!"

The Beast Warriors launched their attacks toward the enemy. By combining the powers of Light and Darkness, the laser and energy blast intertwined with one another. As a result, the projectile attack doubled in strength. Unfortunately, Cediamon took the attack head on without feeling any pain. Of course, getting hit only ticked off the deranged Digimon.

"THAT'S IT! GET OVER HERE, YOU MORONIC COWARDS!"

"Who's he calling 'coward?' We're taking the fight to him, right?" asked the armored wolf.

Suddenly, Cediamon gained a burst of speed and sprinted toward the Beasts of Light and Darkness with malicious intent in his red eyes.

"Right! I think it's time for a tactical retreat!" JagerLowemon suggested.

As much as they hated to, the Legendary Warriors turned the other way and ran as fast as they could to get some distance. Every now and then, they would turn to see if the insane sloth was catching up to them. Sadly, he was. Not only was Cediamon was right on their tails, but he was also getting faster by the second. Saliva drooled out of his mouth like a wild animal.

"GYYAAAHHHH!"

The Ultimate extended both of his arms and grabbed KendoGarurumon's and JagerLowemon's tail. He lifted the Beast Warriors off of the ground like a pair of sticks. Afterwards, he repeatedly slammed them hard into the ground. The transfer of energy from their floor to their armor was massive. After the fifth slam, Cediamon tossed the armored Digimon into the walls. With his opponents dazed, the sloth went in for the kill.

"NOBODY DISTURBS MY SLUMBER!"

l - l

"Draining Rain!" The Warrior of Water cried.

Ranamon created a rain cloud above her head and directed it towards the flames closest to her. When she brought her arms down, gallons of water fell on top of the fire. Ranamon then waved her arms around, making sure that every single flame was doused. Once the whole area was contained, the female Digimon relaxed to regain her energy. She sighed frustratingly. At this rate, it'll take forever for her to extinguish the entire facility.

"Ranamon work too hard!" Grumblemon came from behind and spoke to his partner. Apparently, that didn't lighten her mood.

"Can it! I got about ten thousand more blazing areas I have to put out! Of course, I'm working my butt off! How about you help me out, for a change?"

"How can I? There be no dirt in place! Just metal, flames and your big mouth!" The Warrior of Earth replied with a smirk. Of course, that earned him a stinging slap to the face.

"Then keep your _own_ big mouth shut and make yourself useful for once!"

"And how Grumblemon supposed do that?"

"Ugh! Why was I paired with this nitwit?" Ranamon grumbled to herself.

"Hey! Me heard that!" The gnome shook his fist at his partner.

"Good for you, Sugar!"

She rudely shoved Grumblemon's shoulder with her own. Before the gnome could protest. The aquatic Digimon took the lead. Both Legendary Warriors explored the western lobbies, searching for anything they could find. The flames were getting hotter by the minute. Ranamon did as much as she could, keeping the blaze under control, spraying the wildfires with gallons of water.

They checked every room they passed by to see if there were any Digimon that needed rescuing. But so far, there was no one inside. Ranamon thought that the other Digimon had already escaped before they arrived. Either that, or someone else must've rescue them. Still, they pressed onward. Until their entire area has been searched, both Legendary Warriors refused to stop.

"Anything, rock head?" The aquatic Digimon asked her partner.

"Stop calling Grumblemon that name! It annoying!" argued the Warrior of Earth.

"Fine! Want me to call you 'dummy' instead?"

"As long as me call you 'ugly!' How's that, Ranamon?"

"You little brat! How dare you..."

"STAY BACK! NO! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" A loud voice cried, interrupting the Legendary Warriors' argument.

"Did you hear that, Sugar? Sounds like someone's in trouble!"

"It came from that way!" The gnome pointed straight ahead. "Follow Grumblemon!"

This time, the aquatic Warrior didn't complain. She and her partner dashed through the blazing hallways, searching for whatever Digimon that cried for help. The further they explored the facility, the louder the noise grew. Both Warriors had a feeling that there's an extremely powerful Digimon waiting for them when they arrived. They were both excited and nervous at the same time.

"TWIN BEAM!" A different voice shouted.

When Ranamon and Grumblemon turned the corner, they saw a Mekanorimon firing a long, reddish positron laser from the central compartment of his body. But then the Legendary Warriors looked to see who the tank was firing at. It was giant Cyclops with black, knight's helmet protecting his head. He didn't need much armor, since his sand colored skin was thick enough to deflect all kinds of attacks. Muscular arms and legs intimidated Mekanorimon.

"Now, what could that be?"

"RAAWWWRRRR!" The one-eyed Digimon growled.

He grabbed the machine-like creature with both hands and started to pull apart the helpless victim. Mekanorimon howled in pain, feeling like his entire body was about to be ripped in half. Meanwhile, Ranamon gasped with her hands over her mouth. She couldn't believe she was watching such cruelty. As for Grumblemon, he had his eyes closed, not wanting to see the devastation.

Mekanorimon was immediately destroyed. The Cyclops gulped the creature's data without any remorse.

"We do something now!" Grumblemon pushed his fears aside and ordered his partner.

"Seriously, Sugar? What can we do against that monster?"

"Hey! We a team for reason! We work together, victory ours! See?"

"I don't know, rock head! Maybe we should fall back and get help!" suggested Ranamon.

"No time for that! You and me take care of giant now!"

"Are you sure, Honey? What makes you think the two of us can take on the gigantic gruesome all by ourselves?"

"We be fine! You can count on Grumblemon!" The Warrior of Earth smiled at his partner. The gnome then brought out one of his sledgehammers and ran toward the on-eyed Digimon.

"Yeah... like you can count on your fingers." The aquatic Digimon murmured before following her teammate. As she approached the giant, Ranamon criticizing herself for making probably the stupidest decisions of her life.

The sound of Grumblemon's war cry caught the attention of the Cyclops. But Grumblemon wanted the large Digimon to look at him in the eyes when he smashed his skull. The Warrior of Earth brought his weapon down with a tremendous amount of velocity. The spiked end of the gnome's sledgehammer collided with the top part of the giant's head.

"HUH?" The Cyclops grunted.

"Uh-oh!" Grumblemon gulped. Unfortunately, the gargantuan grabbed the Legendary Warrior by the waist and tossed him aside, into Ranamon. Both Digimon tumbled on the ground and slammed into the walls.

"Nng! Get off me, Sugar! You weigh a ton!" The Warrior of Water complained, trying to push the heavy Digimon off of her body.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" The one-eyed creature roared at the Legendary Warriors.

"Way to go, rock head! Now you made him angry!" Ranamon slapped her partner's face for his stupidity.

"YOU WON'T LIKE IRAMON WHEN HE'S ANGRY!" The enormous creature howled.

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Iramon**

**Level: Ultimate**

**Attacks: Fury Rage, Tornado Crush**

**Description: The last thing many Digimon want is to make Iramon mad. His irrational behavior and uncontrollable anger makes him one of the scariest creatures in all of the Digital World. His Tornado Crush sucks his opponents in so they can face his terrifying wrath.**

Suddenly, the Cyclops unleashed another intimidating roar, symbolizing an increase in power. His sand colored skin turned in red. Bloodshot veins could be seen on the monster's pupil. His arms, legs and entire body increased in size and thickness. As Iramon transformed, the Legendary Warriors dropped in their battle stance. While Grumblemon looked like he's ready for a fight, Ranamon was starting to have second thoughts.

"Me try again! SEISMIC SLEDGE!" The gnome hollered.

Grumblemon rushed toward Iramon with his arms back, ready to take another crack at his opponent's skull. Instead of waiting for his opponent to come to him, the Cyclops went after the Legendary Warrior. Iramon pounced on top of the opponent and barraged him with ferocious hooks to his face. Grumblemon tried to push the giant off of his body, but the one-eyed Digimon had the advantage in weight and leverage.

"A little help... UGH... here, Ranamon! NGH!" The gnome cried.

"And what do want me to do"? Risk my pretty face so we can delay our destruction!" The aquatic Digimon asked.

"HURRY UP!"

"Fine! You asked for it, Sugar! DRAINING RAIN!"

Once again, the Warrior of Water created another nimbus cloud appeared above the two Digimon. Without warning, Ranamon commanded gallons of murky water to fall on top of the Cyclops and the Warrior of Earth. Iramon stopped his onslaught of punches to his opponent and leered at the female Digimon who got him soaked. Meanwhile, Grumblemon was struggling to catch his breath, despite Ranamon's downpour on him.

"WATER GIRL MADE IRAMON MAD!" The giant howled toward the second Legendary Water. The moment Iramon called out Ranamon, she instantly stopped her attack.

"Uh... Hehe, sorry?" The Warrior of Water tried to apologize.

"IRAMON BREAK WATER GIRL'S NECK!"

Before Ranamon could get her defenses up, the Cyclops closed the distance and grabbed the aquatic Digimon by the throat with both hands. As promised, Iramon squeezed tight on the Legendary Warrior's neck, determined to snap it in half. Ranamon kicked her legs about, but could not do anything against the powerful grip of her opponent.

"Can't... breathe..." The Digimon of Water gasped for air.

"Hey! Let Ranamon go, dorkus!" Grumblemon quickly recovered and shouted toward the Ultimate. He picked up his sledgehammer and ran toward Iramon to rescue his partner.

Grumblemon swung his weapon like an axe at the creature's large legs, attempting to chop them down as if it were a giant tree. Iramon felt something tapping at his lower extremity. He lets out a mild huff before throwing Ranamon into the Warrior of Earth. Again, both Digimon tumbled on the ground until the wall brought them to a sudden halt.

"You welcome!" The gnome sighed.

"Why should I be thanking you? You're so dumb, you can't outwit a nitwit!"

"Shut mouth, Ranamon!"

"Make me, Sugar!"

"TORNADO CRUSH!"

Iramon's voice captured Ranamon's and Grumblemon's attention. The Cyclops spun around like a top with his fist extended in both directions. By doing so, he created a powerful wind force, sucking everything in the area. Ceiling panels, and other equipment were drawn toward the cyclone. But when it shot out of the vortex, it was wrecked into tiny pieces.

Both Legendary Warriors tried to hold their ground. They had to think of something. Otherwise, Iramon would claim them as his next victims of his wrath.

l - l

"Hang on! I'm coming!" Agunimon shouted toward a scared Chibomon.

The Warrior of Flame had found the Baby stage Digimon all alone in an empty room. The moment he heard the young creature crying for help, Agunimon didn't hesitate. Getting inside the corridor was easy. But getting out was more of a challenge. The intense flames had already blocked their only way out. And if that weren't enough, the roof was about to come down on top of their heads if they don't escape.

Still, that didn't stop Agunimon from smiling at the terrified Digimon.

"Everything's going to be fine! Just hold on to me, okay?" The Legendary Warrior said. Chibomon nodded and braced himself for whatever the fiery Digimon was about to do.

Suddenly, Agunimon dashed toward the wall of flames that blocked the entrance. After cradling the young creature tight in his arms, the Legendary Warrior dove toward the blaze. Because fire was his natural element, the inferno did not harm him or the Digimon he was carrying. Agunimon zoomed out of the room, just when the whole ceiling came down. Kazemon appeared shortly after with a Swanmon accompanying her.

"Chibomon!" The armored bird burst into tears when she saw the young Digimon unharmed. She quickly took the tiny creature from Agunimon and gave him a big hug.

"Hurry! You have to get out of here!" instructed the lavender haired butterfly. Swanmon nodded and did what she was told, holding Chibomon tightly underneath her wings.

"Any news, Z? I sure could use some good ones right about now!" Agunimon gazed at his partner. But Kazemon shook her head.

"Nothing! I can't seem to find Swiftmon or Eldestmon anywhere!"

"Is it possible that they've already escaped before we got here?"

"Perhaps! What do we do now? Should we keep looking or find the other Warriors?"

"Hmm, maybe we should search for..."

*chump, chump, chump, chump*

The sound soldiers marching in perfect unison bounced around the area. Bokomon and Neemon embraced in each other tightly in fear, afraid of the creatures approaching them. The Legendary Warriors dropped in their stance and waited for the enemy to appear. As the noise grew louder, the closer Agunimon and Kazemon drew toward each other.

Suddenly, an infantry of one hundred commandos. Their adobe colored skin matched that of a corpse. Their only piece of clothing was a long, purple cloak. However, each creature had whitish mask that covered their nose and mouth. Their weapons ranged from scythes to short swords. While it looked like these demons appeared to be zombies, their marching was in perfect sync with each other.

"What are those things?" The Warrior of Wind questioned.

"More bad news, I bet!" Agunimon groaned.

"Do you think they're here to destroy us?"

"They sure don't look like they want our autograph!"

Sure enough, one of the front soldiers swung his weapon at the Legendary Warriors. The couple leaped backwards to avoid the attack. They landed smoothly on their feet and dropped to their defensive positions.

"Not the friendliest of bunches, are they?" The Digimon of Flame spoke.

"I wonder why those things are mad at us." The lavender haired butterfly questioned.

"Maybe it's because we're Legendary Warriors?"

"Oh! Make sense to me, now that you put it that way!"

Agunimon and Kazemon gave each other a quick smile for reassurance.

"Good luck, Z!" The Warrior of Flame gave his girlfriend the thumbs-up sign.

"Be careful, Takky!" The lavender haired beauty nodded.

Suddenly, the two dispersed to take on the army of demon soldiers.

Agunimon didn't wait to get the fight started. He unleashed a vicious punch to one of the creature's chest, creating a small hole in the soldier's body. The fiery Digimon ducked underneath a short sword that was aimed at his neck. But when Agunimon recovered, he gave his attacker a devastating punch to the demon's midsection. The masked creature bounced off the wall and slumped to the floor.

The Warrior of Flame then sensed someone was coming from his blindside. He lifted both of his arms up and instinctively caught the sword by the body. After the fiery Digimon turned and yanked the weapon out of his opponent's hands, he grabbed the soldier by the arms and spun quickly around in circles, using the commando as a weapon to knock the other creatures backwards.

On the other side, Kazemon was having no problems handling her set of demon infantry. First, she used her Hurricane Wave to blow about a quarter of the army off the ground and into the ceiling. When the soldiers hit the ground, the panels above collapsed on top of them. The humanoid butterfly turned toward the remaining demons, wordlessly telling them to come get her.

The foot soldiers then charged toward the Warrior of Wind with their weapons raised high. Kazemon quickly transitioned to a handstand and spread her lower extremities out wide. She spun around as fast as she could, ready to put her powerful legs to good use. The masked creatures that got in the way were sent tumbling towards the side walls, creating a small dent upon impact.

Agunimon and Kazemon quickly regrouped moments later.

"This shouldn't be too hard!" The female Warrior smirked.

What happened next to the demons wiped off the grin off of Kazemon's face.

The soldiers that were previously beaten by the Legendary Warriors were back on their feet, completely unharmed like they came back to life. All of the injuries they had sustained had already been healed. Whether it's deformed spines or holes in their stomachs, the whole infantry were ready marched toward Agunimon and Kazemon, with a mission to annihilate them.

"You were saying?" The fiery Digimon glanced back at his beloved.

"Okay... maybe not!" Kazemon corrected herself.

It wasn't long before the army of hundred surrounded the Legendary Warriors.

"Now what do we do, Takuya?" The lavender haired beauty asked as she stood back-to-back with her boyfriend.

"There's got to be a way to beat these bozos!" Agunimon spoke.

"But how?"

He scanned his around to look for an escape route. Sadly, there weren't any. Every conceivable exit has been cut off. And it appeared as if the Legendary Warriors were on their own, since there weren't any other Digimon to help them.

The commandos closed the distance, giving the couple only a few feet of room to work with. The masked Digimon were about gang up on the Legendary Warriors, when...

"DIAMOND CUTTER!"

There was a five second pause. Suddenly, the second-in-command of the Digimon Battlefront appeared before Agunimon and Kazemon with both of his bladed weapons unsheathed. The warrior spun both of his swords before returning them to their original position. The cross-guards made contact with the scabbard's throat, producing a loud *clink* sound.

The white masks cracked and fell off of their faces. One by one, the army of demons collapsed to ground and disappeared. Their bodies began to decay until they're nothing left. When the last commando had fallen, the swordsman refocused his attention back to the Legendary Warriors.

"Swiftmon!" Agunimon smiled.

"Thank goodness you two are alright! When did you get back?" The warrior questioned.

"Not too long ago! But we did rescued all three Celestial Digimon!" The fiery Digimon replied.

"Where are they now?"

"They're with Bokomon and Neemon! We left them outside, where it's safe!"

The swordsman nodded, silently congratulating the Legendary Warriors.

"What going on here, Swiftmon? Who were those things?" Kazemon questioned.

"Evilemon! Nasty Digimon whose persistence makes them one of the deadliest creatures of all!"

**Digimon Analyzer:**

**Name: Evilemon**

**Level: Champion**

**Attacks: Soul Demolition, Venom Crest**

**Description: The Evilemon are known as the Devourers of Life. They feed on Digimon who have already passed on, getting stronger with each soul they eat. As long as there's life in the Digital World, their keep feasting on helpless Digimon. Their Venom Crest attack is said to be one of the worst ways to die.**

"Their weakness is the mask they wear! You remove the mask, they lose their power!" Swiftmon continued.

"Good to know!" Agunimon said when he and his girlfriend spotted about twenty more Evilemon approaching them.

The Warrior of Flame dashed toward the infantry and pulled his arm back. By following Swiftmon's instruction, the fiery Digimon landed a solid punch on at least five of the creatures' faces. It took one hit to break the white masks they were wearing.

Meanwhile, Kazemon used her Tempest Twist for the second time. She angled her legs slightly upward, which allowed to kick off the masks the demons' heads. Like Swiftmon said, the Evilemon lost their power and disintegrated into dust.

The lavender haired butterfly returned to a vertical base to check on her beloved. Her heart almost skipped a beat when she saw a trio of commandos closing in Agunimon's blindside without him noticing. One Evilemon viciously tackled the fiery Digimon to the ground. With Agunimon temporarily stunned, the other two pinned him down so he couldn't escape.

"TAKUYA, NO!" Kazemon cried.

The Evilemon has Agunimon in their sights and were ready to behead the Legendary Warrior. But before they could do so, three pink beams flashed into view and blasted a hole through the demons' heads, breaking the mask at the same time. The Warrior of Flame sat up and spotted another female Digimon standing from a distance, with more shots ready to go.

"No one touches Cutie, but _me_!" The now polished third-in-command declared.

"Beautymon?" Agunimon's eyes widened the moment he saw his rescuer. Their eyes met, causing the female warrior's cheeks to turn slightly red.

"CUTIE!" The olive haired beauty rushed toward the Digimon of Flame with tears forming in her eyes. Oh how she couldn't wait to plunge into his arms, to give him a warm hug, to seal his lips with her own, to...

"Back off! He's mine!" Kazemon defiantly stepped in front of the Champion.

"Out of the way, Blondie! Now!"

"MAKE ME!"

"WITH PLEASURE!"

"ENOUGH!" Swiftmon hollered to stop the two from fighting. "This isn't the time for childish arguments!"

"What is _she_ doing here anyway, Swiftmon?"

"I can ask the same thing about you, Blondie!"

"Allow me to explain!" The second-in-command spoke. "I was the one who freed Beautymon! As you can see, this is an emergency! The Digimon Battlefront is in great danger! With so much chaos in the facility and over a thousand Evilemon on the loose, we going to need reinforcements! That's why Beautymon's with us!"

"You heard that, Blondie? Now I get to be with Cutie once again!" The olive haired Digimon stuck her tongue out toward Kazemon. Before the Warrior of Wind could retaliate, Beautymon juked passed the butterfly and wrapped her arms around the fiery Digimon. "Isn't that right, handsome?"

"Uh... huh?" A confused Agunimon stared dumbly at Beautymon before glancing at an angry Kazemon. He could've sworn he saw steam coming out of the top of her head.

Realizing that there's a dire situation going on right now, the Warrior of Flame gazed back at Swiftmon.

"I still don't understand! How did the whole Digimon Battlefront Headquarters end up like this? How did a thousand Evilemon get in here? And who's causing all of this chaos?" Agunimon bombarded the swordsman with questions.

At first, the warrior didn't say anything. His eyes stared at the floor, filled with skepticism and disbelief. The silence worried the Legendary Warriors. None of them had any idea who were they up against.

But all it took for Swiftmon was one word; more specifically, one name. And the very mention of that one name made everyone in the area tense up with anger and fear.

"Malevomon!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's the end of chapter sixty-nine. <strong>

**With Malevomon and four other powerful Digimon on the loose, who knows if the Legendary Warriors can win! Can Takuya and his friends stop the malicious sovereign before he enters the Human World? Or it be the end for both worlds? These questions will be answered in the next chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	70. Betrayal

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**When Takuya and the others returned home, they find the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters had caught fire. The Legendary Warriors try to rescue everyone inside. But unfortunately, four extremely powerful Ultimates had to ruin the party. Meanwhile, Agunimon and Kazemon continued to search for their friends. They ended up running into a large army of Evilemon, relentless foot soldiers that kept going after the Warriors of Wind and Flame. Just when Agunimon and Kazemon were about to swarmed, guess who comes in to make the save? Swiftmon and Beautymon. Things are about to get intense, now that Malevomon's on the loose.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter seventy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Betrayal<strong>

**Normal POV:**

Kazemon looked like she was going to faint. The Warrior of Wind couldn't believe her ears. Can it be true? Is the Digital World's cruelest and most feared creature the one responsible for creating all of this mayhem and chaos? Kazemon shook her head, refusing to believe it. But then again, what other Digimon could cause this kind of madness in such a short amount of time?

Agunimon, however, was as speechless as his beloved. There's no way that the former, malicious sovereign was behind all of this destruction. The last time he fought the evil Digimon, he won on enemy territory. The Legendary Warrior remembered transforming into EmperorGreymon and blowing a whole through that creep's brains. That one blast should've finished him.

But now, according to Swiftmon, Malevomon's back.

"YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" The Warrior of Flame exclaimed.

"This can't be happening!" The butterfly trembled.

"How's that possible? I had already defeated Malevomon! I saw him turn into a Digi-Egg! There's no way that guy's..."

"Calm down, Legendary Warrior!" said the swordsman.

"How can I be calm at a time like this? You saw what this guy had did to thousands of innocent Digimon!" Agunimon argued.

"Oh Cutie! You're so handsome when you're worried like that!" The spacy olive haired beauty sighed as she gazed at the fiery Digimon.

"What about you, Beautymon? You were in the Containment Room with Malevomon's Digi-Egg! Why don't you explain to us what happened?" The Warrior of Wind glowered at the third-in-command, wordlessly telling her to stay away from her boyfriend.

"I don't have to explain anything to you, Blonde! Not unless you ask me nicely!" Beautymon responded with a more terrifying leer.

"Go soak your head, you old hag!"

"HAG?"

"ENOUGH!" The second-in-command shouted. The two females ceased their arguing, like Swiftmon commanded. Still, Kazemon and Beautymon kept their glares on each other.

"Actually, Beautymon..." Agunimon's voice ended the staring contest. "... I would appreciate it if you tell us how Malevomon escaped!"

"Really?" The olive haired beauty gasped upon hearing her Cutie's request.

Beautymon happily skipped toward the Warrior of Flame, completely disregarding the humanoid butterfly in her way. Kazemon never saw it coming. In a flash, the third-in-command shoved the Warrior of Wind to the ground and hopped into Agunimon's arms.

She traced circles on various spots on his armor. To Kazemon's dismay, the fiery Digimon nothing to reject Beautymon's infatuations. In response, the third-in-command playfully stuck her tongue out toward the butterfly. Beautymon then gazed back at Agunimon.

"You see, Cutie, it happened like this."

*Flashback*

_The olive haired beauty slumped against the wall and began to cry. How long has she been inside this forsaken prison? Why was she even locked up in the Containment Room anyway? Beautymon was at a loss for words. Nevertheless, it's completely humiliating for a Digimon of her prestige to be treated like a lowly prisoner._

_Her thoughts once again drift to a certain, teenage boy with goggles. Beautymon missed her Cutie so much. She longed to hear his voice, to touch him, to smell him, to taste him. But, no. While she's rotting all alone in her cell, her Cutie was in danger with that sick, nasty, disgusting blonde._

_Oh, and there was the black Digi-Egg to keep her company._

_Something didn't seemed right about that egg. Even though Malevomon was no longer a threat to her, she sensed a dark presence lurking underneath the shell. It's only a matter of time before the egg hatches. And when it does, who knows what could happen?_

_"**Hahaha!**" _

_She recognized that voice. It came from the center of the Containment Room, where the black Digi-Egg was suspended in a stasis tube. Beautymon trembled in fear. There's only one Digimon whose evil knows no bounds. Not a single creature could come close to matching this malicious being's ruthlessness and cruelty._

_*crack, crack*_

_As the black Digi-Egg started to crack, the olive haired beauty felt her heart accelerating in fear. Her chest heaved with each breath she took. The female Digimon was on the verge of tears, despite her being tough on the battlefield. Normally, she wouldn't be scared of the former malignant sovereign. But now that she's all alone, Beautymon was as good as dead._

_Moments later, the Digi-Egg opened and released all of its stored energy inside. The glass that contained the egg immediately burst in all directions. Luckily, the titanium bars of Beautymon's cell protected the female Digimon from harm. But she wasn't prepared for the sudden drop of temperature. The room was as cold as the Icicle Mountains. It's like Beautymon was inside one of the evil emperor's treacherous dungeons._

_But through the shrouds of darkness, the olive haired warrior saw a terrifying, yet familiar figure. The smirk filled with malicious intent told the whole story._

_"Hello, Beautymon."_

_"M... Malevomon!" The third-in-command gulped._

_The evil Ultimate slowly marched toward Beautymon's cell slowly, taking his time to torture the female Digimon. Beautymon tried to crawl away from the evil Digimon, but she had nowhere to go. This cruel and heartless creature was about to molest her. And the worst part was that no one's around to save her. Even her beloved Cutie was gone._

_"Come here, my dear!" The malicious ruler snickered. Malevomon used his telekinetic powers to lift the broken Digimon off of the ground. Beautymon knew she was at his mercy. There was nothing she could do to protect herself._

_"Please! Don't hurt me!" Beautymon sniveled. _

_Malevomon leaned toward the cell to get a better view of the terror written on her face. The sheer dominance over the helpless Digimon was intoxicating. He wished he could enjoy this indescribable feeling forever. The evil Digimon would love nothing more than to make her suffer._

_However, there was someone else higher on his priority list._

_"Where's the boy?" The viciousness in his voice made Beautymon quiver._

_"Wh... What?" _

_"You heard me, Beautymon! Where is the human who has defeated me in battle?"_

_"I don't know where he is! And even if I do, I will never tell you!" It took a lot of courage for her to defy Malevomon's commands. _

_"Pity." The vicious creature sighed. _

_With that, he dropped the olive haired Digimon to the ground. As the female warrior tried to compose herself, Malevomon returned to the center of the room. Each step he took shattered the remaining glass on the floor. The sharp sound made Beautymon cringe. If this ruthless Digimon did something terrible to her Cutie, she would never forgive herself._

_Suddenly, Malevomon summoned the forces of evil to create a mystical portal in the middle of the Containment Room._

_"RISE, MY MINIONS!"_

_Upon command, thousands of Evilemon marched the dimensional opening. As the demon commandos filled the room, Beautymon gazed at hideous creatures. Their grotesque appearance made the female Digimon sick to her stomach. Some of the Evilemon noticed the olive haired warrior sitting helplessly in her cell. But before any of the soldiers could slaughter the defenseless Beautymon, Malevomon proceeded with his orders._

_"Go! Create chaos and destroy every single Digimon here! In the meantime, I want you to find the human who's responsible for my humiliating defeat! Bring him to me, so I can have my revenge!"_

_The Evilemon responded by saluting to their master. Malevomon then busted down the tightly sealed entrance of the Containment Room. Whatever Digimon that was standing guard were the first victims claimed by the malignant ruler. One by one, the demon soldiers marched out of the corridor. They staggered in different directions to carry out their master's orders._

_It wasn't long before Beautymon and Malevomon were the only ones left in the Containment Room._

_"So long, my dear! I'm about to continue what I started! I'm about to take over the Digital World once again! I'll start off by destroying this pathetic headquarters of yours! And if I ever see that boy again, I'll make his demise more painful and even more humiliating! He shall pay dearly! And I'll have the pleasure with you watching! Haha! Hahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"_

_The maniacal Digimon left the Containment Room. For the second time, Beautymon was all alone._

_"Poor Cutie!" The poor Digimon said to herself. "He's in trouble! I have to help him! But how? Oh, there has to be some way I can save my precious Cutie..."_

_"Beautymon!" Another voice interrupted her thoughts._

_The third-in-command looked up and saw another familiar Digimon standing at the busted entrance of the Containment Room. Although she would never admit it out loud, Beautymon was glad to see her partner again._

_"Swiftmon!" She gasped with tears running down her face._

_"What happened here? I heard an explosion, and then I saw a bunch of strange Digimon wreaking havoc all over the facility! Tell me what's going... And where is Malevomon's Digi-Egg?"_

_"Listen to me, Swiftmon! Malevomon has returned!"_

_"What did you say?" The swordsman was taken aback by Beautymon's claim._

_"And he's going to hurt Cutie right after he conquers the Digital World!"_

_"This cannot be! How did he escape?"_

_"I don't know! I swear, Swiftmon! I have no idea! But you got to release me! Cutie is in trouble! I need to find him before Malevomon does something terrible to him! If that creep gets his hands on him, I don't know what I'll do!"_

_"Enough!" The second-in-command ordered. Either Swiftmon has already heard enough of his partner's arguments or he was getting sick and tired of listening to Beautymon's voice._

_Regrettably, the swordsman pushed a button on the walls. The cell that encaged the olive haired beauty instantly opened, freeing the third-in-command._

_"Malevomon is the main priority! If we're going after him, I'm afraid I'll need your help!" spoke the warrior._

_"Oh, thank you! Thank you, Swiftmon!" Beautymon cried, overjoyed of how understanding her partner was. _

_Moments later, the two Digimon left the Containment Room to search for the evil emperor._

*End of Flashback*

"And that's why I'm here, Cutie! I'll make sure that sick, nasty, ugly creature never lays a finger on you ever again!" Beautymon concluded.

She slowly trailing her eyes toward the lavender haired Digimon, who looked like she's about to blow a gasket. As an added insult to injury, the third-in-command trailed small circles on chestplate that shielded his muscular body. Even though not a single word escaped Agunimon's mouth, it was obvious that he was enjoying Beautymon's finger treatment. It was all in his smile.

Thankfully, Kazemon's jealous face snapped him out of his thoughts. Agunimon removed Beautymon's fingers off of his body, which made the olive haired Digimon pout.

"Oh please! You expect us to believe that?" The Warrior of Wind stared at the third-in-command with complete disbelief.

"Believe what you want, Blondie! But Swiftmon was the one who freed me! He even asked me for my help! Isn't that right, Swiftmon?" The female Digimon winked at her partner. The swordsman said nothing.

"Come on, Zoe! Cut Beautymon some slack!" The Warrior of Flame came to the olive haired beauty's defense. "Look around you! There's chaos and destruction everywhere! Who else could be behind all of this?"

"I don't know, Takuya! I just don't trust her!" Kazemon replied, keeping her eyes on Beautymon. Her intuition told her that the female Digimon was hiding something, though she couldn't figure out what.

"Frankly, I don't care if you trust me or not! But as long as that maniacal menace is running loose, I refuse to leave my Cutie's side!" The third-in-command defended.

"HE'S MINE, YOU SKANK!"

"NO, HE'S MINE!"

"ENOUGH!"

The sound of Swiftmon's voice instantly stopped the bickering.

"Look! All of this arguing isn't getting us anywhere! But Beautymon's right about one thing! Malevomon must be stopped at all cost!" declared the second-in-command.

"Where is he now?" Agunimon questioned.

"I don't know!" The swordsman replied. "But I have a feeling he's here somewhere in the facility! We have to find him before he destroys the whole Digimon Battlefront Headquarters!"

"Alright! We'll split up into teams!" suggested the Warrior of Flame.

"Sounds like a great idea, Cutie! Swiftmon and Blondie will take quadrants one and two!" Beautymon beamed as she wrapped her arms around the fiery Digimon. "While you and I explore quadrants three and four... if you know what I mean! Teehee!"

"Oh my God!" Kazemon stuck her tongue out in disgust.

"We are not splitting up!" Swiftmon commanded. His orders angered his partner, while delighted the Warrior of Wind. "Malevomon is a vile and dangerous Digimon! If we're going to stop him, we have to fight him together!"

"You can't be serious, Swiftmon! Do you expect me to cooperate with Blondie?" The third-in-command pouted.

"I'm not expecting you, Beautymon? I'm _demanding_ you!" Her superior responded. The olive haired beauty crossed her arms and mumbled something incoherent.

"Any other questions?" The swordsman asked one more time.

Agunimon and Kazemon stared at each other without saying a word. They could detect each other's nervousness. Then again, what else could they expect when they have to fight the Digital World's most feared creature of all time? This fight will not be easy. But if they're going to save the Digital World once again, they know what they must do.

"We're ready whenever you are!" The Warrior of Flame said to the swordsman.

"Alright! LET'S MOVE!"

And so, the four Digimon rushed down the blazing lobbies. Swiftmon took the lead, letting instincts lead him to the malicious sovereign. He gripped the hilt tightly, feeling apprehensive about the potential, upcoming battle. Beautymon followed closely behind her partner. Every now and then, she would gaze back at her Cutie. Fighting alongside him made her very happy. Still, why must that stinking Blondie have to tag along?

"So, the whole army of Evilemon are working for Malevomon?" Agunimon pondered.

"Correct, Legendary Warrior! They are seemed to be the Malevolent One's personal foot soldiers!"

"But I thought I took care of all of the Chaos Spheres after I first defeated them!"

"Who said they were being controlled? If you recalled, there wasn't a Chaos Sphere inside the Evilemon after I took care of them!" Swiftmon reminded.

"Then that means these Digimon are working for that Malevomon on their own free will!" analyzed Kazemon.

"Congratulations, Blondie! You finally figured out the obvious!" The olive haired warrior groaned.

"I never asked for your opinion, Beautymon!"

"Too bad! I'm giving it to you!"

"Ugh! Why am I even talking to you?" The butterfly shook her head.

"Hey, Swiftmon! Where's Eldestmon?" asked the Warrior of Flame in attempt to get the two female Digimon to stop arguing.

"I have no idea! I was on my way to his office to give Lord Eldestmon one of my reports! That's when I heard the facility's alarm! The next thing I know, hundreds of Evilemon stormed the headquarters! A few other Digimon and I tried to fight them all off, but there were too many of them! By the time I reached Lord Eldestmon's office, he was gone!"

"Is it possible that Malevomon has already took him out?" Kazemon gulped, trying not to think about the horrifying possibility.

"I doubt it! Don't worry, Z! Malevomon may be tough, but I know Eldestmon can hold his own against him! After all, he isn't the leader of the Digimon Battlefront for nothing!" Agunimon smiled.

"I hope you're right, Takuya! But what about the other Legendary Warriors? Do you think they'll be alright, now that Malevomon's on the loose?"

"They will be! Let's just hope that we find Malevomon first, before he finds one of them!"

The group checked room after room, searching either for the evil emperor or the Digimon Battlefront's leader. Sadly, each room was covered with massive walls of fire. Sometimes, the rooms were empty. Other times, there were a bunch of Digi-Eggs in the center of the room, signifying the unfortunate destruction of a few helpless Digimon that never made it.

"How terrible!" Kazemon gasped, trying hard not to cry.

"If we don't find Malevomon soon, I'm afraid the whole Digital World will end up like this!" Swiftmon spoke.

"We're not going to let that happen!" The Warrior of Flame declared.

"Oh Cutie! You're so handsome when you say stuff like that!" cooed the olive haired beauty.

"Excuse me! I'm still here!" The humanoid butterfly huffed.

"Where to now, Swiftmon?" Agunimon asked the second-in-command.

"The Briefing Room is up ahead!" replied the swordsman. "I bet Lord Eldestmon is in there! We'll searched the entire Digimon Battlefront Headquarters if we have to! Unless the evil Malevomon is back where he belongs, our world is in great dang..."

*bam*

Right in front of the group, a Digimon was blasted through one of the Briefing Room and slammed into one of the walls. When the dust had cleared, Beautymon, Swiftmon and the Legendary Warriors saw the leader of the Digimon Battlefront on the floor, covered in grime.

"Eldestmon!" Kazemon shouted as she and her friends rushed toward the old Digimon.

"Are you alright?" The Warrior of Flame asked. Unfortunately, Eldestmon remained unconscious.

"We need to get him out of here, immediately!" Swiftmon commanded. He refocused his attention toward the Digimon of Flame and Wind. "You two take Lord Eldestmon to safety while..."

"So! We meet again, Legendary Warriors!"

That voice. Filled with nothing but chillness and spite, the entire group immediately recognized who was standing behind them. One by one, they slowly turned and gazed at the one Digimon whose evil knows no bounds. The Legendary Warriors couldn't believe their eyes. They had never been more scared in their entire life. Their brains were telling them to run, yet their bodies refused to response.

Sure enough, it was the Creator of the Chaos Spheres. Everything about him remained the same, from his formal, tattered attire, to the silver mask that concealed most of his face. And yet, after all of this time, he still looked more fierce and malicious ad ever. His eyes told the story. The evil emperor was delighted to see the Legendary Warriors that humiliated him in their last battle. At the same time, he couldn't wait annihilate them once and for all.

"MALEVOMON!" The lavender haired Digimon gasped with fear.

"This can't be! How did you survive?" Agunimon growled. "I blasted a hole through your head! There's no way you should be standing!"

"Surprised? How's that for a plot twist?" The malignant sovereign snickered.

"What have you done to Lord Eldestmon?" The second-in-command glowered at the evil Digimon.

"The same thing I'm about to do to all of you!" declared the ruthless ruler. "MALEVOLENT ONSLAUGHT!"

He aimed his hand at the group of Digimon before him. An energy-filled black orb appeared on his palm, expanding and increasing in energy with each passing second. Before long, Malevomon released his ultimate attack, sending the dark powered orb toward the group.

Swiftmon had enough time to carry his superior out of harm's way. Beautymon, however, quickly tackled Agunimon to the ground to save him from Malevomon's technique. Kazemon arched backwards and watched the black orb barely sail over her head. When the Warrior of Wind returned to a neutral position, she wasn't happy to find the olive haired beauty on top of her boyfriend in a seemingly sensuous position.

"Thanks for the save, Beautymon!" Agunimon told the female Digimon.

"Oh, Cutie! There's no need to thanks me... unless _really_ want to!" The third-in-command winked. She leaned in closer. Her lips slowly approached Agunimon's. Beautymon couldn't wait to taste his sweet lips once agai...

"Really?" Kazemon's shouting snapped the fiery Warrior back to reality.

"Oops! Sorry, Z!" Agunimon apologized. The Warrior of Flame removed the olive haired warrior off of his body and quickly returned a defensive stance, unaware of Beautymon's puffy face.

"Very impressive, Legendary Warriors! You have improved ever since our last battle!" complimented the spiteful sovereign. "But it doesn't matter! It won't be long before I destroy you all one by one! Or, should I annihilate you all at once?"

"Not a chance, Malevomon!" The fiery Digimon declared. "We've defeated you once! And we can do it again!"

"Yeah! And this time, we'll make sure you never cause any pain and misery to all of the innocent Digimon ever again!" The humanoid butterfly added.

"You can't win, Malevomon! Good always triumphs evil!" proclaimed the second-in-command.

"Yeah... what he said." groaned Beautymon. She was probably the only one hesitant to fight the powerful Ultimate.

"Four against one? How pathetic! When will you Digimon ever learn?" snickered the malicious emperor.

"Then why don't we make it _five_?" An old, yet familiar voice asked.

Swiftmon, Beautymon and the Legendary Warriors looked behind and saw the leader of the Digimon Battlefront on his feet. Despite the numerous injuries he suffered, that wasn't enough to keep Eldestmon down. Agunimon and Kazemon were ecstatic to see the wise Digimon alright. Swiftmon nodded at his superior. Beautymon, however, just shrugged.

"You just don't know when to stay down! Am I right, you old geezer?" The Malevolent One shook his head while grinning.

"Until the Digital World is safe from your evil, the Digimon Battlefront and the Legendary Warriors will keep on fighting! We will stop you!" declared Eldestmon.

"You creatures are more foolish than I thought! Haven't you forgotten who I am? Clearly, you have underestimated my powers! Behold!"

The Ultimate opened a mystic portal. Before long, hundreds of more demon soldiers marched out of the rift. As the top three members of the Digimon Battlefront and the Legendary Warriors dropped in their battle stance, a total of five hundred Evilemon surrounded the small group of five. And with the ruthless ruler backing them up, the odds were heavily in favor on the side of evil.

"Even the five of you won't be able to handle all of my minions! Now if you excuse me, I have some business to attend to!" The malicious Digimon laughed. "Ta-ta, you fools! HAHAHAHA!"

Slowly, the maniacal sovereign disappeared in the blazing wall of fire. The Evilemon in the front pointed toward the group of five, wordlessly ordering the rest of the troops to attack. All at once, the large army rushed toward the Legendary Warriors and Digimon Battlefront.

"Orders, sir?" The second-in-command turned toward his superior.

"Malevomon must be stopped! You four go on ahead! I'll keep his soldiers busy!" spoke Eldestmon.

"Aw, can we please stay? I want show Cutie some of my moves!" The female Digimon pleaded.

"Not now, Beautymon! We have to find Malevomon before he causes any more damage!" Agunimon said.

"Then, GO!" The leader of the Battlefront commanded. "CHAINS OF SUPREMACY!"

Eldestmon stomped his right foot on the canvas. Suddenly, Chrome Digizoid chains burst from the ground. The metallic links zoomed down the center row and pushed the battalion of demons into the walls, subduing them. Eldestmon focused his energy to keep the struggling commandos pinned. The leader of the Battlefront turned toward the Legendary Warriors.

"Hurry! I can't hold them much longer!" He commanded.

Without being told twice, the Legendary Warriors charged toward the open path. Ahead of them were about twenty Evilemon that happened to move out of the way at the last minute when Eldestmon used his attack. But Swiftmon used his Diamond Cutter attack to destroy half of the group in a matter of seconds. Beautymon fired a few of her Beautiful Beams to annihilate five more of the soldiers. Agunimon and Kazemon took care of the rest.

"Follow me!" The second-in-command instructed.

The rest of the group complied and stayed behind the swordsman. Kazemon and Agunimon looked back to check on the old Digimon. The last thing they saw before turning the corner was the large army of Evilemon breaking Eldestmon's chains and pouncing on the Battlefront's leader.

Swiftmon and the others dashed through the lobbies to continue their search for the malicious emperor. They happened to know where he was going because of the trail of Digi-Eggs he left behind. It was a terrible sight. Everywhere Malevomon went, a large number of innocent Digimon suffered.

"So, does anybody know exactly how we're going to beat this guy?" The third-in-command asked with a mild amount of enthusiasm in her tone.

"We'll think of something! And when I said _we_, I don't mean you, Beautymon!" Kazemon replied, keeping her eyes on the female Digimon.

"Hey, I got it!" The fiery Digimon exclaimed. "I need to transform into EmperorGreymon! I was able beat that creep when we unified the Spirits!"

"That's right, Takuya!" The Warrior of Wind agreed. "We need to find the other Legendary Warriors! With the ten of us together, there's no way that evil Digimon can defea..."

"There's no time!" The second-in-command interrupted. "I found Malevomon! He's heading toward the Digiporter Room! We have stop him right now!"

Ahead of them the ruthless ruler, forcibly removing the doors with his telekinetic abilities. Malevomon was not surprised to find a few Digimon inside the room. With one swipe of his hand, he sent a majority of the creatures slamming hard into the wall. The evil emperor finished them off by absorbing all of their Fractal Code, which resulted in them turning into Digi-Eggs.

"It feels good to be back!" He chuckled.

The Ultimate checked the room once again and noticed that only one Digimon was still alive. Gotsumon crawled on his hands and knees toward one of the control panels that was still intact. The Rookie had his eyes on a red button that's to be pressed in case of an emergency. If he could reach it...

"Not so fast, you insignificant pest!"

Gotsumon was only a few feet away from the emergency button, when Malevomon effortlessly pulled him back. The spiteful Ultimate telekinetically lifted the helpless Rookie off the ground. The evil sovereign approached the poor Digimon in midair and gave him a cruel smirk, his patent sign that their destruction was imminent.

"This won't hurt... much!" Malevomon said to Gotsumon as he charged up for a Malevolent Onslaught attack at point-blank range.

"Wanna bet?"

A pair of fireballs nailed the malicious emperor in the chest, forcing him to drop his captive. Malevomon refocused his attention toward the approaching Legendary Warriors, with Swiftmon and Beautymon following behind them. Meanwhile, Gotsumon mustered all of the energy he could to crawl to away from Malevomon.

"How nice of you to show up! Hmm, maybe I can spare a few minutes making you weaklings suffer!" The ruthless ruler grinned.

"The only one here that's going to suffer is you, Malevomon!" The Warrior of Flame roared. Two more fireballs appeared on both of his knuckles.

"PYRO PUN... WHOA!"

Agunimon never got a chance to unleash his attack. Malevomon aimed his hand at the Legendary Warrior and hurled him into the ceiling. After throwing him back on the canvas, the evil Digimon threw the fiery Digimon into another room. Agunimon bounced on the floor until he crashed into the opposite wall. A bunch of ceiling panels collapsed on top of the Warrior of Flame, temporarily taking him out of the fight.

"CUTIE!" The third-in-command felt her heart skip a beat.

"Stay focused, Beautymon!" The swordsman ordered. Sadly,

Beautymon disobeyed. Instead of standing her ground, she ran off to check on Agunimon, much to the second-in-command's dismay.

"Unbelievable!" groaned the lavender haired butterfly. Kazemon gazed back to the evil Digimon. The look in her eyes told the Malevolent One that she was not thrilled to see him.

"Hello, my child! How long has it been since I last heard you scream?" Malevomon smirked.

"Give it a rest, you jerk! I'm not afraid of you anymore!" The Warrior of Wind exclaimed.

"Silly girl! It's not me you should be afraid of! It's what I'm about to do to you!"

"You'll have to beat us first, Malevomon!" Swiftmon charged toward the wicked Ultimate with both broadswords in hand.

"DIAMOND CUTTER!"

The second-in-command disappeared upon declaring his attack. But Malevomon was unfazed. He had seen Swiftmon's signature attack so many times, he knew exactly how to counter it. Malevomon felt the swordsman's blades scratching the surface of his skin. Then again, it'll take about a thousand more strikes if Swiftmon was going to do some real damage.

"Nice try, pretty boy!" Malevomon huffed.

The malignant Ultimate unleashed a backhanded strike a few degrees to his right. One would believe that he was blindly guessing where the second-in-command was. But that's not Malevomon style. He recognized the swordsman's pattern, which gave him the advantage. A grin of satisfaction appeared on the evil emperor's face when he felt the backside of his fist nailed Swiftmon on the cheek, sending him tumbling down the halls.

With Swiftmon knocked unconscious and Beautymon caring for the daze Agunimon at the moment, Kazemon was left all by herself against the malicious Digimon.

"How would you like to be destroyed, my child? Would you prefer it to be quick and painless, or slow and painful?" Malevomon asked.

"How about 'none of the above?'" The Warrior of Wind boldly responded. Without hesitation, she flew toward the ruthless ruler.

Kazemon started off the attack with a barrage of hard sidekicks all over the Ultimate's head and midsection. Surprisingly, each successful kick shoved Malevomon backwards several feet. She continued the assault as she pushed the evil Digimon back into the Digiporter Room. After landing a backflip kick to her opponent's chin, the humanoid butterfly landed in a handstand and spread her legs out wide.

"TEMPEST TWIST!"

She spun around on axis at an incredible velocity. The Warrior of Wind approached the malignant Ultimate, ready to do more damage. Kazemon was only inches away from her opponent, when...

"It's useless!"

Malevomon reached out and, with perfect timing, caught one of the lavender haired Warrior's legs. He could sense her fear, knowing that he has her right where he wanted her. Kazemon wasn't prepared for what the evil emperor had in store.

First, Malevomon brought the helpless Legendary Warrior close and delivered a ferocious punch to her exposed belly, knocking the wind out of the butterfly. He followed up with a soccer kick to her unprotected head. The force of the kick sent poor Kazemon crashing into the ceiling, taking out a few panels upon impact. She would've landed hard on the unforgiving canvas, if Malevomon hadn't caught her by the throat.

"It's one of my rare mistakes prolong your suffering! But now, I'm going to finish you off once and for all!" growled the evil Ultimate, tightening his grip on the Warrior of Wind's neck.

"Can't... *cough* breathe..." Kazemon gagged.

But the malicious sovereign refused. He would not release his captive until she has suffocated. Kazemon kicked her legs about, doing everything she could for another breath of air. Unfortunately, Malevomon wouldn't show her any mercy. The evil emperor was determined to destroy the Legendary Warriors, starting with her.

"AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

Malevomon was caught off-guard when another Digimon blindsided him, forcing to release the humanoid butterfly. Kazemon landed on her side. She clutched her throat and coughed profusely for air. It took a while for her to recover. But when the Warrior of Wind turned toward Malevomon, she noticed him fighting with none other than her beloved.

"I won't let you hurt Zoe anymore!" The Warrior of Flame told the evil emperor.

"Takuya!" Kazemon exclaimed.

"How dare you Legendary Weaklings defy me?" Malevomon roared.

Agunimon retaliated with a front kick to his opponent's gut. But the malignant Digimon leaped backwards to avoid the hit. As Malevomon returned to a vertical base, Kazemon and her boyfriend regrouped. They leered at the evil emperor, trying to come up with ways to take him out. But seeing the Legendary Warriors drop in the defensive stance made the malicious creature chuckle.

"There's no way you can win, Malevomon! Not when we have each other!" Agunimon declared.

"Now, where have I heard that speech before?" snickered the vicious Ultimate.

"We won't stop until the whole Digital World is safe from your evil!" The Warrior of Wind proclaimed.

"Huh? _Just_ the Digital World?" Malevomon gazed at his opponents with interest. "Haha! Hahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Agunimon and Kazemon stared blankly at each other. Either the evil emperor has lost it, or he has something even more sinister planned. Moments later, Beautymon and a fully recovered Swiftmon rejoined the two Legendary Warriors. The four of them watched the merciless creature laughing maniacally, like he has gone insane.

"Can somebody please shut him up?" The third-in-command complained.

"Everyone! Do not let your guard down!" ordered Swiftmon. The other three complied.

Finally, Malevomon stopped laughing. But the look filled with malicious intent remained.

"Foolish humans! You think I'll be satisfied with being ruler of just one world? Haha! Oh, no! I'm setting my goals to newer heights! Why should I conquer _one_ world, when I have the power to rule _two_?"

"What is he talking about?" Kazemon wondered.

But Agunimon had already figured it out.

"No! It can't be! Don't tell me you're thinking about conquering the Human World too!" The Warrior of Flame growled.

"Very perceptive of you!" The evil Digimon responded, making Agunimon and Kazemon gulp nervously.

"Why, Malevomon? Is the Digital World not enough for you?" asked Swiftmon.

"At first, yes! But if it wasn't for those wretched kids, I would have never known the potential power these humans could possess! Think about it! Malevomon, ruler of the Digital World and the Human World! With every human and Digimon under my command, nobody would dare challenge me! HAHAHAHAHA!"

"That's it! He has officially gone crazy!" Beautymon announced.

"We have to stop him, Takuya!" spoke the humanoid butterfly. "I don't how he plans to go to the Human World! But we have to protect our friends and family!"

"Don't worry, Z!" The fiery Digimon smiled at his beloved. "Malevomon's not going anywhere! His evil reign ends now!"

"Got a plan?" The second-in-command gazed at the Legendary Warrior.

"Yeah! And if the four of us work together, this should be a piece of cake!" Agunimon nodded.

As the Digimon of Flame relay his plan with the others, Malevomon watched on with his signature grin. Instead of attacking right away, he waited patiently for his opponents to make their move. He wanted to see what kind of plan of attack they're coming up with. Of course, Malevomon knew it would fail in the end. Still, it provided him some amusement.

"It doesn't matter what you fools try! Even the four of you combined don't have enough power to defeat me!" The evil ruler proclaimed.

"We'll see about that, Malevomon!" shouted the Warrior of Flame. He quickly glanced back at the others one last time, checking to see if they understand what to do. "You guys ready?

"Ready!" nodded his girlfriend.

"Count on me, Cutie!" Beautymon gave the fiery Digimon a wink.

Swiftmon, on the other hand, looked unconvinced.

"I'm not sure, Legendary Warrior! I have a feeling this isn't going to work! Malevomon's way too powerful! I know he has something up his sleeve!" The second-in-command objected.

"We have to try! If we don't stop him now, then all of our friends in the Human World and the Digital World will be destroyed! This could be our only chance!" Agunimon argued.

"Please, Swiftmon? Trust Cutie!" pleaded Beautymon.

"Well..." The swordsman groaned.

"Ugh! I grow tired of waiting! It's time I annihilate you weaklings for good!" declared the malicious sovereign. In his right hand, a black orb filled with evil energy appeared.

"MALEVOLENT ONSLAUGHT!"

Suddenly, Malevomon unleashed his devastating attack toward the group.

"Alright, guys! You know what to do!" Agunimon told his friends. Everyone nodded and scattered into different directions, successfully avoiding the Malevolent Onslaught.

The plan was already was underway.

"Here goes nothing!" The Warrior of Flame said to himself, gathering all of his courage. He was the first part of the plan. It may be the most suicidal, but somebody's got to do it.

"PYRO PUNCH!"

Agunimon started off by throwing a couple fireballs at the vicious creature. But Malevomon allowed himself to get hit by the flames, knowing that the Legendary Warrior's attack would not harm him. That still didn't stop the fiery Digimon from advancing. Now, he's bringing the fight to the enemy. Agunimon unleashed a fast barrage of punches, hooks and uppercuts to the evil Ultimate.

"It's useless, boy! You can't hit me! I can see your every move before you make them!" Malevomon smirked as he easily dodged all of Agunimon's attacks. It got worse for the Legendary Warrior when the malignant Digimon caught both of his fists with his hands. Malevomon tightened his grip, forcing the Agunimon on one knee.

"You think a head-on attack was going to work? Hmph! You're more misguided than I thought!" The malicious emperor growled.

"You think I didn't know that?" The Warrior of Flame responded with a smile. He then looked over his shoulder, where Beautymon and Kazemon were standing by.

"GIRLS, NOW!"

"Just because we're a team, doesn't mean I have to like you!" said the olive haired beauty.

"Better believe it! This is only a temporary truce until we beat Malevomon!" The butterfly agreed.

For the first time ever, the two female Digimon worked together.

"PETAL DANCE!" ||| "HURRICANE WAVE!"

Thousands of flower petals fluttered out of Beautymon's sleeve, scattering all around the Digiporter Room. Meanwhile, the Warrior of Wind created a bunch of pink tornadoes from her fingertips. Instead of throwing them at her opponent like she normally does, she waved her arms around to capture all of the petals around the room. Next, the lavender haired butterfly maneuvered the heap of colored leaves over the evil Digimon.

"See ya!" Agunimon winked at the enemy.

He then gave Malevomon a front kick to his chest. While it did no significant damage, it did force him to release Agunimon's hands. Once he was out of the way, Kazemon threw her hands down, which caused the pile of petals to fall on top on top of the evil Digimon.

"Ready, Z?" The Warrior of Flame gazed at his girlfriend.

"Let's do it!" The Warrior of Wind nodded.

Large amounts of Fractal Code cocooned the couple, transforming them to their Beast Warrior forms.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!"

When the encasement of data dispersed, BurningGreymon and Zephyrmon were ready to proceed to the next part of the plan.

"WILDFIRE TSUNAMI!" ||| "HURRICANE GALE!"

The Beast Warriors of Flame and Wind combined their attacks to form a massive, fiery twister. The blazing cyclone incinerated the pile of petals that Malevomon was trapped underneath. The evil Digimon could feel the intense heat radiating from every conceivable direction. BurningGreymon and Zephyrmon heard the almighty Digimon yelping in pain as the flames increased in temperature.

"YEEEOOOOOWWWWWWW!"

Once the flames died down, the evil Ultimate was grimacing on one knee. He was covered with burn marks from head to toe. The evil Digimon leered at the Legendary Warriors for humiliating him once again.

"You miserable insects! You shall pay dearly for this!" Malevomon screamed as he charged up for another one of his devastating attacks. "MALEVOLENT ON... UGH!"

Beautymon quickly shut him up with a Beautiful Beam to his chest, sending him flying into a couple of machines. BurningGreymon and Zephyrmon glanced back at the female Digimon, who replied with a simple hair flick.

"What? Don't I get a shot?" She huffed. The winged beast rolled her eyes.

As the malicious Digimon struggle to get back to his feet, the Legendary Warriors, Swiftmon and Beautymon quickly surrounded him. Malevomon couldn't believe that he was easily defeated by these four Digimon. How was this possible? There's no way he could lose.

The second-in-command pointed the tip of his blade at the malignant creature's throat, while Beautymon was ready to blast a hole through his stomach.

"It's over, you creep!" The Warrior of Flame told the enemy.

"You think you've beaten me? Haha! You humans haven't learned a thing!" laughed Malevomon.

"Give it up, Malevomon! You can't beat the four of us together!" Zephyrmon said.

"Foolish girl! I will never give in to the likes of you! I will become ruler of both the Digital World and the Human World! And there's nothing you can do to stop me!" The evil emperor declared.

"Wrong, Malevomon! If we destroy you, then you will have no chance in ruling either worlds!" proclaimed the swordsman.

"Then what are you waiting for, pretty boy? Do it! I dare you! Finish me off and see what happens!" threatened the Malevolent One.

"Very well then!" Swiftmon obliged. First, he turned toward the others. "All of you stand back!"

Beautymon and the Legendary Warriors did what they were told and gave the second-in-command some room, as requested. Once they were out of the way, Swiftmon pulled out his second broadsword and held it above his head, ready to slice the evil Digimon in half.

"I should've done this a long time ago!" The swordsman spoke in a soft, deep voice signifying that justice is about to be served.

"DIAMOND CUTTER!"

Upon declaring his signature move, the second-in-command vanished. But the Legendary Warriors could see a blur dancing around the evil emperor. At last, after all of this time, the malicious creature that tried to destroy countless of Digimon and conquer both the Human and the Digital World will be no more. A few seconds later, Swiftmon reappeared in front of Malevomon.

He spun his swords around before returning them to their original position.

*clink*

The sound of the guard making contact with the scabbard would normally be the last thing Digimon hear before they fall in defeat. Zephyrmon kept her eye on the malignant creature and waited for him to drop. It was completely silent in the Digiporter Room, which drove the Beast of Wind insane. The tension was soon released when...

*thump*

But upon further inspection, Malevomon was still standing. Not only that, he was staring right at Zephyrmon, with a cruel smirk. Even though he never spoken a word, victory was written all over his face. Then, the evil Digimon nudged his head to the side, wordlessly telling the Beast of Wind to check on her boyfriend.

When Zephyrmon looked to her right, she saw BurningGreymon lying flat on his face with most of his armor covered with scratches and penetrations. Large amounts of data cocooned his body. When the Fractal Code scattered, the Beast Warrior was back to his human form.

"TAKUYA!" She gasped. Her mind was so busy trying to figure out what was going on, she didn't realize she had left herself wide open.

"YEOW!" Zephyrmon grunted when she something nailed her in the chest, sending her tumbling on the canvas.

Fractal Code surrounded the beaten Digimon, transforming her back to her original form. Zoe somehow got back on her hands and knees, but collapsed on her stomach due to the tremendous amount of pain she was in. But when Zoe got a good look at her attacker, she felt the entire world had come down on top of her. Standing before her was none other than the olive haired Digimon with a devilish grin across her face.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Malevomon laughed maniacally.

He stood up, completely unharmed. The evil emperor marched toward the fallen humans. By the time he reached Takuya and Zoe, they had already regained consciousness. Unfortunately, they were too weak to move. So, Malevomon decided to help at least one of them out. He grabbed the goggle-head's collar and lifted him off of the ground.

"I told you already, didn't I? You humans learned nothing! I am always one step ahead of you! I always get what I want, one way or another! HAHAHAHA!"

"Swiftmon! Beautymon! What are you guys doing? Why did you attack us?" Takuya shouted to his friends.

"It's useless, boy! Those two aren't your friends anymore! They work for me! From here on out, they only obey my commands!" Malevomon motioned to the swordsman and his partner.

"What have you done to them?" The goggle-head demanded.

"Very well then, since you won't be alive much longer anyway!" replied the ruthless ruler.

"Despite my patent Chaos Spheres and my absolute power, I had a feeling that someone would eventually overthrow me! And I knew exactly what to do when I become a Digi-Egg! You see, young man, the coating around my shell has a special type of black residue! Whoever touches my Digi-Egg first, the substance will seep into their body, infecting their heart and poisoning their mind! From there, he or she will become another one of my loyal, subservient slaves! That Digimon will keep my Digi-Egg safe until I make my return!"

"That's... not possible!" Takuya shook his head with disbelief. The evil emperor the dropped the goggle-head to the ground.

"Oh, but it is, young man! Isn't that right, pretty boy?" Malevomon glanced at the swordsman, whose eyes were as lifeless as an empty shell.

"I shall obey your every order, Lord Malevomon!" The warrior nodded without gazing at the humans.

Each word crumbled the spirit of the teenage boy. It happened all too fast. One moment Swiftmon was on their side. Just when he had the evil Digimon beaten, the second-in-command blindsided and betrayed him. Once again, Malevomon's last minute trick had not only saved him, but also gave him another mind controlled servant. How could this get any worse?

Takuya glanced at the olive haired Digimon standing next to Swiftmon, desperately hoping she would come to his aid. But the female Digimon stood there with wet streams gracing both of her cheeks. She wiped away the tears that were forming in her eyes, trying to endure the pain of seeing her Cutie beaten and helpless.

"Beautymon, please! Help us!" The goggle-head reached toward the third-in-command, praying that she wasn't working along Malevomon.

Unfortunately, Beautymon responded by sadly shaking her head. The look in her eyes told him that she was not happy about the decision she had made. Beautymon approached the weakened teenage boy and got down on one knee. She gently stroked the goggle-head's cheek, doing everything she could to ignore the ache in her heart.

"Please understand, Cutie." Takuya could hear the sorrow and regret in her tone. "I never wanted to do this. But Malevomon... well, he said that he could... What I'm trying to say is..."

"Why, Beautymon? Why?" The Bearer of Flame groaned. The female Digimon couldn't hold back her tears anymore.

"Oh, Cutie! Please forgive me! I did all of this for you! I know it's hard for you to understand! But once it's all over, you and I will be together _forever_! Oh, Sweetie! I can only imagine the pain you're feeling! I know it hurts, but I _never_ wanted to hurt you, Cutie!"

"Ugh... Takuya?" A familiar voice disrupted Beautymon's confession. Takuya looked to his right and saw his girlfriend struggling to get back on all fours. Suddenly, the pitiful look on Beautymon's face disappeared. It was quickly replaced with anger and jealousy.

"However, I can't say the same thing about you, Blondie!" The olive haired Digimon growled.

"OOF!" Zoe grunted when Beautymon gave her a brutal soccer kick to her ribs, making the blonde gasp heavily for air.

"ZOE!" Takuya shouted toward his beloved.

With no protection, the female Digimon could take a free shot at the injured teenage girl without any resistance. Beautymon fired her signature Beautiful Beam at Zoe's chest, sending her crashing into the wall. When gravity got a hold of the unconscious blonde, she landed hard on a desk, breaking it in half on impact.

"OH, YES! THAT FELT SOOOOOO GOOD!" Beautymon exclaimed like she was on top of the world once again. She had wanted to blast the Bearer of Wind for so long. And now that she has done it, she felt invincible.

"Why you..."

After seeing Beautymon hurt his lover, something inside Takuya snapped. He didn't care about what she had said to him. All he could think about was making Beautymon pay for assaulting Zoe. Unfortunately, he never got the chance. An invisible force lifted him off of the ground. By the time Takuya had figured out what was going on, Malevomon tossed the teenage boy back. The two bodies collided into one another.

"Shall I dispose of these humans, my Lord?" Swiftmon asked, gripping tight on his swords.

"Don't you dare lay a finger on Cutie! He's mine, and mine alone!" objected Beautymon.

"No!" Malevomon replied, which earned him a couple of stares from his new followers. "Those fools are no longer a threat to us! Right now, it's time to set my plan into action! It won't be long before I become emperor of the Digital World and the Human World!"

"Nng... You won't get away with this Malevomon!" A barely conscious Takuya shouted toward the evil Digimon. "When the other Legendary Warriors and Eldestmon get here, you'll be..."

"Ah, yes! Thanks for reminding me!" The malicious Ultimate grinned.

*snap*

Several moments after Malevomon snapped his fingers, a bunch of other Digimon began to fill the room.

First, a large, purple blob came in with a knocked out polar bear and metallic Digimon wrapped around his tentacles. Next, a female serpent appeared. Coiled around her body were an unconscious Beetlemon and Arbormon. A muscular sloth then entered. He was carrying a passed out Lobomon and Lowemon around his arms. Seconds later, a one-eyed monster marched in the Digiporter Room with an unconscious Ranamon and Grumblemon on his shoulders.

The four Digimon dropped the Legendary Warriors one by one, forming a small pile of bodies next to the humans. Takuya felt upsettingly stunned seeing all of his friends knocked out, including Zoe. So much for stopping Malevomon now. With all of the Legendary Warriors defeated, how can they stop the evil emperor from taking over the Human World and the Digital World?

Finally, hundreds of Evilemon entered the room. About a quarter of them were carrying the body of Eldestmon above their arms. The demon commandos placed the unconscious leader next to the pile of Legendary Warriors. Takuya felt like he was going to hurl.

Both worlds are doomed. And there's nothing he can do about it.

"At last, the moment of truth has arrived!" The malignant Digimon announced to his follower. "Now that everyone's here, it is time for us to go to the Human World so I can fulfill my destiny! I command you to give me all of the data you have collected!"

"Yes, master!" Everyone, except Swiftmon, Beautymon and the Evilemon army complied.

The demon soldiers raised their arms up all at once. A large sheet of Fractal Code appeared above their heads. Malevomon graciously absorbed all of the data that his faithful servants had gathered for him. Gulutomon and Envidamon were the next to offer the evil emperor vast amounts of data they had collected. Finally, Cediamon and Iramon submitted their gathered Fractal Code to their master.

In Malevomon's hands was a giant ball of Fractal Code, ten times bigger than a Chaos Sphere. Takuya couldn't help but wonder what he was going to do with so much data at his disposal. Not only that, he still hadn't figured out how Malevomon plans to enter the Human World.

Sure enough, he got his answer.

The malignant Ultimate threw the Fractal Code sphere toward the center of the room, where the Digiporter was located. The teleporting mechanism was instantly destroyed when the ball of data collided with it. But that's not all. Before Takuya's eyes, the spherical Fractal Code started to expand from the ceiling to the walls, covering almost a portion of the room.

Soon, the large amounts of data was replaced by dimensional rift. Takuya could see a faint image of what was on the other side of the portal. Hundreds of buildings stretched from one area to the next. Tall skyscrapers with decorative billboards and television screens entertained those who passed by. Over a thousand people crowded the streets with a bunch of automobiles honking at them to move out of the way.

"It can't be! That's the Human World!" The goggle-head gasped.

But there was something very familiar about that picture in front of him, like he's been there before. That's when he saw park filled with hundreds of families. He knew that place because he and Zoe were there before they came to the Digital World. It was Yoyogi Park, the place where they had a picnic together.

And then, it hit him.

"Th... That's Shibuya! That's my home!"

"This will be the perfect place to build my kingdom! I will build the greatest empire both worlds have ever seen! And I shall rule it all! HAHAHAHAHA!" The evil Digimon laughed.

"Don't do it, Malevomon! Please! Leave the Human World alone!" Takuya begged. Sadly, the malignant creature shook his head.

"There's nothing you can do to stop me, boy! After I complete my task in conquering the Human World, I shall rebuild the Digital World in my own image! The Malevomon Empire will rule for all eternity!"

After making his proclamation, the ruthless ruler turned to his followers.

"MOVE OUT!"

One by one, the battalion of Evilemon marched into the portal to the Human World. Next, the four Ultimates entered the dimensional rift, ready to help their master achieve his goal. Swiftmon returned his blades in his scabbard. He shot a quick glance at his former superior. The swordsman then gazed at the goggle-head, wordlessly expressing his new allegiance to Malevomon. After seeing Takuya's sad look, Swiftmon disappeared through the mystical gateway.

Beautymon, however, kept staring at the young man.

"Just you wait, Cutie! Soon, it will be just you and me! I can't wait for the day when I officially become yours... and you mine! Teehee!" Before Takuya could object, Beautymon waved to him goodbye and entered the portal.

As for the evil emperor, he wasn't ready to leave yet. First, he took out a grayish capsule from behind his cloak. He set it on the ground next to the unconscious blonde. Malevomon pushed a red button on top of the device, which displayed some numbers on the counter.

[ 00:01:00 ]

As the numbers ticked away, the malignant Ultimate made his way toward the dimensional rift.

"Farewell, human! I love to stay and chat, but I got an empire to build! Enjoy your last moments in this world! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

After Malevomon entered the gateway toward the Human World, the opening began to disappear. By the time Takuya had found the strength to stand up, the portal had already closed off. Now, he was all alone in the middle of the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters, which was about to go up in flames. All of the other Legendary Warriors were unconscious. Even Eldestmon showed no signs of life. And his girlfriend was completely still.

[ 00:00:45 ]

Takuya hobbled toward the device to get a good look at it. Unfortunately, there wasn't an off switch or button to stop the countdown. He thought about throwing the capsule out of the room. However, he wasn't able to lift the device off of the floor. No matter how hard he tried, the capsule was stuck to the ground. It was hopeless. Even if he could Spirit Evolve, he wouldn't have enough time to get it out of the facility.

[ 00:00:30 ]

So, this was it. The Digital World's going to come to an end. And he has a front row seat to witness its destruction, not to mention his own and the others. Takuya helped his unconscious girlfriend up and gave her a great big hug. If this was how it's going to end, he would prefer to be Zoe. The goggle-head planted a soft kiss on her forehead and held her tight.

[ 00:00:15 ]

"I'm so glad I met you, Z. I had so much fun watching you grow, hanging out with you, fighting alongside you and becoming closer to you than ever before. And although it took a couple of years, I'm so happy to be that special person you've always wanted. Thank you." A single tear fell off of his face and dropped on to hers. Takuya closed his eyes and braced himself for the end.

"Zoe... I love you so much!"

.

[ 3 ]

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[ 2 ]

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[ 1 ]

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*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*

A great explosion wiped out the entire planet. All that's left were chunks of land and a void that once was Digital World. Millions of Digi-Eggs scattered off into space. Not a single spec of life remained. Everything was completely destroyed, which was the perfect setup for Malevomon to create a new Digital World, where he shall rule forever.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter seventy.<strong>

**Now that the entire Digital World has been destroyed, Malevomon has his sights set on conquering the Human World? Can anybody stop this maniacal creature? Or will the humans bow down before their newest emperor? Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	71. Shibuya Under Siege

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**When Swiftmon, Beautymon and the Chosen Children confronted Malevomon, he revealed his plan to the others that he's going to take over both the Digital World and the Human World. After a ferocious battle, BurningGreymon and Zephyrmon had Malevomon on the ropes. Just when they were about win, Swiftmon and Beautymon betrayed the Chosen Children. Malevomon's army entered a portal, ready to conquer the Human World. As a parting gift, the evil Digimon left behind a large bomb that obliterated the entire Digital World. Who knows if the Legendary Warriors are still alive, or if they can stop Malevomon now?**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter seventy-one!**

* * *

><p><strong>Shibuya Under Siege<strong>

**Normal POV:**

Thousands of people roam across the streets of Shibuya, going about their business. Some were heading to work, while others were on their way home after a long, hard day on the job. A bunch of them weren't watching where they were going simply because the stuff on their mobile devices were more important than the person ahead of them. Teenagers would unceremoniously crash into street lamps or other people without uttering a sincere apology.

There were buildings by the dozen in Shibuya. Some of them were oddly shaped. But most of them had a lot of advertisements and billboards hanging from the top so the people could get a good view of them. There were a few structures that had high definition television screens to showcase their company's products or just for entertainment purposes. Some of the buildings were so tall, they could practically take you to the heavens. The tallest in the Shibuya was over eight hundred feet tall.

Cars of various colors, shapes and sizes zoomed through the busy streets. A few had exceeded the speed limit. Of course, some of the young guys liked to decorate their rides to show off their power or to attract other women. There were some riding motorcycles at ridiculous speeds. And then there were those who preferred to travel by bicycle or take the bus.

Still, a majority of the people used the subway for transportation. This particular ward is known for their busy railway stations. About three million passengers come in and out of the Shibuya Station each day. It was very crowded inside the terminal station. The people try to make their way through the traffic to enter the subway or to exit the building.

"Mama, can we get ice cream? Please?" A five year old girl asked as she walked across the street with her mother.

"Of course we can, my little angel." The beautiful woman smiled at her daughter.

Ice cream was the perfect treat on another summer day in Japan. The mom took her girl to an ice cream parlor just a block away. However, they weren't the only ones who were thinking about treating themselves to some tasty ice cream. There was a long line of people waiting to place their order and to get their favorite frozen snack. A few of them used magazines as fans to keep themselves cool.

Despite the heat, the sun smiled down on the citizens of Shibuya, promising them that today was going to be another wonderful day.

That is, until the sky was covered with clouds as black as night, blocking the sun's ray. Normally, the people of Shibuya would not notice the sudden, supposed change of weather. Perhaps the forecaster was wrong with his predictions once again. Maybe the divine being from up above was angry, and this was punishment.

"Hey? What's going on here?" A young man gazed at the dark sky as if it was some kind of omen.

"Hmm, I don't know. Seems a little bizarre." His girlfriend shrugged.

Indeed, this type of phenomenon was beyond strange. All of the cellular phones had suddenly lost their power. One moment it was working. And then the screens went dead. Obviously, a lot of people tried to reset or turn on their phones again. But nothing seemed to work. There were those who were desperate enough to roughly shake their devices or at least tap it against a hard surface. Still, their phones remained unresponsive.

"What in the world? That's odd. I just charged my phone an hour ago." Another man stared at his phone, waiting for it to turn on again.

"I told you it's time for you to get an upgrade." His coworker laughed.

The good news was that this gave the citizens the opportunity to gaze at their surroundings. Unfortunately, it's not a sight they would like to remember.

Television screens had suddenly turned off. In other places, they would switch from channel to channel on their own. Some of the screens would be so staticy, it's hard to get a good look at the pictures. As for the more sensitive screens, they would instantly explode, sending glass in all sorts of directions. Luckily, no one was injured.

The bright lights from the billboards, buildings and street lamps were going haywire, turning on and off like a Christmas tree. Cars left and right had suddenly died. Some stopped in the middle of the road while others crashed into each other. The people that witnessed the accidents couldn't believe their eyes. Thankfully, there were no fatalities. Still, a few people had minor bruises in the end.

Even the traffic lights couldn't make up their minds, switching from green to yellow to red every second. Then again, what's the point of traffic lights when everything that has wheels wasn't working? The only vehicle that had no problems were bicycles. Sadly, it's hard for riders to maneuver their bikes around a sea of humans.

Subways going to and from Shibuya had also came to a halt. People had to file out of the cars and make their way back to the streets for their own safety. It's strange to see a bunch of railway transits stuck in the middle of the tracks. The population of over two hundred thousand looked around to see what's going on, hoping they could find answers as to why the city was acting like it's doomsday.

That's because it is.

Suddenly...

"FEED ME!" A hollow voice echoed throughout the city.

*BOOOOOOOOOOM*

A manhole on the streets had exploded. Instead of water or high pressurized vapor, masses of purple glob burst out of the hole. People ran for cover as the goo began to take shape. The citizens were in shock. A large, blob-like creature with dozens of tentacles appeared in the center streets of Shibuya. It was as taller than a tree and huge as a mountain. And of course, it was as nasty and evil as they come.

"FEED ME!" Gulutomon roared with a booming voice.

His tentacles reached out and grabbed the first thing they touched, including cars, mailboxes, lampposts, and mailboxes. Many of the people had to scurry out of the way so they wouldn't get caught by the creature's mucky elongations. Each of the objects found Gulutomon's mouth. The blob-like Digimon consumed all of the things his tentacles got a hold of. As a result, his size increased.

"FEED ME MORE!" The evil monster hollered as his body grew bigger.

Wherever the creature went, he left behind a trail of slime in his path. Gulutomon roamed through the city of Shibuya, trying to find more things to consume. There were a bunch of empty cars and trucks left on the streets. But not a single vehicle stood a chance against the unending hunger of this Digimon. All of the citizens cowered in fear, not wanting to be monster food.

Gulutomon was about to approach a motorcycle in the middle of the road, when...

"HEY, YOU GIANT FREAK! GET AWAY FROM MY BABY!"

A thirty year old man appeared before the massive vertebrae with his helmet in hand. Despite how loud the motorcyclist's protests were, Gulutomon refused to yield. The only thing on his mind was his next meal; whether it's the human, the motorcycle, or both. As a sign of bravery, the man threw his helmet at the Ultimate. But instead of causing any damage, his headwear stuck on Gulutomon's body.

"MOMMY! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

With him out of the way, the glob devoured the motorcycle and everything else left in his wake. Whether he realized it or not, Gulutomon was slowly making his way toward the Shibuya Station.

l - l

Over a hundred families and friends were enjoying their time at Yoyogi Park. Young boys were playing catch with their fathers. Mothers watched their daughters skipping graciously through the fields, picking flowers to bring home. Musicians were practicing their instruments on one side of the park. On the opposite side, young adults were strolling down the sidewalk, talking about how their day was at school.

Many were not aware of the chaos going on in the city. They were too busy enjoying what today has brought them. But they couldn't ignore the dark clouds forming above their heads. Every man, woman and child immediately stopped what they were doing to gaze at the sky, wondering about the sudden overcast.

That's when their electrical devices stopped working. Music players had gone dead. Young boys' favorite remote controlled cars had stopped on the pavement. Even the people had trouble starting they're vehicles, like the engine has lost power or something. They tried to check their cell phones for any news about what's going on. But all they see on their screens was pitch black.

"Look, Mommy! I built a giant fort for my army men!" A seven year old boy told his mother while he played in the sandbox, feeling very proud of his square made of sticks.

"That's nice, Riku." The woman nodded as she continued to read her book, not even glancing at her son.

The young boy couldn't wait to get started playing 'War' with his toys. He had fifty green army men scattered along the sandbox, seemingly positioned for battle. To further enhance his imagination, the boy placed a few small stones next to his toys, pretending they were armored tanks. He also scattered broken bits of leaves around the center of the sandpit, symbolizing them as landmines.

All he needed was an enemy.

He looked around, searching for something he could use for a potential bad guy in his little game. So far, all of his toys were already positioned for battle. There were some buckets and shovels a few kids left behind he thought about using. But the boy wanted something bigger, more alive.

Before long, he noticed that something in the opposite side of the sandbox. A small head of a snake appeared out of the minerals. Normally, many people would be terrified of these kinds of reptiles. But this kid wasn't afraid. In his mind, he believed that he has found something that could be his enemy for this battlefield scenario he had created.

"Alright, troops! The giant lizard is about to attack! Surround him and take him out!" The kid exclaimed.

With that, the boy repositioned his soldiers and tanks a few feet from the peeping snake head. Meanwhile, the serpent casually watched the boy have his fun, unsure of what to do from here. Moments later, the snake was surrounded by miniature green army men and a bunch of rocks. The seven year old child stood in front of the reptile, ready to get started.

"Weapons free! Prepare to fire!" He pointed toward the snake.

"Three! Two! One!"

*RUMBLE* *VSSSHHHHH*

An earthquake knocked the army men to the ground. Before the boy could reposition his toys, the snake showed her true form. What the child saw was only her arms with snake heads for hands. Envidamon burst out of the sandpit and snarled at the kid who was supposedly playing with her.

"Cool!" The boy gasped with excitement. "Mama, look! A giant snake! Can we keep her? Oh, please?"

His mom's reaction, on the other hand, was completely different.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! A GIANT SNAKE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"

She immediately grabbed her son around the waist and dashed out of the area. Her cries did not go unheard. Everyone in Yoyogi Park noticed the armored serpent and was already scurrying away. Families left their belongings where they were, since their lives were more important than a treasured baseball glove or a cell phone that had lost its power.

"Cowardsss!" Envidamon hissed when the last human had deserted the area.

The female serpent huffed at these creatures' lack of bravery. She had no time eliminating these pathetic weaklings. They're not worthy to serve her beloved master. Still, she had her orders. And that was to meet Malevomon and the others at the city. Envidamon turned and slithered toward the south and slithered in the direction of Shibuya Station.

l - l

Despite the vast blackouts the city was having, that still didn't bother some people. That's probably because they enjoying the day with their loved ones. So what if the television screens were going loopy or if every single automobile on the road has suddenly died? The guys had their girlfriends wrapped around their arms, acting like life's good.

One couple in particular were really touchy with each other.

A young male with bright, yellow hair strolled through the streets with his girlfriend by his side. Anyone passing by could tell that these two teenagers were madly in love with each other. The boy would give his beloved a small peck on every part of her face. Her nose, cheeks, chin, ears, and forehead received the same amount of treatment her lips had gotten. However, the young woman would respond with a cute smile.

"Thanks for walking me home, Izuru. But you know my mom's going to kill you if she finds you and I are _still _together?" The raven haired teenager giggled as she traced a finger on her boyfriend's well-toned chest.

"Who cares, babe? No one's going to keep me from you and your pretty face, not even that old hag of yours." The short haired blonde snickered.

"Rui, that's so mean. My mom's not even that old." The girl playfully objected as she placed a warm hand on the boy's cheeks.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. How old is she now? Fifty? Sixty?"

"Baby?"

"I know, Kei. I was only kidding. But let's be real here. Every time she looks at me, she has those wrinkles. Does she hate me or something? It's not my fault that the world's prettiest girl has fallen for the country's best junior soccer player."

"You're such a showoff, Izuru. And, no. My mom doesn't hate you. She just doesn't like me being around you. According to her, you are a 'bad influence' in my life."

"A bad influence, huh? How so?"

"Hmm, where should I begin?" The girl placed a hand on her chin in a playful manner. "Ever since we've been dating, I always come home late, I'm sometimes skip school, and my GPA has fallen from 4.00 to 3.50. Shall I go on?"

"Oh please!" The hunk spat. "Just you wait, Kei! I'll prove to your mom and the whole world! When I'm chosen to represent the national team in soccer, I'm going to... WHOA!"

The boy wasn't watching where he was going, which resulted in him tripping on something lying in the middle of the sidewalk. The boy stumbled a few steps forward before landing on his posterior. As he massaged his rear end, his girlfriend quickly rushed to his aid, gently wiping his school uniform clean.

"Izuru! Are you alright?" She asked her beloved.

"Jeez, what tripped me?" The young man complained, removing his girlfriend's hand off of his shoulder.

"I'm not sure. It could be a rock or something."

When the couple checked the middle of the concrete footpath, they noticed that it wasn't a rock or someone's leg. A flabby sloth laid on the sidewalk with his eyes closed. Based on the smile on his face, he was having a wonderful dream. Occasionally, he would scratch his butt and reposition himself. However, he slept peacefully with no care in the world.

"That's some hairy rock right there, if you ask me."

"Aw, he's so cute! Look at the little guy!" The black haired girl cooed.

Her boyfriend, however, wasn't impressed.

"Cute? Look at what the rat did to my shoes! These were brand new!" complained the young man. Upon further inspection, there was a big, brown stain on the broguing of his footwear.

"Relax, Izuru. I'll buy you another pair. Leave him alone. I'm sure it was an accident."

"An accident, my butt! These shoes cost me over thirty thousand yen! That dumb sloth is going to pay for this!"

"Baby, wait!"

Before the raven haired girl could stop her lover, the young man gave the sleeping creature a vicious soccer kick to the back. The sloth bounced on the sidewalk and smashed hard into a tree. While the teenage boy was proud about getting his revenge, his girlfriend had her hands on her mouth, appalled that her beloved would do such a cruel thing to a small, helpless animal.

"Much better!" The boy smirked victoriously.

"Was that really necessary?" His girlfriend asked. "Your shoes are even worse now than what they were before!"

"Of course, babe! You think I was going to let some stupid sloth get away with it?"

"You're so immature!"

"Meh, whatever you say! Now, come on! Why don't we stop by the store so I could get some new shoe..."

"RAWWWWWWWWWWR!" A monstrous voice made the couple froze.

When they turned around, they found the sloth from earlier was already wide awake and very angry. The once peaceful creature began to transform before the couple's eyes. His flabby limbs were now large and completely muscular. His claws also grew into long, sharp blades that could chop through anything. The sloth violent stomps toward the petrified teenagers, making massive footprints on the concrete walkway.

"WHO DISTURBS CEDIAMON'S SLUMBER?" The angry creature howled.

"Izuru, do something! I'm terrified!" The young woman squealed.

Too bad her boyfriend was already scared half to death. His tough appearance was all just a show. Now, he's nothing but a big scaredy cat.

"Sorry, Kei! But I'm out of here!"

As quick as a wink, the frightened boy darted out of the area before his girlfriend could protest. Alas, she was all alone with this hideous creature, who's about to slice her into ribbons. And it looked like Cediamon was about to annihilate her. The Ultimate raised his claws toward the sky, ready to claim his first victim.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! A MONSTER!" Someone else shouted, which made Cediamon froze. Thanks to the temporary distraction, the raven haired teenage quickly escaped and found a place to hide.

The angry sloth turned and saw a bunch of other terrified humans running for their lives. Their screams and cries for help drove him crazy, almost giving him a headache. Cediamon unleashed another violent roar before slashing a nearby automobile with his claws, cutting the vehicle into four pieces. Everything his eyes beheld were instantly destroyed. Unfortunately, it will take more than that for the Ultimate to find peace.

The angry beast made his way toward the Shibuya Station while creating chaos and havoc along the way.

l - l

"FREEZE! PUT YOUR HANDS UP WHERE I CAN SEE THEM!" A police officer shouted. He pointed his gun at the creature in front of him.

Earlier, a bunch of people came to him saying that there's a strange, one-eyed creature in the middle of the streets. As crazy as their story sounded, he fulfilled his duty by checking it out. But when he got there, he was as shocked as everyone.

A giant Cyclops was in the middle of the streets breaking everything he could find. He flattened cars into pancakes, tore down a bunch of lampposts and created a lot of potholes on the streets. Needless to say that this creature was dangerous. But when the officer tried to call for backup on his radio, he was unable to. Little did he realize that all electrical devices in the city were already dead.

"Dispatch, this is unit 4702 requesting backup! I repeat, Code 10-24! Do you copy?" The cop spoke to his radio. Once again, nothing. No static, no blurred noises, just pure silence. "Dispatch, do you read me?"

"RAWWWWWWWWWWR!" The large creature unleashed a terrifying roar that scared away all of the civilians, except the police officer.

"GET ON THE GROUND, NOW! THAT'S AN ORDER!" The cop shouted. Although the Cyclops heard the officer's orders, he refused to obey him. After all, there is only one who could control this almighty beast. And it sure wasn't this puny human.

"IRAMON DESTROY!" The one-eyed Digimon exclaimed.

He pounded his fists as hard as he could, which caused the whole area to shake. A large number of vehicles were tipped over on their sides. Glass windows shattered from one building to the next, showering the streets were crystalized bits. The police officer stood his ground and maintained his balance, despite the rough earthshakes. His index finger rested on the trigger of his pistol.

"THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING! ON THE GROUND WITH YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD! IF YOU REFUSE TO COOPERATE, I WILL SHOOT YOU IN THE FACE! YOU HEAR ME?"

"WEAK HUMAN CANNOT HARM IRAMON!" The Digimon chuckled. He then stomped toward the armed cop, unafraid and unintimidated by his presence.

"STAY BACK!"

*bang, bang, bang*

The officer has had enough. Obviously, the monster didn't care about his orders. It was time to take action. The cop fired three shots at Iramon. A couple of bullets zoomed toward the Ultimate's chest while the third went for the head. The first two shots were a direct hit. Unfortunately, the bullets bounced off of his body like rubber. The projectile fell to the ground like a couple of coins.

As for the third bullet, Iramon had the perfect counter. Instead of taking the hit, he opened his mouth in attempt to consume the officer's shot. With precise timing, the evil Digimon caught the bullet with his mouth and swallowed it in one gulp. The cop stood there with a shocked expression on his face. In the back of his mind, he wished he hadn't pulled the trigger.

"Wh... What are you?" He asked with his hands trembling in fear.

"GRRRRR! PUNY HUMAN MADE IRAMON ANGRY!" The one-eyed creature growled. He took a huge leap toward the sky. The officer craned his neck, stunned that the monster has incredible jumping ability.

That's when gravity kicked in.

"PUNY HUMAN WON'T LIKE IT WHEN IRAMON ANGRY!"

The cop was fortunate enough to dive out of the way just in time. The Cyclops landed hard on the spot where the officer once stood, creating a ginormous pothole that was about eight foot deep. With the police officer down, this was Iramon's chance to obliterate the human. He glowered at the cop with rage and hunger written in his face.

But the one-eyed Digimon lets out a soft huff, wordlessly telling the officer that he wasn't interested in breaking him apart. The stunned cop remained frozen on the ground as the gigantic creature hopped down the empty streets of city and toward Shibuya Station. It's unclear where did this monster came from or what his purpose was. But the entire city is bound for destruction if he cannot be stopped.

l - l

A gang of ten teenage lowlifes strolled through the dark and empty allies of the city. They wore baggy jeans with some rips along the ends or at the kneecaps. Their shoes all had different colors and styles. Each member wore a white tank top to show others their muscles, as well as their tattoos on their arms and body. Only the leader wore sunglasses and a backwards baseball cap.

Although they were unaware of the power outages going around Shibuya, not one of them would care anyway. The thugs roam from block to block, finding ways to cause trouble or to entertain themselves. They had already trashed a couple of neighborhoods and got into a fistfight with a rival gang. Just recently, they had some fun with some attractive women in the area.

"You're so amazing, Kōtarō! No wonder you're the leader of the Black Dragons! With your swag, you can get any girl you like!" One of the members complimented.

"What can I say? I'm a 'chick magnet!' There's not a single girl here that can resist the handsome and incredibly sexy Kōtarō Sakaki!" The arrogant leader proclaimed.

"That's so cool! We gotta know your secret, boss! Tell us how do you get these good-looking women in bed with you?" Another lowlife asked the person in front with keen interest in his eyes.

"Hehe! It's fairly simple, boys!" spoke the confident gang leader. "Girls are much easier to handle than you think! Sure, they have the gorgeous looks, the sexy bodies, the large mounds, the firm butts and the slim, alluring legs that are toned and luxurious!"

"Yeah!" ||| "Woohoo!" ||| "Ooooowhooooo!"

The rest of the thugs cheered and howled like wolves when their boss preached his beliefs. As long as they could remember, every chick that he has hooked up with somehow ended up in a hotel room, in his condo or somewhere dark and isolated with almost all of their clothes off.

"But no matter what, every women I slept with all have one thing in common! They all have weak, simple minds! It's true! These chicks only think about one thing!"

"Really? You don't mean..." The youngest gang member leaned in with interest.

"Yes! Whether they admit it or not, every girl you find will do anything for you in order to fulfill their desires! There's not a single woman I have met that never want to get into bed with me!"

"That's awesome, Kōtarō!" Someone commented.

"After hearing that speech, I want to get my hands on some pretty ladies right now!" Another lowlife smirked as he rubbed his hands together.

"Sounds like a great idea!" The head honcho turned toward his buddies and grinned. "Follow me! I know the perfect place where we can score some hot chicks!"

It turns out that the place they were heading to was a small bar hidden behind one of the city's office buildings. Rumor has it that a lot of good-looking women stop by this location every now and then. Nothing wrong with a few drinks to get the guys and the girls loosened up before starting the show. The gang was looking forward to have a great time with a bunch of gorgeous women.

Sadly, their fun was cut short when they noticed the 'Closed' scene posted on the bar's front door. The thugs try to pull the door open, but it was bolted shut. That's when one of the gang members peeped through a window and noticed that all of the whole room was dark, not a single light was on. Even though it was still the middle of the day, the bar looked abandoned.

Unbeknownst to the group, the entire city of Shibuya was suffering the worst power outages in history.

"Man, I was looking forward to hooking up with some women. Sheesh." Another groaned.

"Where to now, boss?" One of the members asked their leader.

"I don't know about you guys, but I got myself a date with a hot chick in an hour!" answered the head honcho.

"No way, Kōtarō! Are you serious?"

"Heck, yeah! I even booked us a room! Gonna take her to Room 69, if you know what I mean!"

"HAHAHAHA!" The rest of the gang broke into a fit of laughter.

The gang was so busy busting their guts, they hadn't noticed that they were not alone.

*gasp*

A soft, innocent gasp recaptured the thugs' attention. Up ahead was probably the finest looking creature they had ever seen. Long, luscious olive hair draped all the way down to her waist. Her pink eyes were nothing short of mesmerizing. Even that long, white dress of hers brought out her sexiness and sheer beauty. Her creamy skin longed for contact.

When she made eye contact with the gang's leader, she immediately turned away with a hint of redness on her face. Half of the group thought she was scared, while the other half assumed she was just nervous. Either way, gazing at the gorgeous masterpiece made the teenager in front lick his lips like a hungry lion.

"Now, what do we have here?" The leader of the group snickered as he gazed at the phenomenal beauty standing in front of him.

As he approached her and leaned into her face, the olive haired female cringed and turned away in fear with her eyes closed. But the boy didn't mind. In fact, the terrified look on her face only made her that much cuter. The leader traced his dirty hands on the olive haired human's cheek. Her skin was as soft as silk. A gasp of fear and distressed escaped her throat.

"Hey, boss! Mind if we have a turn?" One of his subordinate requested.

"And besides, Kōtarō, you have a date in an hour! Should you be getting ready instead of messing with this lovely, young lady?" Another thug reminded their boss.

"All of you shut up!" The leader shouted to the others. "I can do whatever I want! And right now, I feel like 'doing it' with her! Once when I'm done, you boys can have the leftovers!"

Remembering their place on the totem pole, the thugs reluctantly nodded.

Before the olive haired beauty could even think about escaping, the young man grabbed her by the wrist and pinned her against the brick wall. With both of her shoulders pinned, escaping was futile. And to make things worse, there didn't seemed to be anyone nearby that could hear her whimpers or cries for help.

The rest of the gang members watched with interest as their respected head honcho licked both of the woman's cheeks. While his tongue assaulted her face, his right index finger trailed a path from the center of her stomach through the valley in between her breast. The poor female trembled at the touch. This was humiliating. All she could do was pray for this horrid nightmare to end.

It was now time to things heat up. The other thugs howled like coyotes. Moments later, the leader fingered her chin and tilted her head to the side. He leaned in closer, puckered his lips and closed his eyes, ready to give her a kiss she'll never forget.

But based on the shrewd grin Beautymon had on, it would be the other way around.

Their lips touched. Hands groping each other like mad and tongues colliding in an aggressive, yet hungry manner. The gang members cheered out loud, impressed with the boss's abilities to woo a woman. The whistling and howling continued, showing their approval. Without a doubt, they were enjoying the show.

Too bad the leader wasn't.

When Beautymon broke the kiss, the young man fell on his knees with both of his hands wrapped around his throat. That's when the cheering stopped. The thugs gathered around their boss to check on him. The way he was coughing and wheezing would make one believe that he was incredibly sick. But there was also the bit of green substance on his lips and tongue, which some believed to be poison. The leader of the gang collapsed to the ground with his lifeless eyes gazing at the olive haired Digimon.

"Oops! Did I do that?" Beautymon laughed before winking at the group surrounding her. "Alright, who's next?"

"Hey! What did you do to the boss?" The closest thug growled at the female warrior. Wanting answers now, all nine guys pulled out their firearms and took aim at Beautymon.

"Ooh! Aren't you boys antsy?" She stifled a giggle.

"BLAST THIS ROTTEN WENCH!"

Outside the alley, the dark shadows flashed with loads of gunfire. A total of seventy-one shots were fired. Moans and the sounds of a bodies and bullets hitting the ground filled the air. Thankfully, the area was empty, so no one heard the loud noises of pistols going off.

When the firing had ceased, only one remained standing. The female Digimon was surrounded by bodies that littered the ground. Although there were no bullet wounds on either of the thugs, not a single one of them moved a muscle. Beautymon smiled and flipped her long, olive hair off of her shoulder. She then stepped out of the alley and wiped herself clean.

"Sorry, boys! But I'm already _taken_!" Beautymon gazed at the fallen gang members behind them.

Finally, she skipped merrily toward the north, where the Shibuya Station was only a couple of miles ahead.

l - l

Speaking of the Shibuya Station, that's where most of the action took place. A hundred police officers were on the scene. Despite having no power in the vehicles, they managed to form a barricade with at least eight patrol cars. Each officer was armed and ready, pointing their pistols at what appeared to be a hundred demon-like creatures with scythes and swords for weapons.

"This is your last warning! Drop your weapons and put your hands in the air, or else!" The leading officer told the infantry of Evilemon. But the commandos continued marching toward the cops, unheeding the officer's orders.

"Lock on target, men! Ready? FIRE!"

Thousands of bullets zoomed from their guns toward the monsters, nailing almost every part of their body. Some of the foot soldiers used their weapons to deflect the projectiles toward other parts of the city, breaking windows and puncturing holes in all kinds of vehicles. But the rest of the Evilemon took each shot head on, knowing that a shower of bullets wouldn't be enough to stop them.

But once the commandos were twenty-five yards away from the cops, the officers had already stocked up on another round of ammunition. Now that the Evilemon were in their effective range, all of the officers aimed their firearms at the enemies' heads. All it took was one shot to shatter the white masks that concealed their faces. Sure enough, that was all they needed to get the first infantry of Evilemon to fall.

"Good work men! Now, secure whatever those things are and get them out of here!" The commanding officer told the others.

The police slowly approached the large number of bodies scattered along the roads. They had their guns up to protect themselves. However, the cops put away their weapons once they reached the unresponsive Evilemon. The officers then grabbed a pair of handcuffs from one of their pockets, ready to secure these strange beings.

"Everybody stay on guard!" The leader spoke. "I don't know where these creature had come from, but I have a feeling that there's a lot more of them than..."

"**HAHAHAHAHA!**"

The cops immediately froze when a dark voice filled with malicious intent. All one hundred officers took out their pistols and pointed in any direction they believe the voice came from. As time passed, the laughter grew louder even to the point of spooking some of the policemen. Beads of sweat fell from the officers' faces. Their guns trembled in their hands, which showed exactly how frightened these cops were.

All of the sudden, the entire area was surrounded by dense fog.

"Stand your ground! This has to be another trick by those monsters!" The leading officer told the others.

"**HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**"

Again, the terrifying voice made the cops' hairs stand on end. A few of them could see a faint silhouette of a large, humanoid creature on the other side of the fog. When the monster lifted his hand toward the policemen, the officers were forced to react.

*bang, bang, bang, bang*

Cops left and right started shooting in every conceivable direction, spraying and praying in hopes to hit the mysterious monster behind the dense fog. But when the officers believed they scored a direct hit, the shadowy image faded away. The only one that wasn't firing his weapon was the policeman in charge.

"EVERYBODY, HOLD YOUR FIRE! I REPEAT! HOLD YOUR FIRE!"

Moments later, the cops stopped firing. Thousands of shell casings littered the streets. As the officers reloaded, the mysterious fog began to subside. And there, standing in front of the train station, was the Creator of Chaos, the Master of Mayhem and Destroyer of the Digital World. Some of the policemen who saw the evil Digimon unconsciously dropped their weapons since their bodies were frozen stiff. The rest aimed their weapons at the one they believe was responsible for all of this destruction.

"Alright, you! I don't know who you are, but put your hands up in the airs! Right now! If you refuse to comply, we will shoot!"

"As you wish!" Malevomon mumbled with a sinister smirk on his face.

It was time to show these puny creatures who was in charge of the world now. By lifting his hands toward the sky, the Malevolent One effortlessly lifted every single patrol car toward the sky. The officers had to run for cover just so they wouldn't get crushed by their own vehicles. Bits of glass and metal scattered all over the streets. However, no one was hurt. Still, Malevomon sent a message to the humans in a big way.

"Foolish weaklings! You will never understand the power I possess!" The malicious sovereign chuckled.

"That does it! OPEN FIRE!" One of the cops shouted toward the other ninety-nine.

Upon command, the officers fired their weapons at the malicious Digimon. It didn't take them long to empty their magazines. The cops were determined to stop this strange creature from causing any more damage at all cost. But Malevomon kept his arrogant grin on his face. Over a hundred bullets hit every part of his body. But not a single projectile penetrated his skin. It wasn't long before the evil emperor has already grown tired of watching the humans desperately try to harm him.

"How pathetic!" grunted Malevomon, unimpressed with the strength these humans possessed. The Ultimate level Digimon looked over his shoulder. "Swiftmon, deal with these pests!"

"As you command, my Lord!"

The former second-in-command appeared out of his hiding spot, holding both broadswords in hand. He stepped in front his master, ready to proceed with his orders.

"TAKING THEM OUT, NOW!" The same officer ordered.

"Diamond Cutter!" Swiftmon mumbled softly to himself.

Before the officers could retaliate, the swordsman had already vanished. As they emptied another clip, a handful could've sworn that they saw what looked like a bluish blur, as well as the faint sound of steel clanging, shooting past them at a speed many didn't even know existed.

A few moments later, Swiftmon reappeared beside his newest master. After spinning his weapon a couple of times, the warrior returning them to their original positions.

Suddenly, the pistols the cops were holding broke into pieces. Some of the barrels have been chopped off, while other firearms have been completely sliced in half. With their primary weapons ruined, the officers have no choice but to throw them away. All one hundred cops were unarmed. As Malevomon continued his advance, a few officers had left the area, more concerned for their lives than for the lives of the others.

"Hey! Where do you cowards think you're going? Get back over here!" The leading officer shouted toward the frightened troops. But his orders went unheard.

"Let them run! Soon, they will all share the same fate as you!" The evil Digimon stepped forward, with the swordsman following behind him.

"Who... Who are you?" One of the cops gulped.

"My name is Malevomon! And from this moment on, I will be ruler of your world!" answered the malignant emperor. "I'll start by taking over this city! I will expand my empire from one country to the next! And all shall fall before me! It won't be long before the entire Human World is mine to conquer and control!"

"Not a chance... whoever you are!" barked another cop. "If you think we're going to submit to you, then you have another thing coming! We'll defend this city with our very lives..."

"Oh, boys!" A choric voice sang.

An olive haired beauty appeared behind the police officers. A soft giggle captured their attention.

"PETAL DANCE!"

The cops tried to escort the olive haired warrior out of the premises. But with a wave of her hands, she showered the humans with intoxicating scents from her signature attack. When she had the officers in her control, Beautymon silently commanded them to step aside so she could make her way toward the malicious Digimon.

"Ah! Here come my Chaos Sinners now!" Malevomon smirked.

From the north, a massive blob and an armored serpent made their way through the streets. Gulutomon was still consuming everything he could get his tentacles on, which made Envidamon roll her eyes in disgust. A minute later, an angry Cediamon was found coming from the west side of town, leaving behind a trail of destroyed cars and roads in his wake. Finally, a giant Cyclops made quite an entrance by landing in the middle of the street, possibly creating the largest pothole in the city.

Malevomon's Chaos Seravants stood next to their master. Everyone, except Beautymon, showed their respects to the future ruler of the Human World by bowing to him.

"Ordersss, my Lord?" hissed Envidamon.

"Iramon want to destroy city now!" The one-eyed Digimon growled.

"Patients, everyone! There's still work to be done!" The evil emperor spoke.

First, the evil Ultimate created a dimensional rift beside him. A thousands more Evilemon marched out of the portal and lined up in large rows. Behind them, a hundred of the demon soldiers carried what appeared to be a dark, obelisk-shaped tower above their heads. There were too many of these structures to count. Most of Malevomon's minions chuckled to themselves, thinking about what their master has in store.

When the last Evilemon has entered the Human World, the malicious sovereign glanced back at his followers.

"These towers you see before you are my latest creation: the Chaos Spires!" Malevomon announced.

"Big deal!" Beautymon huffed. "How are those any different than your patent Chaos Spheres?"

"Very perceptive, my dear!" smirked the malicious Digimon. "But this will be our key to conquering the Human World! In fact, a thousand Chaos Spheres cannot match the efficiency of one Chaos Spire! Before, I can only control _one_ with a Chaos Sphere! Now, compare that to _thousands _with this structure! You see, the Chaos Spires emit a special kind of current that will force every human within the city to be under my control!"

"Hmph! I still think it's a hassle that we have to plant one of these towers in every single area we invade! That's going to take forever!" The female Digimon complained.

"Fear not! We've got all the time in the world, since the humans cannot stop us, no matter how hard they try! The reign of Malevomon will last forever!" chuckled the evil Ultimate.

"HAIL LORD MALEVOMON!" The Chaos Sinners cried. Beautymon, however, remained silent.

"Enough foolishness! We must begin now!" Malevomon got his followers back on task. He first turned to the cranky sloth.

"Cediamon, you're in charge of the area west of here!"

"I WANT MY NAP AFTER THIS!" The muscular mammal replied, which roughly translated to him showing his obedience.

Cediamon gathered an army of a thousand demon soldiers, who were carrying a bunch of Chaos Spires on their soldiers. He then proceeded with Malevomon's orders and made his way toward the west, where the city of Setagaya was waiting to be conquered.

"Envidamon, you take the east side of the country!" The malignant Digimon told the female serpent.

"Your wish isss my command!" The armored reptile hissed.

The female snake bowed to her master one last time before slithering toward another direction. With a large number of Evilemon and obelisk-shaped towers at her disposal, Envidamon planned to make Malevomon proud. The people in Minato have no idea the trouble that's coming into their city.

Malevomon then turned to the one-eyed Digimon.

"Iramon, you will be assigned to take over the northern side of the country!"

"Mmm!" The Cyclops complied with a grunt.

Moments later, the gigantean disappeared from sight. About half of the remaining army of commandos trotted in unison northbound toward the vastly populated city of Shinjuku. That location will be the first of many to become part of Malevomon's empire.

"Beautymon!"

"Present!" The olive haired Digimon gazed at the evil emperor.

"You're responsible for the southern area!" Malevomon commanded.

"Whatever! But I hope you remember your part of the bargain..."

"JUST GET ON WITH IT!" The malignant creature yelled.

Beautymon puffed her cheeks and did what she was told. As her own personal army of Evilemon followed her toward Meguro, her thoughts drifted to a certain goggle-headed boy for the third or fourth time. She had her doubts. But if doing unspeakable things would get her the man of her dreams, then so be it.

"Gulutomon! I want you and the remaining Evilemon to start building my castle on this area!"

His minions complied without uttering a word. The former second-in-command of the Digimon Battlefront approached the malignant sovereign with his own personal battalion of Evilemon.

"Any way I can be of assistance, my Lord?"

"You know something, pretty boy? I have the perfect mission for you! You're in charge of taking care of any humans that could prevent me from fulfilling my destiny! I don't care if they are the local authorities, the national government, or even a bratty infant! No matter who they are, you_ finish them_! Understood?" Malevomon smirked at the swordsman.

"As you command." Swiftmon nodded.

With that, the warrior assembled his battalion of foot soldiers and marched toward the northwest, in the direction of Yoyogi Park .

As the remaining Digimon got down to work, the evil emperor gazed at the horizon. Not a single of ray of sunlight penetrated the layers of clouds that covered the sky, a symbolism of the diminished hope these humans have. Malevomon is so close to fulfilling his destiny, he could practically taste victory.

"Soon, this world will be mine! Hahaha! Hahahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"

* * *

><p>The Ministry of Defense is one of the largest organizations in Japan, consisting of over three hundred thousand military personal. It is headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo. There were many buildings in the area. Some of them were more than ten stories high. Inside these buildings were a bunch of offices, where thousands of men and women perform their duties as part of the Japanese military.<p>

Sometimes, the general public will be given a tour of the facility to see the ministry's layout. People will get to see the site's Memorial Zone, the many different buildings that house the men and women of the armed forces, the dining facility, and even the barracks. On a normal day, officers inside the ministry hold conferences to discuss protocols for war, classified files and upcoming peace treaties.

Unfortunately, this was not a normal day.

Thousands of people were scrambling from one office to another. What was going on in Shibuya was exactly happening inside Japan's Ministry of Defense. They had just received word that their world is being invaded by monsters from outer space. Either that or creatures from another dimension. But whatever the story was, the facility was on high alert, making all of the necessary preparations needed for the potential, upcoming war.

"I gotta find the general!"

A twenty-four year old woman rushed across the hall to find her superior's office. Her neck length, satin purple hair was covered by a blue balmoral cap. She had brown eyes and a small beauty mark under her left eye. This young woman wore a blue cloak with a hood, white gloves, long black socks, and blue military boots. Lastly, she was carrying a brown envelope underneath her arm.

It wasn't long before the purple haired woman reached a pair of wooden doors with a sign on the side that read, 'Gen. Kirai Nikushimi'. She took a deep breath before tapping on the entrance.

*knock, knock*

"Pardon me, sir! Lieutenant Hitomi Chisaki reporting in, sir!" The officer announced.

Normally, it would be rude to enter the general's office without permission. The lieutenant tilted her body from side to side in a nervous fashion as she waited. The young woman may be a confident warrior on the field of battle, but she's actually a shrinking violet everywhere else; which was ironic for a military officer.

Right now, the whole country is in a state of emergency. She needed to see the general immediately. But what if he's not in the office, or if he doesn't want to be seen? The poor girl fidgeted uncontrollably, pondering if she should walk inside, wait another minute or...

"Enter." A deep voice grumbled. Without hesitating, Lieutenant Chisaki opened the door.

The general's office was, undoubtedly, quite large. Hundreds of books lined up on shelves upon shelves. There were a variety of furniture around the room, from chairs to glass tables. In the center of the office was a seventy inch desk. On top of that were some photographs, classified files, tons of paperwork and a computer set. Medals, plaques, and flags decorated all four walls.

Sitting behind the desk was the general. He was reading a magazine of some sort, but the female officer couldn't make out what it was about.

"Ah, if it isn't my favorite lieutenant."

A fifty year old man with gray hair and a toothbrush mustache smirked at the self-conscious woman. He was dressed in the average army general uniform. Black top with gold buttons and streaks along the sleeves. Dozens of bars, medals and pins were attached to his uniform. He also wore a military officer cap that had the Japan Self-Defense Forces insignia embedded on the center.

The lieutenant saluted to her superior before handing him the envelope.

"General Nikushimi! This is for you, sir!"

She then took a step back in fear when the general's grin was quickly replaced by a terrifying scowl. If she were to hazard a guess, her superior hated it when he gets notifications from the commander-in-chief of the military. Beads of sweat trickled down the twenty-four year old woman's forehead. But after a while, General Nikushimi sighed and reluctantly swiped the envelope from the officer, nearly giving her a paper cut.

"It's has the seal of the Prime Minister. Hmph, I wonder what he wants." The man grumbled as he ripped open the envelope.

Lieutenant Chisaki watched on. Her superior's expression has changed once again as he read the letter. First, he was showing great concern. Then his eyes revealed somewhat of aversion toward something. When the general reached the end of the letter, the sly smirk she had recognized for so long had reappeared. The leading officer started to laugh maniacally as he crumpled the letter and tossed it in the trash.

"Sir, what does the Prime Minister say?" The lieutenant's curiosity peaked.

"He said, 'It's none of your business!' That's what!" Her superior barked, which took the female officer by surprised. But then, General Nikushimi burst into a fit of laughter, confusing the poor lieutenant.

"Apparently, there seems to be some kind of invasion going on in Shibuya. And the Prime Minister has put me in charge to stop them from taking over the entire country! Hehe!"

"What are you going to do, sir?"

"Hmph! Who do these aliens think they are? No one comes to our planet and try to make it theirs; not on my watch! These creatures have no idea who they are dealing with! They're going to wish they had never come to our world! For I, General Kirai Nikushimi will eliminate every monster from existence! HAHAHAHA!"

As the military general lost himself in another burst of laughter, the female officer stared at her superior with concern. Perhaps putting him in charge of stopping the invasion wasn't a good idea. But somebody has to do it. The lieutenant shrugged off the general's strange behavior and patiently waited for his orders.

"Chisaki!" The fifty year old man roared.

"Sir!" She saluted.

"Gather every army, naval and air force personnel available! I want them armed to the tooth! We move out in one hour, and not a second later! Do you understand?"

"Um... sir? What about the civilians? Should we send some troops to protect them too? I strongly believe that having all of our personnel converge in one area could prove costly..."

"Did I ask for your lousy opinion, lieutenant?" General Nikushimi glowered at the female officer. Chisaki cringed as her superior stared daggers directly at her.

After a while, the general got up from his chair and marched to his lieutenant. He grabbed her by the collar and pulled her in close. The female officer had never been so scared in all of her life. She could feel her superior gazing deep into her soul. Her head was telling her to run away, but her body refused to listen. The lieutenant felt the general's cold breath against her cheek.

"Never question my authority again! I gave you an order, and it is your duty to follow! Because no one's irreplaceable, especially _you_! Do I make myself clear?"

"Y... Yes, sir!" gulped the female officer.

"Good! Now, get out of here and do as you're told!" General Nikushimi released the woman's collar.

Lieutenant Chisaki saluted before leaving the office. Once she was gone, the general gazed out the window. Ever since he has been promoted, he had a feeling that Earth was going to be invaded by monsters or strange creatures from another dimension. Unknown to the public, he had been secretly planning and preparing for this very day. And now, the Prime Minister has put him in charge to eliminate these freaks of nature.

Or, at least that's how he translated.

"This world belongs to us humans. Those rotten aliens do not have a place here. I'll destroy them all, if it's the last thing I do. By the stars above, I will not rest until every single one of those hideous monsters are annihilated." General Nikushimi chuckled to himself as he rubbed his hands in a sinister fashion.

After staring out the window for some time, the military leader grabbed his coat and walked out of his office.

Wherever General Nikushimi would go, the people inside the facility would show their respects to him with a simple salute. But because the country was on high alert, everyone else was too busy to give the military leader any attention. Still, the general didn't mind the lack of formalities. The country has been infested by thousands of aliens, and it is his responsibility to exterminate them.

The fifty year old man made it to the bottom floor and marched outside the twenty story building. When he had reached the main entrance, General Nikushimi found his lieutenant in front of the gates, greeting him with a salute and a smile. However, she quickly wiped off her grin when her superior's leer wordlessly commanded her to do so.

"Sir, I have done what you have commanded me to!" Lieutenant Chisaki announced.

She motioned her arm toward the side. Approximately over a hundred thousand armed men and women stood in rows of twenty filled the streets. Some soldiers had M4 carbine assault rifles in their disposal, while others carried the Howa Type 89. A good number of them preferred weapons with a lot of firepower, like shotguns and grenade launchers. Then again, a handful of them would rather use sniper rifles or handguns for precision.

Besides the large number of troops, the general had other toys at his command. There were about four hundred tanks that were lined up along the edge of the roads. The Self-Defense Forces also had a good amount of mortars and grenade launchers. General Nikushimi had air support as well. Helicopters and fighter jets circled the sky, awaiting the orders of the man in charge.

"The Japan Self-Defense Force have been mobilized and are ready to move on your command, sir!" The female lieutenant announced and handed her superior a megaphone. Although in the back of her mind, she was thinking that having this many troops was the perfect definition of overkill.

"Excellent!" General Nikushimi chuckled before placing the bullhorn near his mouth.

"_ALRIGHT, LISTEN UP! WE GOT MONSTERS AND ALIENS IN SHIBUYA TRYING TO INVADE OUR WORLD! NOW, WE DON'T KNOW WHO THESE CREATURES ARE, WHERE THEY CAME FROM OR WHY THEY'RE HERE! BUT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU ALL THAT NONE OF THAT MATTERS! OUR DUTY IS TO WIPE THOSE FREAKS OF NATURE OFF OF THIS WORLD PERMENANTLY! THIS WORLD BELONGS TO US HUMANS, NOT MONSTERS FROM ANOTHER DIMENSION! DESTROY THEM AT ALL COSTS! NO QUESTIONS ASKED!_"

"HAI!" The hundreds of thousands of troops saluted to their leader.

"_NOW, LET'S MOVE OUT!_"

General Nikushimi tossed the bullhorn back to his lieutenant, which nailed her in the chest much harder than intended. But her fast reflexes allowed her to catch the megaphone without any problems. Finally, the military leader pointed toward the front, commanding the rest of the troops that the moment of truth has arrived.

With Lieutenant Chisaki and thousands of armed men and women behind him, the general marched southbound toward Shibuya. Many of them had no idea what kinds of monsters were waiting for them when they arrive. Some were anxious to find out what kind of weapons these strange creatures from another dimension have brought along for their invasion. Lieutenant Chisaki glanced back toward the direction of her home one last time, silently praying for her family's safety.

As for the general, he was more than prepared to send these menacing scum to oblivion. It didn't matter if they were good or evil. All monsters must be destroyed, no matter what.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter seventy-one.<strong>

**The conquest of the Human World has begun. Shibuya is the first city to become a part of Malevomon's empire, with many more to follow along the way. Will the Japanese Self-Defense Forces be able to stop the invasion? Or will malicious sovereign take over the entire human race? Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	72. Homeward Bound

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**Malevomon and his entire army appeared in the Human World and started wreaking havoc all over the city of Shibuya. Moments later, the evil emperor revealed his latest creation, the Chaos Spires. Apparently, these structures will give Malevomon full control of the mind in every human within the city. He then sent his Chaos Sinners throughout the country, commanding them to take over each city one by one. Meanwhile, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces have already assembled and are ready to make their advance toward Shibuya. With General Nikushimi in charge, it seemed like the entire Human World's in good hands.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter seventy-two!**

* * *

><p><strong>Homeward Bound<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"Ugh... Where am I?"

Takuya had finally regained his consciousness. His body was sore all over. It felt like he got run over by a Trailmon. The teenage boy fought through the pain so he could view his surroundings.

But when the goggle-head did, he wished he had remained unconscious.

The teenage boy found himself standing on a large chunk of rock that was floating in the middle of a void surrounded by thin layer of clouds. The boy felt his heart explode, tearing itself into shreds and disintegrating into nothingness. There were no words that could describe what he was feeling when he discovered that the entire Digital World was no more.

"Oh no! This can't be!" The Bearer of Flame gasped at the horrific sight. "The Digital World has been destroyed! That's not possible!"

Sadly, the evidence was impossible to deny. The beloved world he and his friends swore to protect was completely gone. The luscious green lands, the sparkling blue seas and the sunny skies above had ceased to exist. Not a single home, building or structure survived the apocalypse. Even the strong and sturdy Digimon Battlefront Headquarters had been wiped out cleanly.

Trying his best to endure the pain, Takuya got to his feet and stood on the edge of the asteroid-like piece of land that remained.

"My God! How did this happen?" The teenage goggle-head wondered. Even though his migraine protested against it, Takuya tried to recall the events of what happened before he became unconscious.

Suddenly, it hit him.

Before passing out, he remembered Malevomon creating a portal to the Human World. Takuya also remembered how the evil emperor pulled another dirty trick to get two of his closest comrades to turn against him and Zoe. The images of Malevomon's army marching through the dimensional rift to begin his conquest on his hometown made his headache even worse. Takuya silently prayed for the safety his best friends and his family members.

"That creep!" The goggle-head grumbled.

It didn't take long for the Bearer of Flame to see what has happened to the other Digimon.

When Takuya craned his neck slightly upward, he noticed over a million Digi-Eggs drifting around the void. If he were to hazard a guess, not a single Digimon had survived when Malevomon's bomb went off. The teenage boy felt his spirit crumble with each Digi-Egg he saw tumbling helplessly in space. So many poor, innocent Digimon were destroyed by the ruthless, greedy, arrogant ruler.

"Oh man. I can't believe it's all gone!" The goggle-head felt like he's going to be sick.

How can this day get any worse? The entire Digital World had been obliterated. Every single Digimon had been turned into Digi-Eggs. Takuya had lost a lot of his friends. The Legendary Warriors have been easily defeated by Malevomon's cronies. And to make things worse, a bunch of evil Digimon were on their way to take over his home, meaning that all of his friends and family in the Human World were in grave danger.

"Why that dirty rat!" growled the furious goggle-head, frustrated that Malevomon has found a way to win once again. "Wait till I get my hands on that creep! Who does he think he is..."

"Teehee! You're kinda funny when you're talking to yourself!" A childish voice came from behind the teenage boy.

Takuya turned and was instantly greeted by a pair of blue eyes that were only inches away from his face. The surprised Bearer of Flame fell on his bottom, which made a certain Celestial Rookie fall into a fit of giggles.

"Patamon! What are you doing here?" Takuya's eyes widened, shocked and glad to see a familiar face once again.

"Honestly, my boy! Is that how you say 'thanks' to someone who had just saved your life?" Another familiar voice recaptured the boy's attention.

The teenage goggle-head gazed toward the side. Standing along the edge of the rock formation were four more Digimon. Two of them were the other Celestial Rookies. Behind them was a yellow rabbit and another Digimon wearing a pink, elastic waistband.

"Guys! You're alive!" Seeing his friends in one piece almost brought the Bearer of Flame to tears. He wasted little time regrouping with the other Rookies.

"Of course, we are! Why wouldn't we be?" Lopmon playfully giggled.

"Thank goodness you're alright, Takuya!" Bokomon said, wiping away some moisture in his eyes. "I'm so glad that my baby and his friends had found you guys just in time! If it wasn't for them, you and the other Legendary Warriors would've been wiped out already!"

"Really?" The google-head gasped. "What happened while I was unconscious?"

"Yay! It's our turn to tell the story!" The Celestial Rookies jumped with joy.

*Flashback*

_The Celestial Rookies dashed out of the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters with Bokomon and Neemon picking up the rear. Once they were outside, the group of five found a place to hide behind a nearby bush. The Rookies stuck their heads out of the shrubs and gazed at the burning building. It tore their hearts apart as they watched hundreds of Digimon scampering out of the facility to get to safety._

_"This is horrible! HORRIBLE!" Lopmon whimpered._

_"What could've happen to this place?" Salamon wondered._

_"I'm not sure, my dear!" Bokomon replied to the Celestial Digimon. "We've been only gone for hours to rescue you three!"_

_"Boy, did we miss a lot!" The yellow rabbit exclaimed._

_"Papa-mom! We have to do something! Our friends are in danger!" The winged Rookie told his surrogate parent._

_"I'm sorry, my little baby!" apologized Bokomon. "But Takuya ordered me and Neemon to get the rest of you to a safe place! And that's what we intend to do! Right, Neemon?"_

_"Uh... Huh?" The yellow rabbit tilted his head in confusion._

_"Stop acting like you don't know what I'm talking about, you idiot! We agreed to protect Patamon and his friends at all cost!" The Digimon wearing the pink waistband made his argument._

_"Um... We did? Because I don't remember making that agreement... YEOW!"_

_In response to his utter forgetfulness, Bokomon tugged Neemon's trousers as hard as he could before letting go. The poor Rookie ran around in circles, massaging his sore bottom. While Lopmon and Salamon stifled a couple of giggles, Patamon kept his eyes at the burning facility. He couldn't explain how, but he had a feeling that his friends were in big trouble._

_"I'm sorry, Papa-mom! But I have to find Takuya and the others! They need me!" The winged Rookie said._

_"That, my boy, is out of the question! It's way too dangerous!" Bokomon objected. "You could get hurt, or worse! I'm sorry, Patamon! But Neemon and I are going to get you guys out of here until..." _

_"NNG!" _

_Suddenly, all three Celestial Digimon collapsed to the ground. Their heads were throbbing in pain, making the Rookie moan in intense agony._

_"Patamon! Salamon! Lopmon! What's wrong?" Bokomon cradled one of the Celestial Rookies in his arms._

_"Something big and scary is in there!" The brown rabbit pointed to the blazing Battlefront Headquarters._

_"That's not all!" The puppy-like Digimon concurred. "I'm detecting the presence of an evil Digimon in the center of the facility!"_

_"An evil Digimon? That's very specific! How many evil Digimon have we already faced this past week?" Neemon scratched his head._

_"Quiet, you nitwit!" Bokomon barked at his partner before glancing at Patamon. His baby's eyes were as wide as saucers. Patamon didn't need to speak to describe how he was feeling. The fear and anxiety was written all over his face._

_"Papa-mom! It's him!" The winged Digimon murmured, terror seasoned in his words. "It's the evil Digimon that kidnapped me and my friends! The one whose maliciousness knows no bounds!"_

_"Patamon, what are you talking about? The only Digimon that evil I can think of is..."_

_Bokomon's face instantly turned pale. The simple of thought of this malignant creature brought back terrible memories of the horror, chaos and destruction he has created in their beloved Digital World. At that point, he already knew what Digimon his little baby was talking about. But even so, he was having trouble believing it._

_"This can't be! Patamon, you don't mean... *gulp*... Malevomon?"_

_"**HAHAHAHAHA!**"_

_The dark voice filled with malicious intent made the group of five tremble in fear. It sounded all too familiar. The Rookies glanced back at the burning facility, where the Legendary Warriors were. All of the sudden, the Rookies didn't care about their safety or their own lives. Right now, they're more concerned about the other Legendary Warriors, and the potential danger they were in._

_"Come on! We gotta find our friends!" Patamon told the other Celestial Digimon, who responded with a quick nod. The divine Rookies popped out of their hiding place and hustled back inside the Digimon Battlefront Headquarters._

_"Wait a minute, you guys! Stop! Come back! You're going the wrong way!" Bokomon shouted. But it was no use. His cries fell on deaf ears. All he could do was helplessly watch Patamon and his friends disappear inside the burning facility._

_"Oh, why doesn't anybody listen to me?" groaned the Digimon wearing the pink waistband._

_"Huh? Were you saying something?" The yellow rabbit leaned his ears toward his partner. As usual, Bokomon answered Neemon's ridiculous reply with bash to the head with his green book._

_"Enough jokes! We have to go after them!" Bokomon ordered, grabbing his partner by the pants and dragging him back inside the inferno._

_The Celestial Digimon explored through the flaming hallways, searching for any signs of the Legendary Warriors. Unfortunately, every room they checked was empty. There wasn't a single Warrior in sight. All they found were a bunch of Digi-Eggs and debris scattered across the floor. It pained them to see these innocent creatures destroyed in such a cruel fashion._

_But at the same time, the dark presence they felt earlier had grown stronger as they ventured deeper into the facility. In fact, the aura was coming from one of the rooms just a few yards ahead of them. Patamon, Salamon and Lopmon felt a great and powerful energy reading coming from the Digiporter Room._

_"**HAHAHAHAHA!**"_

_Again, the voice filled with evil sent chills down the Celestial Rookies' spines. But then, maniacal laugh started to fade until only the sounds of the raging fires were left. The trio of divine Digimon entered the Digiporter Room, hoping to find the Legendary Warriors inside._

_Sure enough, there they were. All ten Warriors were on the ground, not moving an inch. Some of them had scratches and bruises from head to toe. Others, weren't as lucky. Next to them was an unconscious, elderly Digimon. In the center of the Digiporter Room, a pair of teenage humans laid motionlessly. And right beside group was a capsule-like time bomb, set to go off in a matter of seconds. _

_The Celestial Rookies felt their hearts skipped a beat._

_"Guys! This whole place is gonna go 'BOOM' if we don't do something!" Salamon told her friends._

_"But what can we do? We got about twenty seconds to get the others to safety, or to get rid of the bomb!" Lopmon motioned his arm toward the capsule._

_"There's no time! We got to save the others right now!" Patamon ordered his friends._

_With the timer approaching zero, the Celestial Digimon had no other choice. They got in a triangle formation around Takuya, Zoe, Eldestmon and the other Legendary Warriors. The Rookies shut their eyes and focused their energies on their center, calling upon the divine beings inside of them to protect their friends._

_"There you three are! We've been looking all over for you!" Bokomon quickly entered the room, with Neemon behind him._

_"Hey! What happened to everyone?" The yellow rabbit asked when he finally noticed the pile of bodies next to him._

_"Come on, Patamon! Let's get out of here now!" Bokomon approached his little baby. But the winged Digimon shook his head._

_"Sorry, Papa-mom! But this is something we must do!"_

_Suddenly, the Celestial Rookies' bodies started glowing. Before long, the entire group of Digimon was surrounded by a bright, clear doom of light. And just in time too. Once the force field had been generated, the time bomb has already hit zero. Bokomon and Neemon shielded their faces as they braced themselves for a very big..._

_*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*_

*End of Flashback*

Even after hearing that story, the Bearer of Flame had his jaw dropped, still unable to believe that he was saved by these three Rookies.

"No way..." Those were the only word that made it out of Takuya's mouth.

But when the goggle-head glanced passed the Celestial Digimon, he found the eight Legendary Warriors still out like a light. His beloved girlfriend was among them, eyes closed and blonde hair covering her face.

"ZOE!"

When he finally reached her, Takuya rested the young woman's head on his lap. He brushed the hair off her cheeks to get a better look at her face. For what seemed like forever, the Bearer of Wind remained motionless. The goggle-head felt his heart plummet when he thought about the possibility that his best friend would never wake again.

"Ugh..."

Muffled moans recaptured his attention. Takuya felt his beloved stirring in his arms. When he finally caught a glimpse of Zoe's emerald orbs, he gave his girlfriend a rib-crushing hug. At first, the Bearer of Wind was surprised with Takuya's sudden forwardness. But she then settled into the embrace, feeling just as glad seeing her boyfriend again.

"Are you alright, Z?" Takuya asked, trying to hold back his tears. Still, one managed to sneak out.

"I'm okay." The blonde beauty replied.

She readjusted her position to see where the two of them were at right now. Zoe remembered trying to rescue all of the Digimon inside the Battlefront Headquarters, before confronting with Malevomon once again. But the blonde soon realized that they weren't inside the facility anymore. Instead, they were floating on a chunk of rock in the middle of nowhere.

"Takuya? What's going on? Where are we?" She asked her boyfriend after he helped her to her feet.

"We're still in the Digital World... or at least what's left of it." The goggle-head replied with his head slumped down.

"Oh no." Zoe placed a hand over her heart. This wasn't her first time seeing the Digital World entirely destroyed. But that didn't mean the pain was less bearable. Poor Zoe couldn't stop crying this time around.

A few moments later, the Legendary Warriors behind them had regained their consciousness. One by one, they got back to their feet and laid their eyes on the destruction before them. It was a horrible view, from the giant void to the millions of Digi-Eggs floating helplessly in the air.

"Alright! Someone explain to me what just happened here?" A frustrated Beetlemon asked.

"Who else? Malevomon." The teenage boy groaned with a fowl taste in his mouth.

"Are you serious, Takuya?" Kumamon asked again for confirmation. This time, the goggle-head nodded without uttering a word.

"Now, that really ticks me off! Ain't nobody got the right to obliterate our world, right?" An irritated Arbormon cracked his knuckles.

"For once, we agreed on something." replied Mercurymon.

"Me break every bone in Malevomon's body!" Grumblemon raised his sledgehammer high and roared.

"Hey! Get in line, Sugar!" Ranamon hissed at her comrade.

"Great ideas and initiatives, you guys" Lowemon nodded.

"Yeah, where do start?" questioned the humanoid wolf.

"Sorry, everyone. But I don't think we're going to get their hands on Malevomon anytime soon." Their leader delivered the group the bad news.

"What are you talking about, Takuya?" asked Zoe.

"That creep opened a portal to the Human World. He and the rest of his army are off to conquer our planet, leaving the rest of us to be destroyed along with the rest of the Digital World."

"_Devi essere scherzando!_" The blonde's eyes widened. "We have to get back home now! Our friends are in trouble!"

"Unfortunately, that's not possible." An elderly voice answered. The Legendary Warriors turned and saw Eldestmon already back to a standing position, though he was still hobbling on one foot due to his injuries from his previous battle.

"What do you mean, Eldestmon? We can't just sit here and wait for Malevomon to conquer the Human World!" Zoe argued.

"Please understand, child." The old Digimon responded. "In order for Malevomon to create a portal to the Human World, he needed to acquire tons of data. By absorbing the Fractal Code of almost every Digimon inside the Battlefront Headquarters, he had gathered enough data to open the gateway to the Human World."

The wise Digimon crossed his arms in dismay.

"But now, the entire Digital World is gone. I'm afraid there's no way for you kids to get back to your own world. I'm sorry."

"Don't say that, Eldestmon!" The Bearer of Wind objected. "There has to be a way! Our friends and family back home are in big trouble! Malevomon must be stopped! We need to..."

"I hate to ruin your parade, Honey. But even if we could enter the Human World, which we _can't_, what makes you think we can take down Malevomon and his army of dirtbags?"

"Thou hast spoken true, my lady." Mercurymon concurred. "Even our combined efforts weren't enough to defeat such adversaries."

"They tough. We get already." complained Grumblemon.

"I guess it's time to retire now that the planet is gone, right?" The wooden android made his argument.

"Wrong!" Beetlemon countered. "Our world may be destroyed, but that doesn't mean our obligations as Legendary Warriors end at the borders of our dimension!"

"He's right!" said the Warrior of Ice. "We're the only ones that can defeat Malevomon!

"I don't know about you clowns..." Lobomon eyes the Digimon of Steel, Water, Earth and Wood. "... but I'm not going to sit around and let that evil maniac take over the Human World!"

"We may have lost one world, but we're not going to let that happen to another!" Lowemon finished.

"After all..." The Warriors of Ice, Thunder, Light and Darkness spoke at the same time. "... we have friends back in the Human World."

"Thanks, guys. I really appreciate the enthusiasm." The goggle-head cracked a smile. But moments later, his eyes shift back to the ground. "But exactly how are we going to get back home?"

"I'm sure you'll think of something. You are our leader, right?" Arbormon chuckled, which made Takuya rolled his eyes.

As the Legendary Warriors pondered, Bokomon and Neemon kept an eye on the three Celestial Digimon. The kids were playing their own little game of Ring-Around-The-Rosies. When the song ended, the Rookies tumbled to the ground in a fit of laughter. Although their beloved world has been obliterated, that still didn't stop these Digimon from having fun.

"Ooh! Pretty!" Patamon exclaimed when he spotted something on Zoe's hand.

The winged Digimon fluttered toward the young woman. Once he was close enough, Patamon held Zoe's hand and gazed at the silver band around her digit.

"Nice ring! So shiny! Where did you get it?" The Celestial Rookie happily asked.

"Patamon, please. Take it easy. You'll hurt yourself." The blonde stifled a giggle as she gently removed the winged Digimon off of her hand. She then removed the silver band off of her finger so Patamon could get a better look.

"I got this at the Autumn Leaf Festival. It's called the Ring of Wishes. According to Piddomon, I can use this to grant myself... one... wish..."

An imaginary light bulb turn on over her head.

"Takuya! That's it! We can use _this_ to get back to the Human World!" Zoe said, showing the silver ring to her boyfriend.

"That's ridiculous!" Ranamon expressed her opinion. "Honestly, Sugar! Do you really think we can get a ride to your world just by 'wishing?'"

"At this point, I'm willing to try anything." The goggle-head agreed, enveloping Zoe's hands with his own. He gave his beloved his signature, goofy smile as a sign of how much confidence he has in his best friend.

"Go ahead, Z."

With Takuya's hands still around hers, the Bearer of Wind held the ring up to forehead level and closed her eyes. Since she only gets one wish, she couldn't afford to mess up. The wording must be precise. If unsuccessful, they may never get back home again. As Zoe pondered about what to wish for, she was immediately surrounded by the three Celestial Digimon.

"Gather around, everybody!" Patamon ecstatically told the other Legendary Warriors.

Lobomon, Lowemon, Kumamon and Beetlemon followed the Rookie's orders and assembled behind the humans.

"This is so stupid." grumbled the aquatic Digimon.

"Thou art buffoons for believing such a trick would work." Mercurymon grunted.

"We have to try! What more do we have to lose?" questioned the polar bear.

"Our lives?" Grumblemon scratched his chin.

"Wishing upon a star makes no difference who you are, right?" spoke the Warrior of Wood.

"Are you sure, you guys? What if we end up in a cosmic U-turn and somehow ended up in another dimension?" Bokomon asked.

"We don't have a choice! Unless you guys want to stay on a chunk of rock forever, I suggest you get on over here right now! We got a world to save!" replied the blonde beauty. With that, Bokomon and Neemon complied.

One by one, the remaining Legendary Warriors gave in. They gathered around the Chosen Children and waited for Zoe to make her wish.

After a minute or so, the Bearer of Wind was ready.

"The Human World is under attack! Our friends and family need our help! As our duties as Legendary Warriors, it is up to us to put a stop to Malevomon's reign of terror before our loved ones get hurt! We're the only ones that can do this! Please help us protect the people we cherish! Help us win the fight against evil!"

Each word increased the group's motivation and confidence. Any doubt of beating the evil emperor had been wiped away. It didn't matter how powerful Malevomon was, or how tough his army was. Somehow, someway, they knew that victory can be achieved.

Zoe took a deep breath before finishing her wish.

"I wish we can go to Human World so we can save our friends, and defeat Malevomon once and for all!"

The Ring of Wishes heard Zoe's cries and went right to work. First, the silver band levitated out of the human's hand. It then emitted bright, white lights. The group waited for the ring to grant the wish.

Then, the most amazing thing had happened.

All of the Digi-Eggs that were floating helplessly in space had instantly came to a halt. Suddenly, the eggs shot out streams of Fractal Code toward the growing Ring of Wishes. When the loads of data combined with the light, the band lived up to its name. Before long, a dimensional rift opened and expanded in the same spot where the Ring of Wishes was.

"Amazing." Eldestmon spoke. "Even in their Digi-Egg form, millions of Digimon are giving everything they have to help you humans save your planet. Humans and Digimon are working together as one!"

"You did it, Zoe!" Takuya rewarded his girlfriend's efforts with a kiss on the cheek.

"Whoa! Check it out!" Beetlemon exclaimed, cutting the celebration short.

Takuya and Zoe gazed through the mystical opening. Their beloved home of Shibuya came into view, from the eight hundred foot skyscrapers to their favorite spot in Yoyogi Park. Sadly, it was not a pretty sight. Almost half of the buildings had smoke coming out of the broken windows. Not only that, the citizens were being chased by thousands of Evilemon.

"Look! Malevomon has already started his invasion! We gotta go now!" gasped Zoe.

"Are you sure this will work, Sugar?" Ranamon inquired.

"We're not going turn into digital goo once we reached the other side, right?" speculated the Warrior of Wood.

"Hey! If Malevomon and his army were able to get through just fine, then I'm sure we will too!" Takuya responded.

"Hmph! All this talking is wasting time! I don't know about you guys, but I know someone on the other side is waiting for me!" said Lobomon.

Before anyone could speak, the humanoid wolf disappeared through the portal.

"I'm with him!" Lowemon agreed.

Like his counterpart, the Warriors of Darkness entered the dimensional rift to the Human World.

"Time for some payback!" Kumamon exclaimed.

After activating his skis, the polar bear glided into the mystical opening, on a mission to save a certain human.

"Alright! I'm so fired up! Let's go kick Malevomon's sorry butt!" Beetlemon pounded his fists together.

He was the fourth Legendary Warrior to enter the Human World.

"Well? Are you guys coming with us or not?" Takuya glanced at the remaining Legendary Warriors.

The Digimon of Earth, Wood, Water and Steel exchanged glances. It appeared as if they were waiting for at least one of the Warriors to state his or her objection. But after a few moments of silence, the four Digimon gave each other confident smirks.

"Me never miss this!" nodded Grumblemon.

"No parties unless I'm invited, right?" Arbormon chuckled.

"I've always wanted to go to the Human World!" cooed Ranamon. "Ooh, what to do what I get there? Manicures? Pedicures? Shopping for..."

"Thy vacation will have to wait, my lady! Don't forget our mission!" Mercurymon reminded his comrade.

"Honestly, metal head! Why do you have to always have to find a way to ruin my fun..."

As Ranamon continued her rant, the four Legendary Warriors marched through the dimensional rift to join the others.

"Last one there is a rotten Digi-Egg!" Patamon squealed like a child. He and his friends hurried toward the mystical opening, with Bokomon and Neemon picking up the rear.

"Slow down, you guys!" The surrogate mother cried to the Celestial Rookies. "Neemon! I think you and I need to get in shap..."

Before long, only Takuya, Zoe and Eldestmon were left. The couple faced the mystical gateway to home. Zoe was about to leap through the portal, when Takuya tighten his grip on her hand, silently telling her to wait for a minute. The goggle-head glanced behind him and gazed at the elderly Digimon, who was quite a distance away from the dimensional rift.

"Eldestmon? Are you coming with us?" asked the Bearer of Flame.

"I have lost everything. The entire Digimon Battlefront, the facility... even my two most trusted companions are now on the side of evil. I have nothing." The Ultimate murmured with his eyes to the ground.

"You're wrong, Eldestmon!" Zoe released her boyfriend's hand and hustled toward the wise Digimon. She placed her own hand on Eldestmon's shoulder.

"You still have something! You still have friends to support you! Takuya and I will always be here for you! You may have loss Swiftmon and Beautymon to that jerk, but you still have the Legendary Warriors on your side!"

"She's right!" Takuya agreed. "As long as you have friends, you're never alone, Eldestmon!"

"Besides, you know Swiftmon and Beautymon more than anyone! If we are going to defeat them, we could sure use your help and guidance!" Zoe added.

"Well..." The wise Digimon pondered. As young as these humans are, they're just as wise as he was. Their little speech was enough to convince him to stay in the fight. Eldestmon picked up his wooden cane off the ground and tapped it hard on the ground.

"Very well then! I shall fight along with you! We have already lost our world! But I promise you that your world will not share the same fate as ours! We will fight Malevomon with everything we have, until our last breath!"

"Thanks, Eldestmon! That means a lot to us!" Zoe stifled a giggle.

"With humans and Digimon working together, there's no way we can lose!" Takuya smiled before putting his goggles on.

"ALRIGHT! LET'S GO!"

With that, the two humans dashed into the portal that leads to the Human World, ready to save their beloved home.

Eldestmon stood at the entrance only for a few moments. He gazed back at the Digi-Eggs hovering in midair within the void that was once the Digital World. All of their colors were completely gone, since they gave up energy and data to assist the humans to make it back home. Internally, the former leader of the Digimon Battlefront made a promise to all of the other Digimon that justice will be served and the Digital World will be restored once again.

Finally, the elderly creature followed the humans into the mystical gateway. And just in time too. Because once the last Digimon had gone through, the portal to the Human World had instantly disappeared, leaving behind a forsaken, ruined dimension waiting to be conquered the evil emperor.

* * *

><p>Five boys were rehearsing inside a garage in Kyoto. Koichi Kimura had a huge smile on his face, signifying that he was having so much fun playing his guitar. He refocused back to his twin brother, who was rocking out his solo.<p>

Koji Minamoto stepped toward the microphone and began to sing.

_"You can't take nothing for granted,  
>You gotta live like today;<em>

_I turn around, I can see what's behind me,  
>I turn back around and I can see what ahead,<br>And if you don't believe I've been here all along,  
>Just turn around. Just turn around.<em>

_I turn a..._"

Suddenly, the door behind the band opened up. The boys stopped playing and gazed at the adult standing at the entrance.

"Dad, I thought we told you we're not hungry yet!" Koji said to his father.

"Son! Come to the family room right now! There's something on TV you have to see!" Koji's dad said.

At first, the lone wolf didn't want to. But when he saw the pale look on his father's face, he knew something was wrong. Koji quickly glanced at Koichi, who was also thinking the same thing.

The boys set their instruments down and hustled out of the garage. The twins were the last to leave the room, for they were looking for their cell phones. Koichi had found their mobile devices on a cardboard box. He grabbed his phone and tossed the other to his brother. The boys noticed the 'Missed Call' notification on their screens. However, they put off checking the reminder and headed toward the family room.

When Koichi and Koji reached their destination, they noticed that the entire family had crowded the television screen. No one was talking, nor eating their food. In fact, what some people saw on TV made them lose their appetite. The twins had to squeeze through the aisles of people just to get a good look at what all of the commotion was about.

But when they did...

"No!" Koichi gasped, almost puking on the spot.

"This can't be!" Koji swallowed the lump in his throat.

A terrifying humanoid that wore a silver mask and a large, black cape appeared on the screen. Most of the children were crying, too afraid of the horrifying monster. As the parents tried to calm the kids down, the mysterious being made his announcement to the entire world.

"_HAHAHAHA! Citizens of the Human World! Allow me to introduce myself! My name is Malevomon! I am the ruler of the Digital World! And soon, I will become ruler of your world!_"

"What in heaven's name is that?" Koichi's mother wondered.

"What kind of name is Malevomon? And what is the Digital World?" Another woman inquired.

Koji and Koichi remained silent, more interested in the sovereign's announcement than the sudden questioning going around in the room.

"_Right now, I have my Chaos Sinners taking over each city one by one! It'll only be a matter of time before you will all join me in building the greatest empire of all time! Resistance is futile! With my Chaos Spires activated in the center of each area, your minds will be under my control! And there's nothing you puny humans can do to stop me!_"

"WAAAAA! MAMA!" The kids balled their eyes out. But even the mothers had no idea what to do against this monstrous creature.

"_You insignificant weaklings only have one option! And that is to surrender to me! It won't be long before I have the entire Human World in the palm of my hand! For those of you who do not believe me, here is a sample of what your planet will become!_"

The camera cuts to the city of Shibuya, which was a total mess. The streets were filled with potholes, as well as all kinds of garbage, broken furniture and shards of glass. Most of the vehicles were overturned, destroyed or empty. Each building had hundreds of broken windows. Finally, thousands of citizens were walking with their arms out in front of them, like zombies.

"_**ALL HAIL MALEVOMON! LORD AND MASTER!**_" The mind controlled humans chanted.

Moments later, the evil Digimon reappeared on the screen with his final warning.

"_The invasion of your planet has begun! HAHAHAHAHA!_"

Suddenly, the broadcast was cut off.

The families were in a state of panic, quickly evacuating out of the house. By then, the whole streets of Kyoto was filled with terrified humans running for their lives. Cars were honking at the people to make room so they could escape.

"Son! We gotta go, now!" Koji's father said to the twins, with his wife and ex-wife behind them.

"We'll be there in a minute, Dad! I just need to get something from the garage!" The long haired boy replied, rushing toward the other room with his brother behind them.

"KOJI, WAIT!" ||| "KOICHI, STOP!" Both mothers cried.

The boys entered the garage and immediately slammed the doors.

"I got a bad feeling about this, bro." Koichi glanced at his twin.

"It's like déjà vu all over again." Koji murmured.

"I can't believe Digimon have entered the Human World. How's this possible?"

"I don't know. But we got to do something. We need to warn the others, right now. I can't explain why, but I feel like we're the only ones who can stop that creep."

"How? We don't even have our..."

Suddenly, the boys' mobile device started to glow and transform. In Koji's hands was a blue and black device. Koichi, on the other hand, was holding a black and gray device, similar to his brother. The twins starred at each other, trying to come up with the words to describe what had happened.

Just then, the door to the garage opened up. Koji's father, mother and stepmother entered the room.

"Boys! Come on! We have to evacuate immediately!" The dad said.

"It's dangerous here! We need to get some place safe before that maniac gets here!" Koji's mother spoke.

"Sorry, mom! But Koichi and I are going to stay here and fight!" The Bearer of Light murmured. His brother concurred by standing next to him.

"Are you boys crazy? You can't fight that hideous monster! You're just kids!" Koichi's mother unconsciously placed a hand over her mouth and gasped.

"You're wrong, mom! We're not kids!" The Bearer of Darkness said.

"WE'RE LEGENDARY WARRIORS!" The boys spoke in unison.

Upon making their declaration, the two D-Tector emitted a bright light, blinding everyone in the garage, except Koji and Koichi. The twins could feel the warmth and power radiating from the light. They also felt a strange, yet familiar presence in the room. Once the light had faded, their suspicions were immediately confirmed.

The Warriors of Light and Darkness stood before their partners, both with serious looks on their faces.

"Lobomon!" Koji gasped.

"Lowemon!" Koichi exclaimed.

"Long time no see, boys!" The humanoid wolf extended his hand out to the Bearer of Light.

"Are you ready to fulfill your destiny once more?" The dark Warrior performed the same movement toward the other twin.

"Absolutely!" Koji and Koichi replied simultaneously before grabbing the Warriors' hands.

"Boys? What's going on here? Who are these two?" The father inquired, shocked at how these creatures came out of nowhere. The two mothers remained speechless.

Before the boys could reply, Koji's and Koichi's D-Tectors produce another bright light that engulfed the entire family. The five couldn't see due to the amount of brightness. By the time the light had subsided, the garage was already empty.

l - l

After pushing his brother into the lake, Tommy Himi started the boat and steered towards the docks. Leaving his older brother all by himself in the middle of the freezing water may be cruel, but it sure felt good now that justice had been served. The young boy pulled the boat to shore, hopped out, and rushed toward the campsite towards the east.

He soon spotted a lovely, brown haired woman, who was taking pictures of the great outdoors.

"MOM!" Tommy dashed toward his mother. The moment she heard her youngest son calling out to her, the woman set her camera down and wrapped her arms around the eleven year old child.

"What's wrong, Tommy?"

"Yutaka and I were out fishing! And then he made me drop my cell phone in the water!"

A few years ago, his mother would sympathize with her son before buying him a new phone. But now that Tommy was older, his parents treated him less like a kid and more like a young adult, even though he was only eleven.

"Son, what did your father and I say to you about leaving your phone behind when you go fishing?"

"I'm sorry!"

"Do you have any idea how much it costs to buy you another cell phone?"

"But it wasn't my fault! Honest!"

"You're not a little boy anymore, Tommy! You're about to enter the sixth grade! You can't keep blaming things on other people! You have to take responsibility for your actions! Do you understand me?"

"Yes, mom." The boy grumbled in defeat.

"Good." Tommy's mom nodded. "Now, go wash your hands. Your father will be back soon with dinner..."

"HONEY! COME QUICK!" A voice from the left cried.

Out of the woods, a man wearing glasses, a blue long sleeve shirt and khakis was scrambling toward the campsite. He was also carrying a portable radio underneath his arms. The man almost lost his balance as he approached his family.

"Dad? What's wrong?" Tommy questioned.

"You look a little pale, dear. Are you feeling alright?" The woman hugged her husband.

"There's something big going on downtown! Listen!" The man said before turning the radio on.

Behind the family of three, Tommy's older brother had already made it back to shore. His hair and clothes were completely soaked. The young adult wrapped his arms around himself to keep himself warm.

"That little twerp..." Yutaka said to himself, unhappy that his younger brother pushed him off of the boat. He was going to give Tommy a piece of his mind once he gets his hands on him.

When the eldest returned, he found the others gathered around the radio. Yutaka saw the terrified looks on his parents' faces from a distance. As he drew closer, he noticed that Tommy's expression was completely different. Instead of fear, he had those eyes when being confronted by bullies. Yutaka wondered what was going on, why his parents were acting nervous, or why Tommy wasn't scared.

The older sibling reached his family as a dark and mysterious voice made his announcement.

"_Right now, I have my troops taking over each city one by one! It'll only be a matter of time before you will all join me in building the greatest empire of all time! Resistance is futile! With my Chaos Spires activated in the center of each area, your minds will be all under my control! And there's nothing you puny humans can do to stop me!_"

"Honey, turn it off! I can't take it anymore!" The woman complained. Her husband pressed the power button, but it didn't work. The voice continued his declaration of him being ruler of Human World.

"THAT DOES IT!"

The father slammed the radio on the ground, breaking the expensive equipment into pieces. He then embraced his wife, who was trembling in fear. Even the older brother had a feeling that the worse is yet to come. The quiet environment of the Ina Camping Village seemed unsafe. Who knows what potential dangers were lurking right now?

Tommy, on the other hand, had a different reaction. He stepped away from his family and faced the horizon, towards the direction of his home. The young boy couldn't explain why, but he knew what he must do. It's like a familiar voice in the back of his head has called upon him to perform his duty.

"Hey, Squirt! What are you starring at?" His older brother came from behind and asked.

"I have to do something really important, Yutaka." Tommy glanced at his sibling. "Mom and dad won't approve because it's too dangerous. But my friends... well, they are counting on me..."

"Why are you telling me this?" The eldest groaned. At first, Tommy was a little confused as to why he was giving him so much information to his brother. His worries were soon lifted after Yutaka rubbed his sibling's hair.

"You're old enough now to make your own decisions! If you have to do something, then do it! Don't listen to what anyone else says! Not mom, not dad... not even me!"

"Yutaka!" Tommy gasped with a huge smile on his face.

Beneath the lake, a cell phone rested on a bed of rocks. Electronics and water obviously do not mix. A wet cell phone meant that it needed to be replaced. But not this one. The device was not only still working, but it also glowed and began to change shape. Instead of a cell phone, a green and cerulean device appeared.

Suddenly, the D-Tector pulled itself out of the water. The device recaptured Tommy's and Yutaka's attention by emitting a bright, white light. Moments later, the D-Tector drew towards shore and presented itself to the eleven year old boy. The Bearer of Ice grabbed the device and pointed toward the air, as his older brother looked on.

"Tommy!"

Next, the weirdest thing happened. The young boy's D-Tector shot a burst of light shot toward the lake, instantly turning the water into solid ice. Then suddenly, a small bear on skis burst out of the cold and skidded to a halt in front of his partner.

"Kumamon! I can't believe it! It's really you!" Tommy beamed.

"I love to catch up and all, but your world is under attack!" Kumamon reminded the boy. "If we're going to defeat the forces of evil, then we need..."

"Say no more! I'm here to help!" The human gave the Warrior of Ice a big smile.

"Tommy? Is that a talking bear?" Yutaka asked, shifting glances from his brother to the Legendary Warrior.

"Boys, get over here! Help your dad pack up! We're getting out of this place" The mom shouted to her sons.

She and her husband spotted the boys standing at the edge of the frozen lake. Neither Tommy, nor Yutaka moved from that spot, which gave them the impression that they weren't listening. Both parents approached their sons, trying to get their attention. That's when they laid eyes on the Legendary Warrior of Ice, who was giving their youngest child a handshake.

"TOMMY! GET AWAY FROM THERE!" Both parents screamed.

Before long, Tommy's D-Tector released another flare of light. Everyone, except the eleven year old covered their eyes. The light expanded and covered the group with its radiance and warmth. When the light had vanished, the Himi family were gone.

l - l

About four thousand miles from Japan, another member of the Chosen Children was enjoying his time in Hawaii. The sun was about to set, but the fifteen year old J.P. had already had a fun day. Then again, how can one not enjoy such a vacation filled with beaches, beautiful sceneries and lots of activities?

The fifteen year old boy decided to hang out by the beach for a little bit and watch the sun disappear below the horizon. It's such a warm and relaxing feeling, which allowed J.P. to put aside all his troubles and worries. Who cares if he and his family were here for one more day? Who cares if school's about to start next week? The bubbly teenager wasn't going to let anything prevent him from enjoying his vacation.

*grumble*

Well, maybe except an empty stomach.

"Man, I'm starving! And I just had four plates of curry and rice for dinner!" The young man moaned after hearing his tummy growling.

"If my grandson is hungry, then why not go buy yourself some shaved ice?" An older woman came behind his grandson and suggested. When J.P. turned around, he saw an elderly woman handing him some money.

"Wow! Thanks, Grands!" J.P. beamed with stars in his eyes. He quickly swipe the cash off of his grandmother's hand, almost giving her a paper cut. But the elderly figure smiled and watched her grandson run off to the nearest market like a child dashing toward the playground.

"That boy. There's no denying it. He's meant to achieve great things." The grandmother laughed to herself. Once her grandson was out of sight, she made her way back inside the condo, where the rest of the family was.

Under a mile from the condominium was a little shopping center that attracted tourists. Many stores sell all kinds of souvenirs that ranged from t-shirts to fine jewelry. Of course, there were some shops that offer a variety of authentic fruits and vegetables. To the side were a couple of restaurants. And just at the edge of the area, there were a line of people in front of a small booth, waiting to get their frozen treat.

"This is going to take forever!" J.P. complained once he reached the back of the line.

Fortunately, the booth won't close for another couple of hours. But the fifteen year old boy wanted to get his shaved ice so bad. His stomach was making weird noises he has never heard before. Three minutes later, the person in front got his dessert and the line moved up a little bit. Of course, J.P. wasn't really the patient type.

"I swear I'm gonna die of old age if I have to..."

"_We interrupt this program to bring you breaking news!_"

There was a television set hanging on the one of the corners of the shaved ice booth. The moment the words 'breaking news' were spoken, the people in line gathered around the TV to see what the story was. J.P. had the unfortunate luck of being in the back, where he couldn't get a good view of the screen. But while he couldn't see, the boy could still listen.

"_We go live to Japan, where World News reporter, Michelle Ishige, is on the scene! Michelle?_"

A woman in her forties appeared on the screen holding a microphone. Behind her was a large city in a state of chaos. People left and right were running all over the streets. Some tried to find a place to hide, while the others scattered into different directions.

"_Thank you, Colleen! I'm in Setagaya right now, where the entire population is in panic mode! According to witness reports, there are monsters taking over the city! While there hasn't been any word where these monsters came from, it is clear that the city is under attack! Also, another strange creature, who appeared to be the leader of this invasion, has declared himself ruler of our planet! Not much is known of this maniac, other than his name is Malevomon and that he's something called a Digimon!_"

"A Digimon? In the Human World?" J.P. gasped.

Seeing the mass destruction made him lose his appetite. All he could think about was all of his friends. They were in trouble, yet he's on the other side of the world. J.P. felt helpless and weak.

Back on the news report, a thousand demon-like foot soldiers began destroying everything in sight. They carved through vehicles, knocked down street lights and created a gigantic mess in the city. As the soldiers in the frontlines did a majority of the damages, hundreds more carried a blackish structure above their heads.

"_As you can see behind me, these monsters are very dangerous! We don't know what they're plan is, but it appears to be..._"

Once the commands planted the structure in the center of Setagaya, the television screen was suddenly filled with static. The viewers thought that the station was going through some technical difficulties. But the Bearer of Thunder thought otherwise. Instead of hunger and fear, the teenage boy now had sudden urge to fight and save his friends.

*BOOM*

A bolt of lightning struck a nearby tree, causing it to burst into flames. This frightened everyone in the shopping center. Soon, the whole area was empty. Only one person remained on the spot. And that was J.P. Shibayama.

Moments later, something glowed inside J.P.'s pocket. The boy thought it was just his cell phone. But when he took out his mobile device, what he found nearly gave him a heart attack. He was now holding a blue and yellow D-Tector.

"Wow! This is awesome!" The teen pumped his fist.

"Really? What about _this_?" A familiar voice entered J.P.'s ear, making the young man smile.

A second lightning bolt flashed in the area. The boy then felt the presence of a certain strong and brave Legendary Warrior. When J.P. turned around, a humanoid beetle covered in armor from head to toe appeared. Even though his partner was wearing a facemask, the fifteen year old boy knew he had a grin that matched his.

"It's that time again, J.P.!" Beetlemon extended his arm toward the teenager.

"Bring em' on!" The Bearer of Thunder replied before gripping the Legendary Warrior's hand.

J.P. got his wish when his device engulfed his entire body with a burst of blinding light. Even though the country of Japan was over a four thousand miles away, J.P. felt himself traveling that very distance in a short amount of time. It wouldn't be long before he's reunited with his friends once again.

* * *

><p>"WHOA!"<p>

A dimensional rift opened somewhere in Shibuya. Two humans fell through the gateway and landed hard on the grass.

"Oh man! Why can't those things have seatbelts?" Takuya groaned, massaging his aching head.

"Ugh... Where are we?" Zoe sat up straight to gauge her surroundings.

The familiar layout of the trees, the huge ponds and the way the paved sidewalks weaved around the area told the humans that they were in the middle of Yoyogi Park. Still, something bothered them. While they weren't expecting a 'Welcome Home' party, the fact that the entire place was abandoned had them concerned.

"Hey! Where is everybody?" The goggle-head questioned, searching for his Digimon friends or any other humans nearby. "Where are Bokomon and Neemon? Where are the Legendary Warriors or the Celestial Digimon?"

"Maybe they had landed somewhere else in Shibuya!" Zoe thought. "Or maybe... *gulp*... they didn't make out."

"Don't say that, Z! I know they're somewhere in Shibuya! We just have to find them before we take on Malevomon!"

"But Takuya! How do we know that Malevomon's even here? What if we had accidently skipped a few years into the future? What if our friends..."

"Calm down, Zoe! Trust me! I know we're back in our present time! See for yourself!" The teenage boy pointed to something a few yards away from their current spot.

Resting underneath a couple of trees was a picnic basket. A couple of drinks were on the edge of the blanket. To others, it was an average lunch sitting out in the open waiting for the ants or birds to claim it for themselves. But in reality, this was Zoe's picnic basket. And the food on the plate was the lobster risotto she had made for Takuya's birthday.

"I can't believe it! We're in our picnic spot!'" The blonde gasped. Takuya got on one knee and touched the Italian dish. His expression darkened.

"I knew it! It's still warm!" The brunette glanced back at his beloved. Judging by the look on her face, she had already figured it out.

"Then that means not much time has passed since we left! We've been in the Digital World for weeks! And yet here, it's the same day we left; probably the same time!"

"Talk about weird!" Takuya scratched his head in confusion. "By the way, wasn't this park packed with people before we left?"

"Yeah!" Zoe concurred. "Not only that, but there wasn't a cloud in the sky today! What's with the change of weather?"

"Well, now that Malevomon's in our world, anything can happen!"

"So, what do we do now, Takky?"

"First thing's first! We need to find our friends and family to make sure they're alright. Who knows what kind evil that jerk has brought to our..."

*thump, thump, thump, thump*

Takuya was interrupted by the sound of thunderous footprints, which grew louder by the second. The goggle-head wordlessly told his girlfriend to quietly hide behind the trees off to their left. In a hasty fashion, the couple dashed behind one of the thick trees and peeped their heads out to see who was marching through the park.

A battalion of Evilemon marched in columns, scanning the park for any potential enemies. While most of army in the front did most of the scouting, the Evilemon in the back were carrying a giant, obelisk structure over their heads. Takuya and Zoe had no idea what those spires are, but they felt like that have to stop them now before they could do any damage to the park.

That's when they saw their commander.

A former comrade was leading the demon-like soldiers through Yoyogi Park. His crimson eyes gave the humans the creeps. The fact that Swiftmon now works for Malevomon still made Takuya and Zoe sick. Moments later, the swordsman came to a halt, which told the Evilemon to stop as well.

"Put the Chaos Spire here!" Swiftmon commanded.

"Chaos Spire?" Takuya gazed at the blonde, wondering if she knew what the warrior was talking about. Sadly, Zoe shrugged.

"Once when this structure is planted in this area, all of the humans within this vicinity will be under Lord Malevomon's control! This place shall be claimed in the name of Lord Malevomon!" The swordsman declared.

*gasp*

Takuya had to cover Zoe's mouth to prevent her from making any more noise. But that faint inhalation caught Swiftmon's attention. He shifted his eyes towards a large tree on his right. His intuition told him that someone was spying on them. With a firm grip on his weapons, Swiftmon vanished from sight, before reappearing in front of his troops. The swordsman spun one of his blades around before placing it back in its scabbard.

But when the guard made contact with the sheath, the trunk had been cleanly cut through. The tree then fell to the ground. With the large wood out of the way, Takuya and Zoe were forced to reveal themselves.

"Impossible! How did you two get here?" growled the shocked swordsman.

"Swiftmon, listen to us!" Zoe begged as she and Takuya got in a defensive position, just in case the enemy was about to attack. "This isn't you! You're not evil, Swiftmon! Malevomon's controlling you! You have to fight back! Don't you see what's going on? Malevomon's using you to take over our..."

"ENOUGH!" The warrior hollered. He then pointed his blade at the Chosen Children, wordlessly challenging them for one final battle.

"My orders are to eliminate any human who dare gets in Lord Malevomon's way to fulfill his destiny! And it appears to me that you kids are in his way! Therefore, you must be destroyed!"

A flick of his weapon ordered his battalion of Evilemon to surround Takuya and Zoe. By the time the humans thought about escaping, all of their exit routes had been sealed, giving them no choice but to fight.

"Don't do this, Swiftmon! Please, we don't want to hurt you!" Takuya said one last time in desperation to get his Digimon friend back on his side.

Alas, the swordsman wanted no part of it. He pulled out his second blade and pointed toward the humans, signaling his foot soldiers to charge at their opponents. Takuya and Zoe were heavily outnumbered. There were over six hundred evil Digimon, and there were only two of them. It's safe to say that they don't stand a chance.

As the Evilemon approached the petrified humans, Swiftmon shouted two words that usually spells 'death' to anyone he faces.

"DIAMOND CUTTER!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter seventy-two.<strong>

**Where are the other Legendary Warriors and the Chosen Children? Can Takuya and Zoe hold their own against Swiftmon and the battalion of Evilemon? Or will their former comrade slice them in half? Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	73. Reunion

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**Takuya and his friends woke up to find the Digital World completely destroyed. In order to get back home, Zoe used the Ring of Wishes to create a portal to the Human World. Meanwhile, Koji, Koichi, Tommy and J.P. had just received the news that Malevomon has taken over their world. Moments later, their Legendary Warrior partners appeared. The Chosen Children are ready to fulfill their destiny once again. Elsewhere, Takuya and Zoe made it back to Yoyogi Park. But it wasn't the warm welcome they hoped for. Swiftmon and his army of Evilemon were already there waiting for them.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter seventy-three!**

* * *

><p><strong>Reunion<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"DIAMOND CUTTER!"

Time had seemingly stopped for the Chosen Children. Takuya and Zoe were familiar of Swiftmon's technique, which utilizes his speed and skills to take down his opponents without them knowing. But now, it's their turn to be on the receiving end of the swordsman's signature move. They only have a second left before Swiftmon cuts them in...

*CLING*

A loud noise captured the humans' attention. The Bearers of Flame and Wind opened their eyes and were more than thankful to find Eldestmon blocking his former commander's blade with his cane. Similar to the humans, Swiftmon was shocked to see that the old Digimon was still alive.

"You!" The warrior gasped.

"That's your problem, Swiftmon! Your moves are too predictable!" The elderly creature told his former comrade.

"Eldestmon!" Zoe beamed.

"Boy, are we glad to see you!" said Takuya

"Save the formalities! You two need to Spirit Evolve, right now!" Eldestmon glanced at the humans.

"You got it!" The blonde nodded.

"These guys want to play rough? We'll play rough!" smirked the goggle-head.

With their D-Tectors in hand, the couple were ready for action.

"EXECUTE! SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

Even in the Human World, the Chosen Children still had the power to Spirit Evolve into their Legendary Warrior forms. Fractal Code surrounded their bodies, transforming them into the Digimon of Flame and Wind. When the data encasement dispersed, a fiery Warrior and a lavender haired butterfly appeared, ready to defend their home.

"AGUNIMON!" ||| "KAZEMON!"

While the battalion of Evilemon bore witness to the humans transforming, that didn't stop their advances. They were ordered by Swiftmon to destroy anyone that interfered with Lord Malevomon's conquest of the Digital World and the Human World, whether it's a Digimon or one of the Chosen Children. All one thousand soldiers raised their weapons high and charged at their enemies.

"Not in our house, boys!" Kazemon declared. The female Digimon transitioned into a handstand and spread her legs out wide.

"TEMPEST TWIST!"

The Warrior of Wind spun around very quickly. By doing so, she created a strong wind force that blew a handful of Evilemon into each other. Although some of the foot soldiers were able to hold their ground, their weapons got sucked up by the twister. With her opponents unarmed, the female Digimon spun toward the Evilemon closest to her.

"TAKE THIS!"

It's safe to say that her kicks had more power in them, since she was mad that these creatures had the nerve to take over her home. Remembering the foot soldiers' weakness, Kazemon slightly changed the angle of her legs so that she could target the white masks on their faces. Each successful hit broke the facewear into pieces, which made the soldiers disintegrate into dust.

Kazemon returned to a vertical base shortly after taking out at least twenty Evilemon.

"Not bad, Z! Now, it's my turn!" Agunimon smirked. A couple of fireballs appeared at the end of the fiery Warrior's knuckles.

"PYRO PUNCH!"

He then threw his arms forward, sending the heated spheres toward his opponents. Like his girlfriend, Agunimon aimed every one of his fireballs at the Evilemons' white masks. The Digimon of Flame was careful to make sure that each of his attacks were on target, since he did not want to start a fire in one of Shibuya's famous tourist sites.

"GOT YA!"

Agunimon increased the speed of his punches, throwing multiple fireballs at the oncoming Evilemon. Once the flames made contact with their heads, it incinerated the masks on their faces, forcing the soldiers to disappear. To the Legendary Warrior, it was like taking out a horde of zombies. When one goes down, two more were there to take his place.

The Warrior of Flame successfully took out thirty more Evilemon, which outdid Kazemon's performance. But the female Digimon didn't care. Despite their combined efforts, they were only able to eliminate five percent of the demon infantry.

"Got a plan, Takuya?" Kazemon glanced back at her partner.

"I'll let you know when I come up with something!" Agunimon shook his head. The army of Evilemon continued to charge. If the two of them don't get out of there soon, it could surely mean the end of them.

"Takuya! Grab on!" The Digimon of Wind ordered, extending her arm out toward her boyfriend.

Agunimon quickly wrapped his hand around Kazemon's. With the Legendary Warrior's strength on her side, the humanoid butterfly lifted her partner off of the ground. And just in time too. The Evilemon couldn't put on the brakes soon enough, which resulted them smacking into one another. Some of the soldiers did butt heads, fracturing each other's masks on the collision.

"Great job, Zoe!" Agunimon complimented.

But Kazemon had her attention on another part of the battlefield. Two Digimon were locked in an intense battle. Swiftmon was swinging his blades wildly at Eldestmon, who seemed to be struggling to keep up with his former comrade's attacks.

Some of the demon infantry tried to cheat and attack the elderly Digimon while he wasn't looking. Hundreds of Evilemon pounced on Eldestmon, trying to give their commander an advantage. But the Ultimate sensed the oncoming attacks before they happened. He blocked the foot soldiers' weapons with his cane before breaking their masks on the follow through.

"Eldestmon's in trouble! We got to help him!" The lavender haired Warrior gasped.

Kazemon released Agunimon's hand. The two Digimon landed on their feet and rushed back to help their comrade. More Evilemon got in the way to prevent them from interfering. But the Legendary Warriors wouldn't be denied. Agunimon and Kazemon used their attacks to clear a path so that they could get to their friend.

"Enough of this!" Swiftmon grumbled to himself. He gave Eldestmon a push kick to his stomach, knocking him backwards. He would've hit the ground, if Kazemon and Agunimon hadn't caught him.

"Swiftmon, please! Don't let Malevomon control you!" The Warrior of Wind pleaded once again.

But the swordsman responded by shaking his head, determined to carry out his orders given by his new master.

"We're your friends! We fought together to protect the Digital World and to defeat Malevomon! Please, we do not want to destroy you!" Agunimon shouted in protest.

"I cannot disobey Lord Malevomon's orders! I'll do what I must to help him fulfill his destiny! And I'll start by ending this battle and destroying you three!" Swiftmon said, rotating one of his swords until he held his weapon in a reverse grip.

With his other blade, he pointed it at his opponents.

"ATTACK!"

Upon command, the battalion of Evilemon swarmed their opponents.

Eldestmon summoned his Chains of Supremacy from the ground. He was able to wrap his Chrome Digizoid links around twenty bodies before held them down. Unfortunately, Eldestmon had about a few hundred more demon infantry to deal with. By the time he was able to call forth more of his Chains of Supremacy, dozens of Evilemon piled on top of the elderly Digimon.

Too bad Agunimon wasn't fairing any better. Despite score multiple hits on the creatures' masks, he was almost out of breath. His punches were getting slower and weaker. Not only that, he was having trouble keeping up with the oncoming Evilemon. It wasn't long before a ton of foot soldiers pinned down the Warrior of Flame and grabbed a hold of his arms to prevent him from attacking.

Kazemon, however, seemed to be holding her own. She used her Tempest Twist to create space between herself and her opponents. The butterfly also took out a bunch of Evilemon in the process. Her signature technique allowed her to create her own Circle of Doom. Once an Evilemon stepped inside, the Warrior of Wind used her powerful legs to fracture their masks.

The butterfly came to a stop to check on her friends. Instead, she noticed two piles of bodies on top of Eldestmon and Agunimon. But before she could rescue them, Swiftmon quickly moved in from behind. He kicked the back of Kazemon's leg, causing her to fall on one knee. The swordsman used his free hand to lock the Warrior's arm in a chicken wing hold. Finally, Swiftmon placed the edge of his blade on her neck.

"ZOE!" Agunimon gasped when he saw his former comrade had his beloved in his grasp.

"I must obey Lord Malevomon's orders!" The mind controlled Digimon spoke with a heartless tone.

"Swiftmon, you can't! Please! We're your friends!" The Warrior of Wind begged.

"Enough! I shall forever silence you by slicing your throat! Say goodbye, Legendary Warrior!" Swiftmon's words made Kazemon's heart drop.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The fiery Digimon screamed. But with a hundred foot soldiers piled on top of him, saving his best friend was impossible.

Agunimon's eyes remained shut. He had never felt this helpless since the time when Malevomon captured Zoe. There was nothing he could do. While the pain of losing his girlfriend was unbearable, being unable to protect her hurt even more. Time seemed to have stopped at that very moment.

Suddenly...

"AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

*chomp*

"YEOOOOOW!"

Agunimon's eyes shot open when he heard what appeared to be Swiftmon screaming in pain. He then noticed a small puppy with her teeth clenched against the swordsman's hand. Not only Salamon's bold move made Swiftmon drop his blade, but it also gave Kazemon the chance to escape. She shot a backwards kick to the warrior's shin, which forced the Champion to release her.

"BLAZING ICE!"

The second Rookie appeared behind the distracted Swiftmon. He took a deep breath and spewed out shots of chilly air at the warrior's feet. While his attack didn't inflict any damage, Lopmon did manage to freeze Swiftmon's feet. Of course, it would only be a matter of time before the he would break free and take out the...

"BOOM BUBBLE!"

*pow*

Up above, Patamon zoomed down directly toward Swiftmon. The small creature puffed his cheeks before releasing all of the air from his mouth like a high speed bullet. The Celestial Digimon unleashed a barrage of his attacks at Swiftmon's face. But despite how many hits he scored on the Champion, the damage he had inflicted was barely noticeable.

"We won't let you hurt our friends!" The three Rookies appeared in front of Kazemon.

"Patamon! Salamon! Lopmon!" The humanoid butterfly gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"That's a silly question! We've been looking for you guys!" Salamon smiled.

"And now that we've found you, we can help you guys fight against the bad guys!" nodded Lopmon.

"Isn't that neat?" The winged Digimon looked over his shoulder and giggled.

"It's not safe, Patamon!" The female Digimon shook her head. "You and your friends need to find a place to..."

"ZOE! INCOMING!" The pinned Agunimon hollered to his best friend.

From Kazemon's blindside, one of the Evilemon seized the opportunity to eliminate the distracted Legendary Warrior. With his scythe raised to the sky, the foot soldier quickly closed the distance before the Digimon of Wind could react.

"BONZAI!"

Another pair of Rookies leaped off the trees and landed on top of a charging Evilemon's head. Thanks to the combined impact of Bokomon and Neemon, they were able to knock the demon to the ground. As the yellow rabbit hopped on the enemy's chest, the other Rookie took out his book and relentlessly bashed it on Evilemon's mask. All it took was a small crack, and the soul-eating Digimon was defeated.

"Bokomon? Neemon? Where have you been?" Kazemon smiled. While she was relieved that her two closest friends were alright, she was surprised to see an aggressive side of them.

"Forgive our tardiness, Zoe! But Neemon, the kids and I had to pick up some reinforcements!" Bokomon explained.

As he said, four more Digimon joined the party.

"SEISMIC SLEDGE!"

Grumblemon ruthlessly smash his hammers onto a handful of the demons' heads.

"ROUNDHOUSE PUNT!"

The wooden android swung his elongated limb around, destroying a dozen Evilemon in the process.

"DRAINING RAIN!"

The aquatic Digimon dropped gallons of water on top of the demon infantry, which removed their masks as well.

"DARK REFLECTION!"

Mercurymon reappeared in front of the Celestial Digimon and took out the Digimon who had pinned down Agunimon and Eldestmon.

Moments later, the Warriors of Water, Earth and Wood regrouped with the metallic Digimon.

"Miss me, Sugar?" Ranamon winked at the humanoid butterfly.

"Jeez, could you have cut it a little closer next time?" Kazemon smirked at the aquatic Digimon.

"Methinks some thanks are in order!" Mercurymon chuckled.

"Thank later! Smash evil Digimon now!" said Grumblemon, who had a strong grip on his sledgehammer.

"You's better not get in my way when I start weed whacking, right?" Arbormon put his arms up to defend himself.

"Sounds great you guys! However, we're still heavily outnumbered!" Agunimon sprang to his feet and rejoined his friends. The Legendary Warriors stood back-to-back and gazed at the large number of foot soldiers surrounding them.

"Anybody know how many we have to fight?" Bokomon asked.

"There's about five hundred bad guys!" Patamon flew around, quickly counting the Evilemon surrounding them.

"Wow! You can count that high?" Neemon gasped at the Celestial Rookie's accomplishment. Bokomon, on the other hand, smacked his forehead with disbelief.

"I hope you all can beat them! There's so many for you to fight!" Salamon pointed out.

"You can say that again! Even with all six of us working together, I don't think it will be enough!" The Warrior of Wind spoke.

"She's right!" They fiery Digimon agreed. "We need more help! We need some way to way to bring this fight back in our favor! We need..."

"DESTROY THEM ALL IN THE NAME OF LORD MALEVOMON!" The mind controlled warrior commanded his army.

Without hesitation, the surrounding foot soldiers charged toward their opponents with their weapons raised to the sky. The Legendary Warriors dropped in their battle stances, refusing to go down without putting up a good fight. As the demon infantry closed the distance, the Warriors knew that they're going to need a miracle if they were to survive.

And it was a miracle they had received.

All of the sudden, a flash of light appeared above everyone's heads. Swiftmon and his battalion of Evilemon immediately came to a halt. Not only they were blinded by the light, but a good number of foot soldiers felt that their entire bodies were on fire or seething in boiling water. But to the Legendary Warriors, the light provided warmth and hope. They couldn't explain why, but they knew that help has arrived.

"WHOA!"

Four humans fell out of radiance and landed on top of each other. The eleven year old boy on top of the pile had an orange cap, a yellow collared shirt with brown, baggy shorts that drape over his kneecaps. Below him was a short black haired, fourteen year old boy who wore a dark green t-shirt and black pants. His twin brother, who was underneath him, had his hair tied in a ponytail, a gray t-shirt and blue jeans with white belt around his waist. And at the bottom of the pile, was a fifteen year old boy wearing a blue and yellow striped shirt with matching colored swim trunks.

"Wow! That was some ride!" The youngest rubbed his head.

"Tommy? Is that you?" One of the boys underneath the eleven year old boy spoke.

"Hey, Koichi! Long time no see!" Tommy waved to the Bearer of Darkness. It wasn't long until the eleven year old boy noticed his other two friends at the bottom of the pile.

"Koji! J.P.! Man, it's so good to see you guys!"

"Likewise, Tommy! Now, would you and Koichi be so kind and get off my back?" The Bearer of Light grumbled.

"How about all three of you get off of mine?" The eldest boy complained.

"Guys! I can't believe it! You're all here!" A familiar voice spoke.

The boys quickly scrambled to their feet to search for one of their good friends. But instead of a teenage boy with his signature goggles on his head, they saw what appeared to be a fiery creature with messy blonde hair. Standing next to him was a lavender haired butterfly with her eyes covered by a silver visor. And behind them were a bunch of other familiar creatures.

"No way!" Koji said with his jaw dropped.

"It can't be!" Koichi mimicked his twin.

"Takuya?" Tommy leaned in closer to get a good look at one of his best friends.

"Zoe?" J.P. stared at the female Warrior.

Agunimon and Kazemon both gave the humans a smile and a nod.

"_E 'stato un po'!_" The Digimon of Wind beamed.

'Hehe! What's up, guys?" grinned the fiery Warrior.

"I hate to break up the reunion, Sugar, but we still in the middle of a fight!" Ranamon shouted to the group of six.

"GET THEM!" Swiftmon ordered.

Sure enough, the large army of Evilemon had already recovered and were back on the attack. Their grotesque appearance even had Tommy and J.P. spooked. The twins, on the other hand, felt that they had to stop these creatures from terrorizing their beloved home. But how?

"Time for action!" Grumblemon declared as he dashed toward the Evilemon.

"Thou has spoken true! I shall use my power to end thy madness!" concurred the metallic Warrior. Like his comrade, Mercurymon too made his way toward the charging solders.

"Friends in need are friends indeed, right?" chuckled Arbormon before unleashing his elongated strikes on the closest Evilemon.

"Come get me, boys! I'm over here!" Ranamon sang as she backflipped over the demon infantry, leading a good percentage of the soldiers toward the ponds.

With that, only Agunimon and Kazemon remained with their four friends. As Eldestmon protected the Celestial Rookies, Bokomon and Neemon, the Warriors of Flame and Wind surrounded the humans to protect them from the oncoming Evilemon.

"Hey Takky! What's going on here? Who is the old guy? What are those zombie-like _things_ called? And why is that guy with the swords trying to decapitate us?" J.P. barraged his friend with a load of questions.

"I'll explain later!" The fiery Digimon told the others. "Right now, Zoe and I need you to Spirit Evolve! Please tell me you have your D-Tectors!"

One by one, the boys showed him their devices.

"You guys know what to do!" Agunimon told his friends.

"And hurry! We don't have much time!" concluded Kazemon.

Tommy, J.P. and the twins glanced at each other. It's been two years since they last been to the Digital World, let alone Spirit Evolve. Now here they are once again. While the numerous battles and chaos going around the park had the boys speechless, somewhere in the back of their minds, they couldn't wait to get back into action.

In fact, why wait any longer?

"Alright, who's ready for some fun?" J.P. smirked at his friends.

"I am! Oh, man! This is going to be awesome, fighting evil Digimon again!" rejoiced Tommy.

"I'm ready if you're ready, brother!" Koichi smiled toward his twin.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" grinned Koji.

"LET'S DO IT!" The group cried in unison.

With their decisions made, rings of Fractal Code around their hands and their D-Tectors in their possessions, the nostalgic group of four were ready to save the world once more.

"EXECUTE! SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

A line of Fractal Code surrounded their bodies. The boys felt a surge of energy taking over then. Inside the cocoon of data, their respective Spirits had awaken, giving their partners the power they need to fight against the evil forces and to save the Human World.

Koji could feel the light's radiance and warmth while his twin felt his entire body being consumed by the power of darkness. Tommy could feel his Spirits giving him the ability to create and control ice. As for J.P., the thunder's loud boom and crackling might was matched by their intensity. All four boys felt themselves become one with their Legendary Spirits.

Before long, the transformation was complete. A humanoid wolf landed on the battlefield, swinging his swords around. Next to him, a Digimon dressed in black armor twirled his lance around before pointing the sharp end at the enemies. A polar bear skied on a path of ice, before landing on the canvas with his body all mushy. But he quickly popped to his feet and struck a pose with a 'V' sign. Finally, a humanoid beetle summoned the power of thunder in his fists before pumping them together.

"LOBOMON!" ||| "LOWEMON!" ||| "KUMAMON!" ||| "BEETLEMON!"

After a couple of years, the entire Chosen Children were altogether again. The six Legendary Warriors smiled at each other, spending a few moments to remember the good times they had fighting evil Digimon. Moments later, Agunimon gave his friends a quick nod, wordlessly telling them to take care themselves.

"Remember! Their weakness is their masks! Just one crack on their mask will be enough to get those creeps to drop!"

"Sounds easy enough!" Beetlemon grunted.

"We'll stop them all, no matter what!" concurred Kumamon.

"Never let your guard down!" Lowemon reminded.

"Ditto!" said Lobomon.

"Alright, boys! Let's kick it up!" An excited Kazemon cheered.

"YEAH!"

With that, the six Legendary Warriors hustled toward the opposing army, ready to pick up where they last left off two years ago.

"You guys think you can come to our world and easily take it over? Well, guess what? You're in our house now! AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" The Warrior of Thunder broke formation and flew toward a nearby Evilemon with his hands surging with jolts of lightning.

"THUNDER FIST!"

The humanoid beetle then unleashed a vicious punch toward the evil Digimon. Remembering Agunimon's words, Beetlemon took aim at the creature's mask. With the power he had, the Warrior of Thunder easily shattered his opponent's facewear. Soon after, Beetlemon delivered a left hook to the Evilemon that was next to the one that had already collapsed.

Some of the demon infantry tried to eliminate the humanoid beetle by swinging and thrusting their weapons at him. However, their swords and spears bounced off Beetlemon's armor. He retaliated with more of his Thunder Fist squared to the head. Upon impact, their facewear broke apart, signifying their defeat.

"Hey, pal! I'm afraid this mask is too big for you!" Beetlemon said, pulling off one of the creature's front. The Warrior of Thunder then looked around and saw bunches of Evilemon had surrounded him. They pointed their weapons to the armored beetle, wordlessly telling him that they are going to destroy him.

But Beetlemon had an idea.

"COME GET IT, BOYS! IT'S A ONE SIZE FITS ALL!"

Pretending the mask in his hand was a boomerang, the Warrior of Thunder threw his weapon in a sidearm motion. Needless to say that he was right on target. The broken, yet sharp facewear ricocheted from one Evilemon's masks to another. After the rotating weapon has hit the tenth foot soldier's face, it spun back toward Beetlemon. He caught the mask and crushed it with his hand.

At the same time, all of the Evilemon that surrounded him has had their facewear cracked, which was enough to defeat them.

"J.P.! Incoming!" Kumamon's voice came from behind the Digimon of Thunder.

That gave Beetlemon the signal to squat down. Using his friend's back as a ramp, the polar bear elevated off of the Legendary Warrior's spine. Kumamon aimed his signature bazooka at the Evilemon who were in the middle of the section.

"BLIZZARD BLASTER!"

The Digimon of Ice pulled the trigger and launched a barrage of snowballs toward his opponent in midflight. While his attacks lacked the power Beetlemon had, just one snowball on target was enough to get the demon infantry to drop dead. With a good number of the Evilemon beaten, Kumamon landed in the small space below.

"Alright! Who's next?" Kumamon challenged the other foot soldiers. The response he got was about a hundred Evilemon charging toward him. The demon infantry were determined to crush the Warrior of Ice, making sure he never sees the light of day again.

Then again, Kumamon had other plans.

"FROZEN TUNDRA!"

The Warrior of Ice turned into a multi-icicled form. He then extended the tips of the icicles toward the heads of the foot soldiers. All of the advancing Evilemon were immediately stopped by a sharp, frozen spike piercing their masks. The demon infantry went limp. Bodies fell on top of each other, making a huge pile before disintegrating. Kumamon reverted back to his normal form and rubbed his nose.

"Well, that wasn't too hard... WHOA!"

From behind the polar bear, another Evilemon swung his axe downward, looking to cut the Warrior of Ice in half. Despite getting out of the way in time, Kumamon lost his balance. Towering above the Legendary Warrior were a dozen foot soldiers with their weapons raised. Kumamon could feel his heart thumping in his chest.

"LOBO KENDO!" ||| "SHADOW LANCE!"

The Warriors of Light and Darkness came to their friend's rescue just in time. Lobomon and Lowemon swung their weapons around, taking out each Evilemon one by one. After the last foot soldier had fallen, the humanoid wolf helped the Digimon of Ice back to his feet. Kumamon gave his friends a huge smile as a sign of gratitude.

"Are you alright, Tommy?" asked Lobomon.

"I am now!" The polar bear nodded.

"Be careful, everyone! These Digimon are unlike anyone we faced!" Lowemon analyzed.

The Legendary Warriors returned to battle, taking out more Evilemon with their weapons and elemental attacks. Now that they groups altogether again, this fight has gotten so much easier. In a matter of minutes, the large battalion of zombie-like foot soldiers were cut in half.

"PYRO DARTS!"

Meanwhile, the Warrior of Flame was already having a blast taking out the bad guys. With the momentum in their favor, Agunimon picked up the pace by delivering a fiery missiles at the Evilemon surrounding him. Each of his flaming projectiles were a direct hit on their targets. More of the demon infantry appeared to take the other's place. But they were immediately shot down by Agunimon's attacks.

"Having fun, Takuya?" Kazemon landed next to her beloved.

"How can I not, now that we're a team again?" smirked the Warrior of Flame.

"You're such a child, you know that bab... Whoops!"

The butterfly spun out of the way to avoid an Evilemon's spear thrust. After completing the rotation, she got in a handstand, spread her legs apart and spun around to execute another Tempest Twist. Any Evilemon that were foolish enough to get in the way were immediately destroyed. Once the last of the group were defeated, Kazemon returned to a vertical base, very proud of her accomplishment.

"Well, that was so hard... NNG!"

Kazemon failed to notice another Evilemon coming from the side. He coldcocked her left cheek, sending the lavender haired Digimon to the ground. With the humanoid butterfly groggy, the Evilemon quickly closed the distance and brought his giant axe downward, targeting Kazemon's head.

"ZOE!" Agunimon shouted. Unfortunately, tons of foot soldiers blocked the fiery Warrior's way.

"HEY!" Beetlemon stepped in between the evil Digimon and the Warrior of Wind.

After easily catching the axe with his bare hand, the humanoid insect gave the attacking creature a vicious punch to the face, knocking off Evilemon's mask. The Digimon fell to on the canvas and disappeared.

"That's no way to treat a lady!" The Warrior of Thunder said before glancing back at the lavender haired butterfly. Underneath his facemask was one of the biggest smiles he has ever put on.

"J.P.! You saved my life! Thank you so much!" Kazemon replied with her own smile to match.

Talk about déjà vu. The sweet sound of her voice made Beetlemon's cheeks turn as red as a tomato. At that point, his mind was flooded with hundreds of flashbacks regarding him and the Bearer of Wind. A couple of years ago, he tried to portray his feelings to his new friend. Despite not showing interest in him, the two became even closer as the days go by.

Now, here's his chance to impress her and win her heart once again.

"Have no fear, Z! For I, J.P. Shibayama, will protect you with my very own... UGH!"

His bravado was sadly cut short when a dozen Evilemon formed a giant pile on top of the Digimon of Thunder, limiting the armored insect's mobility. Although Beetlemon was one of the strongest Legendary Warriors, even he couldn't triumph against the numbers game.

"CRYSTAL FREEZE!"

Kumamon exhaled a breath of chilled air towards pile of bodies. Using extreme precision, the polar bear carefully made sure that Beetlemon wasn't in the crossfire. Soon, Kumamon had successfully turned all of the Evilemon into ice. Finally, the Warrior of Thunder removed the frozen blocks off of his body and returned to a vertical base.

Moments later, the six Legendary Warriors regrouped. Over three-fourths of the demon infantry had already been annihilated, with the other four Warriors working together to take out the rest.

"Thanks for the save, Tommy!" Beetlemon patted the polar bear on the head.

"Don't mention it!" grinned Kumamon.

"He wouldn't have to save your sorry butt if you hadn't tried showing off in front of Zoe!" Lobomon groaned.

"Not cool!" Lowemon shook his head.

"Come on, boys! Now's not the time to joke around!" Kazemon told the others.

"She's right!" Agunimon nodded. "We're not done yet! We still the entire world to save! We have to..."

"NNG!"

From out of nowhere, an elderly Digimon crashed into the group of six, knocking all of them to ground. Agunimon regained his consciousness and found the former leader of the Digimon Battlefront lying next to him, all covered with scratches and cuts.

"Eldestmon!" The Warrior of Flame gasped.

"What happened to you?" wondered the lavender haired butterfly.

"It's Swiftmon! He's gotten much stronger ever since Malevomon has controlled his mind! I'm sorry! I cannot defeat him!" said Eldestmon.

"Hey! Who's this guy? And what the heck is a Malevomon?" Beetlemon asked as he helped the elderly Digimon back to his feet.

"Not now!"

Agunimon was cut off by the clanging sound of swords tapping. As the Legendary Warriors returned to their battle stance, Swiftmon reappeared on the battlefield. The soulless look in his eyes were the exact same as the time when Malevomon made him a part of his army.

"I will do whatever it takes to fulfill my master's destiny! And for that, the Legendary Warriors must be destroyed!" The swordsman said.

"Do we really have to fight him, Sugar?" Ranamon and the other three Legendary Warriors regrouped with the rest once the last Evilemon was take care of.

"He one tough Digimon!" analyzed Grumblemon.

"It never gets easier than this, right?" Arbormon grunted.

"To be fair, I have never like him to begin with." muttered Mercurymon.

Even though he was outnumbered, Swiftmon still showed no fear. It didn't matter how many Digimon he was up against. The valiant swordsman would fight until his duty is done, or until his last breath; whichever came first.

"Ranamon! You and the boys take care of Eldestmon!" Agunimon ordered.

"Whatever you say, Honey!" The aquatic Digimon beamed. Arbormon, Grumblemon and Mercurymon replied with a nod.

As the four Legendary Warriors escorted the elderly Digimon out of the area, the remaining six face the swordsman.

"Well, Takuya?" Kazemon questioned.

"You're going to hate me for this, but we got to somehow get our friend back!" The fiery Warrior responded.

"That's your plan?" Lobomon and Lowemon stared oddly at his friend.

"Takky, this guy is trying to cut our heads off! Are you sure he's your friend?" inquired Beetlemon.

"Trust me, you guys! I can't explain why, but I know the real Swiftmon who fights for justice and good is in there somewhere! And as his friend, I will do whatever it takes to help him!"

"If you say so, Takuya!" Kumamon shrugged.

Now that their decision made, the Legendary Warriors dashed toward the swordsman. After seeing him fight so many times, Agunimon has already formulated a plan to stop Swiftmon. It would require a little bit of luck if he and his friends were to pull it off. But at this point, he's willing to do anything to save his former comrade.

"It's useless, Legendary Warriors! You cannot defeat me!" declared Swiftmon as he got into position.

"We'll see about that!" Kazemon took upon his challenge. The butterfly picked up speed and made a beeline toward the swordsman. The Warrior of Wind gulped the moment she heard Swiftmon declare his signature move.

"DIAMOND CUTTER!" He shouted before vanishing.

"Now!" The lavender haired Digimon said to herself. Seeing him disappear gave her the signal. She had to react soon, or it could be the end for her.

"TEMPEST TWIST!"

Kazemon spun on her hands to create a vast tornado around her. The faster she rotated, the stronger the wind force generated inside the cyclone. While being in this position could leave her vulnerable to an attack, Kazemon knew her assignment. By spinning at her maximum velocity, the lavender haired Digimon hoped to create a strong enough twister to get her opponent off of her feet.

And that was precisely what had happened.

Despite coming toward the butterfly at an incredible speed, the powerful cyclone not only slowed down the oncoming swordsman, but it also lifted him off of the ground. No matter how much Swiftmon kicked around and swung his weapons, he was rendered helpless inside the vortex.

"Good work, Zoe! Keep it up!" shouted Agunimon.

"Just hurry up and do something! I'm not sure how much longer I can hold this up!" Kazemon told the others.

"Right!" Her boyfriend nodded before glancing at the Warriors of Light and Darkness.

"Koji! Koichi! Do it now!"

"LOBO KENDO!" ||| "SHADOW LANCE!"

Lowemon and Lowemon threw their weapons at the twister. Rather than aiming at the actual Digimon, the Digimon of Light and Darkness targeted Swiftmon's swords. The wind force generated by Kazemon made their weapons dance in the vortex. Thankfully, luck was on their side. Lobomon's light sword knocked the blade out of Swiftmon's left hand, while Lowemon's spear disarmed the warrior's right hand.

"CRYSTAL FREEZE!

Once the weapons hit the ground, Kumamon used attacks to entrap the swords in ice. To ensure that no one gets near them, Beetlemon stood in front of the blocks of ice.

"Zoe, now!" Agunimon ordered.

Upon command, Kazemon stopped her attack. The wind force soon died down, which made the unarmed Swiftmon fall toward the ground. Once when his back hit the canvas, the Warrior of Flame pounced on top of his former comrade. The two Digimon rolled on the grass, battling for position. Back and forth Agunimon and Swiftmon wrestled. But eventually, the fiery Digimon ended up on top. He pinned Swiftmon's arms to the ground and gazed into his eyes.

"Listen to me, Swiftmon! I don't want to hurt you! You're our friend! You have to remember!" begged the Warrior of Flame.

"Never! I would rather sacrifice myself in the name of the Malevolent One than surrender to the likes of you!" Swiftmon defied.

"Alright! Have it your way!" Agunimon shrugged. He then shifted his attention to a few Digimon standing off to the side, who were the key to returning Swiftmon back to normal.

"GUYS, DO IT NOW!"

Moments later, the Celestial Rookie gathered around both Digimon.

"That's our cue!" Patamon told his friends.

"Here we go!" said Lopmon.

"I hope this works!" prayed Salamon.

The three of them started to glow. It wasn't long before the Celestial Rookies surrounded Agunimon and Swiftmon in a pyramid of light.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Both Digimon inside the prism cried in pain. Although the Celestial Rookies' healing powers were incredible, it still was quite overwhelming.

"TAKUYA!" Everyone else called out to their friend. Kazemon placed her hands over her heart, silently praying for her beloved's safety and for Swiftmon to return to normal.

The energy inside the pyramid was immense. Agunimon felt like his entire body was on fire. This hurt a lot more than being inside the evil emperor's Malevolent Onslaught. But he had endure for Swiftmon's sake. It was their last chance to get their friend back. If this doesn't work, then nothing will.

It wasn't long before the swordsman stopped screaming. His eyes shut tight and the former second-in-command had instantly passed out. The Celestial Digimon ceased the powers. With him completely drained, Agunimon rolled his body next to the unconscious swordsman.

"Um... did it work?" Kumamon wondered.

"We'll have to wait and see!" replied Lobomon.

The battle was over. All of the Evilemon had been defeated. Hundreds of bodies disintegrated to nothingness. The mind controlled Swiftmon was already out like a light. And it seemed like everyone's alright. One by one, the six Legendary Warriors reverted back to their human forms. Since they hadn't fought like that in so long, the effects started to kick in. Everyone fell to the ground, almost exhausted.

"How's everyone doing?" Koichi asked his friends.

"Just peachy." Koji replied.

"Well, that's my exercise for the day! Gosh, I tired!" J.P. groaned out loud.

"Oh my goodness! Are you alright?"

The sound of Zoe's voice had J.P.'s heart thumping. He turned around and saw the young woman back on her feet with her hands over her mouth. The look in her eyes showed a huge amount of concern for the teenage boy she was looking at. Upon further inspection, she appeared to be on the verge of tears.

"Aw, you don't have to worry about me, Z!" The Bearer of Thunder rubbed the back of his head. Then again, a hug (and possibly a kiss) from her would be icing on the cake.

His opportunity came when Zoe started running toward his direction. Wet streams decorated the girl's face. J.P. welcomed the blonde with open arms. At that point, he ran toward Zoe, ready to give her a great big hug. J.P. had a huge smile on his face. He couldn't wait to feel her arms around his body. And sure enough, Zoe was going for a hug.

But it wasn't J.P. she was after.

The girl ran past the Bearer of Thunder and wrapped her arms around her boyfriend. Zoe then gave Takuya a quick kiss on his cheek, much to J.P.'s surprise.

"Oh Takuya! I'm so glad you're alright! I thought I lost you!" The blonde cried.

"Come on, Z! You worry too much!" Takuya chuckled.

"Idiot! Of course I worry about you!"

The goggle-head removed her worries by wiping the tears off of her face. His signature smile was enough to get her to laugh again. As the couple enjoyed another moment with each other, J.P. stood in the background with his jaw dropped.

"HUH?" His reaction recaptured Takuya's and Zoe's attention. "WHEN DID... HOW DID YOU... SINCE WHEN..."

"What J.P. is trying to say is, 'Congratulations, you two.' Isn't that right, Jeeps?" Koji approached the group, smirking at the couple while giving J.P. an elbow bump.

"Well, I... Uh..." The Bearer of Thunder stammered.

It turns out that J.P. wasn't really angry or frustrated that Zoe is now in a relationship with one of his best friends. How can he be? Ever since their first trip to the Digital World, he noticed how close the two of them have become. It was pretty obvious in the way Zoe makes him smile, and the way Takuya's jokes make her punch his shoulder. If anything, goggle-head had a better chance of getting with Zoe than he did.

"Well, Jeeps?" Koji widened his grin.

"What? I'm not mad! I'm too blessed to be stressed! Congratulations! I'm happy for the both of you" J.P. said, finally cracking a smile. He then stood in between the couple, wrapping an arm around the back of their necks.

"Zoe, make sure you take care of Takuya, alright? He can be a real hothead sometimes and he oftentimes leaps before he looks."

"I know. And I will." giggled Zoe.

"And Takuya?" J.P. turned to his friend. "You better make Zoe happy. Because if I get word that you have abused her or violated her, I'll make sure you stay in the hospital permanently."

His comment made Takuya's and Zoe's cheeks turn a slight hue of red with embarrassment.

"Relax, buddy. Nothing's going to happen between us." The goggle-head scratched the back of his head. He then turned to the rest of the group.

"By the way, how did you guys get here? I thought you were all out of town."

"We were. And then we got the news that Digimon have appeared in our world. One of them has already made himself ruler. Then suddenly, our Legendary Warrior partners came to us and asked for our help. Next thing we know, we were transported here." recalled Koichi.

"Me too." Tommy pointed out.

"Then, can someone please explain to me how a bunch of Digimon showed up to our world?" J.P. complained.

"It's Malevomon." Zoe replied.

"Who's he?" The youngest of the group asked.

"It's a long story, you guys. I'll explain later. Right now..."

"Takuya! We need your help! Eldestmon is hurt real bad! We need to get him some place where he can rest!" Bokomon informed the leader. Neemon and the other four Legendary Warriors converged and glanced at the goggle-head, waiting for further instructions.

"We need to get them to a safe place." Takuya said, motioning to the two unconscious Digimon.

"Where?" J.P. asked. "I saw the news. All of the power in Shibuya is gone. And all of our homes is quite a bit of distance away from the park."

"Well, Takuya?" His girlfriend wondered.

"There's an elementary school near the park just under a mile from here. We'll rest there. Hurry. We better get out of here before someone notices anything suspicious. I'll explain about Malevomon and everything else when we get there."

With that, the Legendary Warriors and their friends set off to their destination. Mercurymon and Arbormon carried the elderly Digimon around their shoulders while Grumblemon hoisted the unconscious swordsman on his back. Takuya took the lead and lead his group towards the south. As he and his friends exited the park, the goggle-head began to formulate a plan to defeat Malevomon and the rest of his army.

The Legendary Warriors may have won the first battle, but the war is far from over.

* * *

><p>"Ugh, where am I?" Yutaka Himi's consciousness slowly returned to him.<p>

The college kid sat up straight to see where he was at. It took him a while to figure out that he was somewhere in the middle of Yoyogi Park. But how did he get here? One moment he was camping with his family. And the next thing he know, he's somehow ended up back in Shibuya. How was this possible?

"What in the world is going on here?" Yutaka asked himself. He got up to his feet and looked around, searching for his family.

"Mom? Dad? Tommy? Where are you?"

"Yutaka?" His father's voice entered the young man's ear. Yutaka turned and saw his parents running towards them with worried looks on their faces.

"Son!" His mother wrapped her arms around Yutaka, relieved that he's alive. The boy saw wet streams on his mom's cheeks. Despite the awkwardness, Yutaka was glad that his parents were alright.

"Have you seen Tommy anywhere, Yutaka?"

"Nope, sorry." Yutaka replied.

"This is terrible! We have to find Tommy right away!" Mrs. Himi started panicking. "He could be lost or hurt! Oh, where has my little boy gone?"

"I think you're overreacting again, mom." The college boy rolled his eyes.

"Come on! He couldn't have gone far! I'm sure he's still somewhere in the park!" said Yutaka's father.

The Himi family searched high and low for the eleven year old boy. Sadly, he was nowhere to be found. They checked the basketball courts and across the grassy areas. But there was no sign of Tommy anywhere. Mr. and Mrs. Himi were starting to get really worried. They tried calling their son's cell, but there was no answer.

"This is horrible! Where could my little boy be?" Mrs. Himi cried.

"Seriously, mom. Relax." groaned Yutaka. "I'm sure Tommy's fine. He's a big boy now. He can take care of him..."

"KOJI! ANSWER ME?" Someone screamed.

"KOICHI? COME OUT, PLEASE!" Another woman's voice echoed throughout the park.

Yutaka and his parents turned toward the east and found three more people roaming around the park, apparently searching for their children too. The Himi family quickly caught up to the other family.

"Excuse me! Can you help us, please?" Mr. Himi called out.

"We are looking for our son, Tommy! Have you seen him?" asked Mrs. Himi, showing the family a picture of the little boy she had in her wallet. "He's eleven years old, has that orange cap of his..."

"No, sorry!" The man with glasses apologized. "But we too are also searching for our boys!"

"They're names are Koji and Koichi!" Mrs. Minamoto told the Himi family.

"Have you seen them?" asked Ms. Kimura.

Mr. and Mrs. Himi shook their heads. It saddened them that this family has their sons missing. But as for Yutaka, something about the names sounded awfully familiar. He gazed at the three adults, trying to figure out if his little brother has something to do their sons.

"Wait." The college boy pondered. "Call me crazy, but Tommy has mentioned a Koji and a Koichi to me before."

"Say what? Our Tommy knows them?" Mrs. Himi glanced at her son.

"I think so. I remember a couple of years ago, he came to my room and told me how he just had the biggest adventure of his life. I'm not sure if I remember most of it. But I think he said something about traveling to another world and fighting a bunch of weird creatures with his friends. Yeah, he kept couldn't stop talking about his new friends. And I believe that a couple of the people he mentioned were Koji and Koichi." The young man recalled.

"That is so strange." thought Mr. Minamoto. Despite the ridiculousness of the story, there seemed to be some legitimacy. After all, there are real monsters invading Japan that appeared to have come from another planet, maybe even another dimension.

"Could it be a coincidence that these monsters have something to do with our sons?" Mrs. Minamoto wondered.

"Not sure. Right now, our priority is to find our children." Mr. Minamoto declared.

"Then, come on! Let's go! Tommy's somewhere waiting for us!" Mr. Himi said before taking off.

"Wait for me, sweetie!" His wife followed behind him.

"Unbelievable." The eldest son smacked his forehead with embarrassment. He then turned back to the three adults and shrugged. "Forgive them. They still see Tommy as their little baby, even though he's eleven."

"As a parent, I can understand how they're feeling. There's no need to apologize." Mr. Minamoto smiled at the young boy.

"Thanks. Anyway, I guess we gotta go follow them before they too get lost." The college kid suggested. The other three adults nodded in agreement. Finally, the four rushed after Mr. and Mrs. Himi.

"By the way, I'm Yutaka. I'm Tommy's older brother." Yutaka introduced himself.

"My name is Kosei Minamoto. I'm Koji's father." Mr. Minamoto replied before motioning to the woman next to him. "This is Satomi."

"I'm Koji's stepmom. It's nice to meet you." Mrs. Minamoto smiled.

"And I'm Tomoko, Koichi's and Koji's biological mother."

After the introductions were made, the group quickly caught up with the rest of the Himi family.

A couple hours had passed and yet the group of six has not found either Tommy, Koji or Koichi. They had searched the entire park and still nothing. However, in one of the places they checked, there were a few trees that were knocked to the ground. Little did the group realize that this was the exact same spot where the Legendary Warriors had defeated Swiftmon and his own personal army of Evilemon.

"We'll never find him!" Mrs. Himi broke into tears. Her husband tried to comfort her by giving her a hug and a kiss on the forehead.

"I tried calling Koji and Koichi for the fifth time on their cell phones." Ms. Kimura said.

"And?" asked Mr. Minamoto.

"Nothing."

"Oh dear. Why won't they answer?" Mrs. Minamoto wondered.

"Knowing Tommy and his friends..." said Yutaka. "... I believe those guys are somewhere..."

*THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, THUMP*

The sound of marching footsteps captured the group's attention. As time passed, the noise grew louder. Yutaka deducted that the footsteps was coming from the north. He led the adults toward the source of the noise.

It actually came from outside of the park. A large army of military troops were marching down the streets carrying a bunch of weapons. Surrounding them were lots of armored tanks and vehicles. While a majority of the troops were armed and ready for war, Yutaka and the other adults shifted their attention to the pair leading the huge army.

One of them was a twenty-four old lieutenant. She had satin purple hair, which was partially covered by a blue balmoral cap. The woman wore white gloves, and a blue cloak with matching colored military boots. Marching in front of her was a fifty year old general with a stern look on his face. The badges and medals all over his uniform told the others that he was in charge.

"Looks like the entire Japanese Self-Defense Force is here." Yutaka analyzed.

"Maybe they know where Tommy is!" Mr. Himi thought. He and his wife quickly sprinted toward the large military unit, despite their son's unheard protests.

"WAIT! HOLD UP, PLEASE! STOP!" Mrs. Himi cried, trying to get the attention of the troops.

Lieutenant Chisaki spotted a couple of people running towards her direction, with a few more following behind them. Instinctively, some of the troops aimed their weapons at the two families.

"FREEZE!" ||| "DON'T MOVE!" ||| "STAY WHERE YOU ARE!"

Not wanting to get shot, the families put their hands in the air and held still. They couldn't understand why the entire army would want to shoot them, rather than help them find their sons. However, the only person that showed them any sympathy was the twenty-four year old lieutenant. She stepped in front of the armed troops and motioned her arm downward.

"At ease, men!" She ordered. In response, the soldiers lowered their weapons to the ground.

"What's going on here?" General Nikushimi appeared behind his lieutenant.

"Please, sir! We need your help! Our sons are missing and we have no idea where they are!" Mrs. Himi pleaded to the commanding officer.

"How terrible!" gasped the lieutenant. "What should we do sir?"

"First things first..." The man in charge turned toward his hundreds of thousands of men and women in the armed forces. "We'll set up base camp here in Yoyogi Park! Once when everyone's settle in, we will take out those monsters! Do you understand me?"

"HAI!" The troops screamed in unison.

Upon command, the thousands of troops marched in columns into the park. Armored tanks trample the moist, green grass. Yutaka and the other adults watch with awe as the Japanese Self-Defense forces entered Yoyogi Park, seemingly getting ready for battle. As the troops continued to make themselves at home, General Nikushimi and his lieutenant shifted their attention back to the two families.

"Anyway, you were saying about your boys?" The commanding officer asked.

"We don't know where they are!" Mr. Himi reported.

"You see, there were these strange creatures talking to our children!" Ms. Kimura recalled.

"One minute we were in Kyoto! And then in the next moment, we somehow ended up here!" said Mrs. Minamoto.

"I believe our sons' disappearances have something to do with the monsters taking over our city!" hypothesized Koji's father.

"Please, General! Can you help us?" begged Mr. and Mrs. Himi.

"Sir?" Lieutenant Chisaki glanced at her superior.

Meanwhile, General Nikushimi brushed his toothbrush mustache. In the beginning, there were a bunch of evil monsters invading Shibuya. And now, these creatures have possibly captured a few children. There's nothing more unforgiving than that. But rather than showing sympathy for the families, the general showed them a sinister smile.

"These despicable monsters have no idea who they are messing with! Trespassing, destruction of property, kidnapping and possible manslaughter? They will not get away with this!" The commanding officer said to himself.

"What are your orders, sir?" The lieutenant interrupted the general's thoughts.

"Of course. I'll take care of it." nodded the fifty year old man. He spotted a couple of jeeps approaching them. The general waved toward the soldiers in the vehicles, signaling them to come to his current spot. Once the jeeps pulled over, the troops exited the vehicles and saluted to the general.

"Escort them back to their homes! Make sure these people are protected at all times!"

"HAI!" The men complied. With that, the men grabbed each person by the arms and pulled them into the jeeps for safety.

"WAIT! WHAT ABOUT MY SON?" Mrs. Minamoto shouted as the soldiers shoved her into the backseat.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!" complained Mr. Minamoto. But the soldiers were too strong.

"PLEASE! WE JUST WANT TO FIND OUR KIDS!" Ms. Kimura protested. Alas, no one heard her cries.

"OW, YOU'RE HURTING ME!" ||| "STOP IT! MY SON NEEDS ME!" The Himi parents hollered.

Unfortunately, the troops had their orders. They were able to get the group of six into their jeeps and drive off away. As the vehicle sailed off toward the horizon, Yutaka Himi had enough time to look behind and glare at the man in charge. He noticed a smirk that could be best described as evil. Yutaka couldn't explain why, but he had a feeling that there's something wrong with General Nikushimi.

"Sir, was sending the families away like that really necessary?" The twenty-four year old woman questioned.

"We got bigger things to worry about now! These monsters have become more dangerous than ever before! It is our duty as soldiers to stop them at all costs!" said the general.

"But, sir! Think of the missing children! I strongly believe that finding them should be our main priority and... NNG!"

General Nikushimi has had enough listening to her voice. So, he grabbed the woman by the collar and pulled her in close. His eyes gazed deep into the petrified lieutenant's soul. Her body was completely frozen. While she has the ability to get of this predicament, how could she defy such a powerful and terrifying man like her superior?

"Never question my authority, you miserable maggot! Do you understand me? Now, get back to your spot before I declare you an enemy of the state! After all, no one's irreplaceable, especially _you_!"

"Y... Yes, sir!" gulped the female officer.

After releasing her collar, Lieutenant Chisaki scampered back to her position. General Nikushimi shook his head at the woman's incompetence. But after a while, he followed his lieutenant towards the front of the assembled troops. The leading officer retrieved his megaphone from the female officer and faced the men and women of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces.

"_ATTENTION! WE HAVE NOW ENTERED ENEMY TERRITORY! IT IS TIME TO CARRY OUT OUR MISSION! MAY I REMIND YOU THAT THESE MONSTER ARE VERY DANGEROUS! THEY'VE TAKEN OVER OUR COUNTRY, TERRORIZED THE CITIZENS, AND MADE A MESS OF OUR CITY! AND THERE'S MORE! THESE DESPICABLE MONSTER HAVE NOT ONLY CAPTURE A FEW KIDS, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE KILLED THEM AS WELL!_"

Most of the troops were shocked at the news. They didn't question whether or not the story is true. The fact that these creatures had claim the lives of a few kids was unspeakable. Now that they had received the terrible information, the large military unit were more motivated to save their planet. Lieutenant Chisaki was the only one who didn't buy General Nikushimi's exaggerations.

"_IN ONE HOUR, WE WILL MARCH TO SHIBUYA STATION AND PUT AN END TO THE MONSTER INVASION ONCE AND FOR ALL! MAKE SURE THAT EVERY LAST ONE OF THOSE BLASTED, DISGUSTING CREATURES ARE WIPED OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH! SHOW THOSE FREAKS NO MERCY! I DON'T CARE WHAT IT TAKES! WE DESTROY THOSE MONSTERS UNTIL THERE'S NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM LEFT! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?_"

"HAI!" Everyone in the Japanese Self-Defense Forces replied, seemingly ready for the fight of their lives.

All, except one. And that was Lieutenant Chisaki.

As much as she wants to protect her home and the people precious to her, a part of her believed that annihilating every single creature was not the right answer. Perhaps there are more to these monsters than they all think. There's also the possible connection between some of these creatures and the missing children earlier. But for now, she and the rest of the troops have their orders.

All monsters, good or bad, must be destroyed... no matter what the cost.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter seventy-three.<strong>

**Now that the Chosen Children and the Legendary Warriors are together again, can they defeat Malevomon and his entire army? Or will the Japanese Self-Defense Forces have something to say about it? Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	74. Vile Villains

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**Swiftmon and his battalion of Evilemon had our heroes on the ropes. Then suddenly, helped has arrived. All six Chosen Children were finally reunited. With the ten Legendary Warriors back together again, they defeated the Evilemon and restored Swiftmon back to normal. Now, they are resting in a nearby elementary school. Meanwhile, Koji's Koichi's and Tommy's parents searched high and low for their sons. Instead, they found General Nikushimi and the entire Japanese Self-Defense Forces. But instead of finding the children, the general was more concerned about eradicating every single one of these monsters, no matter whose side they're on.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter seventy-four!**

* * *

><p><strong>Vile Villains<strong>

**Normal POV:**

Jinnan Elementary School is a small school located a mile south of Yoyogi Park. Approximately five hundred students are enrolled. Every weekday, the students come to class to learn about basic mathematics and science. Other classes that are offered include social studies and Japanese language. On a normal day, this place would be packed with young children who are eager to learn.

Unfortunately, today was _not _a one of those days.

The entire area was deserted. There was no one present at the school. All of the facility's power was out. Backpacks, papers and other supplies were scattered along the grounds. Anyone that passed by could only guess what happened here. But as of right now, the school was closed until further notice.

That makes it the perfect stakeout place for Legendary Warriors.

"Ready! Set... GO!"

The field adjacent to the school had track and field lines drawn on the grass. Lopmon and Salamon happily raced each other around the course. The two Celestial Rookies were having lots of fun, despite that their own world has been destroyed and the Human World is being invaded by Malevomon. Meanwhile, Bokomon and Neemon watched the kids, making sure that they stay safe.

In the middle of the grassy area, Arbormon and Grumblemon were sparring one another to prepare for the upcoming battles ahead. The wooden android swung his elongated limbs at his partner. Grumblemon, however, retaliated by erratically swinging both of his sledgehammers at Arbormon. As for Ranamon and Mercurymon, they sat comfortably in the shade.

Resting on couple of benches near the field were Swiftmon and Eldestmon. The unconscious Digimon had warm washcloths on their foreheads. Zoe sat next to her two friends, anxiously waiting for them to awaken. She knew that they will open their eyes soon. All she had to do is believe.

Elsewhere, Takuya was with the rest of the boys explaining the events of what took place, starting from when he and Zoe left for the Digital World.

"NO WAY!" J.P. exclaimed.

"Aw man! I'll take a second adventure to the Digital World over camping any day!" grumbled Tommy.

"I don't know what to say, Takuya. There's just so much to take in." Koichi said.

"Trust me, you guys." Takuya responded. "Malevomon is unlike anything you've ever faced before. His power, ruthlessness and cruelty even surpasses Lucemon a long time ago. He's..."

"A really bad guy. We get it already." Koji finished. "C'mon, Takuya. So what if he's one of the most powerful Digimon of all? That doesn't mean we can't defeat him."

"Bro is right. Besides, we got all ten Legendary Warrior and the Celestial Digimon on our side." Koichi agreed.

"Nothing like good, old-fashioned teamwork to get the job done, huh?" chuckled J.P.

"I'm in! There's no way I'm missing this!" The youngest human cheered.

It's good to have the whole gang back again. Even though it's been a long time since they last saw each other, it felt like that neither one of them had left. Being together with close friends is one of the best feeling in the world. The boys couldn't be happier.

Moments later, the blonde beauty left her post to check on the others. She stood by Takuya's side. Subconsciously, their hands intertwined with one another. That had the other four boys staring. J.P., however, had the biggest eyes out of everyone else. It took a while for the couple to realize that the boys were all looking at them. But they replied with a smile and rosy cheeks.

"Come on, you two. Priorities, please? You know, we have an entire world to save. Let's just take care of business first. After that, you and Zoe can have all the privacy you like, if you know what I mean." Koji grinned, which deepened the couples' blushes.

"And exactly how are we going to beat Malevomon if he's that strong?" J.P. spoke, now with a serious look on his face.

"Do you have a plan, Takuya?" asked Zoe.

"I got something in mind. I'm just waiting for Patamon to return." responded the goggle-head.

"Patamon? What's he doing?" Tommy questioned.

"I had him scouting Malevomon's whereabouts and the current state of the entire city, while we were resting." Takuya answered. "He should be back pretty soo..."

"HEY, EVERYONE!"

Every human and Digimon gathered around on the field the moment they heard Patamon's voice. When the Celestial Rookie landed on the grass, the group huddled around him so they could listen to the news. Right off the bat, they knew that the information was bad. The frightened look in Patamon's eyes told them the whole story.

"Well, my boy?" Bokomon enveloped his baby in a warm hug.

"It's horrible, Papa-mom!" answered Patamon.

"What did you find, Patamon?" Zoe asked.

"I believe I have Malevomon's location! He's building his kingdom on top of some train station in the middle of the city!"

"Malevomon is in Shibuya Station?" Takuya gulped.

"Uh-huh!" The Celestial Rookie nodded. "Not only that, he has turned almost half of the city into a barren wasteland! There are a bunch of zombie-like Digimon roaming the streets!"

"Are there other humans in the area?" inquired Koji.

"No, I didn't see any!" Patamon shook his head this time. "The whole area has turned into a ghost town! There aren't any humans in the city, other than you six!"

"Talk about doomsday." groaned J.P.

"We got to do something before Malevomon takes over the entire country." Tommy exclaimed.

"Or the world." said Koichi.

"Don't worry, you guys! There's no way Malevomon's going to win!" The goggle-head declared.

"What makes you so sure we can stop him this time, Sugar?" Ranamon eyed the leader.

"Bad guy still have other minions to do bidding." recalled Grumblemon.

"It's never easy, right?" Arbormon sighed.

"Agreed. Thy enemy holds all of the cards." Mercurymon crossed his arms.

"Do you really think we can win, Takuya?" Zoe gazed at her beloved.

"Of course, Z!" Takuya winked at his girlfriend before shifting his attention to the rest of the group.

"Everybody, look around you!"

The Legendary Warriors did what he instructed and shot a quick glance to everyone in the area.

"Don't you see? I believe we are all here for a reason! We've saved the Digital World and the Human World before, and we can do it again! I'm confident we can defeat Malevomon once and for all! With all ten Legendary Warriors working together, there's no way we can lose!"

"Takky's right! We had already saved the Human World once by defeating Lucemon! I bet this Malevomon guy will be a piece of chocolate cake with frosting and sprinkles on top!" J.P. agreed.

"Nice visual, Jeeps." chuckled Koji.

"So, what's the plan?" Koichi stepped forward to get everyone back on track.

"I was only able to defeat Malevomon once, and that was when I became EmperorGreymon!" said Takuya. "If we combined the ten Legendary Spirits, we might have a chance!"

"You mean we _will_ have a chance." Koji corrected his partner. The Bearer of Flame widened his smirk.

"Then, what are you two waiting for? Get out there and kick Malevomon's butt! And don't come back until you do!" J.P. raised his fist to the sky in confidence.

"And don't worry! The rest of us will be supporting you all the way!" beamed the Bearer of Ice.

"You can do this! We all believe in you!" Koichi gave his twin a high five.

"Thanks, bro!" Koji nodded.

"Please be careful, Takuya." Zoe approached her best friend.

"I will! As long as you and everyone else keep the faith and don't stop believing, we can take down Malevomon together!" proclaimed Takuya. The blonde beauty stifled a giggle. However, she gave her boyfriend one last kiss on the cheek for good luck.

"Enough with thy chitchat. Let's get this over with already!" complained Mercurymon.

"Can we please go now?" The Warrior of Water pouted.

"I'm ready for some action now, right?" Arbormon cracked his knuckles.

"You said it!" An impatient Grumblemon spoke.

With their decision made, Koji and Takuya stood in the middle of the semicircle. Zoe, Tommy, J.P. and Koichi showed them their D-Tectors. The other four Legendary Warriors stood behind the humans. The group of ten exchanged smiles, showing them that they are ready to go.

"WOOD INTO FLAME... RIGHT?" ||| "STEEL TO THINE LIGHT!"

"EARTH TO FLAME!" ||| "WATER INTO THE LIGHT!"

"ICE INTO FLAME!" ||| "THUNDER INTO LIGHT!"

"WIND INTO FLAME!" ||| "DARKNESS INTO LIGHT!"

Fractal Code spiraled around the Legendary Warriors' bodies, which allowed them to revert into their Spirit forms. The Spirits of Water and Steel made their way toward Koji's D-Tector, while the Spirits of Earth and Wood found their way into Takuya's. After that, Koichi Kimura and J.P. Shibayama gave their own Legendary Spirits to Koji. Finally, Tommy Himi and Zoe Orimoto handed their Spirits to Takuya.

"Let's do it!" The boys nodded.

*Insert Song: The Last Element*

Inside Takuya's and Koji's devices, the Human and Beast Spirits came together on the center figure of the D-Tectors. With their device in their right hands, the Bearers of Flame and Light extended their left arm out in front. A large ball of Fractal Code enveloped the boys' hands. After a couple of arm crosses, Takuya and Koji brought the spherical data together with their D-Tectors.

"UNITY EXECUTE..." The two boys shouted, swiping the Fractal Code with the scanner. "... UNIFIED SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

A long line of data swirled around the goggle-head. The Human and Beast Spirits of Flame, Wind, Ice, Earth and Wood awakened inside simultaneously. Takuya felt a powerful surge of energy flowing throughout his body. The boy spread his arms and legs out so he can combine himself with the other ten relics. The Human Spirits of Flame, Wind and Ice merged first with his chest and shoulders. Next, the Human Spirit of Earth and Wood synthesized with Takuya's legs. It was followed by the Beast Spirits of Wood, Earth, Ice and Wind, fusing with the boy's body. Finally, the Beast Spirit of Flame merged with Takuya's head. As the relics conjoined with the human, raging flames exhumed outward.

The same thing happened to Koji. The Human and Beast Spirits of Light, Darkness, Thunder, Water and Steel came to life to give the boy their power. Koji could feel the energy's intensity. He spread his extremities out so he can combine with the relics. The Human Spirits of Light, Darkness and Thunder synthesized first with his chest and shoulders. After that, the Human Spirits of Water and Steel merged with Koji's legs. It was followed by the Beast Spirits of Steel, Water, Thunder and Darkness. Lastly, the Beast Spirit of Light came into contact with Koji's head. As the relics conjoined with the human, the bright radiance dispersed.

Both transformations were complete. The first newly formed Digimon unleashed two powerful slashes and a thrust up the middle with his might broadsword. The second Digimon, however, released a few missiles toward the sky that exploded like fireworks.

"EMPERORGREYMON!" ||| "MAGNAGARURUMON!"

The two Megas flew toward the direction of Shibuya Station, where Malevomon's kingdom was located. As EmperorGreymon and MagnaGarurumon set off for battle, the others hollered their support.

"GO GET 'EM, YOU GUYS!" J.P. cheered.

"YOU CAN DO IT!" screamed Tommy.

"WE ALL BELIEVE IN YOU!" Koichi yelled.

"KICK HIS BUTT!" The three Celestial Rookies chanted.

"PLEASE COME BACK SAFELY!" Bokomon waved.

"_ARRIVEDERCI_!" Neemon shouted.

But Zoe kept running. She traveled the whole length of the field, trying to keep her eyes on the two Digimon. It's not easy to say goodbye to two of your best friends when they're about to go into battle. The blonde beauty wiped away a tear in her eye and kept on running until they were out of sight.

"GOOD LUCK KOJI! AND, TAKUYA? I'LL BE RIGHT HERE WAITING FOR YOU! TAKE CARE, BOYS!"

Once the Megas were gone, the group made their way back to the unconscious Swiftmon and Eldestmon. Zoe stayed behind a little longer, spending the last few moments praying for her friends.

"Please be safe."

* * *

><p>As EmperorGreymon and MagnaGarurumon soar over the streets of Shibuya, they were not pleased at what they found. Hundreds of vehicles were turned overs. Many cars had dents all over, while a few of them had their doors ripped off. Some had fire coming out of the engines. There was garbage and debris all over the place. Buildings left and right had smoke coming out of the broken windows. A large number of streetlights were knocked to the ground. Potholes decorated the streets. But while the whole city was a mess, there wasn't a single person around.<p>

"Wow! Did Malevomon really cause all of this?" MagnaGarurumon asked his partner.

"I'm afraid so!" replied EmperorGreymon. "He is a very powerful Digimon, Koji! We have to stop him at all costs!"

"Relax, Takuya! We defeated Lucemon and his Royal Knights a couple years ago! This clown shouldn't be too difficult!"

"Don't underestimate him! Malevomon is not only strong, but cunning! He's probably just as powerful as all of the other Digimon we faced, maybe even more powerful! Just stay on guard and be ready for anything; and I mean _anything_!"

MagnaGarurumon eventually agreed. He still had a lot of questions about this evil Digimon. Unfortunately, it would have to wait. That's because Shibuya Station was just up ahead.

But when they arrived, the first thing they notice was the once familiar railway station had completely changed.

This specific area seemed to be the darkest out of the whole city. Some parts of the structures had been ripped apart so the openings can serve as watchtowers. The ground was almost covered with dense smoke. Battalions of Evilemon strolled through the streets to help their master build his castle. As for the rest of the foot soldiers, they were all lined up along the sidewalks, awaiting their new orders.

Malevomon's new castle would put his old one to shame. All of the buildings that made up Shibuya Station were all connected by glassy obsidian walkways. Blackish stones and materials decorated the structures. Out of the broken windows, black smoke danced to the outside to further conceal the darkness the roamed the city.

Speaking of which, lightning flashed from the sky. However, the bolts had seemingly pointed toward the tallest tower in the vicinity, signifying that there's action going on up top.

"Now what?" The armored wolf asked his partner.

"Simple! Find Malevomon and put an end to his reign!" replied EmperorGreymon.

"And exactly how are we going to do it?"

"Must I explain everything? If you see Malevomon or any of his goons, take them out!"

"Sounds good to me! I can't wait to start blasting... WHOA, HEY!"

MagnaGarurumon was cut off by a purplish tentacle wrapping around his left leg. The elongated organ brought the armored wolf back down to earth and slammed him hard on a nearby red car, shattering the front windshield upon impact. The tentacle then dragged the Mega Hybrid off of the vehicle and threw him across the street. MagnaGarurumon bounced on the asphalt until he crashed into a streetlight.

"KOJI!" EmperorGreymon shouted when he saw his friend got tossed around like a ragdoll.

But before he could react, a second tentacle wrapped around the Mega Hybrid's waist and brought him back down to the ground. After EmperorGreymon's body hit the canvas, the tentacle threw the armored Digimon straight into his partner. Both Hybrids rolled on the pavement. Despite the fact that their entire body was covered by armor, the collision still hurt.

"Hey Takuya?" asked MagnaGarurumon.

"What?" EmperorGreymon replied.

"Can you please get off of my back? You're kinda on the heavy side!"

"Oops, sorry!"

Not wanting to crush his partner, the armored dinosaur scrambled to his feet. After MagnaGarurumon returned to a standing position, both Digimon turned a couple of degrees to their right to face the creatures who gave them a rude welcome.

Marching down the streets were another army of Evilemon. Once again, they were on a mission to destroy anyone who opposed the Malevolent One. But the Digimon that's leading the troops had EmperorGreymon's and MagnaGarurumon's attention. He was a ginormous, bloated invertebrate with a dozen tentacles whipping the pavement. A single eyeball glowered at the Mega Hybrids.

"FEED ME!" shouted the purple mass.

The blob extended his tentacles in all sorts of directions. Whatever the elongated organs grabbed made it back into the creature's mouth. Whether it was cars, mailboxes, streetlamps or other garbage on the ground, the massive Digimon swallowed everything in one gulp.

"That's disgusting!" MagnaGarurumon grunted. "Is that Malevomon?"

"No! That's Gulutomon!" The armored dinosaur corrected his partner. "He's a part of Malevomon's army! Be careful with him! He is a glutton for... well, _everything_!"

"MUST EAT LEGENDARY WARRIORS!" The blob groaned.

At the same time, the whole army of Evilemon charged toward EmperorGreymon and MagnaGarurumon. The foot soldiers weren't afraid of the armored Digimon. What they lacked in power, they made up with sheer numbers. With over a hundred demon infantry on one side, victory seemed fairly achievable.

"What do we do now?" MagnaGarurumon glanced at his partner. The armored wolf couldn't help but smile when he saw EmperorGreymon spinning his giant broadsword around. He already got his answer when his friend dropped in his stance.

"I'll take out Mr. Gruesome! You deal with the Evilemon!" replied EmperorGreymon. "Are you sure you can handle it? There seems to be over two hundred of them!"

"Piece of cake! Besides, somebody's gotta watch your back while you're fighting Gulutomon!"

"Thanks, Koji! And good luck!"

After the Mega Hybrids exchanged smiles, they charge toward the enemy.

"FERAL FIRE!"

The armored wolf aimed the cannon on his right arm at the front lines. A rapid barrage of laser bullets shot out of his weapon and zoomed toward the foot soldiers. The energy blasts travelled so fast, not a single one of the demon infantry saw them coming. Before they could bring their weapons up, MagnaGarurumon's projectiles shattered their masks.

"Hey, you guys! Come and get me!" The Mega challenged the Evilemon.

The entire army responded by breaking formation and dashing toward their opponent. MagnaGarurumon spread the metallic wings on his back and sailed backwards. While he was on the move, he kept on firing more energy shots from his cannon. With so many targets, the armored wolf couldn't miss. Thanks to his great agility and high accuracy, he was able to take out a good portion of the battalion in a matter of seconds.

MagnaGarurumon lured the army of Evilemon away from the commanding Digimon. Now, EmperorGreymon could fight Gulutomon without having to worry about a foot solider sneaking from behind him.

"MAGNA MISSILES!"

The rockets mounted on the Mega Hybrid's wings detached and flew toward the Evilemon in the front. MagnaGarurumon successfully took out a handful of the demon infantry. Even though he was equipped with a certain number of missiles, that still didn't bother him. The armored wolf has other weapons in his arsenal to eliminate the opposition.

"FERAL FIRE!"

Again, more and more laser bullets escaped out of MagnaGarurumon's cannon. The Mega Hybrid pivoted on one foot to take out as much of the surrounding foot soldiers as he can. He was on target with each shot. One by one, the demon infantry fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes. MagnaGarurumon continued to unleash a rapid barrage of energy blasts until he was out of ammo. He then removed the cannon off of his arm.

However, he had his other firearm locked and loaded.

"MAGNA ROCKETS!"

From his other barrel, dozens of rockets, missiles and propelled grenades burst out. This attack was much more effective. Once when a rocket exploded in an Evilemon's face, tons of shrapnel scattered throughout the vicinity. Most of the fragmentation did penetrate through a lot of the foot soldiers' masks. Bodies fell to the ground and disintegrate into nothingness.

In a span of five minutes, MagnaGarurumon took out almost eighty percent of the demon infantry. With only forty Evilemon to go, the armored wolf was ready to close out this fight. He disarmed his secondary firearm and the rest of his armor so he could be efficient in speed for close range combat. He called forth his dual light sabers and dropped in his stance.

"STARBURST HUNTER!"

The armored wolf's crouched on one knee. His body was consumed by bright blue lights. Suddenly, MagnaGarurumon gained a burst of speed toward the closest Evilemon. He rushed straight through the first foot soldier and quickly went toward the next one. Moments later, the Mega Hybrid returned to his original position. Sure enough, forty different masks crumbled off of the infantry's faces. The last of the foot soldiers fell to the ground in defeat.

"Well, that takes care of them! I wonder how Takuya's doing!" wondered MagnaGarurumon.

It turns out that EmperorGreymon was having trouble defeating Gulutomon. The massive blob would use his tentacles to chuck all kinds of cars at the Mega Hybrid. But the armored dinosaur sliced all the oncoming vehicles with his blade. Gulutomon then fired a large number of his sticky substances at his opponent. Rather than deflecting it with his weapon, EmperorGreymon leaped backwards to gain some distance.

"You haven't beaten him yet?" The armored wolf asked.

"It's not as easy as it looks!" argued EmperorGreymon.

"He's giant blob with a huge appetite! How hard can it be?"

"MUCK LAUNCHER!"

The hungry invertebrate released a hundred icky slobs of goo in all different directions. MagnaGarurumon used his quickness and agility to avoid the oncoming sludge, while EmperorGreymon sliced through the muck with his sword. Meanwhile, tons of slime showered all over the buildings, streets and other vehicles that remained intact. Both Mega Hybrids regroup to come up with another plan.

"Got any other bright ideas?" asked MagnaGarurumon.

"Yeah! If this Digimon is going to eat everything in sight, then I say we should give him what he wants!" suggested EmperorGreymon.

"You're not serious, Takuya! Gulutomon will consume anything we throw at him!"

"Just trust me!"

"Alright! If you say so!"

"Good! I'll distract him, while you take out his tentacles!"

"Well, you're the leader!"

EmperorGreymon made the first move by sprinting toward Gulutomon while spinning his giant broadsword to gain power. While the ginormous invertebrate kept his eye on the armored dinosaur, MagnaGarurumon got back to a crouching position and waited for his opportunity to strike.

"Let's dance, buddy!" EmperorGreymon howled when he was in range.

"MUCK LAUNCHER!" roared the hungry blob as he threw more sludge at his opponent. But EmperorGreymon dodged and deflect all of the oncoming goo.

"Chew on this, slimeball! KYYAAAHHHH!"

The Mega Hybrid started off his attack with a variety of slashes and thrusts with his weapon. He targeted every part of Gulutomon's body, while constantly shuffling around the area. Unfortunately, every successful hit caused no significant damage to his opponent. All cuts and penetrations on Gulutomon's body were immediately sealed up by the mucky substance on his body.

"GULUTOMON HUNGRY!"

"Then, here comes the appetizer!" EmperorGreymon declared. "KOJI, NOW!"

"STARBURST HUNTER!"

From behind, MagnaGarurumon dashed toward his opponent with his entire body consumed by light. The Mega Hybrid zoomed all around the Gulutomon, slicing off each tentacle on the pass. He was careful not to charge directly at him, since he could get stuck in his goo. Moments later, MagnaGarurumon skidded to a halt beside his partner.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Gulutomon yelped in pain, now that all of his tentacles had been chopped off.

"Now what?"

"Cover me!" The armored dinosaur commanded.

As MagnaGarurumon distracted Gulutomon with his quickness and speed, EmperorGreymon stabbed his sword into the ground. Eight fiery trails ignited from the center of his blade. The armored Digimon then shifted his attention toward the gluttonous Ultimate, who seemed to have MagnaGarurumon in a pinch.

"MUCK LAUNCHER!"

A couple of Gulutomon's sticky sludge made contact with the armored wolf's feet. Now, MagnaGarurumon couldn't budge.

"HEY, GULUTOMON! I HOPE YOU'RE HUNGRY! BECAUSE HERE COMES THE MAIN COURSE!" EmperorGreymon hollered.

"PYRO DRAGONS!"

Suddenly, an octet of fiery dragons burst from the ground and pounced on the evil Ultimate. Gulutomon tried to defend himself by spewing more sludge at the flaming salamanders. However, the scorching lizards maneuvered around the muck and continued their hunt. By then, the dragons had already surrounded Gulutomon.

But rather than consuming the Digimon with the intense flames, EmperorGreymon commanded them to make their way into the creature's mouth. The massive invertebrate opened his mouth and welcomed every single flaming dragon inside. When the last fiery salamander disappeared into the darkness, Gulutomon closed his jaw.

"Way to go, Takuya! Your attack didn't work!" MagnaGarurumon complained after witnessing the whole thing.

Beneath the armored dinosaur's facemask was a huge smirk.

"Wait for it..." EmperorGreymon said confidently.

Sure enough, his patience paid off. Gulutomon's eyeball started to change colors. It was now all puffy red. Hot tears fell from his pupil. Not only that, but there was smoke coming out of his mouth. Gulutomon started to moan like he had one big stomach ache. Either that or it was probably something he ate.

"Oh, I get it! Your Pyro Dragons acted as an accelerant to trigger a heartburn!" analyzed the armored wolf.

"Yep! Gulutomon may be able to eat everything, but even he can't handle the hottest of foods! And you know what I always say, 'If you can't take the heat, then get out of the kitchen!' Or in this case, the Human World!" EmperorGreymon pointed his broadsword at the weakened enemy.

MagnaGarurumon rolled his eyes after hearing his friend's cheesy puns.

"DRAGONFIRE CROSSBOW!"

The Mega Hybrid then pressed the trigger on the cross-guard to send a fiery bolt toward his opponent. His attack darted toward Gulutomon's eyeball, which he believed was his weak point. And it was. The projectile blasted through the creature's pupil and carved through his entire body, creating a large hole in the middle.

"NNG! CAN'T... EAT... NO MORE..."

Those were Gulutomon's final words before he collapsed on the ground. A large ring of Fractal Code surrounded the defeated invertebrate's body. After EmperorGreymon freed his partner, the two stood before one of Malevomon's followers.

"Shall we?" The armored wolf eyed his partner.

"Shall we must!" replied EmperorGreymon.

Both Digimon took out their respective D-Tectors and pointed toward their fallen foe.

"Looks like feeding time is over, you gluttonous creep!" MagnaGarurumon declared.

"For serving evil Digimon, like Malevomon, this is your punishment!" said the armored dinosaur.

The scanner on their devices lit up. Both Mega Hybrids were ready to absorb Gulutomon's data.

"FRACTAL CODE... DIGITIZE!"

Upon command, all of the invertebrate's essence streamed into the D-Tectors. With all of his data absorbed, the massive creature digitized. All that remained from the gluttonous Digimon was an orange Digi-Egg. Now that Gulutomon was gone, all of the mucky substances that stuck to the roads, vehicles and buildings began to dissolve.

"Is that it?" MagnaGarurumon asked as he took a step toward the Digi-Egg.

"**HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**"

"Not even close!" grumbled EmperorGreymon the minute he recognized the malignant voice echoing throughout the city.

Both Digimon stood back-to-back, searching for the source of the dark noise. So far, they found nothing but trashed cars and roads littered with garbage. However, they felt a presence of a great evil lurking around them.

"**LOOKING FOR SOMEONE?**"

The very same voice came from above. EmperorGreymon and MagnaGarurumon craned their heads upward. And there, floating in front of the city's tallest building, was the Creator of Chaos himself. His face and attire were polished clean. Still, EmperorGreymon could sense the creature's malicious intent. Even though this was MagnaGarurumon's first time meeting the evil Digimon, he too felt the malignant emperor's wickedness.

"Malevomon!" The armored dinosaur growled.

"You kids are just full of surprises, huh? I really got to stop underestimating you Legendary Warriors!" Malevomon snickered.

"What have you done to Shibuya?" MagnaGarurumon growled.

"You turned it into some kind of barren wasteland! You're trying to make our city into another Dark Kingdom, aren't you?" EmperorGreymon predicted.

"Wrong, young man! This you see here, my own creation, puts my original Dark Kingdom into shame!" said the Malevolent One.

"WELCOME TO THE CHAOS REALM!"

"The Chaos Realm?" EmperorGreymon's eyes widened.

"Yes! In this area, my power increases by the second! As long as chaos and corruption reign supreme in this world, no one can defeat me!"

"Not in your life! We're here to put an end to your reign of terror! For destroying the Digital World and for taking over our world, you will pay the ultimate price!" declared EmperorGreymon.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" The malignant ruler laughed out loud once again.

"Man, this guy sure loves to laugh!" MagnaGarurumon mumbled toward his friend. He held both of his light sabers tight and dropped into his stance, just like EmperorGreymon. Both Mega Hybrids were ready for the final showdown.

Malevomon, on the other hand, had another agenda.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You fools haven't learned a thing! Do you really think you can defeat me that easily?"

"We got our friends and the Spirits of the Legendary Warriors on our side!" The armored wolf proclaimed.

"That's more than enough to defeat you!" predicted the armored dinosaur.

"In most cases, that would be!" said villainous Digimon. "But it seems to me that you humans have no idea what my plans are! Observe!"

Malevomon motioned his hand toward one of the buildings that was still intact. The structure in particular had large television screen that's supposed to display various ads or music videos. But ever since the Digimon had moved into the Human World, all electronics had lost their power, including the Jumbotron.

With the snap of his fingers, the evil sovereign turned on the huge TV screen.

EmperorGreymon and MagnaGarurumon were appalled when they saw the horrific scenes flashing on the Jumbotron. The clips showed other cities being invaded by hundreds Evilemon. The demon infantry were wreaking havoc and destroying anything they could get their hands on. While a number of Evilemon were creating chaos, a handful of them were planting black, obelisk-like structures in various areas of the city.

But while there were thousands humans in the city, none of them were doing anything to stop the Evilemon.

"**ALL HAIL MALEVOMON, LORD AND MASTER!**" The citizens on the screen chanted.

"Behold, my power!" Malevomon proclaimed.

"What's going on? What have you done to all of those people?" MagnaGarurumon growled, pointing one of his swords at the evil Digimon.

"These humans are under my control, thanks to my latest creation: the Chaos Spires! You see, the Chaos Spires does more than producing a special kind of current that will force every human in the city to become my servants! The towers act as receiver/transmitter satellite! The Chaos Spires turns the humans' obedience into energy, which is then transfer into the towers, which is then fed to me. As a result, the energies will make me stronger the longer I'm here!"

"No! You can't!" EmperorGreymon grunted.

"It's too late, Legendary Warriors! In twenty-four hours, I will become the greatest and most powerful being on the planet! I shall rule your world and the Digital World with no opposition! Even your friends and Legendary Spirits won't be able to help you! So, give up now! You are only delaying the inevitable! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"How about we stop you first?" MagnaGarurumon howled. "STARBURST HUNTER!"

"KOJI, WAIT!"

It was too late. The armored wolf has already made his move, dashing toward the malignant sovereign. Malevomon had a vindictive smirk on his face. Despite being only an Ultimate, he knew that he had more than enough power to defeat his opponent. He then extended his arm toward the speeding burst of light coming at him. EmperorGreymon watched as the malignant ruler charges up for his signature attack.

But what shocked the armored dinosaur was the size of Malevomon's dark sphere. Being true to his words, his increase in power allowed him to expand his black orb to double the circumference of the sphere.

"MALEVOLENT ONSLAUGHT!" The evil Digimon shouted before releasing his technique.

Normally, his attack wouldn't have any effect on a Mega level Digimon. But not this time. Malevomon's amplified attack had enhanced by several levels. Too bad MagnaGarurumon's about to find that out the hard way. His Malevolent Onslaught trapped the Mega Hybrid before he could even get close.

"NO, KOJI!"

"KKKYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

MagnaGarurumon's screams of agony echoed throughout the city. Finally, Malevomon's black orb exploded with the armored wolf inside. EmperorGreymon felt like he was going to puke. Malevomon's attack wasn't supposed to burst like that. He could only imagine what has become of his friend. There's no doubt that the evil emperor has gotten much stronger since the last time they met. Who knows how much powerful he can become?

Moments later, an unconscious fourteen year old boy fell out of the cloud of smoke. He would've fallen to his death, if EmperorGreymon hadn't caught him. As the Mega Hybrid checked for injuries, the malignant sovereign burst into another fit of chuckles.

"I told you, pathetic creatures! It's useless to resist me! It won't be long before my entire army puts Chaos Spires in every part of the world! And with each structure planted, I will only grow stronger! Defeating me is impossible! Your only choices are to surrender, or be destroyed!"

"Never! This isn't over, Malevomon! My friends and I will find a way to stop you, even if we have to destroy every one of your so called 'Chaos Spires!' We won't rest until our world is free from your control!" EmperorGreymon glowered at the evil Digimon.

Realizing that the enemy was too powerful, he had to retreat. While the Mega Hybrid hated to take a loss, coming up with another plan seemed to be the best course of action. EmperorGreymon cradled the unconscious Minamoto boy in his arms and turned tail. Malevomon watched as the Legendary Warriors disappeared from sight.

"Those fools can run, but they can't hide! In less than a day, I will have the entire human world in the palm of my hand! Haha! Hahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

* * *

><p>After EmperorGreymon rounded the block, he stopped for a little bit to rest. He checked on Koji to see if he was still alive. The Mega Hybrid felt a great sense of relief when he heard mild moans escaping his friend's throat. After a while, the Bearer of Light opened his eyes and found himself resting on EmperorGreymon's hands.<p>

"Takuya, what happened? Where's Malevomon?" The teenage boy asked.

"Sorry, Koji. But I had get you out of there. Malevomon is way too powerful. We have to retreat to come up with another plan." said the armored dinosaur.

"Like what?"

"According to him, the Chaos Spires are the key to his power. Until we destroy all of the Chaos Spires, Malevomon will continue to grow stronger. We have to warn the others right away."

"Ugh, I can't believe the two of us weren't able to defeat Malevomon." Koji grumbled.

"Don't get down on yourself." said EmperorGreymon. "We'll find a way to save the Human World. We have to go back, replenish our energy and..."

"FREEZE!" ||| "HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" ||| "DON'T MOVE!"

The Mega Hybrid had no idea that he and Koji were not alone. Suddenly, thousands of military troops popped out of their hiding places and aimed their weapons at the armored dinosaur. Blocking EmperorGreymon's path were even more columns of soldiers, all carrying a variety of firearms. Behind them were a large number of tanks and personnel operating mortars.

A fifty year old general stepped forward with a megaphone in hand. A purple haired lieutenant followed behind her superior.

"_ALRIGHT, FREAK! ON THE GROUND, NOW!_"

"You've got to be kidding me!" EmperorGreymon couldn't believe that the entire Japanese Self-Defense Forces were gunning for them.

"Takuya, what's wrong?" Koji asked, slowly returning to his feet. He stood on the Mega Hybrid's hands and scouted the area. The moment he saw thousands of soldiers all pointing their weapons at them, his heart stopped.

General Nikushimi was running out of patience. He shouted into the speaker once again.

"_THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING! DROP THE SWORD AND GET ON YOUR HANDS AND KNEES NOW! IF YOU FAIL TO COMPLY, THEN WE WILL OPEN FIRE!_"

"Listen to me! You don't understand! I am not what you think!" The armored dinosaur tried to reason with the general. "I come in peace! I do not want to hurt any of you! I'm trying to get my friend to someplace safe! Please! We need to..."

"Sir, look! There's a kid in the monster's hands!" Lieutenant Chisaki pointed toward EmperorGreymon.

Sure enough, a fourteen year old boy revealed himself to the thousands of troops. While the young man felt uncomfortable having a bunch of firearms being pointed in his direction, he was confident that even the military wouldn't put a kid in harm's way. EmperorGreymon felt relieved. Now, he can talk with the armed forces and try to form an alliance with...

"THAT MONSTER IS HOLDING THE BOY HOSTAGE! EVERYONE, FIRE AT WILL!" General Nikushimi suddenly commanded.

He pulled out his H&K pistol and unloaded a few rounds at EmperorGreymon's head. In response, more than half of the troops fired their weapons. Apparently, they were more concerned about following the general's orders than about the boy's safety. In order to protect his friend, EmperorGreymon cover the teenage boy up with both of his hands and turned away, letting his back take on all of the bullets.

Lieutenant Chisaki had her dual Glock pistols aimed at the armored Digimon. However, she was still hesitant to fire. This has already gotten out of control. It appeared as if the entire Japanese Self-Defense Forces would rather destroy this monster than to save the kid. She knew that this could be resolved without reverting to violence. But as long as General Nikushimi is in charge, the chances of someone getting hurt are exponentially high.

She has to do something.

"Sir! Please, stop firing! You'll hurt the kid!" The purple haired lieutenant objected. But her superior responded by reloading his weapon.

"I gave you an order, Lieutenant! You are to destroy that fiend at all cost!" The general growled.

"But, sir! What about the boy? One of us could accidently hurt him!"

"If we don't stop that hideous monster, then _he_ will be the one who hurts him! Are you telling me you care more about that freak than the entire human race?"

"O... Of course not!" stammered the lieutenant. "But it doesn't have to be this way! Our priority should be saving the kid, not..."

"No! Your priority is to eliminate the opposition! That monster in front of you _is_ the opposition! Now, take him down before I do the same thing to you! After all, no one's irreplaceable, especially _you_!"

"Y... Yes, sir."

Meanwhile, EmperorGreymon made sure his friend was protected. Millions of bullets bounced off of his armor, not causing any significant damage. However, he had to get out of there now. The longer he stayed, the more chance Koji could get hurt.

"Doing alright, Koji?"

"Why you asking me? You're the one who's getting shot at!" The boy huffed.

"Hang on! I'm going to try to burst through the middle! We'll pick up the others and..."

*BOOM, BOOM*

"UGH!"

This time, instead of just bullets, tanks and mortars unleashed a hefty barrage of ammunition on the armored Digimon. Since they had more firepower, massive amounts of energy transferred through EmperorGreymon's armor. He could feel his muscles cramping with each hit.

"Takuya, no!" Koji gasped.

But the barrage of bullets, bombs and other rounds continued. The entire armed forces would not stop until the Mega Hybrid has fallen. EmperorGreymon fell on one knee. He wasn't sure how much longer he could last. It's only a matter of time before his entire body would give in. However, there's not a single human or Digimon around him. The two seemed as good as dead.

And then...

*shing*

A loud noise echoed throughout the area, which caused almost everyone to hold their fire. The sound seemed to have come from the tanks. But when the troops turned to check on the armored vehicles, they found a bunch of Evilemon on top of tanks, slicing off the main guns. Before long, a thousand more foot soldiers appeared all around the city, with new orders to annihilate the humans.

"THE ENEMY HAS BROUGHT REINFORCEMENTS! TAKE THEM ALL OUT NOW!" commanded General Nikushimi.

Everyone else complied, spraying the Evilemon with a barrage on bullets and explosives. But unfortunately, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces had no clue what the foot soldiers' weaknesses were. Hundreds of rounds showed all over their bodies. But the demon infantry did not stop. With their weapons raised, the evil Digimon went after the military troops.

"Now's our chance!" EmperorGreymon told Koji.

Thanks to distraction provided by the battalion of Evilemon, the Mega Hybrid used this opportunity to escape. With almost all of the soldiers focused on the attacking Evilemon, EmperorGreymon made a beeline through the streets. As much as he would like to help out the humans, getting his friend to safety was his main priority.

"SIR, HELP!"

A cry for help stopped the armored Digimon in his tracks. He turned and saw a purple haired soldier getting swarmed by Evilemon. She tried unloading a few clips into the approaching monsters. But the foot soldiers kept on coming. Two of them grabbed her arms while another two kicked the back of her legs to put her in a precarious position.

An Evilemon stood before the helpless human with a battle axe over his head.

"DRAGONEFIRE CROSSBOW!"

Suddenly, a solar-heated bolt came out of nowhere and blasted through the creature's head, knocking him to the ground. EmperorGreymon fired a couple more shots from his sword to take out the Evilemon that has captured the lieutenant. Once she was free, the female soldier gazed at her rescuer.

Why did he save her? Wasn't he another one of those monsters trying to invade the world? Or was this creature different?

"Aim for their heads! That's their weakness!" said EmperorGreymon.

Sadly, he had to cut his conversation short. Before Lieutenant Chisaki could ask any more questions, the Mega Hybrid turned the other way and was already gone. However, she remembered the creature's advice. Perhaps it could be a trick. But then again, judging how everyone else is struggling to hold their own, what more does she have to lose?

"Here goes nothing." Lieutenant Chisaki said to herself.

With her dual Glock pistols in hand, the female soldier turned to a few Evilemon coming her way. She changed the angle of her weapon slightly upward and fired. Her eyes widened when she connected on a quadruple headshot. The moment the foot soldiers fell on the canvas and disintegrated, the lieutenant cracked a smile.

"Hey, it worked!" The woman beamed. "Everyone, listen to me! Aim for their masks! That's their weak points!"

The other military troops relayed the message to each other. Thanks to the Mega Hybrid's advice, the tide of the battle had shifted back to their favor. Lieutenant Chisaki couldn't believe one of these monsters had helped her. Maybe they are not all evil, like the general had...

"OH NO, THE GENERAL!" The second-in-command gasped when she noticed her superior struggling to keep these creatures at bay.

"GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU NASTY THINGS!" General Nikushimi growled.

But his relentless blasting hardly did any damage. One of the foot soldiers tripped the fifty year old man, causing him to fall on his back. The Evilemon raised their weapons and was ready to destroy this human.

That's when Lieutenant Chisaki entered the scene, who was filled with a blooming confidence.

There's a reason why General Nikushimi selected her to be her second-in-command. This woman had a special fighting skill, combining kung fu with her firearms. And that's exactly what she used against the army of Evilemon. By utilizing her flexibility, coordination and a bit of choreography, the lieutenant took out a handful of Evilemon to save her superior. Her movement could be characterized as poetry in motion. Even the general couldn't get enough seeing such a marvelous display.

"Are you alright, sir?" The female officer extended her handout.

General Nikushimi responded by slapping away the lieutenant's hand and getting up on his own power.

"You idiot! How could let that other monster escape?" The man roared. All of Lieutenant Chisaki's courage were dashed away after her superior yelled at her. Frustrated with this situation, the general turned to the military troops with his megaphone in hand.

"_ALRIGHT, LISTEN UP! TEAMS SIERRA, HOTEL, INDIA, ECHO, LIMA, AND DELTA WILL REMAIN HERE AND TAKE OUT THE REST OF THESE FREAKS! EVERYONE ELSE WILL FOLLOW ME UP NORTH! WE CANNOT LET THAT OTHER MONSTER ESCAPE!_"

"HAI!" The troops commanded.

As the hundreds of thousands of military personnel split up into their respective teams, the second-in-command made her way toward the general, hoping her reasons would finally reach him.

"Sir! If I may, I believe that monster you're referring to is not aligned with the enemy! He saved my life! He even told me how to defeat these other creatures! I know it sounds crazy, but I think we can..."

As always, General Nikushimi grabbed the female officer by the collar every time his second-in-command shared her opinion without him asking for it.

"I don't give a rat's tail what you think! That freak who supposedly had 'saved your life' is a menace to society! All of them are! And it is our duty to eliminate any threat to our country! As you can see, lieutenant, that monster you're defending has caused a lot of damage to our beloved city? Do you really think I'm going to give my trust to a hideous beast like him?"

"But sir! Please!"

"Not another word from you, lieutenant! Now, get back in line! Or else, _you_ will be next on my hit list! Got it?"

"I... *gulp*... Yes, sir."

And so, the units divided themselves up and proceeded with the general's orders. A few of the units stayed behind to finish off the remaining Evilemon. Meanwhile, General Nikushimi, Lieutenant Chisaki and about eighty percent of the troops marched up north toward the direction of Jinnan Elementary School, where the Legendary Warriors were currently resting.

* * *

><p>"EEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHH?" Zoe and the rest of the guys exclaimed.<p>

While the three Celestial Rookies tend to Koji's injuries, Takuya explained what had just happened. His friends and the Legendary Warriors offered him pretty much the same reactions. Some had their jaws dropped, having trouble coming up with the right words. Others smacked their heads and paced around the area. Now that the enemy has gotten stronger, it's going to be even harder to win.

"Are you sure, Takuya? What if he's lying?" Zoe stepped forward. But her beloved shook his head.

"I'm afraid not, Z. Malevomon showed us live video of Evilemon taking over city after city, as well as planting his Chaos Spires so he can control the peoples' minds. The more under his command, the more energy he feeds on, and thus the more powerful he becomes. We have to stop Malevomon now, before he takes over the entire world." The goggle-head said.

"How do you propose we do that, Takky?" J.P. asked.

"We have to destroy all of Malevomon's Chaos Spires. We destroy his source of power, his strength stops growing. Only then we'll have a shot at taking that creep down." The Bearer of Flame suggested.

"That's your plan." Tommy eyed his friend strangely.

"It's all I got." Takuya replied with a shrugged.

"But we don't even know where the Evilemon has planted those structures. Where should we start looking?" Koichi asked.

"We'll split up into teams." said the leader.

"Split up? Sugar, may I remind you what happened the last time we 'split up?' That creep had his whole army knocked us cold." Ranamon objected.

"Thou hast spoken true, my lady. Tis best if thy brethren remain uniform." agreed Mercurymon.

"Look, you guys. I hate splitting up as much as you do. But right now, our mission is to stop Malevomon and save the Human World. And in order to do that, we have travel throughout the country and destroy as many of the Chaos Spires as possible. We can get the job done faster if we split into teams, rather than doing it altogether."

"Assuming we can find all of them." A recovered Koji rejoined the group.

"Don't be so pessimistic, boys. We can do this. We have to do this. We're the only ones who can." Zoe showed Takuya her support by wrapping her arms around his.

"Thanks, Z." The goggle-head smiled before shifting his attention back to the rest of the group.

"Anyone have a problem, speak now."

The Chosen Children and Legendary Warriors exchanged glances at one another, waiting for at least one to object. But the group remained silent, which gave Takuya the answer that everyone was onboard, despite how ludicrous or crazy the plan seemed.

"Okay, here's what we're going to do." Takuya turned toward the eldest of the bunch. "J.P.? You and Arbormon will start at Setagaya."

"Have no fear! The Great J.P. Shibayama is here!" The Bearer of Thunder struck a very cheesy pose, much to the chagrin of the others.

"Great. Another pain in the head to deal with, right?" Arbormon groaned.

"Next..." The goggle-head shifted his attention to the youngest of the group. "Tommy? You, Mercurymon and Grumblemon will go to Minato and clean out the trash there."

"I'll do the best I can, Takuya." Tommy nodded toward his friend.

"It's amazing what humans can do when they are properly motivated." chuckled the Warrior of Steel.

"Me can't wait to topple towers like dominos." Grumblemon snickered.

"Meanwhile..." Takuya continued. "Koji, Koichi and Ranamon will begin their search at Shinjuku. Make sure you guys take out every single Chaos Spire you see."

"Got it." Koichi nodded.

"Oh, goody! A Digimon World Tour! I bet there will be hundreds of my adoring fans lining up to see me!" An ecstatic Ranamon gasped.

"Give it a rest. We're here to save the world, not host a concert." Koji rolled his eyes.

"And, Zoe?" The leader rounded off.

"Yes, Takuya?" The blonde beamed.

"I'm taking you to Meguro, my hometown. We'll start there and work our way down south."

"Pff..."

Most of the boys covered their mouths to conceal their mild chuckling, whether it was due to the obvious pairing, or due to Takuya's choice of words at the end. If one were to look closely, they could see a hint of redness of Zoe's cheeks.

"That's it, you guys. Remember, it is up to us now. Take care of business, protect yourselves and protect each other." Takuya concluded.

"At about 6:00pm, we will meet back here." Zoe added.

"Hey, Takuya! What about us?" Someone tugged on the boy's pants.

When the goggle-head looked down, he saw Bokomon, Neemon and the three Celestial Rookies waiting anxiously for their assignment. Since everyone else is working so hard to save the world, why should they sit out on all of the fun?

"I want the five of you to guard Eldestmon and Swiftmon inside the school. Keep a sharp eye on them, and watch for anyone who comes nearby. Make sure you guys stay hidden. When Eldestmon and Swiftmon wake up, tell them what the plan is and wait for us until we get back. Do you understand?"

"Yes siree! You can count on me!" Bokomon saluted.

"And I can count on my fingers and toes!" Neemon added his input, which earned him another wedgie from Bokomon.

"Please be safe everyone." Lopmon told the Legendary Warriors.

"Make sure you come back to us all in one piece." said Salamon.

"You can do it. We all believe in you." Patamon smiled.

"Alright. Now, MOVE OUT!" Takuya commanded.

"YEAH!"

As Ranamon, Grumblemon, Arbormon and Mercurymon helped carry the unconscious Swiftmon and Eldestmon inside the building, the Chosen Children gathered around each other with their D-Tectors in one hand, and a ring of Fractal Code in another.

* * *

><p>*thump, thump, thump, thump*<p>

Thousands of armed soldiers marched northward through the empty streets of Shibuya. The troops in the front, the side and the back of the lines aimed their weapons around the area, carefully searching for any signs of monsters. The roads and buildings were all empty. But then again, it's better to be safe than sorry. By General Nikushimi's orders, the soldiers were supposed to blast the first monster their eyes made contact with.

"Keep your eyes open! They could be anywhere! Remember, weapons free! The moment you see any one of those hideous, deplorable and evil creatures, take them out!" The man in charge commanded.

"HAI!" Everyone, minus Lieutenant Chisaki, shouted.

The troops turned the corner and traveled down Inoatama Street. Broken glass and debris littered the roads. The units checked every floor of every building in the area. But the results were the same. There wasn't a single creature in the facilities.

"Sir, I'm beginning to doubt that there aren't any monsters here!" said Lieutenant Chisaki.

"Nonsense! Those disgusting creatures are around here somewhere! And we won't stop until every last one of them has been eliminated!"

"Sir, I think you have gone mad with power!" The general's second-in-command objected.

"Excuse me?" The fifty year old leader glowered at his lieutenant.

"Listen to me, sir! I strongly believe that some of these 'monsters' you despise are trying to help us! Perhaps there is a greater threat out there than..."

"GENERAL NIKUSHIMI! UP AHEAD! LOOK!" Someone in the front screamed.

The general and his lieutenant shifted their attention to where one of the soldiers was pointing at. It turns out the fifty year old man was right. There were still monsters in the area. Ten different creatures appeared out of their hiding space and scattered off into different directions.

An armored beetle carried a wooden android over the town's buildings and headed westward. Meanwhile, a small polar bear skied over his ice-made ramps above the city, with a big-nosed gnome and monster with a couple of mirror shields following behind. Three other creatures sprinted northbound. Finally, a lavender haired butterfly quickly flew above the rows of soldiers, while a spiky, blonde haired monster hopped from building to building.

"Strange! They're not attacking us!" One of the soldier's analyzed.

"What does it mean?" Another wondered.

"Maybe we're not their target?" A female soldier thought.

"That's exactly what I've been telling you!" Lieutenant Chisaki exclaimed.

While a handful of soldiers started to have second thoughts, General Nikushimi quickly grabbed his megaphone to keep all of his troops in check.

"_DO NOT BE FOOLED! THOSE MONSTERS ARE BOUND TO CAUSE MASSIVE DESTRUCTION WHEREVER THEY'RE HEADING! WE MAY NOT BE THEY'RE TARGET, BUT IT IS UP TO US TO STOP THEM!_"

"HAI!"

"Why won't he listen?" Lieutenant Chisaki mumbled to herself.

"_ALRIGHT! HERE'S THE PLAN! DIVISIONS ONE THROUGH TWENTY-FIVE WILL GO AFTER THE MONSTERS HEADING THE NORTH! DIVISIONS TWENTY-SIX THROUGH FIFTY WILL HEAD SOUTH! DIVISIONS FIFTY-ONE THROUGH SEVENTY-FIVE WILL TAKE DOWN THE CREATURES IN THE EAST! AND ALL OTHER DIVISIONS WILL TAKE THE MONSTERS IN THE WEST! NO MERCY! ELIMINATE EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM! GOT IT?_"

"HAI!"

The military units dispersed into different directions to hunt down and destroy the Legendary Warriors. General Nikushimi chuckled to himself, watching all of the troops go after those wretched monsters. Only Lieutenant Chisaki remained skeptical. The way this was going, forming an alliance with these creatures seemed all but impossible. But she has her orders and she must follow them, regardless of what her beliefs were.

However, before she could head off with her division, General Nikushimi grabbed a hold of her arm.

"Not you, lieutenant! We're going back to Yoyogi Park! I had just received word from our scientists that they had just perfected their Anti-Monster Weapons! At last, I can eradicate every last one of those monsters! They will learn not to mess with our world! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Oh, sir!" groaned the female officer.

"Hurry, lieutenant! Time is of the essence!" General Nikushimi hustled towards an open army jeep, with his second-in-command behind him.

The two officers got in the vehicle and drove off toward the direction of the park. General Nikushimi couldn't wait to try out his new weapons. He could only imagine what surprises the scientists, engineers and technicians have in store for him. As for Lieutenant Chisaki, she knew that her superior has reached the point of no return. There will be a ton of casualties in the future, humans _and_ monsters.

Still, she couldn't help but wonder. If an alliance was formed with these creatures, could all of this have ended without further bloodshed?

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter seventy-four.<strong>

**Can the Legendary Warriors put an end to the Empire of Malevomon? Will the military put a wrench in their plans? Or will the malignant Digimon reign supreme forever? Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	75. Japan Tour: West

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**EmperorGreymon and MagnaGarurumon set off to Shibuya Station. When they reached their destination, they found chaos and destruction all over their beloved city. Furthermore, they encountered Gulutomon and an army of Evilemon. MagnaGarurumon took care of the foot soldiers, while EmperorGreymon slayed the slimy glutton. Then, Malevomon made his appearance. He revealed his master plan to our heroes. After a failed attempt to defeat Malevomon and a close encounter with the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, Takuya and Koji returned safely. Now, the Legendary Warriors have a new plan: find and destroy all of Malevomon's Chaos Spires before he gets too powerful.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter seventy-five!**

* * *

><p><strong>Japan Tour<br>(West)**

**Normal POV:**

Setagaya, Tokyo. It is the largest of the city's twenty-three wards. Many people who are visiting made this wonderful and luxurious place a must-see location on their vacation to Japan. There are a few dozen tourists' spots, like Setagaya Park. This public are has a pool for families to swim, tennis courts for players to get a good workout, baseball grounds for fans of the sport, and a couple of retired steam locomotives for children to play on. Setagaya also has several hundred restaurants for tourists to experience.

One of the city's famous landmarks is the Gotoku-ji Temple. Those who are familiar of the beckoning cat they see in the entrance of many Japanese shops and restaurants can find hundreds of statuettes of these small dolls that is said to be a lucky charm that brings in customers and money. It is a popular tourist attraction where many come to pray or take pictures of this historic site.

Hundreds of schools fill the city of Setagaya, with about eighty percent of them at the elementary level. The city has a few good private schools and academies as well. Over fifty thousand students attend class every day to gain knowledge on a variety of topics. Kids at the elementary level learn the basics of math, science and social studies. Meanwhile, students at the secondary level's curriculum covers more advanced math, social sciences, English, health, physical education, fine arts and industrial arts.

Out of all twenty-three wards in Tokyo, Setagaya has the largest population. The city has an estimate of over eight hundred thousand. On an average day, the people in Setagaya go about their lives. Some come in and out from work, while others enjoy what the day has brought them.

But ever since the Evilemon showed up, the once lustrous and prosperous city has turned into a barren wasteland.

"What a dump!" The Warrior of Thunder spoke when he scanned his surroundings.

"And I thought my room was a pigsty, right?" Arbormon grunted underneath his voice.

The two Legendary Warriors entered the abandoned city and were not pleased at what they saw. There were hot flames inside buildings left and right. Thick, black smoke sailed out of the broken windows, shrouding the area with low visibility. Shards of glass from the windows were scattered all over the streets, adding more debris to the current mess the city was in.

One could make an argument that Setagaya was just as bad as Shibuya. Hundreds of unoccupied vehicles filled the streets. Many of them had their doors still opened, while others had their doors ripped off. It's safe to guess that there was a huge traffic jam going out of the city. Thousands of people were frantically trying to evacuate once they received the message that Malevomon was going to rule the world. Then again, the Evilemon pretty much did most of the work, scaring off the citizens and wreaking havoc in their wake.

"I guess I should cancel my vacation to the Human World sometime soon, right?" The wooden android scratched the back of his head.

"Give it a rest, Arbormon!" Beetlemon argued.

"Hey, lighten up, will you's? Just because the world's about to end, don't mean you have to be a sad sack, right?"

"First of all, the Human World is _not_ going to end; not while we're here! And secondly, haven't you forgotten our assignment? Takuya has put us in charge to take out all of the Chaos Spires west of Shibuya! And Setagaya happens to be our first stop! So if you're done messing around, start searching for those towers! Everyone's counting on us!"

"Talk about searching for a hundred needles in one giant haystack, right?" Arbormon shrugged.

And so, the Warriors of Thunder and Wood continued to explore the city.

The only sounds that could be heard were the cracklings from the fire and the debris being crushed by Arbormon's and Beetlemon's feet. Since this was the wooden android's first time in the Human World, he was still trying to familiarize himself with the many different things he could find. Arbormon would occasionally stop in front of a random car and give it a quick inspection. But he would end up putting the vehicle in worse condition, either ripping the car doors or the steering wheel right off.

Another thing the Warrior of Wood would notice is that the buildings in the Human World were much taller than the ones in the Digital World. He would crane his neck as far as he could just to get a glimpse of a few structures that were seemingly entering the heavens. His attention was then refocused to a number of decorative billboards hanging on the buildings that were miraculously still intact after the initial invasion.

"Bright lights in the big city! You sure can strike it rich here, right?" Arbormon whistled, thinking about what life would be like in a place as large as Setagaya.

"How many times do I have to tell you? We're not here to sightsee! Now, will you stop acting like a tourist and keep moving?" The humanoid beetle complained.

"Come on! It's not every day I get to visit the Human World! One should never let an opportunity like this go by, right?"

"And for good reason! Earlier, Bokomon has explained to me the dangers of Digimon roam freely in the Human World!"

"What danger? We're all alone in the middle of an abandoned city that's already in ruins, right? What kind of danger do you think we'll find here?"

"Well, for starters..."

All of the sudden, Beetlemon came to a halt. Arbormon crashed behind his partner and almost fell to the ground. Before he could ask the Warrior of Thunder why he had stopped, the wooden android noticed him pointing towards the west. Both Digimon quickly hid behind a box truck and peeped their heads to get a good look at what's ahead.

Marching down the streets in an oncoming intersection were columns of a thousand Evilemon. The demon infantry stomped hard on the pavement with each step he took, making a loud thumping sound that bounced off the buildings. A majority of the foot soldiers carried sharp weapons, like swords, spears, axes and scythes, to take out anyone who would dare oppose the Malevolent One.

As for the Digimon in the back, hundreds of them were lifting black, obelisk-like structures above their heads. Approximately, the towers seemed to measure about three hundred feet in height. It didn't take the Legendary Warriors to figure out what those type of structures were.

"Those must be the Chaos Spires Takuya was talking about." Beetlemon analyzed.

"You're not as dumb as you look, if you know what I'm talking about?" The Warrior of Wood chuckled.

"Ugh! Why are we even partners?" The humanoid insect smacked his forehead.

"Don't look at me. You're so-called 'leader' has decided the pairings, right?" Arbormon replied, using his fingers to emphasize the goggle-head position.

"Whatever. Let's just get this over with, so that we can end this partnership of ours."

"That's probably the smartest thing you've said all day, right?"

Before Beetlemon could object, the wooden android had already dashed out of his hiding place and sprinted toward the large battalion of Evilemon, completely disregarding the fact that he was heavily outnumbered.

"Arbormon, wait! What are you..." The Warrior of Thunder called out to his partner. But it was too late. Arbormon had already launched his first attack. Beetlemon's cries were left unheard by the wooden android.

As for the Evilemon, that was a different story. Some of the demon infantry had spotted the humanoid insect hiding behind a truck. They responded by heaving their spears, battle axes and blades at the Warrior of Thunder. Realizing that his position had been compromised, Beetlemon dove out of the harm's way. The truck he hid behind was now covered in all kinds of weapons, making look like an armored porcupine.

When Beetlemon returned to a vertical base, he soon discovered that almost half of the Evilemon had broken formation and went after him.

"Jeez! This could be so much easier if we stayed together! Oh, well! At least now I get to hit someone!" shrugged the humanoid beetle.

The first foot soldier to greet him had a short sword in hand. He went for a horizontal slash aimed for Beetlemon's head, hoping to at least slice off the Legendary Warrior's throat. But the Digimon of Thunder easily blocked the initial strike. Because the armor on his arms was so thick, there wasn't a lot of energy transfer to harm him. Beetlemon smirked at the Evilemon before giving him a strong punch to the face.

However, three more foot soldiers were there to take their fallen comrade's place. With long, pointed spears in their possession, the Evilemon thrust their weapons toward Beetlemon's chest. Even though the Warrior of Thunder's armor could withstand the hit, he decided not to take any chances. Beetlemon deflect the first two spears. As for the third, he shuffled to the side to evade the sharp end. At the same time, he grabbed the spear and kicked the Evilemon in the face, forcing him to let go.

Beetlemon then jabbed the butt of the lance into another attacking foot soldiers. Their masks crumbled on impact, which caused them to disintegrate. The Warrior of Thunder then dropped in a defensive stance that would even make Lowemon proud. He looked to his right and saw another Evilemon with a battle axe charging toward him. Since he had no need for weapons, Beetlemon threw his spear like a javelin to pierce through the creature's mask.

Two more Evilemon came at the Warrior of Thunder with lances and swords. Beetlemon ducked underneath a swinging blade. He retaliated with a hook and a spinning kick to the creature's face. The next foot soldier to greet him tried to thrust his spear through Beetlemon's heart. But after sidestepping the lance, he broke the weapon in half and shattered the Evilemon's facewear with a knee strike.

The Warrior of Thunder smirked. If the demon infantry were this easy to defeat, then the rest of the mission should be a piece of cake. Unfortunately, Beetlemon never took the Evilemons' persistence and their advantage in the numbers game into consideration. Before long, ten foot soldiers hopped on top of the humanoid insect. Twenty more then joined the party. And then thirty. And then forty.

It took a hundred Evilemon to immobilize the Warrior of Thunder.

"ROUNDHOUSE PUNCH!"

Meanwhile, Arbormon was having the time of his life taking out the demon infantry that were trying to bring him down. With his elongated arms, the Warrior of Wood stretched his limbs horizontally and spun around to take out a bunch of the Evilemons. They tried to attack the wooden android, but Arbormon made sure that not a single foot soldier entered the circle.

Since they couldn't win in close range combat, the Evilemon tried throwing their weapons at the Legendary Warrior. Hundreds of spears, swords, daggers and axes zoomed toward the rotating wooden android. The results, however, were still the same. Not a single weapon got close to the Warrior of Wood. Arbormon's arms deflected the blades and sent them flying in all different directions. Most penetrated through buildings and cars. The rest pierced a hole through a few of the foot soldiers' head.

After a while, the Warrior of Wood's rotation came to a halt. He dropped to a defensive stance and smirked at the opposition.

"Fighting you punks is a waste of my precious time, right?" snickered the wooden android. But the Evilemon responded with silence. Despite the fact that the Legendary Warrior had took out a fraction of the army, they refused to stop. They continued their advance, determined to destroy the Digimon of Wood.

"Not much on talking, are you's? Meh, that's too bad! I wanted to hear you's weaklings whimper in pain when I snap you like a toothpick, right?"

All at once, the Evilemon charged toward the Legendary Warrior with their weapons raised high. Arbormon lets out a fake yawn, symbolizing how bored he was with this fight. Even the overwhelming number of foot soldiers against him weren't enough to frighten the wooden android. The Digimon of Wood waited until the surrounding demon infantry were close enough.

"A bunch of morons you's are, right?" chuckled Arbormon.

Suddenly, he reached upward and shot his cabled arms toward the air. His hands grabbed a hold of a traffic light. He pulled himself upward just as the foot soldiers drew nearer. By the time Arbormon had escaped, the Evilemon crashed in the middle of the circle. The collision caused a few of the masks on their face to crack or break. But that was enough to cause them to disappear.

"Adding flavor brings a meal to life! How about I spice things up a little bit, if you know what I'm talking about?" Arbormon snickered.

"BLOCKADE SEED!"

The Warrior of Wood relinquished his grip and dove toward the huge pile of Evilemon who had survived the collision. He rotated his body so that his chest was facing his opponents. A compartment on his body opened up. About ten miniaturized bombs popped out of hole and descended toward the demon infantry. The explosives landed on the foot soldiers.

And then...

*boom, boom, boom, boom, boom*

Thousands of shrapnel scattered throughout the vicinity when the bombs went off. The fragmentation cracked and penetrated through the masks of the foot soldiers. But it wasn't just the shrapnel. The intense blast waves of Arbormon's explosives was enough to incinerate the Evilemons' facewear. By the time the Warrior of Wood landed smoothly on the ground, he had already took out a hundred of the foot soldiers.

"That was fun!" exclaimed the wooden android. "Maybe after this, I should treat myself to a triple decker sandwich..."

"A LITTLE HELP OVER HERE?" Beetlemon's voice interrupted Arbormon's thoughts.

The Warrior of Wood looked to his right and noticed another pile of foot soldiers were on top of his partner. At first, Arbormon lets out a mild chuckle. The sight of the Warrior of Thunder looking so helpless and pathetic was too rich. But after a while, he decided to help out his partner. After all, he can't save the Human World with a dead Legendary Warrior.

Arbormon then picked up a couple of axes on the ground and threw them at the hoard of Evilemon. He was on target with his throws. The blades nailed two of the foot soldiers in the head, knocking them out of the fight for good. By the time the rest of the army could react, Arbormon had reached his elongated arms towards the group and grabbed a couple more Evilemon by the head. He bashed their skulls together, forcing their masks to break.

"YOU CALL THAT 'HELP', YOU IDIOT?" Again, the humanoid beetle growled.

"Alright, you's asked for it! But don't blame me when this is all over, right?" sighed the Warrior of Wood. With that, the compartment in the center of his body opened up again.

"HEY, WAIT A MINUTE! I DIDN'T MEAN THAT!" Beetlemon protested.

But it was too late.

"BLOCKADE SEED!"

Again, Arbormon released a few more of his explosives. The bombs rolled on the ground until it made contact with the huge pile in the middle of the road. Beetlemon closed his eyes and braced himself as the grenades went off. The fragmentation and the blast waves took care of every single Evilemon that was on top of the Warrior of Thunder. Besides a couple of scratches on his armor, Beetlemon was miraculously unharmed.

But that didn't mean he was happy.

"What's your deal, man? You almost blew me to bits!" complained the humanoid insect, unappreciative of the assistance.

"'Almost' being the key word, right?"

"Unbelievable! I can't believe you'd risk your partner's life just to take out a handful of Malevomon's minions!"

"Hey! That's not how you say 'thanks' to someone who had saved your life, right?" The Warrior of Wood crossed his arms.

"If you try that again, then I'll give you a 'thanks' you'll never forget!"

"You're so vain! You need to learn to lighten up a little, if you know what I'm talking about?"

"As much as I like to agree with you, we're gonna have to put the relaxing on hold! We got company!"

Like Beetlemon said, more and more Evilemon march down the streets in columns of ten. Their footsteps echoed throughout the vicinity, growing louder the closer they approached the Legendary Warriors. As Beetlemon waited for the demon infantry to make their move, he did a quick head count to see how many Evilemon he and his partner were up against.

"A thousand more of those lifeless freaks?" groaned the Warrior of Thunder.

"'It never gets easier than this, right?" Arbormon cracked his knuckles like his itching for a fight. But before he could charge, Beetlemon grabbed his partner by the arm.

"What do you think you're doing, you idiot?" hollered the armored insect.

"Cleaning house! Those guys are the dirt and I'm the vacuum, right?"

"The Evilemon are not our priority! Our mission is to find the Chaos Spires that Malevomon has planted throughout the city! We'll deal with these guys later!"

"Just because the goofy goggle boy said so? I find more fun in breaking bodies than smashing structures, if you know what I'm talking about?"

"Deal with it!" Beetlemon raised his voice. "After we destroy every single one of Malevomon's Chaos Spires, then you are free to..."

"**UUUUUNNNNGGG**!" A ghostly voice moaned, capturing the attention of the Legendary Warriors.

"What was that?" The humanoid insect turned toward the wooden android.

"I thought that was you, right?" Arbormon titled his head in confusion.

A few moments later, the same noise grew louder. But instead of muffled groans, the Legendary Warriors could hear actual words.

"**ALL HAIL MALEVOMON! LORD AND MASTER!**"

When Beetlemon turned around, he felt incredibly nauseous.

Hundreds of thousands of people treaded through the streets like a bunch of mindless beings. Their arms hung out in front, almost mimicking the movements of zombies. Every man, woman and child had white, lifeless eyes. It felt like their souls had been stolen from them and replaced with an empty dark void. The Warrior of Thunder could not believe that all of these people were under the control of the Malevolent One.

"This can't be happening!" Beetlemon gulped.

"You sure have a lot of strange friends here, right?" Arbormon gazed at his partner, trying to lighten the mood a little bit. Apparently, that didn't work.

"NOT... HELPING!" An upset Beetlemon growled.

"Hey! You need to relax, right? If you can't clear your head, then you'll never see where you're going, right?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I have plenty of friends who live in Setagaya! And they're all under Malevomon's control! So, tell me, Arbormon? How can I _relax_ in time like this?"

"Very easy! Like this... ROUNDHOUSE PUNCH!"

The wooden android extended his cabled limbs and grabbed a couple of Evilemon by the head. He then lifted them up and tossed them into the organized columns of foot soldiers. The airborne Evilemon crashed into a few of their comrades, breaking their facewear upon impact. But the foot soldiers stayed in formation and continued to make their way toward the opposition.

Arbormon's then picked up another Evilemon that was in the front row. This time, he rotated his body and tossed the evil Digimon into the crowd of moaning humans. The foot soldier collided into a few people, causing them to fall on the ground. The good news was that the Evilemon landed on his head, breaking his mask in the process. However, the mind controlled humans remained unscathed. They got back to their feet and treaded toward the humans.

"Hmm, I see these humans are a lot tougher to break than those ugly clowns, right?" The Warrior of Wood again cracked his knuckles. "Very well, then! Take this, you mindless scum! ROUNDHOUSE..."

"Watch it, Arbormon! Don't attack the humans!" The humanoid insect grabbed his partner's arm to stop him from attacking the citizens.

"Huh? What do you mean? Those evil humans are serving Malevomon! You heard them chanting with their ghostly groans, right?"

"They're _not_ evil! They're all under the control of Malevomon! It's not their fault!"

"In other words?"

"We cannot harm the humans, no matter what! Even if they're attacking us, we should not put them in danger!" The Warrior of Thunder instructed.

"If that's the case, what are we supposed to do? It sucks if I can't hit someone who's hitting me back, right?"

"Well, do you remem... WATCH OUT!"

Beetlemon dove toward his partner and wrapped his arms around his torso. With his wing compartment opened, he flew out of harm's way. And just in time too. The large army of Evilemon would've pinned the Legendary Warriors with spears, daggers and swords if Beetlemon hadn't caught them chucking their weapons from his peripheral vision.

The Digimon of Thunder landed on the sidewalk and dropped the wooden android to the ground.

"**ALL HAIL MALEVOMON! LORD AND MASTER!**" The mind controlled people of Setagaya changed directions and marched toward the Legendary Warriors.

The Evilemon also collected their weapons and trotted towards their opponents. The foot soldiers and humans formed a circle around Beetlemon and Arbormon, cutting off all of their exit routes.

"You's better have an idea to get us out of this mess, right?" The Digimon of Wood eyed his partner.

"We have one chance!" The humanoid insect responded.

He raised his arm and pointed to something toward his right. When Arbormon got a look, he noticed an obelisk-like structure peeping behind the many buildings of the city. It took a while for the Warrior of Wood to deduce that the black tower was a Chaos Spire. But he gave Beetlemon a look of confusion.

"Remember what Takuya said? Those structures are the key to Malevomon's control of the people! If we destroy the Chaos Spires, then the citizens will be free from his evil!" The Warrior of Thunder said.

"And how do you's propose we do that? We got hundreds of those evil goons and thousands of mind controlled humans to deal with, right?" Arbormon pointed out.

"I'm aware of that!" nodded Beetlemon. "Here's the plan! I'm gonna try to destroy the Chaos Spire, while you keep the Evilemon busy!"

"That must be the most pathetic plan I've ever heard! Why do you's get the easy job? I think it'll be better if I knock down the tower while you deal with the sad saps here, right?"

"Ugh! You are by far the worst partner ever!"

"What goes around, comes around, right?"

"Why I oughta..."

Beetlemon's fists surged with electricity. At the same time, Arbormon dethatched his cabled arms and was ready to brawl with the Digimon of Thunder. The Legendary Warriors stared each other down, completely unaware of their surroundings.

One of the mind controlled humans was a cop. He had his pistol aimed at the Warrior of Thunder. Arbormon caught this in his peripheral vision. Meanwhile, an Evilemon in the front row had his arm drawn back, ready to throw his spear at the Warrior of Wood. Beetlemon glanced toward his partner's blindside and immediately saw the foot soldier was about to attack.

"HEADS UP!" ||| "HE'S MINE!"

The humanoid insect stepped in front of the wooden android and caught the spear. Beetlemon then retaliated by chucking the lance back at the same Evilemon that threw it. The weapon not only went through the foot soldier's head, but also a few of the Evilemon behind him as well.

Moments later, Arbormon threw one of his elongated arms at the attacking officer. A hard punch connected against the cop's cheeks, sending him to the ground hard. His firearm went off when his hand smacked the canvas. Beetlemon flinched when he heard the gun go off. But luckily, the shot took out a couple of Evilemon.

"Seriously? You just hit a policeman! Great! We'll probably get twenty years in prison for assaulting an officer!" Beetlemon exclaimed as he stared at the unconscious cop.

"I don't know about you's, but Arbormon ain't going to jail! Besides, better to be a jailed bird than a dead duck, right?" The wooden android patted his partner on the back.

"Whatever!" huffed the Warrior of Thunder. "Listen! We gotta get to the Chaos Spires somehow! But I do not want to put any of the humans in danger! And we also have the Evilemon to worry about and..."

"Sheesh! Enough with the sob stories, will you's?" groaned the Digimon of Wood. "Keeping your friends safe is dandy and all! But when Arbormon wants something done, he gets it done, no matter who's in his way, right?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"Who cares if a few of these crazy monkeys get roughed up a bit? As long as we take out that hideous Chaos Tower or whatever it's called, everything will be fine, right?"

Beetlemon pondered about Arbormon's statement. So far, they weren't getting anywhere being on the defensive. In order to get to the Chaos Spire, they're gonna have to plow through the entire population. That meant that there's bound to be collateral damage. The Warrior of Thunder sighed. As much as he detested hurting the humans, he was even less fond of the idea of Malevomon taking over this city.

"Fine, we'll do it your way!" The humanoid insect glanced at his partner.

"It's about time you used the peanut-sized brain of yours, right?" chuckled the Warriors of Wood.

"Just be careful! Some of these people are my friends and I don't want them seriously injured!"

"I can't expect any promises, right?"

"Alright then, come on! We got to destroy the Chaos Spire and set these people free!"

"Now you's speaking my language, right?" The wooden android grinned.

All of the sudden, a large amount Fractal Code surrounded the Warrior of Wood. Inside the encasement of data, the wooden android began to change forms.

"Arbormon, slide... EVOLUTION!"

When the large cocoon of Fractal Code had vanished, a large, leafy lizard appeared before the army of foot soldiers and mind controlled humans.

"PETALDRAMON!"

The Beast Warrior of Wood then stood on his hind legs. The brown leaves around his head started to spin around like a gigantic fan.

"LEAF CYCLONE!"

Once when the leaves on his head had reached maximum speed, the leafy lizard unleashed a powerful tornado from his nostrils. The green twister made its way toward a crowd of Evilemon and humans. Beetlemon could only watch as bodies fly all over the area. Most of the foot soldiers had disintegrated because they had landed on their masks. However, a good number of humans collided against buildings and the unforgiving pavement.

Beetlemon cringe as he watched every man, woman and child getting blown away by Petaldramon's attack. While there hasn't been any casualties, seeing these people getting hurt stung him. He prayed that none of his friends were seriously injured. Finally, the Beast of Wood ceased his attack. Thanks to him, there was an opening to the Chaos Spire.

Once again, large amounts of data surrounded the large, leafy lizard.

"PETALDRAMON, SLIDE... Evolution!"

When Arbormon reappeared in front of his partner, he gave him a thumbs up gesture.

"Last one to the tower thingy is a rotten Digimon, right?"

"Hey! This isn't a race, you know!" protested Beetlemon.

With that, the two Legendary Warriors charged toward the direction of the obelisk-like structure. Beetlemon took the skies while Arbormon rushed up the middle. Some of the Evilemon tried to intercept the Legendary Warriors. But the Digimon of Thunder swung his fists at the evil Digimon, breaking their facewear upon impact. The humans also tried to get in their way. Arbormon extended his elongated arms out in front, using his cables to clothesline the advancing humans.

Finally, the Legendary Warriors were in the clear. The hustled toward the Chaos Spire as fast as they could.

"See? I told you's my plan would work, right?" chuckled Arbormon.

"I never doubted you for a second!" Beetlemon rolled his eyes.

"Hey! I resent that!"

It wasn't long before they reached the Chaos Spire. The Legendary Warriors were amazed at how tall the structure was, especially up close. The humanoid insect was at a loss for words. The Digimon of Wood, on the other hand, lets out a soft whistle.

"We's got to destroy that thing, right?" Arbormon asked.

"Do you even have to ask?" The Warrior of Thunder eyed his partner.

"Then, what are we waiting for? Let's do it then! If this tower's a tree, then I'm then I'm chainsaw, right?"

"That's gotta be the stupidest... never mind!"

With all jokes aside, the Legendary Warriors got ready to take out the Chaos Spire. Arbormon opened the central compartment on his chest. He took aim at the black, obelisk-like structure in the middle of the road. At the same time, Beetlemon called forth the power of his element in his fist. He gathered large amounts of electricity in his hand.

"THUNDER FIST!" ||| "BLOCKADE SEED!"

Both Digimon unleashed their attacks at the same time. Beetlemon pounded his fist on the ground, allowing the electricity to take its course toward the Chaos Spire. Meanwhile, Arbormon fired three grenades from the hole of his body. The explosives zoomed toward the obelisk-like tower, with Beetlemon's electricity flowing underneath.

The attacks collided against the Chaos Spire at the same time. But all the Legendary Warriors did was scratch the surface of the black structure. Apparently, these towers were a lot tougher than what they appeared to be. The Digimon of Thunder and Wood stared blankly at each other.

"Well, that didn't work!" Beetlemon said.

"This is what happens when you's don't listen to yours truly, right?" The wooden android crossed his arms and huffed.

"Our attacks aren't strong enough! We need more power! We gotta change to our Beast Spirit forms!"

"Exactly what I was thinking, right?"

Large streams of Fractal Code surrounded the bodies of the Legendary Warriors.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!" ||| "Arbormon, slide... EVOLUTION!"

When the cocoons of data dispersed, the Digimon of Thunder and Wood appeared in their other forms.

"METALKABUTERIMON!" ||| "PETALDRAMON!"

Once again, the Beast Warriors got set up for their next attacks. They were confident that they'll be able to destroy the Chaos Spire this time. Once when this structure goes down, then all of the humans would be...

"**ALL HAIL MALEVOMON!**"

Again, the ghostly moans of the mind controlled humans interrupted.

MetalKabuterimon and Petaldramon turned to see a flood of people marching towards them from the west. On the other side, even more Evilemon charged at the Beast Warriors with their weapons poised to slice, dice and skewer their opponents. The armored tank had to think of something fast. Otherwise, the enemy would take over this city, along with the rest of the world.

"Hey, Petaldramon! I need you give me some cover while I take out the Chaos Spire!" demanded the Beast of Thunder.

"Huh?" The leafy lizard grumbled. "How come you's get to destroy the tower, while I get the..."

"JUST DO IT!"

The tone of MetalKabuterimon's orders told the Beast of Wood that his partner was serious. This was not the time for having petty arguments. The fate of the Human World is on the line. They were given a mission to take out all of the Chaos Spires in their assigned area. The other Legendary Warriors are counting on them. Failure's not an option.

"Fine! But you's gonna owe me a giant hamburger when this is over!" said Petaldramon.

"I'm waiting!" hollered the Beast of Thunder.

The leafy lizard groaned one last time before. Finally, he stood on his front legs with his long wooden tail hanging in the air.

"THORN JAB, BABY!" He howled.

Petaldramon then stabbed his tail through the asphalt. The whole city of Setagaya began to shake. Most of the mind controlled humans had lost their balance and fell to the ground. Some of the Evilemon also lost their footing. But the majority stayed upright and continued their advances.

Suddenly, a bunch of roots shot up from the ground, forming a circular wall between the Beast Warriors and everyone else. The foot soldiers tried to chop down the tree-like barrier with their axes, swords and scythes. Despite not having any weapons, the mind controlled citizens tried to break through the wall of roots with their combined strengths.

"Are you sure those plants of yours can hold out?" MetalKabuterimon asked his partner.

"It won't if you don't hurry up!" Petaldramon gave his blunt, but honest answer.

The Beast of Thunder had no choice but to trust his partner. He was doing the best he can to keep the Evilemon and mind controlled humans at bay. So, it was now up to him to do his job. With that, MetalKabuterimon aimed his arms at his the Chaos Spire. The barrels on his hands rotated around at a high velocity. The Beast Warrior of Thunder gathered the power of his element in his palms. Two balls of lightning appeared, connected by a single bolt.

"Here goes nothing!" The armored tank said to himself.

"BOLO THUNDER!"

Suddenly, MetalKabuterimon fired an electrical bola at the structure. His attack spun at an incredible speed that even impressed Petaldramon. Finally, the projectile made contact with the Chaos Spire. There was a huge explosion that almost knocked MetalKabuterimon on his back. The entire vicinity was then filled with a thick cloud of smoke.

But when the dust settled, only a chunk of obelisk-like tower was taken out.

"Oh, come on! What does it take to destroy this thing?" An angry MetalKabuterimon grouched, wondering if he can ever knock down the Chaos Spire.

"Hey! Check it out! Something's up with your human friends here!" Petaldramon's voice interrupted the Beast of Thunder's thoughts.

MetalKabuterimon's eyes widened when he noticed what happens when a little bit of Malevomon's structure gets damaged.

"**NNG!**" ||| "**UGH!**"

A handful of people placed their hands on their heads and groaned in pain.

It seemed that the damage that MetalKabuterimon had caused to the Chaos Spire had allowed some of the citizens to resist Malevomon's control. But after a while, they became Malevomon's servants again and continued to breakthrough Petaldramon's barrier. As for the rest of the population, they were unaffected by the armored tank's progress.

"I see! We have to destroy the Chaos Spire entirely if we want to set the humans free from Malevomon's control!" analyzed the Beast Warrior of Thunder.

"Then would you's hurry up and do it already? My plants can't hold up much longer here!" bickered the leafy lizard.

"Hmm... I think a 'please' is an order?" MetalKabuterimon smirked underneath his metallic facemask.

"I'LL GIVE YOU'S A 'PLEASE' BY THE TIME WE'RE FINISHED HERE!" Petaldramon angrily shouted.

"Close enough..."

Even though the fate of the Human World was still on the line, the armored tank thought it was alright to get a laugh or two from his partner's expense. After getting that out of his system, MetalKabuterimon went right back to work. He needed a little more energy in his attacks if he wanted to destroy the Chaos Spire. And he had to do it fast, because the Evilemon and the mind controlled citizens had almost broken free from Petaldramon's root-like walls.

The Beast Warrior of Thunder lowered himself onto the ground, until his cannon was aimed at black, obelisk-like structure. A compartment on his back opened up, and a targeting screen flipped open. MetalKabuterimon made sure he was locked on to the Chaos Spire. His cannon charged up, gathering as much energy as it could hold. He needed his weapon to be at full power to obliterate the tower.

*crunch* *crackle*

Petaldramon's barrier could only hold for so long. All it took for the humans was one final push to bust down a handful of the roots. On the other side, the Evilemon had already tore down Petaldramon's root-like walls. Now, they had a clear path toward the Legendary Warriors.

"**ALL HAIL MALEVOMON! LORD AND MASTER!**"

The ghostly groans of the humans grew louder the closer they got to the Beast Warriors.

"HURRY UP!" The leafy lizards hollered at his partner.

"ELELCTRON CANNON!" MetalKabuterimon screamed from the top of his lungs.

The armored tank then fired a powerful, positron laser toward Malevomon's structure. There was an even bigger explosion when MetalKabuterimon's attack nailed the chipped part of the Chaos Spire. The blast waves sent a bunch of people to the ground. Also, a few of the Evilemon had already disintegrated because the pressure of the explosion was too much for their masks.

But the damage was done. MetalKabuterimon had blasted through the obelisk-like structure. The tower collapse to the ground like a tree in the forest. Once when the Chaos Spire hit the asphalt, it disintegrated into nothingness, just like the Evilemon when their facewears were removed. When the base of the structure disappeared, every single human passed out on the canvas.

"Did it work?" Petaldramon approached his partner.

"It should! Otherwise, we did all that for nothing!" said MetalKabuterimon.

Moments later, the citizens started to regain their consciousness. The men, women and children got up to their feet with a serious headache. To them, it felt like they had been crawling in a dark, and very tight tunnel, hopelessly searching for a way out. It took a while for their vision to clear up. And when it did, the first two things they saw was a long, leafy lizard, with a blue and yellow tank behind him.

"Are you guys alright?" MetalKabuterimon approached a woman close to him and asked.

The response he got was not what he was looking for.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! MONSTERS! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"

Sure enough, every citizen in Setagaya reacted with fear. They scatter throughout the city, trying to get away from the creatures that had saved them from an eternity of suffering. But did they know that? Of course not. However, when the whole country is being invaded by beings from another dimension, how else are they supposed to react?

It was chaos in the middle of streets. People hid all over town. A good number of them hid inside the lightless buildings, while some crouched behind intact vehicles. As for the rest, they made a beeline toward the west. Many figure that the best place for them to be was completely away from these monsters.

"Not the warm welcome I was expecting, right?" MetalKabuterimon turned and noticed that his partner had reverted back to his Human Spirit form.

"It's not our fault! People aren't used to seeing Digimon in the Human World!" argued the Beast of Thunder.

"Don't be so sure about that, right?" Arbormon pointed toward the front.

It turns out that a good number of humans stayed behind to protect themselves. There were a handful of officers with their guns and tasers drawn toward the Legendary Warriors. However, some of the citizens also joined in, ready to drive these creatures away. The men carried steel pipes, baseball bats, broken glass bottles and pocket knives. The women, on the other hand, had frying pans, tennis racquets and golf clubs.

"GET BACK, YOU NASTY CREATURES!" ||| "YOU SLIMEBALLS ARE NOT WELCOMED HERE!" The citizens barked at the Legendary Warriors.

"Please, everyone! Listen to me!" MetalKabuterimon approached the frightened humans with his up. But his supposed sign of peace was not taken kindly by the people.

"STAY AWAY FROM US, FREAK!" ||| "TAKE ONE MORE STEP, AND YOU'LL WISH YOU HADN'T!"

"Listen! I am not what you think I am!"

"IT'S YOUR FAULT THAT OUR BELOVED CITY IS DESTROYED! WE DON'T WANT YOUR KIND AROUND HERE! DO US ALL A FAVOR AND GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM, YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SCUM!" One of the younger adults told the Legendary Warriors.

Who can blame the humans for being afraid of these Digimon? So far, every creature they had encountered had destroyed their town and their homes. It's only natural for them to treat the Legendary Warriors like criminals. But MetalKabuterimon had a theory. If these people won't cooperate with a Digimon, then all he had to do was revert back to his human form so he and Arbormon can...

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! THERE'S EVEN MORE OF THEM! RUN FOR IT!" A terrified woman shrieked.

MetalKabuterimon and Arbormon turned around and noticed hundreds of Evilemon marching toward them with their sharp weapons in hand. Now that the humans weren't in Malevomon's control anymore, the foot soldiers have no choice but to destroy the citizens of Setagaya. The demon infantry then scatter throughout the city, chasing after the first human their eyes made contact with.

As for the humans that initially challenged the Legendary Warriors, they were frightened by the sight of the Evilemon. The people immediately dropped their weapons and ran like crazy. Some of the foot soldiers stayed behind to finish off the Digimon of Thunder and Wood, while the rest of the searched for the scattering people.

"This is not good! We have to stop the Evilemon and save the humans!" MetalKabuterimon told his partner.

"Save those disrespectful wimps?" Arbormon gave the Beast of Thunder a strange look. "Hmph! No thanks! I'm better off saving myself, right?"

"Cut it out Arbormon! I know most of the people are afraid of us! And they should be! With so much Digimon wreaking havoc all over the city, it's no wonder the humans want to hurt us!"

"They'll probably carve me in half before asking either one of us questions, if you know what I'm saying!"

"But that doesn't mean we can abandon our duties as Legendary Warriors! If the humans are having trouble trusting us, then we have no choice but to earn their trust!"

"And how do you's propose we do that?"

"We have to help them defeat the Evilemon, let them know that we're on their side! Once when they realize that we mean them no harm, then we can start working together to save the rest of the city!"

"Well, whatever you say! Let's just hope that we're still alive when this is all over, right?"

Arbormon took the lead and dashed toward the east, spotting an Evilemon that was heading toward a nearby park. The Warrior of Wood extended one of his arms and grabbed the foot soldier by the head. He lifted the evil Digimon up and tossed him aside. As the Evilemon fell into oblivion, the wooden android continued to make his way through the streets, taking out any foot soldier that got in his way.

When the Warrior of Wood was out of sight, MetalKabuterimon got set to do his part. Loads of Fractal Code surrounded the armored tank's body. Inside, the Beast of Thunder began his transformation.

"SLIDE... Evolution!"

Beetlemon went in the opposite direction of his partner. He ventured through downtown. Again, the scenes he encountered were the same. Cars left and right had their doors ripped open and their windows shattered. Lampposts and utility poles laid on the asphalt. The streets had a large number of potholes in them. Broken glass were scattered across the base of the buildings.

Moments later, Beetlemon had found a small squad of Evilemon closing in on a police officer, who was trying to protect a family of five. The cop unleashed a barrage of bullets all over the bodies of the foot soldiers. But alas, the Evilemon were unaffected by the number of rounds going through them. They continued their approach, determined to destroy the humans.

*click, click*

The officer had already run out of bullets. With nothing to stop them now, the Evilemon swung their weapons at the defenseless humans. The children covered their eyes. The mother unleash a shriek of terror, while her husband wrapped his arms around his family and shut his eyes.

"THUNDER FIST!"

One of the Evilemon was blinded by a powerful punch to his facewear. Beetlemon then delivered a left hook to the foot soldier closest to him. Next, the Warrior of Thunder unleashed an elbow strike to the third Evilemon's head. The final two never stood a chance against the humanoid insect's might. Beetlemon grabbed the Evilemon by their heads and smashed them together, defeating them in the process.

When the last foot soldier disappeared, the Warrior of Thunder turned toward the humans.

"Is everybody alright?" He asked the family and the officer. The humans had their mouths open, but not a sound came out. Beetlemon crouched down and extended his hand towards one of the children, who looked like she has seen a ghost.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you." said Beetlemon.

Even though the girl was still scared, something told her that this particular creature wasn't as bad as the other ones. She reached toward the Warrior of Thunder. The girl wanted to learn a little bit more about this brave...

"HEY! STAY AWAY FROM MY KIDS, YOU LOUSY FREAK!" The father pulled his daughter away and used his body to shield his family.

Although Beetlemon wasn't surprised with the dad's outburst, it still hurt hearing the harsh words that were directed toward him.

"Listen." The Warrior of Thunder tried conversing with the humans again. "It's alright. I'm not like those other monsters you saw earlier. I'm here to help. My name is Beetlemon, and I am a Legendary..."

"Alright, whoever you are! Back away from them, or else I will put a bullet in your head!" The policeman demanded with a fully loaded gun aimed at the humanoid insect's face.

"Whoa! Take it easy, officer! I just save your life!"

"You're not fooling anyone! You are just like those zombies who are terrorizing our country! Quite honestly, I think you don't deserve to live on the same planet as us normal and decent human beings!"

"I'm just trying to help..." Beetlemon extended his hand out toward the cop.

Sadly, the officer perceived that the creature was about to attack.

"YOU FILTHY CREEP!"

Suddenly, the policeman pulled the trigger on his weapon. A single bullet zoomed from his firearm to the Legendary Warrior's head. Beetlemon stumbled backwards. The transfer of energy to Beetlemon's skull gave the Digimon of Thunder a huge migraine. Thankfully, his armor was strong enough to protect his head from being blown off.

When the cop realized that the monster was still alive, he continued firing his weapon without any hesitation. More than twenty rounds sprayed all over Beetlemon's chest. Each hit the Warrior of Thunder took felt like a solid punch from Gigasmon. Even though his armor protected him, the humanoid insect knew that he could not stay here for long.

"I gotta get out of here!" Beetlemon said to himself.

He waited until the officer had emptied his magazine. When the armored beetle saw the policeman was about to reload, he opened his wing compartment and took off. As much as he like to make peace with the humans, it would be very difficult to do so with an officer trying desperately to bring him down. Beetlemon gazed back at the family he had saved one last time. Only the young girl waved him goodbye.

By the time the officer was ready to fire, the Warrior of Thunder was gone.

Beetlemon flew westward, still searching for any humans to save or for any Evilemon to destroy. As he continued to look, he couldn't help but think about the things almost every human had said to him. They called him names, insulted him and threatened him. He had no idea that these people could be so cruel to him, despite the fact that he's also human. But apparently, people fear what they do not understand.

"HELP! SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME!" A voice of a young woman shrieking made Beetlemon froze.

The Warrior of Thunder looked down and saw a fifteen year old girl with long, brown hair surrounded by ten Evilemon. Upon further inspection, Beetlemon noticed that there was a red, triangular road sign on top of the girl's legs, leaving the defenseless human immobilized. She tried to crawl away, but one twitch of her lower extremities would make the teenage girl wince in pain. This girl was in big trouble. And if Beetlemon doesn't hurry, the Evilemon would claim another victim.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" She released one more screech as a desperate call for help.

"HEY, BOYS! WHY DON'T YOU PICK ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE?" The Warrior of Thunder hollered to stop the Evilemon from advancing.

Beetlemon landed in front of the helpless teen and dropped in his stance. Even though the foot soldiers weren't expecting a Legendary Warrior coming to the human's rescue, they showed no hesitation or any signs of stopping. It didn't matter who was in their way. Their orders were to help the Malevolent One take over the Human World and to annihilate anyone who gets in their way.

"Alright, you creeps! Let's dance!" declared the humanoid insect. He raised both of his hands to the sky and gathered as much electricity as his hands could hold. Meanwhile, the fifteen year old girl watched on in amazement.

"THUNDER FIST!"

The Warrior of Thunder then charged toward the foot soldier in front of him. After sidestepping a spear thrust, Beetlemon unleashed a powerful punch to the creature's face. He then rotated his body and delivered a double back elbow to the two Evilemon behind his shoulders Beetlemon then pounced on another foot soldier and unleashed a flurry of hooks to the face until his facewear was completely shattered.

Next, the Legendary Warrior sprang off of the ground and delivered a jumping punch to the face of another Evilemon. The force of the hand strike sent the foot soldier tumbling backwards. Once when the Evilemon slammed into one of the buildings, he disintegrated to dust. Beetlemon then punched the sixth in the stomach, forcing him to double over. The Warrior of Thunder pulled the creature's mask off and shoved the defeated Evilemon to the ground.

Beetlemon then tossed the facewear like a boomerang. The twirling mask nicked three more Evilemon in the face. Although the impact was swift, it was more than enough to cause a small crack. When the rotating mask came back toward the Warrior of Thunder, he caught it in his hand before crumbling it into pieces. Beetlemon scanned the area to see if there were any more evil Digimon to defeat.

"KYAH! LEAVE ME ALONE! PLEASE!" The frightened brunette cried.

The humanoid insect turned around when he heard the girl's screams. Sure enough, the last Evilemon was very close to the helpless teen. Without hesitating, the Warrior of Thunder hustled toward the last foot soldier. Since the Evilemon had his attention on the human, he failed to notice Beetlemon coming on his blindside. The foot soldier felt himself being lifted up by the head. By the time he could react, the armored Digimon smashed his opponent's head into the floor.

With all of the Evilemon eliminated, Beetlemon turned back to the teenage girl. He removed the road sign off of the girl's legs and tossed it aside. The Warrior of Thunder extended his hand, offering the young woman his assistance. The girl, however, was as petrified as ever. Every monster she had encountered wanted to hurt her. What's going to make this one any different?

"Please! Go away! Don't hurt me!" The young woman sniveled.

Beetlemon took a long look at the girl. Her long, brown hair draped across her upper back, straightened by a dark-blue headband. She also wore a blue skirt that barely reached her knees, and long, white sleeves. Finally, this young woman had black flip-flops with a small daisy decoration on the intersection of the white straps.

The good news that she wasn't seriously hurt. She may be in shock, but her legs weren't severely injured. However, there was something else that had caught the Legendary Warrior's attention. This girl looked very familiar. It's as if he knew her somewhere befor...

"Nanami, is that you?" The armored insect inquired.

At first, the young woman cringed when the creature spoke. Then again, how on earth did this mysterious being know her name? The girl slowly opened her eyes and shifted her attention toward the one who had saved her life. His chestplate displayed her cute face. The teenager then craned her head upward so that her eyes met his.

"Who are you?" The frightened, yet curious girl wondered.

"Come on. Don't you recognize me? We both went to Asuna High School."

"We did?" The young woman's eyes widened. Not only this creature knew her name, but he said that they knew each other from high school. How is that possible?

"Absolutely." Beetlemon smiled. "You sat next to me in third period English with Mrs. Anazaki. In fact, you're the one who brings me a bento lunch every Friday because I was always so nice to you."

Nanami could see the events unfold like it was yesterday. It's just as the armored creature said. She did remember making a bento lunch for a certain strong, yet kind young man. She remembered the way he would look into her eyes, and give her a very cheeky smile that would sent her in a fit of giggles. Then again, she also remembered the teacher constantly reminding this boy that there's no flirting allowed in her class.

"Now do you remember, Nana?" The Warrior of Thunder gave the brunette a wink.

"No way!" The fifteen year old girl gasped. There's only one boy who has ever called her that name. She reached out and grabbed the creature's hand. As the young woman got back to her feet, she gazed back at into his eyes.

"J.P.?"

"RAAAWWWWWRRRRRRR! WHO DISTURBS CEDIAMON'S SLUMBER?" A grumpy voice echoed.

Suddenly, the entire area began to shake. Nanami fell down and landed hard on her bottom. Beetlemon, however, kept his balance and searched the vicinity. This could only mean one thing: one of Malevomon's followers is here. And judging by the volume and roughness of the noise, the humanoid insect could only imagine how strong, tough and angry this Digimon could be.

"What's going on?" The brunette asked.

"It's not safe here, Nanami! You have to hide!" Beetlemon commanded.

"But J..."

"There's no time to explain! Go now!"

Despite not knowing the danger that's lurking, Nanami nodded. She quickly got back to her feet and hustled out of the street. However, something in the back of her mind told her that she couldn't leave her best friend alone. What if something terrible happened to him? How can she live with herself without telling this special boy her true feelings for him? Nanami went against the creature's orders and hid in an alleyway.

She peeped her head to get a good look at what's happening. On one side was the armored insect who had rescued her. But the monster stomping down the street was probably the most frightening thing she has ever seen.

The muscles on his arms were much larger than a body builder. With those sharp teeth, he could chomp through anything. His black claws could slice a human into fours. And the sloth's clothing was even more strange. His green tank top and black sleeves had a good number stains and rips on them. However, there was some kind of lump that was partially concealed by his red, hard hat.

In his hands was a red, triangular road sign. Coincidently, it was the same sign that Nanami was previously trapped underneath.

"DID YOU NAIL ME WITH THIS?" The sloth growled at the Warrior of Thunder. He tossed the sign at Beetlemon. The armored Digimon tilted his head sideways to avoid the projectile, which impaled into an empty car.

"So what if I did?" Beetlemon challenged. The muscular creature chuckled to himself when he recognized his opponent.

"I KNOW YOU! YOU'RE ONE OF THE LEGENDARY WARRIORS, ARE YOU?"

"And just who are you?" asked the Legendary Warrior.

"MY NAME IS CEDIAMON! I AM ONE OF MALEVOMON'S CHAOS SINNERS! AND YOU HAD JUST WOKEN ME UP!"

"Ooh, a Chaos Sinner! Whoop de doo! So, what's your point?"

"I WAS HAVING A NICE DREAM, YOU IDIOT! NOBODY WAKES CEDIAMON WHEN HE IS DREAMING! AND FOR THAT, YOU SHALL PAY DEARLY WITH YOUR LIFE!"

"Not a chance, pal! You're one of Malevomon's goons! It is my duty to protect the Human World and all of my precious friends who live in it! And I'll start by defeating you!"

"THEN, SO BE IT! AAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"KKKYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The two Digimon charged at each other. Cediamon pulled his arm back, ready to slash right through the Legendary Warrior's armor. Meanwhile, Beetlemon had gathered tons of electricity in his hands and in his horn. With the power of thunder in his disposal, the humanoid beetle was confident that he will emerge victorious. Moments later, both Digimon collided in the middle of the battlefield.

Elsewhere, a terrified Nanami watched on.

"J.P.! NOOOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter seventy-five.<strong>

**Can Beetlemon take out one of Malevomon's Chaos Sinners? Or will poor Nanami see the brutal defeat of her best friend? These questions will be answered in the next action packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	76. Setagaya Skirmish

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**Beetlemon and Arbormon found most of the city has been destroyed, thanks to Malevomon's army. Moments later, the Legendary Warriors were attacked. Not only they dealt with a large battalion of Evilemon, but the Digimon of Wood and Thunder also had to protect themselves from the mind controlled humans. The two of them destroyed the Chaos Spire, just as planned. But when the humans saw the Digimon, they immediately reacted in fear. Elsewhere, Beetlemon has his hands full. He's not only going up against one of Malevomon's Chaos Sinners, but he also has to keep one of his friends safe.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter seventy-six!**

* * *

><p><strong>Setagaya Skirmish<strong>

**Normal POV:**

Inside one of the classrooms in Jinnan Elementary School, five Digimon waited anxiously for the return of the Legendary Warriors. With everyone else traveling around the country to take out Malevomon's Chaos Spires, they were given the responsibility to watch after Swiftmon and Eldestmon, who were still unconscious. The old Digimon and the swordsman laid on top of a few desks that were pushed together to act out as small beds.

Bokomon gazed out of the window. He gave himself the job of being the lookout. The Digimon moved his head from side to side, searching for any potential threats that might be approaching them. It could be one of Malevomon's cronies or another human that might bring harm to his baby and his friends. Takuya did mention that the Japanese Self-Defense Forces were coming this way. Unfortunately, Bokomon had no clue who they were. But so far, no humans or Digimon were spotted on his watch.

"Bokomon? What are you doing?" Neemon approached behind his partner.

"I'm on the lookout for any of Malevomon's goons. If they discover our location, then we will have to evacuate and move somewhere else."

"Sounds like a lot of work."

"It _is_ a lot of work, you imbicle! Unlike you, I'm trying to be productive here!" replied the frustrated Rookie.

"Hey! I am being productive!" The rabbit protested.

Bokomon turned back toward his friend and the first thing Bokomon noticed about the Digimon wearing pants was that he was covered in all kinds of paint from head to toe. There was a splash of blue all over Neemon's hands, dark green stains plastered all over his trousers and red marks across his head. Finally, there was a rainbow-like mess all over his upper body.

"You got paint all over yourself. Exactly how is _this_ being productive?" A frustrated Bokomon asked with his hands on his hips and foot tapping.

"I'm playing with the kids." responded Neemon. "While you're standing at the window all by yourself, I decided to have some fun while we're here."

"Fun, Neemon? This world is being invaded by the most ruthless creature from our dimension! And if that's not enough, he's got his whole army going around the country and capturing each city one by one! How can you be having fun in a time like this?"

"What? You weren't yelling at them when they were playing around!" The yellow rabbit pointed toward his side.

Moments later, Bokomon noticed that the three Celestial Rookies were making a large mess inside the classroom. Salamon was tossing hundreds of white paper in the air, while Patamon used his Bubble Boom to target the sheets. Whenever he missed, the air shots would hit the ceiling and leave behind a small hole. On the other side of the room, Lopmon was busy drawing all kinds of pictures on the chalkboard in a fit of laughter.

"Kids!" Bokomon exclaimed in a parental tone.

When the Celestial Digimon heard the Rookie's voice, everyone had stopped what they were doing. Salamon dropped her the pieces of paper she had in her paws, while a single sheet fell on her head. Lopmon released his white and yellow chalk, which landed on the floor and broke in half. An ashamed Patamon flew toward his surrogate mother with his head hung low.

"What is the meaning of this, my boy? You and your friends are making too much noise. We're trying to hide from the enemy. Yet, here you three are causing a ruckus." Bokomon disciplined.

"We're sorry, Papa-mom." The winged Digimon apologized.

"It's just that we're so bored. Sitting around while watching Eldestmon and Swiftmon is not very fun at all." argued Salamon.

"If you three want to have fun, then please keep it quiet. We don't need to have all of that screaming and yelling. Do you understand?" The surrogate mother asked.

"Understood!" The Celestial Rookies replied in unison. It was a little bit louder than what Bokomon had wanted, but he decided to let it go.

"Now, if you don't want to look after Swiftmon and Eldestmon, then you can help clean up this place or do a quiet activity until the Legendary Warriors returned."

"Alright!" The Celestial Digimon spoke.

A couple of the Rookies decided to take Bokomon's second option. Salamon found some crayons in a plastic box nearby. She grabbed a piece of paper next to her and started to draw some pictures. Patamon noticed that there was a bookshelf on the northern side of the room. He flew toward the shelf, pulled out a book and started to read. Although, it's safe to say that he was more interested in the pictures instead of the actual words.

Lopmon was the only one who chose to clean up the mess he made. He grabbed the chalkboard eraser that was sitting on the teacher's desk and used it to wipe away the pictures he drew. The brown rabbit used his long, brown ears as extensions of his hands to clear the chalkboard. Once when the board was clean, Lopmon decided that he was going to pick up the broken pieces of chalk on the ground.

But when his feet touched the ground...

"NNG!"

The brown rabbit dropped on his knees and clutched his aching head. Patamon and Salamon immediately noticed that their friend was in pain. The two of them stopped what they were doing and rushed as fast as they could toward Lopmon. One of the Celestial Rookies embraced the rabbit while the second one assessed for any potential injuries.

"Lopmon, are you alright?" Salamon asked. After a thorough search, she wasn't able to find any physical pain on her friend. But still, the look on Lopmon's face told her that something was wrong.

"Do you have a headache?" Patamon questioned.

"No, it's not that." replied Lopmon. "But one of our friends is in big trouble."

"Say what?" The winged Rookie gasped.

"Are you sure?" wondered Salamon.

"Yes. It's Beetlemon. I just saw him fighting against one of Malevomon's bullies. And he's losing."

"That's terrible!" The puppy's eyes widened.

"But what are we supposed to do? Takuya told us to remain here at all times until they get back, as well as keep our eyes on Swiftmon and Eldestmon. And besides, Papa-mom will not be happy if one of us leaves." Patamon reasoned.

"I know that. But even so, I can't just stay here and wait for the others to return. What if one of them never comes back, and I had the power to stop that?"

"Are you saying that... *gulp*... J.P. might..." The winged Rookie placed his hands over his mouth, too afraid to finish his sentence or even think about the dreadful possibility.

"Forgive me, you two. I have to go now. This is something I have to do... something I _must_ do." Lopmon made his point.

"Well, we won't try to stop you." said Salamon. "But with that being said, please be careful. I wish for everyone to come back in one piece, including you and J.P."

"Thank you, my friends. Please, don't tell Bokomon or Neemon. I don't want them to worry." requested the brown rabbit.

"Our lips are sealed." Patamon traced a line from one side of his mouth to the other.

After exchanging giggles and hugs, Lopmon quietly made his toward the door. He first checked on Bokomon and Neemon to see if they were watching. Thankfully, Bokomon had his eyes out of the window, while Neemon had his attention elsewhere. The brown rabbit waved goodbye to his best friends and left the classroom. He flapped his ears and flew out of open of the open windows.

The Celestial Rookie headed westward toward Setagaya, where a ferocious battle was currently taking place.

* * *

><p>"LOOK! HERE THEY COME! EVERYBODY RUN!" One of the citizens hollered.<p>

A large crowd of humans spotted an even bigger group of monsters marching in their direction. Each one of them had sharp weapons in their possession. Some of the foot soldiers dragged their steel blades along the pavement, creating a deafening screech that drove the people nuts. Others banged their hands on their axes, spears and scythes. The zombie-like creatures had the humans in their sights.

"Ooh! That is so cool!" A seven year old boy spotted and Evilemon chopping down a streetlight with his axe. He then looked toward his mom, who was hastily carrying her son to safety.

"Mommy, buy me that one!"

"NOT NOW, KENJI!" The woman screamed as she and a few other frightened citizens scurried out of the area.

Elsewhere, a police officer was trying his best to escort the people in an orderly fashion. But with hundreds of monsters roaming around the city and destroying everything in their path, the citizens were more concerned about themselves than keeping it together. People pushed others to the ground and aside, doing everything they could to get away from the danger.

"Help! Please, officer! You have to do something about these monsters!" A scared woman in her thirties shook the policeman's arm.

"What do you want me to do? Arrest them?" The cop yelled his argument at the lady.

Despite all protests, he was right. Bullets had no effect on these creatures. And they didn't seemed to be interested in following local authorities. The masked monsters had one thing in mind, and that was to annihilate anyone that got in their way. When the zombie-like creatures were approaching, the policeman hustled out of the area without looking back.

Some of the younger folks thought that they could avoid the approaching Evilemon by getting higher ground. While some of the people hid on the rooftops of the buildings, others weren't as smart. They climbed trees and lamppost to get away from the monsters. Even though a majority of the Evilemon were more focused on the humans who were trying to escape, there were a select few that spotted the helpless citizens.

Three foot soldiers spotted an eighteen year old girl dangling on a tree branch. She was losing her grip. It wouldn't be long before she falls and critically injures herself. But even so, the Evilemon gathered around the spot where they believed that the young woman would land if she couldn't hold on to the branch. The raven haired girl gasped when she realized the predicament she was in.

"SOMEBODY HELP ME!" She screamed from the top of her lungs.

"I was waiting for a 'please', but I guess a loud shriek will have to do, right?" Someone grunted.

The frightened young woman glanced to the side and noticed another strange creature standing off to the side. He looked like a humanoid puppet. His costume seemed awfully strange, with all of those gears sticking out. The girl thought that this was just another man out of his mind, playing the role of hero like he's in some kind of fantasy dimension.

However, the Evilemon thought otherwise. They shifted their attention from the helpless human to the Warrior of Wood. The first foot soldier heaved his spear at the wooden android. But Arbormon caught the lance and broke it in half. After throwing the weapon away, the Legendary Warrior noticed a battle axe tumbling his way. The wooden android had to use both of his hands to stop the weapon from slicing him across the head.

"Coming back at you's, right?"

Arbormon then chucked the axe back at his opponent with double the speed and force. The Evilemon never had a chance to react. In less than half a second, the axe nailed the foot soldier in the head, causing him to fall on his back in defeat. Arbormon then leaped toward the last two Evilemon and extended his arms out. He grabbed their heads and slammed them together. Their white masks shattered upon impact.

With the last Evilemon gone, Arbormon gazed back at the dangling girl.

"I had no idea humans are such lousy climbers, right?" The wooden android chuckled.

"Hey, you dweeb! I could use some help over here, if you don't mind!" The woman barked at her rescuer.

"I knew it. Humans are so ungrateful these days. They never say 'thank you' to those who truly deserve it, right?"

"Hurry! I think my hands are slipping and... AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

The raven haired girl lost her grip and started to fall. She was a little over six fight off of the ground when gravity grabbed a hold of her. She would've sustained a critical injury if Arbormon hadn't caught her. The young woman was about to give her rescuer the 'thank you' she owed him, when she immediately noticed something.

This was no costume. His entire body was made of wood. It even smelled like it too. And when the girl gazed into the being's eyes, something about it made her hairs stand on end. Her heart accelerated. Her breathing was rapid and shallow. Beads of sweat dripped from her forehead. The voices in her head told her to get out of there right away.

"Just doing my duties as a Legendary Warrior... or at least that's corny line I'm supposed to say after I saved your life, right?" laughed the wooden android.

"EW! GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF ME, YOU WEIRDO!" The young lady shrieked.

This time, the look of fear was replaced with hatred and disgust. She then gave Arbormon a shove, which was enough to get herself free. The raven haired girl then dashed westward as fast as her legs could carry her.

"Hey! Where are you's going?" Arbormon called out to the human.

"AWAY FROM YOU!" The girl responded

Moments later, she disappeared into the horizon.

The Warrior of Wood stood there with a puzzled look on his eyes. It's been the same thing ever since he and Beetlemon parted ways. The wooden android was minding his own business, taking out every single Chaos Spire he sees. It took every ounce of his will not to get harm the humans, despite the fact that they we the aggressors. A few of his Blockade Seeds were enough to destroy those dark towers and bring the citizens back to normal.

Arbormon explored through the entire area of Setagaya, defeating the Evilemon and eliminating the Chaos Spire. After a while, all of the black obelisks in the western side of country had been destroyed. One by one, the people started to break free from Malevomon's mind control. Arbormon was expecting some gratitude from these humans.

Unfortunately, he received just the opposite.

He has only been in the Human World for a little more than three hours. And in that span of time, every human that he encountered had been rude, ungrateful and simply cruel to him. It didn't matter if he rescued them from the attacking Evilemon or helped them from a precarious position. Each time, they said mean things to him before running away.

"Sure don't get much respect in this world, right?" The wooden android grumbled to himself. He kicked a random stone on the ground before heading towards the north of the city.

If the humans weren't going to show him any respect, then why should he care what happens to them? So what if hundreds of Evilemon were after them? What's the point of rescuing these pathetic creatures if they're going to treat him like an ugly monster? Maybe next time when he finds another crowd full of humans being attacked by these zombie-like Digimon, he'll just sit back and watch how these puny weaklings protect themselves without his...

"Rio, wait! Don't leave me!" Another voice interrupted Arbormon's thoughts. The Warriors of Wood smirked to himself.

"Now it's my turn to enjoy the show, right?"

The wooden android spotted a couple of boys who appeared to be in their early teens. Arbormon couldn't really get a good look at one of them because he was running away. When the Legendary Warriors glanced at what the kid was scared of, he noticed about twenty Evilemon drawing closer to the second teenage boy, who was down on all fours.

This young man was fourteen years old had short, brown hair and hazel eyes. He wore a green shirt with maple, long sleeves that just passed his wrists. He also wore chocolate brown jeans. His dark green shoes had a bit of smudge and mud on them, which told the Legendary Warrior that this kid must've been running around a lot.

"All I need is some fries with an extra side of ketchup for this show, right?" The Digimon of Wood thought.

He placed his hands behind his head and waited for the Evilemon to chop this pathetic boy into pieces. Serves them right for treating him with such disrespect. Maybe watching this pathetic human suffer will be enough to give Arbormon the gratification he was looking for.

"I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU! YOU DON'T SCARE ME!" The boy boldly claimed.

This time, the wooden android noticed a fierce look on the kid's face. Either this young man has guts or he's out of his mind. Did this boy really think he can really stand up to twenty armed Evilemon all by himself? He even didn't have a weapon. Without a doubt, this kid was nuts. He probably has given up hope and decided to go down fighting. And against the Evilemon, his resistance wouldn't last very long. Still, the Warrior of Wood shrugged it off. This human's humiliating and certain destruction was not his problem.

But as Arbormon watched the foot soldiers close in on the boy, something in the back of his mind told him it's not right to let this boy get slaughtered by the evil Digimon. In spite of all the cruel and rude things the other humans said to him, the Warrior of Wood couldn't help but feel sorry for the young man bravely defending himself, regardless of the overwhelming odds. An internal force tugged his heartstrings, urging the Legendary Warrior to do the right thing.

"At the end of the day, let there be no excuses, no explanations and no regrets, right?" The wooden android lets out a sigh of frustration.

Moments later, large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded the Legendary Warriors body.

"Arbormon, slide… EVOLUTION!"

Finally, the large body of data vanished. A giant, leafy lizard unleashed a thunderous roar that sent most of the debris flying.

"PETALDRAMON!"

The Beast Warrior of Wood wasted little time. He stabbed his tail into the ground. About a second later, tons of sharp roots and vines sprang out of the canvas. Petaldramon's summonings impaled about half of the Evilemons' faces. Some were chipped while others weren't as fortunate. It wasn't long before ten Evilemon disintegrated into nothingness with their facewear destroyed.

"Alright! It's feeding time! Who's got hamburgers?" The crazed lizard exclaimed.

However, the remaining foot soldiers stood firm, showing no signs of fear toward the Legendary Warrior. The evil Digimon quickly changed their target from the puny human to the Beast of Wood. Despite being outnumbered, Petaldramon welcomed the challenge like he's about to take on a full course meal. After all, tossing the bad guys around would work up an appetite.

Meanwhile, the same teenage boy staggered back to his feet and hid behind a thick tree. He knew that these monsters were dangerous and could cause serious harm to the city and a lot of people. He considered himself lucky for escaping the first time. But there's no guarantee that luck will be on his side again. The young man had to get to somewhere safe, which was away from these creatures who were about to fight.

And yet, something in the back of his mind told to keep his eyes on the monster made entirely of plants. The boy gazed at the Warrior of Wood with curiosity. And then with interest. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something about this creature that seemed different from the others. While the boy couldn't tell whose side the lizard was on, he knew that he was something special.

"COMING AT YA!" Petaldramon smirked.

He wrapped his tail around a nearby bus and chucked it at his opponents. Most of the Evilemon got out of the way in time. Two of them, however, weren't as lucky. The large vehicle landed on top of the foot soldiers, breaking their masks at the same time. Petaldramon then stick his tongue out toward the Evilemon closest to him. His organ yanked the facewear off of the evil Digimon. The Beast Warrior brought his tongue back in and chewed up the mask.

"BLEH!" Petaldramon uttered, not liking the taste of these foot soldiers. He then spat the leftover pieces on the ground

As a few of the demon infantry closed the distance, the rest threw their weapons at the leafy lizard. Axes and spears zoomed toward the Beast Warrior of Wood at speeds that were deadly for a human. Thankfully, no significant damage was done to Petaldramon. The lizard used his thick head to deflect the oncoming axes. While the spears did penetrate his body, he didn't feel a thing.

"It's time I toss you weaklings like chopped salad!" declared the Beast of Wood. The leafy Digimon stood on his hind legs and took aim at the remaining Evilemon.

"LEAF CYCLONE!"

Suddenly, Petaldramon snorted a powerful tornado from his nostrils toward the foot soldiers. The Evilemon were swept off of their feet and blown backwards. A few of the tumbling Digimon landed hard on their face, which was bad for their fragile masks. Others crashed into buildings. However, it wasn't the impact that destroyed them. The broken substances of the structure landed on top of their heads and fractured the facewear.

The Beast of Wood felt like his work was done. Large amounts of data surrounded his body, transforming him back to his Human Spirit form.

"SLIDE... Evolution!"

When the Fractal Code had vanished, a wooden android cracked his knuckles, feeling proud of himself for taking out some of Malevomon's cronies.

"Those wimps should know better than to take on yours truly, right?" Arbormon laughed. "The next time they want a good pounding in the rear, then they know who to call! And for doing such a good job, maybe I should treat myself to a triple-decker sandwich with lots of..."

"LOOK OUT! BEHIND YOU!"

The voice came from the teenage boy that Arbormon had saved earlier. The Warrior of Wood glanced to his side and noticed the young man pointing toward his direction. When the wooden android turned around, he immediately saw an Evilemon he had completely forgotten about. The zombie-like Digimon rushed toward the Legendary Warrior with his axe pulled back. Thankfully, Arbormon reacted just in time.

The Digimon of Wood smirked and detached one of his arms.

"ROUNDHOUSE PUNCH!"

He swung his upper extremity at his opponent. With his hand traveling at an incredible velocity, the Evilemon had no time to defend himself. Before long, Arbormon used his elongated hand to grab the foot soldier's head. The Legendary Warrior then retracted his cabled arm. At the same time, he brought his other arm back. When the zombie-like Digimon was in range, Arbormon unleashed a high angled lariat. The impact shattered the facewear and folded his opponent in half.

"That's what you get for messing with a Legendary Warrior, right?" The wooden android wiped his hands clean from the leftover debris.

"Legendary Warrior? Did you say Legendary Warrior?"

Arbormon looked behind him and noticed the very same teenage boy approaching him. His eyes widened with interest. The Digimon of Wood thought the kid looked funny with his jaw dropped like that. But even so, Arbormon felt like he owed this human some thanks. After all, if it wasn't for him, the last Evilemon would've chopped him into tiny splinters.

"Well, gratitude is the healthiest of all emotions, right?" Arbormon offered the young man his thanks, even though it sounded awkward. But that made the kid laugh.

"I'm sorry. But I couldn't help but overheard what you had just said. Are you telling me that you're a Legendary Warrior?" asked the teenage boy.

"Yes, I'm a Legendary Warrior. And Arbormon is the best there is, right?"

"No way. I can't believe it."

"There's nothing like the real deal, if you know what I'm talking about."

"That's awesome. But what is a Legendary Warrior doing in our world? Shouldn't you be in the Digital World with the other Legendary Warriors?"

Arbormon stared puzzlingly at the kid. It didn't take him long to realize that he was having a normal conversation with a complete stranger. And this boy was no ordinary human. He knew about the Legendary Warriors _and_ the Digital World. Something seemed odd because Arbormon had no idea who this human is.

"And who are you's to care?" The wooden android cross his arms.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Teruo. And I just want to say thank you for saving my life earlier from those evil Digimon. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be around here." The young man smiled.

"You got that right."

"Anyway, who are those guys that attacked us? And why are there Digimon in our world?"

"Those creeps are called Evilemon. And the head honcho for those losers is none other than Malevomon. He's the baddest of the bad, right?"

"Malevomon?" Teruo gasped. "Now I remember. That was the guy who made the announcement on TV. He declared himself ruler of our world and showed to us what would happen if we don't surrender. The last thing I remember was bunch of those Evilemon coming to this town and planting some kind of..."

"Alright, already. Enough with the storytelling. It's my turn to ask the questions, right?" interrupted the Legendary Warrior. "How do you know about the Digital World? And how do you know about the Legendary Warriors?"

"Well, it was about a couple years ago. A few friends and I received a message on our phones. It had to do with 'changing our destiny' or something along those lines. Anyway, we got on a train and ended up in the Digital World. There, my friends and I met Angemon. We then ran into a few of..."

"Pardon me, pal. I hate to interrupt such a boring story, but I got some more skulls to bust, right?"

Arbormon had to cut Teruo's recollection short. From his peripheral vision, he spotted a bunch more Evilemon terrorizing the humans. He shoved Teruo aside so he could get back in the action. Initially, the teenage boy was shocked at how arrogant this Legendary Warrior is. He was definitely not kind and caring, unlike the others he remembered some time ago.

On the other hand, Teruo felt like he had to follow the Legendary Warrior. Regardless of his attitude, the young man knew that Arbormon was the key to saving this world. Teruo followed the wooden android. Just to make sure he wasn't in the way when Arbormon was fighting the Evilemon, the teenage boy hid behind another tree.

"ROUNDHOUSE PUNT!"

The Warrior of Wood detached his right leg and swung it at the small group of foot soldiers. A few of the Evilemon were blindsided by Arbormon's kick. When the rest of the infantry realized that they were being attacked, the wooden attack was ready for them. Arbormon quickly closed the distance and unleashed a huge punch to the Evilemons' faces, shattering their white masks upon impact.

Meanwhile, the panicking humans came to a halt to witness this new creature beating down the ones that were chasing them. Of course, like a majority of the folks, they believed that this strange monster would be coming for them next after he's finished with them. In order to protect themselves, the humans got together and agreed to take out this hideous creature. They picked up any kind of weapon they could get their hands on, from steel pipes to glass bottles.

Finally, the Warrior of Wood took care of the last Evilemon. He then turned back toward the humans, expecting to receive some gratitude from them.

*BANG*

"UGH!"

It turned out that one of the humans had a gun in his possession. The moment he saw his eyes, the man took aim in between Arbormon's eyes and pulled the trigger. While the shot may have stunned the Legendary Warrior, it did not harm it. But with Arbormon already stumbling, the rest of the humans attacked. They bashed their weapons all over the wooden android's body.

"Hey, watch it will y... Ow! Cut it out!" The Warrior of Wood protested as he tried to endure the beatdown the humans were giving him.

"How does it feel now, huh?" A woman barked.

"Let us return the favor after you freaks trash our home like that!" A young man shouted to the Legendary Warrior.

"We don't want you lousy monsters around here!" An elderly citizen hollered as he bashed his cane on the wooden android.

This whole assault was driving Arbormon crazy. He hated being ganged up on, let alone losing a fight he could've easily won. However, he remember Beetlemon's orders. He was supposed to gain the humans' trust, rather than harm them. But as the people continued with the beatdown, it was getting very hard for the Warrior of Wood to not fight back. He was tempted to sock a couple of these ungrateful beings in the mout...

"STOP! EVERYBODY, DO NOT HURT HIM!"

That voice again. It was the same voice that saved Arbormon from getting his head chopped off by the Evilemon. The Digimon of Wood glanced to his side and saw the very same boy rushing toward him. Teruo's cries also had forced the humans to stop ganging up on the wooden android.

What the fourteen year old boy did next made almost everyone drop their weapons.

He got on top of Arbormon and wrapped his arms around his giant, wooden body. Most of the people were mumbling to other, asking one another for comprehension of what they're seeing. However, the wooden android was even more confused. He had no idea why this kid was sacrificing himself to protect him. Shouldn't he be like the other humans and fear him? Why is he so different than the others?

"I sure don't get this kind of attention back at home, right?" shrugged the Warrior of Wood.

However, some of the people weren't convinced with Arbormon just yet. With their weapons in hand, they approached the Legendary Warrior.

"Stand aside, boy! That monster is a menace to our society, just like the rest of them! We have to destroy him before he destroys us!" One of folks said to Teruo.

"I won't!" The young boy shook his head in defiance. "He is not like those other Digimon you saw earlier! This one is different! He is here to help us!"

"But he's a monster, like the other ones we saw! They want to exterminate us! That _thing_ you're protecting has caused a lot of damage to our city! He has made a lot of people suffer! Therefore, he must pay for his crimes!" The same person argued.

"Hey! Who are you's calling a 'thing?' I'm no stuffed bell pepper, right?" Arbormon gazed at the human with a hint of frustration.

"Please, listen to me!" Teruo spoke again. "I know it sounds crazy, but this 'monster' you are referring to is no ordinary monster! His name is Arbormon! He is one of the ten Legendary Warriors! Unlike those other creatures, this one is on our side! He has come to save us from..."

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Apparently, the others thought Teruo's declarations were a joke. Either they weren't buying it, or they just couldn't believe that the wooden android would help them. Some of the people were on their knees, trying not to die from laughing. Teruo, on the other hand, stared at the crowd with a small hint of red on his face. Despite the fact that he had spoken the truth, it did sounded kind of ridiculous if he were to think about it.

Arbormon, however, wasn't laughing.

"Alright, that's enough!" said the Warrior of Wood.

He removed Teruo off of his body and stood back on his feet. There were many scratches and smears all over his torso and head area. But the wooden android didn't care. He felt like he needed to get something off of his chest. And he'll start by putting these lousy and ungrateful humans in their place.

"I want all of you's to listen up, because I'm only going to say this once! I'm here for one reason, and that is to pound Malevomon's face like a tenderized steak! And for those idiots out there, Malevomon is the lunatic behind the invasion of your world! Now, I don't expect any of you's to help me! In fact, I advise against it because it's too dangerous and you'll only get in my way! I don't like you's and you's don't like me! You's want to ridicule me, call me names, beat me to rusty old wood? Then do it right after I kick the bad guy's butt! That's because you's need me more than I need you, right? Now, any questions?"

"And why should we trust you? We don't even know who you are! How can we tell that you're not lying?" Another woman asked.

"You can't!" The Warrior of Wood chuckled.

Not many people were sure what to do about that. On one hand, they could take this monster's word and let him take care of his business. If what he said is true, then perhaps there can be come alliance formed. But then again, what if this was a trick? What if this creature is trying to gain their trust so he can feed them to the one in charge?

"I'm afraid I'm gonna ask you to leave our city!" The man with the pistol told the Legendary Warrior.

"Not really the response I was expecting, but it's better than nothing, right?" Arbormon shrugged before turning in the other direction.

"And don't come back!" A few other people shouted at the wooden android. "Because if we see your hideous face again..."

"I wouldn't expect anything less, right?" The Warrior of Wood smirked.

Arbormon turned around and headed the opposite direction. He did not look back at the humans, nor waited for them to beg him to come back. It was obvious that the people didn't want him here. And the wooden android has no problem with that. If these weaklings think they can defend their city against Malevomon and his army of powerful freaks, then Arbormon has no business here.

"Hey! Wait up!" The voice of Teruo made the Warrior of Wood stop.

"You really are quite relentless, right?" Arbormon glanced at the boy.

"Where are you going, Arbormon?"

"As far away from here as possible. Arbormon knows when he is not appreciated, if you know what I'm talking about."

"You mean, you're just going to leave? What about the rest of the Evilemon? What happens if Malevomon comes here? What if..."

"You just don't get it, do ya kid? These folks don't want me. They don't care about me. Hehe, they won't even lend a hand if I'm broken into parts and scattered throughout the forest. I can't stand humans who don't give me the respect I so rightfully deserve. They're even more rotten than Deramon's noodle soup, right?"

"Arbormon, please..."

"This Legendary Warrior is hitting the road if none of these fools need me."

"But I need you!" Teruo said, a little bit louder than intended.

That statement made time stop. Arbormon did not move an inch, pondering deeply about the kid's words. He tried to convince himself that he had heard wrong, but even he wasn't that stupid. After what seemed like forever, the wooden android turned back to the boy.

"You do?" asked the Warrior of Wood.

"Yes. And at this moment, more than ever. Our world will be destroyed, unless we work together; Digimon and humans."

"You say it like it's just that easy, right?"

"Maybe, but it's the only way."

"I don't trust any of these humans." Arbormon grumbled with his arms crossed.

"Do you trust me?" Teruo extended his hand as a sign of giving the Legendary Warrior his trust.

The wooden android constantly shifted his glance from the boy's eyes to his hand. At first, he had his doubts. This puny human really didn't look like he could be much of help. If anything, he'll probably slow him down than be useful in the field of battle. But in spite of all that, this kid was the only human that's been kind to him. He showed no fear of him being a Digimon, nor tried to harm him. And there was also the fact that he did save his life.

Arbormon hated to admit it, but this kid is alright... for a human.

"I ain't coming back if you's can't keep up with Arbormon, right?" chuckled the Warrior.

"I'll do the best I can." Teruo replied.

Finally, the two shook hands. This was more than a human and a Digimon forming an alliance. A special bond was created. While originally it's not that strong, it was the beginning of something special. As the pair traveled together through the city of Setagaya, one can only imagine how long can this partnership hold. Either that, or will this bond turn into something incredible special.

Only time will tell.

* * *

><p>Back in the central part of the city, Beetlemon and Cediamon had already begun their intense battle. The two powerhouses started off with a collar-and-elbow tie up. Both Digimon displayed incredible strength, pushing each other to their limits. On some moments, the Legendary Warrior had the sloth down on one knee. However, Cediamon countered by shoving the Digimon of Thunder on his knee.<p>

Beetlemon was the first Digimon that took control of the wrestling match. He first grabbed his opponent in a headlock, trapping his head with his arm and body. The Warrior of Thunder applied some pressure on the sloth's head to gain some kind of control over him. Finally, Beetlemon dropped down on his chest, driving his opponent's head down on the asphalt.

Unfortunately, even something like that wasn't enough to defeat the Chaos Sinner. With raw power alone, the grumpy Digimon brought his head out of the canvas. Despite having Beetlemon's arms around his head, Cediamon used his strength to lift the Legendary Warrior off of the ground. The sloth then fell backwards to drop the Digimon of Thunder flat on his back, creating a sizable crater upon impact.

Cediamon and Beetlemon remained on the ground for a while. It was no surprise that muscular beast was the first one on his feet. He approached the groggy Digimon. Cediamon grabbed Beetlemon's head with his ginormous hands and lifted him off of the ground. Next, the Chaos Sinner viciously slammed the armored insect's skull on the unforgiving canvas.

However, one was not enough to satisfy the grumpy Digimon. The sloth yanked the Warrior of Thunder off of the ground and slammed him on the ground for a second time. And then a third time, followed by a fourth. Even though his head was covered in armor, that didn't mean that Beetlemon wasn't suffering. Each hit made his headache even worse.

The Chaos Sinner lifted the humanoid insect off the asphalt once more and chucked him toward the side. Beetlemon's body rolled on the street a few meters before coming to a halt. Cediamon opened his hands to reveal his sharp claws. This time, he was going to destroy the Legendary Warrior for his master. Cediamon quickly approached the armored Digimon and went for the finishing blow.

Beetlemon regained his consciousness in the nick of time. When he saw his opponent going for a slash across his chest, the Digimon of Thunder caught the attacking arm, rotated his body and tossed the sloth across the area. Cediamon crashed back first into an abandoned car. The windows broke into pieces. There was a huge dent on the passenger door. But other than that, the grumpy Digimon was still alive.

"RAAWWWRRR!"

Malevomon's servant sprang back to his feet and unleashed a loud roar that could be heard from the other side of the city. Cediamon charge after the Warrior of Thunder with both of his claws drawn back. Beetlemon dropped in his stance and waited for his opponent to get within range. He lowered his head and bent his knees to get set up for retaliation.

When Cediamon was within striking distance, Beetlemon grabbed his opponent's stomach and lifted him over his shoulders, using the sloth's own momentum against him. The Legendary Warrior was hoping that the cranky Digimon would land on his back so he could use some ground and pound on him. However, Cediamon smoothly landed on his feet. The look in his eyes told the armored beetle that he was ready for more.

It was time for Beetlemon to get serious.

"LIGHTNING BLITZ!"

He gathered a large amount of electricity in his horn. Finally, Beetlemon took charge at the enemy, aiming his horn at Cediamon. Normally, the Chaos Sinner would avoid the attack or find a way to defend himself. But this time was different. He relaxed his arms, which served as an invitation to the Legendary Warrior to hit him with everything he's got.

Beetlemon rammed his electrical horn into Cediamon's body. The lightning surged throughout the evil Digimon. But the look on his face remained the same. Not only his body wasn't affected by the electricity, but the Digimon of Thunder's horn also didn't cause any kind of piercing damage.

Cediamon then countered by giving the armored Digimon a hard sidekick to the chin, sending him flying. The Legendary Warrior landed on his back and skidded on the asphalt. His wing compartment was covered in all kinds of scrapes and scratches. Thankfully, he was alright. Beetlemon returned to a vertical base. He raised his hand and called forth the power of his element.

"THUNDER FIST!"

The Warrior of Thunder pulled his arm back and unleashed a powerful punch toward his opponent. There was so much lightning in his fist, the chances of him causing maximum damage were high. Beetlemon took aim at his opponent's chest. He was looking to punch a hole through Cediamon and end this fight quickly.

But the muscular sloth sensed the attack coming from a mile away. Rather than dodge the attack or take it head on, Cediamon timed Beetlemon's punch perfectly and caught it with his bare hand. He gave the humanoid beetle a terrifying snarl that almost scared the Legendary Warrior half to death. Beetlemon tried to pull his hand away from his opponent, but Cediamon's grip was too strong.

"Let me go, you big, ugly creep!" The Digimon of Thunder demanded.

"LEGENDARY WARRIOR MUST PAY FOR DISTURBING CEDIAMON'S SLUMBER!"

With a firm grip on Beetlemon's arm, the grumpy Digimon tossed the humanoid beetle around like a ragdoll. The Legendary Warrior's head, torso and back slammed hard onto the unforgiving asphalt. Beetlemon tried to endure the pain as best as he could, but the transfer of energy spread throughout his body. Each collision was rougher than the last. However, Cediamon continued to use the Legendary Warrior like he was a sledgehammer. It took three slams to create a large pothole on the street.

Elsewhere, J.P.'s friend watched on in fear. Every time Nanami saw the armored Digimon hit the canvas, she couldn't help but cringe in agony. It made her sick to her stomach, watching her friend getting abused like that. She feared that J.P. might not make it out alive. But as much as she wanted to do something, she just couldn't. Nanami felt so helpless.

"AAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Suddenly, Cediamon chucked the Warrior of Thunder to the side. Beetlemon zoomed through the area and crashed through anything that got in the way, whether it was buses or streetlights. His body tumbled in midair every time he collided against something. The injured Beetlemon finally came to a sudden stop when he crashed back first into a skyscraper.

"GIGA IMPACT!"

Upon declaring his attack, the muscles on Cediamon's body increased in density and mass. But his strength wasn't the only thing that increased. His speed kicked up a few notches. In just under a second, the angry sloth burst from his current position to the skyscraper where Beetlemon was. Once there, Cediamon delivered a flurry of powerful punches and devastating slashes with his claws.

"YEOW! OOF! NNG!" Beetlemon groaned in pain.

Cediamon ended the assault with a hard punch to the Legendary Warrior's chest. Parts of Beetlemon's armor broke apart when the sloth's fist connected. The humanoid insect lets out one more groan in pain before he lost consciousness. His body began to fall back down to earth. The Digimon of Thunder crashed onto the asphalt, leaving behind a huge crater upon impact.

"THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR DISTURBING MY..."

"OH MY GOD! J.P.!" The sound of a terrified human stopped Cediamon from finishing off the Legendary Warrior.

The muscular sloth shifted his attention from the beaten Digimon to the brown haired teenage girl standing off to the side. She had her mouth over her hands. Either she was frightened that Cediamon has spotted her, or was extremely concerned about the well-being of the Legendary Warrior. But nevertheless, the grumpy Digimon had discovered another puny human that could potentially jeopardize his naptime.

"SO, YOU HAVE COME SAVE THIS PATHETIC EXCUSE OF A LEGENDARY WARRIOR, HUH?"

Cediamon still had his muscles pumped and his claws sharpened. He was going to put this weakling out of her misery for good. The angry Digimon began to make his way toward the young woman, determined to slice her into ribbons without any remorse. Every step he took made Nanami stumble backwards, frightened for her life. With one less human gone and one Legendary Warrior out of his master's way, Cediamon can finally get back to falling asleep for the rest of...

"Hey, pal! You leave Nanami alone!" A wounded Beetlemon ordered. The sloth stopped in his tracks once again to face his opponent.

Despite being beaten to a pulp, the Warrior of Thunder somehow made it back to his feet. He dropped in his fighting stance and was ready to resume the battle. Cediamon, on the other hand, was not convinced with Beetlemon's bravado. He noticed that his knees were shaking like he was having trouble standing on his own power. And with all that damage he had inflected on the humanoid insect's body and armor, one or two more hits should be enough to finish off the Legendary Warrior.

"GIVE IT UP, WEAKLING! YOU CANNOT DEFEAT ME!"

"I can! And I will! I won't let you put a finger on my friends!" declared the humanoid beetle.

"WRONG, LEGENDARY WARRIOR! AFTER I FINISH YOU, I'LL TEAR YOUR PATHETIC FRIEND APART! I'M GONNA ENJOY THE LOOK IN HER EYES AS RIP HER INTO..."

"THAT DOES IT!" The Digimon of Thunder growled. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS! YOU WANT SOME, PAL? THEN I GOT SOME FOR YOU RIGHT HERE!"

Large amount of Fractal Code surrounded the angry Warrior's body.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!"

Moments later, a metallic tank appeared on the battlefield.

"METALKABUTERIMON."

Nanami, meanwhile, changed her hiding place. This time, she hid inside one of the buildings and shut the doors behind her. She peeped her head through one of the windows to check on the fight. While the young woman was still concerned for her friend's safety, she did not want to lose hope. If there's anyone that can stop that angry monster, J.P. can.

"BOLO THUNDER!"

MetalKabuterimon unleashed the bola made of lightning toward his opponent. The electrical attack rotated in a fast pace, increasing in speed and power by the second. But Cediamon was ready. When the spinning bola reached him, the sloth knocked it to the side with one huge backfist. Instead, the bola collided against an empty pickup trick, causing it to explode.

"IS THAT ALL?"

"YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET!" declared the Beast of Thunder.

The armored tank was running out of options. He had to defeat this cranky Digimon before someone else gets hurt. Right now, it was all or nothing. MetalKabuterimon's putting everything on the line for this one attack. If this does not work, then all will be lost.

He got in a crouching position and aimed his large cannon at Cediamon. A targeting screen appeared on the tank's back. The Beast Warrior of Thunder had the evil Digimon in his sights. His weapon charged up until it reached full capacity. As MetalKabuterimon get set up for his most powerful attack, Cediamon returned to his stance and waited for his opponent to fire.

Suddenly...

"ELECTRON CANNON!"

With his weapon fully charged, the Legendary Warrior released a powerful laser toward his opponent. The projectile zoomed from one side of the area to the other. Unfortunately, the look in Cediamon's eyes told MetalKabuterimon that he wasn't afraid of the blast. The angry sloth took the Electron Cannon head on. A huge explosion followed afterwards.

"Alright, J.P.!" Nanami's smile finally had some signs of life in it. She thought that the energy blast had finished off the cranky sloth.

But she was wrong.

When the smoke cleared, Cediamon was still standing. Even though MetalKabuterimon's attack pushed the evil Digimon back a few feet, his whole body was unscathed. The only thing the Electron Cannon did was anger the sloth even more.

"I don't believe it!" gasped the Beast of Thunder.

"TIME TO PUT YOUR LIGHTS OUT FOR GOOD!"

Cediamon brought both of his arms to his chest. Once again, the muscles on his body expanded. As Malevomon's Chaos Sinner gathered as much energy as he could, MetalKabuterimon got set up for another Electron Cannon shot. He already had his opponent locked on. All he has to do is charge up his weapon.

Unfortunately, he never got the chance to unleash his attack.

"'SONIC YAWN!"

After he finished gathering energy, Cediamon threw his arms back and opened his mouth. He released a thunderous yawn that mimics the effects of high frequency sound waves. The windows, light bulbs and glass on the cars instantly broke apart due to Cediamon's attack. Hundreds of clear shards littered the streets, adding more to the city's mess.

Even Nanami felt the effects of Cediamon's roar. The noise was so loud. She tried to covering her ears to block the sound waves. But the vibrations still made her headache even worse. Nanami felt like her brain was going to explode. The teenage girl fell on her knees as Cediamon continued to release his tumultuous roar.

However, it was MetalKabuterimon that took the worse of the attack. The Beast of Thunder suffered the biggest migraine he has ever had. The armored tank fell on his stomach, showing Cediamon that he could not withstand the pain any longer. When Malevomon's Chaos Sinner felt like he has finally defeated his opponent, he shut his mouth and ceased his attack.

A cocoon of Fractal Code surrounded the Legendary Warriors body. When the encasement of data dispersed, an injured boy laid motionlessly on the canvas. He was covered with grime, scratches and bruises from head to toe. If it weren't for his Spirits protecting him, this boy probably would not have survived.

"TIME TO FINISH THIS!"

Cediamon stomped toward the semiconscious boy, leaving behind massive footprints in his wake. The earth shook every time his foot collided against the asphalt. But even with the large sloth approaching him, J.P. still has yet to regain his consciousness. Apparently, Cediamon's last attack had temporarily knocked out the Bearer of Thunder.

Moments later, the grumpy Digimon had reached the motionless human. He placed one foot on top of the boy's head. Next, Cediamon lifted his leg up, ready to turn J.P.'s skull into pudding.

"SAY GOOD NIGHT, YOU INSIGNIFICANT LITTLE WOR..."

"STOOOOOOOOOOP!" Someone shrieked that almost made the muscular Digimon lose his balance.

The Chaos Sinner glanced behind him and saw a very same girl from earlier. This was the human that momentarily distracted him to give the Legendary Warrior some time to recover. Although Cediamon easily defeated him later on, that also meant more work for him and less time for his nap.

"WHY DO YOU KEEP SHOWING UP WHEN YOU'RE NOT WANTED?"

"I... I'm warning you!" The nervous Nanami yelled at the Digimon. "You leave m... my friend alone!"

"AND WHAT IS PUNY HUMAN GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?"

The truth is Nanami had no idea how to follow through with her commands. Fighting this powerful creature head on would be considered suicide. Not only she did not have the skills and strength, but she also lacked the courage. But even so, Nanami just couldn't sit by and let her crush get destroyed. She had to do something, regardless of how powerless she was or how overwhelming the odds were.

"NOT TALKING, HUH? THEN, HOW ABOUT I DESTROY YOU FIRST?"

In a flash, Cediamon quickly close the distance and was already in front of the frightened brunette. Nanami had no clue how this creature got to her so quickly. But before she could think about running away, the sloth grabbed her by the torso and lifted off of the ground. Nanami screamed from the top of her lungs, hoping that someone would come to her aid.

"Nng... Where am I? What's happening?" J.P. finally regained his consciousness. His head was still throbbing in pain. Almost every part of his body was sore. Even the slightest twitch would cause him some agony.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Nanami's squeal made the Bearer of Thunder's eyes widen.

Despite the soreness in body, J.P. sat up and turned toward the source of the noise. His biggest fear came true when he saw his friend in Cediamon's grasp. The way she was screaming told the teenage boy that she was in a lot of pain. The Bearer of Thunder scrambled back to his feet and dashed toward the grumpy sloth. It didn't matter if he was overmatched. He had to do something before he loses her.

"HANG ON, NANAMI! I'M COMING!" cried J.P. A ball of Fractal Code appeared around the young man's hand.

But just before he could Spirit Evolve...

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, YOU PATHETIC HUMAN!"

The Bearer of Thunder skidded to a halt when the ruthless Digimon held his captive out in front of him. In order to make sure the Chaos Sinner doesn't do any more harm to Nanami, J.P. remained in his position.

"Put her down, Cediamon! Right now!" demanded the fifteen year old boy.

"YOU WANT HER? THEN GO AHEAD, WEAKLING! TAKE HER!"

J.P. was about to except the challenge, when the angry sloth began to squeeze the helpless girl.

"YYEEEEOOOOOOWWWWWWWW!"

"No, Nanami!" The Bearer of Thunder cried.

"J.P.! HELP ME! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" The teenage brunette shrieked.

"Cediamon, you slimeball! Let my friend go!"

"THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO SAVE YOUR FRIEND! AND THAT IS FOR YOU TO GIVE ME THE SPIRITS THAT MY MASTER DESIRES!"

"Why I oughta..." growled J.P.

"IF YOU REFUSE, THEN I'LL PUT HER TO SLEEP FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE!"

"No!"

In order to make good on his threats, Cediamon tightened his grip on the poor girl's body.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! J.P.!"

"Nanami!" The Bearer of Thunder reached toward his friend.

"THE CHOICE IS YOURS, HUMAN! WHAT DO YOU VALUE MORE? YOUR SPIRITS OR THIS GIRL'S LIFE?"

"That's not fair, Cediamon!"

"THEN, CHOOSE NOW!"

J.P. clenched his D-Tector tight, pondering what he should do. This was probably the biggest decision he has to make in his life. If he were to relinquish his Spirits, then perhaps he Nanami would be spared, assuming that Cediamon keeps his word. But that also means he would lose his chance to save the rest of the Human World. The Bearer of Thunder just couldn't give up his Spirits like that because his friends were counting on him.

Then again, J.P. wasn't thrilled about his other choice as well. If he refused to surrender his Spirits, then Cediamon would easily crush his friend without any hesitation. All it takes is a few pounds of squeezing pressure to break every bone in her body. J.P. didn't want to put Nanami in any more danger than what she's already in. A million lives doesn't equal to one.

"What am I going to do? Save Nanami or save the Human World?"

The teenage boy shifted glances from his D-Tector to the helpless teenage girl. He didn't have to be told twice to know that Cediamon was serious about crushing his friend. J.P. was low on time and on options. If he's going to make a decision, then he has to do it now.

But no matter what he chooses, he was going to lose something or someone very special to him in the end.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter seventy-six.<strong>

**Will J.P. give up his Spirits to save Nanami? Can anyone stop the powerful Cediamon? These questions will be answered in the next action packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	77. Supercharged

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**Even though Arbormon saved a bunch of people from the Evilemon, they were still afraid of the Legendary Warrior. It looked like the wooden android was about to quit his mission. But that's when he met Teruo. Apparently, he was one of the kids that went to the Digital World a couple of years ago. Meanwhile, J.P. stood no chance against Cediamon. Things took a turn for the worse when the Chaos Sinner captured J.P.'s friend, Nanami. Cediamon then gave the Bearer of Thunder a choice. It's either he surrenders his Legendary Spirits, or say goodbye to Nanami for good.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter seventy-seven!**

* * *

><p><strong>Supercharged<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"ROUNDHOUSE PUNCH!

Arbormon extended his cabled limb and threw it at another small army of Evilemon. His fist connected with one of the creature's mask. As the Warrior of Wood retracted his arm, he threw another punch toward the enemy. Arbormon took out a couple more foot soldiers with his other hand. The wooden android brought his fist back to its normal position and dropped in his stance.

Meanwhile, Teruo peeped his head to watch his new friend take out the bad guys. He had lost count as to how many of those zombie-like Digimon the wooden android had beaten. But he still enjoyed the show. Teruo knew that the Evilemon must be stopped before they could do more harm to the people of Setagaya. So, it's up to him and Arbormon to put an end to the invasion on this side of town.

"BLOCKADE SEED!"

Once when most of the Evilemon were in range, the wooden Digimon fired several explosives from his body. The bombs bounced on the streets and headed toward the foot soldiers. Moments later, the grenades detonated, taking out all of the zombie-like Digimon. Not a single Evilemon survived the huge blast.

After all of the foot soldiers were taken care of, Teruo appeared out of his hiding spot and rushed toward the Legendary Warrior.

"Awesome job, Arbormon!"

"Awesome? Meh, I suppose it will have to do." The wooden android groaned.

"Do you think that's the last of them?"

"You's know the deal. You's spot the bad guys, I knock 'em down like sacks of potatoes, right?"

"That's the plan." Teruo nodded. "So far, we've made a lot of progress."

"They don't call me a Legendary Warrior for no reason, right?"

"Anyway, maybe we should head toward the central part of town. I believe that's the only place we haven't checked yet."

"I say we get this over with already and get something to eat. All of this fighting is making me one hungry Digimon, right?"

"Whatever you say." The brunette rolled his eyes. Although Arbormon's attitude could use a bit of improvement, Teruo didn't mind. "I guess we can find something to eat after we're finished."

The two walked in silence as they ventured into the middle of Setagaya. It was awfully quiet in this area. There weren't any humans around or any Evilemon trashing the city. Then again, the vicinity was already in a big mess. There were a lot of destroyed Chaos Spires every time they turned the corner. All kinds of garbage and debris were littered throughout the streets. Broken glass laid by the entrance of many buildings.

"I sure hope my friends are alright." Teruo murmured.

"You's sure picked a lousy time for hoping, right?" The wooden android huffed. The teenage boy, however, did not appreciate Arbormon's unnecessary comment.

"I'm guessing showing sympathy for others isn't a part of your personality, is it?"

"Get used to it, kid. This is no time for feeling sorry for you's, especially when a crazy maniac is trying to take over the world, right?"

"I know. But that's why I'm worried. With all of these evil Digimon creating chaos in our home, I can't help but wonder if they're okay."

"Until Malevomon's out of power, not a single one of you humans will be 'okay', if you know what I'm talking abou..."

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! LET ME GO! OOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!"

A voice of a young woman screaming in pain made Teruo and Arbormon stop in their tracks. The two immediately picked up the pace and ran toward the east, where they believe the source of the noise was coming from. The sound of someone screaming in agony grew louder. Teruo hoped that the person who was in pain wasn't someone he knew. Arbormon, on the other hand, just couldn't wait to punch someone.

After turning the corner, the two finally spotted a Digimon standing in the center of the street. But this wasn't one of Malevomon's foot soldiers. This creature was different. He was a muscular sloth who seemed to be in a foul mood. It's like he hasn't gotten much sleep and has decided to take vengeance on anyone who was around.

They also found the person who was crying in pain. In the giant beast's hands was a teenage girl with long, brown hair. The young woman screamed like a banshee as the terrifying sloth squeezed the life out of her. Arbormon and Teruo could see wet streams dripping down the poor girl's face.

"What in the world is that?" asked the teenage boy.

"One of Malevomon's goons! Who else?" The Warrior of Wood replied.

Arbormon glanced slightly to his right and saw someone else on one knee. It was another young man who looked awfully familiar to the Legendary Warrior. The way he was grimacing told the wooden android that this boy was hurt. He had one arm clutched around his ribs. The fifteen year old boy also had a blue and yellow D-Tector in his other hand.

"PUNY HUMANS MUST PAY FOR WAKING ME UP!"

"That guy sure has one nasty temper, right?" groaned the Warrior of Wood.

"We got to do something, Arbormon! We have to save the girl before that monster crushes her!" Teruo told his partner.

"Once again, it's Arbormon to the rescue, right?"

The wooden android sprinted toward the muscular Digimon without a plan or any idea how strong the beast was. With both of his cabled arms detached, the Warrior of Wood was ready for action. He didn't care if there was a captured human in the sloth's grasp. Arbormon was getting bored with fighting Evilemon. Now that an even powerful Digimon was here, he finally has a challenge.

"ROUNDHOUSE PUNCH!"

Upon declaring his attack, the Legendary Warrior threw his right limb toward Cediamon. His fist quickly made its way toward the large Digimon without him noticing. Arbormon connected a solid right hand shot against the creature's jaw. Sadly, his attack did nothing. All he did was successfully capture the cranky sloth's attention. Judging from the look on his face, he did not appreciated getting hit like that.

Arbormon retracted his right arm and chucked his elongated left fist toward the evil Ultimate. This time, he aimed for the creature's eye. But Cediamon was not in the mood for games. With his free hand, he caught Arbormon's fist. The Warrior of Wood tried to break free, but it was no use. Once when the Chaos Sinner has his opponent in his grasp, it normally spells trouble for them.

"PATHETIC WEAKLING!"

Cediamon yanked the wooden android's arm. Arbormon fell hard on his face. The angry sloth pulled on the Warrior's elongated limb, dragging Arbormon's body on the pavement. The Digimon of Wood's head and torso bounced on the asphalt like a basketball. Arbormon groaned in pain each time he hit the ground.

"Arbormon, no!" Teruo shouted.

"I'LL TEACH YOU TO MESS WITH ME!"

The grumpy Digimon then raised his left arm up and swung the Legendary Warrior around like he's a lasso. Arbormon had his eyes closed, trying to fight the dizziness building in his head. He had no idea when Cediamon was going to release him. But as long as he's up in the area being tossed around like a piece of rope, he was helpless.

After what seemed like a long time, Cediamon release the Digimon of Wood. Arbormon's body flew over the streets, knocked over a few lampposts and crashed into an office buildings. The wooden android slid down the side of the structure and landed on his back.

"Ugh, I felt like I was on an out-of-control roller coaster, right?" grunted the Legendary Warrior.

"Are you alright, Arbormon?" asked Teruo, immediately rushing to his aid after witnessing the crash.

"Never better! This guy's stronger than steamed vegetables, if you know what I'm saying!"

"What do we do now? He's is much tougher than the Evilemon! We can't beat him without the other Legendary Warriors!"

"That's kind of the problem!" sighed the Digimon of Wood. "Most of the other Warriors are scattered throughout the country, doing pretty much what I'm doing! And secondly, the only Legendary Warrior that's here to help is right over there!"

Arbormon pointed to his left. Teruo turned and noticed the very same teenage boy he saw earlier before the wooden android made his move. At first, he was a little confused as to what Arbormon meant when he said that this young man was also a Legendary Warrior. That's just not possible. There's no way this boy can be one of the ten Legendary Warriors that saved the Digital World from destruction.

And then, Teruo got a better look at the young man

Everything started coming together. He was one of the humans that were chosen to possess the Spirits of the Legendary Warriors. A couple of years ago when he and three of his friends went to the Digital World, he met this boy and his other friends. No wonder he didn't recognized him before. Not only had Teruo had forgotten, but this fifteen year old boy sure has grown and changed a lot.

"I know that guy!" The human's eyes widened. "That's J.P!"

Teruo immediately got up and dashed toward the seemingly injured boy. As Arbormon watched the young man rushing from one side of the street to the other, he shook his head and silently laughed to himself. This kid sure is strange. Perhaps he will never understand humans. They're such complex creatures.

With that aside, the wooden android shifted his attention back to Cediamon.

"If at first you don't succeed, keep fighting until the guy gets beat, right?" shrugged the Digimon of Wood.

Moments later, large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded the Arbormon's body

"Arbormon, slide... EVOLUTION!"

Finally, a ginormous lizard appeared.

"PETALDRAMON!"

"GGRRRR! I SHALL DESTROY ANYONE WHO DISTURBS MY SLUMBER!"

Cediamon had his eyes on Teruo and J.P. He decided to dispose the humans first before taking out the Legendary Warrior. But Petaldramon stepped in between the angry sloth and the humans. He started off by sticking his tongue out toward the Chaos Sinner. Cediamon stuck his free arm out, which made Petaldramon wrap his vine-like organ around the creature's limb.

The Beast of Wood tried to pull with all of his might. Unfortunately, the cranky Digimon was much stronger than him when he's wide awake. Cediamon pulled his left arm back, forcing Petaldramon to collapse on his body. The sloth the chomped on the vine wrapped around his wrist to free himself. After getting back to his feet, Petaldramon brought his tongue back into his mouth.

"Now, you's made me angry!" growled the Beast of Wood.

"FOOL! YOU CANNOT DEFEAT ME! AFTER I'M FINISHED WITH YOU, I'LL..."

"Oh will you's just shut up!"

Petaldramon stood on his hind legs and took aim at the angry Digimon. The leaves around his head started to spin rapidly. He was going to blow this pathetic creature right out of the city. Once when the leaves had reached maximum velocity, Petaldramon pulled his head back, ready to unleash his most powerful attack.

"LEAF CYCLO..."

"PETALDRAMON, STOP!" Teruo's voice entered the Beast Warrior's ear.

The human's orders came just in time. Although the leafy lizard had already released a pair of greenish cyclones rom his nostrils, his head was facing upward. Cediamon smirked as Petaldramon's attack sailed high into the sky. On the other side, Petaldramon was glaring at the boy who rudely interrupted his attack.

"What was that for?" barked the lizard.

"Sorry! But if you hadn't noticed, that guy has a hostage! We have to be extra careful!" Teruo argued as he pointed toward the helpless girl still in Cediamon's grasp.

"Hmph! I still say we get rid of this annoying Digimon and take the sacrifice!" The Beast of Wood grumbled.

"Don't you dare, Petaldramon!" This time, it was J.P. that spoke. Petaldramon turned and watched the Bearer of Thunder struggle to get back to his feet. "Nanami is my friend! I won't let you hurt her!"

"Then why don't you's come up with another brilliant ide..."

"SONIC YAWN!"

The Chaos Sinner took a deep breath and unleashed another violent roar. The massive sound waves zoomed toward Petaldramon and the two humans, destroying everything in its path. J.P. and Teruo fell on their knees and covered their ears, trying to prevent the thunderous sound waves from blowing out their heads.

Petaldramon, on the other hand, was already off of his feet. Cediamon's attack was so powerful, it sent the Beast Warrior tumbling in the air. The leafy lizard came to a halt when he crashed into another building. Petaldramon made a huge hole on the structure upon impact. Seconds later, gravity grabbed a hold of the Digimon. He landed hard on a few trucks, flattening them like pancakes.

Fractal Code cocooned the creature's body, reverting him back to his Human Spirit form.

"RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"

Cediamon's roar symbolized his dominant win. He had easily defeated a couple of Legendary Warriors and even has a human as a captive. The Chaos Sinner smirked, thinking about how proud his master would be once when he received the news of his victory. In fact, he's thinking about pleasing Lord Malevomon with a _pair_ of gifts.

The cranky Digimon marched toward J.P. and Teruo, who were still suffering from the effects of the Sonic Yawn. With his free hand, he grabbed Teruo's body and lifted him off of the ground. Cediamon the squeezed with both of his hands, making Nanami and his newest captive scream in pain.

"AAAAAHHHHH!" ||| "YEEOOOWWWW!"

When J.P. heard the sound of Nanami crying for help, he got back on all fours and looked up. The Bearer of Thunder groaned to himself, now that the Chaos Sinner has two humans in his hands instead of just Nanami. Either way, this was bad news for the fifteen year old boy.

"J.P.! HELP ME!" The terrified brunette squealed.

"SILENCE, YOU MANGY HUMAN!"

"OOOOOWWWWW!" shrieked Nanami when Cediamon applied more pressure to her slender body.

"LET ME GO, YOU DIRTY RAT!" Teruo tried to get himself free by pounding his fists on the sloth's giant hands.

"YOUR VOICE IS REALLY DRIVING ME CRAZY!"

"NGH! ARBORMON!" The fourteen year old boy shouted.

"Hey, slimeball! No one does that to Teruo, but me! So get your filthy hands off of him, or you's going to get a serious pounding from yours truly, right?" A bruised wooden android hobbled toward the Chaos Sinner. His entire body was covered in dirt and scrapes. But that wasn't going to stop him from beating this Digimon up.

"Huh? Teruo?" J.P. glanced back and forth from Arbormon to the boy in Cediamon's grasp.

For some odd reason, the Bearer of Thunder has heard that name before. Not only that, but the boy in Cediamon's clutches looked awfully familiar. J.P. could've sworn that he knew a Teruo at one point, but couldn't exactly put his finger on it.

And then, he remembered.

A couple of years ago when he and his friends were on their first adventure in the Digital World, he ran into a few other children in the Land of Steel. These group of four were protected by their guardian, Angemon. Takuya tried to convince the newcomers that they had to leave because the Digital World was being attacked by the Royal Knights. It took a good, ol' fashion Spirit Evolving to put the kids in their place.

One of them was Teruo.

"I'm warning you, Cediamon! You let our friends go, or else!" The Bearer of Thunder demanded, now that he knew who this young man was.

"GRRR! YOU HUMANS ARE MORE ANNOYING THAN PERSISTANT!"

But rather than releasing both Nanami and Teruo, the cranky Digimon held his hostages out in front. J.P. could see the brunette cringing in agony. Her long hair concealed most of her face. She had been in Cediamon's grasp for way too long. The fifteen year old boy could only imagine what kind of pain this poor girl had endured all this time.

Arbormon, on the other hand, couldn't keep his eyes off of Teruo. Normally when a human gets themselves in trouble, the Legendary Warrior wouldn't bat an eye. However, that wasn't the case for this young man. When Cediamon tightened his grip on Teruo's body, Arbormon's stomach ached horribly. He couldn't explain this tight feeling inside, but it happens every time he sees Teruo suffer.

Could it be that he has grown attached to this human?

"I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, LEGENDARY WEAKLINGS! I'M GOING TO LET YOU DECIDE WHICH ONE OF THESE WORTHLESS HUMANS LIVES!"

"Say what?" J.P.'s eyes widened upon hearing the proposal.

"YOU HEARD ME! YOU AND THE OTHER LEGENDARY WARRIOR PICKS ONE OF THESE TWO PATHETIC HUMANS, AND I SHALL LET THEM GO!"

"And what's gonna happen to the other one, huh?" Arbormon asked.

"AS FOR THE OTHER HUMAN, WELL... HEHE!"

Again, the Chaos Sinner squeezed on Nanami's and Teruo's body, making both teenagers shriek in intense agony.

"Cediamon! I swear! If you hurt Nanami again..."

"You sure picked a lousy time to make threats to someone who's holding all of the fries, right?" Arbormon elbowed J.P. in the side.

"I'M GIVING YOU ON THE COUNT OF THREE! IF YOU WIMPS DO NOT DECIDE, THEN I WILL CRUSH BOTH OF YOUR FRIENDS! NOW, HURRY UP! I WANT TO TAKE MY NAP NOW!"

"If that's the case, then the kid and I order you's to release Teruo, right?" Arbormon pointed toward Cediamon's left arm.

"Hey!" The Bearer of Thunder eyed the Warrior of Wood oddly. "What do you think you're doing, Arbormon? You can't blatantly sacrifice Nanami to save Teruo! We have to rescue both of them, not just one!"

"I don't see you's coming up with another idea, right?"

"ONE..."

J.P. glanced back and forth from the captured humans to the cranky Digimon. The Bearer of Thunder tried to come up with a plan to rescue both humans and take out the Chaos Sinner at the same time. He could try to Spirit Evolve and work with Arbormon to defeat the evil Digimon. However, he didn't want to put either Nanami's or Teruo's life in danger.

"TWO..."

"You's better do something now, right?" The wooden android reminded the Bearer of Thunder.

But sadly, the fifteen year old boy was coming up empty. No matter what plan he came up with, it was doomed to fail. J.P. didn't want to say it out loud, but there's nothing he or Arbormon can do. Nanami and Teruo were as good as done. The Bearer of Thunder cursed himself for being so helpless and for not being smart enough to come up with a plan to save...

"TINY TWISTER!"

A child-like voice interrupted J.P.'s thoughts. He, Arbormon and Cediamon craned their heads upward and gazed at the sky. Sure enough, they found the Digimon who had already declared his attack. A brown rabbit spread his ears out wide and started to spin rapidly. Moments later, the Celestial Rookie was able to create a small, brownish tornado about twice the size of his body. He then threw the cyclone at the evil Ultimate.

Normally, an attack from a Rookie level Digimon would have no effect on a creature as powerful as Cediamon. However, the rabbit's tornado nailed Cediamon's right eye. Even something like that made the muscular Digimon howl. He inadvertently chucked both humans and began to rub his eyes. Cediamon stumbled backwards and collapsed hard on his back.

Arbormon was in perfect position to catch Teruo. As for the Bearer of Thunder, he was sprinting as fast as he could toward the plummeting brunette. J.P. dove forward with his arms extended. Just before Nanami could hit the asphalt, the fifteen year old boy caught her. The landing had a small toll on J.P.'s body. But the most important thing was that Nanami was okay.

When the young woman opened her hazel eyes, the first thing she saw the cute smile on the young man's face.

"Hi, Nanami."

"J.P.! How did... I mean... What's I'm trying to say is..." stammered the brunette.

"I know I got a lot of explaining to do." The teenage boy blushed. "But I hope you understand. I'm doing this to protect my family and friends, including you. It may sound crazy, but I..."

"Hey! If you's gonna get all mushy and all, save it for later! We ain't done with this creep, if you know what I'm saying!" Arbormon's called out to the pair of humans lying on the street.

J.P. helped Nanami back to her feet and made their way back toward Teruo and Arbormon. Beside them was one of the Celestial Rookies. It was the Digimon that saved their lives. Lopmon waved hello to the Bearer of Thunder with his long ears.

"Looks like I came just in time." The rabbit spoke.

"J.P.? Who's that?" The teenage girl pointed toward the strange creature.

"Relax, Nanami. This little guy is on our side. His name is Lopmon. He's one of the three Celestial Digimon." said the Bearer of Thunder.

"Celestial Digimon?" Nanami tilted her head sideways in confusion.

"Never mind." J.P. placed a hand on the brunette's shoulder before turning to the young Rookie. "What are you doing here anyway, Lopmon? I thought Takuya told you to stay at the school."

"I know. But I had the strangest premonition that you were in trouble. I just had to come here because I was afraid that something terrible might happen if I didn't." replied the Celestial Digimon.

"Boy, it's a good thing you did. Cediamon would've turned us into toothpicks if it wasn't for you, Lopmon." Teruo got down on one knee and patted the rabbit on the head.

"Yeah, thanks a bunch. Now thanks to you's, Mr. Muscle over there is hotter than spicy curry, right?" The Warrior of Wood motioned his arm toward Cediamon, who was back to on one knee, still rubbing his eye after taking Lopmon's attack straight to the face. But it's only a matter of time before he comes back to his opponents with a vengeance.

"We have to get out of here now! None of us have the strength to stop him!" Teruo suggested.

"What are you's, a chicken? Arbormon never runs from a fight! He rather go down, than go bye-bye, right?" argued the wooden android.

"Great enthusiasm, Arbormon. But exactly how are we going to beat Cediamon? If you haven't noticed, he kicked both of our butts without breaking a sweat!" J.P. huffed.

"There's got to be a way! Otherwise, that monster can wreck the whole city and put more people in danger!" Nanami added, not wanting to think about the potential devastation that terrifying creature can cause.

"Actually, there _is_ a way." Lopmon's voice recaptured everyone's attention.

"Well, what are you's waiting for? Spill the magic beans already, right?" The Warrior of Wood stared at the brown rabbit.

"If I give you some of my power, then you will have enough strength to defeat that evil Digimon." said the Celestial Rookie.

"Are you sure that will work?" Teruo wondered.

"At this point, I'm willing to try anything." J.P. nodded.

"If you's say so..." shrugged Arbormon. "Alright, you little squirt! Give Arbormon the power so he could make mincemeat out of that scumbag, right?"

However, Lopmon shook his head. The Celestial Digimon then approached the Bearer of Thunder.

"I'm sorry. But _he_ has to do it." The rabbit pointed toward J.P.

"What? Me?" The fifteen year old boy widened his eyes.

"Why J.P.?" Nanami asked.

"Yeah. Besides, I have a better chance of demolishing that smelly monster than this guy does, right?" Arbormon argued.

Again, Lopmon shook his head.

"No. I only have enough power for one. And I've chosen _you_ because I believe in you, J.P." The Rookie smiled.

"You do?" The Bearer of Thunder's jaw dropped.

"Hmph! Sure, believe in this guy instead of yours truly, right?" The wooden android grumbled with discontentment.

"Aw, don't feel bad, Arbormon." Teruo patted the Legendary Warrior in the back.

"Well, if you think so Lopmon, then I'll do it. With your help, I'll be able to stop Cediamon once and for all." J.P. replied confidently.

"Alright. Give me a minute to get ready first." Lopmon instructed. The Celestial Digimon stepped back a few steps, closed his eyes and focused his energy on his center.

"Arbormon!" The Bearer of Thunder gazed back at the wooden android. "I need you to give Lopmon as much time as you could by keeping Cediamon distracted!"

"Sure! Let Arbormon get scratched and scraped while you come in to finish the job, right?" The Warrior of Wood sighed.

"You can do it, Arbormon! Even though you don't believe in yourself, just know that I believe in you!" Teruo smiled and nodded toward his partner.

It wasn't much, but that was enough to boost the Warrior's confidence.

"It's time to give this punk the weed whacking it so rightfully deserves, if you know what I'm talking about!"

With that, Arbormon sprinted toward the recovering Chaos Sinner. Teruo did the right thing and hid behind a truck so he wouldn't get in the wooden android's way. J.P. took his D-Tector out of his pocket and pointed toward the Celestial Rookie. As Lopmon continued to meditate, the Bearer of Thunder could only imagine what kind of power this brave Digimon will give him.

"J.P.?" Nanami tapped her friend's shoulder.

When the fifteen year old boy turned toward the brunette, Nanami had already made her move. She closed her eyes and planted her lips on J.P.'s. Initially, the Bearer of Thunder was shocked that one of his good friends was kissing him at a time like this. It surprised him that this young woman was being so forward with him. This was a side of Nanami he has never seen before.

But soon, J.P. found himself closing her eyes and returning the kiss. Nanami's heart stopped upon J.P.'s actions. This was everything she had dreamed of. She had a thing for this boy for as long as she could remember. A part of her believed that she will never be good enough for this young man, regardless of how many bento lunches she made for him every Friday. And now, here she was in the arms of the one person who makes her heart soar above the heavens.

Moments later, the two parted for air. J.P. was about to speak, when he noticed tears falling down the brunette's face.

"Nanami, what was that for?" The confused boy wondered.

"J.P., I have to tell you something very important!" The girl sniffed. "If you don't come back, I just want you to know that I..."

The Bearer of Thunder again placed a finger over her lips to silence her. Nanami was confused when she saw J.P. shaking his head. But after wiping away her tears, the fifteen year old boy gave her his signature, cheeky grin.

"Save it for _when_ I come back! Not _if_, Nana!"

The brunette gave her crush one last hug before heading off to safety. J.P. waved goodbye to his classmate. Finally, the Bearer of Thunder faced the Celestial Rookie, ready to accept his gracious gift.

"I'm ready, Lopmon!" J.P. nodded.

"Okay! Here goes nothing!" replied the rabbit.

Before long, Lopmon's body started to glow in flashing red lights. J.P. could feel the intense energy being radiated from the young Digimon. Again, the Bearer of Thunder pointed his D-Tector toward the Celestial Rookie. Suddenly, a reddish beam shot out from Lopmon's body and connected with J.P.'s device. On the screen, the symbol of the Cherubimon appeared.

And then, J.P.'s D-Tector released a flare of light, engulfing the Bearer of Thunder with its bright radiance.

When the fifteen year old boy opened his eyes, he found himself in seemingly endless white space. There wasn't a single soul anywhere near him. On the other hand, the Bearer of Thunder could feel the energy of this new power source, thanks to the Celestial Digimon. It's a form of power he has never felt before. But he knew that this was exactly what he needed to defeat the Chaos Sinner.

Suddenly, two relics emerged from the white space. The relic on the left side appeared to be an armored insect lying down with its horn facing upward. As for the relic on the right side, it was an armored tank with its large cannon facing slightly more outward than up. It didn't take J.P. long to recognize what these things were.

"Hey! It's my Spirits!" The fifteen year old boy gasped. "But I don't understand! What's going on here?"

Moments later, the Human and Beast Spirits of Thunder began to glow. J.P. could see the relics started to transform. Before his eyes, the Legendary Warriors of Thunder revealed themselves.

"I don't believe it! Beetlemon! MetalKabuterimon!" J.P. exclaimed. "What are you guys doing here?"

"What does it look like, J.P.? We're here to help you." replied the humanoid insect.

"Thanks to Lopmon, you now have the power to stop that cranky Digimon." MetalKabuterimon nodded.

"What do you mean?" The boy tilted his head in confusion.

"There's only one way to beat Cediamon! And that is harness both of the Spirits together!" The armored tank responded.

"Feel the combined energy of the Spirits! You have the power of Thunder in your possession! It's up to you to use it to save your friends and the rest of the city!" Beetlemon spoke.

"You're right!" J.P. nodded. He then closed his eyes and brought his D-Tector to his chest. "I can feel them! Beetlemon's strength, and MetalKabuterimon's power! Their coming together..."

The fifteen year old boy opened his eyes and was ready for action.

"... AS ONE!"

*Insert Song: With The Will*

A greenish sketch of the Human Spirit of Thunder traced on the black screen of J.P.'s D-Tector. Not only that, an outline of a green beast opened its mouth and snapped towards the fourth wall. Finally, the Human Spirit and Beast Spirit of Thunder overlapped one another on the fifteen year old boy's device. His D-Tector began to glow brightly with his arms crossed in an 'X'. Next, J.P. stuck his left hand out. A large ball of Fractal Code covered the boy's hand. After a quick spin, the young man brought his D-Tector and ball of data together.

"EXECUTE!" J.P. hollered, swiping the ball of Fractal Code with the scanner on top of his D-Tector. "FUSION EVOLUTION!"

Upon saying those words, a long stream of data spiraled around the boy's body. J.P. felt a huge surge of energy completely taking over his body as both of his Human and Beast Spirits awakened. The boy screamed during the transformation, trying to endure the electrical power both Spirits were providing. He could feel the two relics coming together and into one. His arms, legs, head and his entire body were slowly changing into the Legendary Spirits of Thunder.

It wasn't long before the transformation was complete. The cocoon of Fractal Code exploded, revealing a newly fused creature that's ready to rumble. The Digimon gathered as much electricity as he could. The lightning assembled in the monster's horn. Once the energy has reached its peak, the Digimon discharged all of the electricity towards the front.

"RHINOKABUTERIMON!"

"No way!" Nanami gasped once she got a good look at the Digimon her crush has turned into.

Standing in the middle of the street was an incredibly large beetle. This creature had six legs. Each had blue and gold greaves wrapped around each limb. His entire body was covered with armor. The wing compartment on his back had red spikes and golden knobs. While most insects have antennas for sensing opposition, this Digimon has retractable red frills serving as sonar and radar. However, it was the horns that made this creature unique. The first horn on the bottom was similarly shaped to Beetlemon's with more edges on them. The second horn on top was surging with powerful jolts of electricity.

"J.P. turned into him?" The teenage girl was still in shocked. "W... What is that thing?"

"RhinoKabuterimon!" replied Lopmon. "J.P. has combined his Human and Beast Spirits of Thunder together! Now, he has become this mighty Digimon! With the power of Thunder on his side, he can vanquish the evil that has plagued this world!"

"Wow! RhinoKabuterimon!" Nanami stared with awestruck wonder at the newly fused Digimon. Despite his scary appearance, the young woman felt like nothing can harm her now that he's here.

"Nng!" groaned the Celestial Digimon.

Nanami glanced back at the Rookie. She saw Lopmon falling backwards and landing on his bottom. The way his chest was heaving with every breath was enough to tell the young woman that this little guy was exhausted.

"Lopmon! Are you alright? You don't look too good!" gasped Nanami as she cradled the brown rabbit in her arms.

"I'm so tired, I can barely stand up." The Celestial Rookie moaned.

"You were amazing, Lopmon. You deserve a good rest." The teenage girl smiled.

As the young Digimon tried to get some sleep, Nanami refocused her attention back to the giant insect in front of her. Even now, she's still having a hard time believing that this large creature as actually her best friend from school. This whole time she has known him, Nanami had always thought that J.P. was a kind and gentle person who thinks about food every once in a while. But now, here he is as one of the chosen ones to save the...

*BOOM*

"ARBORMON! NO!" The sound of Teruo's voice interrupted Nanami's thoughts.

Just a few yards up ahead, the brunette found a wooden android tumbling on the streets like a bouncy ball. Moments later, the Warrior of Wood came to a stop when he crashed back first into an automobile. Nanami could tell Arbormon was in a lot of pain based on the large number of scrapes and grime all over his body. The young woman's skin turned pale when she noticed a ring of Fractal Code surrounding the Warrior's waist.

"HAHAHAHA! NOW I FINISH YOU ONCE AND FOR ALL!"

Cediamon marched toward the semiconscious Arbormon. He was determined to annihilate the wooden android. The Chaos Sinner drew closer toward the passed out Digimon. It wouldn't be long before the muscular sloth takes possession of the Legendary...

"HEY, PAL! WHY DON'T YOU PICK ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE!" Another voice forced Cediamon to come to a halt. It sounded like MetalKabuterimon, but a pitch deeper and had more of an android-like tone.

When the Chaos Sinner looked to his right, his eyes beheld a Digimon he has never seen before. Cediamon couldn't tell if this creature was an armored insect or a dinosaur with a large shell on his back. But the cranky Digimon didn't care. As long as this creature was alive, he will never get the slumber he desperately need.

"AARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH! GIGA IMPACT!"

Upon declaring his technique, the muscles on Cediamon's arms and body began to expand, increasing in mass and density. With a good push from his legs, the Chaos Sinner zoomed toward the Hybrid Warrior and the defenseless teenage girl, who has one of the Celestial Rookies in her arms.

"Oh no! He's coming to get us!" Nanami gasped. She hid behind the armored insect's back leg, hoping that this creature would protect her.

"I DON'T THINK SO, PAL!" RhinoKabuterimon roared.

All of the sudden, a large number of lightning assembled toward the Hybrid's gigantic horn. As the electricity made their way towards the armored insect, all kinds of metal were scattered throughout the area like a bunch of speeding bullets. Some of the objects nailed Cediamon in the chest. However, it wasn't enough to stop the Chaos Sinner from advancing.

But as Cediamon drew closer toward RhinoKabuterimon, his speed started to decrease. Once when he was about a few feet away, the muscular sloth could not move anymore. That's because RhinoKabuterimon was using all of the lightning he had gathered to act as some kind of special magnetic field with an ultrahigh voltage current. All it took was a small push from the Hybrid to send the Chaos Sinner tumbling backwards.

"J.P.! That was unbelievable!" Nanami cheered.

"If you think that's cool, then you haven't seen anything yet!" RhinoKabuterimon chuckled.

Once again, the Hybrid Warrior assembled as much electricity as he could. This time, the magnetic field he had originally created disappeared. RhinoKabuterimon knew that he wasn't going to beat Cediamon just by sitting back. If he was going to defeat the Chaos Sinner and save his friends, then it's time he takes the fight to his opponent.

"CONDENSER STORM!"

Finally, RhinoKabuterimon released all of the lightning in his horn. Instead of aiming at Cediamon, he shot his assembled electricity just above the sloth's head. The lightning kept its form, even as it hovered above the recovering Chaos Sinner. By the time Cediamon was back on his feet and ready to charge at his opponent, RhinoKabuterimon's attack has already commenced.

A bolt of lightning dropped from the current. It not only stopped Cediamon from advancing, but it also made the muscular Digimon stumble backwards. The Chaos Sinner leapt toward the side in the nick of time to avoid another lightning bolt. Before he could think about charging after the armored insect, more thunderbolts made the evil Digimon lose his balance. Cediamon had nowhere to go. He was trapped inside RhinoKabuterimon's lightning storm.

"LET'S END THIS! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" The armored Hybrid exclaimed.

His scream signified a huge gathering of power. Like before, the large beetle gathered huge volts of electricity in his horn. As RhinoKabuterimon charged up for his final attack, he crouched down just a little to aim his primary horn at the Chaos Sinner. As for Cediamon, he has no idea that his opponent has him right where he wanted him. He was so busy dodging the lightning storm, he failed to notice that RhinoKabuterimon was already charged up for his ultimate attack.

"YOU CAN DO IT J.P.!" Nanami screamed.

"TAKE HIM DOWN!" Teruo cheered.

"What he said, right?" Arbormon sighed. He wanted to be the one that who defeats Cediamon. But on the bright side, at least he'll get to enjoy some fireworks in the end.

"ENOUGH! I SHALL DESTROY YOU FOR DISTURBING MY SLUMBER!"

At that point, he ran at full speed toward RhinoKabuterimon in complete disregard for his life.

"CEDIAMON! IF YOU WANT TO GO TO SLEEP SO BAD, THEN I GOT JUST THE THING FOR YOU!" The armored insect shouted.

Finally, the Hybrid was ready to finish his opponent off for good.

"THUNDER LASER!"

All of the sudden, RhinoKabuterimon fired all of the lightning accumulated in its horn. From Nanami's, Teruo's and Arbormon's vantage point, the Hybrid's attack looked like a powerful laser filled with electrical energy. The powerful projectile zoomed toward Cediamon at lightning speed. The muscular Digimon tried to put on the brakes, but it was too late. The laser nailed the Chaos Sinner straight in the midsection.

"KKKKKYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The blast sent the sloth rolling on the asphalt. Cediamon came to a halt when he crashed into a building. The impact shook the tower so hard, the billboard on top was knocked loose. It began to fall from the top of the structure, tumbling in the air as it plummeted toward the streets.

Meanwhile, the Chaos Sinner was on one knee and in a lot of pain. RhinoKabuterimon's attack did a good number of damage on his body. But by the time Cediamon could think about getting back in the fight, the billboard from up top landed on his head, knocking the muscular Digimon out. The steel-framed sign broke apart upon collision. But Cediamon fell on his face and immediately lost consciousness.

"ZZZZzzzz, ZZZZzzzz." The sloth snored loudly.

Now that Cediamon was fast asleep, his large body and terrifying appearance had changed. The thick muscles on his arms, legs and chest were now reduced to a flabby state. Instead of a horrifying monster, Cediamon now looked like one of the cutest, little creatures one will only find in a pet store.

"For an evil Digimon, he's actually kinda adorable!" Teruo laughed.

"We ain't keeping him, if you know what I'm talking about?" groaned Arbormon. Despite the fact that his body was covered with scratches and bruises, he ignored the pain and returned to a vertical base.

"YAY! J.P. WON!" Nanami cheered and jumped for joy. The brunette was so happy, she had forgotten that she had Lopmon in her embrace. Her constant jumping was enough to wake up the Celestial Rookie.

Moments later, a ring of data appeared around the defeated Cediamon's body.

"What is that?" Again, the teenage girl questioned.

"It's the Fractal Code." Lopmon explained. "It's the essence of all Digimon. Now that Cediamon has been defeated, RhinoKabuterimon can claim his data."

And that's exactly what the Hybrid Digimon planned to do.

"I hope you enjoy your long nap, Cediamon! Now, sweet dreams!" exclaimed the armored insect.

"FRACTAL CODE... DIGITIZE!"

A blue and yellow D-Tector appeared on the insect's thorax. RhinoKabuterimon used his electrical powers to draw Cediamon's data towards him. The Fractal Code made its way towards the device on the Hybrid's chest area. When all of his data had been absorbed, the sloth digitized into nothingness. The only thing left behind was a blue Digi-Egg. Finally, the Digi-Egg levitated off of the ground and headed toward the direction of Malevomon's Chaos Realm.

Now that the battle was over, a cocoon of data surrounded RhinoKabuterimon's body. Nanami watched as the Fractal Code encasement shrunk down to about her size. When the data dispersed, the brunette found her best friend on his bottom. He was panting heavily. It's like he had just sprinted fifty kilometers without taking a single break. He was so tired, he felt like throwing up in the middle of the street.

"Oh man. Why is it that every time I beat a very tough Digimon, I always end up hungry?" The Bearer of Thunder complained.

"J.P.!" Nanami's voice entered his ear.

The brunette set Lopmon down on the ground and rushed after he best friend. J.P. gazed at the teenage girl coming towards him. Based on the huge smile on his face, the fifteen year old boy was more than happy to see her still in one piece. But before J.P. could say anything, Nanami dove toward her crush and wrapped her arms around him. The Bearer of Thunder could see the tears falling out of the girl's eyes.

"Hey, what's wrong?" asked the teenage boy.

"Oh J.P." The brunette sniffed. "I was so worried about you."

"Nanami?"

"When that monster ruthlessly attacked you, I was scared that I might never see you again."

"Nanami..."

"I'm sorry. I knew you told me to find a place to hide while you took care of that evil creature, but I didn't want leave you. I just couldn't. I never said this out loud, but you're the most important thing that's ever happened to me. If that monster had destroyed you... *sniff*... I don't know what I'll do..."

"Nana!" J.P. spoke loudly.

"Yes?"

"If my memory serves me correctly, I believe you have something very important to tell me. But I told you to save it after I had beaten Cediamon, remember? Well, now that he's gone, I'm all ears, Nanami."

The Bearer of Thunder gave his friend a wink, which made the girl's cheeks turn a slight hue of red. The brunette began to twiddle her fingers. Her mouth was slightly moving, but only muffled noises escaped her throat. J.P. leaned in closer, keeping that huge smile on his face. The boy's grin widened as he listened to Nanami tumbling over her own words.

"I, uh... Well, you see, J.P. I... You m... make me feel... *gasp*..."

"Here, allow me..."

After a few moments of nervous stammering, the Bearer of Thunder made his move. He grabbed his friend by the shoulders, pulled her in towards him and closed his eyes. Nanami could feel her heart pounding against her chest, desperately demanding to be released. But she didn't have to wait long to find out J.P.'s intentions. Before long, he pressed his lips to hers.

At first, Nanami's initial reaction was to shove him away. This was the last thing she'd expected from J.P. It was taking every ounce of courage she could muster not to faint on the spot. Her hands made their way on the boy's chest. But instead pushing him aside, Nanami's fingers curled into his shirt. J.P. responded by coiling his hands around the small of the girl's back.

Her brain short-circuited. All she could think about was the feeling of his lips. He smelled a little like hair gel, which was odd because J.P. never used hair gel. But the taste of his lips was unforgettable. It's like chocolate and honeycomb mixed together into one. Inside her mind, Nanami felt like she was on top of the world. She never thought that she would be kissing this kind, gentle, thoughtful, and funny young man. Now, here she was. If this was a dream, then she hoped that she will never wak...

"Alright, you two! That's enough! Watching you get mushy with each other is making me lose my appetite, right?" Arbormon's voice interrupted the magical moment.

A few seconds later, J.P. and Nanami parted. Even though the Bearer of Thunder didn't see the saddened look on his friend's face, he too was thinking the same thing. He wanted to enjoy the taste of Nanami's lips just a little longer.

"Are you guys okay?" Teruo rejoined the group and asked the couple.

"We're fine." The teenage boy replied.

"Oh my. Just look at this mess." Nanami gasped. The destruction that Cediamon and RhinoKabuterimon left behind could cost millions. Almost every automobile had been either destroyed, flattened, toppled or overturned. Thousands of broken glass littered the streets. But thankfully, there were no fatalities on the human side.

"So, what do we do now?" Teruo questioned.

"I don't know about you's, but I could go for something to eat, right?"

"Seriously?" J.P. groaned. "We just took out one of Malevomon's cronies, and all you can think about is food?"

"As I always say, you's can't fight on an empty stomach, right?"

"Yeah. And an empty head too..."

*thump, thump, thump, thump*

"Um... guys? What's that sound?" Nanami interrupted the argument between the Legendary Warriors.

It sounded like a thousand soldiers marching in unison. With each passing second, the noise only grew louder. Teruo guessed that the military is coming this way to secure the area. Arbormon was thinking the same thing. However, he felt more humans would equal more bad news. As for J.P., he had a feeling that once when the military sees him and his friends, they're in a world of trouble.

"We got to find a place to hide! Right now!" The Bearer of Thunder commanded. He quickly made his way toward the exhausted Lopmon and secured him underneath his arms.

"But where?" Nanami scanned her surroundings.

"I know! Follow me!" Teruo shouted before sprinting as fast as he could toward the east.

"A simple 'please' wouldn't hurt, right?" Arbormon groaned. He, J.P. and Nanami followed the fourteen year old boy.

While the group had no idea where Teruo was taking them, they had faith he'll lead them to safety. It wasn't long before the young man reached his destination. He grabbed the handle and pulled the door open. Instead of asking questions, J.P. and Nanami dashed inside and quickly hid behind the counter. Arbormon was the only one who remained outside. When he saw what their hiding place was, the wooden android was not impressed.

"'Toyland?' You's got to be kidding me, right?" The Warrior of Wood stared oddly at his partner.

"HURRY UP AND GET IN!"

Teruo grabbed Arbormon's wrist and forcefully pulled him inside.

l - l

*thump, thump, thump, thump*

Over a two hundred and fifty thousand troops entered the Setagaya with their weapons locked and loaded. According to General Nikushimi's orders, they were supposed to annihilate every creature they spotted, regardless how big or small they are. Behind them, thousands of armored tanks and vehicles served as heavy artillery for the troops. While some of the men and women of the armed forces were shocked at the destruction, they pressed on with their mission.

The Japanese Self-Defense Forces checked every area, leaving no stone or vehicle unturned. So far, they troops weren't able to find any of these hideous creatures that were terrorizing the planet. However, they did manage to find a bunch of people who had seemingly survived the onslaught. As the soldiers took the crowd to safety, the rest of them continued their search.

A few troops were approaching the toy shop where J.P. and his friends were hiding. The soldiers opened the door and entered the store. One stayed outside to serve as the lookout, while three men explored the facility. They checked aisle after aisle, searching for anyone of those nasty monsters the general talked about.

Meanwhile, J.P., Nanami and Teruo remained crouched behind the counter. The Bearer of Thunder placed a finger over his lips, wordlessly telling the others to remain quiet. J.P. also had a hand over Lopmon's mouth, just in case.

After the soldiers checked every aisle, they made their way back towards the front of the store. As a couple of the troops headed toward the exit, one man slowly approached the counter to make sure that the place was empty. The soldier inched toward the flat-topped fixture. The children could hear his footsteps drawing closer. Droplets of sweat formed and slid down their cheek. Their lips trembled nervously between their teeth.

As the soldier reached the counter...

"Hey, Ikari! Come over here! You gotta see this!" One of the troopers called out.

"What now?" asked the soldier. He turned toward the front of the store and walked away from the counter.

"Look at the size of that toy!" Another man pointed towards the window display.

Standing on the elevated platform that was labeled 'Store's Specials', was what appeared to be one of the weirdest looking puppets they've ever seen. Even though there were no strings attached on him, he still looked terrifying to say the least. Whether it was the wooden gears sticking out of his body or the way his eyes glowered towards them, it did give the soldiers the creeps.

"What do you think, boys? Should I deliver this ugly hunk of junk to my wife?"

"Why bother, Otawara? She's already got you!"

"Haha! That's a good one, Kenji!"

"Whatever. Come on, guys. Let's get out of here! We still have to check the entire city for any more of those freaks."

And so, the three soldiers exited the toy store and continued with their mission. Once the coast was clear, the humans appeared from behind the counter. All three of them let out a huge sigh of relief. They were lucky that none of the soldiers saw them.

"Alright, Arbormon. You can come down now." Teruo smiled toward the front of the store.

The moment he heard the boy's voice, the Warrior of Wood relaxed and hopped down from the elevated platform. Arbormon was still in shock that those humans thought that he was some kind of giant toy. On the other hand, he hasn't forgotten what one of the soldiers called him.

"Hey, who's that human calling 'ugly?' He obviously hasn't looked at the mirror recently, right?" complained the wooden android.

"Whatever you say." Teruo spoke, failing miserably to hold back his laughter.

"Let it go, Arbormon. They're not our main priority right now." J.P. commanded.

"Meh, I still want to crack that guy's skull open like a coconut. Maybe that will teach him not to insult Arbormon, right?"

"So, what do we do now, J.P.?" Nanami asked.

The Bearer of Thunder gazed at the pendulum clock that was on one of the shelves. The long hand was on the twelve, while the short hand was on the five. However, J.P. remembered what Zoe told him and the rest of the guys just before they left the elementary school.

"_At about 6:00pm, we will meet back here._"

"Well, J.P.?" The young woman approached her friend.

"With all of these soldiers in Setagaya, it's not safe for us to be here anymore. We have to go back to our base camp, which is located in Shibuya." The Bearer of Thunder responded.

"Don't tell me we gotta go back to that crummy school again?" groaned Arbormon.

"Unless you want to stay here constantly hiding and dodging over a thousand military troops, there's no other option. Besides, we have to go back and tell the others the good news." J.P. said.

"And that is?" The wooden android tilted his head in confusion.

"That I now have the ability to Fusion Evolve!" The fifteen year old boy jumped for joy.

"Oh J.P." Nanami sighed as she gazed at the young man.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" J.P. beamed. With his blue and yellow device in hand, the Bearer of Thunder couldn't wait to get out of here.

"EXECUTE! SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

When J.P. swiped a ring of data against the scanner of his D-Tector, a line of Fractal Code surrounded his body. The teenage boy felt a surge of energy taking over his body as he became one with the Spirits of Thunder. Moments later, the transformation was complete. The Legendary Warrior raised his arms in the air, gathering as much lightning as he could. Finally, the humanoid insect pounded his fists together to disperse the electricity.

"BEETLEMON!"

The Warrior of Thunder busted down the door to the toy shop and walked outside, along with the others. Beetlemon got down on one knee and signaled his friends to hop on. Nanami and Teruo did what they were told and climbed on top of the Warrior's back. As for Lopmon, he flew toward the teenage girl and landed softly on her head. Once when everyone was ready to go, Beetlemon opened his wing compartment and took the skies.

"Don't forget about me, right?" Arbormon shook his fist at the armored beetle.

After flying circles around the wooden android, the Warrior of Thunder swooped down, grabbed Arbormon by his armpits and lifted him off of the ground. Beetlemon then turned toward the direction of Shibuya.

The Warrior of Wood felt like he had done a great job on this mission. He had accomplished so much while he was here. First, he took out a good number of Evilemon. Next, he saved a bunch of those ungrateful humans from the evil Digimon. He even destroyed all of the Chaos Spires in the city, while the armored insect was taking care of his own business. But the highlight of this mission for Arbormon was now he's gonna have to stick with Teruo for a little while longer. The wooden android still couldn't decide whether this was a blessing or a curse.

As Beetlemon headed back to base camp, he glanced behind him to get a good look at Setagaya one last time. It saddened him that the evil Digimon caused so much damage to this lovely city. In fact, he still remembered some of the things the frightened humans said to him after he freed them from the Chaos Spires control. It made him sick to see how cruel these people are to the things they do not understand.

On the bright side, at least he has some friends that trust in him and believe in him. There's Teruo and his interesting relationship with Arbormon. He had a feeling that this will turn into something very interesting. And then, there's Nanami. Unlike the rest of the humans, she stayed by his side, put her faith in him and supported him throughout. The armored insect had to consider himself blessed for having someone like her as a friend... possibly even more.

The group headed off toward Shibuya, with new allies and a newly found strength in one another.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter seventy-seven. <strong>

**The west side of the country has been secured. J.P. has gained the ability to Fusion Evolve and even managed to defeat one of the Chaos Sinners. Will the other Legendary Warriors have the same success? Or will the Chaos Sinners claim victory in the name of the Malevomon? Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	78. Japan Tour: East

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**Arbormon tried to fight Cediamon on his own. But not only he was easily defeated, the Chaos Sinner had captured Teruo as well. Just before Cediamon could crush Nanami and Teruo, Lopmon appeared out of nowhere and came in for the save. The Celestial Digimon then gave J.P. the power to Fusion Evolve into RhinoKabuterimon. His Thunder Laser put Cediamon to sleep for good. After avoiding the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, J.P and his friends flew back to Shibuya, anxious to tell the others the good news. Let's hope the other Legendary Warriors are having as much luck as they did.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter seventy-eight!**

* * *

><p><strong>Japan Tour<br>(East)**

**Normal POV:**

Minato, Tokyo. The name means 'port', which refers to the district's seaside location. If one were to ask which part of Tokyo they should visit, Minato is normally a top choice. And why wouldn't it be? It is one of the most polished and on point cities in the country. This city is known to be sleek, shiny and manicured. High skyscrapers cover the skis and wide sidewalks make space for the commuters and tourists. Thousands of people walk the streets daily to exploring the luxury and wealth that's before them.

Crowds of people would walk inside the glittering skyscrapers every day. The hard working civilians would take the elevators to the top floor to go to work or to admire the view. By day, the people go about their business. By night, the rough and rowdy crowds settle down and have fun in the district's shining bars, clubs, and lounges. Some of the sickest parties can be found in Minato, if one knew where to look.

The city of Minato simply takes luxury seriously, just as it takes business seriously. Some of the world's famous businesses are headquartered in the district. Companies like Animax, Konami, Sony and TV Tokyo can be found in Minato. The city also has hundreds of primary and secondary schools, as well as college and universities. The city also operates the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Library, which has over a million books.

Minato has plenty of tourist attraction. But only two places seemed to be the most popular amongst the people. The first is Tokyo Tower, which stands over one thousand feet tall, making it the second tallest structure in the country. Besides being inspired by the Eiffel Tower, it's known to be Tokyo's largest tourist trap. Another must see location in this particular district is the city of Odaiba, a popular shopping and sightseeing destination with major attractions like Rainbow Bridge and Fuji Television Studios.

But now, the wonderful district of Minato has turned into a dump. Black obelisk-like structures were located in almost every block. As long as the Chaos Spires are in the city, every human within its range will be under the control of the malicious sovereign.

Thankfully, there are a few Legendary Warriors in the area that are there to put an end to the evil emperor's reign.

"CRYSTAL FREEZE!"

The Digimon of Ice approached one of the structures. He took a deep breath and exhaled a slew of cold wind toward the Chaos Spire's base. Moments later, the bottom of the tower was covered with ice. The small polar bear then activated his skis and charged toward the Chaos Spire, gaining speed until he had reached the tower. Kumamon rammed his shoulder into the structure. Sadly, it wasn't enough to knock it down.

"Thou hast humored me on such feeble attempt." Mercurymon snickered after watching his comrade fail to topple a Chaos Spire on his own.

"Well? Are you going to help me or gloat?" The frustrated Warrior of Ice glowered at the metallic Digimon.

"Hmph. Such impudence will get thou nowhere. But alas, I did not travel all this way just to watch thou grumble." spoke the Warrior of Ice.

Mercurymon then rudely shoved the bear aside so he could get a clear shot at the Chaos Spire. The metallic Digimon then aimed one of his mirrors at the frozen base.

"DARK REFLECTION!"

Suddenly, a greenish beam shot out of the Warrior of Steel's shield. The cylindrical laser zoomed toward the Chaos Spire's base. Mercurymon was on target with his shot. His projectile had destroyed more than half of the structure's base. Finally, the Chaos Spire began to fall down to the ground like a tree in the forest. It crashed on the street, crushing a few automobiles in the process.

"Hehe. Too easy for my tastes." chuckled Mercurymon.

"What are you talking about? I helped too, you know." Kumamon protested.

"Merely a shrimp's effort compared to mine."

"Ugh." The Warrior of Ice smacked his forehead. Of all the Legendary Warriors he had to work with, why did it have to be him? "Look. You can be brash all you like. But we still have a mission to complete. Takuya has ordered us to destroy all of the Chaos Spires in the area."

"Did thou think that I hast forgotten? Of course those where thine comrade's orders. I'm here fulfilling my duties as a Legendary Warrior by obliterating these dark mediocrities, while you're here blabbering like a whining buffoon." huffed Mercurymon.

"Whatever." grumbled the polar bear before turning the other way. "Come on. We got to get Grumblemon and take out the rest of the... Hey, wait. Where is Grumblemon?"

"SEISMIC SLEDGE!"

Both Mercurymon and Kumamon had immediately recognized that voice. The Warriors of Ice and Steel turned around to see a gnome-like Digimon hopping off the hood of a car. He had his arms drawn back, ready to take out a nearby Chaos Spire with one hit from his signature sledgehammer. Once the Warrior of Earth was close enough, he threw his arms forward, swinging his weapon at an incredible velocity.

The spiked part of the sledgehammer nailed the side of the obelisk-like structure with a tremendous amount of force. With the strength of the Legendary Warrior on his side, all it took was one swing to knock the Chaos Spire to the ground. The structure hit the pavement, creating a long and huge crater in the middle of the road. Even a few vehicles were crushed underneath.

"Hahahaha! Fun this is!" The gnome raised his sledgehammer to the sky in victory. It was obvious that he was having the time of his life destroying Chaos Spires left and right. "More! Me must have more! Feels so good to destroy Chaos Spi..."

"Grumblemon!" Kumamon called out toward his comrade.

"What?" The Warrior of Earth glowered at the bear.

"You shouldn't wander off like that!" suggested the Warrior of Ice. "We have to stick together! Who knows what kind of evil Digimon are lurking in this area? The entire Human World is counting on us to..."

"Of course we know! Dost thou needed to remind us the consequences of our failure?" Mercurymon once again groaned.

"Good! Now that we're altogether, let's continue onward!" Kumamon took the lead towards the east.

"Where to now?" The gnome scratched his head.

"To Odaiba, my hometown!"

"You not serious, no? Grumblemon not here to sightsee!"

"You don't understand! We haven't checked out that area yet! My friends are in real danger! Or worse, they could be under Malevomon's control right now!"

"Methinks all of this pointless effort be a waste of time." spoke the metallic Digimon.

"Grumblemon agree. Besides, what we suppose to do when humans turn on us?"

"I know it seems bad! But whatever you do, you must not harm any of the humans! Even if they are under the control of the enemy, we have to do whatever it takes to save them!" answered Kumamon.

"So if the humans attack us out of hatred, then what doeth thou suggest?"

"Well..."

"Me have strange feeling that humans won't like Digimon, no matter good or bad!" stated the Warrior of Earth.

"Then why don't we give them a taste of thine own medicine if thou shall make the unwise decision of..."

"NO!" Kumamon objected. "Listen! It's not up to us to decide the fate of others simply because they don't like us! It is our duty as Legendary Warriors to save lives, not destroy them! It doesn't matter if the humans hate us or fear us! We have to do the right thing and..."

Boy! Me had no idea shrimp can be so grumpy!" huffed Grumblemon.

"My hometown is under attack by evil Digimon I have friends in this area that could be in trouble! I'm worried about them! I have no idea if they're okay or if they're under Malevomon's control! So, yeah! Sorry for being so _grumpy_ at a time like this!"

'Thou should get used to such tragedy." The metallic Digimon stated. "The city is in such wreckage. Methinks that thy friends have already been wiped out by no..."

"Shut up, Mercurymon! Don't you dare say such things about my friends! I know that they're all here somewhere! I just have to find them!"

"Bah! Grumblemon rather destroy more Chaos Spires than find stinking human friends! Me tolerate little for humans, minus kids who wield Spirits!"

"I must agree. Tis be a waste of time to search for thy worthless friends of thee."

"Worthless?" The Warrior of Ice barked. His comrades reacted to Kumamon's outbursts with a pair of snickers.

"Good one, Mercurymon." Grumblemon smirked.

"Thou cannot beat a classic." nodded the metallic Digimon.

"Alright, fine! If you guys aren't going to help me save my friends, then I'm out of here!"

The frustrated Kumamon dashed toward the east. He didn't care if he was going in all by himself. Finding his friends and protecting them from the evil Digimon invading the city was his main priority. It didn't matter if the other Legendary Warriors weren't going to help them. One way or another, he just had to make sure that his friends were alright.

Mercurymon and Grumblemon watched as the Digimon of Ice disappeared into the horizon.

"Good riddance to bad rubbish."

"How come shrimp not let Grumblemon have fun?" bickered the gnome.

"Methinks that the little one has his priorities lost in a tangle." Mercurymon guessed. Then again, he could care less about Kumamon's safety. He had other things to worry about. "Come, Grumblemon. We must be rid of these monstrosities that plague this city."

"If monstrosity, you mean Chaos Spires, right?" The Warrior of Earth asked.

"But of course."

"Great. Me can wait no longer to destroy more black towers!"

"Ugh, perfect. Curse me for being stuck with this annoying buffoon." The metallic Digimon complained to himself.

"Mercurymon, can me ask question?" Grumblemon interrupted the Warrior of Steel's thoughts.

"But, of course. Entertain me."

"Okay. Me wonder why Chaos Spires have no effect on us both."

"Hast thou considered that we're Digimon?" Mercurymon eyed his comrade strangely.

"Oh... Makes sense."

And so, the Warriors of Steel and Earth ventured northward to continue their search for more Chaos Spires to destroy. Despite the fact that they had no idea where they were or had no clue where they're going, that still didn't bother them. Mercurymon and Grumblemon were having so much fun taking out the black towers, they didn't care what kind of destruction they were causing. All they cared about was to find something to obliterate.

What they didn't realize is that they were walking into a trap.

* * *

><p>Kumamon looked left and right, trying to search for any of his friends that had survived the invasion. The city was big, he had no idea where to start looking. But everywhere he went, the Warrior of Ice found nothing but destruction. Streetlights and lampposts had been chopped down. Hundreds of cars were either flattened, overturned or had most of its body and tires removed.<p>

Every building the polar bear checked had been abandoned. Besides the broken glass by the windows and the hundreds of items scattered on the floor, there wasn't a single human inside. Kumamon couldn't help but worry. He checked his friends' favorite stores, schools and even apartment buildings where some of his classmates lived in. And the results were all the same. There was no one inside.

"Where could they be? It's going to take me forever to search the whole district." The Warrior of Ice said to himself.

The bear passed Tokyo Tower and soon reached Tokyo Port. Besides the disgusting smell of the fish markets, Kumamon actually missed this place. He loved the view of the ocean and the sight of the city. To his right, he could see the famous Rainbow Bridge that connected the town of Odaiba from Minato. Kumamon also noticed the three hundred foot Ferris wheel, known as the Daikanrasha.

"Well, home sweet home!" The Legendary Warrior sighed.

Kumamon used his Crystal Freeze attack to form an ice path from one side of the port to the other. The polar bear activated his skis and glide across the frozen bridge. He went under the Rainbow Bridge and around a couple of battery islands. Kumamon almost crashed into a few boats that were left in the middle of the ocean for reasons unknown. It took the Warrior of Ice at least ten minutes to get to the city of Odaiba.

When he reached the other side, Kumamon landed on the harbor and began to look around. Hundreds of supplies were scattered all over the ground. Massive steel containers were either cut open or crushed like an accordion. Only a handful of boats remained intact. The rest were either flipped over, destroyed or had sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

"Wow. This is a more depressing welcome home than when my big brother told me my goldfish had passed away." The Digimon of Ice said to himself.

Kumamon exited the harbor and made his way more toward Aqua City. The Warrior of Ice was depressed to find his favorite restaurants, retail shops, and movie theaters in ruins. Chairs, tables and all kinds of clothes littered the dirty streets. Some of the manikins had their heads or random body parts chopped off. A couple of the stores signs had also fallen off of the walls.

As the bear-like Digimon ventured deeper into the city, he soon came across one of the tallest buildings in the area. It was the famous Fuji Television studios. He recognized it because of the giant ball connected to the center of the structure. Even though he didn't know anyone who works here, the Warrior of Ice had an idea. It wasn't much, but it's a start, at least.

"Maybe there are people inside that can help." wondered the polar bear.

Kumamon quickly made his way toward the entrance of the facility. But instead of finding people, the Digimon of Ice found an entire army of Evilemon waiting for him. The way they glowered at the Legendary Warrior with their weapons raised in the air told Kumamon that he probably would've been better off starting his search somewhere else.

"Uh-oh! Maybe splitting up with Mercurymon and Grumblemon wasn't such a good idea!"

Before the Digimon of Ice could grumble anymore, the first foot soldier had already charged in. Once when he reached his opponent, the Evilemon swung his battle axe downward, hoping to chop Kumamon's head open. Thankfully, the Legendary Warrior leaped out of the way just in time. The Evilemon missed his initial swing, causing the blade of his weapon to drive into the ground.

"CYRSTAL FREEZE!"

The Warrior of Ice took a deep breath and blew toward his opponent. Kumamon aimed toward the foot soldier's face, turning the Evilemon's head into ice. The polar bear dashed toward the defenseless creature, jumped and unleashed a solid right hook across the frozen Evilemon's mask. Despite breaking the facewear into pieces, the impact did sting the Warrior's hand for a moment.

"Smart move, Kumamon! Next time, leave the punching to either Grumblemon or Mercurymon!" The Digimon of Ice hissed is searing pain.

Sadly, Kumamon only had little time to recover. From behind, a couple more Evilemon approached the Legendary Warrior with their sharp scythes in hand. The demon infantry brought their weapons down, looking to cut the polar bear into pieces. Thankfully, Kumamon's senses told him where the next attack was coming. The Digimon of Ice fell on his back, making the foot soldiers miss their attacks.

"FROZEN TUNDRA!"

The Legendary Warrior turned his body into a multi-icicled form. He extended the sharp ends toward the attacking demon infantry. The icicles impaled through their faces, destroying the white masks instantly. As the Evilemon disintegrate into nothingness, Kumamon reverted his body back to its original form. He performed a couple of backflips to avoid another Evilemon's diagonal swing from his sword.

"That's it! I've had enough of this!" grumbled the Warrior of Ice.

"BLIZZARD BLASTER!"

Kumamon grabbed his bazooka, took aim and fired a barrage of snowballs at the attacking Evilemon's face. It took about three frozen spheres to fracture the creature's mask. As the foot soldier collapsed in defeat, Kumamon skied toward the soulless body and used the Evilemon as a ramp to propel himself upward. After performing a single backflip, the Warrior of Ice gazed at the many targets presented to him and aimed his firearm at his opponents.

Almost all of the Evilemon could see the wide smirk on Kumamon's face.

"Alright, guys! Who's ready to have a snowball fight?"

* * *

><p>"SEISMIC SLEDGE!"<p>

With another vicious swing from his hammer, the Warrior of Earth knocked down another Chaos Spire to the ground. The area shook for a little bit after the obelisk-like structure hit the ground. Grumblemon raised his sledgehammer to the sky and unleashed a thunderous battle cry. It was obvious he was having so much fun destroying things without any restraint.

Elsewhere, Mercurymon sat on top of an unoccupied car. As Grumblemon continued his bring down more and more Chaos Spires, the metallic Digimon watched on. He didn't mind that his comrades was doing all of the work. Mercurymon hated to spend such wasteful effort on a task he did not find fitting to his abilities. Plus, seeing the gnome run around like a maniac provided some amusement for the Warrior of Steel.

After the last Chaos Spire was destroyed, Grumblemon regrouped with his comrade.

"Did thou have a good time?" smirked the metallic Digimon.

"Oh yes! Me had fun tearing down Chaos Spires!" The gnome replied. "What we do now, Mercurymon?"

"In a rush to be somewhere, Grumblemon?"

"Nah. With the last Chaos Spire gone, me no know what do next."

"How about I suggest we return to our base of operation? Our assignment was to dismantle any of Malevomon's wretched towers our eyes have beheld. But now that our task has been completed, tis be no reason for us to remain here. Would thoust not agree?"

"Hmm..." The Warrior of Earth thought. "Me guess you're right. Since all of Chaos Spires are no more, Grumblemon sees no point to stay."

"Indeed. Besides, this tragic and deserted scenery has already grown tedious to my eyes. I've become anxious to annihilate more of Malevomon's flunkies. And yet, the only things we have obliterated were those disgusting Chaos Spires. I be getting bored with such an assignment. If nothing exciting happens soon, then I shall be..."

"FREEZE!" ||| "DON'T MOVE!" ||| "PUT YOUR HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM!"

Instead of the Legendary Warriors finding excitement and trouble, excitement and trouble has found them. After turning the corner, Grumblemon and Mercurymon found themselves in front of thousands of military troops from the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. Almost every soldier had their loaded weapons locked on to the Legendary Warriors. Their fingers rested against the trigger, ready to fire at upon command.

Tanks and armored vehicles rolled behind the soldiers. Assault guns, rocket launchers and mortars were aimed at the two creatures standing in the middle of the road. As for the others, they were aimed elsewhere, just in case other monsters showed up. Supply trucks and utility jeeps brought up the rear. These vehicles were strictly used for inventory and medical personnel.

So far, the Legendary Warriors were heavily outnumbered and outgunned.

"This be a joke. Huh, Mercurymon?" The gnome glanced toward his comrade.

"Bah. Humans with their guns think they're on top of the world." huffed the metallic Digimon.

One of the commanding officers grabbed a megaphone and held it in front of his mouth, directing the speaker toward the Legendary Warriors.

"_ALRIGHT, YOU FREAKS! THIS IS YOUR ONLY WARNING! SURRENDER YOURSELF RIGHT NOW, OR ELSE WE'LL OPEN FIRE!_"

"Hehe! Thou thinkest can harm me with thine pitiful weapons?" The Digimon of Steel chuckled at the human's silly attempt of a threat.

"Um, Mercurymon? You realize humans have more humans than us!" Grumblemon reminded his partner.

"Thou mayn't dampen my enthusiasm, Grumblemon! I am aware of overwhelming odds presented to thee!"

"You think it good idea to mock humans when they have all those blasters?"

"Have faith, my loyal ally! Thou weapons cannot bring harm to me!"

"_I'M SERIOUS, YOU DISGUSTING CREATURES! YOU HAVE ON THE COUNT OF THREE TO GET ON THE GROUND AND SURRENDER!_"

"Bah! Don't make me laugh!" Mercurymon chuckled. Grumblemon, on the other hand, slowly shifted behind the metallic Digimon.

"_ONE!_"

"Um, Mercurymon? Humans gonna shoot soon!" The Warrior of Earth told his comrade. But the Digimon of Steel only smirked.

"_TWO!_"

"Let's behold the power these humans possess!" chuckled Mercurymon. He got into his stance and aimed his mirror shields at the humans.

"_THREE!_"

"Fine! Have your way!" Grumblemon exclaimed.

"_TAKE EM' DOWN!_"

Before the military troops began shooting, the Warrior of Earth burrowed underground to get out of harm's way, leaving Mercurymon all by himself. But that didn't bother the metallic Digimon. With his comrade out of the way, he didn't have to worry about protecting his fellow Warrior. He can now focus on himself and how to get rid of these annoying humans.

*BANG, BANG, BANG* ||| *click, click... POOMB* ||| *RATATATATATAT*

Hand guns, assault rifles, shotgun and machine guns went off simultaneously. Millions of bullets sprayed all over the Legendary Warrior. But Mercurymon's entire body was covered in thick armor. Regardless how many hits the humans scored, they did not inflict any significant damage. The bullets would nail Mercurymon's body. They rounds would then deform and fall to the ground. Large numbers of ammunition littered the streets.

On the other hand, thousands of bullets did hit Mercurymon's mirror shields. The metallic Digimon absorbed as much ammunition as he could. Even though his weapons could hold an infinite amount of projectiles, the Warrior of Steel just couldn't wait to give these annoying humans some payback. If they didn't want to talk or make peace with him, then there's no reason for him to return the favor.

"Let's see if thou likes a taste of thine own medicine!" declared Mercurymon.

The Legendary Warrior then aimed a few degrees to his left, where handful of soldiers were quickly reloading their weapons. By then, most of the troops were already heading for cover to protect themselves. Although they haven't not seen this strange, metallic creature attacked before, neither one of them wanted to take any chances.

A smug grin appeared on Mercurymon's face.

"DARK REFLECTION!"

Suddenly, a barrage of bullets shot out of the Legendary Warrior's mirror shields. The ammunition zoomed toward their targets at the same speed. But by the time Mercurymon had already started firing, most of the soldiers had already taken cover, hiding inside or behind buildings, behind abandoned vehicles or behind their own armored tanks.

But the metallic Digimon continued to unload his reflected projectiles. He rotated to the right to change his aim, similar to a Vickers machine gun. There were plenty soldiers in the center that remained in the open and Mercurymon couldn't wait to carve right through them. As the barrage of ammunition drew closer, some of the military troops dove to the ground to evade the onslaught.

"Troublesome humans!" grunted the Warrior of Steel. "How dare they insult me with such pathetic weapons and..."

*POW*

"NNG!"

Mercurymon did not notice that there weren't just soldiers on the street. Some had positioned themselves on higher grounds. One of the snipers had a clear shot and the green light. He pulled the trigger on his M24 sniper rifle and nailed the Legendary Warrior's head. Not only this caused the metallic Digimon to stumble a little bit, but he had also stopped his reflective firing. But despite having a lot of power, it wasn't enough to penetrate Mercurymon's armored body.

Too bad that wasn't the end of it. There were other snipers scattered across the other. The first direct hit told everyone else to open fire. Hundreds of cartridges zipped toward the Warrior of Steel at over a thousand miles an hour. Mercurymon held his mirror shields up, hoping to absorb some of the bullets. But the high caliber ammunition that did hit him pushed him backwards.

Sadly, his troubles had just begun.

*BOOM, BOOM* ||| *WHOOSH* ||| *FLOOMP*

The Japanese Self-Defense Force ordered in the big guns. The troops fired their rocket launchers, grenade launchers, mortars and field howitzers at the lone Legendary Warrior. While some could argue that this could be considered overkill, the military were determined to annihilate this hideous creature by any means necessary. The more powerful rounds and explosives darted toward the metallic Digimon.

And for once, Mercurymon showed signs of his fear. His mirror shields were able to absorb the smaller and less powerful bullets. But this time, he's now dealing with larger rounds that pack more of a punch. The potential damage could be lethal. And if that wasn't enough, the Warrior of Steel won't be able to absorb the massive shock waves.

"KYAH!" cried the metallic Digimon.

The blast waves sent the Legendary Warrior flying. But he didn't get far. His body crashed into an office building, denting the structure upon impact. Moments later, Mercurymon fell to the ground and landed hard on the sidewalk. A large number of scratches and scrapes covered the metallic Warrior's body. Even the back mirror had some cracks on it.

"SEIZE THE TARGET!"

Seeing that the creature was now down, a handful of soldiers moved toward the Warrior of Steel. This was their chance to finish off one of these filthy creatures for good and be one step closer to saving their world from the alien invasion. The troops drew closer and closer toward the metallic Digimon with their firearms already reloaded.

But before the troops could reach the Legendary Warrior...

"HEY HUMANS! DON'T FORGET TO MISS BUS!" Someone shouted from a distance.

When the soldiers glanced to the left, the saw a gnome-like creature chucking a charter bus at them. The fifty inch vehicle bounced on the street and rolled toward the troops that were approaching the Warrior of Steel. Realizing that they didn't have enough time to apprehend the metallic creature, the small squad immediately retreated so they wouldn't get hit by the oncoming vehicle.

Despite not hitting one of the humans, Grumblemon's throw was right on target. When the bus came to a halt, it stopped right in front of his comrade. The Warrior of Earth then picked up an unhinged door of a car and ran toward the metallic Digimon, using the hunk of steel as a shield to protect him from the oncoming bullets. Once the gnome got behind the overturned bus, he tossed the car door aside and got down on one knee to check on his partner.

"Me told you not good idea to challenge so many humans!" The Warrior of Earth chuckled.

"Oh, hush up."

"Need help get back up? Or you going to sleep a wee bit more?"

"Did thoust hear me? I said to hold thy tongue!" The annoyed Digimon huffed as he got back to his feet. Although he was still in a little bit of pain, the humiliation of being saved by this numbskull hurt even more.

"So, what we do now?" asked Grumblemon. He could hear the thousands of bullets plastering the charter bus. Even though the overturned vehicle was providing the Legendary Warriors protection, it's obvious that the coach wouldn't cover them forever.

"I'm getting tired of this lousy game! If these fools want to us to send them to thy graves, then why not help the poor souls?"

"But Mercurymon, Ice Boy reminded you and I not to harm humans, even if they shoot at us!"

"Bah! How foolish! Open thine eyes, Grumblemon! If thou hasn't noticed, these pathetic creatures are incapable of showing peace! I say, if these beasts want a war, it'll be my utmost pleasure to give it them!"

Realizing that cooperation with the humans is useless, the Warrior of Earth shrugged and agreed with his comrade's words. Even though these were the first humans the two of them had encountered, it seems that the only thing they knew is violence. And that seems to be the perfect response. If these cruel beings want to fight, then that's exactly what both Legendary Warriors intend on giving them.

"You ready, Mercurymon?" The gnome crouched down like he's ready to jump over the bus.

"Let's put an end to their misery!" nodded the metallic Digimon.

Both Legendary Warriors signaled to each other with a nod. Finally, the Digimon of Steel and Earth leaped out of their hiding spots, ready to attack the entire Japanese Self-Defense Forces. They would rather go down fighting, than surrender to these pathetic creatures.

But apparently, the soldiers were even paying attention to the Legendary Warriors.

Soldiers were firing their weapons at other Digimon that were marching in columns of ten. It appears as if they have matched the Japanese Self-Defense Forces in numbers, perhaps even surpassing them. The soldiers fired their weapons at the advancing Evilemon, unloading their magazines to the very last bullet. They littered the streets with cartridges and empty rounds.

A few of the troops did score some headshots on the foot soldiers. Elsewhere, a number of soldiers fired their rocket launchers and chuck their frag grenades at the evil Digimon. The blast waves and the dispersing shrapnel nailed the creatures' facemasks, making them collapse in defeat. But sadly, the rest of the men and women of the armed forces had no idea what the demon infantry's weak points were. The Japanese Self-Defense Forces continued to unload their weapons on the foot solders' bodies. And the Evilemon did not stop their advances.

Meanwhile, Grumblemon and Mercurymon stood on the overturned bus, seemingly enjoying the show. One by one, the humans and Evilemon fell like dominos. They were destroying each other and they didn't have to do anything. The Warrior of Earth snickered when the humans blasted the foot soldiers' heads. The metallic Digimon, on the other hand, laughed when he saw the Evilemon got through the military's first line of defense.

"Most glorious! Does thou not agree, Grumblemon? Too bad the other Legendary Warriors aren't present to enjoy the entertainment!" asked the Warrior of Steel.

"Absolutely!" The gnome answered. "Only thing missing are drinks and some popcorn..."

"Hey! What do you guys think you're doing?" Someone from behind the Digimon of Steel and Earth.

"The military is in trouble! You guys have to help them, as your duties as Legendary Warriors?" A second voice spoke.

When Mercurymon and Grumblemon turned, they spotted a couple of teenage boys that were hiding inside the building that the metallic Digimon had previously crashed into. Obviously, the Legendary Warriors did not recognized these young men, so they had no idea who they were.

The boy on the right had his eyes on Grumblemon. He wore a long-sleeve purple shirt and dark brown pants. The young man also wore red shoes with yellow accents, as well as gray wristbands on both arms. The boy adjusted his circular glasses to get a good look at the gnome-like Digimon.

As for the older and taller teenager who had his gaze on Mercurymon, he wore a green collared shirt with a single white button fastened together. He had gray, saggy pants and black converse shoes. This young man had a silver dog tag around his neck. He stared with awe at the metallic Warrior's frontal mirror.

"And who be these welps?" The Digimon of Steel glanced at his partner.

"Me no know! Never seen these humans before!" Grumblemon shrugged.

Instead of running away in fear, the two curious teenage boys drew closer toward the creatures.

"Katsuharu! Can this be true? Are we really standing in front of a Digimon?" The boy in glasses looked to his friend with a small from cheek to cheek. The older teen returned with an even bigger grin and a nod.

"They're not just Digimon, Teppei! These are two of the famous ten Legendary Warriors... like our good friend, Tommy!"

* * *

><p>"BLIZZARD BLASTER!"<p>

The polar bear aimed his bazooka at the charging Evilemon and fired a flurry of snowballs. The projectiles nailed the foot soldiers in the face, fracturing their white facemask. They collapsed to the ground and disintegrated into nothingness. Kumamon then redirected his blaster to take out the last set of Evilemon coming his way. However, he did have to ski backwards to gain some distance between them.

Once the last foot soldier was defeated, Kumamon set his sights toward his hometown.

"I better get going! Who knows what kind of damage those evil Digimon has caused?" The Warrior of Ice said to himself.

He picked up some momentum and skied toward the direction Odaiba. He turned a few degrees to the northeast, where the a few apartment complexes were located. He quickly glided toward the Odaiba Seaside Park. The beaches were filled with nothing but abandoned towels, toys and garbage. There was not a human in the area. The usually crowded Yurikamome Station was now empty. Only the sound of bells ringing could be heard.

Finally, the Warrior of Ice turned the corner and dashed toward the Searea apartments. Kumamon then skidded to a halt. But it wasn't because there were more Evilemon he had to deal with. This time was different. Thousands of humans treaded on the pavement with their arms hung out in front like a bunch of mindless zombies. Their eyes seemingly had no soul.

"**ALL HAIL MALEVOMON! LORD AND MASTER!**"

Kumamon thought he was going to faint. These weren't just people being controlled by Malevomon. Some of them were his friends, his classmates, his teachers and neighbors. It made him sick seeing them walk like that, while chanting the name of the evil emperor.

"No! This can't be happening!" gulped the Legendary Warrior.

Unfortunately, the mind controlled humans had heard the polar bear's soft gasps. In unison, the people turned toward the direction of the Warrior of Ice. The rose their arms toward Kumamon. The soulless humans treaded toward the polar bear, looking seemingly determined to annihilate the Legendary Warrior. Kumamon took out his bazooka and aimed it at the approaching people.

His finger rested on the trigger, yet not a single snowball came out of the barrels.

"I... I can't shoot these people! They're not evil! They're just being controlled by Malevomon!" The Warrior of Ice thought.

He did not want to harm any of the humans. After all, a few of them were people he cared about. Kumamon would never forgive himself if he were to hurt any of his friends. But then again, he had to protect himself somehow. He couldn't just let these people attack him, despite the fact that they were being controlled by Malevomon. Deciding to play it safe, the Legendary Warrior put his bazooka away.

"I sure hope this works!" The Digimon of Ice said to himself. He then took a deep breath.

"CRYSTAL FREEZE!"

Kumamon blew a burst of cold wind at the ground, causing the street to turn into ice. He then activated his skis to maneuver around the area. So far, his plan was working. With no sense of footing, the mind controlled humans slipped and fell to the ground. Some landed on their bottoms, while a few landed on their stomachs. And then, there were a number of people who fell on their face. Although Kumamon felt bad that he probably gave those humans a possible concussion, it was the only way to suppress them without having to destroy them.

"Now, I gotta get out of here and find that Chaos Spire that's controlling them!" The polar bear planned.

Like a veteran, the Warrior of Ice skied around the people to get to the other side. Kumamon didn't have to worry about getting caught. That's because the humans couldn't get back to their feet. Some of them did reach toward the small Digimon when he drew close to them. Thankfully, Kumamon avoid them through his turns and high leaps.

Finally, the polar bear reached the other side. He turned around to check on how the mind controlled humans were doing. So far, not one of them were able to get back to a vertical base. By the time they stood up on the frictionless ice, one slip and they were back on the ground again. For now, this will have to do.

"Where can that Chaos Spire be?" Kumamon wondered as he made another right.

The Warrior of Ice drew closer to the Searea apartments, he finally saw it. A tall, black obelisk-like structure stood in between the north and south buildings. Surrounding the Chaos Spire were over a hundred mind controlled humans. And not only that, there were quite a few Evilemon patrolling the area. Kumamon hid behind a bush to go through his plan one more time.

"I can't use my Blizzard Blaster because I might hit the people. I have to destroy the Chaos Spire to get the humans back to normal. But if I do, then the Evilemon might turn on the humans and destroy them. So, first things first. I have to take out the Evilemon, avoid the mind controlled people and then take out the Chaos Spire... Yep, piece of cake."

That last bit was sarcasm, but that's what Kumamon has to do if he's going to save everyone. With his skis still intact, the Digimon of Ice appeared out of his hiding spot and glided toward the central area of the apartments. He had his bazooka out, ready to take out the opposition. But before he started firing, he had to take care of the people first.

"CRYSTAL FREEZE!"

The Warrior of Ice exhaled more of his chilly wind on the canvas. Just like last time, he was able to freeze the ground the humans and foot soldiers were standing. As expected, the people lost their balance and collapsed on the ice. The Evilemon, on the other hand, weren't as clumsy. They remained on their feet and drew their weapons, waiting for Kumamon to approach them. But now that the humans were on the ground, it's now easier for the Warrior of Ice to take out the Evilemon.

"Time for a little target practice!' smirked the polar bear. "BLIZZARD BLASTER!"

He maneuvered around the area while firing his bazooka. Kumamon was spot on with his accuracy. His speeding snowballs nailed the foot soldiers in the head, chipping their masks upon impact. When the Evilemon fell on the ground, their bodies disintegrated. A few of the demon infantry tried to block the oncoming ice with their weapons or slice them in half when they got close.

But Kumamon was persistent. He would not stop shooting until every last Evilemon had been eliminated. The Legendary Warrior also made sure that he didn't crash into the humans. His multitasking skills came in handy at a time like this. He was able to focus on his targets, while keeping an eye on where he was going. Just like he predicted, the humans could not maintain their footing, falling back down to the ground every time.

It only took a few minutes, but the Warrior of Ice had finally took out the last Evilemon. With the evil Digimon out of his way, Kumamon could now focus his attention on destroying the Chaos Spire. He glided on his skis toward the structure. The massive size of the tower made Kumamon look like an ant. Even though Mercurymon and Grumblemon weren't here to help him, he was confident he could take down the Chaos Spire by himself.

"CRYSTAL FREEZE!"

He used his attack to freeze the base of the structure. Kumamon had to ski around the tower so he could get cover every area. Once the whole bottom portion was turned into ice, large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded the bear's body. Inside the encasement of data, Kumamon began to change forms.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!"

When the Fractal Code dispersed, a nomadic monster appeared in the middle of the street. He lets out a huge roar, calling forth his weapons. A couple of battle axes appeared from the sky and landed in front of KoriKakumon. The Beast of Ice picked up his bladed weapons and pulled his arms back. His eyes targeted the frozen base of the Chaos Spires.

"AVALANCHE AXES!"

Suddenly, the nomadic creature threw his weapons at the structure. The Beast of Ice smirked as the bladed weapons sliced through the iced portion of the obelisk-like tower. The chopped part of the Chaos Spire gave way and collapsed to the ground, landing on top of a few trees and a couple of bicycles. At the same time, the mind controlled humans lost consciousness and fell to the ground.

"Alright! I did it! With the Chaos Spire destroyed, these people should return to normal right about now!" cheered KoriKakumon.

Sure enough, he was right. One by one, the people woke up. Some of the humans had their hands on their heads. Most of them struggled to get back to their feet simply because the ground was covered in ice. But after a while, the humans regained their balance. They all looked around to see where they were. While a few people recognized their location, some of them seemed lost.

"Hey! Where are we?"

"How did we get here?"

"Ugh, my head! What just happened?"

"The last thing I remembered was a bunch of monsters chasing us!"

"Same here! But after that, everything went black!"

That's what a lot of the humans were thinking. Not one of them could recalled the events of what happened before the evil Digimon came to their city and planted the Chaos Spires in the area. Some of the people had no clue how they ended up in Searea apartment area. A few of the adults were wondering where their friends and family were locat...

"It's alright, everyone! You're all safe! I have freed you from Malevomon's evil control!" A deep voice interrupted everyone's thoughts.

The humans shifted their attention to the center of the area, which was where the source of the noise was coming from. It wasn't long before everyone finally spotted another creature before them. They noticed the thick, white fur all over his body. They saw the braided, white hair had sharp arrowheads at the ends. His massive size alone would intimidate a lot of Digimon.

However, the humans were just as frightened.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHH! IT'S ANOTHER MONSTER!"

"EVERYBODY RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"

No one had to be told twice. Before KoriKakumon could make his case, the large crowd of humans darted toward the closest exits. A majority of them screamed in fear as they left the Searea apartment area. The Beast of Ice stood there, looking stunned and confused. Why would these people fear him after he saved them from Malevomon's control?

"GET OUT OF HERE, YOU HIDEOUS CREATURE!" ||| "WE DON'T WANT YOUR KIND AROUND HERE!" ||| "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY FRIENDS?"

Some of the people stayed behind to ridicule the Digimon, chucking all kids of nasty comments to the creature. But besides hurling insults, the humans also threw things at the nomadic beast. Beer bottles, stones, and other items flew toward KoriKakumon. The objects nailed KoriKakumon's head and body. He put his arms up to defend himself. Unfortunately, the Beast of Ice was surrounded by a mob of angry people.

"Please! Listen to me! You don't understand! I'm not who you think I am!" protested the nomadic creature.

"LIES! YOU CAN'T FOOL US! WE KNOW YOU'RE HERE TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD!" ||| "WE SAW WHAT YOUR KIND DID TO OUR CITY! YOU DESTROYED OUR HOMES!"

"No! You're wrong! It's not me! I am not one of those monsters who's destroying everything!" Again, KoriKakumon tried to make his case.

His words fell on deaf ears. No matter what the Digimon of Ice said, the people wouldn't listen. They continue to throw more insults and objects at the creature. Despite his beastly appearance and tough exterior, KoriKakumon was crumbling inside. The words from these humans brought the Legendary Warrior to tears. He had no idea that these people, his friends, teachers and neighbors, could be so cruel to him. KoriKakumon quickly looked around, searching for a way out of...

"HELP! MOMMY! DADDY!"

The nomadic creature glanced to his right. His eyes widened when he spotted a young boy hanging by his fingers on the edge of a balcony about three stories up. Only KoriKakumon heard the boy's cries for help. Everyone else, on the other hand, continue to show their hatred and fear toward the Beast of Ice. Not one of them has heard the child's panicking screams.

"SOMEBODY, PLEASE! HELP ME... AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The poor boy lost his grip. He began to fall to the ground. At that height, the chances of surviving were very low. KoriKakumon's instincts as a Legendary Warrior kicked in. He ignored the many projectiles being thrown at him and dashed toward the plummeting child. The people that were in his way, dove to their sides to avoid his supposed wrath. But at long last, the Beast of Ice had a clear path toward the young boy.

"HANG ON! I GOT YOU!"

KoriKakumon placed himself underneath the child and got in position. The boy landed smoothly in the creature's arms. When the kid gasped when he had discovered that this monster had rescue him. To be precise, he was more speechless than afraid. The boy had heard the things the other people had described this monster. Now, he was confused. How can this cruel and terrifying monster have the heart to rescue him?

KoriKakumon beamed at the boy before setting him gently on the sidewalk.

"Here you go." The Beast of Ice spoke, but in a calm and gentle tone.

"Th... Thank you." smiled the young child.

He then reached out toward the Legendary Warrior with curiosity and interest. The boy wanted to feel the thickness of his muscles, the soft fur on his back, and the warmth of his heart. He felt like he could trust this strange creature he has never seen before. KoriKakumon leaned a little closer so that the young child could touch him. Finally, he found someone that has trusted him...

"HEY! STAY AWAY FROM MY BABY, YOU FOWL CREATURE!"

Suddenly, a mother came from behind the child and carried him away from KoriKakumon. The Beast of Ice reached out toward the boy. Surprisingly, the child mimicked his movements. But not a sound was exchanged between the two. By then, the mother and her son were already out of the apartment area.

However, a large number of people remained. And unfortunately, every one of them still wanted to dismantle the Legendary Warrior.

"GET HIM!"

No one know who shouted, but that was all it took to get everyone charging at the Digimon of Ice. Instead of the usual beer bottles and rocks, some of the people had found steel pipes, crowbars and clubs. Realizing that he could not fight the humans, KoriKakumon's only course of action was to retreat.

The Beast of Ice jumped up and grabbed onto a balcony ledge. He then climbed all the way up to the top of the top. Once there, KoriKakumon climbed down the incredibly tall building. He then hustled toward the south.

"AFTER HIM! WE MUST NOT LET HIM ESCAPE!"

"THAT FREAK WILL PAY FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE!"

"HE WON'T GET ANY MERCY FROM ME!"

"OR ANY OF US!"

"LISTEN UP! WE WILL HUNT DOWN THE BEAST TOGETHER! FURTHER MORE, THERE WILL BE A ONE MILLION YEN REWARD TO THE ONE WHO GETS HIS/HER HANDS ON THE MONSTER'S HEAD!"

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Thanks to the intense motivation, the angry mob left the premises and scattered throughout the area. With their weapons in hand and their eyes on the prize, the humans were determined to bring down the nomadic creature by any means necessary. Hundreds of people explored the city of Odaiba, searching for the beastly monster.

It only took several minutes for the crowd to clear the area. Once the last human has left the area, a polar bear stuck his head out from a bush that was just a few yards a head of the Searea apartments.

"Phew, that was close." Kumamon said to himself.

Hiding from the mob was much more effective than running away.

*Flashback*

_KoriKakumon used the balcony ledges to climb down to ground level. Once his feet hit the ground, the looked around to see where he could go. He thought about going back to the Fuji TV Studios. He could head back towards the Rainbow Bridge. The nomadic beast had to make a decision now, because the angry mob were had already declared him an enemy of the state._

_But the Beast of Ice knew that, no matter where he went, the humans would surely find and follow him. He remembered the look of hatred and fear in their eyes. They will not rest until he was wiped off of the face of the earth. In other words, running seemed to be out of the question._

_In that case, he decided to go with his other option. Another encasement of Fractal Code surrounded the Legendary Warrior's body._

_"SLIDE... Evolution!"_

_After the transformation was complete, Kumamon quickly dove into bush to hide from the humans. And just in time too. Suddenly, a crowd of people stormed the streets, raising their weapons up to the sky. Talk about starting a revolution. From his hiding place, Kumamon watched and waited patiently for the angry mob to leave the premises._

_However, he did catch a few of the things they had said._

_"What are you going to do that monster when you capture it, Enzan?"_

_"I got a cousin who owns a restaurant that specializes in wild game! Maybe he could serve up a mean stew while I keep the head as a trophy! What about you, Ein?"_

_"My girlfriend's been begging me to get her a fur coat! Once when I get my hands on that creature, I'll skin his hide and sell his bones on the black market!"_

_"Then, let hunt down this freak! And may the best man wins!"_

_Those words shook Kumamon to the core. He almost puked just thinking about what these people could do to him once they catch him. The Warrior of Ice almost gave his position away, if his gasp was a bit louder. However, he remained quiet until the very last human was gone._

*End of Flashback*

"I can't blame them for thinking like that. With all of these Digimon causing havoc and chaos in the city, I should expect them to react with fear and hatred." Kumamon said to himself.

He then activated his skis and zoomed more towards southeast. His mission has gotten a little bit harder. Not only he has to destroy all of the Chaos Spires and take out the evil Digimon, but he also has to avoid human detection. That's because these people would show him no mercy the moment they saw his face. It's not going to be easy. But since the other Legendary Warriors weren't here, he's the only one that can do it.

"I guess now would be a good time to check out Palette Town!" The Warrior of Ice chose his next destination. He turned toward the direction and skied as fast as he could towards his favorite hangout place.

Palette Town is made up of several attractions with a large shopping center known as Venus Fort. The shopping area is designed to look like seventeenth century Europe. There is an artificial sky painted on the roof that transforms the sky from day to night regularly. Ancient decorations similar to that of Cesar's palace could be found all over the shopping center. Not only that, Venus Fort also has a casino for the adults.

The Warrior of Ice stood in front of the main gate of the shopping center. He looked around to see if there were any Chaos Spires or evil Digimon nearby. But so far, all he saw were more garbage, shopping bags and items all over the floor. There was a gentle breeze that made the bags dance around in circles. Kumamon lets out a soft sigh as he prepares himself for what was ahead of him.

"Well, better go inside and have a look around." The polar bear thought.

He then pulled on the door handle and walked in.

Kumamon first explored the first floor, or the 'Family' level. His first stop was the Dear Kids Park. He checked every single store in the area to make sure if there were any humans that needed help or if there were any Evilemon he needed to take out. The Legendary Warrior even checked out the play area. Once again, there was nothing but toys and overturned strollers. Kumamon sighed, unhappy to see that this lively place has become a deserted area.

It took the Warrior of Ice several moments to check the whole first floor.

"Alright. This entire section is clear. Now, let's move on to the second floor." said the Digimon of Ice. Since the elevators weren't working due to the power outage, Kumamon had to run all the way up the steps just so he could reach the next 'Grand' level.

But once when the Legendary Warrior reached the Olive Plaza, his lets out a groan of frustration.

"Great! Just what I needed!" Kumamon complained.

"**ALL HAIL MALEVOMON! LORD AND MASTER!**"

It turns out that there were even more mind controlled humans inside the Venus Fort shopping center. Their soulless eyes gazed at the Legendary Warrior. Moments later, the people treaded toward the Digimon of Ice, looking to feast on his small body. Their scary eyes gave the polar bear the creeps. Fortunately, there wasn't a single Evilemon around to deal with. Thanks to this, Kumamon's job got a whole lot easier.

"Hey! If it ain't broken, don't fix it!" The Legendary Warrior shrugged. He then took a deep breath.

"CRYSTAL FREEZE!"

Similar to what he did in the Searea apartment area, Kumamon kept true to his old strategy. He exhaled a burst of chilling wind from his mouth, freezing the ground. As he predicted, the mind controlled humans lost their footing and fell on the canvas. With them out of the way, the Warrior of Ice skied on the frozen surface to explore the rest of the area.

As Kumamon glided down Broad Avenue, he continued to blow more cold air on the floor. There were a ton of mind controlled humans waiting for him as he approached them. By the time the Legendary Warrior had reached them, the ground had already turned into solid ice. The people had lost their balanced and slipped on the frozen canvas. This allowed the Digimon of Ice to maneuver around the humans without any resistance.

"Alright! As long as I can keep this up, I don't have to worry about those people following me everywhere! Now, if I can only find the Chaos Spire so I can free them from Malevomon's contro... WHOA!"

The Digimon of Ice skidded to a halt once he reached the Fountain Plaza. This time, over hundred Evilemon were there waiting for the Legendary Warrior. Some of the stood on the balcony with their bows drawn back and aimed at the polar bear. As for the creatures on the ground, they were everywhere, even on the fountain. They raised their weapons to the ceiling, determined to bring their master Kumamon's head.

"This shouldn't be a problem! I can take on these guys!" The Warrior of Ice smirked with confidence. He then pulled out his bazooka and aimed at the group of evil Digimon.

"BLIZZARD BLAST... *gasp*"

Kumamon's eyes widened. He didn't even notice that there were a few humans hiding behind the first row of Evilemon. By the time they came into view, the Legendary Warrior froze on the spot. The Digimon of Ice recognized the three humans. Not only that, but these people had a special place in Kumamon's heart. In fact, these people are the ones that he cared about the most.

The human on the left was a man who seemed to be in his forties. He had dark brown hair. The man wore a blue, long sleeve shirt and light brown khakis with a black belt around his waist. Behind his glasses were a pair of lifeless eyes. Standing next to him was another woman in her forties. She had collar-length hair that's slightly lighter than the man standing next to her. The woman wore a mint color sweater, underneath a purple shirt. Her bluish skirt just passes her knees. She also had soulless eyes, similar to her husband.

As for the human in front, he was a boy in his early twenties. He had messy brown hair with long bangs that are parted far to the right. He wore a gray, unbuttoned collared shirt with a white t-shirt underneath. He had dark blue jeans with a brownish belt around his waist. But what frightened Kumamon even more wasn't the lifeless eyes that matched his parents. It was the creepy grin he had on his face.

Even as the Evilemon approached the Legendary Warrior, Kumamon has yet to move a muscle.

"This can't be..." gulped the petrified Digimon.

"**ALL HAIL MALEVOMON! LORD AND MASTER!**"

"MOM! DAD! YUTAKA!"

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter seventy-eight. <strong>

**Will the Warrior of Ice find a way to defeat the army of Evilemon and save his family at the same time? Or will Kumamon be destroyed by his own loved ones? Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	79. Minato Melee

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**Kumamon wanted to search his hometown to see if his friends were alright, but all Mercurymon and Grumblemon wanted to do is have fun. While the Digimon of Ice headed to Odaiba, the Warriors of Steel and Earth stayed in Minato. Unfortunately, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces had surrounded Grumblemon and Mercurymon. The Warriors tried to defend themselves, but the military's firepower was too much to them. Meanwhile, Kumamon defeated the Evilemon and destroyed the Chaos Spires in Odaiba. But when he entered the Venus Fort mall, Kumamon was shocked to discover that his family is under the evil Malevomon's control. **

**So, without further ado, here's chapter seventy-nine!**

* * *

><p><strong>Minato Melee<strong>

**Normal POV:**

Back in Jinan Elementary School, Patamon sat on the ground while reading a children's book he picked out from one of the shelves. After listening to his surrogate parent lecture about keeping quiet, he figured that reading would be the best activity at this time. Even though he could hardly decipher the strange language these humans used, at least the winged Digimon loved looking at the colorful pictures.

The Celestial Rookie was overjoyed by the wondrous stories written in these books. The first one he read about was how a teenage girl disguised herself as a soldier to take on a large army to save her entire country. Next, Patamon read the tale about how tortoise defeated an arrogant rabbit in a footrace. The winged Digimon even was fascinated about how a small boy climbed a beanstalk, found a magical harp and slayed a scary giant.

"Hey, Bokomon! Look what I've made!" Neemon called out to his friend.

"Let me guess... A fool out of yourself?" groaned the Digimon wearing the elastic waistband. He still kept his eyes out of the window, searching if any potential threats were approaching.

"Close!" The yellow rabbit responded. "Come on! Look!"

"Neemon, I don't have time for your nonsense. I'm very busy over here."

"Pleeeeeeeeeease?"

"Ugh... Fine."

When Bokomon turned toward his partner, he smacked his forehead with disbelief. In Neemon's hand was a flimsy sword made entirely out of construction paper. A water bottle cap served as his helmet. With a playing card acting as his shield, the yellow rabbit looked like he's ready for battle. Neemon demonstrated his skills by showing off some of moves that even entertained the Celestial Digimon.

Too bad his partner wasn't impressed.

"What's this?" Bokomon groaned.

"I'm practicing for the upcoming fights ahead! We can't let Takuya and the others do all the work! How do I look?" smiled the yellow rabbit.

"Like an idiot. But then again, what else is new?"

Neemon shrugged off the compliment and continued with his training. There was a picture of a poorly drawn Malevomon taped to the wall nearby. The yellow rabbit practiced his swings and thrusts on the ugly drawing. Neemon imagined himself on the field of battle, as well as going head-to-head with the evil Digimon. Bokomon watched as his partner charged at full speed at the picture. He stifled a laugh when Neemon crashed hard into the wall and lost consciousness.

"Moron." groaned Bokomon.

Before returning to his post, he decided to check on the others. Eldestmon and Swiftmon were still resting on the desks. On one side of the classroom, he saw Salamon still drawing pictures with some markers that were left on the ground. Next to her, Patamon was caught up in another book. The way he roared with laughter was enough to make the surrogate guardian crack a smile.

But there was someone missing.

"Patamon? Where's Lopmon? I don't see him anywhere." Bokomon asked, double checking the room one more time.

What he didn't realize is that Patamon already knew the whereabouts of the third Celestial Rookie. Not only that, he promised his friend that he wouldn't tell his surrogate guardian where he went. Patamon looked around the room, trying to come up with a little white lie to tell Bokomon. But sadly, his mind was drawing a blank. If he doesn't answer right away, Papa-mom will...

"Lopmon just left to go to the bathroom!" Salamon replied. When Patamon turned toward his friend, the puppy-like Digimon gave him a wink.

"He did?" Bokomon placed a hand on his chin. "That's funny. I don't remember seeing him leave the room."

"Don't worry, Papa-mom. He'll be back soon." Patamon gave Bokomon one of the biggest smiles he has ever seen.

The surrogate guardian had a feeling that the two Celestial Rookies were hiding something. Ever since he mentioned Lopmon, they were both acting very strangely. Then again, they had been in the classroom for a while. So, it is possible that Lopmon had left for a while to take care of his business. Bokomon sighed and shrugged. However, he kept his eyes on the Celestial Digimon.

"Just make sure you let me know where you're going, so I won't get worried." Bokomon reminded the two Rookies. He then made his way back to the window to continue with his assignment.

Patamon and Salamon lets out a huge sigh of relief.

"That was close." The winged Digimon spoke, wiping the sweat off of his forehead.

"You said it." Salamon agreed.

Finally, Patamon flew back to his book to continue with his reading. Before he was interrupted, the Celestial Rookie was in the middle of a story about how a human family with super powers saved the city from an evil genius with buckteeth, a long chin and orange hair as big as a...

"NNG!"

The sound of his friend hissing in agony entered Patamon's ear. When the winged Digimon checked on Salamon, he found her lying on her side with her face cringing in pain. However, only the Celestial Rookie came to his friend's aid. Neemon was still knocked out after crashing into the wall. As for Bokomon, his attention remained outside the window.

When the winged Digimon reached Salamon, he helped her back to her feet.

"Salamon? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry. But I just had a strange vision, probably similar to the one Lopmon had." The puppy-like Digimon replied.

"Really? What is it? Is it J.P.?" asked Patamon.

"No. Someone else."

"Well, who?"

Salamon took a deep breath and gazed at his friend's eyes.

"It's Tommy. He's in big trouble."

"Tommy? Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. I have to do something, Patamon. Otherwise, we might not see our friend again."

"I don't know, Salamon. Papa-mon will realize something's wrong if he finds out that you and Lopmon have left without him knowing."

"I'm sorry. But this is very important. I need to find my friend to see if he's alright." Salamon made her point.

"Well... if you feel that strongly about it, then I can't stop you. Just be careful, please." Patamon nodded.

The two Celestial Rookies quickly exchanged hugs before parting. Salamon then headed toward the door without uttering a sound. She looked over her shoulder one last time. Neemon was still out could on the floor. Bokomon kept his eyes outside, searching for any evil Digimon heading their way. As for the remaining Celestial Digimon, he waved his friend goodbye before returning to his book.

Salamon then darted out of the classroom, raced down the stairs and dashed out of the school without being spotted by Bokomon. The puppy-like Digimon sprinted toward the east, which was where all of the excitement was.

* * *

><p>*BANG, BANG, BANG* ||| *click, click... POOMB* ||| *RATATATATATAT*<p>

The Japanese Self-Defense Forces were in a ferocious battle against a large army of Evilemon. The men and women of the armed forces sprayed their weapons all over the evil Digimon, plastering them with millions of bullets, rounds and ammunitions. A handful of the foot soldiers went down when the military scored a headshot. But the majority of the demon infantry used their weapons to protect their white facemasks.

But when one Evilemon was destroyed, three more were there to take his place. If one were to count, Malevomon's foot soldiers has the Japanese Self-Defense Forces outnumbered four to one. Despite not having any effectiveness in long range, the demon infantry had the edge in close range combat over the military. The moment they closed the distance on one of the soldiers, it spelled the humans their doom.

"WEAPONS FREE! REMEMBER GENERAL NIKUSHIMI'S ORDERS! ELIMINATE THESE MONSTERS AT ALL COST!" The head officer commanded his troops.

The Japanese-Self Defense Forces continued to fight. They refuse to surrender to the enemy. No matter how overwhelming the numbers or how stacked the odds are, the men and women of the armed forces will not go down without a fight. When there is a threat to their country, they will battle day and night until they have claimed victory.

*BOOM, BOOM* ||| *WHOOSH* ||| *FLOOMP*

The military called forth the heavy artillery. Hundreds of armored tanks fired their rounds at the Evilemon who bunched together in formations that were in the back. Dozens of foot soldiers flew from their spot, crashing into buildings, vehicles or the unforgiving pavement. Not a single demon infantry survived. It was either the blast waves or the shrapnel that took care of them.

Elsewhere, the military fired a barrage of rockets, grenades and mortars at the evil Digimon. There were a ton of explosions in the area. The shockwaves and fragmentation had enough power to wipe the white masks off of their faces. With the big guns at their disposal, the Japanese Self-Defense Force slowly brought the fight back in their favor.

"Cool! It's a war between the humans and Digimon! Wait until my friends at school hear what I did on my summer vacation!"

"Really? How can you be so insensitive, Teppei? The men and women of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces have no idea who they're dealing with!"

While the Evilemon and the military continued battling each other, a pair of humans and Legendary Warriors were taking cover in an empty restaurant. Katsuharu and Teppei peeped their heads out of the windows to watch the fight between the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the large army of Evilemon. Every time there was an explosion or whenever an Evilemon was destroyed, the teenage boys would raise their hands up with excitement.

Meanwhile, the Warrior of Steel rested his head against the wall, seemingly trying to take a nap. But the loud sounds from outside and the annoying cheerleading from these noisy humans made it hard for Mercurymon to get his rest. As for Grumblemon, he was hogging all of the food in the back. He ate all of the rice, consumed all of the vegetables and devoured every single raw fish in the pantry.

"Ugh. Thou hast make me sick with such disgusting table manners." Mercurymon eyeing his comrade with disbelief.

"What? Food in Human World tasty." Grumblemon responded. He then held his hand out toward the metallic Digimon, offering him some seaweed. "Would Mercurymon want try? Delicious, it is."

"Bah. Get that out of my face, you overweight oaf." The Warrior of Steel barked. He then smack Grumblemon's hand, which made him drop the seaweed to the ground.

"Suit yourself. More for Grumblemon then." shrugged the gnome. He then went back to the kitchen to continue his meal.

As the Digimon of Earth continued to chow down, the teenage boy with glasses watch on with amazement. Teppei couldn't believe that he's in front of an actual Digimon. Not only that, he's one of the Legendary Warriors. So strong, so tough. He even has a huge appetite as well. While his grammar and attitude can use some work, Teppei was ecstatic to be in the same room with as Grumblemon.

It took a while for the gnome to realize that the boy was looking at him.

"What? You want some?" Grumblemon tilted his head in confusion.

"This is awesome! A Legendary Warrior is talking to me! This is so cool!" Teppei gasped with excitement.

"Uh... huh?"

"So, you're Grumblemon, right?"

"And who you again?"

"I'm Teppei. I'm friends with Tommy. You know, the little guy with the ugly orange hat?" The teenage boy reminded.

"Good for you." The Digimon of Earth grumbled before gobbling an entire block of tofu.

Elsewhere, Mercurymon and Katsuharu watched Grumblemon and Teppei with amusement and annoyance.

"Just look at him. How pathetic." groaned the Warrior of Steel.

"That's Teppei alright. The minute he sees something cool, you can't really pull him away from it."

"Hmph. I was merely talking about my fellow Legendary Warrior. I have never seen atrocity since Ranamon's horrific display of a Beast Spirit form."

"Well, if you think about it, those two are practically made for each other." The older teenage boy smirked before glancing toward the metallic Digimon.

Mercurymon responded by stifling his laughter.

"Pff. Don't make me laugh. I've never heard such nonsense."

"Look again, genius." Katsuharu nudged his head toward the kitchen. The Warrior of Steel glanced back at his comrade and his human friend.

Teppei and Grumblemon were seemingly playing a game with each other. The boy would toss the food up, while the gnome would catch it with his mouth. Vegetables, fruit rice balls, and raw fish would fly from one side of the room to the other. So far, Grumblemon did not miss a single item. All of the food ended up in the Legendary Warrior's mouth.

That's when the boy with glasses had a crazy idea. Before chucking another piece of sashimi at the Digimon, Teppei squeezed some jalapeños and chili peppers on the raw fish before throwing it at the Warrior of Earth. The fourteen year old boy smirked when the sashimi piece ended up in Grumblemon's mouth. He waited for the Digimon to react.

And then...

"AAAAAHHHHH! WATER! ME NEED WATER!"

Teppei could've sworn he saw smoke coming out of the Legendary Warrior's ears. Hot tears dripped out of his eyes. He could tell that Grumblemon's tongue was on fire simply by the he was rubbing it. The Digimon ran around the kitchen area, searching for something to drink. Plates, silverware and other cooking utensils were knocked to the ground thanks to Grumblemon's reckless flailing.

Finally, the Warrior of Earth reached the sink and turned on the water. As Grumblemon gulped down the water, Teppei couldn't hold back his laughter. He slapped his knee hard and bent over. It's safe to say that he's very close to busting a gut. Even the terrifying scowl on the Legendary Warrior's face wasn't enough to stop the human from laughing.

"YOU PAY FOR THAT!" Grumblemon howled.

"OH, COME ON! CAN'T YOU TAKE A JOKE? HAHAHAHA!"

He then took out his sledgehammer and dashed toward Teppei. The teenage boy scurried around the restaurant like a little kid running away from the authorities after getting caught pulling a hideous prank. Teppei still had that huge smile on his face, even with the Warrior of Earth trying to pulverize him. Neither one wanted to admit it, but they were both having tons of fun.

"Clowns." Mercurymon and Katsuharu spoke at the same time.

Again, the metallic Digimon and the older human starred at each other. Mercurymon studied the boy as much as he could. This was probably the first human that puzzled him greatly. Besides the kids that wield the Legendary Spirits, all of the other humans he met were nothing but vile creatures who fear what they do not understand. But this one was very peculiar. He has shown no sign of fear or anger towards him. It fascinated him.

Katsuharu, on the other hand, was just as interested as Mercurymon. He remembered a couple of years ago when Tommy and his friends transformed into Legendary Warriors. It was unbelievable. But while he and the rest of his gang cheered for the others, Katsuharu felt a bit jealous of the Tommy because he was able to do such a cool thing. But now that he's in the presence of a Legendary Warrior, perhaps maybe...

*BOOM, BOOM, POW*

The loud noises and explosions recaptured everyone's attention. Katsuharu quickly made his way towards the window to check on the action going on outside. Teppei stopped his foolish fleeing and also joined his best friend. Grumblemon put his hammer away and stood next to Mercurymon, who was having trouble getting some peace in this noisy area.

Teppei and Katsuharu watched in horror as hundreds of military troops fall to the evil foot soldiers. They had no idea who was winning. But every time one of the humans gets taken out by the Evilemon, their stomach tightened up. Poor Teppei was very close to throwing up all over his buddy. Katsuharu, however, glanced back at the two Legendary Warriors behind him.

"Well? What are you guys standing here for? The military is getting owned by these Digimon!" The human asked.

"Hmph. Why bother?" groaned Grumblemon

"Those knaves will be plastering us with their pathetic weapons if we so as to dare show our faces in front of them!" Mercurymon huffed with his arms crossed.

'Unbelievable!" Katsuharu objected. "You two are just going sit here and watch our very own soldiers get annihilated? Boy, some Legendary Warriors you are!"

"I beg thee pardon?" Mercurymon glanced back at the human.

"You guys are no Legendary Warriors! You're a couple of phonies!" Teppei joined in the argument.

"What you say?" Grumblemon growled at the boy with glasses.

"You guys might be called Legendary Warriors, but you sure don't act like them! Believe me! I've seen the _real_ Legendary Warriors in action! Not only they were brave and strong, but they fought for what's right; something that you guys lack!" Katsuharu nodded. A small smile appeared on his face as he thought about Tommy, who inspired him to be what he is today.

"We should know! Because we know a few other friends who know what it means to be a Legendary Warrior!" Teppei stepped forward and spoke boldly.

"Now wait one minute! You no talk to us like that!" The Warrior of Earth barked.

"My fellow comrade has spoken true! Exactly who does thou think thou art? How dare you puny humans discredit us as Legendary Warriors?" The metallic Digimon howled.

"You know something? If you guys aren't going to help save our world, then you can stay here all you like! Because Teppei and I are going out there and take care of those evil Digimon ourselves!" declared the older human.

"Wait, what?" The boy with glasses eyed his friend strangely.

"Come on, pal! Let's go!" Teppei smiled at his friend. He then dashed toward the exit and ran out the door.

"Katsuharu! Hold up! What do you think you're doin..."

Grumblemon and Mercurymon stared at each other after Teppei left.

"What that all about?" The gnome asked.

"Humans... Ha! I bet those wimps couldn't even scratch one of the Evilemon's facemasks!" Mercurymon huffed.

"Well, me not going to help those kids! Grumblemon care less about them, especially the four-eyes kid!"

"Agreed! If Katsuharu and his friend want to be destroyed, then so be it!"

With their decision made, the Legendary Warriors remained hidden inside the restaurant. Even though they were aware that both Katsuharu and Teppei were running toward danger, neither of them cared about their safety or their well-being. After all, those two are just average humans. Despite the fact that they were the first ones to show them understanding and kindness, it matters not what's about to become of them.

Meanwhile, Katsuharu and Teppei were frozen in the middle of the street. There was so much action going around them. The Japanese Self-Defense Forces continue to fire their weapons at the opposition. On the other side, the Evilemon advanced toward the humans, taking all of their bullets and rounds like they were nothing. The foot soldiers were determined to obliterate the human race in the name of the evil emperor.

As for the military, they were starting to run low on ammunition. With their primary and secondary weapons out of bullets, the soldiers either used their firearms as weapons or went with their combat knives. Katsuharu and Teppei couldn't believe that the fight was beginning to swing toward the Evilemons' side. Sooner or later, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces will either have retreat since they had lost all of the momentum.

"Hey, Katsuharu?" The younger teen glanced toward his friend. "You think it's too late to go back and hide in the restaurant with the other Legendary Warriors?"

"Forget it! Those guys won't even help an old lady cross the street! I guess that means we're gonna have to take matters into our own hands!" Katsuharu replied.

"But what can we do?" Teppei asked. "Those Digimon sure are nasty! They're overpowering the military! And to make matters worse, we don't even have any weapons! How are we supposed to defend ourselves with..."

"TEPPEI! MOVE!"

Katsuharu immediately tackled his friend to the ground. What Teppei didn't see was that one of the Evilemon had spotted them. He threw his battle axe at the young humans. Thankfully, the bladed weapon flew over the boys and dug into the asphalt. If Katsuharu had reacted any later, his friend would've been cut in half. Still, he was amazed at how hard and how fast the axe came at them. Those Digimon must be really strong.

While most of the Evilemon went after the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, a handful of them treaded toward the defenseless humans.

Teppei trembled in fear. This was exactly like a couple of years ago. An army of Centarumon was about to trample all over his body. If it wasn't for Tommy, he would've bitten the dust. Even though his brain was shouting signals for Teppei to move out of the way, his body wouldn't respond. The poor boy was petrified.

Seeing that his friend was scared out of his shoes, Katsuharu quickly got up to his feet, stood in front of Teppei and spread his arms out. He didn't care if he had no weapons or if the evil Digimon had him outnumbered. He's not going sit back and watch Teppei get destroyed, like what happened two years ago. He was going to do the right thing and protect his friend.

"Come on, you mindless goons!" Katsuharu challenged the Evilemon. "I'm not afraid of..."

"TECTONIC SLAM!"

A deep, yet familiar voice entered Katsuharu's ear. It came from up above. When the boys craned their neck, they saw what a giant ogre-like creature. The beast bended backwards and clutched his hands together, interlocking each of the fingers. Soon, gravity brought the large monster back down to earth. He had the small squad of Evilemon in his sights.

Finally, the ogre slammed his fists on the canvas as hard as he cold. The powerful force was directed toward the foot soldiers. Some of Evilemon were sent flying into office buildings on the sides. Their masks shattered upon impact of the crash. The rest were tossed in the air. They landed hard on their heads, shattering their facemasks at the same time.

After the last Evilemon was defeated, the creature turned toward the humans. The boys starred at the ogre with their mouths agape. He's a Digimon that neither Katsuharu, nor Teppei has seen before. He has brown skin and a large body. He didn't need to wear any armor simply because his entire body is made of the world's hardest minerals and substances. This creature also has a huge nose, plus several horns on his head, arms, knuckles and knees. There were numerous, white tattoos all over his body.

"So, how many Evilemon you humans defeat already?" The beast gave them a smug grin.

"That voice. It sounds familiar." Teppei gulped. He got back to his feet and approached the creature. Teppei readjusted his glasses, trying to confirm if this Digimon is who he thinks he is. "Is that you, Grumblemon?"

Surprisingly, the beast nodded.

"I'm Gigasmon now!" He replied.

"Gigasmon?" The teenage tilted his head in confusion.

"Indeed. My comrade has took on the form of his Beast Spirit to take care of these meddlesome welps."

Katsuharu turned and saw the metallic Legendary Warrior standing behind him.

"Mercurymon? What are you doing here? I thought you guys weren't going to help." The boy wondered.

"Such idiots. Does thou think we were going to sit back and watch thou scrawny humans make fools of themselves? Bah. Thou should be ashamed, trying to hog all of the fun and not save some for me and my fellow comrade." The Warrior of Steel answered.

"So... you really do care about us, huh?" Katsuharu smirked at the metallic Digimon. Mercurymon turned his head away in annoyance. But if one were to look closely, they could see the faintest hue of red on the Legendary Warrior's frontal mirror.

"Don't be ridiculous." He huffed.

"Hey, guys? As much as I like to continue with our little conversation, we still have to save the military! The evil Digimon are overpowering them!" said Teppei.

"Oh, please!" spat Mercurymon. He stepped in front of the group, ready to get a piece of the action. But first, the metallic Digimon glanced back at his comrade.

"Gigasmon!"

"Yeah, what?" The Beast of Earth grumbled.

"I hope thou doesn't mind if I request to babysit these brats for a moment, while I take care of the rest of knaves!" Mercurymon asked.

"Me hate babysitting! Gigasmon rather destroy Evilemon army!" The ogre groaned.

"Five minutes!" The Warrior of Steel requested. "If I can't finish off Malevomon's cronies in five minutes, then do as thou wish!"

The ogre shrugged, reluctantly agreeing to Mercurymon's terms. While Gigasmon hated the fact that his comrade will get to have all of the fun, he realized that he's the only one that can take out multiple targets at once. They're gonna need that if they want to save the rest of the humans.

Katsuharu's gasped with excitement when he saw Mercurymon's body being enveloped by Fractal Code.

"Mercurymon, slide... EVOLUTION!"

When the cocoon of data dispersed, a newly formed Digimon appeared before Katsuharu's eyes. The best he could describe this creature was a giant network of eyeballs, all linked together by golden bridges. The center orb had a white, star-shaped icon on it. As for the top, it had a large mouth, as well as a gray and black triangles above it.

"SAKKAKUMON!" The metallic beast cried. He then floated toward the battlefield, anxiously ready to get into the action.

"Wow! Who's that!" Katsuharu wondered.

"Sakkakumon: Beast Warrior of Steel!" replied Gigasmon.

"Awesome! That guy is amazing! Don't you agree, Teppei?" The older teen glanced at his friend.

"Meh..." Teppei shrugged. "... I still think Gigasmon is cooler."

The Beast of Earth chuckled upon hearing the compliment.

Meanwhile, a large number of troops had already ran out of ammunition, as well as idea on what to do next. These creatures were overwhelming their ranks. And if they don't figure out a plan soon, it would mean disaster for the rest of the country, and the entire world.

"Orders, sir?" One of the troops asked the leading officer.

"Have you taken leave of your common sense, soldier? You remember General Nikushimi's commands! We have to annihilate those monsters before they destroy the rest of the city! Now, enough stupid questions and..."

"HAHAHAHA!"

The strange laughter caught everyone's attention. Even the large army of foot soldiers ceased their attacks on the humans to search for the source of the noise. Their senses told them that someone was approaching them. The demon infantry looked around to find the Legendary Warrior of Steel.

"Over here, thy soulless cretins!"

Every single Evilemon gazed toward the east and craned their necks upward. A complex-shaped Digimon appeared with a wide grin on his lips. The metallic creature floated over the creatures like an advertising blimp. The Evilemon tried chucking their weapons at the airborne Digimon. But at his height, none of the foot soldiers' weapon came close to the Legendary Warrior.

When Sakkakumon reached the center of the area, he came to a halt.

"Pitiful humans! It is thy lack of superior weaponry that truly spelt thy failures!" laughed the Beast of Steel.

"Sir! What is that thing?" The same man asked the head officer.

"It's another one of them monsters! He's probably here to obliterate us all!" replied the man in charge.

"Pff! Save thy breath, thy ignorant maggot!"

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?"

"Now, I request thy humans to step back, and watch what this 'monster' can really do against this lowly infantry!" commanded Sakkakumon.

Despite the creature's weird dialect, a majority of the soldiers backed away from the Evilemon. Of course, there were a few who hesitated, contemplating whether or not they should listen to this complex beast, let alone trust him. Even the leading officer was skeptical about putting faith in this monster. After all, it was General Nikushimi's orders to eliminate any and all monsters. No questions asked.

But then again, he and the other soldiers weren't getting anywhere with the progress they made. Their weapons were anything but effective against these filthy monsters. Perhaps this creature has some hidden power that could get them out of this jam. As much as he hated to admit it, the best course of action was to believe in this complex beast.

As the rest of the troops filed out, the commanding officer gave Sakkakumon one more piece of advice.

"If I see you attack any one of my soldiers, I'll never forgive you!"

The Beast of Steel waited until the whole area was cleared. When it was just him and the large army of Evilemon on the battleground, Sakkakumon widened his smirk.

"Alright! Now, which one of thy pathetic welps want to be destroyed first? Or, shall I finish all of you at once! Either way, your defeat will be unpleasantly certain!"

The metallic Digimon mocked the Evilemon by slowly descending. The foot soldiers continued to throw their weapons at the Legendary Warriors. And like last time, none of their swords, axes and scythes came close to making contact with Sakkakumon's body. The Beast of Steel laughed at the Evilemons' feeble attempt to bring him down.

It's too bad he has to destroy them all now. He was having a lot of fun toying with them.

"Behold, my power! This is what I call..." Sakkakumon adjusted his body until all ten orbs took the shape of a ring. The eyeballs gazed at the many targets being presented to them. After chuckling for several moments, the Beast of Steel called forth the power of all of his comrades.

"LEGENDARY WARRIORS: DARK REFLECTION!"

Suddenly, the ring of orbs spun around on its axis. At the same time, each eyeball launched attacks that belonged to each Legendary Warriors. The barrage of elemental attacks traveled in every conceivable direction. But Sakkakumon wasn't just spraying and praying. Each of his attacks were aimed at the Evilemon that were spread out all over the city.

Hundreds of Evilemon were hit by Agunimon's and BurningGreymon's flames. Others were nailed by Kazemon's and Zephyrmon's cyclones. A handful of foot soldiers were destroyed by Lobomon's and KendoGarurumon's lasers. More of them were annihilated by Kumamon's and KoriKakumon's attacks. Dozens of the demon infantry were taken out by Beetlemon's and MetalKabuterimon's lightning.

Many foot soldiers were obliterated by Lowemon's and JagerLowemon's projectiles. Even the demon infantry couldn't stand up against Grumblemon's and Gigasmon's power. Evilemon left and right were knocked down by Arbormon's and Petaldramon's attacks. Ranamon's water and Calmaramon's ink sent even more of the evil Digimon to their doom. The rest were taken out by Mercurymon's beams.

"Incredible!" Katsuharu was amazed at the metallic Warrior's immense power.

"Showoff." Gigasmon crossed his arms and groaned.

"You said it." Teppei agreed.

Elsewhere, the rest of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces watched as Sakkakumon destroyed every last creature. They were astonished that this monster has this kind of ability. But at the same time, they were even more shocked that he was fighting on their side. Some of the troops cheered for the metallic beast. As for the others, they couldn't help but wonder why this creature would destroy his own kind.

Finally, the Beast of Steel returned to his original shape. In just under five minutes, Sakkakumon did what thousands of military soldiers couldn't. And that's defeat the entire Evilemon army.

"THEY'RE ALL GONE!" ||| "HORRAY!" ||| "THE CITY IS SAVED!"

"_EVERYONE, SHUT UP!_"

The leading officer quickly retrieved his megaphone and silence most of the troops' cheers. To him, it's too early to celebrate. There's still one more monster he and the rest of the armed forces had to deal with. Despite the fact that this oddly shaped creature had saved him and the others, it is General Nikushimi's commands that each and every monster must be destroyed. He and a handful of others slowly approached the metallic beast with their weapons aimed at him.

"Hmph. So this be the thanks I get for assisting these pestilences." Sakkakumon huffed.

The head soldier put the megaphone to his lips.

"_WE WOULD OFFER OUR THANKS, IF YOU WEREN'T ONE OF THOSE MONSTROSITIES WHO'VE BEEN TERRORIZING OUR COUNTRY!_"

"This be a gander! Thy lowly creatures such as yourselves are unable to display any gratitude! Hmph, how pitiful! I demand thy weaklings to show me the respect I so rightfully deserve or suffer the consequences!" commanded the metallic Digimon.

"_THE JAPANESE SELF-DEFENSE FORCES DOES NOT NEGOTIATE WITH BEINGS FROM ANOTHER DIMENSION! NOW, SURRENDER YOURSELF! IF YOU REFUSE TO COMPLY, MY TROOPS WILL BRING YOU DOWN BY FORCE!_"

"Then, allow me to write the final chapter of your miserable lives!" Sakkakumon again readjusted his body, aiming one of his orbs at the leading officer.

"_HAVE IT YOUR WAY THEN! SOLDIERS, WEAPONS..._"

"STOOOOOOOOOOP!"

The military suddenly noticed a teenage boy sprinting toward down the street, waving his arms frantically at the Japanese Self-Defense Forces.

"Hey, what's that kid doing here?"

"Somebody get that boy before the monster hurts him!"

Meanwhile, Sakkakumon sensed the boy's presence. The sound of his voice irritated him. He had no idea why this sorry human would even leave his position or come to his aid, even if he couldn't do anything against the thousands of armed humans. But still, even though he did not want to admit it, Sakkakumon felt relieved that someone like Katsuharu has come for him.

"Sir? There's a boy running towards that creature!"

"Orders, sir?"

The head officer had his megaphone up and ready. But before he could give orders...

"INCOMING!" A deep voice came from above.

The Japanese Self-Defense Forces craned their necks upward and immediately saw another monster coming down. A large, brownish ogre with white tattoos all over his body landed next to Katsuharu. The military were about to draw their weapons toward the Beast of Earth, when they noticed another boy sitting on the creature's shoulder. Even they weren't dumb enough to put the life of a kid in danger.

"Someone tell me what's going on here!"

"Why are those boys so close to the monsters?"

"You think those creatures are using the kids as hostages?"

"I doubt it! It seems like the kids are protect the monsters!"

"Or, vice versa!"

"This doesn't make any sense!"

Now, the military were even more confused. Every monster they had encountered has tried to annihilate them. Yet, here are the first two monsters that showed no signs of hostility or aggression towards them. Something is definitely amiss. Even the leading officer had no idea what to do. General Nikushimi has ordered him and his troops to eliminate all monsters. But does that include the ones that saved their lives?

What about these monsters who has some kind of special bond with the two boys?

"Excuse me, officer? If you don't mind, can we borrow your bullhorn for a little bit? My friends and I have something to say!" Teppei shouted toward the head officer.

Due to his curiosity, the lead soldier tossed his device toward Gigasmon. The ogre caught the instrument before handing it over to the boy standing on the ground. Katsuharu took a deep breath before speaking into the megaphone.

"_EVERYONE, LISTEN TO ME, PLEASE! FIRST OFF, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU ALL TO THESE TWO GUYS! THE BIG ONE OVER HERE IS GIGASMON! AND THE COOL ONE UP ABOVE IS SAKKAKUMON! I KNOW THIS WILL BE HARD FOR YOU ALL TO UNDERSTAND, BUT HEAR ME OUT! THESE MONSTERS ARE NOT LIKE THE ONES YOU'VE BEEN FIGHTING! THEY ARE ON OUR SIDE! IN FACT, YOU CAN SAY THAT THEY ARE OUR FRIENDS!_"

The first part of his speech had everyone talking. Teppei smiled and nodded toward his pal. Meanwhile, Gigasmon rolled his eyes, while Sakkakumon lets out a subtle sigh. Katsuharu took this as a good sign.

"_THESE CREATURES ARE CALLED 'DIGIMON!' THEY COME FROM A STRANGE PLACE CALLED THE DIGITAL WORLD! ALTHOUGH WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW THEY CAME TO OUR WORLD, SAKKAKUMON AND GIGASMON WANT ME TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT THE ENEMY! THEY SAID THAT THERE IS AN EVIL DIGIMON WHO IS SEEKING TO CONQUER BOTH THEIR WORLD AND OUR WORLD!_"

Again, the troops conversed among themselves. While only a few had doubts about Katsuharu's message, a majority of the soldiers had believed him.

"_SAKKAKUMON AND GIGASMON DOES NOT WANT ANY TROUBLE! THEY HAVE AGREED NOT TO HARM ANY OF YOU, AS LONG AS YOU STAY OUT OF THEIR WAY AND LET THEM TAKE CARE OF THIS EVIL THAT HAS PLAGUED OUR WORLD! HOWEVER, THEY SAID YOU CAN STAY HERE AND PROTECT THE CITY, IN CASE ANY OF THOSE MASKED CREEPS COME BACK!_"

"There's just one problem!" The leading officer stepped forward and spoke toward Katsuharu. "How will we know that these so called 'Digimon' will not hurt you kids?"

"_SIMPLE! BECAUSE THEY'LL PROTECT US, JUST LIKE WE WILL PROTECT THEM! SO IF ANY OF YOU SOLDIERS THINK ABOUT HURTING OUR FRIENDS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME AND MY BEST BUDDY! IF YOU HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO SAY, THEN I SUGGEST YOU LET US GO NOW! THIS IS OUR MOVE! WHAT'S YOURS?_"

Katsuharu threw the megaphone back at the leading officer. The soldier caught his instrument and held it to his lips. But when the man glanced around, he noticed that every soldier had his eyes on him, awaiting for his orders. A majority of the troops had their weapons to the ground, since they didn't want to put any of the kids in danger. And it seemed like the head officer was thinking the same thing.

After signaling the rest to stand down, the man spoke to the Legendary Warriors.

"_JUST THIS ONCE, YOT ARE FREE TO GO! BUT THE NEXT TIME WE SEE THESE 'DIGIMON' CAUSING MORE DAMANGE, THEN WE WILL HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE! AM I CLEAR?_"

Teppei and Katsuharu nodded, while Gigasmon and Sakkakumon responded with a smirk. It wasn't the reply that the officer was looking for, but it'll have to do.

"_ALRIGHT, TROOPS! WE BETTER SECURE THE CITY, JUST IN CASE THOSE CREATURES COME BACK!_"

The man signaled the Japanese Self-Defense Forces to move out. As the rest of the military filed out of the area, the Beasts of Earth and Steel glowered at the solider in charge. The last few words that came out of his mouth made them felt uncomfortable. Even though he was probably implying the Evilemon army, that still didn't make Gigasmon and Sakkakumon feel any better.

"So, now what do we do?" Teppei asked.

"I got an idea! How about we go around city and help the military take out more of those evil Digimon?" suggested Katsuharu.

"Bah! Such nonsense! Besides, I shall be making the decisions here!"

"Then what plan now, Sakkakumon?" Gigasmon glanced toward his comrade.

"I suggest we go around this wretched town and assist those measly humans destroy more of those Evilemon!" said the metallic Digimon.

"That's what I... You know what? That's a great idea!" Katsuharu agreed while shaking his head.

"Well, what we wait for? It time to smash!"

Suddenly, the Beast of Earth leaped toward the sky, carrying Teppei on his shoulders. As for the teenage boy, he was screaming his lungs out, trying to hold on to the large ogre as tight as he could. The funny sight even made Sakkakumon widen his grin. Without even glancing at the remaining human, the metallic floated toward the same direction his comrade.

"HEY, YOU GUYS! WAIT FOR ME!" Katsuharu shouted as he followed the rest of the group towards the Rainbow Bridge.

* * *

><p>It's one thing for Kumamon to fight an entire army of soulless Digimon. He can defeat a whole squad of foot soldiers without any problems. Even a crowd of mind controlled humans isn't so bad for the Legendary Warriors. All he had to do is freeze the ground, which will leave the people immobilized. His tactic is to neutralize them, not to harm them.<p>

But it's a whole new ball game when the humans Kumamon had to go up against are the three people he cares about the most.

"Mom! Dad! Yutaka, snap out of it! Please!"

"**ALL HAIL MALEVOMON! LORD AND MASTER!**"

Those words ate Kumamon's soul. It's no use. His family has also fallen under the control of the malicious sovereign. Pleading, reasoning, even bringing up some of his most cherished memories of him and his family spending time together wasn't enough to get his loved ones to stop attacking. As Kumamon dodged their punches, kicks and swipes, tears of pain formed in his eyes.

But his troubles were only beginning. When the polar bear got too close to one of the Evilemon, they did not hesitate to attack. Kumamon barely dodged the demon infantry's hacks and slashes. The Legendary Warrior was able to eliminate a couple of foot soldiers in the process. However, with his family trying to attack him, it's hard for Kumamon to focus.

Running low on stamina and options, Kumamon had no other choice but to take action against his loved ones.

"Forgive me!" The Digimon of Ice told his family.

Suddenly, the Legendary Warrior charged toward his older brother. He drove his shoulder into Yutaka's midsection. Like a raging bull, Kumamon rammed his sibling into his mother, and then into his father. The Digimon of Ice shoved his family backwards toward the fountain. It hurt Kumamon deeply watching his parents and brother tumble into the water.

"I'm sorry, everyone!" Kumamon apologized before taking a deep breath and activating his skis.

"CRYSTAL FREEZE!"

The Warrior of Ice skied around the fountain, blowing as much cold air as he could around the structure. Saying that he froze the structure was entirely inaccurate. It's more like he created a prison of ice around the fountain, being careful not to turn his family into popsicles. As Kumamon created the frozen barrier, he used his Blizzard Blaster to keep the Evilemon at bay.

When he was done, Kumamon skied toward the edge of the mall to get all of the foot soldiers to come after him. Some of the demon infantry tried using their weapons to break the icy imprisonment. Even the humans inside pounded their fists against the block. But Kumamon's structure held strong. The Legendary Warrior breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that his family will be safe for the moment.

"Now to deal with you guys!" Kumamon said.

Moments later, a large amount of Fractal Code surrounded his body.

"Slide... EVOLUTION!"

A nomadic Digimon appeared before the Evilemon. He unleashed a beastly roar, which shook the entire mall. But the foot soldiers weren't afraid. The demon infantry treaded toward the Digimon of Ice with their sharp weapons pointed at the beast.

But KoriKakumon smirked, knowing that he had the Evilemon right where he wanted them.

"FROZEN ARROWHEADS!"

The Beast of Ice threw his braided blades forward at the enemy. KoriKakumon's seven arrowheads slithered through the area, piercing any Evilemon's facemasks that got in its way. The nomadic Digimon used his dexterity to destroy every last one of the foot soldiers. It wasn't long before the final Evilemon disintegrated into nothingness.

KoriKakumon looked around the area to see if there were any more Digimon he had to deal with. But all that remained was his mind controlled family members, who were still locked in icy prison he created earlier. They continued to bang their fists against the structure. As much as it pained the nomadic beast, he had to leave them in there for a few moments.

"First things first! I gotta find the find the Chaos Spire and destroy it to bring everyone back to normal!"

The Digimon of Ice propelled himself toward the ceiling. KoriKakumon burst through the roof and the top of the shopping center. He looked around, searching for the black tower that's causing everyone to fall under Malevomon's control. And sure enough, he found it. Just toward the west side of the mall was an obelisk-like structure, standing in an open area without a single Evilemon guarding it.

"This should do it!" KoriKakumon said to himself, pulling out a huge panel of the roof which he'll use to destroy the Chaos Spire.

The nomadic Digimon quickly rotated his hips and chuck the hunk of metal at the tower. He watched as the panel quickly spun around like a helicopter blade. Thanks to KoriKakumon's beastly strength, he was able to throw the projectile at such distance. A big smile appeared on the Beast Warrior's face when the metallic panel sliced right through the Chaos Spire. It fell like a tree in the forest.

"Good! Now, I have to free my family!"

KoriKakumon hopped back into the hole on the roof. Because he has destroyed the Chaos Spire, everyone within the tower's range has returned to normal. The Beast of Ice couldn't wait to see his family again. He didn't care about his appearance or how his loved ones got to Odaiba in the first place. KoriKakumon just wanted to make sure that his entire family was alright safe.

When he reached the fountain, he found his mother, father and Yutaka slumped against the icy prison. They had temporarily lost consciousness, which is what typically happens once a Chaos Spire has been destroyed. But the good news was that all three of his loved ones were safe and...

"Ooh! What is this I sssee?"

First came the hissing sound of a snake. Then, from behind the icy prison, a reptilian Digimon appeared. Though not as large as an anaconda, her appearance was intimidating. The Digimon had a coated of white and purple scales, with silver armor fused into her skin. Sparkling, green eyes portray unquenchable desire. She also had had two arms with snake heads for hands.

Apparently, the serpent seemed to have a thing for accessorizing herself. Diamonds, pearls and bracelets decorated the creature's arms. Expensive necklaces and jewelry sparked around her neck. There were silver ornaments around her tail as well. But the piece of resistance was a golden tiara on top of the serpent's head, making her look like a queen.

The Digimon wrapped her long tail around the frozen encasement and lifted off of the ground.

"Ooh! How delightful! Thisss fine piece of architecture will be an excellent addition for my collection!" Envidamon smirked.

"Oh my God! Honey, what is that thing?" Mrs. Himi gasped in terror.

"It's a monster! And she's going to eat us!" trembled Mr. Himi.

"Great! Can this day get any worse?" Yutaka grumbled.

The snake was about to carry her newest trophy of prisoners away, when...

"Hey! Let them go!" KoriKakumon shouted.

The female serpent glanced over her shoulder and noticed a nomadic beast standing behind with a pair of battle axes in hand. Envidamon licked her lips the moment she sensed his immense power. She could tell that this Digimon was strong. And that could only mean one thing. This creature has something she desired more than anything in the world.

"So, you must be one of the Legendary Warriorsss!"

"And who might you be?" The Beast of Ice questioned.

"You may call me Envidamon! I am one of Lord Malevomon's Chaos Sinnersss! And you have something I want! I must have your Legendary Spirts!"

"Not gonna happen!"

But the humans inside the frozen block reacted differently when they laid eyes on KoriKakumon.

"HONEY, LOOK! ANOTHER MONSTER!" shrieked Mrs. Himi.

"OH NO! THEY'RE BOTH GONNA EAT US ALIVE!" Mr. Himi yelped.

"SILENCCCE!" commanded Envidamon. Her voice and scowl made the humans stumble on their bottoms.

"Don't worry! I'll save you!" KoriKakumon shouted toward his family. Unfortunately, his parents still see him as an ugly monster. As for Yutaka, the look in his eyes told the Beast of Ice that...

"Enough! I'm going to say it one more time! Hand over your Spirits, or elssse!"

"Or else what?" The Beast of Ice growled.

"Trussst me! You do not want to find out!"

"You're right! So, I won't!" KoriKakumon growled. "FROZEN ARROWHEADS!"

Again, the nomadic Digimon threw his hair at the Chaos Sinner. Envidamon huffed with frustration before slithering out of the way. Despite having numerous, braided blades in his arsenal, the serpent was just too slippery. She maneuvered and shifted her lengthy body around, easily avoiding all of KoriKakumon's arrowheads.

However, destroying Envidamon was not on his priority list.

"AVALANCHE AXES!"

The Beast of Ice chuck his weapons at the icy prison his family was trapped in. Yutaka and his parents braced themselves. At the speed the axes were travelling, the sharp weapon could potentially cut all three of them in half. Fortunately, they didn't. The axes dug into the block of ice, creating a large crack. It traversed around the encasement, until...

*Kuh-ssssshhhhh*

The frozen encasement shattered into bits, freeing the Himi family, as well as the fountain from the plaza. Once their feet hit the ground, the humans made a beeline toward the nearest exit. They didn't care if the Beast of Ice had rescue them from the evil monster. If they stayed any longer, one of those creatures could attack them agai...

"NO!"

Envidamon was furious when she realized that her prizes were escaping. It made her very angry that this Legendary Warrior had took away something that belonged to her. She unleashed a terrifying hiss toward the nomadic beast, wordlessly telling him that he's going to make him pay.

"Take thisss!" The Chaos Sinner shouted.

The serpent grabbed the stone fountain by her tail and threw it toward the Beast of Ice. Despite the blazing speed of the projectile, KoriKakumon was able to catch the structure. But the nomadic Digimon failed to notice Envidamon slithering around the Beast Warrior's backside.

"ACID FANG!" The snake pounced toward KoriKakumon with her sharp teeth poised to bring the Beast Warrior to his knees. The good news was that the nomadic beast had sensed the Chaos Sinner's presence and made an attempt to avoid her attack.

The bad news was...

*chomp*

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

Envidamon managed to sink her fangs into KoriKakumon's left bicep. Even though Chaos Sinner missed the Legendary Warrior's vitals, the poison has already started to take effect. The Beast of Ice collapsed on his knees, clinching the area where Envidamon bit him. He could feel the serpent's poison spreading throughout his entire body, draining his energy and making him weaker.

"Thisss next move will finish you off!" smirked Envidamon. "ACID FA..."

"BACK OFF!"

KoriKakumon had enough energy to deliver a backfist to the pouncing Chaos Sinner's face. He sent the serpent flying toward the west side of the mall. Sadly, the Beast Warrior's attack did minimal damage to his opponent. And that's not all. When Envidamon landed, she was right in front of the Himi family, who were trying to escape.

"And where do you think you're going, humansss?" The serpent smirked.

"IT'S THAT MONSTER AGAIN!" Mrs. Himi shrieked.

"QUICK! LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!" Mr. Himi shouted.

Only Yutaka was able to get away. As for her parents, Envidamon had already ensnared them with her long tail. No matter how loud they screamed, the female snake would not let them go. The eldest son skidded to a halt and glowered at the reptilian creature.

"Let them go!" Yutaka commanded.

"Make me, you fool!" Envidamon snickered. As much as Yutaka wanted to, he knew that rushing in to save his mom and dad would be considered suicide.

"Hey, you creep." KoriKakumon weakly trudged meekly toward the Chaos Sinner. But once when he reached the young adult, the beast fell back on all fours.

The next words KoriKakumon uttered could only be heard by Envidamon and Yutaka.

"Release my parents, you sick creep!"

The eldest child widened his eyes. He gazed at the weakened, nomadic creature. Yutaka caught a small glimpse of the beast's eyes. For some reason, underneath his monstrous appearance, this creature reminded him of a certain someone. But before the young man could deduce the identity of this monster, the female serpent spoke again.

"It looks like you have sssomething I want, and I have sssomething you want, Legendary Warrior! How about you and I make a deal?"

"Wha... What are you t... talking about?" The depleted Beast of Ice leered at the Chaos Sinner.

"As you can see, I have no need for these pesky humans in my clutches! While I could make these pathetic creatures suffer and destroy them later on, I prefer exchanging these fools to get what I want; and that would be your Legendary Spirits!"

"You dirty snake!"

"Why, thank you! It's always been my joy seeing the look on my victim'sss eyes, watching them give up their most prized possession to me! But for me, I only have to give up these wretched humans! Talk about a sssteal!"

"Why I oughta... Nng!" KoriKakumon was about to charge toward Envidamon, but the poison has already took away most of his strength, causing him to fall on his stomach.

"Once you've made your decision, I shall wait for you on top of the giant wheel! You have one hour! If you do not bring me your Spiritsss, then you'll never see these precious humans again!"

Before the Beast of Ice could say anything else, the Chaos Sinner slithered out of the mall with Mr. and Mrs. Himi in her clutches. The couple screamed and yelled for help. Unfortunately, there was no one around to save them. KoriKakumon and Yutaka watched helplessly as the villainous serpent carried her prisoners out of the shopping center.

Once she was outside, Envidamon slithered toward Daikanransha, which is the three hundred foot Ferris wheel that serves as the city's cornerstone.

Back inside the Venus Fort mall, the weakened KoriKakumon hobbled toward the exits. He's the only one that can save his family. Most of his friends were in different parts of the country. Also, his comrades are on the other side of the city. The Beast of Ice was starting to regret separating from the group. At this rate, he's going to need a miracle and a lot of help if he wants to save his loved ones.

"Ugh... Gotta move... quickly." The Digimon of Ice hissed in agony, still feeling the effects of Envidamon's poison.

"Hey, are you alright?" Yutaka approached the nomadic creature with caution.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." KoriKakumon replied. He then glanced toward the young man. "You have to get out here now. It's not safe."

"What are you talking about? If you haven't noticed, that monster has kidnapped my parents! I can't just leave them! One way or another, I'm going to save my mom and dad!"

"Listen! I know how you feel, but there is nothing you can do! I'm the only one that rescue them! After all, I hold the key to their survival!"

"What are you talking about?" Yutaka gazed at the beastly creature strangely.

"In order for Envidamon our parents, I have to give her my Legendary Spirits." KoriKakumon answered, completely unaware of the fact that he had just given away his identity.

And Yutaka had heard it.

"Legendary Spirits? What do you... Hey, wait! What do you mean _our_ parents?" The young adult widened his eyes.

"Yutaka, there is something you should know." spoke the Beast of Ice.

"H... How do you know my name?"

KoriKakumon took a deep breath and sighed. He never thought that he would reveal something like this to anyone, not even Yutaka. But he knew eventually that he'll have to tell his older brother the truth. He has no idea how he will react. Or worse, he has no clue how his parents will react if they found out the truth. However, in order to save his mom and dad, the nomadic Digimon has to give up something truly precious to him. After all, he cannot put a price on two of the most important people in his life.

Suddenly, the Beast Warrior's body was surrounded by large amounts of Fractal Code. Inside the ball of data, the Digimon of Ice began to change, reverting back to his human form. Yutaka's jaw drop at the amazing sight. This is something he has never experienced before. His curiosity made him drew closer to the encasement of Fractal Code.

But once the data had dispersed, the real identity of the Beast Warrior of Ice was revealed to Yutaka. Instead of another creature or strange being, the young adult found an eleven year old boy on his knees, clenching his left arm. His ugly, orange cap seemed awfully familiar. Yutaka also somewhat recognized the boy's yellow collared shirt. He could've sworn he saw the same pair of brown, saggy shorts before.

When the young boy waved toward his brother, all of the pieces came together.

"Hehe. Hey, bro." The Bearer of Ice weakly smiled toward his sibling.

"T... T... Tommy?"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter seventy-nine. <strong>

**Now that Yutaka knows his brother's secret, how will he react? Will Tommy give up his Spirits to save his parents? Or will Envidamon gain more than a couple of Spirts? These questions will be answered in the next action packed chapter. Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


	80. Miracle On Ice

**Previously on Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising**

**Mercurymon and Grumblemon met Katsuharu and Teppei, who were a couple of kids who went to the Digital World a two years ago. Together, the boys and the Legendary Warriors took out a large army of foot soldiers, and saved the Japanese Self-Defense Forces at the same time. Elsewhere, KoriKakumon had defeated an army of Evilemon in the Venus Fort mall. After destroying the Chaos Spire, his family returned to normal. Then Envidamon showed up and poisoned KoriKakumon. The Chaos Sinner then kidnapped Tommy's parents. And to top it all off, Yutaka now knows the identity of the Legendary Warrior.**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter eighty!**

* * *

><p><strong>Miracle On Ice<strong>

**Normal POV:**

"Tommy? Y... You're a... a mo... mon..." stammered the older brother.

"Yutaka, I can explain. I... Nng..."

The Bearer of Ice collapsed on one knee. Apparently, Envidamon's poison had left the eleven year old boy really weak. Beads of sweat trickled down Tommy's face. He was panting for oxygen. The young boy felt incredibly nauseous. His head was spinning like crazy. Sooner or later, he might vomit something disgusting on the floor. Poor Tommy had never felt this sick before.

"Squirt! Are you alright?" The elder sibling approached his brother and held him tight.

"I... I'll be fine. Don't worry... *cough, cough*" gagged Tommy. It took him every ounce of his strength to return to a vertical base. But even so, his knees trembled mildly.

"Fine? Tommy, look at yourself! You're very sick! I saw that snake bit you! She must've poisoned you or something! We have to get you to a hospital right away!"

"No, Yutaka... *cough*... There's no time. I have to get to the F... Ferris wheel right away. Our parents' l... lives are a stake. I have to hurry, before... *cough*... before Envidamon does something terrible to them."

"Envidamon?"

"Yes. According to my... *cough*... friends, she is an evil Digimon who is a part of Malevomon's army. I have to hurry. If I don't give my Legendary... *cough*... Spirits to Envidamon, then our parents will be in big trouble."

"Whoa! Tommy, slow down!" His brother argued. "I'm totally confused! Digimon? Malevomon? Legendary Spirits? What in the world is going on here?"

"Sorry, bro. But I... Ugh!"

Tommy's again fell on all fours. He felt like his head was being squeezed in a vice. The pain in his stomach was too much to handle. The Bearer of Ice felt that all of his energy had been sucked out of him. Tommy could only assume that the poison injected by Envidamon has already spread throughout his entire body. He was having a lot of trouble getting back to his feet. Everything around him was becoming dark and hazy.

When the Bearer of Ice reopened his eyes, he noticed that someone was lifting him off of the ground. Even though his vision was still blurry, he could see someone was helping him. It took a while for the eleven year old boy to identify the person who was carrying him on his shoulders.

"Yu... Yutaka?"

"I'll take you where you need to go, Squirt. But in the meantime, you have some explaining to do. I want you to know _everything_."

"Bro, I... *cough, cough*... Never mind. Thanks, Yutaka."

"Don't thank me just yet; not until we get mom and dad back. Now, start talking. Where did these monsters come from? And how are _you_ involved in all of this?"

Tommy couldn't help but smile. But it wasn't because his older brother is willing to help him. He had always wanted to tell Yutaka about his adventures in the Digital World. But this is the first time he's actually willing to listen. A couple of years ago, right after he and his friends had returned from their first trip, he somewhat told Yutaka his stories, even though he wasn't really listening. Tommy stifled a giggle, seemingly glad to have another bonding moment with his brother.

As Yutaka carried his sibling towards the exit, the Bearer of Ice started from the beginning. He told his brother about how he and some of his best friends went to this wonderful, yet mysterious place called the Digital World. Tommy explained how he and his friends recovered the Legendary Spirits, which allows them to transform into some of the strongest Digimon in the world known as the Legendary Warriors.

Tommy recalled the many battles he and his friends had fought to save the entire Digital World. Some were easy, like the fight against the Candlemon tribe. And of course, some were very difficult, like the final confrontation against Lucemon. He then explained how he and his friends brought peace and harmony to the Digital World before returning home.

The Bearer of Ice then fast-forwarded two years later. He told Yutaka how his partner, Kumamon teleported him and his family back to Shibuya. Tommy explained about the reunion with the rest of the Legendary Warriors, Malevomon, the Chaos Spires, as well as where their current base of operations is. Finally, the eleven year old boy told his brother his mission to destroy the Chaos Spires and save the rest of the city.

"That's why... *cough*... Envidamon has kidnapped our parents. If I don't give her my Spirits, then she'll do something terrible to mom and dad."

It wasn't long before the boys had reached the east exit of the mall. Tommy had already finished his story. He waited for his brother to say something. Surprisingly, Yutaka's mouth remained open. The older brother had heard every word that came out of Tommy's mouth. He tried to find the right things to say to his sibling. However, his mind was drawing a complete blank.

"I know it sounds crazy, Yutaka. But everything I've said is true. You... *cough*... gotta believe me."

"I want to, Squirt. But... this is so much to take in. I mean, come on. The Digital World? Legendary Warriors? Malevomon? Chaos Spires? That's kinda tough to swallow."

"You're right, but it's the truth. Right now, my friends are going around Japan, destroying all of... *cough, cough*... Malevomon's Chaos Spires and taking out all of his flunkies!"

"Your friends?" Yutaka repeated.

"Yes. And speaking of flunkies..."

The Bearer of Ice pointed toward his front. Up ahead was one of the tallest Ferris wheels in the world. It was about three hundred and seventy-seven feet tall. The structures had sixty four cabins. Each had a different color of the rainbow. The red wheel can be seen from the central urban area of Tokyo. When passengers are at the top, they can see much of the capitol city, including Tokyo Tower and Rainbow Bridge.

However, a conceited snake was waiting for one of the Legendary Warriors to bring her the objects she desired the most. And with a couple of bargaining chips at her disposal, the prize is as good as hers.

"Look! Up there!" Yutaka pointed toward the top of Ferris wheel.

Tommy craned his neck as much as he could. Sure enough, he spotted the Chaos Sinner. Not only that, his parents were still wrapped around Envidamon's long tail. The good news is that they're still alive. But if the young boy doesn't hurry, then the serpent will probably drop his hostages. Tommy cringed at the fact that his parents' lives were in his hands.

"Okay, we found them. What are you going to do now, Squirt? Fight her to the death? Because the last time I checked, she wiped the floor with you." Yutaka reminded his younger brother.

While Tommy was slightly annoyed that his sibling had to recall his humiliating defeat, the eleven year old boy sighed and shook his head.

"No. I can't do that." The Bearer of Ice shook his head. "Envidamon is too powerful. Even in my Beast Spirits form, I cannot defeat her."

"So, now what?"

"I have no choice. I'm gonna... *cough, cough*... give her my Spirits. And in exchange, Envidamon will release our parents."

"That's it?" Yutaka eyed his younger brother. "You're just gonna relinquish your 'Spirits' for mom and dad? Tommy, that's nuts!"

"I'm sorry, Yutaka. But it's the only way.'

"Come on! I know it seems hopeless, but you at least have to try! Call for backup! Where are your friends or the other Legendary Warriors you keep talking about?"

"There's no time." Tommy argued. He got off of his brother's shoulders on his own power. After spending almost a minute of wheezing for air, the Bearer of Ice trotted toward the direction of the Ferris wheel.

But after a few steps, Yutaka grabbed his hand.

"Tommy, wait! Think about it! Do you really think that giving up those Spirits of yours are going to make that snake release our parents?"

"That's the... *cough*... deal we made." The eleven year old boy nodded.

"But, Squirt! What if she's lying? How can you trust that Digimon that she'll keep her word?"

"Yutaka..."

"Look, I'm just saying! Maybe she might release mom and dad! Maybe she won't! How can you tell? Who's to say that she might drop our parents once she has possession of your Spirits? You gotta think things through, Tommy! That snake has nothing to lose and everything to gain!"

"I know that, bro! But I..." Tommy asked.

"Remember what I said about taking the 'easy way' and taking the 'right way?' There is a difference, you know. The easy way is not always right..."

"... And the right way is not always easy... *cough, cough*..." Tommy finished, remembering his older brother's words of wisdom.

"Now, do you understand?" Yutaka patted his brother on the head. The older sibling smiled when saw the eleven year old boy nodding.

"There's still one problem, Yutaka. Even if I do choose to fight... *cough*... Envidamon, there's no guarantee that I'll win, let alone save mom and dad."

"You'll never know until you try, Tommy! I don't know what our parents would say! But if I was captured by that snake, I would rather have you fight for my life, than to throw it away, along with your Spirits!"

"Thanks, Yutaka." The Bearer of Ice stifled a giggle. "I know I don't... *cough, cough*... say it often, but I really do appreciate everything you've done for me."

"I'm sure you'll make us very proud, Squirt! Now, go get our parents and show that evil Digimon what happens when she messes with the Himi family!"

It's a tall order for anyone. The Bearer of Ice not only has to take on one of the evil emperor's most powerful fighters, but he also has to save his parents as well. Not only that, he has to do it while he's feeling ill. Most would either wait for backup to arrive or give up on the spot. The chances of failure is extremely high. It's safe to say that Mr. and Mrs. Himi's lives were very much in jeopardy.

But even that wasn't enough to stop Tommy. The final words of encouragement from his brother had boosted his confidence. At least someone still believes in him. And besides, Yutaka made a valid point. If the Bearer of Ice had given up his Spirits to the Chaos Sinner, he's also surrendering the only chance he has in saving the Human World.

"You better hide, Yutaka. I don't want Envidamon to see you, just in case." Tommy instructed his sibling.

The older brother couldn't help but smile. It's rare for him to take orders from his younger sibling. Most of the time, he's the one who bosses him around. Yutaka would remember he would lie about having 'too much homework' to get his little brother to do his chores, like taking out the garbage or doing the dishes. Being the older does have its priorities.

However, this is probably Yutaka's first time following Tommy's directions. He lets out a small huff. While it felt somewhat weird to being ordered by his younger brother, Yutaka had to admit that Tommy knows a lot more about these strange creatures than he does. And besides, he knows that his younger sibling can take care of himself.

Yutaka gave his brother one more supportive nod before hiding behind an abandoned automobile. With one of his family members safe and sound, the Bearer of Ice shifted his attention toward the top of the three hundred foot Ferris wheel.

"ENVIDAMON!" The eleven year old boy yelled from the top of his lungs.

Tommy then waited for the Chaos Sinner to respond. The Bearer of Ice thought that since the serpent was on the very top cabin, she cannot hear his voice. But that wasn't the case. The sound waves from the air hit the creature's skin. The vibrations transferred from her body, all the way to the hearing organ just underneath the side of her jaw.

"Excccelent!" snickered Envidamon. She then began to slither down Daikanransha with a couple of frightened hostage still wrapped around her tail.

"Wh... What are you going to do to us?" Mrs. Himi gulped.

"Hehe! Wouldn't you like to know?" The Chaos Sinner hissed. Her tongue was only inches away from the woman's face. This made Mrs. Himi cringed in fear. Envidamon huffed before revealing her predetermined fate to her captives.

"Once when I obtain the Legendary Spiritsss, I won't be needing any of you weaklingsss!"

"No! Please, whoever you are! Spare us!" demanded Mr. Himi.

"And why should I? Your livesss have absolutely no value to me! You are merely worthless, compared to the Spiritsss!"

As Envidamon slithered down the Ferris wheel, the Bearer of Ice clinched tight on his D-Tector. Tommy had decided that he will go with Yutaka's suggestion and fight to save his parents. The only problem is how to engage the Chaos Sinner without harming his mom and dad. So far, every plan that the eleven year old boy had formulated end up being a dud.

It wasn't long before the evil serpent reached one of the bottom cabins, she hissed toward the young human. At the same time, Mr. and Mrs. Himi caught a glimpse of the boy standing in front of the Ferris wheel.

"Hey! Isn't that our son?" The woman wondered.

"Oh my God! It is! TOMMY!" Mr. Himi shouted toward his boy.

The Bearer of Ice remained calm. He was aware that his parents were trying to get his attention, possibly to warn him about the evil snake. But Tommy chose not to acknowledge his loved ones. The boy had to stay focused. He just had to figure out a way to rescue his family and defeat Envidamon at the same time.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE, YOU MONSTER!" Mrs. Himi barked at the snake.

"SILENCCCE!" The Chaos Sinner hissed at the hostages. The Himi parents froze in fear. The sound of her voice and her terrifying appearance was enough to silence the captives. Envidamon then glowered back at the eleven year old bot.

"Hand me your Spirits of Ice, boy! Or else, the humans will sssuffer!"

Tommy took a deep breath and sighed. He's ready to put it all on the line. The Bearer of Ice is prepared for what appears to be the fight of his life. If he cannot defeat the evil Digimon and save his parents, then he cannot call himself a Legendary Warrior.

Then suddenly...

"Ask, and thou shall receive! Blizzard Blaster REFLECTION!"

Envidamon was completely unaware that Sakkakumon was floating right in front of her. The Beast of Steel rotated his body until a certain eyeball was pointing at the Chaos Sinner. Finally, the metallic Digimon fired a barrage of snowballs that would put Kumamon's attack to shame. The projectiles zoomed toward the serpent and plastered all over her body. Surprisingly, neither Mr. nor Mrs. Himi was hit.

The speed and power of Sakkakumon's attack caused Envidamon to release her hostages.

"KKYYYYAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Mr. and Mrs. Himi shrieked as their bodies approached the canvas.

"MOM! DAD!" Tommy gasped. At that height, their demise would be immanent without some sort of protection.

And then...

"Mine!" A deep voice shouted.

Suddenly, a brown ogre appeared out of nowhere and stood underneath the plummeting humans. The Beast of Earth first caught Tommy's mom with his right arm. He then caught the father with his left. As for the Himi parents, they had their eyes closed, bracing themselves for the end. But once they realized that they were still alive, both humans turned toward the one who had saved them.

"Miracle catch, huh?" grinned Gigasmon.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! AN UGLY MONSTER!" The couple shrieked.

The sudden fear was too much for them. Moments later, both humans passed out in the creature's arms. The ogre stared blankly at the unconscious humans. He then sighed. Gigasmon knew that these ungrateful humans would react like this. Once again, he was treated like a hideous monster, rather than the Digimon who rescued them.

"Hmph! Me know when not appreciated!" The Beast of Earth huffed.

"Mom! Dad!" Tommy rushed as fast as he could toward the giant ogre. He saw his parents passed out in the creature's arms. The Bearer of Ice lets out a sigh of relief now that he knows that his loved ones are safe. The eleven year old boy then smiled at the Digimon of Earth.

"Gigasmon! You've saved my parents!"

"Ha! Ungrateful these humans be!" laughed the ogre.

"Thou hast spoken true! But then again, those knaves are no better than the rest we've encountered." The metallic creature rejoined his comrades.

"Anyway, thanks for the save, you guys! I don't know what Envidamon would've done if you hadn't arrived." The young boy thanked at the Beast Warriors.

"Really, Tommy? How come you're not giving _us_ any credit?" A familiar voice entered the Bearer of Ice's ear.

Tommy glanced behind him and saw a couple of humans standing next to each other with their arms crossed and wide grins on their faces. The short boy on the left had brown hair and wore circular glasses. As for the taller boy on the right, he had a light brown hair and a silver dog tag around his neck. Neither one of them had to say a word to tell the Bearer of Ice how much they missed him.

It only took the eleven year old boy several moments to recognize two of his good friends.

"Katsuharu! Teppei!" Tommy gasped as he rushed toward the boys. "What are you guys doing here? I thought you guys were out of the city!"

"It's a long story, buddy! But we'll tell you later!" Katsuharu said.

"Yeah! Besides, we got an even better story! Wait till you hear about how Katsuharu and I helped the Sakkakumon and Gigasmon against the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and..."

"You help us? Ha! Don't make Gigasmon laugh! All you did was cry like baby!" The Beast of Earth interrupted Teppei's story.

"Indeed!" Sakkakumon agreed. "Thou has displayed more fear than braver..."

"This isss too good to be true! Three more Legendary Spiritsss, all mine for the taking!" A familiar voice interrupted.

The group turned and saw one of Malevomon's Chaos Sinners was ready for battle once again. But the look on her face was much different than last time. It had more hunger, more desire and more envy than ever before. And it's for good reason too. Envidamon craves to have the Legendary Sprits in her possession. With the Digimon of Ice, Earth and Steel in front of her, the serpent couldn't wait to claim the Spirits for her own.

"Who's this weirdo?" Katsuharu wondered.

"It's Envidamon!" replied Tommy. "Be careful, guys! She's a lot tougher than she looks! In fact, she even managed to... *cough, cough*..."

Apparently, the eleven year old boy was still affected by Envidamon's attack. He collapsed to his knees and continued to gasp for air. Katsuharu and Teppei gathered around their friend, checking to see if he's alright or if he needs medical attention.

"She wants Spirits, huh?" Gigasmon grinned. He first set Mr. and Mrs. Himi down against the wall, so that he can get in the fight. "Me say we give to her, then some!"

"Agreed, my fellow Warrior! We'll send this snake back in the grass!" chuckled Sakkakumon.

The Digimon of Earth and Steel immediately went after Envidamon, leaving Tommy and his friends all alone with no protection.

In the meantime, Yutaka appeared out of his hiding spot and hustled toward his family. The young man first check on his parents. He tried to wake them up by shaking their bodies and lightly slapping their faces. Unfortunately, both Mr. and Mrs. Himi remained unconscious. With his parents unresponsive, Yutaka checked around to search for a safe place to take his family.

"Oh man! Tommy, you don't look so good! What happened?" Teppei asked his friend.

"Envidamon bit me. Now, I feel so... *cough, cough*... I don't think I can fight in my condition." The elven year old boy faintly replied.

"But you wield the Spirits of Ice, Tommy! As strong as Sakkakumon and Gigasmon are, they might need your help!" Katsuharu argued.

"How can I... *cough*... fight when most of my strength has been drained? And besides, Envidamon is a lot more powerful than... *cough, cough*... anyone I've ever faced."

"You can't just give up, Squirt!" Tommy's older brother said. "You told me that the entire world is counting on you! And you're just going to sit on the sidelines at this important time? Come on, Tommy! I know you're better than that! I've watched you grow! I've seen you change! If there's anyone that knows about beating the odds, it's _you_!"

"Your brother is right, bud! You can win! And it's not because you have the Spirits! You have something that Envidamon doesn't have: _friends_!" Katsuharu placed his hands on Tommy's shoulders for more support.

"Even so..." Tommy murmured. "... we need more power. If there's only... *cough*... a way we can defeat Envidamon."

"There is."

The group of humans tensed the moment they heard a soft voice. But when they turned toward the source of the noise, they found a small, puppy-like creature with a gold ring around her neck. The little animal was gasping heavily for air. Not one of the boys knew that this Digimon had ran over ten kilometers to find one of the Chosen Children. But only Tommy recognized the Celestial Rookie.

"Salamon!" The Bearer of Ice gasped.

"Salamon?" Teppei, Katsuharu and Yutaka asked at the same time.

"Relax, guys. She's a... *cough, cough*... good friend of mine." Tommy reassured before turning back to the puppy-like Digimon. "Salamon, what are you doing here?"

"I sensed you were in great danger, so I came to help." The Celestial Rookie responded.

"But how?" The Bearer of Ice asked.

He briefly shifted his attention to the other two Beast Warriors, who were locked in a vicious battle against one of Malevomon's Chaos Sinners. Although Envidamon was outnumbered, she has Sakkakumon and Gigasmon outmatched. None of the Legendary Warriors' attacks came close to the evil serpent. Envidamon is determined to claim both the Spirits of Steel and Earth as her own. And she'll stop at nothing to obtain them.

"Envidamon's too powerful." Tommy continued. "We have to stop her, or else the Human World will be doomed!"

"That's why I'm here." The Celestial Rookie spoke. "I can give you a bit of my power. With it, you'll be able to save your world."

"Really, Salamon?" The eleven year old boy smiled.

"What kind of Digimon is this?" Teppei wondered.

"Or better yet, how is _she_ going to be any help to us?" Katsuharu pondered.

Instead of telling the teenage boys, Salamon decided to show them what kind of power she has. First, her body started to glow in bright, yellow lights. Tommy could feel the warmth of the light being provided by the Celestial Rookie. Not only that, the light began to heal the Bearer of Ice. The poison that was in his body had been removed. In a matter of seconds, Tommy was back to normal.

Trusting in the Rookie's words, the Bearer of Ice pointed his D-Tector toward the Salamon. Suddenly, a golden beam shot out from the puppy's body and connected with Tommy's device. On the screen, the symbol of the Ophanimon appeared.

Suddenly, the D-Tector emitted a flare of light. Katsuharu, Teppei and Yutaka were blinded by the light's brightness. As for Tommy, he found himself being engulfed by the intense radiance.

Moments later, the eleven year old boy opened his eyes. He thought he was still in the plaza with his friends and family. But instead, Tommy was in an area surrounded by white space. Even though he was alone, the Bearer of Ice could feel the power that was given to him by Salamon. Tommy knew that he mustn't let this boost go to waste. After all, it's up to him to save his friends, family and the rest of the Human World.

And then, two relics appeared in front of Tommy. The one on the right was shaped like a snow bear with a shoulder pad on its left arm and a blocker on the other. As for the relic on the left side, it was white ball with braided arrowhead wrapping around its sides. A huge grin appeared on Tommy's face the moment he recognized what these objects are.

"My Spirits!"

Suddenly, the relics started glowing. Tommy watched as the Human and Beast Spirits change and took form of the Digimon of Ice.

"Kumamon! KoriKakumon!" Tommy beamed. "Boy, am I glad to see you!"

"Same here." replied the bear.

"But as much as we love to stay and chat, we still have business to take care of." KoriKakumon said.

"How? Even in my Human and Beast Spirit form, Envidamon is still too powerful." The boy argued.

"But now, Salamon has given you a new power, a new evolution." The nomadic beast said.

"You mean...?" Tommy's eyes widened.

"Yes. You hold the Spirits of Ice! Now is the time for you to harness their true power. And in order to do that, you have to make the Human and Beast Spirits come together as one." Kumamon nodded.

"Yeah!" Tommy smiled. He then closed his eyes and brought his D-Tector to his chest. "I sensed them. Kumamon's sharpness, and KoriKakumon's ferocity! I can feel them..."

The fifteen year old boy opened his eyes and was ready for action.

"... TOGETHER!"

*Insert Song: With The Will*

A gold sketch of the Human Spirit of Ice traced on the black screen of Tommy's D-Tector. Behind that, an outline of a gold beast faced toward the fourth wall, opened its mouth and pounced forward. Finally, the Human Spirit and Beast Spirit of Ice overlapped one another on the eleven year old boy's device. He held the glowing D-Tector in his right hand. Tommy then stuck his left hand out. A large ball of Fractal Code appeared around his hand. With a bright smile on his face, he brought the ball of data and his device together.

"EXECUTE, NOW!" Tommy shouted, swiping the ball of Fractal Code with the scanner on top of his D-Tector. "FUSION EVOLUTION!"

A long stream of data spiraled around his body. Tommy could feel a large surge of energy engulfing him with the Human and Beast Spirits' power. The boy screamed during the transformation. The sheer power of the ice made Tommy scream. But he endured the intensity as the relics unite into one. His arms, legs, head and his entire body were slowly changing into the Legendary Spirits of Ice.

Finally, the evolution was finished. The encasement of Fractal Code exploded, revealing a newly fused monster that's ready to fight. The creature landed on all fours and fired a barrage of icicles from his back that shot in every conceivable direction. He then finished by pulling a pair of spikes from behind and threw them towards the front.

"MEGATHERIUMON!"

"That was..." Teppei gasped.

"... AWESOME!" Katsuharu agreed with his pal.

"I can't believe my little brother's all grown up." Yutaka couldn't help but smile.

Standing in the middle of the plaza was one of the giant sloths the boys had ever seen. He was covered in gold and white armor from head to toe. There was a turquoise colored orb on all four of his legs. The sloth wore a greenish headband, similar to Kumamon's. It also has the Symbol of Ice embedded in the center. His razor sharp claws can slice through the hardest of metals. But the most prominent feature of this Digimon was the large number of spikes on his back, which can be commonly confused as icicles. While these could be used as projectiles, the beast can also use a couple of these spikes as daggers for short ranged combat.

"I've never seen a Digimon like that in my life! Who is that guy?" asked Katsuharu.

"That's Megatheriumon!" Salamon answered. "The Human and Beast Spirits of Ice have come together to help Tommy become this powerful Digimon! This is the power of Fusion Evolution!"

"Megatheriumon!" Katsuharu and Teppei spoke together. Their eyes remained locked on the Hybrid of Ice.

"Tommy..." Yutaka has never been more proud of his brother.

"Go get her, Megatheriumon... Ugh!"

Before she could finish her cheer, the Celestial Digimon fell to the ground. She had used almost all over her energy giving her power to Tommy. Her chest heaved with every breath she took. But that still didn't wipe the smile off of Salamon's face. Despite lacking in energy, she knew that she had done all she could to help her friend to save his world.

Yutaka picked up the Celestial Rookie and wrapped it around his arms.

"Thanks for helping my little brother." The young man said to the Celestial Rookie.

"So, now what do we do?" Teppei regrouped with Yutaka.

"We can't really help out, since we're not Legendary Warriors." Katsuharu spoke as he joined his friend.

"In that case, I say we find a place to hide and let the others take care of the rest." said Yutaka.

The other boys nodded in agreement. Katsuharu pointed towards the Ferris wheel, suggesting to hide in one of the cabins. They quickly moved toward the three hundred foot structure and entered the yellow cabin at the very bottom. It was more than big enough to fit all three humans. And since the power was still out, the boys didn't have to worry about Daikanransha starting on its own.

Katsuharu, Teppei and Yutaka peeped out of the window to watch Megatheriumon in action for the first time.

Back on the battlefield, the Chaos Sinner was having no trouble taking on two Legendary Warriors at once. None of Sakkakumon's or Gigasmon's attacks came close to hitting the slippery Digimon. Her slickness, combined with her ultimate desire to acquire the Spirits made it difficult for the Beasts of Steel and Earth defeat.

"LEGENDARY WARRIOR: DARK REFLECTION!"

Sakkakumon unleashed a heavy barrage of attacks from the ten Legendary Warriors. He was getting frustrated that the Ultimate level serpent was able to last this long against him. But the metallic Digimon had a feeling that firing a bunch of different attacks at once will do it for sure. Even with her speed and slipperiness, there's no way the Chaos Sinner can dodge all of these attacks.

But she didn't have too.

"VENOM SHIELD!"

Envidamon covered herself with her very own special fluid. The ooze coming out of her body acted like some kind of a defensive seal. And that was enough to protect the evil Digimon from all of Sakkakumon's attacks. The flames, tornados, lasers, explosives, and lightning did nothing to the Chaos Sinner. The sadistic smirk on her face remained. She couldn't wait to obtain the Legendary Spirits all to herself.

"TECTONIC SLAM!"

Up above, the Beast of Earth appeared with both of his arms drawn back. If throwing projectiles wasn't working, then perhaps brute strength will break Envidamon's defenses. He came down to earth at a blazing speed. He with raw power, the Digimon of Earth knew that he will be able to do maximum damage to his opponent.

"Oh pleassse!" The Chaos Sinner widened her smirk.

Gigasmon threw both of his arms forward, hitting Envidamon with every ounce of energy he had in him. But the Beast of Earth's attack was even more ineffective than his comrade's. It did not break the serpent's shield, nor caused a dent.

However, the Chaos Sinner found the opening she needed. Before Gigasmon could recover, Envidamon wrapped her tail around the Beast Warrior's body and threw him toward the metallic Digimon. Bodies collided in midair. Both Sakkakumon and Gigasmon landed hard on the ground, making a large crater upon impact.

"Me suppose it good time now to wave white flag." groaned the ogre.

"Ugh. Such a buffoon thou art." The network of eyeballs sighed.

Elsewhere, Envidamon slithered toward her defeated opponents. With her victorious, she can now claim the Spirits of Earth and Steel.

"At last, after all of this time, the Legendary Spiritsss are..."

"ICICLE STORM!" A voice much deeper than KoriKakumon's interrupted the Chaos Sinner.

When Envidamon glanced to her left, she saw a giant sloth crouched on all fours. Suddenly, the Hybrid of Ice launched an onslaught of spikes from his back. The frozen projectiles flew in every possible direction. Some of the icicles hit the walls of Venus Fort. Other icicles ended up in the ocean. There were a few that punctured some of the Ferris wheel's cabins. And of course, a good number of spikes came close to impaling Gigasmon and Sakkakumon. Luckily, none of his friends were harmed.

"Phew! That close!" The ogre sighed.

"Wouldst thou watch where thou art aiming?" Sakkakumon complained.

"Yeah! Watch it, Tommy!" Teppei agreed.

"What are you trying to do? Turn us all into porcupines?" Katsuharu shook his fist at the armored sloth.

However, a good number of icicles were aimed at the Chaos Sinner. But the evil serpent made no effort to dodge Megatheriumon's attack. Her Venom Shield was still coated around her body, ensuring her protection. In other words, it didn't matter how many of the Hybrid's spikes hit her body. Thanks to her ultimate defense, nothing can hurt her.

About eighty of Megatheriumon's icicles nailed their target. The spikes then broke in half, fell on the canvas and melted into a small puddle of ice.

"You fool! With my Venom Shield, there isss nothing you can do to..."

But Envidamon had spoke too soon. It wasn't long before she noticed a small crack on her very own defensive seal. Her eyes widened in both shock and astonishment. The crack on her specialized armor traversed down her tail and up toward her head. In a matter of moments, the Envidamon's Venom Shield shattered into pieces like a broken mirror.

Still, the Chaos Sinner gazed hungrily at her newest opponent. Saliva dripped out of her mouth. As she studied the newest creature in front of her, she could only imagine how much power the Hybrid of Ice possess. It wasn't just the Legendary Spirits she desired. The evil serpent wanted more.

"Such power! I mussst have it! For you are merely inferior compared to me! Now, give it to me!"

"You want it? Come and get it!" Megatheriumon stood on his hind legs.

"IT'SSS MINE!"

Without warning, Envidamon slithered as fast as she could toward the Hybrid of Ice. She wasn't going to let anything or anyone stop her from claiming what she believe is rightfully hers. As for Megatheriumon, he was in no rush to defeat the Chaos Sinner. In fact, he knew he was completely safe, thanks to the power the fused Legendary Spirits had given him.

"ACID FANG!"

When the evil serpent was in range, she pounced off of the ground and aimed her teeth at Megatheriumon's neck.

"Chew on this, Envidamon!" The Hybrid Warrior declared.

Megatheriumon lifted his arm up to block the evil creature's attack. The large sloth reacted just in time. Instead of sinking her teeth into one of Megatheriumon's vitals, she bit the Hybrid's armor instead. Envidamon struggled to penetrate through her opponent's defense. The Digimon of Ice smirked, knowing that his armor is strong enough to protect him.

Envidamon soon realized that she wasn't making any progress of causing any damage. But when she opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was Megatheriumon's fist coming at her. Because she had no time to defend herself, the Hybrid's right hook nailed his opponent across the jaw, summarily dislodging the evil serpent's fangs. The Chaos Sinner tumbled on the canvas with half of her teeth knocked out.

But the armored Digimon wasn't finished yet. Just to be sure the Chaos Sinner didn't escape, Megatheriumon pulled out a couple of icicles on his back and chucked it at his opponent. The first spike pinned the evil creature's tail to the ground, making Envidamon hiss in mild agony. But the pain got worse when the Hybrid's second icicle stabbed through the middle of her body. The Chaos Sinner yelped in agony, feeling as if the sharp weapon was cutting her body in half.

"Now, do you understand the reason for your downfall, Envidamon?" spoke Megatheriumon. "Your desire for power has become too great for you to handle! In other words, you've bitten off more you can chew! You are not worthy to possess the Legendary Spirits of Ice, because they belong to me! While you chose to use the Spirits for your selfish needs, I use them to protect my friends and family!"

"LIESSS! THE LEGENDARY SPIRITSSS IS MINE! MIIIIIIIIIINE!" exclaimed the angry Digimon.

"Then, so be it!"

The Hybrid pulled out another frozen spike a certain part of his armor. Unlike the other icicles, the one he's holding is special. This one is his signature weapon. He pulled the retractable icicle so that it was now twenty four inches long. Megatheriumon then jumped up and drew his arm back. As gravity grabbed a hold of him, the armored Digimon took aim at the Chaos Sinner's head.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

"TOMMY!" Katsuharu and Teppei cheered.

"FINISH HER!" Yutaka screamed from the top of his lungs.

When Megatheriumon reached his opponent, he threw both of his arms forward.

"FROZEN DAGGER!"

The Hybrid Warrior drove his extended sharp icicle through Envidamon's mouth. Not a single sound escaped her lips. Her eyes remained wide open, filled with nothing but lifelessness. Her body fidgeted for several moments, using the remaining strength she had left to fight back. But after a while, her futile twitching came to a stop, which signaled the end of the Chaos Sinner.

"Whoa... Tommy..." Those were the only words that came out of Katsuharu's mouth.

"I don't believe it!" Teppei was just as speechless as his friend.

"Man! Remind me to never make fun of the Squirt ever again!" Yutaka smirked while shaking his head. But on the inside, the older brother was happy for his sibling. He's definitely not the little boy he was a couple of years ago.

"At last, the evil Digimon has been defeated." The exhausted, but thrilled Salamon cheered.

When Megatheriumon got off of the lifeless serpent's body, a ring of data appeared around Envidamon.

"That is so cool!" Teppei beamed.

"Hey! I've seen that before!" Katsuharu remembered. He recalled the very same substance surrounding his body when he and his friends were confronted by the Royal Knights.

"Can someone please explain what in the world is around that creature's body?" asked Yutaka.

"It's Envidamon's essence. That is the Fractal Code." The Celestial Digimon replied.

"So, what does that mean?" The older brother wondered.

"Because Megatheriumon is the victor, he can now absorb his opponent's data." said Salamon.

The Hybrid of Ice stood on his hind legs, ready to finish off his opponent.

"Be careful what you wish for, Envidamon! You just might get it!" exclaimed Megatheriumon. A compartment on the creature's armor. A green and cerulean D-Tector popped out of the hatch. The Hybrid caught his device and aimed it at the defeated Digimon.

"FRACTAL CODE... DIGITIZE!"

Upon command, the Fractal Code drew toward Megatheriumon's D-Tector. Yutaka, Katsuharu, Teppei and the Beast Warriors of Steel and Earth watched as the armored Digimon absorbed all of his opponent's data. With all of her essence gone, Envidamon began to disappear from sight. All that remained was a green Digi-Egg. Before Megatheriumon could react, the Digi-Egg lifted itself off of the canvas and floated toward the direction of Malevomon's Chaos Realm.

The battle has been won. Large amounts of Fractal Code surrounded the armored Hybrid's body. That was Katsuharu's, Teppei's and Yutaka's cue to come out of their hiding place. They boys exited the yellow cabin on the Ferris wheel and dashed as fast as they could toward their friend.

When the cocoon of data disappeared, the exhausted Bearer of Ice fell on his butt. He was breathing heavily like he had just finished a marathon. Apparently, having the ability to Fusion Evolve takes up a lot of energy. The stress on his body was immense. But Tommy was happy with this new ability. With it, he and his friends are one step closer to saving the Human World.

"TOMMY!"

The Bearer of Ice's smile widened the moment he heard his friends calling. When the boy glanced to his left, he saw Katsuharu and Teppei sprinting towards him. Tommy still didn't have enough energy to get back to his feet. So, he waited for his friends to approach him. The tears in their eyes told the eleven year old boy that they were happy that he was alright.

"GREAT JOB!" ||| "AWESOME, MAN!"

Before Tommy could react, both of his friends pounced on him and wrapped their arms around him in a vicious bear hug. As much as the Bearer of Ice appreciated the gesture, his body hasn't fully recovered from the last fight. But despite banging the ground with his hand or his futile attempts to break free, Tommy at least knew that his friends were safe.

"You were absolutely amazing, Tommy!" Teppei complimented before releasing his friend.

"I gotta admit! You never ceased to surprise us! No wonder you were chosen to be a Legendary Warrior!" praised Katsuharu.

"Thanks, guys." The eleven year old boy giggled as he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Pardon my intrusion, but explainth why thou receives all the credit?"

"He right! We too helped you know!"

The boys looked behind them and saw the Digimon of Steel and Earth have reverted back to their Human Spirit forms. On the other hand, neither one of them appeared to be happy. Grumblemon had his hands on his hips and a jealous scowl on his face. As for Mercurymon, he had his arms crossed in disgust. It's obvious that the metallic Digimon wasn't amused that the Bearer of Ice was getting all of the praise.

"Behold, Grumblemon. This be the thanks we get after all our effort." complained the Warrior of Steel.

"Hmph. Me know when not appreciated." The gnome huffed.

"Hey! Come on, you guys! Don't pout! We didn't forget about you!" Katsuharu made his way toward the somewhat jealous Mercurymon.

"Yeah! If it weren't for you guys, Katsuharu and I would've been chop suey! Tommy may have defeated that evil serpent, but you guys are _our_ heroes!" Teppei concurred with his buddy.

"Bah. Thou art just speaking nonsense to make me feel better." Mercurymon huffed.

But Katsuharu knew exactly what he was saying. Underneath that metallic exterior, there was just another Digimon seeking acceptance and recognition. The boy can tell that the Warrior of Steel was feeling better, even though he wasn't verbal about it. And he was right. In the back of Mercurymon's mind, he was somewhat glad to have met this human. The adventures has become more exciting and fun, since he tagged along.

"Hmph. Me guess you humans okay for now." Grumblemon muttered.

"I heard that." snickered Teppei.

As the boy continued to chuckle, he noticed a small hue of red across the Warrior of Earth's cheeks. The gnome did his best to conceal his blush by covering his face. But it was too late. Not only Teppei saw Grumblemon's flushed cheeks, but he wanted to make sure that the Digimon of Earth will not forget it.

"You like me! You really do like me!"

"Me no know what you talk about!"

As the boys interacted with the Legendary Warriors, Tommy made it back to his feet. It made him very happy to see that humans and Digimon are able to get along. The eleven year old boy hasn't forgotten about the cruel and horrible things most of the people told him. It's clear that it will be a long time before they can coexist. But Tommy was glad that the Legendary Warriors have found some human friends.

"Not bad, Tommy."

The sound of his brother's voice made the Bearer of Ice brighten his smile. When the eleven year old boy turned around, he almost burst into tears when he saw Yutaka standing in front of him with the Celestial Rookie resting in his arms. Immediately, Tommy got back to his feet and sprinted toward his brother. Before Yutaka could react, the Bearer of Ice wrapped his arms around his sibling's waist.

"Um... Squirt?" The young man was taken aback by his brother's embrace. But what puzzled him even more was the fact that his sibling was already in tears.

"Are you alright, big bro?" Tommy questioned.

"I was going to ask you the same thing. I mean, you're the one who's crying, Tommy. And you know something? The last time I saw you crying like this was a couple of years ago when you scrapped your knee during soccer practice."

"I'm sorry. But I can't help it. I just really miss you, Yutaka."

"Tommy, you're overreacting again."

"Come on, big brother. I'm serious about this. I can never express my gratitude towards you."

"What are you talking about, Squirt. It was thanks to Salamon that were able to transform into a powerful fighting machine. All I did was give you some advice. No big deal."

"But it is, Yutaka. Your words, your advice and your wisdom helped me defeat Envidamon. Sure, Salamon has given me some of her energy so I can Fusion Evolve. But it was _you_ who helped me out the most. Yutaka, you inspired me to keep fighting and to never give up, even when Envidamon had kidnapped mom and dad. If it weren't for you, I would've probably surrendered my Spirits to the evil Digimon. So, um... thanks."

"Tommy..."

Yutaka couldn't recall when was the last time his younger sibling said such kind things to him. And judging from the tone of Tommy's voice, the young adult could sense the sincerity and honest in his words. Moments later, Yutaka wrapped an arm around the Bearer of Ice. The bond between the two of them has never been stronger.

Neither Tommy, nor Yutaka could remember the last time they had been this close.

"Aw! Look at that, Teppei! Tommy really loves his brother!" Katsuharu snickered.

"Man, I wish I had my camera so I can capture this beautiful moment!" Teppei smirked, failing miserably in holding back his laugh.

The instant Tommy realized his friends were watching him, he immediately broke the embrace and gazed at the others in embarrassment.

"Shut up, you guys! That's not funny!" The Bearer of Ice complained.

"Pff. Humans are such lowly buffoons." Mercurymon smacked his forehead in annoyance.

"Me going be sick." The gnome rolled his eyes.

"Well, it looks like everyone's here." said Salamon after doing a quick head count.

"Not everyone." The eleven year old boy corrected the Celestial Rookie before turning back to his older brother. "Hey, Yutaka. Where's mom and dad?"

"They're still out cold by the plaza. Come on. Let's go check on them." The young man respond.

The humans and Legendary Warriors rushed back to the spot where Yutaka left Mr. and Mrs. Himi. Once when the group passed the Ferris wheel, they spotted a man and a woman slumped against the wall with their eyes closed. Tommy was the first one to reach his parents, with his older brother not far behind him.

"Mom! Dad! Wake up!" The Bearer of Ice cried. He shook both of his parents and lightly slapped their faces, doing everything he can to get his loved ones to open their eyes.

"Ugh... What happened?" Mr. Himi groaned.

Soon, the man and woman started coming to. Their consciously slowly returned to them. When Mr. and Mrs. Himi opened their eyes, the first thing they saw was their youngest son smiling brightly at them. The adults sat up straight and gave their child a great big hug.

"Tommy! Oh, my little boy! I was so worried about you!" sobbed Mrs. Himi.

"Where have you been, son? We've been worried sick about you!" Tommy's dad spoke.

"Mom? Dad? Please stop. You're embarrassing me." Yutaka groaned while shaking his head.

"I'm fine, mom. Really. I'm just glad you and dad are alright."

But his parents kept their arms around Tommy, never wanting to let their youngest son go ever again.

"Don't worry, Tommy! Your mom and I will protect you from those monsters!"

"Daddy's right! We won't let those ugly creatures lay a finger on you!"

"Hey! Who humans calling ugly?"

"Isn't it obvious, my fellow Warrior?"

Mr. and Mrs. Himi tensed the moment a pair of unfamiliar voices entered their ears. Tommy's parents slowly glanced behind them to see who had spoken. Their eyes widened in fear the moment they spotted a green, metallic creature and a gnome with an incredibly large nose. Both Warriors of Earth and Steel gave the adults a couple of smirks that would even make a puppy whimper.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! MONSTERS!" Both parents yelped.

Before Mercurymon and Grumblemon could protest, Mr. and Mrs. Himi had fainted once again. The sight of the Legendary Warriors was just too much for them. One small look and they were out like a light. However, this made the Digimon of Steel and Earth chuckle with amusement. Even Katsuharu and Teppei thought it was funny that a couple of adults would be scared of Mercurymon and Grumblemon. As for Yutaka, he sighed and rolled his eyes with annoyance.

"Really, mom and dad?" The young adult groaned.

"Tommy, I had no idea your parents were so scared of a couple of harmless Digimon." Katsuharu laughed.

"What's next? They're going to freak out when a rabbit approaches them?" joked Teppei.

"Alright, you guys. That's enough." The Bearer of Ice told his friends.

"Well, now that we've vanquished one of Malevomon's wretched cronies, what be our task now?" The Warrior of Steel asked the rest of the group.

"Me no know. We trashed all Malevomon's foot soldiers already. Me bored now."

"Say, does anybody have the time?" The eleven year old boy asked his friends.

"Don't look at me. My cell phone's been dead ever since the Digimon came to our world." complained Katsuharu.

"Mine's not working either. I can't even contact my parents or browse the internet." Teppei said.

"You boys are unbelievable. And in case you're wondering, it's 5:00pm now." The young adult told the boys. Teppei and Katsuharu stared at Yutaka in shock.

"Wait a minute! How do you know what time it is when your cell phone's out of power?" The fourteen year old boys gasped. But that made Tommy's brother groaned with disbelief. He then showed Katsuharu and Teppei a device that's wrapped around his left wrist.

"It's called a _watch_. You ever heard of it?" Yutaka replied sarcastically.

"Did you say 5:00pm?" The eleven year old boy asked his sibling.

"Yeah. Is there a problem, Squirt?" The young man asked.

"Oh man. I have to get back to Shibuya soon. I'm supposed to meet my friends at the hideout at about 6:00pm."

"You guys have a hideout? That's so cool!" Teppei gazed at Tommy with excitement in his eyes.

"Where is it, Tommy? Can we come? I want to join you guys in the fight against the evil Digimon!"

"I don't know, you guys. This is not like your first adventure in the Digital World. These Digimon will not show you any mercy once they see you. They will destroy you without hesitation, if they get the chance. I'm sorry, guys. But it's way too dangerous. I can't fight Malevomon and keep you safe at the same time."

"Relax. You don't have to worry about us, Tommy. You go out there and take care of business. Teppei and I can take care of ourselves." Katsuharu gave his friend the thumbs-up sign.

"And besides, you don't have to worry about protecting us. We got a couple of Legendary Warriors who will never let any of those nasty Digimon hurt us. Isn't that right, Grumblemon?" Teppei smirked toward the Warrior of Earth.

"Huh? What you talk about?"

"Don't play dumb with me. You know what this means. From this moment on, you and I will be partners. You and I will be the ultimate team, like those cartoons I watch on Saturday mornings."

"You no serious." The Warrior of Earth rolled his eyes.

But even though he knew Teppei was just speaking nonsense, Grumblemon didn't mind him tagging along for a while. After all, he could always use him as a human sacrifice if necessary.

"That goes for you too, Mercurymon." Katsuharu said as he approached the Digimon of Steel.

"Hmph. Dost thou honestly think a superior being like myself is capable of cooperating with the likes of you?"

"Yes, I do." The boy nodded firmly, standing his ground against the metallic Warrior's rudeness.

"Then care to explain what thy plan is if I should choose to leave thee alone with the rest of the garbage." Mercurymon grinned at Katsuharu.

But the Digimon of Steel was surprised that the teenage boy was not backing down or showing any signs of hesitation or second thoughts.

"It should be obvious. You're my partner. Believe it or not, but you and I are destined to accomplish great things together. Besides, you did save me earlier from the Evilemon. And you have to care about me enough in order to do so. Say whatever you want, Mercurymon. But I'll continue to stick with you until the very end." Katsuharu declared, which made the metallic Digimon groaned.

"I pray the latter would approach us soon."

With everybody seemingly on the same page, the Bearer of Ice stepped forward.

"Come on, you guys. We better get moving. If we don't reach our home base by 6:00pm, then Takuya and the others will suspect that something has happened to us." said Tommy.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but lead the way, Squirt." Yutaka nodded toward his brother. The Celestial Digimon that was in his arms also smiled at the Bearer of Ice.

"Alright, then." The eleven year old boy laughed before turning toward the Digimon of Earth and Steel. "Can you guys please carry my parents back to our hideout? I do not want to leave them here."

"At least say please." The gnome sighed before hoisting Mr. Himi on his shoulders.

"How humiliating." The metallic Digimon groaned, carrying Tommy's mom in his arms.

"Okay! Everyone follow me!"

And so, the group of humans and Digimon exited Odaiba and head straight for Rainbow Bridge. They glanced back at the damaged city one last time. The boys were saddened at the destruction the forces of evil had caused. Despite the many battles they had won, there's bound to be tougher ones in the near future. The war was far from over.

As the Warrior of Earth and Steel journeyed back toward their hideout, Katsuharu and Teppei bombarded them with all kinds of questions. The boys asked their 'partners' about the Digital World, as well as their battles. They were even curious to know more about them, asking them what their favorite food was or what they do during their free time. As the boys continued with their interview, Mercurymon and Grumblemon glanced at each other with confusion. They were both thinking the same thing. Of all of the humans in the Digital World, why did they have to end up with _them_?

Meanwhile, Yutaka was thinking about how much Tommy has grown. For as long as he could remember, his little brother would normally chicken out if he's ever faced with a scary situation. Battling against an ugly serpent would definitely be considered scary, even for him. Now, the young adult doesn't think that Tommy is afraid of anything anymore. He assumed it's the Legendary Spirits that he's carrying is the reason why he has more self-confidence. Still, he's just glad that his brother is a much better person because of it.

There's nothing that can wipe the huge grin on Tommy's face. This whole day has been one huge roller coaster ride. He save a bunch of people, who in turn treated him like scum. Even his parents were frightened by him, even though he had rescued them from the Evilemon. After Envidamon had captured his parents, Yutaka's words once again motivated him to keep on trying. And thanks to Salamon, he now has the power to Fusion Evolve. It can't get any better than that.

As the group headed off toward Shibuya, their confidence and belief in saving the Human World has reached an all new plateau.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: So, that's chapter eighty. <strong>

**The east side of the country has been secured. Tommy has gained the ability to Fusion Evolve and even managed to defeat one of the Chaos Sinners. Will the other Legendary Warriors have the same success? Or will the Chaos Sinners claim victory in the name of the Malevomon? Stay tuned to find out what happens on the next Digimon Frontier: Chaos Rising.**

***Don't forget to review!***


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